How do I keep track of what I eat when I eat out? (aside from bringing a pad of paper and write everything down) Does this ever stop being/feeling like a JOB????????? So much work......weighing, measuring, writing, going to FitDay to get the info, coming back here to post it in the Journal. Nat, how do you do this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I love eating the food and being mindful about it, but LCing is taking over my life (or so it seems!)

WOW..........am I whining? complaining? Yikes! that's not my style, but that's where I am today......and this is a safe site to just let it out!

Thanks, Janet p.s. I've gained 2 pounds in 3 days.....this is my 12th day and I have a 3 pound loss. I love this program, but it just seems consuming.

Janet, it's a big change and it IS time-consuming. I grumbled about the same thing, and someone kindly reminded me that eating mindlessly was what brought us all here in the first place

Yes, it does get easier, once you get the changes incorporated into a routine. But that takes time. How long? It depends how off-base you were to begin with. I was VERY off-base. I lived on cereal, English muffins and jam, candy bars and cokes. So it wasn't just "cut out the pasta" and "substitute romaine leaves for bread at lunch." I've had to turn my life upside down. Is it hard? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.

As for dining out, it may help to think things through before you go. What kind of restaurant are you going to go to? What is likely to be available? What will you probably eat? What must you avoid? Chinese restaurants are hard! So are Mexican. They're possible, but it's hard to put together a low-carb meal. But if you're going to a French or a mixed menu restaurant, you can think it through before you go. A steak or a chop, vegetables, salad with dressing. Put the bread on the other side of the table from you, if you'll be tempted, or ask the waiter not to bring any. Dessert is out, but there will be plenty of appetizers you could have.

If you do this, you won't have to write it down and look things up there. Just eat from your allowed foods and write it down when you get home.

We all make mistakes during the adjustment period. "I didn't know shrimp cocktail sauce had that many carbs in it," etc. That's how we learn

Good luck!

I have been LCing for almost four weeks now and this WOL was consuming all of my time for the first 3 weeks and I was feeling really frustrated, as you sound. There is so much to learn. Hang in there, it will get better as you learn the foods you like that are "allowed" and like and start to remeber carb counts, etc. It was a great lesson for me to go on a business trip recently. I had to wing it. It taught me to trust what I knew and I did fine. If you want you could peek at my journal and see how my conference meal planning went. My journal is under the t's. And I recommend planning ahead for your meal when your still learning the carbs and when things are still very temting. This is something I should have done the first time I went out because I made poor choices because of temtation. I know that if I would have figured out ahead of time what I wanted and what was allowable for me for the day, I would have done much better.
I still write my meals down for the day and this doesn't take much time and now that I'm comfy with the calories and fat intake I only do the carb and protein figures. I plan to do this always and make this a new habit. This may be right for some and not for others. What ever works for you and keeps you on track. I have a pad of paper in my car for when I go out. And then it's a habit to write everything down after I eat at home. Sometimes I even do this ahead of time so I know my limits if I'm having a day where temtation is an issue.

I do not measure myself but maybe once every two weeks. My clothes tell it all. But I do step on the scal often. I'd like to make myself do this only once a week, but I haven't managed yet.

I was extremely stubborn about posting a journal because I was worried about the time factor. But I am happy with it since I can post my questions in one spot and get them answered. You'll get tips on your meal planning too for efective weight loss.

I'm not an expert on gain and loss, but it souds like some water retention with a two pound gain in 3 days. Dring water like a fish and it will shed.
Hang in there Janet. It gets better. Do the things that keep you on track and work in your life.

- tskako

- tskako

Thank you so much, Tskako and Alto.......that really helped! I've printed it out so I'll have it for info and encouragement the next time a get a case of the "whines"!!!!!!!!!

As far as the water is concerned, I've been drinking like a fish! I drink well over 1/2 gal a day. I should measure it some day! And I have the keto sticks and am always in Ketosis........so I WILL continue to do what you guys here and Dr A teach me. Thank you for reminding me it's a journey.......not a destination!

I started this thread concerend about eating out...........then it became a "whining" piece of drivil! Some of you were kind enough to overlook that and graciously extend your help and suggestions.......and encouragement!!! Thank you!

I weighed this morning (not changing anything.......except I didn't eat the nuts that I was going to last night)..and *wha la*!!!!! I'm now at l42!!!!!!!

I'm just grateful that I'm willing to be open ...... to take suggestions .... to follow direction .... and to become the observer of what my body does in the meantime (not the critic)! I'm going to let this simple way of eating be just that....SIMPLE!

Again, thank you......all of you, for your support, experience, suggestions and encouragement!

Hi Janet,
It sounds like you had a wonderful change in your way of thinking. Remember not to be so hard on yourself. Our bodies can retain fluid for oodles of reasons so our weight can fluxuate a few pounds very easily. My weight fluxuates 2-3 pounds from morning to night, so I always weigh myself at the same time of day. This is our new WOL and I think sometimes we need to hang on for the bumps in the road. You're doing great!

-tskako

Ahh, those words warm my heart!

LC is a learning curve in more ways than one, and you've made great progress in a short time. Congratulations!

Karen

janet, congratulations on the weight loss! that is SO great, and amazing considering how little you have to lose. I bet you feel better, too.

Just another vote that yes, it does become easier. All I have done lately is, once a month or so, enter three or four days of typical food into fitday to make sure I'm on track. Then I forget about it for another month. You do learn what you can eat and can't, so a general rule (something like a meal with salad + 3/4 c veggies or 1/2 c berries and a second meal with a salad) serves a lot of people well enough.

At times, it can actually be interesting, like a fun science project, to watch your weight jump up four pounds overnight when you eat something seemingly innocuous and realize you probably have a food sensitivity. Ferreting those problems out and changing our WOE forever should then make us feel better, too!

Keep up the great work.