Why I Stopped Tracking My Workouts (and Macros)

A couple of years ago I got myself a FitBit.  At first, I had complete buyer’s remorse and wanted to return my tracker immediately.  But I hung onto it and eventually, I fell in love with it.  I loved being able to set goals, and alarms to keep me moving, and I especially loved being able to track my sleep pattern.  I definitely do not sleep as much as I think I do.

FitBit Charge HR

My main reason for getting the FitBit was the heart rate monitor.  If you’ve been following this blog for any amount of time, you may recall that I have a heart condition.  As a fitness professional – and participant – I thought it was important to be able to keep an eye on my heart rate during my workouts.  Though, sometimes I still overdo it and find myself gasping for breath or wanting to barf because my heart rate if out-of-control high.

Last year in July, my gym friend introduced me to an app that links with your fitness device (i.e. my FitBit) and will pay you to log your workouts.  The app will sync with your device and gives you points in accordance with your goals – activity, sleep, workouts, and will give you points for taking surveys or referring friends.

Once I started using this app, I began logging my workouts consistently.  Every.single.time.  Anytime I went for a walk or lifted weights or participated in a class, I would log.  Log. Log. Log.  I never missed logging a single workout.

Via FitBit

Then several months ago, I also started tracking my macros.

The program I used allowed me to log my food and water intake in accordance with my goals – which were in accordance with my height and weight and workout regime.  I was also logging my workouts on this app in addition to my the other two programs.

For months on end, I logged every single food and drink I consumed.  If I put mayo on my sandwich or milk in my coffee, I had to log it.

I had to make sure I was getting enough water and burning the calories I was taking in.

After months and months and months of basically tracking my entire life….I just stopped.  I was suffering from tracker burnout.  Tracking my workouts and my macros became less about doing it for my health and more about “keeping up with the Joneses”.  It became an obsessive chore.  I would feel guilty if I was over my macro intake for a day – even though I was/am in a major calorie deficit nearly every day (usually being under calorie by around 1,000 daily) – if I indulged one day I had a hard time letting go of my “over consumption” (<— see – we all battle our demons).  Having battled eating disorders in my younger years, I realized that my tracking behavior was bordering a line I did not want to cross and so I just gave up.  I let it go.

It has been several weeks or more since I stopped tracking.  And although I partially stopped because of pure laziness and forgetfulness, I had been growing tired of the efforts I put in to tracking everything – and tired, physically.  You know, sometimes I just don’t care if I’ve eaten a donut.  Sometimes I feel like I’ve earned that donut and I don’t feel like my macro tracker should be telling me otherwise or making me feel guilty for using up my carbs and sugar intake for the day.  And although that I am 90% consistently healthy in my eating choices, sometimes I just want the damn donut!!

So, I let it go.

Until I get back to the point in my life where I am tracking my workouts and macros for health reasons, I will not be keeping watch on what I’m doing or eating.  I don’t need to.  I know I am healthy and I know I am fit.  I don’t need to be in constant competition with myself in order to validate my health or fitness level.  No one does.

~FB

PS – Eat the damn donut!

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