Frustrated, even furious

IsThisMyName

<<whispers>>

Don't feed the troll.

NikiChicken

I have found that with the many cooked-from-scratch foods I eat it is simply not practical to calculate how may calories my portion represents. I don't eat food that comes from labeled packages and for me it would just take way, way to long to figure out exactly how many calories a certain bite has.

I'm sorry, but this is an excuse, purely and simply. I eat a ton of from scratch foods - and so do thousands of people on this site that log daily. Most of what I eat through the week is from scratch. I either enter each ingredient individually or enter it as a recipe so I can use it over and over. It takes me minutes to log my food every day. MINUTES and my log is the single most useful tool I have for my weight loss. You don't log because you don't want to, not because it's too hard or too time consuming. Without a food log, there is absolutely no way to figure out why you might be losing or gaining (and you also didn't gain 2 pounds of fat because you ate sushi - you gained water weight).

Sorry for being so harsh, but I've read your excuse over and over in this thread and it was driving me crazy! I don't care if you log or not, but don't complain about lack of progress when you don't because nobody can help you without the background data and you are only fooling yourself by complaining and making the excuse about how difficult it is to log.

mangelsenm

I, too, thought I could manage without logging ALL intake. I logged everything that went in my mouth for 6 months, which resulted in a 30 pound loss. I was very happy about the loss, and figured I had done it enough that I 'knew' what I was consuming. Boy was I WRONG! In the past 6 weeks I have fluctuated with the same 4 pounds, up and down. I have decided that I MUST once again log everything I consume. Many of us are working professionals, with children, homes and all that comes with it, so you are not alone. MAKE the time to do it. If you have 'go to' family recipes, then enter them. Set one evening aside to do all of it, get your husband to take on the 'mom' duties and just do it. After it is done, it will be easy to log daily intake. I have read a few pages of these comments, along with your responses. What I see is a bunch of excuses as to why you cannot do this or that. Make yourself a priority! If you are worried about your health and being around for your kids, then prove it.

wisdomfromyou

Now I eat intuitively, and I eat when hungry and stop when full.

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

CollieFit

To be honest with you, everything that I have read here, particularly the habit of daily calorie logging and the belief that unless you know every little number attached to every little bite - you are on your way to anorexia, metabolic shut down, getting morbidly obese, or even death ...sounds like a clear prescription for weight-related obsession.

As you can see, I come to this forum very rarely because I don't care about THINKING of my weight loss every day.

What an utter load of rubbish.

histora

To be honest with you, everything that I have read here, particularly the habit of daily calorie logging and the belief that unless you know every little number attached to every little bite - you are on your way to anorexia, metabolic shut down, getting morbidly obese, or even death ...sounds like a clear prescription for weight-related obsession.

As you can see, I come to this forum very rarely because I don't care about THINKING of my weight loss every day. So I am not sure who is closer to "obsessive behavior". Neither do I have epic goals related to weight loss, lookin' good, breaking the weight bars at the gym, working out "truly intensively" as opposed to "intensively"... or acquiring Madonna type arms.

I mentioned the two pounds that come back up because I noticed this is what happens every time I eat a bit more - and it is indeed very annoying.

Maybe that IS water after all, as some mentioned. I will see next week when I weigh in.

Otherwise, arguing that I should have done calorie counting instead of spending time arguing here is a pretty weak argument as I definitely do not plan on being on this discussion forum every day.
Calorie logging IS a daily task though. You would think this would be self-explanatory but looks like not.

You appear to see everything in black or white. There is no middle ground to you, and the more you shrilly defend yourself, the more it becomes apparent. Sorry that life isn't like that. There is no magical weigh to not think about losing weight while still losing weight. If there was, WE'D ALL BE FIT!! Counting calories four or five times a day like I do- breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper - could not be considered obsessive even if someone played fast and loose with the dictionary like you seem to prefer. It takes me maybe 5 mins each time, if I'm building my sandwich or making an omelet. The rest of my day I can focus on the kids, my studies, the farm, making food, cleaning house, and whatever other things I find to do. Including amusing myself on MFP.

I am sorry you seemed to equate "being supportive" with "blindly agreeing with your ill-planned approach". It happens.

One would think that wanting to avoid the "big C" would be an epic weight loss goal. Why, exactly, do you equate losing weight with avoiding cancer? Why do you equate having fibroids with cancer?

Why do you want to lose weight, if it isn't looking good, being healthy, gaining strength, or living longer?

Bekahmardis

I would suggest counting calories. It's not a waste of time.

^^This^^ There is NO WAY you can estimate that well and I can tell you honestly that even when I DON'T exercise, my body needs at least 1350 calories on a "dead" day at the office....I'm 42, 5'3" and 110 pounds-ish. You may think its a waste of time, but if you aren't losing what you think you should be, then you need to make a choice: waste your time, or keep the weight. Simple.

PikaKnight

Now I eat intuitively, and I eat when hungry and stop when full.

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

But for many, it doesn't work like that..at least to start and for many still..it'll never really work like that. Trying to force yourself to do something you can't do is setting yourself up for failure.

But seriously. If you're not trolling or subtly trying to find pro-ana friends, then you have gotten more than enough info to figure out what to do. If not, there are many other programs out there you might want to spend money on. Maybe those will work for you where they haven't for many of us here.

shayemimi

It's all about choices, eat till full , eating lower calorie healthy foods. If you want to be fuller longer, more protein, veggies, less sugar etc. There are no simple answers. EAT if your hungry. Just make better choices. Tweek your recipes to include lower calorie ingredients. EAT MORE low calorie foods. I think you know the answers here. You don't have to log. Your body will do that for you.

Fullsterkur_woman

Now I eat intuitively, and I eat when hungry and stop when full.

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

Are you serious? OK then, only eat things that our great-great-grandmothers would have recognized as food, with the frequency and amount they would have eaten them (sorry, no more sushi), and only eat them after you've expended the time and effort they did to get that food. Oh, and you have to live with malnutrition health issues and die when you're 50-60 years old, if you manage to survive a lifetime of child-bearing.

Or, accept that conditions have changed and the rules have changed. It's up to you.

CollieFit

Now I eat intuitively, and I eat when hungry and stop when full.

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

Well the trouble with you is that you can't eat intuitively as otherwise you wouldn't stop! :huh:

You have over-eaten for so long that that intuition has gone out of the window.

8 pages worth of excuses when everyone has bent over backwards giving sensible advice (from people who ARE losing weight!) but you're still ranting...

c_tap77

To be honest with you, everything that I have read here, particularly the habit of daily calorie logging and the belief that unless you know every little number attached to every little bite - you are on your way to anorexia, metabolic shut down, getting morbidly obese, or even death ...sounds like a clear prescription for weight-related obsession.

As you can see, I come to this forum very rarely because I don't care about THINKING of my weight loss every day. So I am not sure who is closer to "obsessive behavior". Neither do I have epic goals related to weight loss, lookin' good, breaking the weight bars at the gym, working out "truly intensively" as opposed to "intensively"... or acquiring Madonna type arms.

I mentioned the two pounds that come back up because I noticed this is what happens every time I eat a bit more - and it is indeed very annoying.

Maybe that IS water after all, as some mentioned. I will see next week when I weigh in.

Otherwise, arguing that I should have done calorie counting instead of spending time arguing here is a pretty weak argument as I definitely do not plan on being on this discussion forum every day.
Calorie logging IS a daily task though. You would think this would be self-explanatory but looks like not.

Honestly I'm not really sure why everyone has to be so hostile to the OP in this case. Yes, she might be a little resistant to completely changing the method that has been working for her--I would be to.

That being said OP, to insinuate that everyone who is attempting to diligently count their calories has an eating disorder is a bit out of place.

I weigh and measure everything because that is what keeps me accountable in terms of my portion sizes. Will every ounce be perfect 100% of the time I log? Of course not and I don't expect it to be! However, if I'm taking a careful look at my portions, I'm bound to be right around my calorie goal and still eating at a deficit. That's why I count calories.

I think people are only suggesting that you take a stab at counting them simply so you have more than your own rough estimate of the calories you're eating because A LOT of us have had a huge wake up call when we have started counting and measuring.

For the long term, calorie counting may not work for you and I completely acknowledge that--you have the right to disagree with the people who swear by it. I think most people would encourage you to give it a try SHORT TERM (like a week or two) just to see if what you're estimating is accurate!

If that doesn't help, there have been several other useful suggestions (in spite of some of the rather hostile remarks) that you could also take to heart. However, it seems based on some of your previoius posts that you don't really want suggestions as much as you'd just like to be angry with your body stalling with your progress, and shout it to the world.

MzManiak

I am just want to be a normal person.
Normal people have their bodies regulated, they eat until they are not hungry anymore, they don't gain any weight and they never log.

I read a lot about the CR method - namely, always eating a little below your level of saturation.
This is something that can be done by listening to your stomach and that does not need daily logging - which for me is incredibly taxing, time-wise.

If you aren't willing to put in the work and do it correctly... don't complain that it isn't working.

ZombieEarhart

To be honest with you, everything that I have read here, particularly the habit of daily calorie logging and the belief that unless you know every little number attached to every little bite - you are on your way to anorexia, metabolic shut down, getting morbidly obese, or even death ...sounds like a clear prescription for weight-related obsession.

Woooah-k. Are you serious right now? Someone up-thread just addressed this- and noted that taking a few minutes a day to log and think about the nutrition you give your body is a far cry from obsessing about every gram.

You are willfully ignoring the dozens of people who have created healthy and sustainable habits for themselves, all in order to justify your own disordered habits. YES, your relationship with food is disordered. You talk about being *good* and *bad*, you write as if food is the enemy of your body, you cling to the belief that you must be hungry to be healthy. These are not good things, OP. You are projecting your own fears onto an entire forum of people, most of whom are able to use this tool in a healthy way. Get a grip or go away.

Turnaround2012

Now I eat intuitively, and I eat when hungry and stop when full.

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

Well here is a middle ground start:

Eat everything from the "perimeter" of the store aisles. This is where foods are in their natural state. Just from my experience you will become full "quicker" and more naturally.

SJVZEE

Now I eat intuitively, and I eat when hungry and stop when full.

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

Thing is, I'm doing it successfully and you are not. And the reason for that is I've gone through the process of losing weight with a structured plan (alternate day IF), and through that process (counting calories, breaking bad habits like night time snacking etc), I LEARNED how to listen to my body and eat intuitively successfully. If you try doing this without first going through the process, then you will fail. I've also set up parameters for myself-I don't eat breakfast (break fast at 11am), I don't eat after 7pm, I still measure out portion sizes for nuts and seeds, olives and other higher calorie foods, I chose foods that are filling but not calorie dense (beans, oats, rice, leafy veggies etc). Even eating intuitively, I still need accountability tools to keep me on track. And again-I'm in maintenance. I did NOT eat intuitively to lose weight.

madtownjeremy

This is what I am talking about. Eating healthy and INTUITIVELY. NOW someone is getting it, finally!!! :-)

Geez, what have people been doing for thousands of years without the tools on this forum?... and the suckers were rarely, if ever, overweight.

I want to eat just like they were - intuitively, when hungry, stopping when decently full, NOT logging, and NOT putting on weight.
Too much to ask?

They were eating high fat, high protein, low carb, unprocessed foods.

In case you stopped reading at "high fat", let me elaborate a bit. They ate animal fat. They ate seeds and nuts. They ate oil. They ate dairy. They even ate egg yolks!

Here's the thing...at the absurdly low calorie level you've been indicating, you're clearly not getting enough fat (9 cals per g on a 1200 cal/day diet = not enough).

On the days you graze, you're not getting enough protein (it's hard to graze protein; it requires prep and that requires time...of which you have none).

So with the info you provided in this thread I'm led to believe that your daily cal intake is mostly fast-burning carbs. And on fuel like that you couldn't possibly support any sort of resistance routine; it's gonna be all-cardio-all-the-time. And guess what? When you do cardio that one would call 'intensive', you burn carbs. Not fat.

And in the meantime your body struggles to hold onto any extra cals it can because again, you're starving yourself.

I can be as snarky as I want with your attitude toward personal health and nutrition, but seriously, this can only end badly for you.

Prettyuseful

I DO eat a lot of things that aren't in the database. I did track very briefly on this forum in the beginning and it was not something that I wanted to continue doing. Very time consuming for me.
I am not American born and raised and I cook many recipes learned from my mother and grandmother - many adapted to be low in calories (less fat, salt, never sugar). There will be no such dishes in the database - only approximations - which I can do with my own eye balling.
I also sometimes graze just a little bit throughout the day given that I am restraining myself so much with the portions at meal times. Could be a few almonds, flax crackers or a fruit, or a little taste when I cook, etc;
so trying to track all these little bitty things would drive me up the wall.

histora

Maybe because she asked for advice because her way was no longer working, but when others suggested a different, typically successfully way, she screamed she wasn't going to do anything but what she's already doing? :indifferent:

The internet tells me Einstein, or Mark Twain, or Thomas Edison muttered something about insanity and the frequency of doing something that doesn't work.

Turnaround2012

General Comment

This thread should be used as reference for new users. There is a fantastic amount of good advice offered here. It is our own "12 step program" here sometimes and that works for me!

Me: "Hi I am turnaround2012 and I am a Calorie Counter"[/b]
Group on folding chairs "Hi Turnaround2012!"