Intuitive Eating

"Intuitive Eating" as in eating whenever I feel like it doesn't work. However, using intermittent fasting and/or a 'no snacking' rule along with the 'intuitive' part being that I don't STUFF myself or gorge when I eat DOES work for me. I got that idea years ago from the 'Slimfast Diet' ... the old slogan was have a shake for breakfast, lunch, and a 'sensible dinner'. SO I got the idea that I could eat 700 calories + one meal. That was my 'diet' - a hybrid of calorie counting an intuitive eating. I've also done 'eating 2 meals/no snacks' (quite fast weightloss) and 'eat 3x per day/no snacks' (slower weightloss, more sustainable). So yes, I do believe you can lose by following some sort of hybrid type program where it feels intuitive. But I think it's really hard to do if you also allow snacks - because that can really add up the calories.

Finally, someone who gets it. Counting calories is a nasty obsession, but for those who are consuming WAY over the recommended amount, it's a good idea. But even then it should be a rough estimate. Intuitive eating is what we're meant to do. We should listen to our bodies and eat what the body wants. Of course, people who have struggled with binge eating/restriction (anorexia) should probably not start with intuitive eating right away, as the need to consume food (usually comfort food) or ignore hunger stems from emotional needs.

Counting calories can be helpful for those trying to establish healthy eating habits whether they were over or under eating. There is a lot to be learned doing so but at some point, intuitive eating should take over. I view counting calories as an exercise in nutrition and a tool that leads to healthy eating. Unfortunately, some get hung up on the 'calories' without learning how to actually eat healthy.

Congratulations on your success!

Counting calories is a great way to learn how to eat intuitively. When I first started losing weight, I would methodically count calories, but after I learned appropriate serving sizes and got a rough idea of the calorie content of most of the foods I eat (gained through the experience of counting calories), I've found I'm logging calories less and less. I'm still losing at the same rate.

Granted calorie counting is more scientific and will be far more accurate since it's taking most of the 'human error' out of the equation.

When I joined mfp here I was told it was a calorie counting way of losing weight and getting healthy.. I can't believe some of what has been written here about not counting calories. What are you people doing here anyway ? Good luck to you however you get healthy but to come Here and then disagree with those here "counting calories" is beyond understanding !!! I'm thinking that those of you that are not following mfp but are logged into mfp Should be losing all the friends that you "might" have that are on here to count calories !!! Once again good luck !

I certainly did not mean to imply that there was anything wrong with counting calories only that sometimes the forest is missed for the trees. Now, MFP is simply a tracking tool to be used as desired for calories in and calories out. There are as many ways to use it as there are folks here. I personally am tracking calories both in and out. Others are tracking only sugar, or only sodium or whatever they are interested in. As far as losing all the friends here, I personally don't have any likely because my diary is closed and I don't respond to friend requests. There is nothing to say you have to have friends to use this site. Others respondents can validate their position, if they so choose. Good luck on your fitness journey.

Amen to this poster..thanks!

I left my fitness pal a few months ago. SOOOO burned out on counting calories. So tired of the posts of "not losing" people struggling to "maintain"… depressing. And the thought of living the rest of my life doing that? No Thanks.

I too am back. I log estimated stuff…and at the end of the day. I know how to eat healthy and exercise. It works without the mental strain of having to count F O R E V E R.

I think we should look at "dieting" more as being at maintenance. Do what you'd do to maintain your goal weight..

I agree!! ^^ I became obsessed with counting too so i stopped. And there is no way i will do it forever. NO thank you. The only time i MIGHT log calories is if i'm going out to dinner or something and would like to see how much my meal is in advance.

And for Seebee74, there are other things to do on MFP besides logging calories....like checking out success stories, getting fitness tips, reading the blogs, etc. And i'm not dissing people who log, i've done it and it worked but i dont need to anymore.

You're absolutely right! It's definitely possible to lose weight without counting calories. I lost 80 lbs before I started logging, logged for a short time before deciding it isn't that helpful for me, and have continued losing just fine since stopping.

But some people don't have the level of understanding that is needed for what you're suggesting. They need the calorie counting to understand what their body needs, and what they are actually eating. People tend to underestimate the calories in their food, so counting calories and weighing food helps them know what 200 calories of chicken looks like, for instance.

People need to do what works for them, that will help them understand how they gained weight in the first place, and how they can keep it off long-term. For a lot of people, counting calories is a necessary way of developing this.

Well done on your success!

Hey, glad that IE works for you. Keep it up! But I would really like to know why you refer to stubbornness as a Swedish trait. I´m all Swedish (moved to the US about three years ago) and I don´t think my people are more stubborn than others. I'm not offended, just curious.

It seems that the only place where people are nice is over in success stories.

So true!

Success Stories
OP: I lost a 100lbs in 6 months and have kept it off.
Posters: Congratulations! You look amazing!

General Diet and Weight Loss Help
OP: I lost a 100lbs in 6 months and have kept it off.
Posters. How are you not dead? That's impossible! See you on way back up! *insert snarky gif*

LOL!

Wrong...

Plenty is questioned in the Success Story forums. The only difference is, ANY negativity and the post or complete thread is deleted. So you never even see it.

There is a huge misunderstanding about "intuitive eating" here.

In order to do so successfully you have to learn to differentiate between true hunger and emotional hunger, or just cravings.

People who think every single supposed hunger cue is actually true hunger, vs a desire for a specific food only (like chocolate), or a desire to squelch, or enhance, an emotion aren't suited for eating this way.

Intuitive eating is not "eat everytime I feel like it", and if done right your body is NOT truly "hungry" for cookies and ice cream all day long.

It also doesn't mean that you can't limit foods that throw off your cues. The first time I ever experienced intuitive eating was after discovering low carb. It was the only plan that allowed me to differentiate between cravings and actual hunger. It was interesting to discover that sometimes the intense cravings I had were completely separate from a true hunger. I know this because when I was actually hungry I could be easily satisfied with some baked chicken and a well seasoned side of buttered broccoli. Cravings, on the other hand, demanded ice cream, cake, cookie, etc. Once I learned the difference it was easy to tell, regardless of whether I listened or not.

Also be prepared because if you actually learn true hunger, you might be surprised that your body doesn't ask for food nearly as often as you believe. Be careful what you ask for LOL!

no one told the OP to post anywhere else..she was questioned over what she posted...some of you people are way to hypersensitive..

What was questioned, was the logic of posting about not counting calories, on a calorie counting site....

And.... this ^^^ ..Not that my response was really questioned? But many people who felt the same way I did were. and like someone else said, why point out that everyone is talking about cars in a forum about cars? I agree there are more options, but the posts that followed then condemned the practice of Cal counting and the people who engaged in the what the dang website is for? How does that make sense? Plus like I had pointed out? People don't come here because they know how to intuitively control their habits with enough responsibility to maintain/gain/or lose... They either need guidance or a serious regime to reach a goal, there really is no lazy way to accomplish that without at least understanding portion sizes first and with that comes weighing and calorie counting. Once you understand it? Then you can be free of it... this post really should be under success story's or in how to maintain. I'm not sure how anyone could think the first step to controlling your habits would be to disregard structure.

Just me though.

Oh and

stop being a slave to food!

I'm sorry.. I went and interjected logic again didn't I? I gotta stop doing that!!