is it possible to lose weight without counting calories?

SaraLikesSunsets
SaraLikesSunsets Posts: 92 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am wondering this, because I am a student at Job Corps, and they don't have any information about how many calories are in the food. I would appreciate any replies I could get. Thanks everyone, and have a nice day.
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Replies

  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    It's possible, but very very difficult.
    When I've done it in the past ive tended to drastically cut, lose my appetite and lots of muscle tone with it.

  • skydiveD30571
    skydiveD30571 Posts: 281 Member
    Well sure, if the amount of calories you eat happens to be less than what your body burns in a day. The nice thing about counting those calories is that with a little trial and error you are sure it will be less than what you burn in a day.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Yes, it is possible. I lost my first 30 pounds just by eating less in general. Doing that will require you to take a hard look at what you eat and be really honest about it. You can also google "serving size chart" and look at the image results if you want some visual cues to judge serving sizes. In your shoes, I would probably start by plain old eating a bit less and setting some rules in place such as "I will eat X servings of fruits/veggies per day, Y servings of protein, etc." Best of luck to you.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Yes. Think about what you eat now on average. Try to make little cuts here and there, so that you're eating less than you usually do. Pick options that you know are lower calorie, even without seeing the calories. (common sense tells you that carrot sticks have fewer calories than french fries, mustard few than mayo, one slice of cheese has fewer calories than two slices, etc. ) If you start gradually losing weight, you're doing it right.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    SaraLikesSunsets wrote: »
    I am wondering this, because I am a student at Job Corps, and they don't have any information about how many calories are in the food. I would appreciate any replies I could get. Thanks everyone, and have a nice day.

    Look up the No "S" diet. Really simple idea.

    No seconds, no snacks, no sweets. Exception is for days that begin with "S" Saturday, Sunday & special days (holidays, birthdays).

  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    absolutely.

    Counting calories is just one tool in the bag. The amazing thing about counting calories though is it gives you absolute control. Want to eat at maintenance? no problem. Want to lose 2lb/week? No problem.

    As for the cafeteria, you can deconstruct the food and estimate (easy to do for foods like sandwhiches/wraps) or find something similar and estimate
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    Sure...I lost my first 55 pounds without counting, measuring or tracking anything.

    I wouldn't need to track now if I didn't have to be extremely strict due to serious medical issues.

    Some people can eat intuitively, some cannot. There is nothing wrong with doing your best under the circumstances and testing whether or not that can work for you.
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    of course plenty of plans out there that don't involve calorie counting.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Possible, but again, like everyone else said - it will be a challenge. Try entering in the general measurement/type of food that you are eating. MFP has some good references for starting out so you can at least get in the habit of tracking when possible.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Losing weight comes from eating less calories than you expend. Counting calories is a way to help make sure you're eating less than you expend.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Of all the times I've lost weight, the majority was not via counting calories.

    I always lose weight when I have an active lifestyle and gain it when I go to a desk job and/or get into a new relationship and thus spend more time with him and less at the gym, plus I cook differently when I am in a relationship. When I'm single I gravitate to lower calorie food. And I don't bother to bake when it's just me.
  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
    edited February 2016
    2ipt9b5fakgq.jpg
    If you cannot know the amount of calories in the foods you are using, my suggetion would be to follow the plate method of filling your plate, and also in being selective of the foods you choose to eat.

    Plate method ...
    fill 1/2 of your plate with non-starchy vegetables
    fill 1/4 of your plate with protein
    fill 1/4 of your plate with starchy vegetables OR grains
    Add a cup of dairy and a piece of fruit to enough meals so that you get your needs of calcium and fruit ... a woman in young adulthood generally needs 3 servings of dairy and 2 servings of fruit a day.

    To help learn about portions, you can use the hand method as well and learn what a serving is of anything ... there are lots of good sources for that information on line and from the USDA ... for just a few examples ...

    The size of your thumb is 1 serving of hard cheese
    The size of your palm, hand open, is a serving of chicken
    What fits into your cupped palm is a half cup
    What is about the size of your fist is a cup


  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Of course its possible. Some people are very successful at losing weight just by eating mindfully.

    I've never been successful at losing weight without counting. I wish I could and I've tried several times. I just can't.
  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    Intermittent fasting ("IF") is a good option too. You basically only eat during certain periods (like only from 12:00pm to 8:00pm or eat 5 days, fast 2 days). Yes, it's still possible to overeat doing IF if you go buck wild during your eating window, but it does make is easier to stay within range. However, some people couldn't stand going that long without eating, so it's definitely not for everyone.
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    I have lost AND maintained without counting calories. It IS possible, but calorie counting is more accurate.
  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    Nikion901 wrote: »
    2ipt9b5fakgq.jpg
    If you cannot know the amount of calories in the foods you are using, my suggetion would be to follow the plate method of filling your plate, and also in being selective of the foods you choose to eat.

    Plate method ...
    fill 1/2 of your plate with non-starchy vegetables
    fill 1/4 of your plate with protein
    fill 1/4 of your plate with starchy vegetables OR grains
    Add a cup of dairy and a piece of fruit to enough meals so that you get your needs of calcium and fruit ... a woman in young adulthood generally needs 3 servings of dairy and 2 servings of fruit a day.

    To help learn about portions, you can use the hand method as well and learn what a serving is of anything ... there are lots of good sources for that information on line and from the USDA ... for just a few examples ...

    The size of your thumb is 1 serving of hard cheese
    The size of your palm, hand open, is a serving of chicken
    What fits into your cupped palm is a half cup
    What is about the size of your fist is a cup


    This is very handy for those times when using a scale is just not possible. Thanks!!
  • pixie_please
    pixie_please Posts: 20 Member
    Like others have said, it's totally possible, but I personally wasn't able to do it. I also ended up pretty nervous at the end of the day because I wasn't sure how many calories I had actually consumed even if I had tried to keep an eye on portion size.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    I would second the idea of Intermittent fasting of the Eat Stop Eat style. In it you take one or two days a week (not back to back) where you fast 24 hours. Usually that means finish your supper, then don't eat or drink anything caloric until supper the next day (roughly 24 hours). Eat a normal supper, then continue eating normally for the day(s) until your next fast day. BTW, the ebook, Eat, Stop, Eat by Brad Pilon is well worth the money.

    For many people that 24 hour stretch, especially since a bunch of it is time during which you are asleep, it not that difficult to get through. Drinking lots of water and other non-caloric drinks during it really helps. Just don't go nuts with the meal where you break the fast. It should be a normal meal no bigger than you would eat any other day.
  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
    SaraLikesSunsets wrote: »
    I am wondering this, because I am a student at Job Corps, and they don't have any information about how many calories are in the food. I would appreciate any replies I could get. Thanks everyone, and have a nice day.

    Definitely. The last time I lost weight (65 lbs) - and the longest maintained loss - were done without counting calories.
    • Unlimited veggies (this works for me, since I rarely eat calorie dense veggies like potatoes) - I regularly ate 1-2 10-oz bags of veggies a day.
    • Unlimited fresh fruit (again - it works for me since I don't eat large quantities of fruits - I would have to limit them if I were a fruit fiend)
    • Small serving of plain protein not-covered-in-bread-or-fat 2 meals a day (cottage cheese, yogurt, baked meat, beans)
    • No added sugar
    • No added fat
    • 1-2 large servings of high volume/low calorie carbs (a bag of rice cakes a day, a bag of low calorie microwave popcorn a day) until I'm about halfway to goal, then transition to smaller volume, more nutrient rich carbs (e.g. whole grain bread)
    • No beverages with calories

    Easiest weight loss and maintenance yet.

    Alas, my body and carbs are now mortal enemies, so I am back to counting not only calories - but carbs - and crossing my fingers that I will be able to transition to something where I don't have to count anything (I really don't count well, over the long term).
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    yes of course it is. It's not "really really" difficult as someone up thread said. It's harder than when you CAN count, but it's not super duper difficult. Just be mindful and aware.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    It's possible. To lose weight you have to eat less calories but you don't NEED to count them. Counting calories let's you eat things that you don't usually get to eat on any other diet.
    By counting calories I can eat donuts, French fries, and pizza. Every other diet I've ever done has never let me eat that.
  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 894 Member
    It is possible and not that difficult once you get into a routine. I ate a more natural,unprocessed foods diet for a year and lost about 40 lbs. Without really trying to lose weight. My goal was to get healthy and cleans my body. I ate as much as I wanted of just healthy foods. I never counted calories.
  • JeffFit70
    JeffFit70 Posts: 41 Member
    I lost all my weight prior to MFP, logging food. I believe that logging your food for a time makes you better equipped to maintain or lose weight without logging. But it is certainly doable. It isn't rocket surgery, after all. :p
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    edited February 2016
    Check out the diet book section at the library or book store. Amazon lists 52,000 books on diet and weight loss. Those aren't about calories.

    Or consider how people lost weight before the calorie was invented in 1850.

    I actually find it easier to use other methods than calorie counting.
  • samchez0
    samchez0 Posts: 364 Member
    Yep. Cut down on your portions and choose better foods is how I've been doing it. I do generally track my calories in here but they are always estimates. I don't measure and I tend to just find the closest match to what I'm eating in the food bank choices. So far I've lost 10 lbs in about 6 weeks. Good luck. My best advice is start drinking water. Its helped me cut down on the snacking and feeling hungry all the time.
  • SaraLikesSunsets
    SaraLikesSunsets Posts: 92 Member
    JeffFit70 wrote: »
    I lost all my weight prior to MFP, logging food. I believe that logging your food for a time makes you better equipped to maintain or lose weight without logging. But it is certainly doable. It isn't rocket surgery, after all. :p
    Oh okay. I had no idea I would get so many replies. I don't eat that much when i am here, and even though i don't count calories, I do exercise. It definitely helps a lot more than just sitting around doing nothing ever did.
  • SaraLikesSunsets
    SaraLikesSunsets Posts: 92 Member
    Thanks for the replies everybody. I really appreciate it. A lot of the replies were quite helpful. :)
  • Kelceybyers
    Kelceybyers Posts: 56 Member
    You can definitely lose weight without counting calories. I find for me though personally I need to log my food and count them. I hold myself much more accountable when I do.
  • FabianMommy
    FabianMommy Posts: 78 Member
    I've tried it over the years with varying degrees of success. My opinion is that I would rather not waste my time winging it but know for sure my hard work is going to produce the results I want, so I keep logging and then I also know my nutritional needs are covered. It's so easy to go a bit overboard and lose your deficit very quickly. Your mileage might vary but this is my experience.
  • SaraLikesSunsets
    SaraLikesSunsets Posts: 92 Member
    FabianMommy wrote: »
    I've tried it over the years with varying degrees of success. My opinion is that I would rather not waste my time winging it but know for sure my hard work is going to produce the results I want, so I keep logging and then I also know my nutritional needs are covered. It's so easy to go a bit overboard and lose your deficit very quickly. Your mileage might vary but this is my experience.
    Oh, okay. I used to count calories and it worked, but its just too difficult to do it at job corps. So instead I've been making sure i get exercise

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