Not counting calories.

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  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    No one asked why I didn't want to log my calories, maybe if you knew why you would support me.

    Maybe after 16 years of having anorexia and bulimia I do not want numbers to rule my life.
    Or when I do track calories, it consumes my thoughts? I become obsessive?

    It may work for you, but for me it doesn't.
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    I am looking for other friends and/or groups who people do not count calories. For me it becomes to obsessive amd I felt for me I wasn't trusting my body. I want to learn to trust my intuition. Today is day three, and I feel great. I'm eating foods for the nutritonal value not the calorie value.

    I'm looking for people who do the same, or want to do the same so we can support each other.

    Hi, I have decided to try intuitive eating, but will still be logging all the food I eat.

    My goal is to get away from thinking "How many calories do I have left?" and instead go for "How hungry do I feel?" and see how it goes.

    You can add me as a friend if this sounds like what you want, but if you don't want to because I will still be logging than that is fine as well.

    I added you :)
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    I am looking for other friends and/or groups who people do not count calories. For me it becomes to obsessive amd I felt for me I wasn't trusting my body. I want to learn to trust my intuition. Today is day three, and I feel great. I'm eating foods for the nutritonal value not the calorie value.

    I'm looking for people who do the same, or want to do the same so we can support each other.

    This is nonsense, it has been proven that it's calorific content that matters, not nutritional value, case in-point - a professor lost 27 pounds eating nothing but sweets at a calorie deficit in order to prove that it's calories that dictate weight loss, not nutrition.

    Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    No matter how good your intuition may be, it will never match up to a simple scale and quantifying your intake.

    Of course calorie balance is the final determinant of whether weight is lost, gained or stay the same. However, while calories count you don't need to count calories to be successful (ie log them manually.)

    The focus on nutritious, minimally processed / refined foods is simply a tool to help prevent over eating because they tend to provide better satiety and greater volume for less calories and therefore makes exceeding your TDEE less likely. This is a hardly a controversial approach. Most diet structures,whether they involve calorie counting or not, make similar recommendations. Where does the OP say she will be eliminating other food items rather than just minimising them?

    Your final statement is reckless however. The best programme is one which suits the individuals needs, preferences and lifestyle, aligns with their goals whilst imposing the least psychological cost. For some that may be calorie counting, for some mindful or intuitive eating.

    You went a long way about telling me I'm right, but thanks for that lol.

    Reckless eh? Never heard of a guy using scales to count his food intake described as reckless before, badass over here.

    Errrr, that's Mr Badass thank you...

    It is reckless because your suggestion was an alternative method could "never match up" to a scale and calorie counting and is therefore by implication inferior. That's untrue because it doesn't account for the psychological reactions some people can have to this method of weight loss which could make it unsuitable (or even very unsuitable if it lead to an ED).

    There is no one true way.
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    I am looking for other friends and/or groups who people do not count calories. For me it becomes to obsessive amd I felt for me I wasn't trusting my body. I want to learn to trust my intuition. Today is day three, and I feel great. I'm eating foods for the nutritonal value not the calorie value.

    I'm looking for people who do the same, or want to do the same so we can support each other.

    This is nonsense, it has been proven that it's calorific content that matters, not nutritional value, case in-point - a professor lost 27 pounds eating nothing but sweets at a calorie deficit in order to prove that it's calories that dictate weight loss, not nutrition.

    Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    No matter how good your intuition may be, it will never match up to a simple scale and quantifying your intake.

    Of course calorie balance is the final determinant of whether weight is lost, gained or stay the same. However, while calories count you don't need to count calories to be successful (ie log them manually.)

    The focus on nutritious, minimally processed / refined foods is simply a tool to help prevent over eating because they tend to provide better satiety and greater volume for less calories and therefore makes exceeding your TDEE less likely. This is a hardly a controversial approach. Most diet structures,whether they involve calorie counting or not, make similar recommendations. Where does the OP say she will be eliminating other food items rather than just minimising them?

    Your final statement is reckless however. The best programme is one which suits the individuals needs, preferences and lifestyle, aligns with their goals whilst imposing the least psychological cost. For some that may be calorie counting, for some mindful or intuitive eating.

    You went a long way about telling me I'm right, but thanks for that lol.

    Reckless eh? Never heard of a guy using scales to count his food intake described as reckless before, badass over here.

    Errrr, that's Mr Badass thank you...

    It is reckless because your suggestion was an alternative method could "never match up" to a scale and calorie counting and is therefore by implication inferior. That's untrue because it doesn't account for the psychological reactions some people can have to this method of weight loss which could make it unsuitable (or even very unsuitable if it lead to an ED).

    There is no one true way.

    You are right there is no true way. My life won't be ruled by numbers again :)
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    After two years of calorie counting religiously and reaching goal for the past 4 or 5 weeks I have stopped logging. I was getting fed up with it and saying I eat the same things pretty much all the time I KNOW I'm ok, plus I've lost a bit more weight since then :-D. It might not work for everyone, but its certainly working for me :)

    wishing you all the best.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    My body "intuitively" told me to eventually gain 120 pounds lol. I think it can work fine for some people who are not severely obese, but for some of us, I guess we need the assistance of a site like this to count calories. I also still weigh and measure all my food even though I probably know what most sizes look like by now. I wish I could just know how much to eat, but I dont think its in my future. I need the control counting calories gives me.
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    No one asked why I didn't want to log my calories, maybe if you knew why you would support me.

    Maybe after 16 years of having anorexia and bulimia I do not want numbers to rule my life.
    Or when I do track calories, it consumes my thoughts? I become obsessive?

    It may work for you, but for me it doesn't.
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    My body "intuitively" told me to eventually gain 120 pounds lol. I think it can work fine for some people who are not severely obese, but for some of us, I guess we need the assistance of a site like this to count calories. I also still weigh and measure all my food even though I probably know what most sizes look like by now. I wish I could just know how much to eat, but I dont think its in my future. I need the control counting calories gives me.

    I still need to learn to do it, like anything it is a skill to learn.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
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    No one asked why I didn't want to log my calories, maybe if you knew why you would support me.

    Maybe after 16 years of having anorexia and bulimia I do not want numbers to rule my life.
    Or when I do track calories, it consumes my thoughts? I become obsessive?

    It may work for you, but for me it doesn't.

    Many eating disorder specialists recommend not tracking calories.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    No one asked why I didn't want to log my calories, maybe if you knew why you would support me.

    Maybe after 16 years of having anorexia and bulimia I do not want numbers to rule my life.
    Or when I do track calories, it consumes my thoughts? I become obsessive?

    It may work for you, but for me it doesn't.

    I hope you don't mind, but I edited your first post. A large portion will read the first post and jump to conclusions. Hopefully the edits will limit that.


    I wish you the best. As much as I would hate to say it, there probably isn't a whole lot of people who take this approach on this board since it's a calorie counting website. Yes, it's a fitness website but based around the science of calorie counting. I know for me, the only way to guarantee weight loss is calorie counting. I know I can sustain weight without counting but rarely lose.
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    No one asked why I didn't want to log my calories, maybe if you knew why you would support me.

    Maybe after 16 years of having anorexia and bulimia I do not want numbers to rule my life.
    Or when I do track calories, it consumes my thoughts? I become obsessive?

    It may work for you, but for me it doesn't.

    Many eating disorder specialists recommend not tracking calories.

    That's why my dr asked me to stop. It's sending me backwards.
  • JonathanLepoff
    JonathanLepoff Posts: 46 Member
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    since this is a site pretty much devoted to counting calories you may be in the wrong place.
    I do get your point though
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    since this is a site pretty much devoted to counting calories you may be in the wrong place.
    I do get your point though

    I think I am in the right place because we all want the same, to be healthy. :)
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
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    Looking at other people's reactions. :noway:

    While calorie counting is a successful weight loss/management tool for many people, it is not the only succesful method, and for other people other methods may be more suitable.

    Intuitive eating is NOT how I got overweight, eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted did.

    That is NOT intuitive eating, intuitive eating is learning to listen to the bodies physical signals of hunger and fullness, and to eat for those reasons, instead of eating for psychological reasons.

    Intuitive eating is also not for everyone (e.g. some people may have distorted hunger signals).

    Everyone needs to find the methods which work best for themselves.
  • bev_erley
    bev_erley Posts: 3 Member
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    Mysterious and bev come and join us at 3fc pals group. We have just started our group. I do hunger and satiety ratings which is a kind of Intuitive eating. I know a fair bit about it. And can show you the system i've learnt and find useful.

    Others in our group know it too.

    I've just stopped with the calorie counting - i do it sometimes but mostly i prefer not to.

    I am also into cooking and eating whole foods.

    hi im new here and a bit lost how things work...how do i add myself to ur group please?
  • opus649
    opus649 Posts: 633 Member
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    I intuitively want a doughnut right now, the numbers tell me my body is a liar.

    :drinker: I'd kill for a doughnut or six....
  • Patttience
    Patttience Posts: 975 Member
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    Hi Beverly, i think you have to find the groups - go up to the menu above in the dark blue line, then i think you can browse or search for the one you want. 3fc pals.

    Welcome to our new group.

    Mysterious you will find at least one person with similar challenges to you in our group so i encourage you to join us.

    I have also worked (as a receptionist) in an eating disorders clinic and learned quite a bit about it.

    Our hunger and satiety rating system we follow can fit in with any other system pretty much. It will help you avoid over eating and also underrating if that's an issue too.

    Its a good system if you tend to be obsessive. While you are learning you do need to log your food and keep a diary for a short period until you've internalised the system. I like logging my food so i continue to do it.

    here's an example:
    Hunger rating before breakfast today: -2 (-2 - quite hungry which means and i'd like to eat something now, perhaps a snack or a light meal
    log: 1 piece of halloumi in 1tsp olive oil, 1 fried egg, 1 cup steamed kale, 1 coffee with 1/3 cup milk
    Satiety rating: +3 (+3 Elegantly satisfied - which meansMy body is relaxed and comfortable and if i ate any more i would begin to feel over full.

    Ratings are 0-4
  • stephgas
    stephgas Posts: 159 Member
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    i'm trying not to become obsessive with my counting again. i've struggled with the counting in the past. i hadn't heard of intuitive eating but it sounds like a good idea. i've only started logging again three days ago and already i'm trying to gauge how many calories i have left for how much food >.<

    i like this idea - it's like retraining our thoughts. tonight is always pizza night and i always eat a lot. part of me was thinking, eff it - eating pizza one night a week didn't make me fat. after reading this, i'm thinking, hey - maybe i should listen more carefully to my body and decide when i feel satisfied, then stop eating.

    and then after that, when i feel satisfied and am done eating, THEN i'll log. maybe that's the key for me. yes, weight loss is about calories in/calories out - but for many people, the act of logging or counting is incredibly unhealthy.
  • bev_erley
    bev_erley Posts: 3 Member
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    Hi Beverly, i think you have to find the groups - go up to the menu above in the dark blue line, then i think you can browse or search for the one you want. 3fc pals.

    Welcome to our new group.

    Mysterious you will find at least one person with similar challenges to you in our group so i encourage you to join us.

    I have also worked (as a receptionist) in an eating disorders clinic and learned quite a bit about it.

    Our hunger and satiety rating system we follow can fit in with any other system pretty much. It will help you avoid over eating and also underrating if that's an issue too.

    Its a good system if you tend to be obsessive. While you are learning you do need to log your food and keep a diary for a short period until you've internalised the system. I like logging my food so i continue to do it.

    here's an example:
    Hunger rating before breakfast today: -2 (-2 - quite hungry which means and i'd like to eat something now, perhaps a snack or a light meal
    log: 1 piece of halloumi in 1tsp olive oil, 1 fried egg, 1 cup steamed kale, 1 coffee with 1/3 cup milk
    Satiety rating: +3 (+3 Elegantly satisfied - which meansMy body is relaxed and comfortable and if i ate any more i would begin to feel over full.

    Ratings are 0-4

    thanks found u ok now !!!

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