I stopped counting...

banana_butterfly

Nowadays, I just eat whatever I want during mealtimes. I stopped snacking and I stopped drinking soda. I have been dieting on and off for years(since I was a teen) and I have been yoyo-ing a lot. I usually went over 1200 calories(which was what was suggested) and that really unmotivated me so I reset my limit to 1600, but now that I did that, I find that I kind of pass that by 100 or so most of the time. I don't log the exercises(I walk my dogs for an hour or so everyday) because they just motivate me to eat(extra calories!).
I just want to stop thinking about food, other than mealtimes and when I log right after. I don't know if I will ever lose the weight but I just can't diet like I have been anymore. Most of the time I would have to cook my own food, separated from the family, it's a constant struggle. It took the joy out of my life as I constantly thought of food out of hunger and how I can sneak in a bit more by cutting this and that. I felt hopeless. Now, I am just laying low while earning to lose this weight once and for all. I know I need to make permanent changes, but I am confused about how to go at it. Will I be counting calories forever?

Any suggestions for motivation, what to do, how to approach all this would be welcome.

myofibril

Whilst you need to remain in a calorie deficit to lose body fat counting calorie isn't for everyone.

Essentially you need a program that will make you spontaneously eat less calories than you need to maintain your current weight. Many of these programs have a couple of things in common though: eating high amounts of non starchy veg and quality protein sources. Moderate amounts of starches including rice and potatoes as well as fruit and healthy fats. Minimise or avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars as much as possible (sweets, sodas, pastries and so on) and reserve them for treats.

It can be done.

If you want something more concrete then try The Primal Blueprint, The Smarter Science of Slim, The South Beach diet or any diet plan along those lines.

marieskee

what has been working for me lately is filling up on fruits and veggies. For example-
breakfast I'll eat a banana or two then drink a glass of water before eating.
snack-any fruit or veggie
lunch- lean protein and a salad or veggies
snack- any fruit or veggie
dinner- again a banana or fruits and water before eating
snack- fruit and veggie

Try to find something you enjoy eating like any fresh fruits and veggies or canned like applesauce, fruit cups, sunflower seeds, or similar food items. I go to the dollar tree to get all of my goodies, today I spent 10 bucks on my snacks for the week and that got me 3 bags of frozen each of mangos, strawberries, and pineapples. I will make pre-made fruit cups for the week and eat them between meals.

Sorry for the long post

hhayes06

Why do you have to cook a separate meal from the rest of your family? Eat the same things as them just eat less than you used to. Walking your dog every day is great exercise but maybe you need to find an exercise that you really enjoy doing and then it won't seem like a chore.

banana_butterfly

Thank you for the replies everyone. And to why I cooked separate meals from my family is I was cooking more vegetables and lean meats for myself to be able to eat my fill(like, on a lasagna night, you can only eat a teeny tiny, very very small square and I just never felt satisfied at all with just that) while my family would not eat that stuff. I am still a bit depressed about this and I don't want to do a fad diet. Eating more vegetables and stuff without any fatty sauce is torturous to me.

Kate_UK

This is basically the way that Paul Mckenna's hypno diets work.

If you are physically hungry (no emotional eating, or because the clock says it's time to eat) - eat
Eat by the table with no distractions.
Chew everything properly and enjoy every mouthful.
When you're full - stop

If you can stick to those rules the weight will come off, regardless of whether you listen to his hypnotic CD's or not.

Cal28

5:2 diet? You only have to 'suffer' for two days rather than restrict all week.

MattChurchill

Hi,

I've stopped using the app for calorie counting and only come on here to talk to friends and keep motivated.

I eat what I like really, I have however cut out the binge eating and drinking. High intensity circuit training 3 times a week, the odd jog here and there. For me, lifting weights at a high number of reps rather than increased weight is the key.

Since January I have seen gradual weight loss (about 8/9 lbs) and have dropped a trouser size. Its losing weight without worrying about going over the calorie counter, but like others have said different regimes work for different people.

Terree_G

Amen for your post. I also stopped counting because IT TOOK THE JOY OF OUT LIFE. As I mentioned to another pal here on this site, I found myself one day absolutely paralyzed while trying to decide if I should have a tangerine as a snack and calculating the carb count. At that moment I decided that things had gotten a bit ridiculous.

I had already (for more than a year) cut out all extras. After several months being rigorous using MFP, I knew what to eat and how much of it.

I stopped measuring and weighing food. I know what quantities of any given food I can have (no need to use the tablespoon anymore). On those days when I felt the urge to nibble, I'd drink 2-3 glasses of water in a row to stave off sweet cravings. And on some days I gave into the cravings, although without going overboard.

Like you, few things make me feel "full" (and "full" is something so rare it actually astonishes me when it happens). I've tried fiber. Protein. Water. Nothing ever worked like a good plate of pasta -- which I never permitted myself -- and I was really getting down in the dumps thinking of the prospect of being continually dissatisfied for the rest of my days. So I decided not to.

The only thing I can suggest is, as another commenter said above, find an activity (stop thinking of it as "exercise") that you love, and do it. The dog walking is good but not very strenuous and won't get your heart rate up. Think of something more to add to your weekly routine, if you can. I have just added inline skating (good burn!) once a week. Please add me as a pal if you want so we could toss ideas around or just vent whenever you feel the need. :-)

twelfty

you need to find foods you enjoy that aren't laiden with calories, there are lots of options, cooking a seperate meal is a good idea, but stock piling calories to be able to enjoy the same meals as your family is probably better, 1200 is too low imo, how tall are you?

the thing to think of is say for example your lasagne day, think to yourself, it's lasagne night tonight mmmm, plan: ok for breakfast i'll have a small something like... porridge/oatmeal, drink lots of water, if you feel hungry and it's not time to eat you're probably thirsty, so drink, get to lunch, have something low calories, high protein, say a chicken salad with light dressing, by dinner you'd be left with like... 900 calories which is ample room for a fair sized portion of lasagne, if you still go over, go for a fast paced walk, at roughly 4mph for 30 mins you'd burn off 250 calories, putting a total of 1600 up to 1850, which is ample room. however if you don't like to excersize after a meal, do it before, while that delicious lasagne is in the oven for 30 mins, go for the walk, by the time you get back, your food is ready and you've earnt that meal, and you can enjoy it to the fullest

it's all about the numbers, don't think of food, just numbers, it' easier than it seems you just have to be smart at what you eat on a particular day, you will need to count calories, but make it simple once you've done 3 months of calorie counting you don't need to count the calories because you'll know X food that you eat at Y amount of portion/weight is Z amount of calories.

i'm now at a point where i don't need to log the calories, i just weight them out to my portions and eat them, knowing my breakfast i have a certain way is X amount of calories total and lunch and dinner so i just add the three meals worth up to bring me to my daily goal, if i forget or have a different food i have the app to work it out