I hate counting calories!

kerikitkat

I really want to lose about 15 pounds and generally become active again, stop smoking, etc. This website did wonders for me back in April - I lost 9 of those 15 pounds by really sticking to the program. The problem is, and the reason that I left the site... that I HATE counting calories. I feel like there are already so many annoying things in my life that I can't stand to add one more by obsessing about the content of every morsel I put in my mouth. It's so much nicer to have a beer when I like, to eat pizza with my husband, to have a donut when someone brings them to work... and it's not like I'm very overweight anyway. I already avoid a lot of bad foods and overeating that I see other people indulging in. I've been back on here for 3 days and already I'm annoyed about having to count out how many crackers I ate with lunch and worry about whether the dinner I'm having is 320 or 350 calories.

Aaaaaa. I don't know what the solution is. Ideas? Anyone else like this? It seems like most of the people on here really enjoy logging their calories.... but I'm not one of those people. :huh:

kerikitkat

I really want to lose about 15 pounds and generally become active again, stop smoking, etc. This website did wonders for me back in April - I lost 9 of those 15 pounds by really sticking to the program. The problem is, and the reason that I left the site... that I HATE counting calories. I feel like there are already so many annoying things in my life that I can't stand to add one more by obsessing about the content of every morsel I put in my mouth. It's so much nicer to have a beer when I like, to eat pizza with my husband, to have a donut when someone brings them to work... and it's not like I'm very overweight anyway. I already avoid a lot of bad foods and overeating that I see other people indulging in. I've been back on here for 3 days and already I'm annoyed about having to count out how many crackers I ate with lunch and worry about whether the dinner I'm having is 320 or 350 calories.

Aaaaaa. I don't know what the solution is. Ideas? Anyone else like this? It seems like most of the people on here really enjoy logging their calories.... but I'm not one of those people. :huh:

songbyrdsweet

No one says you have to count every little thing. It helps, and it can better guarantee regular fat loss, but it's not necessary to feel like you're obsessing about it. And counting calories doesn't mean you can't eat donuts and pizza--it just helps you keep track of how many pieces to eat. I don't always like to count calories, and I don't always count everything. But when I don't see progress, I know why. The key is to find a comfortable balance...you know what to avoid most of the time, you know not to eat until you're uncomfortably full. Just don't expect regular fat loss if you're not counting calories, because otherwise there's no way of knowing whether you're eating less than you need.

kerikitkat

Just don't expect regular fat loss if you're not counting calories, because otherwise there's no way of knowing whether you're eating less than you need.

Yeah, and this is the problem. I want the regular loss without the counting. I'm being unreasonable, I know. :smokin: I already eat well, so I want to just casually eat a little better and drink a little less beer and start dropping pounds, but I'm afraid if I don't tally everything up I might find I'm not losing at all in a few weeks. And that'll be disappointing....

Marla64

I really want to lose about 15 pounds and generally become active again, stop smoking, etc. This website did wonders for me back in April - I lost 9 of those 15 pounds by really sticking to the program. The problem is, and the reason that I left the site... that I HATE counting calories. I feel like there are already so many annoying things in my life that I can't stand to add one more by obsessing about the content of every morsel I put in my mouth. It's so much nicer to have a beer when I like, to eat pizza with my husband, to have a donut when someone brings them to work... and it's not like I'm very overweight anyway. I already avoid a lot of bad foods and overeating that I see other people indulging in. I've been back on here for 3 days and already I'm annoyed about having to count out how many crackers I ate with lunch and worry about whether the dinner I'm having is 320 or 350 calories.

Aaaaaa. I don't know what the solution is. Ideas? Anyone else like this? It seems like most of the people on here really enjoy logging their calories.... but I'm not one of those people. :huh:

Well, in the age old words of that wise old sage, "Yoda"-- Do or do not-- there is no try.

Choose what's more important-- the pizza and beer and freedom to eat as you'd like and the consequences that may bring, or the drudgery and accountability of watching, counting and logging the calories and the success that may bring-- life is a series of choices. One thing is certain-- none of us can ever have anything both ways.

amyalwaysonline6

I was just thinking the exact same thing. I had a brownie today at our Halloween party, and the whole time I was eating it, I was thinking how long it was going to take me to burn off those calories. I just want to enjoy a brownie. Halloween is the devil, by the way, candy all over the place. I don't even really like, and I want to eat it all.

songbyrdsweet

Don't think of the food in terms of how long you have to 'work it off.' Think of how hard you've already worked to earn it. It's just energy. Brownies, chicken, spinach, all just a means to an end. Nothing is going to automatically make you fat--you can gain weight with chicken and rice just as easily as with brownies.

lsalazarii

... that I HATE counting calories. I feel like there are already so many annoying things in my life that I can't stand to add one more by obsessing about the content of every morsel I put in my mouth. It's so much nicer to have a beer when I like, to eat pizza with my husband, to have a donut when someone brings them to work...

I think we all truly feel this way - ... which is why at 50+ I am having to lose the amount of weight that I need to lose for health reasons. Yes - I hate counting calories.... yes I would love to eat everything that I want... which I pretty much how done my whole life (I was always considered thin until about 40 yrs old).... now I am paying for it with high chlorestrol, high sugar count etc.

My point is - no one really enjoys counting the calories.. but when you have to do it, and you are committed to make yourself healthy it becomes a challenge to beat the numbers game and when you do it makes you excited and feel that what you are doing is changing your life. That may seem that people are "enjoying counting calories" but truthfully they are not.... they just know and are excited that they have made this committment and it is working. Basically everyone wants to eat what they want and stay healthy and slim and trim.... reality proves you cannot.

Marla64

Well, yes-- and I guess I need to clarify-- I probably sounded a bit blunt above.

I'm finding tremendous comfort right now in the calorie counting because it's something concrete that I can do, am doing, to improve and control SOMETHING in my life. My husband was just fired, money has been tighter than ever and now will be even worse-- trying to raise 9 Godly kids in this whacked out world, on a shoestring budget-- stress totally out the wazoo. The regiment right now, and discipline of counting the calories, having that control and the success of this program and the support from this site has been just an absolute God send right now.

Like everyone else, I'd love to be one of those eaters, like my husband and oldest daughter, whose metabolism allows them to eat what they want, when they want and not worry. The peanut butter cups were calling me BIG TIME today-- but I avoided them because I did not want to have the stress of defeat on top of everything else right now.

Hope I cleared it up and didn't come off sounding too mean up there-- :ohwell:

SoupNazi

I know it's hard and it really stinks sometimes...but you gotta do what you gotta do! It becomes almost a habit after awhile. I did it until I reached my goal and then stopped because my brain has pretty much been trained to know what I can eat and what amount and so I have maintained.

I recently decided to drop even more...another 10...and so started with the strict calorie counting again. It's so hard to do it again after having so much freedom, but it's what I have to do.

We always want an easy way out of a situation and would like it to be as easy as how we got into that situation in the first place. There is no easy way.

Change your mindset. Do what works. Be happy about it. Then sit back and be happy that you pushed through and reached your goals.

Best of luck to ya!:flowerforyou:

stylistchik

What helped me most about counting calories in the first place was that after tracking what I regularly ate for a week or so you actually REALIZE what you're putting in your body and it makes healthy eating choices that much easier. Then one day you're out to lunch and you KNOW whats in that pizza, so you might opt for a turkey club instead... you realize what a serving is and what nutrients you should include more of, etc...

Carrie6o6

I have counted calories for a while and recently just stopped. Through counting I have found the right amount of calories my body needs to lose weight. I eat about 1400 a day. I do a rough count in my head and balance things out. Once you do it long enough you just know where your at and dont really need to count. Some days I eat a little more, some a little less, but I still have an idea of what and how much I am and suppose to be consuming that I dont really need to keep track of every little thing I eat. I am losing weight still and I dont feel that once I get to my goal I will gain it all back because I have learned how to control my eating and about how much my body needs. I dont NEED this site anymore to help me along. That was my greatest fear... having to use this the rest of my life to maintain my weight. Eventually you learn.

kerikitkat

I have counted calories for a while and recently just stopped. Through counting I have found the right amount of calories my body needs to lose weight. I eat about 1400 a day. I do a rough count in my head and balance things out. Once you do it long enough you just know where your at and dont really need to count. Some days I eat a little more, some a little less, but I still have an idea of what and how much I am and suppose to be consuming that I dont really need to keep track of every little thing I eat. I am losing weight still and I dont feel that once I get to my goal I will gain it all back because I have learned how to control my eating and about how much my body needs. I dont NEED this site anymore to help me along. That was my greatest fear... having to use this the rest of my life to maintain my weight. Eventually you learn.

I guess this is the point I need to get to. To be able to rough it out in my head or just know without thinking too much about it. Like I said, it's a silly complaint because I already know it's a pointless one, but that doesn't make it any easier.

And no, Marla, you weren't too blunt or mean. And even if you were, I can take it. The internet is full of much meaner message boards than this one.

Thanks, y'all, for listening to the vent and tossing in your two cents!

Robin_

I've been a chronic over-eater for many years...then WHAMMO...age and weight caught up with me!
But I figure I had a great run at eating anything I wanted!
Counting calories is a visual barrier for me in not consuming over my allotment, and has shown me things I can cut in lieu of something else. I'm learning to make healthier choices! For me, I feel successful at the end of the day when my totals are not minus! Eventually i won't need the crutch, but for now it's an important tool. Do whatever works best! Good luck to everyone!

EvilPIB

I really want to lose about 15 pounds and generally become active again, stop smoking, etc. This website did wonders for me back in April - I lost 9 of those 15 pounds by really sticking to the program. The problem is, and the reason that I left the site... that I HATE counting calories. I feel like there are already so many annoying things in my life that I can't stand to add one more by obsessing about the content of every morsel I put in my mouth. It's so much nicer to have a beer when I like, to eat pizza with my husband, to have a donut when someone brings them to work... and it's not like I'm very overweight anyway. I already avoid a lot of bad foods and overeating that I see other people indulging in. I've been back on here for 3 days and already I'm annoyed about having to count out how many crackers I ate with lunch and worry about whether the dinner I'm having is 320 or 350 calories.

Aaaaaa. I don't know what the solution is. Ideas? Anyone else like this? It seems like most of the people on here really enjoy logging their calories.... but I'm not one of those people. :huh:

I thought calorie counting was dumb until I found myself on other side of 200lbs. Not dumb anymore :laugh: I don't always add everything I eat either due to no time, no computer or just plain forgot but I do try to monitor what I eat and how much. I hate counting calories but it's just one way to help me ensure I'm eating on a regular basis at least 3 meals. I used to eat once day or not eat at all, very bad habit. I now consume 5-6 small meals a day and this site has help me visualize what I'm consuming and not necessarily the calories. In the three weeks since I started here I have lost 8 lbs and 3 total inches. I have a decent work out routine which I didn't have before and I'm now starting to feel better. So, don't hang on every calorie but do watch what and how much you eat. To me calorie counting is a guide not a bible but that's just me and what keeps me going :happy:

LovelyLady1977

Which do you hate more: counting calories or the excess weight? It's funny how we (myself included) want to lose the weight so badly but don't want to, or else get tired of, taking the necessary steps to get there.

yoginimary

I no longer count calories. I was at a plateau for 3-4 months - counting the entire time. I also knew that I would not count calories the rest of my life and needed to find a better plan - though I think counting calories has it's advantages. I went to see a dietician and she told me to read "Intuitive Eating". It may take time to learn and it just as hard to do (if not harder) than counting calories - but only in the beginning. Just google it if you are interested.