Will there ever come a day when...

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shannajojo
shannajojo Posts: 192 Member
in Chit-Chat
I can stop counting calories and stop obsessing about every peice of food I consume?

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  • HurricaneElaine
    HurricaneElaine Posts: 984 Member
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    NO.





    :laugh:

    j/k
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    I don't know about you, but with my normal patterns established, I can guesstimate where I am at easily.
  • CDG1013
    CDG1013 Posts: 106 Member
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    I don't think so. I have played the yo-yo game for years. I can get near my target, but once I quit being diligent about watching what I eat or relax my exercise routine, I begin putting weight back on really fast. I'm always either losing or gaining...this time I want to get to my goal and maintain. So, I will have to continue to closely monitor what I eat and track exercise so that I remain with maintenance calorie allowance.
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
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    Maybe with a psychologist's help... Sorry, once it gets obsessive, it usually stays that way. I've never seen anybody on MFP reach their goal weight and stop obsessing over calories and exercise. It really saddens me, and I'm honestly worried about the rest of my life.

    Correct me if I'm wrong.
  • kdward83
    kdward83 Posts: 32
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    I've stopped "obsessing", but I plan on counting calories for the rest of my life. I just am no good at keeping track of my intake accurately in my head. Maybe you'll be able to though.
  • GwennyH
    GwennyH Posts: 80 Member
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    I agree with both: I see where I can never stop counting calories again unless I want to go back to where I was. At the same time, as I get better at cooking/eating better, it becomes less an obsession and more just a habit or second nature. As I learn the values of more foods, it gets easier and easier to just keep track without the obsessing, research, wondering, sweating it out... I know I'll always have to keep it there in the background though, maybe just not the main function like it is right now while Im still learning these new habits, my new norm for eating....
  • CassiusKnox
    CassiusKnox Posts: 305 Member
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    I can stop counting calories and stop obsessing about every peice of food I consume?


    If you drive a car you will know that eventually you kinda do it without thinking. Obviously you ARE thinking but it becomes almost sub-conscious thought.

    Hopefully it will be the same with with food. You won't have to think and count... making healthy choices will become 'automatic'.

    Lets hope so anyway :smile:
  • HerBravado
    HerBravado Posts: 392 Member
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    I have a tendency to underestimate, so I'm sure that I'll be logging for a good duration of the rest of journey.

    Once I reach my goal, I hope I'll have enough guidance & experience with my habits to know & better guess how I should eat.

    Until then, though...
  • tennisbabe94
    tennisbabe94 Posts: 444 Member
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    I don't know about you, but with my normal patterns established, I can guesstimate where I am at easily.

    That's how I feel, I pretty much know how much I should be eating and how frequently. I know that I won't always be using MFP as a crutch.
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
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    Perhaps. Perhaps not. I think only you know the answer.

    I still log my food calories even though I reached my goal weight in Mar because I enjoy the numbers part of it. I've stopped logging my workout calories, though, because I know the average after tracking them in my spreadsheet for a few months.
  • tlsegar
    tlsegar Posts: 185 Member
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    The more I do this, the easier it becomes to make healthy choices on a regular basis. With that said, I know that counting calories will have to be a permanent part of my lifestyle if I want to continue to lose and maintain once I reach my goal weight. I liken it to someone with diabetes who has to regularly monitor their blood sugar. They may live a healthy lifestyle and are able to keep their disease under control, but it's still important for them to constantly monitor so that they can make immediate adjustments and avoid getting sick. I need to continue counting so that I can avoid getting complacent and slipping back into my old lifestyle.
  • mrsRhughes
    mrsRhughes Posts: 122
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    I think this depends on the person. I personally am 5'7" and maintaining at 123-127 lbs. (varies daily!!). I don't "have" to count every single calorie, but like to visibly "SEE" what I'm putting in my body. I also am diligent about keeping track of my protein because I eat a pretty vegetarian(ISH!) diet. I was maintaining for a year before joining this site and while I wasn't obsessing about food, was definitely not eating as well as I am now that I log every single day!
  • Krisengel
    Krisengel Posts: 161 Member
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    For me it's more like taking a break from counting than stopping completely. When I reach my goal I stop logging, but keep weighing. When I start gaining more than a few pounds I start logging until I'm back to my goal weight. It's very easy for old habits to come back when you're not logging. Good luck!

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