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

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  • sugarkissprincess
    sugarkissprincess Posts: 2,595 Member
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    Yep, life style change - completely dedicated.
  • _EndGame_
    _EndGame_ Posts: 770 Member
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    Absolutely not. I actually find logging calories each and every single day after every meal tedious. I often eat the same foods, the same amounts, so I know how many calories I've had and don't need to update my food diary. That said, I do log new foods and exercise, and I also log when I think I may be cutting close to going over, but again, I don't mind going over now and again.
  • srobertking
    srobertking Posts: 74 Member
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    While I may not log everyday for the rest of my life, I will at least keep a tally in my head. Eating without worry was how I got to be 305 lbs.
  • janet6567
    janet6567 Posts: 129 Member
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    Absolutely!! I lost 30 pounds 3 years ago. . . 5 pounds from my goal weight. Stopped logging. . . and regain it all. . .so yeah, I'll continue logging after I lose it again. . .once is bad judgment. . .twice is a bad habit!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Calorie counting = /= "Lifestyle Change"

    /missing the boat...

    OZSTc.gif
  • katorihanzo
    katorihanzo Posts: 234 Member
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    I will for a long time to make sure that my learned habits are satisfactory. If I find that I'm consistently eating at or a bit under my maintenance calories without having to pay too much attention to balancing, I'll stop logging, while continuing to count casually in my head.

    BUT I am going to weigh myself every week. I'll allow 3 lbs each way and when I see myself over or under that three pounds, I know it's time to diet or log so I eat enough.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    Yes. Just like I have to balance my checkbook every day, I have to balance my calorie budget.

    I wish I was rich and didn't need to watch what I eat, but I'm not and I can't. So, I count.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Well I can tell you losing 4 stone and then not counting or caring results in gaining it back plus 7lbs. So yes..its something im always going to have to do.

    Yep - I re-gained weight too. I'm always going to have to count calories.
  • brookielaw
    brookielaw Posts: 814 Member
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    Yes. I also expect to have to eat healthy, weigh myself regularly, see a doctor for check-ups, and work out for the rest of my life...at least if I want to keep living and having a good quality of life.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Yes. I also expect to have to eat healthy, weigh myself regularly, see a doctor for check-ups, and work out for the rest of my life...at least if I want to keep living and having a good quality of life.

    Actually, the 2nd part is the important part. When you're eating a healthy and balanced diet and getting your fitness on, weight maintenance is really easy. People fail largely because 1) they stop exercising ('cuz exercise is for losing amirite); and 2) they never actually develop a true "lifestyle" of nutrition....they deprive themselves while dieting and never learn nutrition or moderation or proper portions, etc....these are the tools to successful maintenance.

    I do log when I get fantastical ideas of being super lean and shredded...but otherwise, for maintenance I've found it completely unnecessary so long as I'm rocking my fitness and making good nutritional decisions.
  • losborn52
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    I've tried several diets in the past. I always spent the entire time I was on the diet looking forward to getting off of it! And I always added the weight -plus- back on. This time, I'm not on a diet, I'm changing the way I eat. I've cut out most sugar and starches. No more sweet ice tea or sodas. No more potatoes/chips/fries/etc. No more pastas. No more rolls with honey butter at the steak house. Very little bread. I mainly eat meat, salad, and vegetables. Now, sure, I have a glass of sweet tea, a few chips, or a few fries once in a while, but my old habits were 3-4 glasses of tea a couple of times a day, and a lot of times lunch was a bag (family size!) of chips.

    I've been doing this for about 9 months and am at 228 lbs, down from around 270. (I didn't pay too much attention to the scales when I first started until I dropped a couple of belt notches and a shirt size.)

    Bottom line, I LIKE the way I'm eating now. I'm not looking forward to getting off the diet - I'm looking forward to continuing to eat this way. When I decide I like my weight, I'll stop watching calories, but I'll keep watching the scales. If they start creeping up, I'll be back to watching calories, too.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Nope.

    I don't count or weigh now, and not a single pound in my ticker was lost doing so.

    The idea of measuring/weighing/counting for the rest of my life is unfathomable and unacceptable. Been there, done that, hated every minute of it.

    So the answer is a resounding and very happy NO!
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
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    I actually enjoy logging my meals so I don't mind doing it.

    ^^ this
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
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    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.

    and ^^ this^^
  • misschoppo
    misschoppo Posts: 463 Member
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    I actually enjoy logging my meals so I don't mind doing it.

    same for me. I like to plan what I am eating in advance anyway so I often log for a few days in advance and then I can just tweak it if something changes but it gives me a clear plan of what I intend to eat. I love planning & making lists in general for everything so I do quite enjoy logging my food and don't see it as a chore.
  • Bliinnk182
    Bliinnk182 Posts: 2 Member
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    I actually enjoy logging my food but because I eat roughly the same things every single day and genuinely I won't really need to do it forever plus when I'm 60-70+ I think I'll just let go and eat whatever the f--- I want. I kind of do that anyway but I'm young and naturally burn fat very fast. Gaining weight is the hard one for me
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    Occasionally.

    At maint, I'd keep an eye on the scale .. if it creeps up a little, a couple days of calorie counting will be in order ..

    Otherwise, there's no need.

    This is my plan, too.
  • ronrstaats
    ronrstaats Posts: 294 Member
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    I am OCD.. so not only do I count them, I put them in order... LOL
  • sinistras
    sinistras Posts: 244 Member
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    Fortunately through counting calories you learn to eat smarter and get a better feel for what your calorie "budget" looks like to maintain a specific weight.

    I will probably not always count, but will always weigh myself weekly. This way I can get a head start if I notice a weight trend I don't like, and retool calorie counting as needed.
  • optineo
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    yeah. When I stopped counting calories I gained 25 pounds. NEVER doing that again
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