When you don't want to calorie count

Options
2

Replies

  • cruciangyal1031
    cruciangyal1031 Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    This made me laugh! "Elephant"...
  • cruciangyal1031
    cruciangyal1031 Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    I log daily regardless even if I splurge. The only time I don't is when I go somewhere where I can't log in real time and eat a ton of different foods....for example a Christmas feast. I just have something saved 'elephant' to say I ate an elephant. (a lot of food and the damage is done so I don't care about details at this point)


    This made me laugh! "Elephant"...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
    Options
    Hi everyone, I joined MFP at the beginning of the year, I didn't have a lot to lose and I have reached my goal, although now I kind of want to lower it a few more pounds but that's another story.
    Anyway, I was wondering if you guys all log on and stay within your calorie goal, every day. I've had a couple of days where I've gone a bit over, but at the moment I feel like I want to have a massive splurge & am wondering whether to just do it and get it out of my system!
    I'd like to know how others cope when the urge gets crazy!
    Thanks
    Sophie

    what are your calorie goals now? having reached your goal, are you eating to maintenance? what was/is your deficit? when i came out of a 1 Lb per week loss calorie goal to maintenance, that was an extra 500 calories...you can do quite a bit with 500 extra calories. Also, you don't gain fat with one day of overeating, just like you don't lose fat with one day of under-eating...your body doesn't work that way; you have to consistently do one or the other to override your body's ability to maintain energy balance.

    I've been maintaining for 9 months...I don't log...I eat intuitively and rock my nutrition and fitness...I overindulge probably once or twice per week and that hasn't hindered my maintenance...but like I said, I also rock my fitness and overall eat a very nutrient dense and balanced diet.
  • xgains
    xgains Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    "I eat intuitively and rock my nutrition and fitness...I overindulge probably once or twice per week and that hasn't hindered my maintenance...but like I said, I also rock my fitness and overall eat a very nutrient dense and balanced diet."

    This has been my approach for over 2 years now. And, as a number of people are alluding to, remember it's ALL ABOUT CALORIE CYCLING ...or at least that works for me. I look at my weekly calorie "Goal" as just that - a weekly goal. So, when I splurge on one day I make sure to make up for it another day...and always try to stick to an exercise regimen.

    And, as long as you can get back on the horse, we only have to be good 80% of the time...though when your sick you need to do what you can to feel good...even if that means a little extra hot chocolate...though I personally go with Cafe Con Leche.
  • sophieamhaley
    sophieamhaley Posts: 85
    Options
    Hi everyone, I joined MFP at the beginning of the year, I didn't have a lot to lose and I have reached my goal, although now I kind of want to lower it a few more pounds but that's another story.
    Anyway, I was wondering if you guys all log on and stay within your calorie goal, every day. I've had a couple of days where I've gone a bit over, but at the moment I feel like I want to have a massive splurge & am wondering whether to just do it and get it out of my system!
    I'd like to know how others cope when the urge gets crazy!
    Thanks
    Sophie

    what are your calorie goals now? having reached your goal, are you eating to maintenance? what was/is your deficit? when i came out of a 1 Lb per week loss calorie goal to maintenance, that was an extra 500 calories...you can do quite a bit with 500 extra calories. Also, you don't gain fat with one day of overeating, just like you don't lose fat with one day of under-eating...your body doesn't work that way; you have to consistently do one or the other to override your body's ability to maintain energy balance.

    I've been maintaining for 9 months...I don't log...I eat intuitively and rock my nutrition and fitness...I overindulge probably once or twice per week and that hasn't hindered my maintenance...but like I said, I also rock my fitness and overall eat a very nutrient dense and balanced diet.

    MFP says my calorie goal is 2,100 to maintain, I've changed it to 2000. I walk five miles a day (approx 4mph) plus I do between 10-40 minutes of HIIT/strength training per day (five or six days a week tbh) and my job means I am on my feet, plus I have two small children so I am rarely inactive. Therefore I put my activity level down as "active" and then I don't actually log my exercise on here because I figure that calorie burn is different for different people, right? So I wasn't sure that MFP would be getting my calorie burn right.
  • Songbirdcw
    Songbirdcw Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    I do a general log of my day. I don't get crazy with it. I kind of know the amount of cals I take in from all of the logging I used to do. Also, I eat pretty sensibly and based on what I burn (Fitbit/HRM) I don't worry about going over my calories so much. Try to plan your splurges to balance out your calories, and get back on track and keep it moving.
  • fitnessfitz
    fitnessfitz Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    hahaha "elephant" I like that... it's a good way to just generalize the fact that what you ate is too hard to document -- for example yesterday I did really well until I went out to dinner with someone. We had wine and shared plates with ingredients like gorgonzola, brussel sprouts, palenta, zucchini, ribs... I'm going to just use "elephant" now so that i don't give up logging for that day. I realize that I tend to log only my good days. But it's all about the overall picture of the week and also about trends. 5 or 6 good days and one elephant-- i can live with that. thanks for snapping me back into a realistic perspective. :)
  • fitnessfitz
    fitnessfitz Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    I log daily regardless even if I splurge. The only time I don't is when I go somewhere where I can't log in real time and eat a ton of different foods....for example a Christmas feast. I just have something saved 'elephant' to say I ate an elephant. (a lot of food and the damage is done so I don't care about details at this point)

    I feel that one splurge a week will come out of you within 24 hours if your body is not used to it and you will get back on track.
    I don't encourage the weekly splurge but I know there is diet theory out there where you need to be extremely strict 6 days a week and pig out on day 7...whatever you want you will be able to stay on track and you will resist temptation knowing what is down the road.

    Lastly, my goal is more to maintain weight. I have a few to drop and for about the next 10 weeks or so I will get back to my goal weight but wow is it ever hard to stay there once I get to that weight. Hopefully in time, it will get easier. Good luck!

    hahaha "elephant" I like that... it's a good way to just generalize the fact that what you ate is too hard to document -- for example yesterday I did really well until I went out to dinner with someone. We had wine and shared plates with ingredients like gorgonzola, brussel sprouts, palenta, zucchini, ribs... I'm going to just use "elephant" now so that i don't give up logging for that day. I realize that I tend to log only my good days. But it's all about the overall picture of the week and also about trends. 5 or 6 good days and one elephant-- i can live with that. thanks for snapping me back into a realistic perspective. :)
  • missyjane824
    missyjane824 Posts: 1,199 Member
    Options
    I log daily regardless even if I splurge. The only time I don't is when I go somewhere where I can't log in real time and eat a ton of different foods....for example a Christmas feast. I just have something saved 'elephant' to say I ate an elephant. (a lot of food and the damage is done so I don't care about details at this point)

    I like the idea of the elephant. I might try that to keep myself from being so strict with my logging all the time.
  • sophieamhaley
    sophieamhaley Posts: 85
    Options
    Well I've splurged, I don't feel too happy about it, but it's done now. A pretty embarrassing 700 cals over my goal but back to normal tomorrow!
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    Options
    A few of us definitely feel that a life-time of counting is bad for maintenance! I am now going with "loose tracking"....I don't freak out if I do not have my HRM to record EXACTLY how much I have burned so I know how much I can or cannot eat.

    I think I need a mental break!
  • mjglantz
    mjglantz Posts: 489 Member
    Options
    I reached my goal in April and have lost about 15 pounds since then. I tend to stay at or under my goal during the week with exercise giving me more calories. I tend to go over on the weekends though which is why I don't want to eat back all the calories during the week.
    I still track every day and probably will for a while until I've maintained for over a year. Right now it is easy and second nature. I can see that at some time, I'll only track on the weekends.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,051 Member
    Options
    One splurge day is not going to affect your weight, other than a little water weight.



    I've been in Maintenance for six years, and I don't log food anymore unless I notice I've gained three pounds - then I force myself to log for a week or so and figure it out again. I frequently go waaaay over calories and don't gain. Like once a week or so I'll go over by 1,000 or more calories. It takes a lot more than one day to unravel stuff.

    I like that idea. I think the logging of things can become quite obsessive, I'm an all or nothing kind of person, I think I need to mellow out!
    If I see the calorie intake go into red I automatically get cross with myself, I really need to try and be less rigid...

    sophie, that is the good and the bad of calorie counting.

    Really, once you have logged all your go-to foods a couple times, you know what to do.

    It serves no one to obsess over a tool.

    On the other hand, I've got all my foods entered here, so it takes about three minutes per meal. Not like it's a huge chore. I just like teaching myself to eat intuitively. Probably my biggest challenge is to make sure I'm eating enough vegetables. Cheese sandwiches are too easy.
  • proudjmmom
    proudjmmom Posts: 145 Member
    Options
    Congrats on reaching your goal. I reached goal in November, and in trying to find my maintenance I lost a further 7lbs. I am on day 3 of not counting calories, as I needed a mental break from the numbers. It was messing with my head. But I am confident I have gained enough knowledge over the last 3 years of portion control, healthy foods, and exercise my body needs. I am nervous, but I am taking it one day at a time.

    I have a game plan in place in case things don't go well with no logging. I am weighing daily to keep a close eye on my weight, I know my fluctuations, and have allowed myself a 5 lbs window. Should I go over that 5 lbs, I will begin logging again to find the problem, and get back on track. I believe the main thing for me is to remain active. I also calorie cycle as I discovered through logging.
  • dianavvm
    dianavvm Posts: 2
    Options
    When I need to splurge I go out and get diet jelly mix strawberries, blueberries, rasberries, and low fat creamy yogurt and make a huge jelly fruit bowl and set it in the fridge, then I dive in with a dollop of yogurt or nonfat ice cream in top. Never done any harm to my diet but felt like a million dollars when the huge bowl was empty, make it every week and have a bowl for a treat
  • Beet_Girl
    Beet_Girl Posts: 102
    Options
    What changed for me is that I didn't freak out if I was way below one day, like at 800 calories or whatever. If I still felt fine, I just didn't eat. Then on days when I want to go for it, I do! No harm done...I think.
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    Options
    Congrats on reaching your goal. I reached goal in November, and in trying to find my maintenance I lost a further 7lbs. I am on day 3 of not counting calories, as I needed a mental break from the numbers. It was messing with my head. But I am confident I have gained enough knowledge over the last 3 years of portion control, healthy foods, and exercise my body needs. I am nervous, but I am taking it one day at a time.

    I have a game plan in place in case things don't go well with no logging. I am weighing daily to keep a close eye on my weight, I know my fluctuations, and have allowed myself a 5 lbs window. Should I go over that 5 lbs, I will begin logging again to find the problem, and get back on track. I believe the main thing for me is to remain active. I also calorie cycle as I discovered through logging.

    A good approach!
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    Options
    I think when I hit maintenance I am going to try my hardest to log everyday to get used to maintenance & then go from there.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Options

    I'd like to know how others cope when the urge gets crazy!
    Thanks
    Sophie

    I IF and eat in a way that keeps me satisfied, but not in danger of overeating. So that when I do have those urges and get "crazy", I can do so pretty much when I like, and still lose. So I don't calorie count at all, regardless.
  • eccentric88
    eccentric88 Posts: 36 Member
    Options
    I was talking to the admin at a doctors office all of the people there are on special restrictive diets...she said that it is impossible for the human nature to do it all of the time. She has not seen one person yet how is 100% consistent. So when others say go do it, and be conscious of what you have done and get back on track ....it makes sense.:heart: Love ourselves a bit and be human

Categories