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

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  • popsicklestar
    popsicklestar Posts: 166 Member
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    I don't really see logging as a chore. I find nutrition really interesting, so it's interesting to me to see how many calories foods contain and their macro ratios etc. It's kind of like a game to me, the challenge of trying to fit in foods I like into my goal and to get my macro ratios right and fight the temptation to go over. Some days I'm winning at the game, and some days I lose.
  • MileHighFitness
    MileHighFitness Posts: 2,298 Member
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    Yes
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
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    Yes! It takes about 10 minutes of my day to log, think I can spare that.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I would have to say yes, for a couple of reasons. Beyond the obvious of knowing that I am on the right track for whatever my goals happen to be (even maintenance), I pre-log my meals for a week and use that to create my grocery list (which saves me money in the end).

    Keeping the fat off whilst keeping the muscle mass built and also saving money sounds like a winning combo to me.

    And it takes *maybe* 15 minutes of my time to create my food plans these days for the whole week since I have entered gobs and gobs of personal recipes into MFP.
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,972 Member
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    Well, I spent 50+ years developing bad eating habits, so after I have maintained for 50+ years, I should be good to quit logging my calories.

    So, yes I'm a lifer.
  • JustAnotherCalorieCounter
    JustAnotherCalorieCounter Posts: 57
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    No. But I'll continue weighing myself on the regular so I know if I need to start again.
  • rgugs13
    rgugs13 Posts: 197 Member
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    If I have to, but I like to think after losing the weight and keeping it off for awhile, I would learn what is healthy to eat and what are proper portions. Hopefully some day I could just weigh myself regularly to keep on track! Logging during the holidays every year probably wouldn't hurt!
  • danapenguin
    danapenguin Posts: 161
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    i hate counting calories now, so no i don't plan on counting forever. pretty sure once i reach a certain age or get diagnosed with a terminal illness I will just not care anymore. I worked in nursing homes and they would put some people on diets!!! Its like dude! she is 80 years old if she wants the cake man let her have it!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. But, I also can't say that I will do it for the rest of my life. Things always change. I will always be aware of the calories I eat. And I will count them for as long as I want to, and as long as I think it is a benefit to my life. If it stops feeling beneficial, I will stop, even if just temporarily. At some point I will stop. I'm sure I will reach an age or point in my life in which I do not feel I need to count calories. I maintained my weight without counting calories for my whole life. I find it to be a benefit now that I count them, but I know I can maintain my weight without counting them. A lot of the time I'm not strict with logging. I use this as a helpful tool.
  • JasonAxelrod
    JasonAxelrod Posts: 58 Member
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    I'll make that determination once I've sought professional help in dealing with my emotional triggers. I've found that when I have an active, stress-free day where I'm out of the house and engaged in productive activities, I don't eat too much. If I'm at home or dealing with an emotional trigger, then I gorge myself either because I have nothing else to do or because I'm having a binge episode.

    In either case, if I can get help with coping mechanisms and secure myself a much more productive, active lifestyle, I don't think I'll have to count my calories forever.

    But right now it is my foundation and my structure for pretty much everything I'm doing, and I don't see that changing soon.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,703 Member
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    Yes. I put on my excess weight at a rate of 2 kg per year for many years. That's a surplus of only 50 cals per day.
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    To maintain my weight, yes I have to keep track of calories. I cant stay at my current weight and eat junk food or huge portions every day and expect to stay healthy. It sucks, but losing the weight has made me happier and healthier and if counting calories makes me stay this size then so be it.
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    i hate counting calories now, so no i don't plan on counting forever. pretty sure once i reach a certain age or get diagnosed with a terminal illness I will just not care anymore. I worked in nursing homes and they would put some people on diets!!! Its like dude! she is 80 years old if she wants the cake man let her have it!

    I always remind myself once I hit a certain age I wont care so much anymore either lol. At least I wont be so strict on myself. ( around age 50ish maybe) :laugh:
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 851 Member
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    No I don't once I'm in my maintiang mode it will be about portion control and clean eating.
  • Rollo99
    Rollo99 Posts: 5 Member
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    Not sure, but I am concerned when I see that most people end up putting the weight back on. I am hoping that I can maintain better health and weight do to the eating habits I have developed over the past year. I feel better, look better and will do what I need to do to maintain that feeling. I think the plan is to monitor my weight constantly and react to any changes.
  • Grumbers
    Grumbers Posts: 111 Member
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    Like to think I'd weigh myself weekly and keep a conscious awareness of what I'm eating and try and maintain a sense of being in the right ball park.

    If you fluctuate more than 2-3lb either way, then log for a couple weeks and see what you're doing.
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
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    In business, there's a saying: "If it's not being monitored, it's not being done".
  • QueenE_
    QueenE_ Posts: 522 Member
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    Yeah, I do. I slacked there for a little bit and ended up gaining almost 10 pounds..
  • chatty826
    chatty826 Posts: 47
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    NO!!! I lost 165lbs without counting a single calorie. I use MFP as a food diary not to count calories. Seriously if you loose weight by counting the calories of everything you eat the sad part is it will not be something you can sustain for the rest of your life. Eat clean eat unprocessed foods eat till you are full thats it.

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