Sick of Counting Calories?

ticribbs

Are you trying to stick to too much of a calorie deficit?

What do you mean?

Are you eating (or trying to eat) too few calories every day?

I net 1200 calories a day, but in reality I eat closer to 1700 because I eat back my exercise calories.

angie007az

Even on a cheat day, I don't eat anything I want. Eating that way is what made me fat. Now that I can wear a size 10, I'll never feel free to eat anything and everything. I eat healthy and I do enjoy my choices. It's about a lifestyle change.

jofjltncb6

Are you trying to stick to too much of a calorie deficit?

What do you mean?

Are you eating (or trying to eat) too few calories every day?

I net 1200 calories a day, but in reality I eat closer to 1700 because I eat back my exercise calories.

Have you considered if this is too few calories?

Or said another way, are you sure you can't make satisfactory progress towards your goal while intentionally eating more calories? It tends to make compliance easier, which *may* be the underlying cause of you being sick of counting calories.

TL;DR - did you start at 1200 net because that's where your setup choices in MFP put you or did you determine you actually *needed* to eat the minimum to make progress?

ticribbs

MAP set that goal for me

jofjltncb6

MAP set that goal for me

MFP set that goal for you based on the information you provided. You may want to consider tweaking your goals (such as 1/2 or 1 pound per week instead of the 2 you likely chose...and given that you're only looking to lose 20 pounds, 2/week is almost certainly not optimal) or increasing your activity level setting (because the lowest setting is essentially consistent no activity at all IMHO). Personally, despite the fact that I'm behind a desk 50 hours/week, I had to bump mine up to the a higher activity setting to account for my own measured TDEE (less additional exercise).

TL;DR - don't let 1) your choices during setup or 2) the "default" MFP settings lead you to a difficult calorie limit.

(PS: are you weighing and measuring your food? Or just estimating?)

ticribbs

I measure my food with measuring cups. The only food I eat that requires weighing is lunch meat, I estimate that. I plan to get a scale soon though. I also sit at a desk 50 hours a week. I do exercise (cardio) for one hour, daily. My MFP goal is 1pound a week, however I never lose that much . I'm lucky if I lose .5 in a week.

ticribbs

Overall, I think I just get frustrated with constantly portioning my food and having to think do I have enough calories for that, it gets old .

Iwishyouwell

Yes.

Which is why I gave up counting calories years ago. I loathed having that kind of relationship with food.

I prefer getting my deficits in via intermittent fasting and eating more intuitively, learning the difference between true hunger and mere cravings.

As a result I don't eat on any schedule. I eat when I want, what I enjoy. Sometimes that means huge meals, sometimes that means overindulging in sweets, sometimes going plenty of time with no real hunger, and sometimes that means just dealing with a "not right now". Portion sizes aren't an issue for me at all, no matter what size I do, or do not, eat at any given time. My weight loss is fluid, but steady, and pretty fast.

I don't calorie count to lose weight and I don't calorie count to maintain weight loss. Logging, weighing, counting, etc, if it works for you and you enjoy it, more power to you. But there are other ways.

Qskim

http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

Bit of a read but I think you'd enjoy it.

I like his thoughts/approach concerning flexibility, which is about 2/3 down.

The whole lot is worthwhile read actually.

jofjltncb6

I measure my food with measuring cups. The only food I eat that requires weighing is lunch meat, I estimate that. I plan to get a scale soon though. I also sit at a desk 50 hours a week. I do exercise (cardio) for one hour, daily. My MFP goal is 1pound a week, however I never lose that much . I'm lucky if I lose .5 in a week.

So all of your food besides lunch meat is a liquid? That seems...odd. For some foods, you have a choice between measuring and weighing. When you get that scale, I suggest weighing.


.5 pounds/week isn't bad. Maybe when you get that scale, you'll find that you're missing some of your estimates. Even after almost three years of consistently weighing things, there are some foods that I struggle to get right. Lunch meat...deli cut, so the slices aren't consistent or given on the package label...is one of those foods. Ice cream is another (although I'm better about it since I've been having smaller portion sizes during my recent cut).

One hour *every* day of cardio? I know this is weird advice, and plenty of people may disagree with me, but you may actually want to take a couple of days off per week. Also, consider adding some strength training. There are all kinds of benefits to it that I won't get into, but just know, they're there.

TeresaB1979

Edited because I included the person I was replying to's text with mine so it made no sense!

TeresaB1979

@Iwishyouwell; Yes, I also think some form of intermittent fasting would be ideal too. I took a little time to explain why but for some reason got no acknowledgement? Maybe I'm old fashioned because I think it's rude to completely ignore someone when they 'speak' to you because on here it seems to be the norm. Somebody asks for advice, you take time to try help, they come back and don't even say 'Thank you'. Oh well. Different strokes and all that. No big deal. Just something I've noticed lots of time- first time I've commented upon it.

geebusuk

More exercise?

Yes, I did count calories and watch my 'portions'
Yesterday I ate 3127 calories including a whole pizza, whole box custard cream slices (6) and whole box of french fancies (8). I met my protein goal, bit over on fat but not overly worried on this as even then, still at a deficit I reckon (I eat 1000 more on workout days).
I did a weights workout, a couple of cycle rides for commuting and a short run to get the dog some exercise.

I have been consistently losing around 2lb/week.

sgall123

Yes.

Which is why I gave up counting calories years ago. I loathed having that kind of relationship with food.

I prefer getting my deficits in via intermittent fasting and eating more intuitively, learning the difference between true hunger and mere cravings.

As a result I don't eat on any schedule. I eat when I want, what I enjoy. Sometimes that means huge meals, sometimes that means overindulging in sweets, sometimes going plenty of time with no real hunger, and sometimes that means just dealing with a "not right now". Portion sizes aren't an issue for me at all, no matter what size I do, or do not, eat at any given time. My weight loss is fluid, but steady, and pretty fast.

I don't calorie count to lose weight and I don't calorie count to maintain weight loss. Logging, weighing, counting, etc, if it works for you and you enjoy it, more power to you. But there are other ways.

I also stopped calorie counting once I found IF.. I now do 5:2 to maintain my weight & if I want to lose an extra few pounds or if I have had a very indulgent weekend like I am having this weekend I do a 4:3 & lose weight.. I love fasting.. Been doing it 14 months now.. Will always do some form of it.. Counting calories for a year or more was starting to get obsessive & boring!!..

ticribbs

Interesting comments on fasting, I've never considered it to be honest. Do you feel really drained the two or three days you fast?

ticribbs

I would also imagine no gym those days?

Clash1001

Another one for intermittent fasting.

The first few fast days are kinda hard, but personally I find it easier knowing I can eat 'normally' on other days.

I didn't exercise for my first few fast days, but now do some light cardio - a 2-3 mile jog, 20 minutes circuits at a lower intensity, maybe a swim. Personally I find that my body copes with this provided I meet my nutritional needs on non fast days, and actually, I do count calories on other days to make sure I'm meeting my macros and eating enough. I fully intend to stop counting when I feel confident enough to do so...not quite there yet though!

Re feeling drained - again, this is personal to me, but no, I don't. A bit tireder on the evening of a fast day, I do tend to go to bed slightly earlier but it doesn't impinge on my life, if you see what I mean.i have loads more energy the day after a fast.

It's not for everyone, but it works for me.

Iwishyouwell

Interesting comments on fasting, I've never considered it to be honest. Do you feel really drained the two or three days you fast?

Nope. And I do actual full day fasts where as most people who IF do low calorie days they call a "fast", or are fasting for a window of a few hours.

I am adapted to fasting at this point. I can go quite long periods of time, if need be, in a famine state and still have plenty of energy to live my life. I've done HOURS of exercise fasted. There are so many fears, and so much ignorance, regarding the human body and fasting that most people just assume your body stops in the absence of food. That couldn't be further from the truth.

But then again I'm well versed on fasting because I've done it off and on for years for religious purposes.