Will you spend the rest of your life counting calories?

fpuckett2383
fpuckett2383 Posts: 49 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've tried it all and I know at the end of the day the only things that work for me is keeping detailed food diaries. For a month I tried eyeballing and just eating things that were "good" for me and it was disastrous. For one, I am not a great eyeballer. It makes me wonder if I'll have to do this forever- which is fine. It's not too much of a hassle. Do you guys think you'lll always count your calories (for the ones that do)?
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Replies

  • ldula88
    ldula88 Posts: 169 Member
    I fully plan to count for a long time, probably for the rest of my life. It's the only way I've been able to lose and keep weight off for any extended amount of time. It's worth the hassle to not be overweight anymore :)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    for the rest of my life? who knows ....for a long time absolutely.

    There is no way in heck that after losing this weight that I am going back up unless it's for a bulk.
  • dettiot
    dettiot Posts: 180 Member
    Probably? Maybe? It's hard to say--I've never lost weight and kept it off, so maintenance will be a big challenge for me. I still have about ten pounds to lose before I'll be ready to go into maintenance, but I'm looking forward to being able to try some new things, exercise-wise, instead of concentrating on burning off calories. But if it turns out I'm not good at eyeballing either, I'll be back here on MFP logging regularly. :-)
  • Kixshots
    Kixshots Posts: 74 Member
    Probably, I tried stopping once and I didn't even last a single day, it's become such a compulsive habit for me now that it's too hard to stop. If it keeps me in shape and helps me lose a few more pounds then it's not the unhealthiest obsession there is
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    It's a tough reality to accept, but I do think I will spend the rest of my life tracking my food. I totally lose control otherwise.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    For the time being....
    Seems to be working for my goals.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Probably. It takes about 10 minutes a day; that's not too much time to devote to staying a healthy weight. It can be a drag sometimes, which is why my current maintenance keeps me sane - log 5 days a week, no logging most weekends. It's worked so far (18 months into maintenance).
  • stackhead
    stackhead Posts: 121 Member
    It's part of my daily routine now so I just don't think about the act of logging itself. So yeah, I'd imagine i'll be logging for the foreseeable future.

    Think about it this way - 5 minutes per day to log food vs the risk of putting the weight back on. I'll do the 5 minutes.
  • _MG_
    _MG_ Posts: 453 Member
    Probably.

    It's not that hard so I don't see it as too much of an issue.
  • labtech666
    labtech666 Posts: 66 Member
    I'll definitely be counting calories for the foreseeable future.

    After all the time and effort I've put into losing the weight I don't want to become complacent and risk gaining it back.
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
    Like most of the others I will probably be doing it for a very long time. I dont know if i'll do it forever but definately for long enough that I get tuned into how much my body really needs to stay at a healthy weight.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    I've tried it all and I know at the end of the day the only things that work for me is keeping detailed food diaries. For a month I tried eyeballing and just eating things that were "good" for me and it was disastrous. For one, I am not a great eyeballer. It makes me wonder if I'll have to do this forever- which is fine. It's not too much of a hassle. Do you guys think you'lll always count your calories (for the ones that do)?

    Is this a bad thing? I bet most people plan to spend the rest of their lives on Facebook..... (MFP is infinitely more useful)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Counting calories may not be something I do on a regular basis for the rest of my life but it's definitely a tool that I'm going to keep in my back pocket for when it's needed. I imagine getting to a point after reaching goal and maintaining for a year or so that I'll slowly drop off the logging and just see how I do on my own. If I gain more than 5or 6 pounds, I'll come back to logging for a while. As other said, there is no way I'm going to let myself go back to being overweight/obese after putting all this work in!

    I'm already sort of testing it out by having days/weekends here and there where I don't log and make the best choices I can based on my usual logging and see what happens. Normally if I go back and track these days, I've done pretty well.

    Honestly though, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Current focus is getting to goal. I'll figure out what works best for maintenance when I get there.
  • Swiftdogs
    Swiftdogs Posts: 328 Member
    I will continue to log for a good while. I believe I can eventually reach the point where I can keep a running rough total in my head. Unlike many people, I tend to overestimate portions so I can "guess" more safely. I'll probably still log unusual days and to spot-check normal ones.

    I DO intend to keep weighing regularly. If the scale creeps up, I know what I have to do.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Probably.

    It's not that hard so I don't see it as too much of an issue.

    this.

    with a phone it's just insanely easy. After a few years you get better at eyeballing- it takes practice- and the fact that we eat a lot of the same foods over and over again- so it's easy to know what's what.
  • Jenjenthejetplane1
    Jenjenthejetplane1 Posts: 130 Member
    If it keeps me healthy and looking fantastic...ABSOLUTELY! Its not that hard to do it either.
  • tdeem009
    tdeem009 Posts: 5 Member
    I find it really fun actually! I like to see the little graph (that appears only on the phone app for some reason?) that puts your macros in a pie chart. I use a ketogenic diet so seeing that little sliver of carb macros makes me super happy. It was at 2% yesterday, fat was 83%....I did a little dance last night seeing it hehehe. I can't see my progress in my body from day to day, but I can see it on the pie chart and it's gratifying. To each their own:)
  • Nickih4619093
    Nickih4619093 Posts: 91 Member
    Last time I stopped keeping track I gained 25lbs over the course of a few years! So I think will have to if I want to keep the weight off this time around. I don't mind though, it's actually something I look forward to. There's so much great information and support here and it only takes me a few minutes per day. I even have mfp on my cel so there's really no excuse not to log on!
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  • AmykinsCatfood
    AmykinsCatfood Posts: 599 Member
    I'll be counting for a long time after maintenance until I feel I'm comfortable estimating, and even then I think I will take a day here and there counting just to be sure I'm still on track. I will also continue to weigh every couple of weeks that way if I start gaining too much I can go back to a deficit.
  • tiger4nikki
    tiger4nikki Posts: 112 Member
    I hope I stick to it. I take breaks every now and then. I am pretty good at eyeballing portion sizes now. It's just that when I stop counting, I have more days that I don't make the right choices. I did pretty good this last break though. I went from November until March 10th and only gained 5 pounds and that was through all the holidays and superbowl and everything. But yes, I plan on trying to stick to it, because when I stop for a LONG period of time, I go up a few pounds and blow it off, gain a few more and blow that off, and next thing I know I am up 25-40 pounds! It can sneak up on you over a couple of years or less if you don't watch it.
  • monstergirl14
    monstergirl14 Posts: 345 Member
    I assume I'll always have to count calories because I want to know the content of the food I'm consuming and if I'm over eating. I'll probably weigh myself weekly still, or bi-weekly, just to make sure I'm on track
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    No, I won't be counting calories. I view it a a useful tool to use as necessary. I've never been outside of my healthy weight, at the high end but not outside of so don't see counting calories as something I need to do on a long term basis.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    If you focus on making good food choices with lots of protein and veggies, then you shouldn't gain weight too quickly when you stop counting. Perhaps you'll slowly gain a little weight, but you can always start counting calories for a few months to lose whatever you gain.


    I've found that I gain slowly when I stop counting calories. So I'll go through cycles where I don't bother tracking them for about 6 months, and then I'll start tracking them again for 2 months afterward to lose whatever I gained.
  • retiree2006
    retiree2006 Posts: 951 Member
    I may not actually count calories every day but I will be a lot more aware of what I eat. To make things easier, I have some "set menus" where I know the calorie count and can just use those so I don't have to reinvent my day. Or you can do multiple meals with a calorie count and just pick and choose to stay within your calories. I don't always use those but they are there if I get tired of logging my meals.
  • fpuckett2383
    fpuckett2383 Posts: 49 Member
    Great responses! I don't think it's too much of a hassle and I think I'll always do it. It's just hard to imagine being like 80 years old and still keeping track of everything lol. I like the few of you who use it when the scale starts to creep up. I still have a lot to lose but if (when) I get to a healthy weight I can see myself doing that. I tried to just eat healthy foods and watch myself without counting but it didn't end up well for me. I struggle the most with portion's and it's hard for me to step back and tell if I'm eating too much or less without writing it out. It's just not something I've perfected yet. One day I'll get there. It's probably because I am such a list maker!
  • fpuckett2383
    fpuckett2383 Posts: 49 Member
    That's a great idea!
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    I have a food addiction (I binge like CRAZY) and unless I hold myself accountable by tracking calories, it gets out of hand. I tend to eat thousands of calories at a sitting without remembering more than the first 2-3 bites. I wake up from a "blackout binge" with wrappers around me and I don't remember going to the store to buy the food. Counting calories and logging everything I eat keeps me focused and accountable for my food intake. Since I've been like this most of my life (>30 years), the binge monster is well and truly, and probably forever, ingrained. A side effect of the d/o is that I SUCK at guesstimating how much I'm eating, even when I'm paying attention. I'm sure that I will have to log every day for the rest of my life.

    There are worse fates.:wink:
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    yes I will, because MFP is free and simple, only takes 10 minutes per day. I think I will continue to calorie count.

    Added- I used to house clean for a 90 year old woman with macular degeneration. She was a TOPS KOPS and still attended her meetings, did weigh ins, and kept mindful of what she ate. I was like, "who cares? Your 90!" but she explained that she worked hard to lose the weight, and dammit it was staying off.
  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
    I will try to eat intuitively at some point but will keep a close eye on the scale to make sure I'm not gaining. I don't foresee that happening for me for at least a year. If it turns out I can't, I'm fine with continuing to weigh and log my food. It's such a tiny price to pay in exchange for keeping the scale stable.

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