I stopped counting!

123578

Replies

  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    yeah
  • sillygoosie
    sillygoosie Posts: 1,109 Member
    yeah

    Yeah what?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • 123losinforme
    123losinforme Posts: 73 Member
    I just wanted to say... I too stopped calorie counting.. It is the ONLY way that I lose weight... sounds stupid but as you can see I have been here awhile and counted and logged everything but haven't lost weight, why? I am a compulsive binge eater. If I count carbs, calories, weigh things I feel obsessed to the point of being depressed. I will eat my calories to the point of going over, again and again, day after day and I get fed up and binge, then start over the next day. HOWEVER when I don't think about calorie counting or obsessing and allow myself just to eat then I am more in-tuned with my body and I end up hardly eating anything... I have lost 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks by just not "dieting"... I'm so tired of "dieting" I decided to LIVE and just eat healthy and it's ok to eat that cookie, just not 10 and I won't punish myself if I do...because it's OK, it's my new LIFE.

    Sorry to rant... It's my birthday so I'm allowed too, lol and I wanted to share that ") Good LUCK and God bless to everyone.. and those who ask why are we still here? I enjoy reading and supporting anyone who is trying to change. So be nice...
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I stopped counting.

    I didn't count while I was losing, really.

    I decided to not count for a while now as well.

    I'm going to keep eating following the principles I believe in (eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants).
    And I'm going to keep moving more.

    I'm not enjoying counting. I'm not enjoying all the discussions of "macros" and what not. So I'm going to stop for a while. If the weight creeps up, I'll revisit my decision.

    cheers!:drinker:
    Checking in after 11 days. All's well.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    I just wanted to say... I too stopped calorie counting.. It is the ONLY way that I lose weight... sounds stupid but as you can see I have been here awhile and counted and logged everything but haven't lost weight, why? I am a compulsive binge eater. If I count carbs, calories, weigh things I feel obsessed to the point of being depressed. I will eat my calories to the point of going over, again and again, day after day and I get fed up and binge, then start over the next day. HOWEVER when I don't think about calorie counting or obsessing and allow myself just to eat then I am more in-tuned with my body and I end up hardly eating anything... I have lost 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks by just not "dieting"... I'm so tired of "dieting" I decided to LIVE and just eat healthy and it's ok to eat that cookie, just not 10 and I won't punish myself if I do...because it's OK, it's my new LIFE.

    Sorry to rant... It's my birthday so I'm allowed too, lol and I wanted to share that ") Good LUCK and God bless to everyone.. and those who ask why are we still here? I enjoy reading and supporting anyone who is trying to change. So be nice...

    Love your attitude!!!
  • lindustum
    lindustum Posts: 212 Member
    I sometimes stop counting, but I don't stop weighing.

    That is a very important distinction. I have a very good idea of how many calories are in a portion as long as I know how heavy/big it was. I can look at my day, see what meals I had and whether or not I am still hungry to figure out whether I am within my boundaries. I stopped counting for two weeks recently and it didn't affect my weight loss or body composition at all.
  • Kathryn41057
    Kathryn41057 Posts: 181 Member
    This is a GREAT topic! I just started on August 16th and I am at this counting seems all day LONG and its driving not only myself nuts but its driving my husband nuts!
    I don't want to do that to anyone around me. What I'm finding out is that its not fun for them to be around me. I obsess over what is going in my mouth all day.
    is a complete change from before the 16th of August. Honestly I could care less. I am very driven this time but the counting calories might have to go out the door even this early in the game, I don't want to get stupid with myself or anyone around me.

    Love to hear all the stories from this post and how your all coping. It really is all about moving and portions and just being present with your self of what is going in your mouth.

    Heres the thing. Although I find this incredibly hard and incredibly sad I did this to My body, I CREATED this. I have to live it and I have to change it in which ever way I choose.
  • Kathryn41057
    Kathryn41057 Posts: 181 Member
    OMG!!!!! This is me..... I have become so obsessed with counting calories, that not only am I driving myself nuts, but my husband as well. I am 56, 5'9 , 198 lbs, and going into Menopause. My husband is always telling me that I Obsess with my weight, and the number on the scale. So about 2 mos ago, we were having a conversation about weight loss, and exercising, and I promised him that I would really try to not obsess with my weight/calorie counting. Guess what..... Last night he told me that I was obsessing again, and it was driving him crazy. He told me that he married me for me, and for the strong person that I am. For better or worse, no matter what.... I guess now I'm between a rock and a hard place. But I think that what I'm going to do, is, not log everyday. Maybe 1 or 2x a week, just to make sure that I am staying within my calories... and try not to obsess.... as much... Kat :/
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    I log Monday-Thursday and skip the weekends. It's been working for me. I do eat a deficit during the week and probably eat over on the weekend.
  • reachingmygoal2012
    reachingmygoal2012 Posts: 17 Member
    This was my issue a couple of years ago. I had great results, but I was obsessively weighing every bite I took and I could see that it could easily turn into an eating disorder. I've started logging again now, but I'm not logging 7 days a week. I'll log on days where I'm coming to work, going home, can control my meals, but if I know I'm going out for dinner or drinks, I skip logging that day, they become "cheat" days for me. I also don't kick myself if I want something that isn't healthy, I just eat it, and make up for it somewhere else. Deprivation will just anger you and you won't be able to stick with it.
  • kaykaylyn
    kaykaylyn Posts: 84 Member
    bump
  • FixIngMe13
    FixIngMe13 Posts: 405 Member
    I haven't and won't count again anytime soon. I was stressing out so much over it and obsessing over the scale that it was becoming VERY unhealthy! Since I've stopped counting, and just using MODERATION as my key, I've lost around 2 lbs a week! I was even binge eating...and I don't use that term lightly. I would actually sit, binge, cry, binge, cry, binge, cry.... It was horrible!!!! All because I had a bad day with my calories.

    All I did was use a small plate instead of a large one...and honestly that has been a huge factor for me. Oh, and drink a lot more water. Good luck... wishing you the very best.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I sometimes stop counting, but I don't stop weighing.

    That is a very important distinction. I have a very good idea of how many calories are in a portion as long as I know how heavy/big it was. I can look at my day, see what meals I had and whether or not I am still hungry to figure out whether I am within my boundaries. I stopped counting for two weeks recently and it didn't affect my weight loss or body composition at all.
    I get that.
    I've never weighed, and only rarely measured. But I understand that's important for some people.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    There's no need to count, or even to log if you have a very accurate idea of food calorie content and of the amount you're eating. Most people log strictly at least at the beginning to educate themselves.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    There's no need to count, or even to log if you have a very accurate idea of food calorie content and of the amount you're eating. Most people log strictly at least at the beginning to educate themselves.
    Actually, if you look, many folks on the boards claim they will log forever.

    It's the one thing that worries my about the IIFYM mantra... what happens when you stop counting.

    We all need to learn how to eat to nourish our bodies and not gain weight. If we do that well, we should be able to eat well and not have a weight problem. MFP, imho is a tool that provides some of the information we need, and a structure for keeping track. Nothing more.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    It's been about 6 weeks now since I stopped logging and I've lost a pound. I am essentially at goal).

    I didn't count when I initially lost my weight, only really started when menopause hit. But now even without counting I'm maintaining....by following my own personal eating principles.

    Gonna keep not counting.
  • seniorbug2003
    seniorbug2003 Posts: 67 Member
    I stopped this weekend. I wrote down everything I ate and when I got to back to work I put it in. I found that I ate less then usual. I was listening to my body and not how many calories I have left.
    This was only my first time trying but I think I will try again this weekend.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I stopped this weekend. I wrote down everything I ate and when I got to back to work I put it in. I found that I ate less then usual. I was listening to my body and not how many calories I have left.
    This was only my first time trying but I think I will try again this weekend.
    Nice idea to try it in chunks of time first. Smart.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • NerdyTXChick
    NerdyTXChick Posts: 155 Member
    Love this idea! I've had something similar brewing in the back of my mind for a while now. The way you broke it down makes me see how I can implement it. Thanks!
    Counting is a pain in the butt and just makes me more obsessed with food when I do it. My workaround has been to plan all my meals in advance so I don't need to count anything during the week. I've developed a system for myself, which I call "modular meals" - every part of my meals (protein, vegetable, etc.) has 2-3 possible choices of food item which are equal in calories, fat, protein, carbs, etc. so I can just mix and match and It'll still be the same numbers. Let me demonstrate by showing my meals:

    My breakfast contains one 70-gram serving of fruit, half a cup of cottage cheese, and 1 meat. That fruit could be papaya or cantaloupe, which are equivalent, and the meat could be one egg, or two turkey breakfast sausage links, or three strips of center-cut bacon, all of which are also equal. A 12-oz cup of coffee with a tablespoon of regular creamer and a packet of Splenda completes breakfast.

    Dinner can be 4 oz of chicken tenderloin or a fish fillet (usually tilapia; it's inexpensive), and this week I'm adding lean pork tenderloin to the menu. All of those are equivalent. Dinner also includes leafy green salads of various kinds with 6 grape tomatoes and 2 tbsp of a lite dressing of my choice. The dressings in my collection range from 40 to 60 calories per serving, all under 3 carbs, so they are fairly interchangeable as well.

    Snack is a negligible-calorie vegetable (a few spears of cucumber or zucchini, or two medium stalks of celery) with a tablespoon of lite ranch-type dressings for dip.

    So because all my meals are modular like that, I never have to count. The only time I count anything anymore is when adding a new food option to my menu, which isn't often. Also no meal planning and analysis = no need to think about food almost ever. That's helped me break the cycle of a food-centric life more than anything I've ever tried.
  • duckiec
    duckiec Posts: 241 Member
    My trainer had me stop counting for a couple of weeks. I found that even though I was supposed to, I couldn't break myself of it and was logging anyway, even if they were guestimates. Or, if I did stop, I knew I was going to start counting again soon, so I felt I had to get all the foods I don't eat while counting in before I restricted them again. I don't think this was the healthy food relationship he was going for!

    We may try another time period of no counting soon; after doing it most of the year I've really been burned out on all the obessing, counting, restricting, etc. Although, I still think he has me a little low on cals for my exercise level, so that's contributing too.

    I was surprised that I pretty much maintained when I wasn't counting, even though I know I wasn't meeting my macros. I started counting again, and I'm down a few lbs. Maybe if we try again, I'll be able to not count and still lose, though I was glad at least to not gain.
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    I have said on a few occasions that I was obsessed with the numbers and would take a 24 hour break...then right back at it, because it's a part of my routine.
  • sydneybeachgirl
    sydneybeachgirl Posts: 209
    I dont count my food - I use the site to log it, maintaining a food diary so that my nutritionist and my trainer can check but I dont agonise over food worrying that if I eat an other protein muesli bar than how many calories that would be or that I am eating "more" than others.

    I "count" my exercise with an HRM as i am in training for triathlons and knowing the cal burnt and my heart rate during and right after workouts help me assess the effectiveness of the training - whether I have to do more - increase intensity- or less of a certain task.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    I take logging breaks. I still like to log regularly, more so for hitting my macros than for calories.i think I have the calorie thing down, but still working on hitting my macros on my own.
  • ceebeez1975
    ceebeez1975 Posts: 48 Member
    I think it's unrealistic to log for the rest of your life, that could be 30, 40 or 50 years! I think until you get to goal, then do it, then weekly weigh yourself, and keep regular exercise and eat everything in moderation. It shouldnt be a diet, cos diets don't work.
    It should be just eating to fuel your body, not deprive or be obsessive. You know the tools, you just have to stay motivated, and check in with someone each week if need be to discuss issues around food etc.Keep a fat photo on the fridge or pantry to remind you how far you have come and where you don't want to return.
  • alexandrazzzz
    alexandrazzzz Posts: 49 Member
    I LOVE THIS!!!! Congrats! Seriously as a holistic health coach who was lost 120 pounds without surgery, getting to know your body and what you NEED to live a healthy vibrant life is important. We all have to GET to that step, it takes time! Very happy for you..I have too found myself very OCD with calories and even the scale at times.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    I stopped tracking when I went into maintenance (6ish months ago), and since then have continued to lose weight here and there. At first I was ok with it, because I liked how I looked (and yes, it's a rush to be able to comfortably wear size 2 jeans :blushing: :laugh: ).

    But, I've had to start tracking this week again, after hitting another new low which puts me uncomfortably close to an underweight bmi (I'm about 3 pounds away right now). I decided to start tracking 3-4 days a week and see where I'm at, and the first day was this past Wednesday. I even ate more than I normally did and felt sluggish and icky by the end of the day. With exercise calories factored in I came in at over 300 calories short :noway: No wonder I've been losing weight still!

    After thinking about it I've realized two things-1. I've started walking/running AFTER I transitioned into maintenance (I did no exercise at all during active weight loss). Those exercise calories are messing me up to an extent. And then 2. I've started eating a mostly whole foods, plant based diet since transitioning into maintenance and the foods I now eat are ridiculously high in fiber and have a lot of filling power. The old me could scarf down 1,000 calories in french fries and still be hungry. Try eating 1,000 calories in oatmeal :laugh: Soooo-in summary, I don't know what the heck I'm supposed to do next. I think I'm a maintenance failure :sad:
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
    I truly believe if someone has no control over food, meaning, they just can't seem to make wise decisions about what to eat and how much to eat, counting calories will be a very useful tool that will get them on the right direction. For some, this will be something they won't be able to live without, while for others counting will be just the beginning and eventually they won't needed anymore.

    About 4 years ago counting calories helped me to bulk up, and not so much about counting everyday, but about calculating how many calories there was in each serving of food I was planning on starting to eat.

    Recently, I was counting calories and working out without any success, 4 months ago I decided to stop counting calories while still keep my workout routine, and as you can see in this picture, that's when I able to finally see big changes in my body.
    120.jpg
  • thenewmoni
    thenewmoni Posts: 30 Member
    I stopped this weekend. I wrote down everything I ate and when I got to back to work I put it in. I found that I ate less then usual. I was listening to my body and not how many calories I have left.
    This was only my first time trying but I think I will try again this weekend.


    I think I will try this out this weekend. I'm tired of obsessing about calories and going over my allowed limit. I realized when i maintained my weight on vacation I never counted anything. It was when i started counting again, i started gaining!

Categories