Can you count calories long term?

kowajenn

I've been counting since January, excluding my vacations. I think I'll be counting forever. Yes, it irritates me but I know that I need to do this to maintain what I've lost.

NikkiSixGuns

Yup. Been doing it for about 4 years now, and I plan to do it for the rest of my life. I plan to track my income and spending to stay within my monetary budget for the rest of my life, so I don't see why my calorie budget should be any different.

I tracked on paper for a couple of years before I started using MFP. There are advantages to both, but MFP is generally more convenient.

themommie

I have been logging my cals daily on mfp since july 2010, it gets easier and well worth it, I dont want to ever to gain the weight back

Unknown

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ShannFranks

I started counting at the end of September and though I'm still a newbie to the process, I've found that the extra time it's taken to log everything is cutting down. Almost in a rhythm. I can honestly say that I would not be able to wing it or I would totally slip off of the radar. My daughter has mentioned that it's almost like I'm addicted to the process, which I can see. This makes me aware, reminds me of my goals and helps me to be honest. Not that I can't be, but more so about sticking to my plan. It will become second nature and less time consuming for sure Happy counting and best of luck to you!

upscalelifedownscalebutt

To me counting calories is like knowing the price of something.

I don't go into Bloomingdale's and pick up a dress and a purse without bothering to look at the price -- that is how I determine if it is "worth it". I don't see checking the price as something too difficult, or boring, or too tedious to have to do every time I shop.

I have a limited calorie "budget". And sure, I can overspend occasionally, but if I do it on a regular basis, there are consequences.

^^^Exactly this.

It's habit now. I've spent most of my life counting calories, like I have spent most of my life knowing my exact bank balance.

renatewolfe

I typically eat lunch or dinner out 3-4 times a week. I always decide where I am going, then look up the menu on line. Almost all chain restaurants give nutrition guidelines that include calorie counts. I decide before hand what I am going to eat, and also choose an alternative, in case my first choice is not available.

Twice a week when I eat out, it's usually because I have worked for 12+ hours and am too tired to cook. I usually stop at a fast food place, but again, I have several menu choices memorized from looking them up online, so that I can make healthy choices. You would be surprised at how well you can eat out and still be healthy.

The only places that are a challenge to me are local Mexican or Chinese restaurants, so I try to avoid them. Chinese or American buffet style restaurants can be good, if you stick to the salad bar/fresh fruit/lean chicken choices, and stay away from the starchy, fried or saucy foods.

I have been counting calories on and off all of my life. It's so much easier to do now, then in the old days when you had nothing but basic calorie counting books. Counting calories is the easiest way for me to loose weight, so I expect that I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

ldrosophila

going to try for a long time, but at least maintain portion control

hookilau

Nope....and thankfully, I don't have to.
I'm eating high fat, low carb so I'm satiated and haven't had a problem with overconsumption.

I log from time to time when my weight loss stalls just to see where I'm at but so far so good. Still losing and I've got 12 more pounds to go. I'm actually thinking of getting closer to 112 vs 120 (my original goal).

HerbertNenenger

Honestly, considering the horrible statistics for weight regain, that we don't have an option. The measly 5% that have been able to lose their desired weight and keep it off are diligent about it. They keep track of what they eat and exercise on a daily basis. If you don't, you will most likely end up being one of the 95% that regain all the weight and then some. I know it's beating a dead horse, but it's a lifestyle change, not a short quick fad diet thing we're doing here. Not if we're serious. I plan to, because I sure as hell don't want to be in this boat AGAIN !!!!

cookiealbright

I'm 57 years old and can't remember not ever counting my calories. Maybe I didn't count in my teens. I had my first baby when I was 22 and started counting after that, I guess.

bcattoes

How long have you been counting calories?

I just started counting calories today. Do you think you can keep up logging your calories for a long time? Do you think it is easy and convenient?

I've been on MFP for about 2.5 years. I logged pretty consistently at first, but I've taken several breaks where I logged sporadically or not at all. No, I absolutely do not find it convenient or easy. Even without measuring or weighing food it's a chore. So many conficting entries that I constantly have to search the internet to see which is most correct.

Sometimes it is really difficult to know how many calories are in a meal or dish if I eat out.

Totally agree with this. We often eat at local places that aren't chains or at the home of a freind / relative and it's impossible to really know the ingredients. Even with a chain, the website will give a rough estimate that may be off by several hundred calories. For this reason, I rarely log meals eaten out.

Llamapants86

I have been tracking on and off for over 5 years now. When I don't track I gain weight and there is nothing worse for me than having to lose the same 30 lbs over and over again. It is just something that I am going to have to make a life long priority because that's just how I am.

gsager

Yes, I've been counting calories for years. Sometimes if I go out to eat I don't count but I'm maintaining and count calories most of the time.

MagicalLeopleurodon

Well, i was anorexic at age 10. So i was tracking calories then. Sad, i know.
From 10-19, my eating disorder controlled everything i ate.
Then i started working out. I recovered. Now i track all macros to make sure i get what i need. So...been tracking for 13 years. It becomes such a normal part of life that you dont even blink over it anymore. My family doesnt even notice the notebook.

bcattoes

Honestly, considering the horrible statistics for weight regain, that we don't have an option. The measly 5% that have been able to lose their desired weight and keep it off are diligent about it. They keep track of what they eat and exercise on a daily basis.

Where did you get these statistics?

iechick

Honestly, considering the horrible statistics for weight regain, that we don't have an option. The measly 5% that have been able to lose their desired weight and keep it off are diligent about it. They keep track of what they eat and exercise on a daily basis.

Where did you get these statistics?

I've seen this number a lot too, that has come from various studies that have been done on long term weight loss- depending on which study there's a statistical 80-95% failure rate for long term weight loss (more than five years). Only a very few of us will actually maintain our losses long term. Lovely isn't it

highervibes

I pretty much eat the same foods all the time (not the same thing every day, but certainly something I've logged in the last month) so I don't worry about inaccuracies so much because my old foods pop up first. The odd time that I'm addint something I don't regularly eat isn't going to do much damage if I'm off on calories.

I find it easy to log from my phone, I think the hardest part about logging is hiding that I'm logging because people think it's weird/obsessive/disordered whatever. I like to know what's going on in my body and I can't keep a mental tally of everything I ate to ensure I'm not going overboard and that I get enough protein. I eat a very appropriate amount of calories for my activity levels and goals and if that's so disordered I can't help but wonder who has the problem lol

Kblackm

I am doing this more from a nutritional/health standpoint than trying to lose a lot of weight (although I have taken off some weight). I try to log every single thing or use an equivalent because the reports that show the nutrition I am actually taking in are so valuable. Yes there are a conflicts on a few of the entries for eat-out so sometimes i take each individual ingredient and enter, but normally don't obsess over that. As long as I am controlling daily the majority of the food I intake, a wrong entry here and there will not matter much.

bcattoes

Honestly, considering the horrible statistics for weight regain, that we don't have an option. The measly 5% that have been able to lose their desired weight and keep it off are diligent about it. They keep track of what they eat and exercise on a daily basis.

Where did you get these statistics?

I've seen this number a lot too, that has come from various studies that have been done on long term weight loss- depending on which study there's a statistical 80-95% failure rate for long term weight loss (more than five years). Only a very few of us will actually maintain our losses long term. Lovely isn't it

I wasn't questioning that one so much as the statement that the entire 5% that does manage to keep it off logs food diligently. I doubt very much that is true. I would think it would be those that learn to manage their diet intuitively that have the best long term success. Those that learn to do it without so much work.

iechick

Honestly, considering the horrible statistics for weight regain, that we don't have an option. The measly 5% that have been able to lose their desired weight and keep it off are diligent about it. They keep track of what they eat and exercise on a daily basis.

Where did you get these statistics?

I've seen this number a lot too, that has come from various studies that have been done on long term weight loss- depending on which study there's a statistical 80-95% failure rate for long term weight loss (more than five years). Only a very few of us will actually maintain our losses long term. Lovely isn't it

I wasn't questioning that one so much as the statement that the entire 5% that does manage to keep it off logs food diligently. I doubt very much that is true. I would think it would be those that learn to manage their diet intuitively that have the best long term success. Those that learn to do it without so much work.

ah, I misunderstood you! Yeah, I'm in maintenance now (4ish months now) and I'm not counting calories-I just can't make myself do it because I hated it so much during weight loss. So instead I've set up different accountability tools-weigh myself daily and keep a chart, practice IF and have an eating window, recently started a food diary blog where I record what I eat but not calories/macros (more of a way to see what kinds of foods I'm eating), and then I've also changed over my diet to a mostly whole foods, plant based one and I keep non-whole foods to a minimum (the things that are usually higher calories because of what kind of food/ingredients they are/have). So far, so good-we'll see how I'm doing in 20 years though lol.

Deipneus

bcattoe's wrote:

"I wasn't questioning that one so much as the statement that the entire 5% that does manage to keep it off logs food diligently. I doubt very much that is true. I would think it would be those that learn to manage their diet intuitively that have the best long term success. Those that learn to do it without so much work.

I don't know the percentages but if I could learn to eat the right amount intuitively, I would never have needed MFP. This is my second time, the first time I got in shape I thought the training wheels could come off and I could eat right on my own. I gained much of it back. I've been tracking my food daily, this time for about two years.

exmsde

I can pretty much go through the day and count approximate calories in my head. Earlier in my life I was able to go years without constant logging by combing those in-my-head calorie counts with weekly weights. If I bumped up a couple of pounds then I would go back to logging to force myself back into good habits and get back to goal.

The problems come up when you lose all sense of what you are eating vs. burning, start fooling yourself, don't watch your weight, and then don't jump back on things when you start to gain. I know this is the mistake I've made in the past, and the one I really have to watch out for when I reach maintenance. Maybe I'll try to log forever, but more likely I'll focus on never letting myself get out of control for long independent of logging.

bcattoes

bcattoe's wrote:

"I wasn't questioning that one so much as the statement that the entire 5% that does manage to keep it off logs food diligently. I doubt very much that is true. I would think it would be those that learn to manage their diet intuitively that have the best long term success. Those that learn to do it without so much work.

I don't know the percentages but if I could learn to eat the right amount intuitively, I would never have needed MFP. This is my second time, the first time I got in shape I thought the training wheels could come off and I could eat right on my own. I gained much of it back. I've been tracking my food daily, this time for about two years.

Though my situation is very different, I can understand that. But that doesn't in any way mean that everyone else will have to do it.