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

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Replies

  • 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: 1,658 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...
  • hoyalawya2003
    hoyalawya2003 Posts: 631 Member
    If I expect to keep the weight off, yeah.
    tumblr_mtv38dsIjX1sj3oxho1_250.gif
    ^

    Yep. (love this gif!) I lost 35, stopped counting and gained 20 back. I did maintain at that weight without counting, but it was nowhere near goal. I probably will relax a little at maintenance but expect to still count most days.
  • Rai007
    Rai007 Posts: 387 Member
    i would never. i got fat because of hypothyroid
    i will just take care of sleep and eat
    i never used to eat like a mad person
    so it is not going to be a problem
    just take care of coke, chips, ice cream and junk.
    i dont think life is meant for calorie counting
  • jillianbeeee
    jillianbeeee Posts: 345 Member
    If I want to keep the weight off I will have to. The good news is I am starting to understand portion size a lot better. Where as when I started this I would constantly have to look to see what everything was worth in calories now I know when I sit down to eat. When I eat at home everything gets weighed and measured still but when I eat out, I now can tell when I have more then a correct portion on my plate and realize its ok to leave the rest there. I also have made it a habit at the grocery store to look at calories and portion sizes. No use buying something that I can only have a ridiculously small portion of. I do have to refrain from telling those around me the calorie count of what they are eating since I am automatically counting calories in my head! LOL Going back to the place I was before is out of the question.
  • misskissmck
    misskissmck Posts: 9 Member
    take it from someone who has gotten to there goal weight.......if you counted calories to lose weight, you had better count them on your maintenance plan....and keep your journal. It all may seem like a hassle, but that was the mistake I made ....after losing sixty pounds i thought I could eat like a normal person eats....(what is normal anyway?) and I gained all that weight back plus. It may be a hassle but it is worth it.
  • sugamonstaa
    sugamonstaa Posts: 88 Member
    I know how to portion food and know what's healthy and full of nutrients. It just gives me a peace of mind to know how much protein I'm getting exactly. The only time it gives me a headache is when I really want something such as ice cream... then I have to kind of take time to think how I can plan my meals around it so I can have it without sacrificing my macros and calories HAHA

    But usually I know what to eat and just log it in and see if it's enough. I don't have to think too hard on what is healthy and sufficient.
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
    Yes. I've lost lots of weight in the past only to get complacent and find myself gaining much of it back. I don't think I'll be obsessively tracking every bite, but I've learned how I'm supposed to eat and will make sure I stay within my maintenance calories.
  • briana12077
    briana12077 Posts: 128 Member
    I never really thought about forever. I'm focused on my goal. But I'd say yes. I've gained weight so quickly and easily and i know that counting is the easiest thing to do to lose weight. I don't know, I hope that by the time I reach my goal and am maintaining I am VERY good at eating well and eating right and counting everything will just be a breeze. :)
  • jomama519
    jomama519 Posts: 21 Member
    i don't want to HAVE to, only, i don't know how i'm going to NOT, unless i eventually just end up being more of a protein, fruits, veggies eater and stay away from more processed foods...
  • sweetpea129
    sweetpea129 Posts: 755 Member
    No. Once im in maintenance i wont be counting exact cals. Im sure i will by eyeballing it because thats just been my life for 2 years now. I think i've got the tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle now. If i find the scale creeping up a few pounds I will start counting again.
  • ModernNerd
    ModernNerd Posts: 336 Member
    Yup. That's actually part of why I joined MFP, so I could get in the habit of counting and adopt a healthy lifestyle before I have to do it out of sheer necessity. I also joined for the kitteh gifs and creepers :flowerforyou:
  • Shannonthompson73
    Shannonthompson73 Posts: 105 Member
    Off and on yes.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 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.

    Do you know why those people do that? Generally they have very restrictive diets and they deprive themselves of stuff they would "normally" eat...then they cross that arbitrary finish line and go back to eating "normally" and they usually stop exercising too because exercise is for weight loss amirite?

    These same people will just continue to yo-yo regardless because they're not teaching themselves how to eat "normally" but within their calorie goals. Definitely people need to focus on getting better nutrition than one would get with the SAD...but most people you see this happening with are all or nothing very restrictive dieting and then a free for all after they've reached some goal.

    Healthy, nutrition, fitness, etc are lifetime endeavors..there is no finish line. Also, it's pretty easy to nip it in the bud if you're at all paying attention...people who put on 1/2 the Lbs back or more just don't pay attention and/or just don't care.

    Maintenance is easy when you get your nutrition on and your fitness on...when you learn how to actually eat, it's really, really easy.
  • summerroxygoodin
    summerroxygoodin Posts: 62 Member
    Yup. Addicted to MFP
  • tjphelps73
    tjphelps73 Posts: 171 Member
    Yes, I will always be aware of calories and my intake. I may not continue to track as fiercely as I do but until GW is reached, I will count every drop.
  • emjaycazz
    emjaycazz Posts: 330 Member
    If you were to look in the maintenance forum, many people there (including myself) still count. I think it's because successful maintenance involves a full lifestyle change... which often results in setting new goals--strength gains, marathons, recomposition, etc.---and for those you start thinking about fueling your workouts/lifestyle and count with those in mind as opposed to "counting to lose" or "counting solely to maintain."
  • cevalid
    cevalid Posts: 59
    If you were to look in the maintenance forum, many people there (including myself) still count. I think it's because successful maintenance involves a full lifestyle change... which often results in setting new goals--strength gains, marathons, recomposition, etc.---and for those you start thinking about fueling your workouts/lifestyle and count with those in mind as opposed to "counting to lose" or "counting solely to maintain."

    But if you just wanted to stay the same weight, do you think weighing yourself every few days or once a week would be enough to tell you if you need to cut down or not?
  • laursoar
    laursoar Posts: 131 Member
    I think so, at the very least for a year or so at maintenance. Eventually, I might try to transition to continuing to weigh daily to track the need, but mainly deciding by portions at that point and using MFP as a reference. I won't be at that point for awhile though.
  • Selunca
    Selunca Posts: 208 Member
    I've already been counting for almost a year and a half, I guess its become more of a habit for me. When I did stop counting, and I only did for about a month, I gained a pound or two, but then when I watched what I ate for a few days I went back down.

    I think its more about changing habits, thoughts about food, and just making better choices in food.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 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 totally
  • Summer5555
    Summer5555 Posts: 104 Member
    Not as meticulously as I do now but I definately will, random weight audits.

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