Do you expect to count calories the rest of your life?

losborn52

I've tried several diets in the past. I always spent the entire time I was on the diet looking forward to getting off of it! And I always added the weight -plus- back on. This time, I'm not on a diet, I'm changing the way I eat. I've cut out most sugar and starches. No more sweet ice tea or sodas. No more potatoes/chips/fries/etc. No more pastas. No more rolls with honey butter at the steak house. Very little bread. I mainly eat meat, salad, and vegetables. Now, sure, I have a glass of sweet tea, a few chips, or a few fries once in a while, but my old habits were 3-4 glasses of tea a couple of times a day, and a lot of times lunch was a bag (family size!) of chips.

I've been doing this for about 9 months and am at 228 lbs, down from around 270. (I didn't pay too much attention to the scales when I first started until I dropped a couple of belt notches and a shirt size.)

Bottom line, I LIKE the way I'm eating now. I'm not looking forward to getting off the diet - I'm looking forward to continuing to eat this way. When I decide I like my weight, I'll stop watching calories, but I'll keep watching the scales. If they start creeping up, I'll be back to watching calories, too.

Iwishyouwell

Nope.

I don't count or weigh now, and not a single pound in my ticker was lost doing so.

The idea of measuring/weighing/counting for the rest of my life is unfathomable and unacceptable. Been there, done that, hated every minute of it.

So the answer is a resounding and very happy NO!

Mitzigan94

I actually enjoy logging my meals so I don't mind doing it.

^^ this

Mitzigan94

I have two options:
1. Count calories
2. Be fat.

I'll count calories. At least 5 days/wk. Basically forever or until I'm too wrinkled to care about being fat.

and ^^ this^^

misschoppo

I actually enjoy logging my meals so I don't mind doing it.

same for me. I like to plan what I am eating in advance anyway so I often log for a few days in advance and then I can just tweak it if something changes but it gives me a clear plan of what I intend to eat. I love planning & making lists in general for everything so I do quite enjoy logging my food and don't see it as a chore.

Bliinnk182

I actually enjoy logging my food but because I eat roughly the same things every single day and genuinely I won't really need to do it forever plus when I'm 60-70+ I think I'll just let go and eat whatever the f--- I want. I kind of do that anyway but I'm young and naturally burn fat very fast. Gaining weight is the hard one for me

Mischievous_Rascal

Occasionally.

At maint, I'd keep an eye on the scale .. if it creeps up a little, a couple days of calorie counting will be in order ..

Otherwise, there's no need.

This is my plan, too.

ronrstaats

I am OCD.. so not only do I count them, I put them in order... LOL

sinistras

Fortunately through counting calories you learn to eat smarter and get a better feel for what your calorie "budget" looks like to maintain a specific weight.

I will probably not always count, but will always weigh myself weekly. This way I can get a head start if I notice a weight trend I don't like, and retool calorie counting as needed.

optineo

yeah. When I stopped counting calories I gained 25 pounds. NEVER doing that again

dalguard

That's a good question. I'm not sure. I've never had much trouble staying slim but I'm a woman getting older, my job is sedentary, and my BF's lifestyle isn't healthy. So I put on some weight and it took a while to get serious enough to take it off. Now that it's off and I'm used to logging, it seems like a really simple way to maintain. I think once I'm retired (9 1/2 years but who's counting?) I'll be able to exercise enough that I can go back to not counting, but for now this seems like a pretty straightforward solution to keeping my weight in check. I don't even have to feel guilty when I have my sweets because the calories are all logged and accounted for. It's just nice to know where to draw the line.

I don't weigh my food though. Never got that serious.

carlalovescake

Sadly yes! Tried without counting and gained some back

RoyBeck

Absolutely not. If I can't learn about calories and anything else I need to know in these past 6 months then there's something wrong.

kdb247

I have two options:
1. Count calories
2. Be fat.

I'll count calories. At least 5 days/wk. Basically forever or until I'm too wrinkled to care about being fat.

and ^^ this^^

^Agreed. Lol! This is what it boils down to for me.
My current alcohol consumption would never allow me to play it by ear. I would gain weight in a heartbeat if I didn't log calories and be mindful.

Mitzigan94

Yes. I also expect to have to eat healthy, weigh myself regularly, see a doctor for check-ups, and work out for the rest of my life...at least if I want to keep living and having a good quality of life.

^^this

snowflake954

Yes, just like I am now. It's become habit.

sunman00

yes,

oh, hold on a minute……………..

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JenniBaby85

I don't know about the rest of my life, but at least for a great deal of it. I eat primarily healthy and get a rough idea, but sometimes I can be way off when I don't count the calories!

Bry_Fitness70

I do, not necessarily for the total calories, but for the macros totals. I want to ensure that I get enough protein and control my fat intake for the rest of my life

Dlibo1013

yeah don't think I will have much choice

victorialynnwillis

Yes, because I want to keep the weight off! Losing weight is hard enough the first time.

mccindy72

Maintaining weight is even more difficult than losing it. To keep a balanced weight, a person needs to know how many calories are going in, and how many are being burned. It's pretty impossible to "guess" how many calories you've eaten and assume you are going to maintain weight. It's no different than saying you are going to stop working out when you reach a goal weight. Exercise is a must for staying healthy and maintaining weight. Basically, as long as you work out, and know what you're eating, you'll be able to maintain.
it's why vacations catch people off guard - they eat what they want, don't exercise, and then are shocked to find out they've gained five pounds in a week.

justal313

Probably, but I do have a good idea of how a reasonable days food is going to unfold so I could probably not count calories on most days but count them on days I need to make sure I'm consuming enough calories to fuel workouts or burning enough calories to eat more than is normal or food that is more calorie dense than I typically consume, especially any thing that might include salted caramel which while I no longer fear it, I respect it and the damage it can do to my efforts if I allow myself more than is reasonable.

LillyPandme

Guys, I am 52 years old and MFP makes this sooo much easier that it was in the old days - using calorie books, etc.- that I will gladly record my meals for the rest of my life if is makes me healthier and more attractive.

I love MFP!

WendyTerry420

...no way!

laserturkey

Yes. When I don't count, I gain weight.

CynthiaT60

Yes, I do.

muckfoot

Guys, I am 52 years old and MFP makes this sooo much easier that it was in the old days - using calorie books, etc.- that I will gladly record my meals for the rest of my life if is makes me healthier and more attractive.

I love MFP!

In a simialr vein I imagine that the future will provide some kind of robot or magical animal that will count calories for us, so I will probably continue to count my own calories until that time.

enks07

I will probably continue to do so for a while and then stop to see if it works or not. I eat pretty healthy and I work out a lot as well so I'd like to think that I won't gain without tracking my calories. But I don't have a problem with tracking my intake, it's actually fun.

And I'd totally go for that magical animal to track my calories for me, even easier and more fun that way. ;D

tomwatso

In word: yes. I have hypothyroidism. I may have to live this lifestyle for sometime to come.