Have you ever just wanted to quit and...

KM0692
KM0692 Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
try and do this yourself, by cutting back on portion sizes, cutting out the junk and NOT counting calories??? I get really depressed when I think about having to do this for the rest of my life. My mom always said "if you want to drop a few pounds, just cut out the junk food and go for a daily walk." I only have 10 lbs. to lose to get back to my ideal weight, but I am so tired of counting calories, tracking, thinking about food...."how many calories is this?" "do I have enough calories left today for this?" etc, etc

I just want to be one of those "normal" people that doesn't count calories....they just eat reasonable portions and stop when they're no longer hungry. If they want a cookie, they have one (not three) and are happy. I don't want the thought of food consuming me anymore!!! :(
«1

Replies

  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
    You know I felt like this a few months ago. And I even stopped counting. Guess what? I gained. Even people who don't count are still mindful of what they eat and how much. Calorie counting is a tool. While those people may have portion control built in because they grew up with it, I don't. Hence I use counting as my portion control. I will be doing this for the rest of my life. Because I don't ever want to be fat again. :flowerforyou:
  • Psychdoll74
    Psychdoll74 Posts: 16
    God yes. Many times actually. It seems tedious but it's really the only way you know for sure unless you know the calories in everything you eat by heart and can add them all easily in your head.
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,007 Member
    For years I felt like quitting and always did quit. That's until I found mfp. I dont want to quit this. Its not a diet its a new way of life and I love it. I wish this program existed 20 years ago.
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    I think we would all like to be one of those normal people. We are not and that is why we are here. It is what it is. I don't have a full button so I have to log or be fat. I have to exercise. I eat a lot of chicken,turkey and fish and veggies. I would eat pizza every night if I could. It is hard but it is harder to be overweight.
  • dotcomee
    dotcomee Posts: 36 Member
    It's tough when NOBODY you know counts the same way. If it wasn't for being able to read these forums, there's no way I would have stuck with it.
  • wannakimmy
    wannakimmy Posts: 488 Member
    Yep, I feel this way from time to time too. For me, I know I will have to do this for a good long time. Perhaps over time I will be able to eyeball things and be ok, but I have been overweight my entire adult life. It will take lots of time to make the correct adjustments in my life. I am fortunate enough to have friends and family that have been very supportive of my new lifestyle. It does get old looking at everything as a calorie instead of food, but it is what has helped me thus far. Good luck OP, and keep it up, it will be worth it!
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
    It's tough when NOBODY you know counts the same way. If it wasn't for being able to read these forums, there's no way I would have stuck with it.

    Same here. My family thinks I have an eating disorder lol :bigsmile:
  • CupcakesMom2
    CupcakesMom2 Posts: 154 Member
    For those of you who think no one else is counting calories. The people out there who we perceive as slim, most of them are doing something to maintain their weight even if they do a good job pretending otherwise. They might be eating only one meal a day (the meal you see them eating) or they have days where they hardly eat anything but it does not happen by magic. I realize everyone is different and we can all give examples of people who eat alot and don't gain weight. But most people out there who are not weight challenged are doing something to keep their weight down even if they hide that they are doing it.
  • elle2max
    elle2max Posts: 10 Member
    Always. I wish I could be one of those people who was naturally drawn to the better choice of food and/or who enjoys working out/fitness but alas I'm not. It's a daily battle that I suspect will last a lifetime.
  • tbrown1974
    tbrown1974 Posts: 30 Member
    I would love to quit and not worry about every single thing I eat. But I know me and I'm a liar (when it comes to food). I will tell myself its really not that much, or its just this one time....and I don't mean it. Tracking makes me accountable to myself. I hope over time I learn to lie less. :) so until then, I'm happy to track. Tracking shows results....relying on me to be honest about what I eat...not so much.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    And how old are you, Miss Original Poster?
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 170 Member
    Hi there. I actually don't count calories, but I'm cognizant of the calories in foods and eyeball portion sizes. I made rules for myself such as have one slice of toast instead of 2, have one slice of pizza instead of half the entire pizza, etc. I also space out my meals every 4-5 hours or I'll just keep eating. I eat 3 times per day plus one snack. I lost 13 pounds from the end of November to the end of January doing this. Then I stalled but was ok with the loss and maintained it until last week. I consider this a success because I did not gain back any of the 13 pounds that I lost. My rules had become habits and I was able to successfully maintain my weight loss. Weight loss and maintenance is as much about physiology as it is about habits. Last week I added a few more rules along with exercise and I am losing again. I'll continue with these rules until I stall again and then create new rules. I'm actually loving exercise- it's so awesome and wish I started months ago, but it's ok.

    I still consider this a diet though because my body is unable to tell me when to stop eating. I have two very thin coworkers who eat whatever they want, but it's always small portions and they have no problem leaving leftovers. Their hunger-fullness cues are not broken like the rest of us. Until my body can tell me when to stop eating I guess I'll always be on a diet.

    Don't get me wrong, I see tremendous value from tracking calories and have learned quite a bit from this site. The problem for me is that I have diet fatigue so want to make this as easy as possible.

    Good luck everyone!

    Oh, I'm 5'4 160 lbs and want to get to 130.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Nope, I don't want to be normal. Normal people arn't shredded so that's why I'm going to count calories for the rest of my life.
  • GammaKathy
    GammaKathy Posts: 14 Member
    It's tough when NOBODY you know counts the same way. If it wasn't for being able to read these forums, there's no way I would have stuck with it.

    I flew through my first 25 pounds of loss and then it became harder and harder to stick with this. My husband has NEVER been on board. I had a GREAT fitness partner on MFP and in real life until a couple months ago. That buddy walked away from this for many reasons, but mainly because of fatigue with doing everything needed to improve life. I totally blew off everything temporarily, but now am back in. I may be a 58 yr old Gamma, but mentally MUCH younger. I have made the conscious step finally of realizing that I am important! SOOOOOO....... here I go again for the remaining 20 pounds. I also acknowledge that this may be my nuisance for a lot of years. But, better this nuisance than the alternative of spending those years with a wide *kitten* glued in a chair or on a cart watching the world go by.
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
    And how old are you, Miss Original Poster?

    I've always wondered what OP meant... :bigsmile:
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
    You know I felt like this a few months ago. And I even stopped counting. Guess what? I gained. Even people who don't count are still mindful of what they eat and how much. Calorie counting is a tool. While those people may have portion control built in because they grew up with it, I don't. Hence I use counting as my portion control. I will be doing this for the rest of my life. Because I don't ever want to be fat again. :flowerforyou:

    Ditto. Indeed. Amen. Me too. Then repeat.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    I'm in my 60s. So my answer to your question is OF COURSE. Many times. Including last year when after I'd lost 22 pounds in about 3 months I decided to "take a break." I resumed back here 40 days ago at 1 pound more than before I'd started MFP last year. Think of how much closer I would have been to goal if I hadn't taken off 7 months and slowly put what I lost back on.

    I've probably lost a ton in my life -- sadly, just the same pounds over and over. Don't use me as your model.
  • Desifreckle
    Desifreckle Posts: 110 Member
    I've felt this way before, but after awhile it became second nature and I remembered how many calories were in everything. I could go a whole day just calculating calories in my head (pretty accurately) without writing them down or tracking them at this point. I know I will always have to be conscious of what I eat, but most of people are it's just some of them have been doing it all their lives and don't notice it.
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    I feel the same way! I just wanna be normal! Even made a post about it on here. People made me think of it differently though. Just think of it as a normal thing to do like showering, brushing your teeth etc. I'll take it over being fat any day! Maybe once you go on maintenance for awhile, try it for a week or 2 (not logging) You might do fine!
  • malcolmjcooper
    malcolmjcooper Posts: 79 Member
    Haha me too
    And how old are you, Miss Original Poster?

    I've always wondered what OP meant... :bigsmile:
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member

    I just want to be one of those "normal" people that doesn't count calories....they just eat reasonable portions and stop when they're no longer hungry. If they want a cookie, they have one (not three) and are happy. I don't want the thought of food consuming me anymore!!! :(

    Not since I found MFP and started eating Keto (high fat). Obesity is becoming the new "normal" so I am happy to continue spending a bit of my daily time on the internet doing something positive for my life long well being.


    And I found eating a high fat/low carb diet really helped me get a handle on being preoccupied with food. I don't get that crazy hunger I used to get. I sometimes still eat just because I am distracted or bored, but I find it much easier not to bring cookies into the house now the cupboards are full of cream, peanut butter and bacon.
  • KM0692
    KM0692 Posts: 178 Member
    And how old are you, Miss Original Poster?

    Hmmm, not sure how to take this? That sounded a little sarcastic. :( And what does age have to with it?
  • KM0692
    KM0692 Posts: 178 Member
    Haha me too
    And how old are you, Miss Original Poster?

    I've always wondered what OP meant... :bigsmile:

    Huh???
  • tarcotti
    tarcotti Posts: 205 Member
    I was just thinking this today, how ironic is it to see this topic!! I just hit the 25 lbs mark, and today I find myself bored with my routine. Bored with the same food. I need to mix it up! Bored with adding the calories in especially. I then realized, if I change up my food, I'll have to find all the food in the MFP database, and that takes so long to do! Maybe I should just do good old fashioned pen and paper lol.
  • princess71903
    princess71903 Posts: 56 Member
    AMEN!! Its only been 9 days and I already feel like doing this is gonna give me an eating disorder
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I've been here for well over three years now and I find it to be super easy. It's a habit for me, and no more difficult and time consuming than brushing and flossing my teeth every day. It's a small effort to make to maintain my health and appearance. It's no more depressing to monitor my nutrition and physical activity than it is to keep track of my personal hygiene or household chores, etc... It's just another part of my daily life.

    Hopefully, it will get easier for you with time. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    I've quit MFP twice already...

    on the surface I love food, food is fuel and good and delicious... (what I eat anyways) I like chicken and rice and quinoa and veggies and I'm okay with water and all sorts of other good for you things(not into deprivation/ elimination at all)

    I can eat a balanced meal with 100g of protein and be full and content at a 500 calorie deficient (balanced weekly)

    Some where in my subconscious though... I have a food aversion.. I do not feel hungry on a daily normal basis(I didn't eat breakfast till 5pm today and I got up at 11) If I'm not tracking I get down to 700-1000 calories on a daily basis(based on tracking my normal graze) and then I binge in social situations, parties, or even just snacking at home... I don't hide it, heck I don't even notice it when it's happening, but it's enough to were I gain weight. I chronically under eat and binge eat.

    I cannot do "portion control" to eat healthy... I think I would drive myself crazy knowing what I know about my habits, second guessing and double checking and obsessing over if I was eating enough or not..

    My initial starting weight was 167(see my start date over there) << My starting weight was 181 about 50 days ago(restarted tracking on the wrong profile first 43 days this round /josieami) I've lost about 30 pounds between all my visits to MFP, if I had been consistent I could have already went through a bulk and cut if I wanted too...(which I can totally see me doing after I reach goal)

    For me it's worth it. I already tried "the other way" several times, and even after being educated in nutrition and everything else that I learned on here, I can't keep it straight on my own. So here I am and here I'll stay. :)

    (side note- not trying to hijack, but if anyone finds themselves agreeing with what I've written and in need of another pal feel free to hit me up. Also- I don't tend to prefer friend that eat. thx :) )
  • Mykaelous
    Mykaelous Posts: 231 Member
    Why would I want to quit something that works?
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    I felt like this and stopped counting calories and gained 20 lbs back, now down 10 of those 20 and I feel better when counting and happier. So for me it's best to do this for the rest of my life, it just makes me happier to know what goes into my body and how much goes into my body.
  • MindyG150
    MindyG150 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I get you more than you know.....

Categories