Coutnin' calories for the rest of your life?

ashfuse

I firmly believe that after years of trial and error, if one adopts the clean eating lifestyle, your body will eventually learn how to regulate hunger itself, efficiently. I take long breaks from logging (been logging for 2 years) and it wasn't until I started eating clean (a year ago) that I have been able to quit fluctuating. I eat when I am hungry, sometimes less and sometimes more. No day is the same for me. I don't plan to log the rest of my life, but even now, I'll go months with no logging, then log for a month, then take another break. Make good choices, focus on protein and veggies, and you'll be fine.

gwicks54

I am a lifer. Without the structure, I just give myself too much leeway.

Rambo529

I'm very careful in restaurants because of the "super-size" portions. And yes, you CAN do dinner for 700 calories. Get a salad with no cheese or meat, dressing on the side, and dip your fork in the dressing before stabbing the veggies rather than pouring the dressing on. Instead of a main dish order an appetizer that's not fried or a non-cream based soup. Get a side of steamed veggies if you want. Skip the bread and dessert. Heck, you can even enjoy a glass of wine or a small scoop of sorbet.

No need to stress, and no need to give up and think you can't stay within your calorie limit.

Also, if the restaurant has a nutrition menu you can look up before you go, use that to help with your decision. I like to get a meal and a to-go box (immediately if possible) and put half the meal in the box. That way I have lunch for the next day, and don't have to take in an excessive amount of calories.

thingal12

absolutely! I've thought about this and have done this as well. Problem is, I end up coming back to counting calories because I've gained some weight. I lose control of what i'm eating because I'm not held accountable for it. The one negative for me about counting calories is the feeling of failure every time I go over on my calories. I don't know how to get over it and continue eating healthy/within my calories limit.

Timshel_

I'm hopping one day to be so well trained that I won't have to. No I do not want to count calories forever.

Agreed. I already have a good idea of what calories are what and better portion choices, so once I hit my goal wieght and I am maintaining I will be "off-track" and not journaling. We will see how well I do and I can always come back if needed.

TheKitsune6

Applejack, is that you?

I love you

stephdeeable

I plan to do it until I reach my original goal, and then for a while - maybe a year - on maintenance. So, at least for a couple more years. Hopefully by then I'll have the tools to be able to do without. Although it's not that hard to do - takes 5 minutes a day.

thingal12

Good luck with your plan!

All I know is that I've lost weight probably 15 times in my life -- more than 250 pounds total, not counting the current 100+ that I've lost. Every single time I've lost weight, I've stopped logging or counting or whatever helped me to lose and then put all the weight back on plus 10 pounds.

I'll be counting calories for life.

95% of all people who lose significant amounts of weight gain it back. I'm looking forward to counting calories and being the other 5% this time around.

same here!

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I've taken two breaks from MFP and I regained a little weight each time. It wasn't terrible, but things just started to slip. Also when left to my own devices I am not inclined to eat very much protein at all, so that's really my focus right now more than the calorie counting part.

carrieous

If my weight starts creeping back up i will start counting again but I think the best part of MFP is that you learn what foods to choose and which to avoid. That being said, i totally blew my diet last night. I have food diary shame LOL

oh well! back on track today

cwolfman13

By the time I get to my goal BF% and weight, I'll probably have been doing this for almost 1 year. I think by that time, I'll have a pretty good idea of how much I can eat...portions, etc. I still weight and measure everything, but I've found the last month or so, my eyeball is pretty good...I'll grab a handful of nuts and think...yeah, that's about an Oz. I put it on the scale and sure enough, it's an Oz.

I feel that when I get to maintenance, I'm probably not going to need to log everyday and count every calorie...I'll already have a pretty good idea of where I'm at given my year or so of experience by that point. I've pretty much made a 180* change in how and what I eat, and I actually enjoy eating "healthy", so I really don't see myself turning back to the old ways. I will let my clothes be my friend and let me know if/when I need to check back in and drop a couple Lbs.

rfsatar

Can I ask why you don't like putting a 'g' at the end of your words? :laugh:

On a serious note, I am quite happy to count calories for the rest of my life if it means I get (and keep) the body I want, but once I hit maintenance I won't be as strict, as it were.

Hahah - I was going to ask the same.

I guess for me I am a looooooong way off my eventual goals, and I have some challenges to face in between - but I chatted with a good mate who went onto WW and asked her the same thing... and we both agreed - I have made a lifestyle choice - and I think that being more aware of what I scoff calorifically is something that SHOULD stay with me as I go from middle age to old age with my metabolism slowing down.

I think my uber-target maintenance cals are a good 150-200 than I am having now - so that is plenty ... Maybe the only change I will make is not weighing weekly when I hit my magic number... perhaps just doing one monthly check in.

I dunno - ask me again when I get there!

jeme3

I'll probably be tracking and counting for a very long time. Maybe forever.

i know that it's very easy to lose track of what I have actually eaten, and to think a little bit won't hurt, and I worked hard today and earned it.

Pretty soon it adds up.

That's why MFP works for me- I can objectively see what I'm consuming, and I can see if "a little bit" will hurt or not.

I imagine when I get to maintenance, I'll be a bit more flexible, but I know myself. I need to log to stay honest.

stumblinthrulife

A second thought on this. Once you get good at it, perhaps you can eyeball to a +/- 200 Cal margin of error. At first, the up days will offset the down days. But as you age, your maintenance calories go down and your ability to maintain the intensity of your workouts diminishes. If you aren't counting, will you account for this?

That 400 Cal margin of error will skew slowly. It will become a 150 deficit to 250 surplus.
Then a 100 Cal deficit to 300 Cal surplus. For every up day, you might need three down days to offset.
Then between maintenance and a 400 calorie surplus. Now your weight ratchets. Your up days put on weight, your down days just maintain it.

So it may not be as simple as 'learning to eyeball it' and then moving on.

Now sure, many people can maintain healthy weights without calorie counting at all - my in-laws for example - but let's be honest, if that was the case for us, we'd not be here, right? :laugh:

imfivebyfive

I think of the body like any machine.

You wouldn't go putting gas or oil in your car all willy-nilly without knowing the amounts would you? Everything is calculated so you don't get stuck or have it completely seize up on you. That's why we have gauges and units to measure everything.

Calculating calories is simply the same only for a more complex bio-electro-mechanical machine...you!

tuckerrj

I'll track 'til I reach my goal weight. Then for 6 months to a year on maintenance. Hopefully, eventually I'll be able to just keep my eye on the scale and when I'm 3 - 5 lbs. up, I'll go back to counting until I'm back at my prescribed weight.

AlongCame_Molly

I don't get this.

Is counting calories REALLY that difficult for you? Is it SO hard, SO much of a terrible inconvenience in your busy, busy life that you are that put off by taking THREE MINUTES (tops) a meal to log what you ate? I would like to know what you do for a living that makes your time THAT valuable. MFP makes it so easy and simple, why would you even waste time thinking about not doing it anymore? Is it worth slipping into your old habits without being held accountable (almost everyone does) and getting fat again? If it is, then give up. As for me, I choose to take a short moment a few times a day to log, in order to guarantee that I I stay fit and trim, for the rest of my life.

cmcollins001

Your body doesn't count calories, and neither should you! It only counts nutrients.

When you eat a calorie dense meal that is nutritionally bankrupt (Chinese food comes to mind), you're starving in an hour.

When you eat a low calorie meal that's nutritionally dense, on the other hand, your body is content for 3 to 4 hours (also the optimal time needed for digestion process to fully complete).

So, no way I will count calories!

The calculator here, though is a great place to keep honest about nutrients, exercise and other healthy habits.

So, calories don't matter? Is that what I'm to understand from this post?


As to the OP: There are times, even now, when counting calories or logging just doesn't work...like if I'm out with friends or family. We want to lose weight, but we also want to live a normal life. Worrying about every single calorie, every single minute or every single day just isn't realistic...nor is it even healthy. Tracking the majority of the time, about 90% give or take will bring the desired results without making you lose your mind. And, it's something you can easily accomplish for the rest of your life if you want.

sunsnstatheart

This sounds a bit all-or-nothing in approach, like either you "are" or you're "not" counting calories, and then having to beat yourself up when you take a day off when you currently "are" counting. Why not enjoy your cheat day with your friend and just move on. I take weekends off every few weeks. Honestly, I probably go over by very little but it's the mental break that I need. I also don't worry about it on holidays and birthdays. If you truly pay attention the other, what? 345 days a year? You will be fine. That is unless you go on 10,000 calorie binges but then I think the mental breaks help prevent that sort of thing.