ERD50
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
The proof is in your statement: "But I put it back on because I just got tired/lazy of thinking about portion size at each meal." What was it Hemingway said? "Slowly at first, then quite rapidly." I suspect it is easier for any one of us to make corrections in the "slowly" stage than in the "rapidly" one -- laziness aside.
Agreed on the first part, but on the second, whether weight or budget, I look at my account balance every month, and do a quick pencil-paper projection, or I get on the scale (or notice where my belt notch is), and I know I'm out of whack. I knew I was gaining weight and I knew why (I was eating too much). I chose not to bother, I just wasn't motivated enough to stay on my auto-pilot NOR to micro-count calories for each meal.
If I were motivated, I would need to look at corrections. Maybe counting each calorie or each purchase would have anticipated it, maybe not - I'm trying to figure if the micro-accounting is worth the effort.
I guess it's like that old parable of someone walking and looking down carefully placing one foot precisely in front of the other, versus the other guy that looked ahead at a tree for reference, and walked towards it - which one walks a straighter line, or gets to their goal first?
Again, to each their own, whatever works for you, etc. My intent was to learn how these things work for people to see if I was missing out on something, and I don't feel I am.
-ERD50