Is anyone maintaining without counting calories?

2»

Replies

  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Yep. I've not counted a calorie since June last year, happily staying at my weight & eating what I like.
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    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.
  • eat_run_play
    eat_run_play Posts: 30 Member
    I used to think I needed to count as well but it turns out I don't. it was just an unrealistic fear I had that I would automatically gain all the weight back if i stopped counting. i cant' imagine a life where i have to worry about calories 24 hours a day. it would cause me too much stress. the method i have works really well for me and counting calories felt like a prison where i'd beat myself up if i went over which would lead to more overeating. it's just better for me not to! i totally respect if someone feels like they truly need to but once i felt the freedom of not counting and saw that i truly didnt' gain any weight back if i stuck to moderation, things have been great. the problem is moderation is very hard to do unless you are following some kind of system such as a certain size plate, certain amount is vegetables or a salad, etc. there can be a science to not counting and learning portion size too.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
    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.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I actually quite like the method of one (or possibly 2 depending on training volume) long fasts a week. 1 big meal for the day. Usually sees me around 1500-2000 cals for the day. That is normally enough of a deficit for me to then not have to track other days.
  • Brooke4206
    Brooke4206 Posts: 140 Member
    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.
  • dnamouse
    dnamouse Posts: 612 Member
    I've been maintaining for 10 months with only doing the occasional log to spot check...and really, it's more to spot check my macros than calories.

    If you've taken the time to teach yourself how to eat again and have taught yourself portion control and moderation, it's pretty easy to maintain without logging anything...it's when you cease to be mindful of your intake and stop exercising that is an issue for most.

    Pro tips...

    - make nutrition an intrinsic part of your life. your maintenance diet should consist primarily of a lot of nutrient dense foods. also be mentally cognizant of your calories...you won't be bang on, but you should be able to guestimate a reasonably good tally of your daily intake in your head.

    - make fitness an intrinsic part of your life. many people fail to sustain a healthy fitness regimen because they so closely associate exercise with weight loss. it's actually much more important to your maintenance goals in my experience.

    - weigh in regularly and be mindful of how your clothes are fitting. if things start to tighten up on you and you are showing a general trend up on the scale, it is time to go back and analyze your diet. nipping it in the bud is a lot easier than having to go back on a full on diet/cut.

    - be mindful of your junk food and "empty" calories. you have more latitude in maintenance for these things which is great...but it's easy to start letting that stuff creep into your diet in larger and larger quantities over time.

    ^^ This

    I eat pretty plain at work during the week, and over the course of losing the weight I changed the way the rest of the family eats too - so it comes a little more naturally now.

    I keep an eye on the scale, but basically, if my clothes start to get a little tight, it's time to just step back and look at what/how much I'm eating.

    Exercise is non-negotiable. It gets done without fail unless its a scheduled rest day or week.

    I know roughly in my head what serving sizes are and how much protein is likely to be in something. That's all I really need to know. I don't have added sugar or too much dairy anyway (insulin issues & diabetic family history and lactose intolerant), so sometimes it really is all too simple to say 'No' to things that will literally make me sick if I eat them. Makes life a little simpler.
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    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...
  • eat_run_play
    eat_run_play Posts: 30 Member
    seems like there is a club of us who feel that it starts to become too much, too obsessive, whatever it is for us personally that it doesn't work. If someone wants to count i have no problem with it. i just dont' like the judgment that we can't use fitness pal in the way we want to get support without counting. different things work for different people. i know you can lose weight by counting calories. but for me i also lost enjoyment of eating. and that's not something i'm ok with.

Categories