Do you ever just get tired of thinking about calories?

tammylee57

I've had a hard day. I'm usually ok about the counting and the avoiding the sweets or snacks. For past few days i have found myself resenting fact that I can't just eat what I want. That my husband can eat cupcakes and ice cream every night ... And that I get an orange. That I want fudge and brownies ... And am starting to avoid social situations because of the whole "food" issue... What will be there , will I be hungry... Will I want all the good tailgate food etc. Just venting

Cbozzzz

when is the last time you had a cheat meal? most don't recommend this and i say "meal" because for me i only have self control for a meal not for the day....you cant count calories constantly without a break once and awhile. I typically have my cheat meal once a week. i don't count calories i just enjoy my meal, have a drink or two and get geared up for the rest of the week.

queenliz99

Whole food issue is limiting and not a whole lot of fun. It's not even realistic to think you can eat this way the rest of your life. You can eat what you want but just less of it.

grubb1019

I got tired of it and I gained about 25 lbs back. I will never not count calories again. Yes, it is a pain in the rear, but the disappointment of gaining all that back and the crappy way you feel when you do is not worth giving up.

macgurlnet

Let's say there's 60 calories in your orange.

You could also have a piece of chocolate for the same number of calories - you may have to do less than a full portion, depending on what it is, but you can still have chocolate.

If you want those things, work them in! Go for a longer walk and earn some extra calories.

I have treats every single day. I did that while I was losing and still do it while I'm maintaining for a while. I try to limit candies and such to just after dinner, but some days are just stressful and I go for something earlier. I log it, I stay within goal, I mostly meet my macros.

If you're miserable, you won't stick with this. Don't do that to yourself.

~Lyssa

Nikki31104

I got tired of counting calories too. So I quit. Now I am back at it again because I gained 25 pounds back. I am very disappointed in myself.

clarion_r

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

I was just lamenting this today when I got a craving for the glazed doughnuts just sitting there at work. It's not that I can't have one, it's that my day is planned and I didn't want to give up my evening dessert for a snack in the morning. I really, really wanted those doughnuts though. Making those decisions is sometimes annoying. But...I have a doughnut prelogged for tomorrow, so I can make sure it fits. I still get to eat what I want, but sometimes it's delayed gratification. And being a size 4-6 instead of a 20 is worth that to me. Ignorance was sort of blissful (well...except for the being obese part), but I can't unlearn what I now know. There's an energy equation that needs balance and I have to make sure it has that.

This is the best advice. Don't make yourself miserable, fit in the things you want.

DoreenaV1975

I pre-log every single day...and you best believe I include some yummy treats in there! Some days I don't actually want them so I delete them and add other food, sometimes I replace the unhealthy pre-logged snacks for healthier ones because that's what I'm craving. It's easier to remove the "bad" foods and replace them with "good" foods then it is to try to squeeze in the "bad" after the fact.

Bowsergirl

It gets a lot easier, but yeah I avoid social situations in the beginning. When I get more comfortable with eyeballing portion sizes and I'm more confident about my plan, it's a lot harder to get derailed by a night out or a shared meal.
I second the suggestion for a cheat meal. It's fun and it helps me stay focused all week.

I log my whole week in advance and do all my meal prep on Monday so that I don't have to think about dieting as much. I just follow my plan for the day.

To be fair though, I don't have a husband eating cupcakes, that seems really hard to me. I live with someone that eats ultra healthy.

tammylee57

Thanks! Great advice and tips

Qskim

tammylee57 wrote: »

I've had a hard day. I'm usually ok about the counting and the avoiding the sweets or snacks. For past few days i have found myself resenting fact that I can't just eat what I want. That my husband can eat cupcakes and ice cream every night ... And that I get an orange. That I want fudge and brownies ... And am starting to avoid social situations because of the whole "food" issue... What will be there , will I be hungry... Will I want all the good tailgate food etc. Just venting

Every morning do a quick add calorie entry for the unknown - 10% of your allowance for example. You might use it for cupcake, you might not. But you can relax with the rest of the day knowing it's there. When you know what you used those cals for, log it properly.

Also, are you at the lowest calorie allowance? 1200? Can you allow more?

As for social situations I used to have a very "tidy" diary during the week leading up to the social outing. I shaved a few calories to give me extra on the social night. I would try and fit in a walk before I went...a few extra cals to play with but also helped with mindset. I didnt log the night necessarily (just depended on how fiddly it was), but I had (and still have) my rules...pick on the best protein and vegetable choices first...they fill up the bulk of my plate and then I'll have a little of what I may never cook at home as well - this is why I look forward to the social stuff because I'm a lazy cook when it comes to fancy. I always have a selection of desert but just a small taste plate of whatever I want. I'm not a big alcohol drinker so I stick to water mainly.

The next day (or meal) back on track and I made sure there was exercise just for the positive feels.

Boredom with what you are eating and being rigid are a fast track to derailing. Time to inject a little fun. It's stuff you aren't going to avoid forever so work out a strategy to include it.

arditarose

Why are you eating an orange? Have something fun too. I'm in a deficit and ate a whole pint of frozen yogurt tonight. Maybe I can't do that every night but a serving of ice cream, some dark chocolate-not a lot of calories.

vixtris

try to think of counting calories as a way to teach yourself to be more aware of how much you are eating. You do need to treat yourself every now and then, though. But personally, I have yet to get frustrated with counting calories, but I think that is because I allow myself to go out to eat and what not and don't fret if i go over a little.

Samm471

You know what I think is crazy that we have to constantly count calories and macros but yet there's guys and girls I work with who don't and they're in great shape. One guy doesn't count calories he just eats clean makes sure he gets enough protein and he is ripped! Did I say guy I mean he is 21 hrs been lifting for a few years but it was him who told me don't go by macros and calories go by how you feel and the mirror. I've still. It got my head around to doing that. The sheer fact that this place has made me kind of worried to not log calories or check macros sucks!!

patrikc333

yes, and I think it's normal

some can eat what they want and self regulate themselves

other cannot and become obese

some other are not very hungry at all and don't need to worry about anything

I need to be controlled, and CICO changed my life, so when I am in that mood I simply remind myself how I was 1 year ago, and that I made a choice

simply, either do it and be happy/healtier or stop and go back as I was

iI reduced it as a choice, like going to work / having a shower / going to the supermarket etc

hupsii

For years I was also very resentful that I put on weight so easily. I have always eaten much less than my friends to stay at a normal weight but it got really out of hand during my pregnancies and I practically never lost that weight. Now, I just accept the fact that it is what it is. If I want to reduce my weight, I have to count kcals. My husband does not - he is very much in tune with his body. He eats accordingly and never puts on weight. So yeah, we are all different but have to accept what we are. You can think of a car that does not need much gaz to function properly ... would you complain about this ?

lseed87

Felt like that earlier but still logged them. Nice to not do sometimes

kommodevaran

The whole point with counting calories is, as I see it, that you'll be able to eat anything, as long as it's within your calorie budget. Worrying and feeling deprived is not going to work. Eat those damn cupcakes, but log them!

For me, I've discovered - through calorie counting - that some foods work better for me, they give me more bang for the buck. When I mainly stick to them, it's easier to hit my calorie goal. Some food are so calorie dense that I can just eat a tiny amount, and I have to decide if that tiny amount is worth getting all worked up for, or not.

I counted calories for 1 1/2 years, until it got boring and redundant, and I was ready and prepared for just logging what, and not how much, I eat. With some tweaks and fine tuning, it's turning out great.

LivingtheLeanDream

Daily little treats are a must for me so work them into your calories just as others have mentioned already.

I do know what you mean about thinking about calories all the time, but we got fat in the first place as we didn't give them a second thought. The fact is we do have to be mindful of how much we are eating or we simply would gain weight.

caci88

I think the problem arises when we start thinking we don't have a choice. You have a choice. You can eat all the rubbish and be overweight and unhealthy but then your thoughts will not resent calorie counting and the fact that your husband can eat things you can't, instead they will be resenting the fact that you do eat all those things and 'why can't i have any self control and why am i overweight' etc. etc. Remember you have a choice. Reign that inner child in that thinks 'I want it all' - to eat crap and be fit and healthy, because you can't! I do believe you should fit treats into your calories, it's not sustainable otherwise - but you can't just eat rubbish all the time and have it all. Is your husband lean and healthy? If so, it will catch up on him! You can do this, own your decision to lose weight and be healthy, own it and when you are eating your orange be grateful that that decision is getting you closer to your goal!! We are so conditioned to believe that we should be able to eat whatever we want but we just can't - the human body was not designed to have such an abundance of food!! You will get to your goal weight and you will not turn around and say 'oh i'm so upset i missed out on those cupcakes' you will be SO PROUD OF YOURSELF!!!!!! The moment will pass, just make sure it's not passing your lips
If worse comes to worse re-evaluate. Why are you doing this? What does it mean to you? What if you don't achieve your goals? How will you feel if you stop counting and end up putting on more weight? Where will you be in 5 years if you don't make changes now?
I know it's hard - if necessary have a few days off calorie counting and just eat real food - nothing from a packet. You can eat however much you want (be prepared to not lose any weight) but as long as you're paying attention to your appetite you should really just maintain. Then pick it up again in a few days!! x

MarziPanda95

caci88 wrote: »

I know it's hard - if necessary have a few days off calorie counting and just eat real food - nothing from a packet. You can eat however much you want (be prepared to not lose any weight) but as long as you're paying attention to your appetite you should really just maintain. Then pick it up again in a few days!! x

If I did that, I'd gain. It's very easy to go over calories on things like fruit, nuts and meat.

unrelentingminx

I also have an OH who eats whatever he likes whenever he likes. He's Type 1 diabetic so we always have things like small chocolate bars or jelly sweets in the house in case his glucose gets low (which probably wouldn't be neccesary if he managed his condition better but he won't be told) so temptation is always within reach. He loves ice cream as well so for ages I was resentful that he could munch on ice creams and chocolate bars while I was weighing every last gram of everything. Then I did what everyone else here has suggested and found some snacks that satisfy my sweet tooth but only 'cost' 50-100 calories and I darn well make sure I have enough calories for them every night My favourite is Solero ice cream (95 cals).

TimothyFish

There are ways to control one's weight without weighing everything or counting calories. Some people love to weight stuff and they feel like counting calories gives them control, but if you really hate it, find a method that you like.

kommodevaran

TimothyFish wrote: »

There are ways to control one's weight without weighing everything or counting calories. Some people love to weight stuff and they feel like counting calories gives them control, but if you really hate it, find a method that you like.

True. I went from being that some kind of people to another kind of people from one day to the next. Counting calories just didn't feel meaningful anymore. But it was essential for me as long as I needed it.

Francl27

I'm in the same boat OP. But let's face it, even if I ate everything I wanted now, it wouldn't be the same, because I'd feel horribly guilty afterwards and it would ruin the experience.

There's just no going back to that ignorant and 'I don't care I'm already fat anyway' bliss. So now I make things fit. Might mean I'll eat less one day so I can have that 400 calorie treat I've been missing, but it's doable. And I'll enjoy every bite. Or it doesn't have to be that much, last night everyone was having ice cream, and I was craving some, so I had 3 tablespoons of it and just logged it as 100 calories and called it a day.

The difference is that I really think twice about whether I REALLY want something instead of just eating it because it's there. But I do have treats most days.

But I do have a few 'I don't care' days - usually Holidays and my birthday. Some days I eat too much during PMS too. It happens. The difference is that after that, it's 'out of the way', and I just get back to my healthier eating the next day.

oocdc2

macgurlnet wrote: »

Let's say there's 60 calories in your orange.

You could also have a piece of chocolate for the same number of calories - you may have to do less than a full portion, depending on what it is, but you can still have chocolate.

If you want those things, work them in! Go for a longer walk and earn some extra calories.

I have treats every single day. I did that while I was losing and still do it while I'm maintaining for a while. I try to limit candies and such to just after dinner, but some days are just stressful and I go for something earlier. I log it, I stay within goal, I mostly meet my macros.

If you're miserable, you won't stick with this. Don't do that to yourself.

~Lyssa

This. I find having a bite or two of the white chocolate cheesecake (or the brownie or whatever) gets me my fix--I don't need to have the whole piece.

Even if I decide to have the whole piece, I just cool it for the rest of the day or earn some calories back.

The other day, I was driving from an appointment. It was lunchtime, and I decided I wanted a Big Mac. No guilt, no guessing, just had the craving and bought one. Fantastic going down, didn't feel particularly good afterwards, but I was able to adjust for the rest of the day and was still under my calorie goal. It can be that simple. Good luck!

arya8

TimothyFish wrote: »

There are ways to control one's weight without weighing everything or counting calories. Some people love to weight stuff and they feel like counting calories gives them control, but if you really hate it, find a method that you like.

I agree. Lasts year I was tracking and counting everything for about 4 months, lost 10 lbs, but then got sick of it and quit. I gained some of it back but when I decided to continue losing again this year, I decided not to count anything. I learned from my last experience how much I need to eat in a day, approximately, to lose weight. Now I eat whatever I want, in moderation, without counting anything. I lost 6 pounds in the last 6 weeks. I make sure I exercise 5 to 6 times a week for about 30 to 40 minutes, eat in moderation, have desserts (but NOT every single day) and I'm still losing. I come here to read the threads and get motivation from other peoples' experiences but I don't think I'll be going back to tracking every single thing I eat. It puts me in too much stress.

Francl27

TimothyFish wrote: »

There are ways to control one's weight without weighing everything or counting calories. Some people love to weight stuff and they feel like counting calories gives them control, but if you really hate it, find a method that you like.

Got to comment on this - I don't think it's possible to lose weight without thinking about calories. I think it's what OP meant... not necessarily the counting, but the fact that, well, you're very aware of how many calories are in things and that you just can't eat too many brownies or too much ice cream or you will gain weight. And that has nothing to do with calorie counting.

Heck, I'd argue that if anything, if you don't count calories, it's even harder not to think about the calories in the brownie you really want to eat, as you have no way to know if it actually fits in your day or if it's going to set you back. I'd guess that people who don't count calories eat less sweets than I do.

kkzmom11

i don't "count calories" per se. I am a mindful eater. that being said, i still track my food and activity/exercise and stay within my calorie budget. I do that more to see what kinds of foods satisfy me for the longest and how much of those foods i can eat before i feel uncomfortable. I am too lazy to actually count calories, but i pay attention to the foods and drinks i am consuming and make the healthiest choice. i don't deny myself ANY food or drink, i just consume less of the ones that don't give me as much "bang for my buck".

kimny72

OP, I honestly believe it's not counting calories, it's the way you look at it. For me logging here has been freeing.

I used to try to eat "clean" or "light" throughout the day, avoiding foods i loved because they would probably make me gain weight. And then after dinner I would want a little piece of chocolate or a small bowl of ice cream and I would stress out - could I afford it? Had I been good enough today? Would it put me over? And if I ate it, I would feel guilty.

Now that I count, I know how I did. I know if I have enough calories left for a bowl of ice cream or maybe just a small bite of chocolate instead. I can plan my day to allow for a restaurant meal or a couple of drinks after work. And if I do go over, I know I did, and I don't feel guilty because I know I can do better tomorrow.

Try pre-planning your day and leaving calories for a treat every day. Don't feel guilty if you go over one day, just us it as motivation to do better tomorrow. And if you are set to lose 2 lbs a week, back off a little and give yourself some extra calories. Life is too short to not enjoy a bowl of ice cream every once and awhile . good luck!

shellbelle0210

I'm not so tired of the counting calories. it's just that I think about food non-stop.