Does anyone still track calories in maintenance?

Tanie98

I lost weight when i started tracking my food and was able to keep it off for few years because I had a very active job and was going to gym regularly..so i kept losing weight even though i stopping counting calories. I started getting you're getting too skinny comments. I was at my lowest at 115 lbs

Then I switched jobs and started working with food. I started snacking and tasting food constantly and wasn't exercising as much and i gained some of the weight back. I weigh 134 and trying to get back to 125. So i started tracking again.

However, I have came across video's on YouTube of people talking about counting calories doesn't work long-term and is not sustainable because we can't count forever to keep the weight off. I find when i stop counting, I get off track and start gaining. That could also i'm not exercising enough

So does anyone still track on maintenance? Does exercing regularly and watch your diet work to maintain without counting calories?

cmriverside

I suggest you read the sticky threads and the recent threads in Maintaining Weight.

This is probably the most common question. Some do, some don't.


I still do, 13 years into maintenance. I've stopped for periods of time in that 13 years, but it's just easier for me to keep tracking. I still weigh myself regularly, too.

ahoy_m8

Counting calories has worked for me long term. I have maintained 30+ years (excluding pregnancy). Counting calories is *by far* the easiest and most effective way I have found to maintain. If I ever found an easier way that was as effective, I would do that instead. YMMV.

mtaratoot

I've only been maintaining 2.5 years. I track calories in and out. I have found that I gain when I am in surplus and I lose when I am in deficit.

I have found that because I try to measure things (scale) when I prepare them myself, I've got better at estimating them when I don't. I think that if I stop measuring what I eat, my estimator will become uncalibrated. So I don't mind taking the seven minutes per day it takes to enter my data and try to stay reasonably close to my caloric target.

briscogun

I follow the "You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure" Philosophy. Eating without tracking is what got me in trouble in the first place. I've been in maintenance now since May, so just a few months, but I do track almost every day. Last month there were probably 7 days or so that I skipped logging and weighing. Those were days I enjoyed myself! But weighed in again, tracked the couple of pounds that I gained, started logging again, weight dropped off.

Everyone is different, but I will probably have some version of weighing in regularly and tracking most of the time. It just works, and every time I've stopped I put on weight. Like 30-40 pounds. So I'm done doing that.

Just find what works for you and do that!

MadisonMolly2017

After a lifetime of obesity with bursts of dieting & no successful maintenance (> than 1 year), I decided to track for the rest of my life.

I’m now at 2 year 1 month of maintaining 74lbs, and am very slowly losing some more lbs (vanity) to trim the tummy )hopefully.

Having said I’ll track for life, now I have to say “we’ll see.” I am getting hunger feelings for the first time I can remember. I don’t like how I feel if I do eat a rich food or too much.

So, I plan to track forever, but if the miracles continue, “we’ll see.”

cwolfman13

Tanie98 wrote: »

I lost weight when i started tracking my food and was able to keep it off for few years because I had a very active job and was going to gym regularly..so i kept losing weight even though i stopping counting calories. I started getting you're getting too skinny comments. I was at my lowest at 115 lbs

Then I switched jobs and started working with food. I started snacking and tasting food constantly and wasn't exercising as much and i gained some of the weight back. I weigh 134 and trying to get back to 125. So i started tracking again.

However, I have came across video's on YouTube of people talking about counting calories doesn't work long-term and is not sustainable because we can't count forever to keep the weight off. I find when i stop counting, I get off track and start gaining. That could also i'm not exercising enough

So does anyone still track on maintenance? Does exercing regularly and watch your diet work to maintain without counting calories?

Some people can, but yeah...I'd say for the overwhelming majority, it isn't something that is sustainable forever. I've been in maintenance 7.5 years and have not counted calories in that time. I namely used calorie counting as a teaching tool in regards to better nutrition, and how much I really need in regards to calories. I basically keep a lose tally in my head.

I don't really eat much differently in maintenance than when I was losing though...I know in reality that the difference between losing weight and maintaining my weight is really just a handful of calories, so I don't use maintenance as something I can just splurge all of the time with...here and there, sure...but for the most part I just keep it pretty healthy and I know what a portion of most things is for me that I eat regularly.

SummerSkier

I believe that maintenance is like a 3 legged stool. You can balance pretty well on 2 legs if you are careful. 3 is probably the best but if you only have one leg you will most likely fall. Maybe not at first because stools are tricky that way, but eventually something (some stress or life change) will tip the stool and it will fall.

The 3 legs are: tracking cals in (logging or some such), tracking cals out (exercising), and weighing at a min once a week.

There are other "crutches" and a support group like MFP friends and community is also a great benefit but I think you have to do 2 of the above 3 to be successful long term.

Gisel2015

In maintenance for 10.5 years, and I don't track/weigh food or log in a consistent manner. I find it too cumbersome, annoying and time consuming. But that is me...

I go thru days or weeks of mostly loose logging (specially on vacation or when eating out, when Covid was not around), followed by days or weeks of more consistent recording. I do weight myself several times a week to keep track of upward fluctuations and I have a lot of control on my eating habits. I only had about 12lbs to lose at the beginning of my journey, so bad eating habits or big portions were not a major problem for me

After being in maintenance for such along time, I also have a pretty good idea of calories and serving portions. Not having a sweet tooth or binging tendencies and not drinking alcohol often either, maybe helps my maintenance goals. I really don't like to cook so my meals are simple but balanced, so I can get out of the kitchen fast .

We are all different and we need to do what is best for us, so good luck with what ever approach you choose to follow.

Dante_80

Tanie98 wrote: »

So does anyone still track on maintenance? Does exercing regularly and watch your diet work to maintain without counting calories?

The answer is pretty simple really. Some do, some don't. Every person is different, and what works for one might be inappropriate for another.
The question is, what works for you best?! Don't fret about what this or that person is saying on youtube, just move on and do what you need to accomplish your goals.

Noone knows yourself, as much as you do. Cheers.. C:

AnnPT77

Still counting in year 5 of maintenance, after 30 or so previous years of obesity. For me, that 10 minutes-ish daily has a pretty high return on investment, so I don't see why I'd stop. I'm a bit more relaxed now, so there's the occasional day I don't log, if things are extra busy or it would be a really wild guess (potluck meals, for example). That's fairly rare, though.

Saying people can't/shouldn't count long term is like saying "you may need a household budget now, but you won't be able to do that long term".

Just as with household budgeting, calorie counting is a thing that's a good long-term tool for some people, a short-term corrective for others, and completely unnecessary for still others.

I have no difficulty maintaining good spending habits without a household budget, but I've pretty much proven I don't do well without a calorie budget. As a bonus, food logging helps me keep my nutrition on point.

IMO, one of the most important elements in both weight loss and maintenance is personalization: Understanding our own individual needs, inclinations, sources of stress or motivation; and taking advantage of those personal characteristics to make the process as easy as possible, sustainable, and ultimately successful.

YouTube and blogs and whatnot tend to be oriented to "my way is THE way" or "the old way works for NO ONE". That's dramatic and engaging. i think it's not true. 😉

cupcakesandproteinshakes

I have periods when I do count and then I don’t bother. I do weight myself every morning though and if I notice an upward trend of 5 pounds then I’m back logging and tracking. There isn’t a right or wrong way though.?

sijomial

Some people do, I don't need to so don't bother as it adds no value to me.
If I had to count calories for life to maintain at a healthy weight then I would as it really isn't a huge investment in time or effort compared to the reward.

Wouldn't take any notice of a YouTuber stating an opinion as fact. With the high failure rate of both dieting and maintaining at goal weight you can gather plenty of evidence to support an opinion if you are prepared to exclude any evidence that doesn't fit the narrative. But when you can easily find examples of people who do count long term it's clear "doesn't" and "can't" are exaggerations and inaccurate.

The solution (or solutions) have to be personal and sustainable for you.

"I find when i stop counting, I get off track and start gaining. That could also i'm not exercising enough"
Based on these sentences you should keep logging and/or investigate other alternative strategies.
I would look at the not exercising enough part as a separate issue - not enjoying your exercise? Missing fitness or health goals as motivators?

Treblesmama

No, but I didn't track calories during my active weight loss phase either. I did and continue to do other things that keeps my calories in check though. The big thing is to be intentional and set parameters into place so you keep on track. That may include counting calories or it may not. But, I think there's very few people who have been able to maintain their weight loss long term without having some sort of checks n' balances in place.

gallicinvasion

I've been in maintenance for about a year. I plan to keep tracking calories (tightly, loosely, journaling, tracking somehow) forever. It's too easy and the benefits are too clear for me to justify stopping.

beulah81

I've been in maintenance for 4-5 years, don't remember for sure. The first 3+ years I didn't track(I didn't when losing either). I struggled A LOT with overeating and undereating. I did not have a concrete plan of action for maintenance. Then I was introduced to calorie counting and it clicked. I liked the idea of having a budget of calories and spending it in a way that worked for me. I've been tracking in some form for a couple of years. I don't see myself stopping in foreseeable future. I second @gallicinvasion, "It's too easy and the benefits are too clear for me to justify stopping".

MadisonMolly2017

I read somewhere that the key to maintenance is creating a calorie deficit - and there are an infinite number of ways to do that.
Give yourself time to try things & see how they work. If they do, keep them. If they don’t come up with a new thing to try.

Just Never Give Up.

charmmeth

MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »

I read somewhere that the key to maintenance is creating a calorie deficit - and there are an infinite number of ways to do that.

Could you explain what you mean in terms of a calorie deficit and maintenance? I understood that a calorie deficit will caue one to lose weight, and that maintenance is about finding a calorie equilibrium. Either way, I completely agree that there are many ways to do it.

Treblesmama

MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »

I read somewhere that the key to maintenance is creating a calorie deficit - and there are an infinite number of ways to do that.
Give yourself time to try things & see how they work. If they do, keep them. If they don’t come up with a new thing to try.

Just Never Give Up.

If you're in maintenance you don't want a calorie deficit, that would create further weight loss.

mylittlerainbow

I do continue to measure everything and log it on MFP, both my calories and my activities. I calculated my TDEE and set MFP to that, and I don't eat back my calories. Weekly weighing and tweaking after that. I have slipped up a few times in my past life and don't want that to happen again, so I think I'll need to be held accountable for the rest of my life.

Mithridites

Tanie98 wrote: »

people talking about counting calories doesn't work long-term and is not sustainable because we can't count forever to keep the weight off

I will count forever. It's free and simple, puts me in control, and doesn't require any hocus-pocus. It demystifies weightloss - I think that's what those people don't like. It doesn't get them views, or subscribers, or 🤑
I've seen what happens when I don't count. I am never giving up on it again. It's like brushing your teeth. A simple and effective act of self-care.

425Recess

@Mithridites - I would have said the same thing if you didn't say it first. Totally agree. I have occasionally skip counting for a day or two. Then again, I have missed brushing my teeth a couple of times too. 😊

J72FIT

I track on and off...

rosebarnalice

I do. I used to fight it, but now it's become second nature. When I stop logging, I overeat. The end.

tuckerrj

rosebarnalice wrote: »

I do. I used to fight it, but now it's become second nature. When I stop logging, I overeat. The end.

EGG-ZACKLY!

spiriteagle99

After a lifetime of watching my weight yoyo up and down, about 8 years ago I had dieted down to my goal and decided that I wouldn't do that again if I could help it. So I decided to keep tracking my calories in and out instead of just guessing how much I was actually eating. It has worked well. Logging my food and exercise takes only a few minutes and it gives me the information I need. When we travel, I don't log, and I always end up gaining some weight. That's fine for a week or two. But I am not willing to watch my weight go up 40 or 50 lbs. again, so I get back to tracking as soon as I can. It is so easy to eat just a little more than your body needs.

Diatonic12

Ayup. The first time, I ate it all back. Got too big for my britches when I started flying the seat of my pants. Huge mistake. It took me 2.5 years to get back to where I was. Been maintaining 1.7 years now. I won't ever let that happen again because it marshed every mellow. It's far more difficult the 2nd time around. With every passing day and year the ground grows colder. Count me in that number that will always track.

sgt1372

I've been tracking cals and weighing myself daily for over 5 yrs in maintenance and, while others claim that they don't need to fo this, I do not believe that I can maintain my weight without continuing to do so for as long as I want to maintain my weight w/in my desired wt range.

mtaratoot

Please forgive me if this comes off as insensitive. It's not intended. It's an observation. I find it interesting to read that some people can't be bothered to track their intake/expenditure because of all the time it takes. The part I find interesting is it takes as much time, if not more, to read/respond to these kinds of discussions relative to actually keeping track of calories in and out.

At some time in the future, it's possible I will be able to maintain my mass without tracking. For now, it's really just a few short minutes per day. I think it's a pretty damngood investment of time.

globalc00

I think everyone tracks. It's just whether it is actually recorded in an app or in their mind. How much time and effort it takes depends on your eating habits.

For example, if you eat the same thing every day, then you don't really need to track once you figure out how many calories that 1 day is. You can choose to add it to apps such as mfp just for record keeping by taking 1 minute to swipe right and copy yesterday, but it's not needed since you already know the calories. If you choose to have an extra snack or change a small items, then it's easy enough to do that math in your head without having to enter it into an app.

On the flip side, if you are one that likes to have something different 365 days out of the year for every meal, then you might need tools to help you track.

If your someone that is somewhere in the middle where your lunch and breakfast is the same, and dinner varies a little, then you would know how much calories your dinner can be and eat according or burn off cardio accordingly.

Your avg weights at the end of the week/month will let you know if what your doing is working or not.

nxd10

I am just going to start a new thread. But I logged every single thing I ate for 8 years. I just take a break from logging last week. But I expect I will start again in a month or so.