Can you maintain your weight by not tracking food
Tanie98
Posts: 675 Member
can you maintain your weight by not counting calories and tracking every bite you take as long as you keep up with exercise? When I was in my late teens and 20's andmid 20's .I would loose weight by just going to the gym without watching my diet.I would loose until I reach a healthy weight and just stop loosing and maintain my weight as long as I exercise without watching my diet and eating whatever I wanted.Everytime I get less active or stop going to the gym, I gain the weight back.Then again maybe my metabolism was high since I was younger. Now I am in my late 20's and I gained 2 5 pounds by not exercise and eating too much.So I started going to the gym again before I found this site and lost 10 pounds my own without counting calories. I even had 2 people at work told me that it looks like I am loosing weight.Then I found this site and have been tracking my food and still exercising. The weight is coming off even though the scale is barely moving .I am going to use my skinny jeans to see my progress. I will stop loosing when I can fit into them again. So back to my question, does anyone maintain without counting but keep up wth exercise?
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Replies
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A personal choice really
I tried to maintain without logging food, and failed, so now back to logging
You may do better
Guess it is suck it & see, did not work for me, but you may well be different0 -
Of course you can...there are millions of people who are healthy and fit who have never logged a food diary.
I have maintained for over a year without keeping a diary...but I've also made substantial changes to my diet (noun) and I rock my fitness. Most people who have weight issues fail to actually make any long term, substantial changes to their dietary habits and ultimately slack off on fitness to boot...they soon return to old habits and find themselves back on the yo-yo.0 -
Running marathons and working out six days a week didn't stop me from gaining 20lbs back while not logging. It may work for you, it may not. For me, if I didn't log it, little things tend to get forgotten-- little bites here, cream in coffee, etc. If I didn't log it, it almost doesn't exist. Then before I know it Ive put on weight and can't figure out why because I do workout a lot. I think because i workout more than most people, i felt more justified in rewarding myself. Go a week without logging or two to see how it works for you. If it doesn't seem to be working you can always reevaluate and/or go back to logging0
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If you are really working out at the gym and busting your butt every time you go in there. You're gonna gain muscle and you're gonna use alot of calories to keep your muscles. Basically you'll be able to consume tons of food. Depending on your height you could probably eat 4 meals a day and I'm talking 8oz chicken potato and broccoli. I'll eat 5 of those meals a day when i'm working out. Or i'll eat a dozen eggs and 3 chicken meals every day. That's alot of food, however you could consume that many calories with 3 iced lattes or something from mcdonalds. So basically eat healthy, and exercise and you can eat until you puke.
Good rule of thumb, when you are going food shopping just shop around the edge of the store, never eat anything from the isles. Except for olive oil, mustard, and light vinaigrette. Sames goes when you order food, just look at the ingredients and if it's stuff on the edge of a grocery store then it's okay to eat. Anything on a isle ask them to take it out.0 -
I can't
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If I track my food, I am more honest about what i eat.0
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unfortunately exercise does not give you license to eat until you "puke."If you are really working out at the gym and busting your butt every time you go in there. You're gonna gain muscle and you're gonna use alot of calories to keep your muscles. Basically you'll be able to consume tons of food. Depending on your height you could probably eat 4 meals a day and I'm talking 8oz chicken potato and broccoli. I'll eat 5 of those meals a day when i'm working out. Or i'll eat a dozen eggs and 3 chicken meals every day. That's alot of food, however you could consume that many calories with 3 iced lattes or something from mcdonalds. So basically eat healthy, and exercise and you can eat until you puke.
Good rule of thumb, when you are going food shopping just shop around the edge of the store, never eat anything from the isles. Except for olive oil, mustard, and light vinaigrette. Sames goes when you order food, just look at the ingredients and if it's stuff on the edge of a grocery store then it's okay to eat. Anything on a isle ask them to take it out.0 -
It depends
I believe if you have a weight problem and by this i mean, you have to watch what you eat versus some folks that can eat anything and not put on weight then in my opinion you cannot maintain your weight by exercising and not counting calories.
However
Counting calories can come in many forms. You may have used MFP or counted calories in a dairy for so long that you instinctively know the calories without documenting it. I call this counting calories virtually.
I tried not counting after I hit my target weight but had to go back after 4 months when the lbs started creeping back even though I was exercising 5 days a week. Cardio, lifting and strength0 -
A personal choice really
I tried to maintain without logging food, and failed, so now back to logging
You may do better
Guess it is suck it & see, did not work for me, but you may well be different
ok I see.did you still exercised maintnance?0 -
It depends
I believe if you have a weight problem and by this i mean, you have to watch what you eat versus some folks that can eat anything and not put on weight then in my opinion you cannot maintain your weight by exercising and not counting calories.
However
Counting calories can come in many forms. You may have used MFP or counted calories in a dairy for so long that you instinctively know the calories without documenting it. I call this counting calories virtually.
I tried not counting after I hit my target weight but had to go back after 4 months when the lbs started creeping back even though I was exercising 5 days a week. Cardio, lifting and strength
wow I see0 -
Running marathons and working out six days a week didn't stop me from gaining 20lbs back while not logging. It may work for you, it may not. For me, if I didn't log it, little things tend to get forgotten-- little bites here, cream in coffee, etc. If I didn't log it, it almost doesn't exist. Then before I know it Ive put on weight and can't figure out why because I do workout a lot. I think because i workout more than most people, i felt more justified in rewarding myself. Go a week without logging or two to see how it works for you. If it doesn't seem to be working you can always reevaluate and/or go back to logging
wow ,I guess I now feel more confident tracking my food forever0 -
I joined my fitness pal in 2008 and lost 30 pounds. I kept if off be tracking. My husband got sick with cancer and I focused my attention on him.
I gained most of the weight back. I'm going to try again. I will also try to always track.0 -
Unfortunately, it just proves that you really cannot think you can eat whatever you want as long as you're exercising. I have another marathon in the fall and believe you me, I cannot expect that just because I have gone out on a 13, 15, 20 mile run I can eat several slices of cake plus ice cream. Once you think that way, there's no checks and balances and you will regain weight. Also, I am a young 36 but I am 36. I am in better shape than I was when 18 and couldn't run a mile, but I have to really work harder to keep my weight down now. I am lighter than when I was 18 as well, but my body has become ultra efficient at what I do (run) and now what would cause my younger self to lose weight in a flash doesn't exactly work for me anymore unless I really watch what I eat.Running marathons and working out six days a week didn't stop me from gaining 20lbs back while not logging. It may work for you, it may not. For me, if I didn't log it, little things tend to get forgotten-- little bites here, cream in coffee, etc. If I didn't log it, it almost doesn't exist. Then before I know it Ive put on weight and can't figure out why because I do workout a lot. I think because i workout more than most people, i felt more justified in rewarding myself. Go a week without logging or two to see how it works for you. If it doesn't seem to be working you can always reevaluate and/or go back to logging
wow ,I guess I now feel more confident tracking my food forever0 -
A personal choice really
I tried to maintain without logging food, and failed, so now back to logging
You may do better
Guess it is suck it & see, did not work for me, but you may well be different
ok I see.did you still exercised maintnance?
I do not "work out" as such, but walk about 2 to 3 miles daily weather permitting [I'm 71 BTW]0 -
Yes you can but it helps to monitor your weight as well.0
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Even if you're not actively logging in a diary, you have to be mindful of what you're eating and you can't get lazy with your fitness. You can't just eat whatever and expect to maintain your weight.
As I stated previously, I've maintained for over a year without logging...but I'm always mindful of what I'm eating. My diet (noun) is pretty far removed from the SAD and I exercise regularly...5-6 days per week. While I do eat some "junk" food here and there, it does not make up a substantial part of my diet. My diet overwhelmingly consists of heaping helpings of vegetables, a few servings of fruit daily, lean proteins, and fats coming from nuts and avocados and olives and olive oil, etc.
I can't eat whatever I want by any means...but eating this way allows for quite a bit of volume and I'm a volume eater so this works. I would think someone would have a pretty tough go of maintenance if they were eating the SAD and not pretty meticulously counting calories. The SAD tends to lend itself to overconsumption of high calorie, low nutrition foods.
ETA, a lot of people who exercise a lot also fall into the trap of thinking they can eat whatever they want...you can't....you can eat more for sure, but you can't just eat whatever.0 -
I tried it and it didn't work. I was exercising at least 5 times a week and the scale increased by 10 lbs. I am back to logging in food now.0
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Can YOU?
You won't know until you try. Ultimately it's still dependent on where you end up regarding energy intake vs expenditure over time. Some people can eat intuitively and maintain weight and other people can't. It might require you to modify certain behaviors or habits.0 -
I sure can. My profile has a little blurb about my going a month or 6 weeks or so without logging. While you may be able to do it without formal logging, you can't do it without awareness - you still have to be somewhat aware of what you are eating. You still have to be aware of your metrics (weight, measurements, whatever you like). With the awareness, you can make minor adjustments and maintain without a log.0
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I also start gaining when I stop tracking.
Food logs forever. Sigh.0 -
I haven't try that yet, but I have the feeling that I can't maintain without logging. Eight months ago, I gained 20 pounds, and I was eating too much healthy food and working out four times per week. Plus by logging I can monitor my iron and protein intake.0
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Of course you can...there are millions of people who are healthy and fit who have never logged a food diary.
I have maintained for over a year without keeping a diary...but I've also made substantial changes to my diet (noun) and I rock my fitness. Most people who have weight issues fail to actually make any long term, substantial changes to their dietary habits and ultimately slack off on fitness to boot...they soon return to old habits and find themselves back on the yo-yo.
I'm actually not supposed to be tracking , my dietician is urging me to trust myself. The reason I'm still tracking is I have changed my whole lifestyle and because of that I don't eat enough so I'm trying to learn how to eat more. Every time I make it to at least my base calories, I do a happy dance. :-) also, I was recently diag nosed with silent reflux and the ENT took away all my favorite fooda.
So hopefully I will stabilize this year and stop logging.
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I was going to stop logging and try doing the No S diet; no sweets, no seconds and no snacks except on days that start with S; saturday and sunday. But after thinking about it I realized that logging helps me not underestimate what I am eating. Soooo many hidden calories in everything you eat and drink except water and I am too busy to remember everything that I eat in the course of a day. So for me, I'll continue logging food as well as doing the No S diet.0
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Some people can. I suck at it.
If I'm not actively logging and paying attention I gain.0 -
I do.0
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Yes, I can. But I have never really been overweight. At the most I had 15 lbs to lose and that was back in college: a longer ago time than I want to admit.0
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I would think yes, but you are much more likely to succeed while not tracking if you eat the same several things or close to it every day. In that way although you are not formally tracking calories, you have a system that keeps you on target and close to your energy requirements for the day.
On the other hand, if you stop tracking and then also start adding loads of cookies and pizza and burgers and macaroni and cheese and ice cream and cake to your intake that you weren't eating before...well...you will probably gain it back, even if you're exercising.
just my guess.0 -
I have most definitely learned the hard way that logging is the key to weight loss and staying on track. I was actively logging in consitently a couple yrs ago and lost 12 lbs which was my goal. Sure enough when you feel like you have it "down" you go it along and just the grazing and thinking "oh this is just a little somthing"...thats when the weight starts sneaking up. Logging in makes us accountable for ourself. Good luck and hope this helps.0
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I can't
Me either :grumble:0 -
If I track my food, I am more honest about what i eat.
Yes, I agree.0
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