Is anyone maintaining without counting calories?

Eh. I have two kids and ate Kraft mac and cheese regularly while maintaining my weight without logging. The key for me is having a good idea of portion sizes - and to double check yourself periodically.

I do make sure to have at least one serving of: root vegetables (besides potatoes), leafy greens (besides lettuce), dried beans and squash a week + fruit at least every other day - otherwise my tendency is to confuse "liking," "purchasing" or "serving my kids" a balanced diet with "eating" one. But, other than that, I don't get too fussed about what else I eat. I'm an adult and don't make ridiculous choices like binging on M&Ms for dinner (too often). It all washes out over a week.

I think most of us similar cues they need to pay attention to. If eating lots of veggies works for you, then it does and I'm not arguing about that. I'm just not sure whether it's "the key" for everybody.

That's awesome for you. I don't think anybody is suggesting that this is impossible, but it is improbable for a lot of people that they can have diet of mac & cheese (and like high carb/fat foods) and very little plant based fare, and maintain their weight loss for the rest of their lives without any kind of calorie counting. Time and again we see, in study after study, and real life example after real life example, the overwhelming majority of people regain their weight, often more so, if they go back to a typical western diet without some serious perimeters.

That kind of diet is largely what got lots of people in trouble in the first place. While there will be people like you who can pull it off long term, it's going to be a fruitless endeavour for so many people. Personally I recommend people take a far more nutritious route and up the plant based fare not only because it's much better for your overall health in the long run, but also because it's going to allow people to eat a ton more food, and still keep their calories well in check.

For me it really works to have big meals and no snacks, no grazing.

Same here. Having a couple sizeable meals a day works wonders for me. Keeps me satisfied. I imagine heavy snackers and grazers have a much more difficult time eating intuitively and reaching, or maintaining, their goals without careful counting.

I maintain without counting. Sometimes I average them out in my head, but that's about it.

I've found I'm usually about as bad at balancing calories as I am at balancing my checkbook in my head. I never was good at math, and I'm VERY good at wishful thinking. Count me in for a lifetime of counting, if not here, then somewhere.

I have maintained for over a year within a 5 lb range (normal BMI) without counting calories . I do it by following a system during the week. I dont' eat sweets during the week. I don't get second helpings. i don't eat snacks. (No snacks, no sweets, no seconds on weekdays) i eat three meals a day. each meal fits on a small plate and is mostly healthy choices. it works really well because i love protein, not a huge fan of carbs but i will have some bread now and then on a sandwich or something. i exercise 5-6 days a week (mostly running but also weightlifting and yoga at times). on the weekend i let myself have a sweet, a snack or a second helping if i want to. i don't go crazy with my portions but i allow myself to enjoy something so that i don't feel deprived. i also dont' spend saturday and sunday as an eating free for all. i try to be reasonable and not overeat. i have plain tea without sweetener (i also have gotten off of the "diet" food kick. i don't drink diet anything... i don't drink any soda, actually. i wont' have anything with artificial sweeteners because i have a bad reaction to most of them) it has worked so well for me that i'd recommend it to anyone who is tired of calorie counting and feels they are getting obsessive about it. feel free to add me if you want some non calorie counting friends. i also wanted to add that i went on two vacations on the past year and with a plan of moderate eating, lost weight on one vacation and maintained on the second (which was a cruise). i am working on toning up and staying in my current size. Message me if you want more details about what I do. There actually is a webpage devoted to this method and it's worked for a lot of people. It's a free website and forum.

I can't do that...I NEED to count. I like to eat and still under estimate the amount of calories even though I have been doing this for 3 years. I will need to count for the rest of my life.

In the past, I successfully maintained without logging; but then, I had lost without logging too. So this time (with additional loss), since I logged to lose, I plan to log for awhile--while I figure out what maintenance is for me calorie-wise, and then get used to what that feels like. I'm also working with a trainer on heavy lifting, and he has pretty specific recommendations for me. So I'm logging to help follow those as well as possible at least until I go in for another DEXA scan and physical.

Not logging can totally work--I would just recommend regular weigh-ins. For me, that's every day. I find that it keeps me mindful.

I had to quit counting due to me becoming too obsessive. I am at my goal weight and am just maintaing now. I typically just round in my head. I know i eat about a 500 calorie breakfast each day and go from there. I still weigh/measure things and put it in as quick calories in my diary for each meal.

I've lost all my weight without counting calories and maintained eating very little but then I came across myfitnesspal and now I'm maintaining my weight and being able to eat more. I'm afraid that if I were to stop counting I may end up going back to eating very little... I have to learn to maintain my weight without counting calories soon! Because my family is REALLY judging me and unsupportive of me weighing my food and counting calories even though I'm eating more now then before counting calories. They think that it's unhealthy for me to count and weigh my food. I don't see why though since I am eating more than before... So I'm here to learn from the successful stories of you guys who are able to maintain without counting calories! Do you guys go back to eating very little after not counting? Before I started counting I restricted myself and deprive myself from lots of food...