logging my macros is driving me batty

[gbrice75]

Although your body has no concept of time, i.e. it doesn't wait until the end of the day to add nutrients up, doing things in X amount of time is what's intuitive to us as humans, and allows us to maintain order with the things we do in our lives.

With that said, I find it easiest to log your food intake over a 24 hour period. Most people log their 'daily' macros, daily being whatever time they're awake and therefore eating. They sleep throughout the night so there's no need to track eating obviously. If you are up eating throughout the night, you need to continue your 'daily' logging.

Two points though:

1) Make sure that if your daily goal is 4000 calories (for example), you are getting 4000 calories in that 24 hour period. Not 4000 calories before you go to bed, then wake up and eat throughout the night, then start at zero again the following morning. This brings me on to the second and more important point...

2) You have a bigger issue to work out with this sleep situation, as you already know. Without sleep, you're cheating your body out of rest/recovery/growth. On top of that, since you can't 'predict' not being able to sleep, you may consume 4000 calories by 10pm (for example), go to bed, wake up at 1am and not be able to fall back asleep. If you continue to eat throughout the night, you'll be overeating obviously.

Solve the sleep problem, and the food problem goes away by default. Look into melatonin, GABA, Theanine, etc. Keep your sugar intake low throughout the day, and especially into the evening. Lay off any stimulants you might be taking (caffeine, clen, ECA, etc). Try and establish a sleep pattern.

I know this is easier said than done. This is coming from a person who has sleep issues, severe at times, so I know what you're dealing with. We have to do our best to figure it out and make it work.

[PitMaster]

Although your body has no concept of time, i.e. it doesn't wait until the end of the day to add nutrients up, doing things in X amount of time is what's intuitive to us as humans, and allows us to maintain order with the things we do in our lives.

With that said, I find it easiest to log your food intake over a 24 hour period. Most people log their 'daily' macros, daily being whatever time they're awake and therefore eating. They sleep throughout the night so there's no need to track eating obviously. If you are up eating throughout the night, you need to continue your 'daily' logging.

Two points though:

1) Make sure that if your daily goal is 4000 calories (for example), you are getting 4000 calories in that 24 hour period. Not 4000 calories before you go to bed, then wake up and eat throughout the night, then start at zero again the following morning. This brings me on to the second and more important point...

2) You have a bigger issue to work out with this sleep situation, as you already know. Without sleep, you're cheating your body out of rest/recovery/growth. On top of that, since you can't 'predict' not being able to sleep, you may consume 4000 calories by 10pm (for example), go to bed, wake up at 1am and not be able to fall back asleep. If you continue to eat throughout the night, you'll be overeating obviously.

Solve the sleep problem, and the food problem goes away by default. Look into melatonin, GABA, Theanine, etc. Keep your sugar intake low throughout the day, and especially into the evening. Lay off any stimulants you might be taking (caffeine, clen, ECA, etc). Try and establish a sleep pattern.

I know this is easier said than done. This is coming from a person who has sleep issues, severe at times, so I know what you're dealing with. We have to do our best to figure it out and make it work.

O.k. I will just log from when I wake to when I sleep regardless of when I actually do sleep. I try to plan for sleep so I'll try and reach my caloric intake by meal 5 or 6 and then find I don't sleep so I keep eating every 3 hrs. until I do. I will look into the sleep aids as mentioned. I have seen them suggested before, I'm just stubborn and assume such things will not work for me. I'll have a closer look. Thank you

Unless I read this wrong it seems like you're more or less wingin' it everyday trying to reach your macro goals. You'll find it a lot easier to physically write out a meal plan on paper and plan them throughout your day. Also, it's a lot easier to cook these meals in advance if you are able to. This takes a big weight off of your shoulders as far as always thinking "I got to eat this by this time" or whatever, throughout your day.

Also, it makes things easier on the readers of this forum if you space your text out as opposed to lumping it all in one giant paragraph. The enter key is your friend!!

This diet is definitely consuming me. It will get easier as I progress, it already has as far as x amount of meals go.
I don't usually eat the same things every time except for basics, eggs,oats,meat,br. rice. I'm terrible at organizing and will get better at it. I log as I eat so If I'm short in any macros, I'll add a lil to it. Making up my macros is not the hard part. It's what I mix together. I see a lot of sample diets, I just like to complicate things and do it my way.

Sorry bout that. I didn't realize I did that, I guess i was just wound up.

agree.....

Use myfitnesspal, they also have a Iphone, Android and Blackberry app. that helps me track my macros....

I see that this was suggested elsewhere. I will look into it. Just stubborn. Thx.