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

JasonAxelrod

I'll make that determination once I've sought professional help in dealing with my emotional triggers. I've found that when I have an active, stress-free day where I'm out of the house and engaged in productive activities, I don't eat too much. If I'm at home or dealing with an emotional trigger, then I gorge myself either because I have nothing else to do or because I'm having a binge episode.

In either case, if I can get help with coping mechanisms and secure myself a much more productive, active lifestyle, I don't think I'll have to count my calories forever.

But right now it is my foundation and my structure for pretty much everything I'm doing, and I don't see that changing soon.

acpgee

Yes. I put on my excess weight at a rate of 2 kg per year for many years. That's a surplus of only 50 cals per day.

WhisperAnne

To maintain my weight, yes I have to keep track of calories. I cant stay at my current weight and eat junk food or huge portions every day and expect to stay healthy. It sucks, but losing the weight has made me happier and healthier and if counting calories makes me stay this size then so be it.

WhisperAnne

i hate counting calories now, so no i don't plan on counting forever. pretty sure once i reach a certain age or get diagnosed with a terminal illness I will just not care anymore. I worked in nursing homes and they would put some people on diets!!! Its like dude! she is 80 years old if she wants the cake man let her have it!

I always remind myself once I hit a certain age I wont care so much anymore either lol. At least I wont be so strict on myself. ( around age 50ish maybe) :laugh:

Broderick50

No I don't once I'm in my maintiang mode it will be about portion control and clean eating.

Rollo99

Not sure, but I am concerned when I see that most people end up putting the weight back on. I am hoping that I can maintain better health and weight do to the eating habits I have developed over the past year. I feel better, look better and will do what I need to do to maintain that feeling. I think the plan is to monitor my weight constantly and react to any changes.

Grumbers

Like to think I'd weigh myself weekly and keep a conscious awareness of what I'm eating and try and maintain a sense of being in the right ball park.

If you fluctuate more than 2-3lb either way, then log for a couple weeks and see what you're doing.

florentinovillaro

In business, there's a saying: "If it's not being monitored, it's not being done".

QueenE_

Yeah, I do. I slacked there for a little bit and ended up gaining almost 10 pounds..

chatty826

NO!!! I lost 165lbs without counting a single calorie. I use MFP as a food diary not to count calories. Seriously if you loose weight by counting the calories of everything you eat the sad part is it will not be something you can sustain for the rest of your life. Eat clean eat unprocessed foods eat till you are full thats it.

GiveMeCoffee

NO!!! I lost 165lbs without counting a single calorie. I use MFP as a food diary not to count calories. Seriously if you loose weight by counting the calories of everything you eat the sad part is it will not be something you can sustain for the rest of your life. Eat clean eat unprocessed foods eat till you are full thats it.

I can't sustain logging my calories taking about 10 minutes of my day for the rest of my life??? Only way I see that being difficult is if I break all my fingers and can't type... but then I could always scan items so no I don't see an issue.

Good luck eating clean hope your hands don't get to pruned washing all that food.

teagirlmedium

Kind of. I estimate my calories. I only try to get the correct amount when I am keeping track on this site. Other than that I look at an item and round the calories from the nutrition label, or guess how many calories the item has based on similar items I eat. I have actually lost weight this way.

padams2359

Maybe not as diligently as I do now, but can't help reading labels. I have eaten everything I wanted over the holidays, only in smaller portions. Isn't that the objective? Two days ago, I weighed 5 lbs more than I weighed this morning. Undoubtably sodium and water retention.

marketdimlylit

No, just carbs.

And keep an eye on the scale.

This is what I expect to do, I hope.

goldfinger88

"You can count calories all day and will not set yourself up for long-term fat loss if you are eating low-quality calories that trigger excess body-fat storing hormones such as insulin." -- From The Calorie Myth

wonders13

No way!

JamieG8991

I'm on maintenance. I count calories Monday - Friday and on the weekends I'm just mindful of what I eat and keep and eye on the scale. It's working for me so far.

sybrix

I don't plan on counting calories forever. Personally I came here to lose my last 20lbs, I lost my first 30 over the span of a couple years by making some lifestyle and diet changes and without counting calories. I hovered at the same weight for another year but I wasn't actively trying to lose at that point. I think the closer you get to your goal you need to be more accurate and counting calories is a foolproof way of ensuring a deficit. It's a great tool but my plan is to eventually use my clothes and occasional weigh ins to keep myself aware if weight is creeping back on, and not to worry about numbers so much. It would drive me insane and I could see myself becoming obsessed and ruled by it if I do this forever.

florentinovillaro

NO!!! I lost 165lbs without counting a single calorie. I use MFP as a food diary not to count calories. Seriously if you loose weight by counting the calories of everything you eat the sad part is it will not be something you can sustain for the rest of your life. Eat clean eat unprocessed foods eat till you are full thats it.

At one point and time in your weight loss journey, you had to have read about calories in food (fruits, veggies, grains) and came up with a menu that meets or goes below your daily caloric requirements. Then you used that menu (of food) ever since to put your calorie count on "auto-pilot"? Am I remotely close?

The other guess, 2-4 hours per day of intense exercise in the Gym.

nicenhealthy

I think one day you'll instinctually know how many calories are in things. This means that you won't have to waste your time, figuring out how healthy something is or how many cals is in it. I am almost to the stage where I can look at something/anything and know how many cals are in it.

And if I were to count calories for the rest of my life, so what? I know you mean to make that sound arduous but I don't consider it that way. It's such a small thing lol...

kimad

I do yes, I was at my goal, and then let loose (very loose) this summer and found 10 lbs.... so for me, I need too!

Ejourneys

Yes. Just like I'll always keep track of the money that I'm spending so I don't blow my monetary budget.

Been maintaining for just shy of 3 years, and have tracked calories the whole time.

and

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!

I'm 55 and I remember those books. :-)

I love logging. Offsite I keep a spreadsheet because I love number-crunching.

Do I measure everything meticulously? No. I don't have to know exactly how much lettuce I'm eating. On the other hand, I do measure what for me are "controlled substances," like cheese and nuts.

And when I have a meal that's not my usual fare, I like to know the macros, as close as I can peg them. It's budgeting. It also means I'm more aware of how my weight fluctuates. It keeps me accountable and it keeps me on track, first through weight loss and now through maintenance.

As the first quote implies, is balancing a checkbook a "lifestyle change"? Nope. How about other daily habits, like brushing teeth and checking email? Nope. For me, logging is a good habit and the feedback I get from it helps keep me healthy.

(Edited to fix a coding glitch.)

D_squareG

Yes. I will either count calories the rest of my life or worry everyday about my weight.

keithnphx

Yes, I do expect to count calories for the rest of my life. NOT counting them is what got me over 100 pounds overweight.

Wifey7891

I don't think its a big hassle to count calories. For me its mostly about controlling what I eat and portions. It all depends on how diligent you want to be, and what goals you have for your fitness.

Gettinghealthysarah

I got fat counting! The obsessing over hitting a number caused major binges! I never was over weight until I dieted to lose weight! This month I decided 'no more', I will eat like my slender friends who don't count and know nothing about micros and macros! I will eat 1-3 meals per day at the table! With time I will weigh what I am suppose to!

littlelexical

I kind of hope so - I am enjoying it... Im a little OCD :P

Kenazwa

I hate the idea of it, but that might be what it takes.

huge2fan2

Absolutely!

MrGonzo05

Yes. The western diet has an abundance of cheap, easily available, tasty, high calorie food. I cannot depend on my natural tendencies and feelings of satiation to guide me in this minefield.