I have a confession to make: I SUCK AT TRACKING! Ok, that’s not really a confession because you folks already knew that. I have struggled to track my meals since my very first Weight Watchers meeting about 10 years ago. I guess my issue is having to actually sit down to try to figure out the caloric value or points value of every ingredient I stuff in my face. It’s a pain in the ass, to be quite honest. But, it’s also an eye opener. And not always a good one. If something has more calories that what I expected I either will eat it and throw the tracking out the window for the day, or I will make a different food choice and spend the rest of the day beating myself up for wanting it in the first place.

I know it’s important to write everything down to make one aware of what their daily caloric intake is, and adjust their meals or workouts accordingly. But I find that all this does it makes me feel guilty about what I eat. Or even worse; frightened of eating in general! I’ve had this discussion with my trainer. I shared my fear of NOT eating enough because I’m afraid that everything I eat is going to make me gain more weight. Now, I know this is not true. But if you have struggled with weight the same way I have (pretty much my entire life) you know what I’m talking about. I get on a roll with weight loss, then figure “one little piece of cake won’t hurt” only to step on the scale the next day and see that I’ve gained 1-2lbs! Suddenly, I scale back my meals for the day and eat a lot less than I should just to lose that 2lbs, and to make sure I don’t gain anymore. I basically punish myself for having a piece of cake even though I’m perfectly aware that one piece of cake DID NOT cause me to gain 2lbs overnight.

This type of thinking is not healthy or helpful with my weight loss journey. I’m fully aware that tracking is one of the best tools for attaining and maintaining a healthy weight. I just wish it wasn’t such a “buzz kill.” Again, I know many of you know where I’m coming from with this. But, statistics don’t lie. Tracking IS very beneficial for weight loss and weight maintenance. I just don’t like it. BUT, “it is what it is “so I need to change my attitude on tracking. I have to stop whining and accept this as my truth and part of my journey. Tracking is a bitch. But,  in the words of Vivien Vance “I’m gonna learn to love that bitch!”

Liz