Counting calories CAN be pointless

OP, you are correct. Counting calories is not the only way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. And it may be pointless for you to do so as a 19 year old who is extremely active.

So.........don't count. The end.

If you are active enough to be in a calorie deficit consistently and your goals are not necessarily body composition related, it isn't strictly necessary.

But you are missing the whole picture.

If you are active enough to be in a calorie deficit consistently and your goals are not necessarily body composition related, it isn't strictly necessary.

But you are missing the whole picture.

Honest question - what's the "whole picture." I don't know the OP's goals, but I'm only counting calories during bulking/cutting cycles.

Are we talking macros, etc? Cuz I feel I have a pretty good handle on them so I don't have to count during maintenance.

I am sedentary by choice of course. I sit at work all day. I do try to get up every hour at least and go up to the front of the building to visit.

I have been counting my calories since I started here 90 some days ago. I am 20 lbs. lighter. Counting calories pointless, Not in my eyes.

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Just wait until you get older, then it really starts to matter.

If you are active enough to be in a calorie deficit consistently and your goals are not necessarily body composition related, it isn't strictly necessary.

But you are missing the whole picture.

Honest question - what's the "whole picture." I don't know the OP's goals, but I'm only counting calories during bulking/cutting cycles.

Are we talking macros, etc? Cuz I feel I have a pretty good handle on them so I don't have to count during maintenance.

The whole picture is taking into account a person's current and future goals. Is the person simply trying to drop a few pounds? Or drop a lot of weight? Do they intend to build muscle/strength afterward? Will they compete in cycling/strength/bodybuilding competitions? Do they have any special medical issues? Etc.

...Like I run and workouts six, seven times a week. I typically run a good six or seven miles and do plenty of strength training. Anyone feel at time that counting calories is pointless, especially when you're as or almost as active as me?

Years ago, I trained for a marathon (my first) without counting calories and I actually gained a couple of pounds over time. (No, it wasn't muscle gain, LOL.) Clearly, since I wasn't paying attention, I packed on some weight because training made me hungry and I ate above and beyond my caloric needs. The last several times I've trained that hasn't been an issue since I keep track of my calories now. Not pointless. Exercise doesn't give you carte blanche to ignore your intake. I know plenty of active people who are still overweight because they ignore their nutritional needs. If it works for you, that's fine, but some of us need to keep track. :drinker:

ETA: I see that you are 19. That explains everything. When I was 19, I didn't have to count calories either. Don't worry, your time will come...

I think a better argument would be if it is as stone cold necessary as is often spouted rather than if it is pointless. There is definitely a point to it, but not absolutely necessary. You can hammer in a few nails with a brick, but using a hammer is more efficient.

You can't out lift or outrun a bad diet. I stopped counting calories and gained a lot of my weight back.

My experience was the same. I figured that since I was so active that there was no point in counting calories anymore.

Jinkies! I was sure wrong about that one.

You are 19. You won't be saying it's useless 3-5 years from now.

Anyone feel at time that counting calories is pointless, especially when you're as or almost as active as me?

It might be for you. I don't know if I'd have done it at 19 (I was in pretty good shape, a healthy weight and active, and could generally eat what I wanted and not gain, although I always thought I should be thinner), but I kind of wish I'd had something like MFP available to me at the time. I might have understood how to track my nutrition and how to lose a few pounds and if I'd felt like I could figure out the weight I wanted to be I might have felt better about the weight I was. Or, even better, I might have discovered strength training!

But at my current age and weight calorie counting is definitely not pointless for me, even though I'm sure I could manage to lose without it. I think it's the most sensible way for me to lose and keep up my own activity without eating more or less than I'd like to. Plus, I still think it's kind of fun.

Congrats on losing all your weight without counting calories. I also did that once and ended up undereating and losing a bunch of muscle. It left me skinny fat and I wasn't very happy. After doing a 15 week bulk, this time I'm counting calories during my cut. And guess what? I'm almost down to the same low weight I was...and I'm not skinny fat this time around.

So I'd have to disagree with you that counting calories is stupid. It is a tool. If you don't like it, that's fine. If you don't feel you need it, that's just dandy. But please don't go around posting that it's stupid when the majority of MFP members count calories.

Agreed.

The awesome recipes, right?

Out of new ideas for cauliflower, no doubt.

Why isn't everyone skinny and hot like me? It's not hard.

:explode:

Urge to kill...rising.

This made me LOL hard. :laugh: