I stopped counting!

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Replies

  • NidiaG24
    NidiaG24 Posts: 31 Member
    I have made the decision to stop counting all my calories. I found that I was forming unhealthy habits and was being controlled by numbers. I have no idea how many calories I ate today, or how many I'll eat tomorrow. I'm going to continue like this for a few weeks before I weight in...hopefully I find that I can maintain like this :]

    I agree with you here. I stop counting calories. I just stop eating certain things like Bread, pasta, rice and most processed foods. But since rice is my weakness, I eat it 2-3 times a month in small amounts
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    I have made the decision to stop counting all my calories. I found that I was forming unhealthy habits and was being controlled by numbers. I have no idea how many calories I ate today, or how many I'll eat tomorrow. I'm going to continue like this for a few weeks before I weight in...hopefully I find that I can maintain like this :]

    There was a day when we could count calories. Today a calorie of one food is not the same as a calorie of another. There are many items that are low calorie, very low, but have ingredients that will actually cause weight gain! and will prevent weight loss!! So you are making a wise choice! Make sure your macros are set correctly and that you track sugar!!! If you stay within those parameters, you WILL lose all the weight you want!!!!!!!!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I have made the decision to stop counting all my calories. I found that I was forming unhealthy habits and was being controlled by numbers. I have no idea how many calories I ate today, or how many I'll eat tomorrow. I'm going to continue like this for a few weeks before I weight in...hopefully I find that I can maintain like this :]

    There was a day when we could count calories. Today a calorie of one food is not the same as a calorie of another. There are many items that are low calorie, very low, but have ingredients that will actually cause weight gain! and will prevent weight loss!! So you are making a wise choice! Make sure your macros are set correctly and that you track sugar!!! If you stay within those parameters, you WILL lose all the weight you want!!!!!!!!

    This is false ^
  • punkypenny
    punkypenny Posts: 99 Member
    I won't ever be able to do that. I view my eating as similar to how I budget my money. I can't just intuitively just not spend money, and find myself in trouble down the road. At some point, my cards will stop working and the ATM will stop dispensing cash, so at least with money, I can only go so far before I'm cut off.

    Calories are not as forgiving. I ended up fat in the first place for that very reason. I have just accepted that I will always have to log my food if I want to never gain weight again.

    I hope this works ok for you. I think most of us here will have a different experience.

    This is me. I got tired of logging 2 years ago. I was pretty damn close to my goal too. Now here I am again almost 20 lbs more than when I left. I ruined all of my hard work. So for me this is how it has to be. However, I found that I don't have to continuously count all week long if I prepare all of my meals for the week on my days off. Since I pretty much eat the same things all week it only takes me a few minutes each day to log and all of my measuring is done in one day.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    There are many items that are low calorie, very low, but have ingredients that will actually cause weight gain!

    This is absolutely false and you should be horribly ashamed of yourself for telling people this.
  • benefiting
    benefiting Posts: 795 Member
    I'm still logging but I've stopped weighing in daily. I actually only log in once a month now.
  • karlospiklington
    karlospiklington Posts: 143 Member
    I don't plan on logging calories forever, I only want to do it whilst I'm still trying to lose weight. I have already formed pretty good habits and can roughly figure out my daily calorie intake but I like logging it just to have that record. It doesn't take that long to log my food and I'm not too obsessed with the numbers so I still enjoy it. Once I reach my goal weight I will probably log at maintenance for a few weeks and then hopefully I won't need to log at all, just keep up with my exercise and better eating habits.
  • celtbell3
    celtbell3 Posts: 738 Member
    I count. All of the time.
  • FitMama2Three
    FitMama2Three Posts: 13 Member
    I am not in maintenance-about 5 -10 lbs away but I am not logging. It does not help me- it seems to trigger more overreating and frustration. Logging exercise however is very motivating and helpful for me. My plan is to continue to eat based on natural hunger cues and make healthy choices as much as possible. Happy to have more non-counting friends. The reason I do not leave the site is because I love my little group of MFP buddies and it has helped me reach fitness goals.
  • BonecrusherBrews
    BonecrusherBrews Posts: 131 Member
    I count. All of the time.

    Me too. It's been very helpful for me. I can see that at some point I probably won't need to do it as much or as often. I will have learned what portions really add up to (calorie-wise) but for now, it is what I must do to succeed.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    That is great!!!!!!!!! Well done!!!!

    It can get really obsessive - Looking at packets in the supermarket, eating them logging on here - Your body needs a break!

    Eat healthy and move more : )

    Good luck!
  • eso2012
    eso2012 Posts: 337 Member
    I posted a similar question and was surprised that I was not the only one who felt that way. Counting had helped me get to where I am, but I got a bit obsessive and would freak out if I did not have my HRM to tell me exactly how much I have burned.

    When I travel, I don't really log. I eat lots and walk lots, and always feel great both emotionally and physically. Maintained weight or even lost some. I think "eat, move, be merry" is really a better way to live.

    Now at maintenance, I do loose tracking. Like many of you, I have learned a lot about portion controls and general calories consumption through 2+ years of logging. I now work out regularly. I know the reasons behind my bad days (binge eating) and it is more important for me to address the roots and get my system in order, than to get obsesses over counting as a crutch.
  • igottaworkout
    igottaworkout Posts: 298 Member
    Sorry for posting on a zombie post!! But I just wanted to say it's been just slightly over a year when I stopped counting and commented on this thread and I'm still going strong! :) Didn't gain weight back, and am not counting anymore. Having obsessively logged all food eaten for over a year kind of helped reset my body to be stable at where I ended up at goal weight. I'm glad I don't have to log things anymore it is freeing :) I was a bit afraid that I would be gaining back some weight, but I don't vary more then 4-5 lb in a monthly cycle and am still at 115-120lb

    Just posting this because some people said that you can't stop counting and you'll gain it all back but it's not true, I think you can reset your body and stay at a good healthy weight without logging anymore. I do think about what I eat and try to eat healthily which is definitely needed still :)
  • Jbarbo01
    Jbarbo01 Posts: 240 Member
    I can't stop counting having been an emotional eater, I found points less overwhelming to count than calories. Maybe one day I can do mindful eating but I always overeat if I dont count. Good luck!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Sorry for posting on a zombie post!! But I just wanted to say it's been just slightly over a year when I stopped counting and commented on this thread and I'm still going strong! :) Didn't gain weight back, and am not counting anymore. Having obsessively logged all food eaten for over a year kind of helped reset my body to be stable at where I ended up at goal weight. I'm glad I don't have to log things anymore it is freeing :) I was a bit afraid that I would be gaining back some weight, but I don't vary more then 4-5 lb in a monthly cycle and am still at 115-120lb

    Just posting this because some people said that you can't stop counting and you'll gain it all back but it's not true, I think you can reset your body and stay at a good healthy weight without logging anymore. I do think about what I eat and try to eat healthily which is definitely needed still :)
    Congrats!!
  • HaibaneReki
    HaibaneReki Posts: 373 Member
    I made it to my goal weight just recently and have been playing with this idea too, I don't feel like not counting just yet, but occasionally skip a log entry for a party, bbq or something. So far so good. One day I won't have to log at all!
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    Good for you!!!

    Just pick healthy options & move more : )

    I know what you mean though - It does your head in!!!!!
  • jamesdavidy
    jamesdavidy Posts: 32
    I stopped counting and left MFP, 6 months later I am back and up 7lbs. Now the thing is I know exactly why I gained (we all do) it was lack of discipline, I had too many Easter Eggs lol after that my sweet tooth kicked in and for some reason I didn't care. I kept up an otherwise healthy lifestyle, I'm very active and always have been, but damn I do have a sugar problem, so I am back to tracking mainly to keep an eye on the Sugar/Carbs. I feel the need to keep myself accountable, but I have never felt the need to be obsessed to the point of weighing and measuring everything, approx figures work fine for me..just got to beat my sweet tooth, NO CHOCOLATE NEXT EASTER lol
  • Mahsaa18
    Mahsaa18 Posts: 57 Member
    welcome to the crew
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    GREAT! it is not about the quantity of calories it is about the quality!! If you do this and set your macros correctly, you will have no problem EVER

    Joanne Moniz
    The Skinny on Obesity group

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