Coutnin' calories for the rest of your life?

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  • Anthonydaman
    Anthonydaman Posts: 854 Member
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    I think I will probably count calories for the rest of my life, I am ok with this. I feel like if I stopped the weight would creep back on and I am never ever going back to the way i was before. Just my pinion
  • LoggingForLife
    LoggingForLife Posts: 504 Member
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    <
    My username should answer that!
  • JJordon
    JJordon Posts: 857 Member
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    I'm an accountant, counting, according, credits, debits, and making an analysis, is a part of my job. Doing it for myself, and for my food, just makes good accounting sense.
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
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    This is probably only the second time in my life that I am actually counting calories instead of estimating intake and working out lol. I lost weight both ways but it's probably because I never made the lifestyle change of getting used to eating well all the time and making here and there days for exceptions.

    You learn to moderate your meals and work out just for being healthy and fit, also because it becomes enjoyable.

    Eventually I will be back to where I was between Highschool and baby where I ate healthy and was pretty fit (not super skinny fat, I actually had good muscle mass) and didn't feel like I had to worry too much on what I ate because I did eat pretty healthy from having it become a lifestyle. I just want to get there again and maintain.
  • lilmissbamaqueen
    lilmissbamaqueen Posts: 184
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    Counting calories have become a part of my everyday routine, so I feel like I will be logging calories for the foreseeable future. I have decided, however, to NOT log on the days that I don't work (Sundays and whatever day during the week that I'm off), and that seems to work for me as far as it being less of a chore (No, I do not go overboard on those days, I'm just a little more lax). As with everything else, you have to find what works for you, and what you know you will stick with.
  • lilmisfit
    lilmisfit Posts: 860 Member
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    Last night I went out to dinner with a friend I haven't seen or talked to for a couple of years. I only had 700-some calories left for the day I had spent the whole afternoon stressin', thinkin' what could I possibly get at this particular restaurant that wouldn't make me go over. I knew my options where next to none. I get there, and start lookin' over the menu and I just decided to eat what I wanted, without worryin' about calories. I ate and I'm sure I went over my remainin' calories, but I didn't stuff my face and I enjoyed my meal and the company.
    Upon leavin' the place, I got to thinkin' about countin' calories and if it's really somethin' I can see myself doin' for a long time. The answer is NO. I will long enough to get the excess weight gone, but for me, this has been a journey in portion control and all over healthier eatin'. My goal is to have transitioned over to the clean eatin' lifestyle, and I don't feel like once I've mastered that, I'll even need to really worry so much about calories.
    Anyone else out there feel like this? Or do you plan on continuin' to count calories/points/what have you for a long, long time? Any clean eaters out there that don't count calories and have lost/maintained weight?

    Is the G on your keyboard broken? :huh:
  • kuderstadt
    kuderstadt Posts: 134 Member
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    I'm not sure what I will do ~ my current plan is to count them while I'm losing ~ and then count them for the first 6 months of maintenance. I think after that I might just start logging again if the scale moves more than 2lbs out of my comfort zone. And to be honest, I don't even know what that 'magic' number is yet. I only weigh once a week, and I'm content to do that for the rest of my life. I think I'm going to take it as it comes, if I feel at the time like I need the support of logging my meals, I think I'm content to do that forever. And if I find that I'm able to maintain without logging, I could be content with that too. I do feel like I will be logging if I can't maintain on my own. And that's ok with me. ;-)
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
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    I know I'm going to have to continue doing SOMETHING if I'm going to maintain. I can't just rely on healthy, intuitive eating.

    I started with the "No S" diet, because it was the first diet I'd seen that I really thought I could do for maintenance (i.e. forever!) rather than just to lose weight. I've mixed it up with calorie counting, but I'm hoping that I might be able to do something like No S (basically no snacking or sweets on weekdays) most of the time in maintenance. I plan to weigh regularly and will probably have to do some calorie counting as well.
  • doggiesnot
    doggiesnot Posts: 334 Member
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    I can go prolonged periods without logging, but I feel better and can perform better (running, lifting, etc.) when I track my food.

    I think of it like managing my bank account. Sure, I can keep a tally in my head for a while, but if I still need to balance my check book manually.

    I don't think of it as a way to limit my intake... just a way to make sure I'm eating right.

    ^^this

    Well put! When you have a habit of eating right and exercising regularly, you will not have to count calories. But, it's good to spot-check, or balance your checkbook, every once in awhile. Sometimes counting calories reminds me that I need to get my butt moving and off the couch! :)
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
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    What do you have against g's????

    G_is_for_Grover.gif

    But to answer your hypothetical, I probably will continue to count calories for quite some time, maybe even forever. I have already learned not to worry if I go over, and not stress over special occasions. It was hard, but now that I am there, I will continue until I am confident that I have truly learned portion size and control. and then keep going just to keep myself accountable and because I enjoy it. I am a numbers person. But, if it stresses you out, there's no need to keep doing something if you can do it on your own. :):flowerforyou:
  • myfitnesslife75
    myfitnesslife75 Posts: 163 Member
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    No, there is no way I'm counting calories for the rest of my life. I'm trying it for today and I'm already frustrated with it! I have no problem exercising and do so willingly on a daily or alternate daily basis and switch things up often. BUT, when I "counted calories" today I was already "OVER" my limit by 59 by lunch time! And I'm still hungry! I did a half hour on the exercise bike so now I'm "allowed" 138 calories again. LOL! I'd like to live my life and make my own healthy decisions and not have some chart tell me what I can or can't eat or do. I'm in a healthy BMI right now and I plan to stay that way. I used to be borderline "obese" but I've lost weight on my own long before I even knew what counting calories was all about!
  • mwooderson
    mwooderson Posts: 254 Member
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    A test I'm going to use to see what I've learned from food choices and portion sizes is...I am going to log everything like I have been but not look at the calorie total at the bottom of the page. Then after 2 - 3 weeks go back and see how I did.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    Is the G on your keyboard broken? :huh:

    No, they were having a sale on apostrophes!
  • belleunos
    belleunos Posts: 13
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    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!

    For me it's about going clean. As this post states your body counts nutrients. not calories After watching Hungry for Change and reading the book Clean, I think just changing my diet for good is my answer. It has certainly helped with the weight loss and I feel better then I have in years. That being said I will continue to log until I reach my goal and probably for a little while during the maintenance period. Then I may still use it periodically for a reset if I start gaining.

    The calculator here, though is a great place to keep honest about nutrients, exercise and other healthy habits.
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    I do not feel I'll have to count calories forever. I am not one that has too much of an issue with portion control, it's more the mindless eating and/or skipping meals and such that I have problems with so I think occasionally I'll want/need to spend a week logging just to kind of keep tabs on myself and makes sure some new food habit hasn't snuck into my diet that is throwing my calories way off.
  • lilmisfit
    lilmisfit Posts: 860 Member
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    Is the G on your keyboard broken? :huh:

    No, they were having a sale on apostrophes!

    :laugh:
  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
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    I don't think so... I lost weight before and after I found MFP..... I do not think it is hard to figure out that a piece of cheesecake is not going to be very good for you...
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    I've been on here long enough to know what I can and can't eat without going too far over calories. I am less strict than I used to be and I do occasionally slack off for times but I know mfp is always here to get me back in track if I need it!

    At the moment, I need it. Let myself get lazy with food and exercise so I have become more serious with it again :) i still don't calorie count everyday, only when I need the encouragement to get back in it. :)
  • lambjoo
    lambjoo Posts: 60 Member
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    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.


    THIS !!!

    And because of it I will be counting forever or gaining when I don't
  • jakkidoodles
    jakkidoodles Posts: 103
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    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. Not how I want to spend my life. HOWEVER until I reach my goal, learn about MY body and eating habits from a different prospective, I will continue to log . I want to get it through my head that I need to limit my portions, work out, and maintain a healthy life style, and not just diet. When it's second nature. I can let go. But if it doesn't work, I will come right back too it without hesitating. But as long as I can, for now I will and it might be helping someone else.

    Yup :)

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