calorie counting is impossible in the long run

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  • pwnderosa
    pwnderosa Posts: 280 Member
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    Well this is the second time I've lost weight by counting calories. The first time, I maintained for 8 years and didn't gain until there was a drastic change in my lifestyle combined with family problems leading to depression/emotional eating. So I think I could maintain without counting or just pick up counting again if I started to gain.

    However, this time around I have paid a lot more attention to getting protein and other nutrients. I hope to start a family soon and I know that will bring weight gain and it will be more important than ever to keep an eye on nutrition. So I plan to keep counting, no end in sight right now!

    I could see taking a break from it though, but I do hope I never start avoiding the scale again like I was doing a couple years ago! That is where I really got in trouble. ;)
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    The recurring pattern I am seeing in some of the posts is this.

    1. Log all food and lose weight.
    2. When reach goal, stop logging food.
    3. Regain some or all of weight.
    4. Restart logging food to re-lose the weight.

    Lather,rinse, repeat.

    How about when you reach goal, continue logging food in some capacity, to stay at maintenance. Result- never re-gain weight and have to re-lose it again.

    Makes sense to me.

    ETA This wasn't in response to the post above me, or directed at anyone personally who has regained their weight. Just an observation of what many of us do, and therefore pointing out the need to continue logging after we reach goal. Many people do this, and are successful long-term, thereby disputing the title of this thread. It is NOT impossible.
  • Brige2269
    Brige2269 Posts: 354 Member
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    It's good to know exactly how many calories your consuming. I wish I had been doing it all along.
  • katbirdinpa
    katbirdinpa Posts: 105
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    For me its a tool to help me keep it real. I enjoy tracking my food because I can't count calories.
  • fitbulky
    fitbulky Posts: 75
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    The recurring pattern I am seeing in some of the posts is this.

    1. Log all food and lose weight.
    2. When reach goal, stop logging food.
    3. Regain some or all of weight.
    4. Restart logging food to re-lose the weight.

    Lather,rinse, repeat.

    How about when you reach goal, continue logging food in some capacity, to stay at maintenance. Result- never re-gain weight and have to re-lose it again.



    Makes sense to me.

    ETA This wasn't in response to the post above me, or directed at anyone personally who has regained their weight. Just an observation of what many of us do, and therefore pointing out the need to continue logging after we reach goal. Many people do this, and are successful long-term, thereby disputing the title of this thread. It is NOT impossible.
  • fitbulky
    fitbulky Posts: 75
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    OK......Give me your opinion.

    calorie counting leads to obsession.It is not ideal for permanent fatloss.Instead one should focus on nourishing ones body and use
    progressive strength training to get stronger .Fatloss will be a byproduct of getting healthy...

    "Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

    Obsession-Not knowing your priorities
    Dedication-Knowing your priorities
  • dawlschic007
    dawlschic007 Posts: 636 Member
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    I've been logging into MFP for 595 consecutive days and I don't feel like I'm obsessing over what I'm eating. I like to know how many calories I consume and what I burn for my workouts, but it doesn't consume my life or anything like that. I spend a few minutes each day entering my food into the log and that's about it. If I go over some days or splurge on eating out, that's okay because I know not every day will be a perfect day and I'm in this for the long haul. I do have an unhealthy obsession with food or calorie counts at all. It's just become a part of my daily routine.

    ETA - I also log the food more so I can figure out my macro percentages than calorie counts. I try to aim for 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat and that's a little harder to figure out than just calorie counts. I've got a good idea of portion sizes and how many calories are in the items I eat all the time, but trying to keep the macros right is a little bit more difficult.
  • fitbulky
    fitbulky Posts: 75
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    how else do you propose I focus on nourishing my body? tracking is how I know that I'm giving my body what it needs.

    There is a vast difference between dieting and nourishing.Bodybuilders strive for asthetics.They do hardcore dieting and deplete their bodies.They may be very lean but they are not prime examples of health.
  • akp4Him
    akp4Him Posts: 227
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    "Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

    I love that^^^^

    I will count calories for the rest of my life. I have proven time and again I can not be trusted otherwise.

    ^^^Both statements!!! Yes!!!
  • fitbulky
    fitbulky Posts: 75
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    I am not against calorie counting but I fear overdoing it.Read go kaleo
  • bevtyndall
    bevtyndall Posts: 72 Member
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    bump
  • sybrix
    sybrix Posts: 134 Member
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    Honestly, I cringe at the thought of tracking my calories forever. When I lost my first 30 lbs I didn't count calories, I made drastic lifestyle changes (sold car, became a vegetarian) that just resulted in weight loss without having to think much about it.. I had bouts of workout periods and regularly weighing myself, but for the most part I ate when I was hungry and weighed myself when I felt like it (maybe every month or two). I stayed at a steady weight with occasional 5 lb fluctuations for a year or so. But after mostly maintaining, there came a period where I realized I wasn't done yet and still had more to go. I'm here because I need to push past stagnating and actually keep definitive track so I can get down to a healthier and more appealing weight for myself. Also, I felt like I was starting to eat really unhealthily, and didn't want my weight to creep up more than 5 lbs.

    Don't plan on counting forever, but I do anticipate counting for a few months after I reach goal to learn how to maintain a weight I've never been at before.

    I can see where it can become an obsession for some people. I track immediately after eating so I don't forget, so I hit up this place at least 3-4 times a day, sometimes more if I snack a lot. It gets tiresome after a while. I want to pour popcorn directly into a bowl without meticulously measuring it first and feel "normal" again, dammit.
  • towens00
    towens00 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    Pre logging & hitting my calories & macros keeps me in control. I'm not always perfect at it, but I will always count & log. As soon as I stop, I gain weight.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    I've been counting calories on and off since I was about 15. I'm 25 now...I've been on MFP for two years, before that I used a tiny notebook that I carried with me. Any time I don't count I gain weight. I guess I just don't know how to control my eating without logging everything that goes into my body. I assume I'm probably going to be counting calories for the rest of my life, and I don't mind it.
  • mjharman
    mjharman Posts: 251 Member
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    I recently went to Mimi's Cafe to have lunch with a friend. Mimi's menu lists the calories for every meal it serves...and guess what! IT IS FRIGHTENING! There are more calories in many of their meals then I currently eat in an entire day!

    Sometimes I get the urge to eat something sweet...just a little sweet treat cheat won't be so bad...no on has to know, right? Then I read the nutrition label...and BOOM! Back to reality! I am just not willing to waste a meal's worth of calories on a snack!

    I don't mind counting calories. It keeps things in perspective. Otherwise, I would eat a whole lot more than I need to eat. And counting calories is helping me to reach my goal. Nothing else has worked for me...believe me, I have tried everything else.

    Am I obsessive? I don't think so. I don't count calories when I am on vacation or if its a special occasion, which means I am perfectly able to take breaks from my counting without feeling badly about it. Life has to have balance, too. But on any other day, I will count them. It isn't difficult. Its just a much needed reality check.
  • wendyn1998
    wendyn1998 Posts: 41 Member
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    Try counting your protiens, starches, veges, fruits, dairy and fats instead. I find this works well for me. Have the recommended daily allowance of each of these and zip...the weight begins to come off. It will be slow...1-2 lbs a week, but that is what you want in the long run. Add in cardio and strength training and your weightloss will be even more significant.

    3 weeks in and down 12 lbs.:happy:
  • MsMimidoll
    MsMimidoll Posts: 249 Member
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    OK......Give me your opinion.

    calorie counting leads to obsession.It is not ideal for permanent fatloss.Instead one should focus on nourishing ones body and use
    progressive strength training to get stronger .Fatloss will be a byproduct of getting healthy...

    "Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"
    ^^this
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
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    OK......Give me your opinion.

    calorie counting leads to obsession.It is not ideal for permanent fatloss.Instead one should focus on nourishing ones body and use
    progressive strength training to get stronger .Fatloss will be a byproduct of getting healthy...

    "Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

    This. What exactly is wrong with calorie counting for the rest of your life? I will need to do it in order to maintain as I cant be trusted to guess. Its not a big deal, really, how long does it take? no time at all!!

    Both of these responses, exactly.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    Try counting your protiens, starches, veges, fruits, dairy and fats instead. I find this works well for me. Have the recommended daily allowance of each of these and zip...the weight begins to come off. It will be slow...1-2 lbs a week, but that is what you want in the long run. Add in cardio and strength training and your weightloss will be even more significant.

    3 weeks in and down 12 lbs.:happy:
    Nope. I recommitted to my healthy lifestyle at the end of last December. So, I could honestly say 26 weeks in and zero pounds lost. :grumble: I began to truly rigorously track my intake at the end of June. 70-odd days in and down 7 pounds. :happy:

    Nothing like 1-2 pounds a week. Please accept there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reaching a calorie deficit. (Edited to add that I realize now that you did not say there was, sorry if it came across like that :embarassed: ) If counting this way works for you, then go nuts! :drinker:
  • ClementineGeorg
    ClementineGeorg Posts: 505 Member
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    The thing is that most things in life require some kind of discipline and counting.
    We have tasks at work that we allocate certain days/hours/minutes.
    We count our days of hours spent at work, hour allocated for housework, family, friends.
    We (should) control our sleeping hours and rest hours.

    It's great from time to time to make what the hell we want, when we want, how we want. But we must admit that some things work great when we organize and quantify, not when we go with the flow.

    Our bodies are magnificient engines that go by the rules of chemistry and physics. We need certain nutrients in certain quantity ranges to work properly. It's quite difficult to know the right ranges. There are HRMs, metabolism calcultors, etc. but in the end we may never know exactly what nutrients we need and in which quantity at every single moment.

    It's important to quantify what goes in and out our bodies. But it is also important to make this an obsession and lose other parts of us and our lifes just because of +100 calories.
    There is always a sane middle way.

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