Is it possible to maintain weight without counting calories

SplitPea123

I'm sick of counting calories and am wondering if it's possible to maintain my weight without doing it?

__freckles__

Yup. I've done it my entire life.

sfbaumgarten

It's absolutely possible! From my own experience, I know that I will always have to track my food and exercise to keep the weight off. That's just my reality.

__freckles__

Yup. I've done it my entire life.

After a while you just get used to knowing what you're body needs and don't over eat. If you over eat, you work out a little more. I don't know. Maybe I'm a special snowflake. I'm sure others will weigh in.

vvvalentines

My plan for maintenance (which is what I did pretty successfully for a while a few years ago, and some of my more-successful friends have done) is to stop counting calories, but continue to weigh yourself weekly or semi-weekly. That way, you catch yourself before you regain too many pounds (or lose more than you want because you're used to eating at a deficit) and can adjust your diet that way.

sfbaumgarten

It's absolutely possible! From my own experience, I know that I will always have to track my food and exercise to keep the weight off. That's just my reality.

Oops... AND weight. I'll also need to track my weight forever I'm ok with it though... It's all become a part of my lifestyle. Tracking doesn't really bother me.

rainbowbow

It's possible. But definitely difficult if you don't periodically weigh yourself and make a concious effort to maintain.

Falling back into bad habits is very easy when you don't have the reminder of your daily calorie goal in front of you.

angelzprophecy

yes if were going only by the textbook definition of possible. it certainly is not impossible

WhisperAnne

I am curious about this too. For almost 7 years I have been keeping track of every calorie that I consume, and lately I'm sick of it. I'm never happy with food or myself anymore. I've kept the weight off, which makes me so proud of myself but I know people who have never had weight issues who eat whatever they want and don't keep track and never get heavy. Is that a possibility for me too?

toofatandy

Have a look at the 5:2 diet.

Restricting yourself to 600 calories one day a week, then eat whatever on the rest.

ahviendha

yep! i tried to lose weight not counting, ended up maintaining for a year.

I_Will_End_You

Yes. I lost weight not counting, and I maintain not counting. Every one is different, but it's definitely possible.

twixlepennie

I'm not currently counting/tracking and I'm maintaining within a 3lb window

Colleen118

Entirely! But you have to have been logging for sometime when talking about life change so you can educate yourself. Once you know what you "normal" intake is, maintainance is easier as long as you are still consciencious of what you consume and your activity levels.

kelly_e_montana

I can. My problem with weight gain has always been more related to trying to make myself pass out by eating large quantities of food (an eating disorder) rather than knowing how or what to eat. I've been counting since I was in 2nd grade and often restricting would get me in a binge/restrict cycle. I know how many calories are in most foods, so for me the issue is just making good choices. I know people say there are a no good or bad foods, but for me, some foods just don't work as well as others and some are more trouble than they are worth FOR ME.

I often do the best just watching my portions and choosing healthy foods and learning to eat when I am hungry only. This means you have to keep junk out of the house though if you can't manage it easily. Don't make it harder on yourself. Just enjoy it at restaurants or parties in limited quantities, etc.

Basically my philosophy is that you can have one of two freedoms:

1) count calories and eat WHATEVER you want as long as it fits in your calorie goals; or
2) eat mostly lean proteins, fruits/veggies, with a bit of of dairy and grains, in reasonable portions without counting. Save your treats for special occasions, not every day.

I like the 2nd but most people like the first. I would rather cook at home more and so it works for me. I'm not saying you can't eat whatever you want and not count calories, but you are giving yourself a hard task. I also feel better when I have a really nutrient dense diet so I feel better on option #2 vs. #1 but for most people counting is easier and more manageable than re-arranging how they eat.

Right now I am following an athletic performance based eating plan so I am counting the heck out of my macros and calories but if I did not have a specific thing I was training for, I would just maintain by not counting. I did for the prior 8 months.

P.S. Don't slack off on your activity and then blame it on food either. If you cut back on activity, cut back on food.

Colleen118

The other people are probably natually able to burn their consumption via activity or wonderful genes. If you have been logging that long you should have a fair idea of your normal consumption and the calories. Stop logging if it is bringing you down and just be happy living and eating as you have during your maintainence. If you notice clothes fitting different, log and re-evaluate things but I am betting you are safe enough to not log every single day.
We need to make ourselves first and make lifestyle changes but it is not meant that we are to become slaves to our health changes either. These changes make it possible for us to be Heathier, yes, but in doing so it creates a HAPPIER you as well. Don't let being a slave to your change take away from that happiness you have worked so hard to achieve.

suziepoo1984

It's absolutely possible! From my own experience, I know that I will always have to track my food and exercise to keep the weight off. That's just my reality.

Oops... AND weight. I'll also need to track my weight forever I'm ok with it though... It's all become a part of my lifestyle. Tracking doesn't really bother me.

^^Yup

Binkie1955

On Low Carb with moderate exercise it's very easy. it's what I do. However, I do weight myself daily AND I don't keep a set of 'fat' clothes around. all my suits and slacks are sized to the weight I want to maintain so as soon as something feels snug, regardless of what the scale says, I change course.

geekyjock76

Between my years of doing bulks and cuts, I basically ended up with a cookbook of meals and desserts that I ate. The funny thing is most meals and desserts have about the same amount of calories. Thus, after I was done counting calories, I knew exactly what I was eating. If I see that I've gained 2-3 lbs of actual fat, then I just reduce calories for a bit to go back down.

Fullsterkur_woman

I glean a substantial amount of satisfaction from gathering data about myself, so I'm going to continue to log forever probably. If you don't, I would certainly not recommend continuing to log.

Spiderkeys

MFP logs have taught me what foods to eat more off and which ones to eat less or avoid, technically I log all my entries at the end of the day, and I rarely now see myself go over my calorie goal, so yeah it's certainly possible.

greattimes

I have lost my weight of about 75 lbs. without counting calories. I know what I can eat and can't and how much.

betrishy

Why don't you try it for a few days and see how it goes, eat when you are hungry, drink lots of water but keep your portions small. You know that you can't get like crap 6x a day to maintain your smaller figure, so eat like your counting calories but don't track them. Keep up with your exercise, I know I cant maintain my lowest weight, but I am staying with a 5 pound range of my maintenance goal. iI am maintenance but I am still counting my calories, but sometimes I do slack off and I am fine. When I over indulge on one day I ramp up my exercise and eat less for a few days afterwards.

Vegan_85

Yes. I gave up calorie counting between September and January this year, and my weight remained at a BMI of 18.6. I've only gone back to MFP to make sure I'm getting enough protein and calcium. That and I forget to take vitamin pills otherwise.

rybo

I haven't racked calories in over 2 years.

kdiamond

Eventually, yes, once you learn what you're supposed to be taking in each day, it becomes second nature in time.

upforthecount

For me, it is very difficult to maintain without counting cals. Too many bad habits I fall back into. Many of the other responders have methods to keep themselves on track (weighing, tight clothes, etc). But for me, I'm sorry to say, I have to keep track, otherwise I will eventually start to gain again.

AJinBirmingham

yep! i tried to lose weight not counting, ended up maintaining for a year.

I still have to count, but I maintain by constantly trying to lose 5 lbs.

Some people can manage losing or maintaining without counting, but I'm not one of them. You can always try, and find out.

Hornsby

Absolutely. I maintained for 2.5 months without tracking. Tracking again now cause I am trying to go up a bit in weight, but will stop tracking all together once I get a system/schedule down.

ILoveGingerNut

You just have to learn how to eat in a healty way and without excess calories for your body weight/activity level. Logging for life is crazy.
I only do it if I put on weight and struggle to lose it.

Holly_Roman_Empire

It's definitely possible, but if you're one that has to track calories to lose weight or you stall, it might be beneficial to maintain while counting calories for a while. Until you can train yourself to know what portion sizes are and get really good at estimating, I'd say to keep counting.

I'm one of those that would eat everything in sight if I didn't physically see everything I've eaten written down, so I will be counting calories forever. But it doesn't bother me.