As of today I have logged onto the calorie counting app MyFitnessPal for 425 days without missing a day logging my food. I'm sure I've missed a morsel or two in my cataloging, but for the most part I have charted most every bite that has gone in my mouth for the last 14 months. That has been the one of the keys to my success.
I have been asked what the secret to my persistence is. Many of my friends have been using the same app and we are linked as friends so we can check up on each other's progress and encourage one another. I will get a notice from time to time that one of my friends hasn't logged on in a few days and the app will suggest that I contact them and encourage them.
But why haven't I missed a day? Do I have an iron will? Am I more dedicated than the next person? Do I have a secret? The answers to these questions are respectively: I don't know. No. No. No.
To me, MyFitnessPal is like a game. I enjoy the process of logging my food and exercise and trying to balance it like a checkbook (something I was never very good at, but thankfully, my wife is.) I like calculating what I've eaten and figuring out how much I still can eat. Also, I'm just one of those people who has a hard time breaking a streak. If I've done something that many days in a row, I just don't want to stop. I once kept a diary every single day for five years. It really hurt when I stopped, but for some reason, I just didn't pick it back up. I don't want MyFitnessPal to be the same way. Not, at least, until it has served its ultimate purpose in my life; making healthy eating second nature.
In thinking about this question, though, I have tried to come up with a list of things to keep in mind when trying to stay diligent.
1. Be honest. I think one of the reasons people stop recording is, they don't want to log the ice cream and cake they ate at the party, or they don't want to see on the screen the fact that they went 1000 calories over for the day. Not logging the info doesn't make it go away. Commit to being honest with MyFitnessPal and yourself. Did I have over days? You bet. Several. Its not about the individual day. Its about changing life-long patterns. You will slip and fall sometimes. Pick yourself up and get back after it.
2. Use MyFitnessPal on every device you have. The app is available on iPad and on cell phones. It's also available on the internet at www.myfitnesspal.com. If you can't get to any of those devices, write down what you eat and go back later to fill it in. The more readily available the app is, the more likely you are to use it.
3. Pre-plan your day. I very often know what I'm eating for lunch or dinner, so I will enter them before I start my day. Sometimes I have to make subtle adjustments, but that's ok. Doing this gives me a really clear idea of the snacks I can allow myself throughout the day and keeps me from getting to dinner time with very few calories left. If you are pressed for time during the day, logging your food in advance can really save you time.
4. To Quote Nike: Just Do It! It really is just that easy. Commit to yourself and your friends on the app that you will log in every day. Forgive yourself when you fail, but focus on the future and keep moving forward.
I hope this helps, and I hope to see all of you on MyFitnessPal. My member name is steknow. If we aren't already friends on there, feel free to send me a friend request.
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