No more counting?

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sdowdle1
sdowdle1 Posts: 9
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Has anyone reached their goal and stopped counting calories and macros, and if so, how did your new weight hold up? I'm nervous to stop...
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  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    I'm easing back slowly.
    First I increased my calories to MFP's maintenance values for a month, eating back my exercise calories. Still losing a bit of weight.
    Then I figured out my TDEE including my usual exercise and used that number of calories as my daily goal; tried that for a month, then two....weight holds steady.
    Now I'm attempting to use the "eyeball" method of portions (I've been eyeballing the weighed and measured portions throughout my journey & have a good idea of what looks right) and using a weekly daily average of calories, instead of a rigid daily number of calories. This means that some days I eat over my daily calories and some under; as long as the weekly average is my daily calories, I'm okay with that. I'm eating to satisfy my hunger and any longings but not to just overeat for the sake of binging or splurging. I'm still logging my food but the measurements are "eyeballs" of the amount; close but not as exact as weighing and measuring. I don't want to be weighing and measuring for the rest of my life.
    So far, my weight is holding steady & it's been 8 months of maintenance for me. After the holidays, I plan on starting to not log every day but to begin to eyeball my daily amounts and see how that goes. Slowly, I'll log fewer and fewer days and, if my weight holds steady, I'll eventually stop logging altogether.
    Maintenance is a slippery slope and I'm taking it slow and careful.

    It will take a month or two for you to figure out what your maintenance calories are. You'll find it, though.
  • ThatOperaGirl
    ThatOperaGirl Posts: 138 Member
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    I stopped counting cold turkey just over a month ago because it was playing havoc with my stress levels and honestly, it was really messing with the way I thought about food. I had been maintaining well for about three and a half months, increasing my daily calories by 100 every week or two. When I stopped counting, my daily goal was around 2000, and I hadn't had any significant gains since hitting my goal weight.

    Since I've stopped counting, I've been trying to get back in tune with my body -- eating when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm full, choosing nutrient-dense foods whenever I can, that sort of thing. That said, I still get anxious about my food choices, and tend to err on the side of not eating enough to feel properly satisfied rather than risk feeling bloated. I've actually lost another 2-3lbs since stopping counting, so I'm still figuring out exactly how much my body needs. Instead of logging my calories and macros with MFP, I just write down what I eat (but not exact amounts) in my food diary notes. My diary is open, if you want to take a look.

    If you don't want to be counting forever, then I say just try not counting for a week, or even a few days if a week makes you nervous. See how you go, and if it works for you, keep going. If it doesn't, maybe keep counting for a bit longer. You won't know if you don't give it a try! :smile:
  • robbienjill
    robbienjill Posts: 456 Member
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    Keep counting! TRUST!
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    Two other times in my life I lost a significant amount of weight and then stopped weighing and counting calories. Both times I gained all the weight back and then some. So now that I am at maintenance again, I have no intention of stopping what has worked: logging all my food and weighing regularly.

    That said, I take care not to make logging food become an obsession. I log the whole day when I get up in the morning. It takes less than two minutes. In the evening I look again and make any changes and post. So no more than three minutes a day. It is so worth it.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I haven't counted in a year & a half. Maybe 2. Weight hasn't crept up at all.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I think it's a personality thing. I like counting. It almost always tells me I have a lot more calories left than I think I do, and it's just a habit that lets me see where I am. I do it basically after every meal, but always if I eat an oddball snack I'd forget otherwise. I always listened to my body anyway, so that hasn't changed one way or the other.

    For me, it's like getting a cellphone when my son was born and I was breastfeeding. Before I got it, I'd rush home because I'd worry he'd be crying and my husband would be going nuts. Afterwards, I could relax because I knew he was okay and I'd get a call if there was a problem. If I log, I know I can take the extra snack when I'm hungry and not think twice about it if I have the calories.
  • tropicaltiger
    tropicaltiger Posts: 254
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    I always log what I eat- never want to get to confortable-i did that and put 5 pounds on- so from day 1 five years agao-i always write before I bit-I think to each one has to do what they feel is right-I like loggng in-and making -my food and my workout-I am afraid not to
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,871 Member
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    At first I stopped counting and then lost more weight than I had planned. I needed to log again to make certain that I was eating enough. I memorized that and then stopped for several months. I am back to logging because I want to drop a couple pounds before a Christmas holiday trip. I am hoping to weigh in on my first day back from my trip only 5 lbs. over. This is not easy, but the effort is worth it, making certain that the old ways do not creep up where I wake up some nice spring day 15 or twenty pounds heavier.:sad:
  • macybean
    macybean Posts: 258 Member
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    I haven't logged since May…although I weigh everyday and measure monthly to be sure I'm maintaining. It took 3 tries and several years in order to get to this point though and I honestly assumed I would have to log forever! I may have to again, but for now it's working.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
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    Not at goal but I stopped counting to build some muscle. I have been maintaining so far. I think it has been a couple months now.
  • RoseDarrett
    RoseDarrett Posts: 355 Member
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    I wasn't counting before I found MFP and I lost most of my baby weight on my own( the reason why I put on weight was pregnancy and I had to take it easy while pregnant add a second c section and more rest)anyways as I was saying before I lost most of my baby weight before being on here with only 10 pounds left to be back to pre baby weight which was healthy.

    Counting calories for me is something that I can take or leave. I work out regularly though as it keeps me sane and I like my food as most people do.I haven't been here for a few months now,I'm finally back since my amazing friends have been concerned about me.

    I think counting calories is very personal. My friend uses MFP and she has lost quite a bit of weight through it and she says she will count for the rest of her life.

    I haven't gained when I stopped counting calories,I actually lost weight. Counting calories is a very individual thing. If it's something you feel the need to do or like doing then that's great. It definitely has it's uses for sure.

    When I log in my food,it reminds me of eating more protein. It's definitely helpful for me for things like that.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
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    It depends on your willpower. I stopped counting and some weight crept back, but this was because I thought "ha! I'm not counting! I can eat anything!"

    Counting can get pretty dull so if you feel like stopping, there doesn't have to be any drama, just keep an eye on your weight/measurements and take action if necessary.
  • PearlAng
    PearlAng Posts: 681 Member
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    You have to do what's right for you. Likewise, I too found it far too stressful to keep logging. Its anxiety-inducing. That being said, I haven't counted since around the last week of September. I find that I maintain within a two pound window range. I am trying to focus on hunger cues. As long as you keep up with exercise, I don't think you'll have a problem :flowerforyou:
  • ChaplainHeavin
    ChaplainHeavin Posts: 426 Member
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    I've never counted calories until I came upon MFP several weeks ago. I eat pretty healthy but had no idea how many calories were in certain foods that are in my regular diet. For example, I might fix a large salad for supper thinking I was consuming low calories....until I read that my honey bacon French dressing was costing me 300 calories. So for now I count. I actually only want to lose 5 or 6 pounds, but have played with losing it for several years. I'm 54, exercise regularly, whether using my Nordic Track Skier, fast walking, or push up routine. The 5 or 6 pounds aren't for vanity, it's just that 34 inch waist jeans are too tight and 36 inch are too loose and they don't make 35 inch for men. By Christmas I plan to be between 158 and 160.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    I've been maintaining since Feb and still count. This is mainly because I am done with feast/famine dieting and may over eat if I don't count and want to avoid yet another yoyo event. Also, I eat 1500 in week to allow more cals at w/e so I count M-F and the w/e I might or might not. This way gives me a mix of both discipline and freedom which I can sustain.

    I don't care if I count til I die if it keeps me stable finally at 46yrs of age after a lifetime of dieting. I also think for me the other good habits like exercise might slip gradually if I take my eye off the ball. My Fitbit has been invaluable in my maintenance and exercise/activity motivation and seems bang on for cal burn vs cals in so I'm a happy bunny sticking with what I know.
  • MoJokes
    MoJokes Posts: 691
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    Personally I don't count anymore as with me it plays on my mind that i got to log everything i eat, or i got to eat a certain amount of food to hit my goal etc. Some days you may not want to eat much and other days you eat a lot more... this is with nature. I really think its what you eat rather than the amount as such.

    I did count for a while, which taught me how much I need just by eye! I try to get a bit of everything in my meals :)
  • elissajk
    elissajk Posts: 2 Member
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    I've been at maintenance for a couple of years. I counted & roughly estimated most days, except for the last 6 months. In the last 6 months, I found myself up 10 lbs.

    maintaining does require daily motivation & mindfulness about staying healthy. I found it way too easy to put off working out, having another dessert, not weighing myself, forgetting about my weight etc without CC. Thank goodness I caught it before it turned into 20! I almost fell into the my jeans are shrinking/need new pairs trap without thinking haha!!

    So I'm back to losing for now. I'm in no hurry, but plan on at least roughly estimating my calories & weighing almost daily forever once I hit goal again. It's just too easy to gradually ease back into lazy/eat dessert every day mode for me!
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
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    Im still finding a balance. I know usually know how much I can eat of my typical foods and dont worry about logging them as much but with the hoildays I find logging helps keep me from going crazy.
  • fougamou
    fougamou Posts: 200 Member
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    Still counting and planning to continue. I do not find it much of a burden.

    I am being more lax with estimates and equivalents. For example, after eating a spinach salad the other day, I found a rough equivalent in the database rather than trying to recreate it myself, or I use recipes that I have previously created, even though there is probably a variable in the ingredients.

    When I started calorie counting, my plan was to reach a point where I would occasionally log as a "check in" I may do that. My biggest concern is that several years ago I lost a bunch of weight, maintained it for a few years and then it crept back up on me. This time around I want to catch the creep before it gets out of hand.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Has anyone reached their goal and stopped counting calories and macros, and if so, how did your new weight hold up? I'm nervous to stop...

    I went into maintenance an continued counting for about a month just to make sure I knew what that basically looked like in a day. I don't count right now except for estimates in my head...I've had enough experience with all of this to be pretty close (I do an occasional spot check).

    I maintained all through the summer and into early fall. I've put about 1 Lb per month on since October (I was averaging 183 for my maintenance with lows around 180 and highs around 185 and am currently averaging about 185 with lows around 182 and highs around 187)...this is deliberate and done in a successful effort to break through some lifting plateaus...my body fat hasn't changed either at this point. I will probably do this for the remainder of the year to smash through a couple more lifting plateaus and I imagine in January I will need to do a small cut...I'm anticipating 5 Lbs or so but might try to lean out a little more...we'll see how it goes and how I'm feeling...I'll be starting to train hard for my century ride in January too so I'll likely just naturally drop some more fat without changing much else in RE to my diet.

    If I go into a deliberate cut, I will count...otherwise I find it unnecessary and have easily controlled my weight simply by being cognizant of what I'm eating and continuing to get my fitness on. The biggest mistake people make is that they go back to old eating habits and stop working out...if you do that I guarantee you'll put the weight back on. The only difference for me in maintenance is I eat a few hundred more calories than I did losing...nutritionally, my diet remains pretty much the same save for I can afford a couple more beers now...and I rock my fitness.

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