Eating Intuitively...

paleojoe
paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Anyone out there that do not track their calories? Every time I stop tracking the weight goes up... obviously because I eat too much. Any tips to help a dude who hopes to one day shed the calorie counting crutch?

Replies

  • dancephysics
    dancephysics Posts: 53
    How long have you been calorie counting? Hopefully after doing it long enough you'll eventually learn what kinds of calories various foods have, and what the proper portions should be. Like practicing. How long that will take, I don't know. Do you weigh and measure all your food? Weighing everything is a good way to get an idea of how big a gram/ounce/cup/etc actually is, then just apply that knowledge when you stop counting.

    One thing that you'll probably have to always do, even if you stop calorie counting, is looking at nutrition labels.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    I've been maintaining for about a year without tracking. Not exactly sure how though! Just kinda works out...
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    I think it is possible. I have had some days where I decided not to log as I ate, but rather note things down and keep a running guess of the total calories until the end of the day. Then I would log and compare it to my guess. Generally, my estimations come out close to what the log says, so, to me, that means that eventually I'll be able to stop logging and tracking as long as I continue to watch portion sizes.

    ETA: Sorry the post is not really along the lines of the OP since I haven't actually been maintaining without logging...
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    i just intuitively ate a box of chocolate.
  • LoggingForLife
    LoggingForLife Posts: 504 Member
    I've been considering giving up logging for the new year, despite my username. I also gain when I don't coun't. I think restricting calories messes me up in the head. I want to try the intuitive eating thing. Counting calories is a diet, not a lifestyle change. It's restricting your food intake....it's a diet.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I've been maintaining for 7 months without actively logging...I keep an estimated tally going in my head basically and I eat smart for the most part...primarily nutrient dense whole foods and I prepare and cook most of my meals at home...rarely eat out (maybe a couple times per month) and I make sure I'm rocking my fitness. I think exercise has really been key for me in maintaining my weight...I don't slack on my fitness. I also still weigh out most of my portions, especially calorie dense stuff...but I even weigh out veg just to make sure I'm actually getting my appropriate number of actual servings per day.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    I can't do it either. My eating intuition is incredibly faulty. I've accepted that I will need to log at least 80% of the time forever.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    I maintained for about 2-3 years to sustain a 100 lb weight loss. I'm just back trying to finish off the last 30 :) I didn't really count while maintaining - I just was mindful about what I was eating and also tried to keep a running tally estimate in my head. I tried to especially watch my portions and obviously keep working out a lot.

    I know the calorie counts on just about any common food off the top of my head - in part because of when I was losing weight and in part because I'm in school to be a Dietitian and it just comes with the practice there. So I go with it. I never stopped looking at labels either to get an idea of carbs, protein, fat, calories, and fiber as well as portion sizes.

    I also made sure to actually listen to my body. A lot of times coming off of calorie counting you just eat more as it's like a sense of freedom almost - not because you really want to it and not because of intutition. it's a freedom knowing you don't *have* to do that, if that makes sense. Of course, that's not true for everyone.

    I followed the guiding principles that helped my weight loss - fill up on fruits and veggies - especially at parties. Eat lean meats. Eat a good portion of carbs/protein/fat. Keep snacks within the calorie range and don't mindlessly munch!

    Good luck!
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    No help here. I don't feel satiated until somewhere between 6,000 - 7,000 calories. I have no "off button". I have to track.
  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
    No help here. I don't feel satiated until somewhere between 6,000 - 7,000 calories. I have no "off button". I have to track.

    I am the same way... If I tried to eat intuitively I would be eating all day and night and gain 40 pounds. I know this to be true cause it happened last year :(
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    That's how I eat. Haven't tracked in probably 2 years. One thing that helps is that most days I have basically the same lunch or at leat the same caloric intake. That leaves less to have to keep track of. If I want to lighten up I eat more veggies or am not working out as much I eat more veggies. If I'm killing the workouts or running a lot I'll eat more calorie dense foods. I guess I seem to be lucky in this way
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,347 Member
    . Counting calories is a diet, not a lifestyle change. It's restricting your food intake....it's a diet.

    I don't agree wiht this - why is calorie counting not a lifestyle change? - a diet in my mind is something short term which one doesn't continue with - therefore doesn't work for long term weight loss.

    I cant see why calorie counting cant be a long term lifestyle change if one is happy to continue it and it is working.

    I plan to continue calorie counting now I am in maintenance - I think if I stopped doing so, my intake would creep back up and so would my weight.
  • Saramelie
    Saramelie Posts: 308 Member
    No help here. I don't feel satiated until somewhere between 6,000 - 7,000 calories. I have no "off button". I have to track.

    I am the same way... If I tried to eat intuitively I would be eating all day and night and gain 40 pounds. I know this to be true cause it happened last year :(
    x3, sadly :0(

Categories