Do you expect to count calories the rest of your life?

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Replies

  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    Yep. I have no intention of putting the weight back on, and I also have some macro goals that I like to hit. Logging is easy, quick, and it works.
  • melfitnesspal13
    melfitnesspal13 Posts: 377 Member
    I have two options:
    1. Count calories
    2. Be fat.

    I'll count calories. At least 5 days/wk. Basically forever or until I'm too wrinkled to care about being fat.

    DITTO - I have a long way to go yet but HECK YES!!
  • LisaDunn01
    LisaDunn01 Posts: 173 Member
    Counting calories becomes completely unnecessary when your food doesn't come with labels.

    https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1460266_245062662316452_969547527_n.jpg
  • cevalid
    cevalid Posts: 59
    No.

    I have an obsessive personality, so I know that even if I manage to get to my goal I will struggle to stop counting and logging. I do want to develop a healthy relationship with food and a good sense of what my body needs (almost all of us are here because we haven't managed to do that). To me that means learning roughly how big my portions should be, what high calorie dense foods to avoid most of the time, and how to enjoy amazing nutritious and yummy food- when I'm actually hungry.
  • toofatandy
    toofatandy Posts: 74 Member
    No. On reaching my optimum weight.
    Will eat normal 6 days a week ( no junk food)
    Fast or restrict to 500 cals one day a week.
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    No.

    I have an obsessive personality, so I know that even if I manage to get to my goal I will struggle to stop counting and logging. I do want to develop a healthy relationship with food and a good sense of what my body needs (almost all of us are here because we haven't managed to do that). To me that means learning roughly how big my portions should be, what high calorie dense foods to avoid most of the time, and how to enjoy amazing nutritious and yummy food- when I'm actually hungry.
    The problem I have, and I'm very nervous about this, is that I was a normal weight until I was, hmm, late 30s. I then gained weight, very slowly, and didn't notice.......... didn't notice?? I've managed to lose 10 -20lb a couple of times but as soon as I stop "dieting" the weight creeps back on. It seems as soon as I stop monitoring what I eat I start eating too much again - not a huge amount probably no more than an extra 200 calories a day, extra granola for breakfast or a slice of toast as a snack would do it.
    Now, this time, I'm not dieting, this is a lifestyle change which is going to be forever, I'm the lowest weight that I've been for the last 15 years and I really believe that I will get to my target but I don't think I'll ever be confident enough to stop logging and weighing - the maintenance phase is the bit that worries me most. However, not a problem at the moment I probably won't get there till next February or March, but I am worried about this, I don't want to sabotage all my hard work again!:noway:
  • eversosquidly
    eversosquidly Posts: 59 Member
    When I decided to change my lifestyle and opt for healthy eating, I knew that I'd be logging my food for the rest of my life. And here's why I don't mind: when I note what I eat, I feel fuller. If I have to guess all day, I'l absolutely eat more than necessary. Beyond that, if I go to a restaurant and I want to know how much of my daily calories I'm putting away in one sitting, MFP is super helpful with that. MFP has saved me in several situations when I otherwise would have eaten something.

    Back when I started MFP for the first time, I'd gotten a dessert from Cracker Barrel. And I was enjoying it. Until my sister told me what all I was eating. Last year, I'd sit in my car and easily put away three thousand calories worth of food for one meal. I never want to be that unaware again. So, yes. I'll be counting for the rest of my life. However: I won't be counting obsessively. I'll be making note of what I eat. But if I don't weigh my chicken, I don't care. I try not to sweat the small stuff.
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    I don't find logging and counting calories a hassle at all. It is second nature now to log what I eat and I enjoy it. MFP is a part of my life. Counting macros drives me a little crazy I tend to stress over the little things and at times become obsessive.
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Working on macros now, so yes. Other than that, not really. As with many of us, creatures of habit, learning what portions of what foods we like, along with paying attention to our bodies should make it unnecessary. Only time will tell.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Yes I really do. I tried not counting for the first 50 years and that didn't work out so well.
    LOL i like this^^

    I think that if we look at MFP as "new way of life" and not "short/long term diet" then yes - I will continue to count/weigh my food and keep an eye on my exercise. I hope that I will simply continue along this path of making sure to exercise in some way every day and watch what/how much i eat. i hope that if and when i'll something that is out of the norm (birthday cake, special occasion, etc), i will use the tools i learned here to make up for the extra calories (eat less the rest of the day, add more exercise). I hope that i will continue, even at a special event, to make healthy choices - not saying not to have the cake or the fried chicken, but have a small piece and some fruit with it. or have the chicken with salad and vegetables - not fries. etc.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
    No.

    I'm 54lb down since May and on day 3 today of not logging. It's wonderful :)

    I've built up enough knowledge of how much to exercise and how much to eat now as well as label reading etc that my choice is not to log. I've got a 5lb window too where I don't mind going over/under.
  • CubicalF13
    CubicalF13 Posts: 263 Member
    No not all my life.

    Il reach my goal first then hopefully by then ill have a high enough metabolism freeing me to eat what ever i want and not feel guilty. Il still just estimate portions though from experience but at that point il be satisfied that i wont need to count calories any more.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
    I don't really have issues knowing what I'm going to eat and even fitting in some "bad" stuff into my diet as long as I get a majority of healthy food in and not feel guilty if I know how many calories and macros I'm eating. I always weigh my food when I can and everyone looks at me weird. It's kind of a hassle too.

    I expect to have to watch my portions and watch what I eat for the rest of my life, if I do not, I will end up doing what I have done previously after reaching my goal, namely putting weight back on.

    It is a small price to pay to be honest, there are worse things a person has to do in life.
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    I have two options:
    1. Count calories
    2. Be fat.

    I'll count calories. At least 5 days/wk. Basically forever or until I'm too wrinkled to care about being fat.

    this is the awswer
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Definately will continue logging. The alternative for me is going back to where I was and that is simply not an option anymore. This has worked for me and I will keep it up.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    Definitely.

    I don't mind logging and with my history of eating disorders, I want to make sure I never go back to them.

    I don't see what the deal with logging is - don't see how it can be annoying. It'd be more annoying to lose weight, then gain it back again for the sake of saving 10 minutes a day, no?
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    I'm seeing a lot of comments saying 'I will come back if I gain...' - I've seen a lot of people on here lose weight, go it alone, and then come back having gained at least half back!

    I'd rather that not happen to me, personally.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
    I have two options:
    1. Count calories
    2. Be fat.

    I'll count calories. At least 5 days/wk. Basically forever or until I'm too wrinkled to care about being fat.

    this is the awswer

    It's AN answer yes. I'm confident in my willpower to be more sensible. Before MFP I had no idea about label reading and calorie content whereas now I do. I wish everyone luck in their journies :)
  • jennz81
    jennz81 Posts: 194 Member
    If I expect to keep the weight off, yeah.

    Yup.
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
    Yes BUT I don't count calories on vacation or on holidays. Mostly because other people are making some of the food. I do try to watch what I eat but its a celebration and I'm not going to spend my time worrying if the sweet potatoes have 2 tbsps of brown sugar or just 1 per serving...

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