How do people who don't count calories lose weight??

angelicprettyy
angelicprettyy Posts: 143
in Health and Weight Loss
Seriously. This baffles me. I know people can eat healthily, like lots of veggies and lean meats and stuff, and that is probably why they lose weight without counting, but... what if they go over? Under? How do they not worry about counting calories? A bunch of my friends eat whatever they want and probably go over their macros but they don't gain. I'm just confused... How?
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Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Because they either aren't eating as much as you think or move more than you....or both.
  • ColeCake292012
    ColeCake292012 Posts: 247 Member
    I'm just as baffled as you!

    I've tried eating intuitively, but it just doesn't come naturally to me. We are all born with a natural intuition as to what to eat for our bodies, but in this day and age society shows us differently. I think counting calories is a pain in the butt sometimes, but I have no other option!
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    I lost like 20lbs without counting. I just ate less. I had no concept of macros or anything, so I didn't worry that I wasn't getting enough protein etc.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    they probably don't eat as much as you think. maybe they skip breakfast. or dinner. or lunch. they probably don't look at the clock and say "oh, it's 7pm, time for dinner" regardless if they're hungry or not. maybe they have a big salad for dinner or something. maybe they don't snack.
  • PinUp2014
    PinUp2014 Posts: 79 Member
    I did Phase One of South Beach for an easy two months straight (DON'T).

    I dropped 30 pounds....but I zero energy, zero brain function, and was so freaking skinny fat it was disgusting.


    So yes, they're probably unaware of their intake (up or down) but you have to imagine that we can't know what their daily burn is either.
  • Erinelda
    Erinelda Posts: 96
    When I have lost weight without counting anything I only ate when I was hungry. So that means I would skip many meals and sometimes miss entire days. My body doesn't want to be super fat.
  • LunaZuriel
    LunaZuriel Posts: 77 Member
    For me, I do not believe in Calories, they're just a form of something to stress me out more. I'd rather eat as much veggies as I want, without worrying about calories cause I know it's healthy, natural, and good for my body. Now, if it was something like cereal or oats or pasta's which I do not eat, cause I blow up like a balloon. I don't care about calories.
    I did a diet a a year ago called Plant Strong, were all I ate were things that were grown from the ground, and I ate as much as I want, and lost 60 pounds within 6 months, but fell off that wagon, but only gained back 20 pounds. I never weighed my food, because I find it very weird, and like I said I don't believe in calories, however I do believe in sugar.
    I'm trying to get back on the band wagon with Plant Strong again, cause it was the best diet that worked for me.
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  • 1daylate1dollarshort
    1daylate1dollarshort Posts: 45
    My SO lost 100lbs without counting ****. I can't do that, but he did very successfully. He just switched regular pop for diet, ate smaller portions and substituted a salad for a burger once a day. Three years later he was 100lbs lighter.

    It's definitely restricting calories, but he wasn't counting them at all or putting them into a database like this lol. Not like me. I enter everything generally right after I eat it. I know the calories in most things. He never has the slightest idea.

    Whatever works. I have to keep a close eye on them. But that's how he lost weight without counting them. Very well too!
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    When I was younger, I could eat whatever, whenever and just not gain. I guess some people just have a very fast metabolism.
    Jump ahead 20 years and now at 43, I gain so much more quickly than before and started counting calories...something i never thought I'd ever do. ; (
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    I lost like 20lbs without counting. I just ate less. I had no concept of macros or anything, so I didn't worry that I wasn't getting enough protein etc.

    Same here the first 2 times I lost my baby weight, it was the third time I found mfp and began my fit and healthy lifestyle.
  • traceywoody
    traceywoody Posts: 233 Member
    I have come to learn that people who say that they can eat what they like, must just like to eat exactly what they burn. I ignore it now when someone says that.
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    Just before I started using MFP, I lost weight by making my meal and snack portions smaller and by exercising. I still eat pretty similarly now that I'm tracking my food.
  • Widadita
    Widadita Posts: 176 Member
    I know people who eat whatever they want and I mean, processed food, sugar, cakes you name it and they don't gain a single pound! I guess they're just lucky they have such high metabolism. I think it's the same thing with the people who don't count calories.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,302 Member
    I know many people who have lost weight or who have always been at a healthy weight and they have never counted calories.

    Obviously they manage to eat at a calorie deficit or maitenance level without actually counting.

    Counting is only a tool - a very handy tool for many people - but it's a means to an end, not the only way to get there.
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    For me, I do not believe in Calories, they're just a form of something to stress me out more. I'd rather eat as much veggies as I want, without worrying about calories cause I know it's healthy, natural, and good for my body. Now, if it was something like cereal or oats or pasta's which I do not eat, cause I blow up like a balloon. I don't care about calories.
    I did a diet a a year ago called Plant Strong, were all I ate were things that were grown from the ground, and I ate as much as I want, and lost 60 pounds within 6 months, but fell off that wagon, but only gained back 20 pounds. I never weighed my food, because I find it very weird, and like I said I don't believe in calories, however I do believe in sugar.
    I'm trying to get back on the band wagon with Plant Strong again, cause it was the best diet that worked for me.

    Calories are real. They represent units of energy.

    Just because you don't 'believe' in science doesn't mean that its not true. Plant matter contains carbohydrates and sugars. Carrots, peas, broccoli, you name it. Very few veggies are not high in kcal or carb counts. Yes, it has high net fiber. But without fats and protein you are going to experience very difficult weight loss. What you lost was 20lbs of water weight. A lot of veggies may not contain super high cal counts but you can bet you were hitting the ceiling on carbohydrates and sugars.

    What you need to do is focus on portion control and balancing your diet with fats and proteins. I would suggest looking at paleo.

    That kind of diet your doing [plants only] isn't going to last beyond a few months. Come on now. You need to find a lifestyle that works. Not a diet that's a silly fad.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Counting calories is the most accurate but not the only method.. It helps to be more precise, but it isn't strictly necessary if you can just "eat less." I never liked that way because it seemed so vague and hard to quantify. But plenty of people do fine with that approach.
  • detarrevo
    detarrevo Posts: 45
    I have lost weight without counting before. I was eating more fruit and eating less salt, lost a maybe 5 pounds in a month.
    Sadly gained it all back. I think counting works better for me, my weight loss has been much more consistant.
  • sally884
    sally884 Posts: 51
    I always wondered this as well...I lost 30 pounds about 4 years ago simply by eating well (no fast food) and exercising. It was simple and easy. Now after a baby it doesn't work that way anymore...I think your metabolism in some people is just different.
    My fiends eats like Crap and has always been thin..however thinking back in her 8 years ago she actually has gained probably 20 pounds...just slowly
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    For me, I do not believe in Calories, they're just a form of something to stress me out more. I'd rather eat as much veggies as I want, without worrying about calories cause I know it's healthy, natural, and good for my body. Now, if it was something like cereal or oats or pasta's which I do not eat, cause I blow up like a balloon. I don't care about calories.
    I did a diet a a year ago called Plant Strong, were all I ate were things that were grown from the ground, and I ate as much as I want, and lost 60 pounds within 6 months, but fell off that wagon, but only gained back 20 pounds. I never weighed my food, because I find it very weird, and like I said I don't believe in calories, however I do believe in sugar.
    I'm trying to get back on the band wagon with Plant Strong again, cause it was the best diet that worked for me.


    If you do a plant based diet you're just limiting calories in a different way. But it's the calorie deficit that causes weight loss, whether you believe in it for not.
  • thatjosiegirl
    thatjosiegirl Posts: 362 Member
    Simple..They are freaks of nature.
  • RealRelicVa
    RealRelicVa Posts: 34 Member
    I am exhibit A here. Stopped counting calories, increased meals, cut back portions, and dropped 50 pounds. Put it all back on and some spare change. Trying to make the magic happen again.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    My BF tracks occasionally, but for the most part when he's trying to lose a few pounds, he only eats when he's hungry and just makes an effort to eat less. (He's one of those people who lost 20 pounds by ordering small fries instead of large fries, stuff like that). I lost some weight by tracking, then maintained for about 10 years without tracking until I decided to try to gain some back. I just got used to what my maintenence intake felt like, then adjusted up or down depending on what was going on.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    For me, I do not believe in Calories, they're just a form of something to stress me out more. I'd rather eat as much veggies as I want, without worrying about calories cause I know it's healthy, natural, and good for my body. Now, if it was something like cereal or oats or pasta's which I do not eat, cause I blow up like a balloon. I don't care about calories.
    I did a diet a a year ago called Plant Strong, were all I ate were things that were grown from the ground, and I ate as much as I want, and lost 60 pounds within 6 months, but fell off that wagon, but only gained back 20 pounds. I never weighed my food, because I find it very weird, and like I said I don't believe in calories, however I do believe in sugar.
    I'm trying to get back on the band wagon with Plant Strong again, cause it was the best diet that worked for me.

    I don't believe in gravity.

    Thankfully gravity doesn't care whether or not I believe in it.
  • FitnessLover001
    FitnessLover001 Posts: 188 Member
    kinda like those kids that eat whatever they want, how much of it they want and when they want it, as in any type of junk food, and NEVER gain an ounce. Yet you look at a bag of chips, and boom, 10lbs on your body.

    haha, it sucks that some of us have to be conscious of what we eat, but God doesn't give his hardest battles to weakest people, only the strong ones :)
  • LunaZuriel
    LunaZuriel Posts: 77 Member
    Sorry, if it works for me then it works, I was only explaining my way of doing what I want to do, without counting "Calories". You can do what you want to do. I've heard about Paleo, and that also sounds silly.
    Yes I know Calories are real, I just choose not to believe in them, I stopped counting calories a long time ago. So preach what you want. I'll do what I'm going to do that I like to do. Not everyone has the same body, metabolism as everyone else, so whatever works for that person works. Lighten up some will ya?
  • LunaZuriel
    LunaZuriel Posts: 77 Member
    I know, you tell your view, I tell you my view. It's something I want to do, so leave it be.
  • fuzilojak
    fuzilojak Posts: 269 Member
    The only time I lost weight without counting I was cycling 35-40 miles a day, six to seven days a week, plus going to the gym five day a week. I lost close to 100lbs in about a year. When I got to my goal weight I was still losing and continued to increase my food intake.

    Of course when I stopped the cycling and gym after an accident, I gained the weight back (plus some) because I didn't reduce my food intake enough.

    Any other time I've lost weight I've reduced calories, refrained from eating fast/junk food, cut back on red meat and carbs and did a normal amount of weight training and sports.
  • Just_Sha
    Just_Sha Posts: 61 Member
    they lose weight by mindful/ intuitive eating. Just stopping when satisfied and not full. Not striving for full just not hungry. Do that and you'll eat less, just naturally.

    I'm just too obsessive to eat without logging it
  • Rockstar_JILL
    Rockstar_JILL Posts: 514 Member
    I lost the bulk of my weight BEFORE I joined MFP...I had 85 lbs. off! I didn't count calories....never even attempted it....It was more about eating less and "cleaner"...and I moved this body lots!!! Never tracked anything BUT my workouts.....Now, I have gained a little over the winter and think I should start tracking, but I feel like I did it on my own before, I can do it on my own again! Not going to track.....I will do it!!

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