Intuitive Eating for Weight Loss

MamaOne13

For several months postpartum, I was eating intuitively and losing weight.
But for the past two months I’ve been more meticulous in counting calories to actually lose weight and though I have lost a decent amount, I’m kind of at a point where my weight is kind of at a stand still and I feel like maybe it would get moving again if I didn’t focus SO much on calories.
I’m just not sure if I should go back to intuitive eating or not or keep working at just counting my calories.
I have about 6 more lbs to lose and so I know the closer you are to your goal, the more detailed and mindful you have to be.

Just curious if anyone has actually had better results with simply intuitive eating to reach their goal weight or if counting calories is really the best bet.

ninerbuff

If intuitive eating was accurate, then we wouldn't have a weight issue in the US. Math doesn't lie. I have so many people tell me they don't eat bad. Then we sit down and count actual calories and they get surprised at how much they really consume.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Dogmom1978

With 6 lbs to lose you need to be MORE mindful of calories, not less. With so little left, you probably won’t even see .5 lb a week losses.

My husband got to the last 8 lbs and decided that he didn’t want to lose them that badly as he didn’t want to further restrict himself. So, it’s ok to decide that +6 lbs is fine. If those 6 lbs are really bothering you, maybe some body recomp if you aren’t already doing that?

kgirlhart

In my opinion and experience if your weight is at a standstill the best way to get it moving is to focus MORE on calories, not less. But if intuitive eating worked for me I would never have needed to lose 80 pounds. My advice would be to use a food scale and make sure your logging is as accurate as possible and expect the last 6 pounds to come off very slowly.

sardelsa

At the end of the day you have to find what works for you. I've done both. For me personally, not counting works best. I guestimate my intake, and monitor my trend weight and adjust my intake, even to get very lean. Again this is for me, for many people this would not work and they need to be more accurate closer to goal.

HeidiCooksSupper

The one thing I would recommend, no matter what you choose, is keeping track of your weight. If it goes up, you know you are eating too much (ignoring, as I say this, normal fluctuations due to water, etc.). I periodically have a week, as I did last week, where I just cannot log or count calories or I will be on the next rooftop screaming obscenities at all who pass by. This would be inappropriate. So, I give myself a week off but I keep weighing myself daily and recording it because the pounds I put on are real and must be dealt with. "Intuitive eating" means I weigh twice what I ought which is not sustainable long term. If I don't get on the scale, that's where I end up. I know this from years of experience.

kshama2001

Intuitive eating only works for me if my food choices are for the vast part higher volume/lower calorie and I have very little (if any) hyper-palatable foods available.

So I need to either not be doing the cooking or not have access to American supermarkets/takeout.

VegjoyP

ninerbuff wrote: »

If intuitive eating was accurate, then we wouldn't have a weight issue in the US. Math doesn't lie. I have so many people tell me they don't eat bad. Then we sit down and count actual calories and they get surprised at how much they really consume.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This. Exactly right. I will count calories no matter what. A few extra cashews for example, can add 50 to 100 calories. It is amazing how fast things can add up. Weighing food has been so freeing for me. Im able to incorporate foods, like nuts and seeds, without having too much and stopping weight loss and maitensnce goals. Plus I like the accountability and its very informative the longer I do it.

MamaOne13

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

With 6 lbs to lose you need to be MORE mindful of calories, not less. With so little left, you probably won’t even see .5 lb a week losses.

My husband got to the last 8 lbs and decided that he didn’t want to lose them that badly as he didn’t want to further restrict himself. So, it’s ok to decide that +6 lbs is fine. If those 6 lbs are really bothering you, maybe some body recomp if you aren’t already doing that?

How do you do body recomp? It’s been so long I’m so clueless with this stuff 😅

ninerbuff

MamaOne13 wrote: »

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

With 6 lbs to lose you need to be MORE mindful of calories, not less. With so little left, you probably won’t even see .5 lb a week losses.

My husband got to the last 8 lbs and decided that he didn’t want to lose them that badly as he didn’t want to further restrict himself. So, it’s ok to decide that +6 lbs is fine. If those 6 lbs are really bothering you, maybe some body recomp if you aren’t already doing that?

How do you do body recomp? It’s been so long I’m so clueless with this stuff 😅

Eating at maintenance or a very slight deficit and progressive overload weight training. Recomp takes time though due to so little deficit or surplus. If one gains a pound of muscle in a few months, that would good progress.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Dogmom1978

ninerbuff wrote: »

MamaOne13 wrote: »

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

With 6 lbs to lose you need to be MORE mindful of calories, not less. With so little left, you probably won’t even see .5 lb a week losses.

My husband got to the last 8 lbs and decided that he didn’t want to lose them that badly as he didn’t want to further restrict himself. So, it’s ok to decide that +6 lbs is fine. If those 6 lbs are really bothering you, maybe some body recomp if you aren’t already doing that?

How do you do body recomp? It’s been so long I’m so clueless with this stuff 😅

Eating at maintenance or a very slight deficit and progressive overload weight training. Recomp takes time though due to so little deficit or surplus. If one gains a pound of muscle in a few months, that would good progress.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This 😊. If you are a super newbie to weight lifting though, you might get some decent gains in the beginning before moving into the watching paint dry recomp status that many people find themselves in

Mazintrov13

I will second the recomp suggestion, I am currently at the highest weight I have ever been and look the best I’ve ever looked, plus can eat more than I used to! This is due to lifting using progressive overload.

I think whether you should eat intuitively or strictly track is up to you and your personality. Some people can get very obsessive or anxious when they track everything to the gram and do better with a more relaxed approach and just focusing on reducing portions instead. I personally like to track everything it is more accurate and works best for me. Good luck !

spyro88

Sound like if you've hit a plateau and want to lose more, it would be best to keep tracking. Either way you still have to eat less/ move more to lose weight, so unless it stresses you out hugely, tracking is the easiest way to ensure you're doing that successfully.