At what point does it end - or doesn't it?

ryanhorn

Lovefastball99 wrote: »

This is an excellent question. I've been the same weight */- 5 lbs for ages. Years really. I go through phases of cutting to be seriously lean. Or times, sadly, when I skip working out for 2 months. Luckily, I've got a good foundation on basic clean eating. I know people here bash clean eating because well, if it's not clean... It must be DIRTY! But seriously, if I go through a lazy spell (usually in the winter) and I don't workout... I can't be eating donuts and cake and such. But when I come out of hibernation and life starts blooming around and I'm out and about and I KNOW I'm about to sport a bikini, *kitten* gets real and I focus.

Not going to sugar coat my lifestyle... I drink fairly regularly. From a glass of wine a few nights a week to 2 nights of social gatherings that are 6-8 hours of chatting and drinking. That's A LOT of calories. And that is truly, the only reason I use MFP. To see how many of my calories are blown up in smoke by drinking them. Eh. Not exactly the model of health but it's life. I enjoy my nights out. I LOVE my time with friends playing games and cutting up. And 99 % of the time that includes alcohol. So I account for it. And I pay the piper some days.

Some people are on a journey to lose weight. I'm on a maintence basis. I love my life. I love my body. I answer to no one. Except my jeans. They tell me if I've done wrong.

Even though I'm trying to let go of logging, I still find myself logging whenever the day has alcohol involved because you're right, it adds up.

paradi3s

For me, I don't think it would end. I find the whole counting calories thing really fun and informative. And that way, I know I won't lose or gain any more than I need to. :-)

katiejanecollins

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all your comments I guess it varies for everyone. I plan to stay logging for the next few months at least, and I'll see where I go from there!

riffraff2112

I am addicted to the community and logging is just a by-product of checking in with the progress of my 'friends'.
What worked for me was to give myself a 5lb window (which for me is about where I notice my pants start to fit differently...not in a good way).
I have definitely been guilty of letting things slip but it wasn't just that I stopped logging, I stopped weighing myself, stopped being as serious with my workouts etc.....logging keeps you accountable..having there in black and white makes you pay attention.
Not sure I'll ever be 'free'...good luck

GaleHawkins

katiejanecollins wrote: »

Some people may stay on MFP forever, and that's totally fine, but I don't really want to do that as I feel I could become obsessed with calorie counting like I have done previously. I'm 1lb off my goal weight (which realistically I don't think I'll get to - so I'm going to try and maintain it now instead), and after two years of calorie counting I'm pretty familiar with what food items I regularly consist of calorie/fat/carb wise, but is there a particular mind set I should get myself into so I can lay off the counting but remain at this weight.

Anyone know what I mean/do that themselves?

Katie you have done a great job. As you state counting helps us become aware of the calories in different foods and how many we are consuming so as to educate us on what and how much of it to eat.

I was a carb abuser and enjoyed the heck out of them for 40+ years but paid a health cost. Now at 64 I realize second chances are hard to come by and eating right foods in the right amounts to have the best health for my remain years should be my goal. That mindset helps me.

Everyone is different so getting advice from others often can be counter productive. Key is getting to know our bodies and how different foods impact them in a good or bad way.

I just wish I had understood this when I was 24 or even 44 what I now know and 'understand' at 64.

Keep applying what you have learned about eating and the weight will take care of itself most often. I weigh every day so that is my way of counting now because if my weight increases it is a red flag I am perhaps eating the wrong kind of food that will permit me to eat all I need to stay full without gaining weight.

You know you can lose weight now. Yes maintaining weight is harder than losing weight but if one can learn to lose weight one can master maintenance eating as well. Keep up the good work.

juliedee20

That's a good question! I like the accountability of logging and keeping my diary open, or rather, I need the accountability! It forces me to make better choices. I guess if I ever get to the point where I eat only healthy foods and maintain portion control naturally I won't need to log, but I don't see that day ever coming about.

ntinkham88

After awhile you can probably just estimate how much you're taking in. As long as you're eating healthy, eating when you're hungry, and not over eating you should be just fine. I know I can get obsessive over calorie counting and that's really no way to live! You'll just drive yourself insane.

brenn24179

with so many people gaining their weight back, I know I am not special snowflake, I will always have to be cautious logging those calories, I guess a small price for not gaining the weight back. I feel like I could easily gain the weight back if I don't stay on top of it.

Francl27

If I didn't count, I'd have to limit my treats because I wouldn't know if they fit or not... so you bet I'm going to keep counting.

Lovefastball99

Francl27 wrote: »

If I didn't count, I'd have to limit my treats because I wouldn't know if they fit or not... so you bet I'm going to keep counting.

This is exactly why I do it. Whether my treat is cheesecake or a night out with the girls... I want to be able to do it/eat it etc

scrittrice

nxd10 wrote: »

Now, if I don't log, I tend to be cautious about what I'm eating and often find I undereat. Usually logging tells me I've got enough calories left to eat naturally and follow my appetite.

I am the same way--I tend to be overly cautious if I'm not logging. I have mostly stopped weighing the things I eat every day, but every once in a while I double-check. Also, now that the weather is warmer and I walk/bike a lot more, I have to make sure I fuel myself properly.

Kim55555

ryanhorn wrote: »

katiejanecollins wrote: »

Some people may stay on MFP forever, and that's totally fine, but I don't really want to do that as I feel I could become obsessed with calorie counting like I have done previously. I'm 1lb off my goal weight (which realistically I don't think I'll get to - so I'm going to try and maintain it now instead), and after two years of calorie counting I'm pretty familiar with what food items I regularly consist of calorie/fat/carb wise, but is there a particular mind set I should get myself into so I can lay off the counting but remain at this weight.

Anyone know what I mean/do that themselves?

I'm going to take the opposite side of most people in this thread, and I'll begin by saying that everyone is different. Some people intend on logging forever, but I didn't want to be that person that was entering food in my phone during meals for the rest of my life. People have been staying skinny for hundreds of years without logging or worrying about calories, and I wanted to do it too.

As someone weaning off of logging after logging for two years straight, the hardest part I've learned is listening to your body. For the past two years, I've been so concerned with calorie counts/timing/hitting macros that I've forgotten what it feels like to be hungry, what it feels like to be comfortably full, and what it feels like to enjoy food honestly. I've actually found that I've been eating less now since I stopped logging several weeks ago. My biggest suggestion would be picking up the book "Intuitive Eating." There's lots of awesome tips and tricks in there to help you maintain your weight without the stress/worry that the numbers will bring you.

Also the feeling of nurturing your body when it's hungry and taking care of it instead of fighting it constantly by tracking is kind of nice.

Also, another big piece of advice is don't be scared! You'll see on the scale and on your body if you go too far in one direction or the other. You're not going to go back to your original weight by letting go of logging with all the new skills and attitudes you've learned.

I wish you success if you choose to stop logging, and enjoy the freedom that it brings

The intuitive eating kindle book is down from $16 to $2 at amazon. I'm going to buy it

I've been working on intuitively eating too.

nxd10

scrittrice wrote: »

nxd10 wrote: »

Now, if I don't log, I tend to be cautious about what I'm eating and often find I undereat. Usually logging tells me I've got enough calories left to eat naturally and follow my appetite.

I am the same way--I tend to be overly cautious if I'm not logging. I have mostly stopped weighing the things I eat every day, but every once in a while I double-check. Also, now that the weather is warmer and I walk/bike a lot more, I have to make sure I fuel myself properly.

I rarely weigh now either and have a good sense of most calories and most portions. But every once a while you realize all those little things have added up to a lot more than I thought I did. Logging helps.

Sabine_Stroehm

Slightly different than many here: I lost before MFP etc. I lost by changing my diet and considering portions.
I never "stopped" the weight loss just stopped.
In hindsight, this seems harmonious with fat2fitradio's (previous?) suggestion to "eat like the thinner you".
I ate. I lost. And then one day I didn't.

For ME, the biggest thing was a mind set/paradigm shift. I had to think of food differently. I changed my palate. I changed how I considered food, cooking etc.

For me, it was: SLOW carb (not low), lots of veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, dairy, fruits, WHOLE grains etc.

That was 14 years ago.
I'm STILL maintaining.

I limit the heavily processed carbs (pre-packaged convenience foods, HFCS etc. etc.). And the rest takes care of itself.


I STILL consider it this way: I try to build a nutrient dense, delicious, diet. I try to fuel my body, and not have crazy cravings. I figured out how that worked for me. And kept doing it.
Good luck. YOU can figure out what works for YOU!

feisty_bucket

katiejanecollins wrote: »

I'm pretty familiar with what food items I regularly consist of calorie/fat/carb wise, but is there a particular mind set I should get myself into so I can lay off the counting but remain at this weight.

Anyone know what I mean/do that themselves?

Sure. I think what you've mentioned here is the main part. You know what a "regular" day consists of so you know if you're pigging out and screwing up.
So you'd only need to worry if you're screwing up consistently.

Anyways, I've maintained within a range for a long time and it's not hard without calorie counting. However, since I've more recently taken up IF and calorie cycling, I'm finding myself having to track because I can't just eyeball/guestimate that stuff with enough precision. So yeah, I'll have to be tracking for the duration. I don't really mind though.

booksandchocolate12

snowflake930 wrote: »

It won't end for me. I know myself, and logging will have to be in my life always.

I know some people can do it, just not me. The statistics say that the majority of people will gain all the weight back, some will gain even more than they lost back. I want to be in the small majority that never gains it back, and for me that means logging. Just the way it is, and will have to be, for me.

For me as well.