No More Calorie Counting!

ChelseaAClanton89

I've been counting calories for over four years now and I'm sick if it. But I'm scared that if I stop counting I'll gain weight and slip into old habits. Has anyone experienced weight loss without counting calories and writing down everything you eat?

Any tips on making the switch?

fatsnacker

I wish I didn't have to but its the only way I know for sure that I am eating below my daily limit

ChelseaAClanton89

There has to be a way...fingers crossed

Bump

honeysprinkles

Try adding in 1 or 2 days a week where you don't count, then slowly increase the number of days each week until you are no longer counting but still able to maintain your weight and do regular weigh ins so you can sort of know when to adjust your eating and when you are doing ok. just a few ideas, not sure if they'll help!

NatashaShen

I've been on here almost a year and I will stay on here until I'm at my goal weight and maintaining. But I know with this process, I have learned how to manage my diet for the long haul.

Don't worry. To wean yourself off counting calories, maybe only log every other day, then every few days. I'm sure you will see that you've followed the "plan" long enough for it to be second nature.

ETA: Just my opinion

climbamnt

I don't think there is because losing / maintaining weight is simply eating less than or equal to what you burn which you would determine by counting calories. If you get good at estimating the calories in what you eat you can eyeball but that's about it.

DebbieLyn63

I can maintain my weight without writing everything down, but if I want to lose, I have found there is no other way for me. I have to be strict and log everything. The good news is that I can maintain without it, tho.

Sorry.

LJGettinSexy

To answer simply...No, No, and No.
I think if you plan to lose weight, you need the calorie counting to get used to your portions. Lord knows I;m tired of logging my food everyday. But I was able to maintain witthout logging for 5 years. Unfortunately, age and medical issues caused me to gain weight and I;m back to logging and counting.:-(

Orient_Charm

OMG.......4 years, that is great job.....
I did lost weight without calorie counting......5 years ago.....I used to eat very healthy ( Rice - fish - whole bread - fruits - vegs ) no added oil- fat-sugar........stop eating once I feel OK ( No fill ) just ( I am no longer hungry ) .....with 50 min running everyday.....:bigsmile:

MorningWhispers

I don't count calories. It never worked for me like that.

I eat clean - almost 95 percent of my diet is whole foods - fresh vegetables, a little fruit and occasionally a cut of lean meat or fish.

The things I'm eating don't have labels.

Since plant based foods are nutrient rich, everything I eat has some real nutritional value. No empty calories for me.

Since I started eating this way the weight has started coming off without much effort, plus I feel so much better physically.

I do keep a food log because I want to watch how much protein and sugars I'm getting right now. I tend to get a little too much fruit some days and there are times I am missing protein and I want to be sure I get a little something every day.

newb01

I don't normally count breakfast (6 out of 7 days) and lunch (5 out of 7 days) because I am a creature of habit. I eat the same 2-3 meals each time so I know exactly how many calories it is.

So...it is sort of not counting. In that I don't have to input the calories. Dinner is always something different so I have to enter that every day.

So it is ..but isnt counting.

I am old now...in my 40's...and have been on the roller coaster of gain / loose. I have been at the same weight now about 1.5 years and the only way for me to maintain is to watch the scale like a hawk.

I give myself a 5 pound range and if I go over it...I go back into watch / exercise mode immediately. That could be another way for you to "not count"... Weigh yourself daily and if you go over your 5 pound range then get back to counting?

glin23

To answer simply...No, No, and No.
I think if you plan to lose weight, you need the calorie counting to get used to your portions. Lord knows I;m tired of logging my food everyday. But I was able to maintain witthout logging for 5 years. Unfortunately, age and medical issues caused me to gain weight and I;m back to logging and counting.:-(

I lost 40+ pounds without counting calories. Granted, I probably could have lost it a fair bit faster, but you don't need to count calories, but it does certainly help and make you aware.

RedneckBoomer

Switch to what? Second best control measure to counting calories is counting points IE: Weight watchers. The most effective diet is a life style change. Counting calories is only the first step of that process. You need to examine where you're at and proceed to were you need to be. It is more a matter of moving forward than changing direction.

After 4 years your body /metabolism should be adjusted to the life style you currently live.If it is then stopping calorie counting shouldn't change a thing. You should be able to cruse along on weighing in once or twice a week and dieting if and when you gain a few pounds. If it doesn't You need to take a close look at your whole life style.

All of our life styles change gradually with age. And our eating habits have to adjust with that. If it doesn't do that naturally then we must do it manually.

A_Fit_Mom

Try adding in 1 or 2 days a week where you don't count, then slowly increase the number of days each week until you are no longer counting but still able to maintain your weight and do regular weigh ins so you can sort of know when to adjust your eating and when you are doing ok. just a few ideas, not sure if they'll help!

This. I suggest maybe taking off the weekends. Since we tend to eat the most on weekends, It would be good to see if you can control what you eat without counting on those days.

alikonda

I don't count calories but I do stay aware of what my eating flaws are and try to make conscious choices about what I'm putting into my body. I have been focusing on balancing the good/bad foods (after 4 years, I'm sure you have an idea by now!) and only feeding my body when I actually need the fuel, rather than "I'm bored/stressed/tired/thirsty."

I think one of the big things for me is this: if I'm going to have a snack, I make sure I have really small portions and drink a lot of water. If I'm still hungry, sure, maybe I'll have some more or nosh on something else, but the act of filling a dish rather than eating straight out of the container requires more conscious effort. I don't measure most of my snacks, but I have a stacking set of 12 cooking bowls that vary in size from rather huge to two-tablespoon capacity. I'll use the tiniest one for portions of, say, almonds & cashews, and one 3 sizes up for blueberries and strawberries.

I have to be really disciplined when I'm trying to lose weight because it's easy to slip up and eat too much. Being aware of your personal pitfalls is HUGE. For example, I know that I have next to no self-control if there's pizza in the house, so I don't order it at all. (Going out and eating in public it's much easier to be "dainty" and have only 1 or 2 slices!)

I surely lose more slowly than if I was logging/counting everything, but I simply don't have the discipline or patience to honestly log everything that I consume. When it comes down to it, we all need to find what works best for each of us and make sure that it is personally sustainable. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

stonel94

As you get more used to it it'll be like second nature, you will have meals that you know are good and stuff and you don't have to literally log it all but just kinda think about what you eat and what you have eaten and will eat later. However if you haven't really learned good habits and have just been very careful to log things so you can eat a lot of junk and stuff like that then without logging you will probably begin to gain weight. If you have developed good habits then you can probably eat just fine, just don't change the way you're eating because you stop writing it all down ya know.

I like logging, it makes me feel good, I don't deprive myself of things and I know what I'm eating so I know I'm healthy. I like that, and with the app and recipe calculator and stuff I can easily log my whole day just in 5 mins before i go to bed so I don't even have to think about it.

Nicolee_2014

It became 2nd nature for me & I kept the weight off for 2 years. Then I let myself fall back into bad habits.
You can do it. Have some faith in yourself :flowerforyou:

amonkey794

Most of my weight loss was before MFP. MFP really just allowed me to watch my macros.

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SJVZEE

If you're still losing weight then you do need to track something (calories, carbs, points or follow some other type of structured plan). Maintenance is a bit different and you can start to spot check after you get comfortable with it. For me personally, I 'm in maintenance and just check my calories/macros a couple times a month, but I do weigh myself very day still.
(except for this past week, where I logged everyday, because I'm transitioning to a whole foods, plant based diet and wanted to track my macros. Not the norm though for me).

LJGettinSexy

To answer simply...No, No, and No.
I think if you plan to lose weight, you need the calorie counting to get used to your portions. Lord knows I;m tired of logging my food everyday. But I was able to maintain witthout logging for 5 years. Unfortunately, age and medical issues caused me to gain weight and I;m back to logging and counting.:-(

I lost 40+ pounds without counting calories. Granted, I probably could have lost it a fair bit faster, but you don't need to count calories, but it does certainly help and make you aware.

Since my doctor has me on a 1200-1300 daily calorie intake, logging in the losing weight phase helps me track my progress and I can determine what I'm doing wrong if my weight does not come off steadily. It's a pain but I've found it to be very helpful.