Can you maintain your weight by not tracking food

245

Replies

  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Some can. Some can't. I, personally, can. Find out what works for you.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    Can you maintain your financial life without knowing how much money you have in your checking account?

    I know people who do, but I've never able to do so.

    For me, weight management is no different.
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    A lot of people go on routine. Or they log consistently when in maintenance to get an idea for what their allowances are, and then slowly wean off.

    A lot of it is learning portion control and consistency. I know if I don't log it, sometimes I forget I've eaten it, especially if it's something that's not filling.

    Personal choice, but it doesn't have to be all one way or the other. If you notice you're not maintaining, go back to logging for a while and find where your problem spot is!
  • julesribar
    julesribar Posts: 43 Member
    My personal thought is no. I tried going it alone about a yr ago and liittle by little the weight crept back so now I am back with a vengance!!! Hope this helps :smile:
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    Over 5 years ago (more like 7....ack, I'm getting old), I lost 70 lbs, and kept all but 10 lbs of it off for several years without logging...but I exercised a lot, including a lot of running and doing P90X. Eventually I began gaining more, but I never stopped the process of re-gaining once it began. I stopped caring and working at it. I think as long as you continue to weigh yourself, and notice how your clothes fit, you can. And if you start to notice you're having trouble...go back to logging again for a while.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Yes, I can....at least so far. That being said I guess I still count calories in my head and just go off of those estimations, but don't actually log.

    My TDEE is pretty high though so it's quite a bit easier for me which kinda falls in line with the post above about balancing your checkbook. It's much easier to live on estimations when your TDEE/bank balance is higher.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    I lost the ~ 40 lb I needed to before I found MFP. I tracked for a while mainly to follow carbs for my prediabetes. When I got a handle on that (coupled with blood sugar readings), I quit tracking. I've been in maintenance for about 2 years. I just stay for the friends and the forum now!

    I track my weight on a scale occasionally and if I see an upwards trend, I know I've started to drift, so I'll re-adjust. Since maintaining, my heaviest has been about 175 lb, but usually I'm around 170-172.

    Do keep exercising, but do it for your health, not for weight. Weight control should primarily be from your diet.

    If you feel you have a good idea about correct portion size etc for you, then give it a go and see.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    A lot of people can and do.

    It's down to the individual, at how intuitive they are with thier portions.

    Give it a go and see. The worst that will happen is it won't work for you and you may add on a couple of pounds that you will need to shift again.

    Good Luck
  • orlandogirl97
    orlandogirl97 Posts: 30 Member
    Not even going to try! It's a lifestyle change which for me includes tracking my food and exercise. If I was paying attention to my food and exercise in the first place...I would not have put the weight on:wink:
  • orlandogirl97
    orlandogirl97 Posts: 30 Member
    If I track my food, I am more honest about what i eat.

    THIS!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    No logging here. Maintaining just fine.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I'm going to add in that if you're just logging without being mindful of forming better habits around food then it's not as likely that you would be able to maintain when not logging.

    But one could establish better eating habits while logging and potentially learn how to auto regulate (to some degree) your food intake through those habits so that perhaps one day you can get to a place that you can maintain without logging, or perhaps maintain with minimal or intermittent logging.
  • gelar93
    gelar93 Posts: 160
    While tracking what you eat makes you more cautious about what you eat, if you track your food for a while, you get a good idea of how much you should be eating and then you can basically guesstimate and well if you feel a bit heavier, just work it out
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Some people learn to get really good at "mindful eating" and just instinctively know when their limit is reached and when to stop eating. The only way to know for sure if you have this ability is to try to maintain on your own with no tracking for a month or two, and see what happens to your weight.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Right now, my logging is especially helpful in making sure I eat ENOUGH calories. So it goes both ways.

    I maintained a healthy weight just eating and normal fitness until I was 40 and my metabolism slowed down. I was still okay until 50 when it really slowed down and I hit the top of the 'healthy' weight category.

    Lost it easily logging.

    I use my log now to help me stay mindful. I think I could maintain without it, but I would do it by weighing and going back to logging if my weight went up. And I just enjoy it.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    I think it depends on the person. I now track my food, but I don't log my food. What's the difference? When I was in my weight-loss phase, I logged everything I ate using a food scale, measuring cups, and spoons. When I got to maintenance two years ago, I knew I couldn't keep doing that. For me, having a healthy relationship with food means not weighing and measuring everything. But I still wanted to track what I'm eating, to keep an eye on my macros and micros. So now I eyeball and guesstimate. Sure, it's not nearly as accurate calorie wise as before, but two years of maintaining my weight loss gives me a lot of confidence that this system is a good fit for me.
  • CleanUpWhatIMessedUp
    CleanUpWhatIMessedUp Posts: 206 Member
    Sure you can. Millions of people maintain their weight every day and they don't track what they eat. Some people can and some people can't.
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
    In the future I will try to do it, but not for a long time until I am confident that maintenance is deeply acquired. I have a lifetime of obesity and this won't be erased by magic! Got to learn and it will take time and efforts...
  • shayemimi
    shayemimi Posts: 203 Member
    Weather you log on here or not, your body will log for you. If you eat over maintenance continually you will gain. Logging here (or anywhere) just keeps you mindful of where your at. If you can do that without using this tool, awesome. I like using the tool :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm going to add in that if you're just logging without being mindful of forming better habits around food then it's not as likely that you would be able to maintain when not logging.

    as someone who doesn't log and has maintained for over a year, I just want to belabor this point. It is very important IMHO.
  • Jsoliz0525
    Jsoliz0525 Posts: 7 Member
    I have tried tracking my food in the past...and it never fail that I gain weight! I do much better at maintaining/losing by just watching what I eat and not tracking.
    But as someone said in a previous post it's a personal preference...you have to find what works best for you
  • laynerich15
    laynerich15 Posts: 1,918 Member
    You can Loose, Maintain or Gain with out logging- fitness didn't start with MFP.

    But I would ask this question.

    Why are you here?

    If you have a 100% handle on your weight and have a life style that support being healthy then why would anyone sign up to the internet to keep in shape?

    I guess what I am trying to say is "its your body/life" and you need to figure out weather out you have the knowledge or will power to maintain your weight/ fitness goals.
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 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?

    Yes I did for 5-6 months until I went on a bulk, just started counting calories again now that I finished my 10 month bulk and am back to cutting. When i hit 180 I will reduce cardio and continue to monitor what I eat but not weigh and measure everything.
  • lildee0216
    lildee0216 Posts: 16 Member
    When I was tracking my food for a few months, I was in the best shape and my body was looking good. My progress pics showed and so did the scale. I went off the deep end....stopped logging in food but I still exercised! I still ran my half marathons and I went to the gym and I gained it all back. =(

    I'm back to the first week after a few months of not logging in. I think this is the best way for me to make sure I'm held accountable for the crappy foods I end up indulging in.

    -Diana
  • Siannah
    Siannah Posts: 456 Member
    I have been maintaining for about 3 years. I weigh myself every now and then and whenever I go up more than about 3-4lbs, that's when I start tracking here again. As long as I'm at my normal weight, I don't log food/exercise.

    At the moment unfortunately I am slightly above my ideal weight, so I'm tracking and weighing food again and and log my exercise. But hopefully I can let it all relax again a bit more in a few weeks.
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
    I can.
    I do keep weighing myself periodically to see if there was an upward trend.

    Sorry to be annoying but can you please spell it L.O.S.E.?
    Loose is something that is the opposite of tight.
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
    I'm going to add in that if you're just logging without being mindful of forming better habits around food then it's not as likely that you would be able to maintain when not logging.

    But one could establish better eating habits while logging and potentially learn how to auto regulate (to some degree) your food intake through those habits so that perhaps one day you can get to a place that you can maintain without logging, or perhaps maintain with minimal or intermittent logging.

    YES YES YES very much so.
  • MindyG150
    MindyG150 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I tried...now I'm working on 10 pounds....just saying :)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I think it depends on the person. I now track my food, but I don't log my food. What's the difference? When I was in my weight-loss phase, I logged everything I ate using a food scale, measuring cups, and spoons. When I got to maintenance two years ago, I knew I couldn't keep doing that. For me, having a healthy relationship with food means not weighing and measuring everything. But I still wanted to track what I'm eating, to keep an eye on my macros and micros. So now I eyeball and guesstimate. Sure, it's not nearly as accurate calorie wise as before, but two years of maintaining my weight loss gives me a lot of confidence that this system is a good fit for me.

    Interesting. This is almost exactly the change I made when I went to maintenance a year ago. I also stopped worrying about tiny things I knew added just 10 or 20 calories. Yeah, I ate both brocolli and cauliflauer mixed, but if I just log brocolli, it will be fine.

    Maintained for a year and now, without trying, I seem to have lost 5 pounds. That logging is helpful in making sure you eat ENOUGH. too.

Categories