Does anyone feel like giving up counting calories

Bebubble · August 2014

Yep, but I know I can not do this on my own any longer. I gave it 50 years to get it correct. But that didn't work. Now I just take a few hours or days off. I let that feeling come. But I then force it out! Good luck! this is NOT a easy Journey for sure!

Italianma7 · August 2014

When you feel like giving up-Just think about why you started.

doctorsookie · August 2014

Would i like to dive up? every day... But I'm strong so I don't and deep sown I know it's working. But yeah it gets hard some days more than others but we have to keep going. I also want go give up weighing my food but I don't...i can do this. And so can you!
Do I feel restricted? No, I'd I fo over then I go over ad I know who to blame. Me...but I'll eat if I'm hungry. counting calories doesn't mean you can't enjoy food.

higgins8283801 · August 2014

Nope.

I mean I would like to blowy entire paycheck but instead I have to pay the bills. Sometimes it sucks being a responsible adult, and that includes being emotionally and physically responsible.

Debmal77 · August 2014

I never feel like giving up because this is the first time I have had success. Calorie deficit and exercise. I eat everything I love to eat, but less of it and I am starting to feel really good. I enjoy logging everyday because I know its the only thing that works. You just have to want it and stick with it. Good luck!

AnxiousPenman · August 2014

I lost 70lbs about 8 years ago and kept it off for 4 because I stayed very mindful of what I was eating ... then I stopped, and in 4 years, I gained back the entire 70lbs.

This time around, not only am I counting calories ... I'm making sure that I'm actually enjoying what I'm eating and having fun with my food. If I made myself feel restricted, there's no way in hell this would be able to be sustainable. You can't feel mentally restricted and make it last for the long term. You'll eventually give up.

In the last 5 and a half months, I've lost 50lbs by counting calories ... and making sure I was loving it.

Just today I applewood smoked 6 pounds of buckboard (pork shoulder) bacon that I spent the last 10 days curing. And I'll eat at least half of that over the next few weeks and still lose weight.

So, no, I don't allow myself to feel restricted ... because I go out of my way to make sure that I'm enjoying the hell out of those calories that I'm counting.

mmd575 · August 2014

Sure, I often think I'd much rather just eat whatever crap I want whenever I want. I also wish I could just run away from lots of other responsibilities I have in order to keep my nice balanced happy life. But the internal dialogue does not end with those thoughts. That's just the 'seize this moment' voice speaking, the more rational long-term focused voice then joins the conversation and ensures I - usually - don't give in to the petulant whims of a voice that is not ever going to get me where I ultimately want to be.

Everyone has those give up thoughts. Work on your inner dialogue - that's where the real fight is won and lost.

This is great advice! I am working on my inner dialogue as well, I know I've had these thoughts where I get frustrated about counting calories but then I think about how far I've come and I just keep going.

fatfrost · August 2014

Yep, everyday.

lhopex3 · August 2014

Personally, I think counting calories is important if your diet doesn't fall within certain guidelines. Personally, for particular reasons I eat chicken, fish, lots and lots vegetables, fruit, and fermented foods mostly. Because I eat this way, I don't have to worry about my calories racking up. For optimal health, I think its incredibly important to focus on nutrient intake - balancing protein, carbs, and fats while obtaining optimal vitamin, mineral, water, and amino acid levels.

My secret though is warm lemon water

. Squeezing half a lemon into a cup of warm water without eating anything 15 minutes afterwards is the best morning routine as well as nighttime! Lemon boosts the immune system with Vitamin C and is also extremely alkalizing within the human body (although it is acidic on the outside of the body!) An alkaline body is ESSENTIAL to fighting off bacterias and viruses (bacteria in particular cannot live in an alkaline environment!). For weight loss, lemon curbs hunger immensely! It's pretty amazing that I can drink lemon water and eat a piece of fruit in the morning and that holds me over until afternoon.

Good luck! Don't give up, but pick your battles! There are certain ways where you don't have to worry about calorie intake!

becs3578 · August 2014

Today no, other days yes. I only found MFP after a year of my weight loss journey. That was like phase 3. It has been instrumental in me losing the last 15 lbs. I am now following a daily calories plan through the TDEE method but I still track how much I eat on MFP. I think it is such an important part of my life now. Track the calories, my macros and making sure to fuel my body.

Some days still suck... but a lot less days suck NOW than 18 months ago. It has been all worth it.

lindsey1979 · August 2014

I certainly don't plan on doing it forever. I look at it as training wheels -- something to help me learn, but not something to be done permanently. Once I hit my goal weight/size, I'll ditch the calorie counting altogether and just go by size and weight. If I find that I've put on 5-10 lbs, then I may go back for the loss, but otherwise nope. Calorie counting forever is not in my end game.

One thing I've found that I think helps and will be part of my longterm plan is IFing. I've found it to be a much easier way to meet my weekly calorie goal/deficit and I can see doing that forever. Weeks/months where I put on the weight, then I'll fast 2-3 day/s week rather than just the maintenance one.

But, as of right now, this is just theoretical -- I may change when I eventually get there.

Rambugert13 · August 2014

EVERDAY!!!!

I can honestly say that my eating habits have gotten better (thanks to MFP) and got me to give up certain foods by tracking. For myself personally i look more at the total sugar, carbs, fat than opposed to total calories... i can eat good and go over my calories, but just as long as i'm mindful of what i think really matters: Sugar, Fat, Carbs, Sodium.

thanks to the reminders, i think the first time in 3 years i been on this thing, i actually feel like i will be able to log everything for more than 90 days straight.

last night i ate an entire container of Talenti Gelato... i mean i did go go over everything, thanks to that... but seeing what i will happen if i keep it up (keeps me from touching the mini kit kats and reese's in my desk drawer at work - lol trust they are for emergency cases only *wink* ; like days i don't have any sugar at all in almost any of my foods, i treat my self to a couple of mini reeses - only 6g of sugar per drop of chocolate!)

- oh gosh my post is hilarious (reading it back)

Eanna_S · August 2014

I always feel that way. I'd love to stop thinking about food all the time and just eat whenever and whatever I want, I was happier when I did that. I know I can't do that though, it's unhealthy and itl be worth it in the end when I have the body I'm working for and confidence

Kalikel · August 2014

Sometimes I count them. Sometimes I don't.

Measuring and weighing every bit of food is a little more obsessive than I want to be.

I think it's a really good idea at first, especially for the over and underweight people. It really can be enlightening.

I lost my first 30 or 40 pounds without even thinking about calories. Then I was all wanting to know exactly and committed to doing it. But it didn't work out. I count when I feel like it and don't when I don't. I don't obsess over it. Plus, I'm working on lifestyle changes. When I'm done, I want to be living a better, healthier life, with good habits having replaced bad ones. No struggling, no working, no counting. Eat normal amounts of healthy food. That's the goal!!

ihad · August 2014

Nope. I don't feel restricted at all. I eat all the yummy foods, just less than before, which happen to fall within my calorie goal. I actually like logging because it allows me to see patterns, or see if I'm lacking a macro, or if I have room for a little extra ice cream. I think logging is actually pretty fun.

this right here.
it's like putting together the same puzzle day by day... and not winding up with missing pieces at the end when you hit those macros spot on.

This. Day 365. Such useful, valuable info.