More Joy without MFP, but also more weight

sarahfeelingood

I guess thats where im stuck is finding what works for me. Also, i like the meal prepping idea, but i dont make enough money as a part time cashier to buy my own groceries. I usually eat whatever is here at the house bout by my parents and supplement with my own purchases when i can.

DebTavares

You don't have to count calories to lose weight, but you do need to create a deficit either by exercising or eating less. My last diet was a crash diet. I ate very little and was exercising like crazy and ended up losing a lot of weight really quickly. Problem is it wasn't sustainable and did a number on my body: I was exhausted and lost a lot of hair and ended up gaining it all back. The result of all of this is diet fatigue. I'm very very tired of dieting but I also don't want to remain at my current weight so I am trying something different...

I actually don't count calories in the traditional sense but I am cognizant of the calories in various foods, nutrition and portion sizes. What I did was start by making rules for myself such as not drinking any calories. Perhaps the rule that has made the biggest difference was to time my meals 4.5 to 5 hours apart three times per day, with one fruit snack. I do not eat anything outside of these times. That is my rule and this alone enabled me to cut a bunch of calories. I also aim to have a balance of protein and carbs at each meal. There are more rules but it could take a while so I'll just leave it at those.

I was able to lose 13 pounds from the end of November until the end of January, but then my weight stalled. I have been able to maintain this 13 lb weight loss until now. I consider this a huge success because my rules have become habits and I was able to maintain my weight loss for months.

I now want to lose 30 more pounds and have created new rules for myself. It's working and I'm losing weight. One of the things I've added is exercise. I'm loving it and wish I had added it months ago. This, too, I'm making as easy as possible by doing things that I enjoy and not punishing myself with it. If I've had very little sleep I just take the day off. If it's a day off from work and I'm well rested I can really push myself.

Weight loss is as much about habits as it is about physiology. You have to make habits that work for you. Calorie counting is a very valuable tool, but I can see how it is not for everyone.

Now I want to add that I still consider this a diet even though I am not counting calories. In my opinion it's a diet as long as my body isn't able to tell me when to stop eating. I'm not like my skinny friends who have their hunger fullness cues fully intact.

Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you.

sarahfeelingood

Thank you so much for all your posts! I have read every single one!

MsSkarlet, your message really comforted me. I somewhat do that, for instance I pretty much don't snack at all unless it's an "emergency" which I define as being truly hungry and the next meal being over an hour away. I'm actually interested in hearing more of your rules. Those are the kinds of things I can do. I think that is what I was looking for in posting this, but didn't know how to say it.

SherryTeach

I've been tracking for over two years and I don't feel obsessive. I"m the happiest I've ever been. I see it as no different from paying attention to how much money I have in my checking account and making sure I don't overdraw my account. Now that most of what I eat is already saved as recipes or meals, I often log the whole day in the two minutes it takes for my morning coffee to brew. Then I just eat off the list and don't really think about it at all.

One of the aspects of "lifestyle change" that people talk about it to get the focus OFF of a life centered around food. I can log all my food but not make it the center of my life. I have other hobbies and interests to focus on, especially now that I have a strong, healthy body.