Does anyone feel like giving up counting calories

2

Replies

  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I certainly don't plan on doing it forever. I look at it as training wheels -- something to help me learn, but not something to be done permanently. Once I hit my goal weight/size, I'll ditch the calorie counting altogether and just go by size and weight. If I find that I've put on 5-10 lbs, then I may go back for the loss, but otherwise nope. Calorie counting forever is not in my end game.

    One thing I've found that I think helps and will be part of my longterm plan is IFing. I've found it to be a much easier way to meet my weekly calorie goal/deficit and I can see doing that forever. Weeks/months where I put on the weight, then I'll fast 2-3 day/s week rather than just the maintenance one.

    But, as of right now, this is just theoretical -- I may change when I eventually get there.
  • Rambugert13
    Rambugert13 Posts: 5 Member
    EVERDAY!!!!

    I can honestly say that my eating habits have gotten better (thanks to MFP) and got me to give up certain foods by tracking. For myself personally i look more at the total sugar, carbs, fat than opposed to total calories... i can eat good and go over my calories, but just as long as i'm mindful of what i think really matters: Sugar, Fat, Carbs, Sodium.

    thanks to the reminders, i think the first time in 3 years i been on this thing, i actually feel like i will be able to log everything for more than 90 days straight.

    last night i ate an entire container of Talenti Gelato... i mean i did go go over everything, thanks to that... but seeing what i will happen if i keep it up (keeps me from touching the mini kit kats and reese's in my desk drawer at work - lol trust they are for emergency cases only *wink* ; like days i don't have any sugar at all in almost any of my foods, i treat my self to a couple of mini reeses - only 6g of sugar per drop of chocolate!)

    - oh gosh my post is hilarious (reading it back)
  • Eanna_S
    Eanna_S Posts: 6
    I always feel that way. I'd love to stop thinking about food all the time and just eat whenever and whatever I want, I was happier when I did that. I know I can't do that though, it's unhealthy and itl be worth it in the end when I have the body I'm working for and confidence :)
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Sometimes I count them. Sometimes I don't.

    Measuring and weighing every bit of food is a little more obsessive than I want to be.

    I think it's a really good idea at first, especially for the over and underweight people. It really can be enlightening.

    I lost my first 30 or 40 pounds without even thinking about calories. Then I was all wanting to know exactly and committed to doing it. But it didn't work out. I count when I feel like it and don't when I don't. I don't obsess over it. Plus, I'm working on lifestyle changes. When I'm done, I want to be living a better, healthier life, with good habits having replaced bad ones. No struggling, no working, no counting. Eat normal amounts of healthy food. That's the goal!!
  • ihad
    ihad Posts: 7,463 Member
    Nope. I don't feel restricted at all. I eat all the yummy foods, just less than before, which happen to fall within my calorie goal. I actually like logging because it allows me to see patterns, or see if I'm lacking a macro, or if I have room for a little extra ice cream. I think logging is actually pretty fun.

    this right here.
    it's like putting together the same puzzle day by day... and not winding up with missing pieces at the end when you hit those macros spot on.

    This. Day 365. Such useful, valuable info.
  • retrobaby
    retrobaby Posts: 613 Member
    Nope!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Of course. And I know exactly what happens when I do that. I slowly (or maybe rapidly) resume my former intake and go back up to "around 280."
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    Nope. I don't want to go back. I'm fully prepared to do this for the rest of my life. It's worth it to me. I haven't felt this good in so long!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Yep, everyday.

    Every f***ing day.
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    Yep, everyday.

    Every f***ing day.

    I 3rd that^^
  • grubb1019
    grubb1019 Posts: 371 Member
    No, because I've went that route before and it doesn't work. I gave up last fall and gained 15 lbs and felt like crap again. I've been consistent now since about March and I'm in a groove. It starts to get easier and become pretty natural after a while. Don't give up because it does get easier.
  • KameHameHaaaa
    KameHameHaaaa Posts: 837 Member
    Oh yeah. I've been using MFP off and on since 2008. There have been many times I stopped counting calories...and each time I started gaining weight. So nope...not this time...gotta stick to it.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    Once I"ve figured out what my actual maintenance calories are I might stop logging since I eat pretty well the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch and have a few different things I tend to eat for dinner that tend to be around the same amount of calories. Of course, If i were to change up what I'm eating, or change the amount or type of exercise I'm doing I'll probably log again for a while just to make sure the change hasn't made me lose or gain.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Today, less than anything in the world, I wanted to work out. But I did it.:smile:
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
    Sometimes I do want to give up. But I know what will happen...I'll gain it back and then some. And then what? I just balloon up to the point that I can barely walk? Or have a heart attack before I hit 50?

    No thanks. There is nothing left for me back in my old habits. I would rather keep counting, even though it sucks some days.
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member
    I sometimes feel like giving up and go back to my old lifestyle of eating whatever I want and not worry about counting calories. But then again , i would end up ganing weight back.Does anyone feels the same?Like you are stricted

    I sometimes do feel like giving up but I also want to feel good in the clothes I have, I want to feel healthy and I want to be a fit, active, happy person in my 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. I want to be able to live independently when I am elderly, surrounded by little animals, which means being fit & active.

    There is only one way to achieve those goals - be mindful of what eat and exercise regularly. :wink:
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Yes.

    That's why I don't count calories.
  • Domineer
    Domineer Posts: 239 Member
    The only calories I count is the ones I burn during a workout. I eye ball my food and know after trial and error how to eat a reasonable portion.
  • SteveMayer831
    SteveMayer831 Posts: 10 Member
    I joined MFP *BECAUSE* I wanted to count my food intake against a daily goal.
    Before, I was eating anything, and had no daily calorie goal. I *thought* I was being food-frugal, but hadn't a clue.
    Now, I can measure my daily intake against that goal, and modify it as necessary during the day.

    Steve
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    OP- You said you feel restricted. Instead of giving up completely and eating whatever you want, maybe try just loosening the leash. Eat at maintenance for a little while, or a shallower deficit.

    Or do post-logging-- Eat what you want for the day but log it at the end, from memory, just to see it. You're not restricting, you're just looking at your choices, without judgement. It helps to be aware that whether we count the calories up or not, our bodies do.

    Or try some of the other ways of making good choices mentioned in the thread. Use visuals to guide your portions. Choose more whole foods. Etc.

    It doesn't have to be "weigh and count every bite before eating it and keep it at 1200" or a "free-for-all". Success lies in finding the moderation in the middle.

    Good luck!
  • Domineer
    Domineer Posts: 239 Member
    I don't count calories...but that doesn't mean I'm not mindful of what I consume. I don't need to count calories to eat appropriate foods in appropriate quantities...but I do have to be mindful...you can't just do whatever and expect anything good to come of it.

    I don't count calories, but I eat very healthfully both in RE to quality and quantity and I move my *kitten*...

    Yes, I live by this!!
  • oOoBLUEoOo
    oOoBLUEoOo Posts: 40
    I have to have days off of counting for mental health and motivation. If I have a day off to look forward to it makes the counting days bearable. It's what is working for me lately.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I don't log meals out (which is maybe usually 2x per month), but no, I never feel like not logging. Aside from the reassurance I'm hitting my macros and fiber as much as my calories, it helps me plan meals so I know if I need to get any groceries and I can make dinner super-fast when the family's screaming with hunger. It takes 10-15 mins every day and then I'm done.
  • Debssssssssss
    Debssssssssss Posts: 84 Member
    At least once a week that old fat debs calls out to go on a big binge fest.

    But then the new smaller debs tells that wench to shut the hell up get back in it's corner.

    :smile:
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Honestly no, I am kind of addicted to doing this I think. I DO find that as I am closer to goal I am more likely to have 1 or 2 times a week that I'll go over (usually just by like 100-ish calories) and not care. Sometimes I feel a bit nervous about that but I prefer to think that it will prepare me for maintenance.

    I plan on logging forever. I don't wanna go back over 200 lb again, I spent tooooo much of my life there (I am at 173 and for me that's a huge deal because I am 37 and had not been this size since 7th grade)
  • galenofedgewood
    galenofedgewood Posts: 146 Member
    BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): It's worth the effort, annoying as it can be, to count calories or at least be very aware of your caloric intake.

    It gets rather annoying to count calories. REALLY annoying. However, I like being lighter and now at a weight I haven't seen since middle school (20 years ago, kind of time-frame here). I don't like how it's so consuming, both in time and effort. I always seem fixated on serving size and calories of a meal. Even when I've been super active that day and I know that I've got plenty of calories left, I still tend to worry about over eating.

    For about six months, I pretty much stopped counting calories (or at least not cared too much). Miraculously, even with eating better, I went back to eating too much and gained almost 20 lbs back.

    So, I get deployed, get reminded by my amazing wife about what a serving size looks like and I start logging things again, and boom, the weight comes flying off again. I'm down almost 30 lbs (if I remember starting at 220 or so at the start of this deployment). Hot damn, I like it. Still have about 10-20 more to go, but hey, it's still amazing.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    I did. Gained 10kg back.

    Back to counting calories and only 6kg off where I was at my lowest.



    Do I want to eat **** food and feel bad about my body? No I don't. Counting calories isn't harmful.
  • gretlarson
    gretlarson Posts: 52 Member
    Counting calories never gets easier for me however in my life I have lost over 100 pounds when I counted calories and exercised. When I got tired of it I gained it all back and then some and I had to start back over. So yes it is a pain especially when you see people everywhere mindlessly eating but you have to do what is best for you and if you are getting results by counting calories then it's probably best to keep doing it!
  • smarieallen85
    smarieallen85 Posts: 535 Member
    No. I'm addicted to it now. I guess it's only been 3 months but I'm a person who loves routine. This is now my routine and I can't imagine what will make me stop.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    No, not really. But I have had a couple IDGAF weeks here and there. Mostly around holidays, but one time I was just in a funk and couldn't get back in nutrition wise. Even then I've been so used to logging that it's really just a habit. I mean it's right there on the phone that I use for all kinds of random things throughout the day. The food scale is right there on the counter. The previous foods or meals pop up once I start typing them in the app or I just use the "yesterday's meal" or copy meal option to duplicate items. MFP has put so much work into this app it and it just really works for me. Whether I'm eating too much or too little, the logging part has really just "worked"

    Do I ever feel like not eating at a deficit and exercising? Well, see above for a portion of that answer. But I don't like the sluggishness and overall feeling of laziness that comes with eating fast food all the time, or indiscriminate quantities of ALL THE FOOD. It's like I'm okay to go on "vacation" for a little bit but ultimately I want to come back to my routine - my way of life. I want to go to my next scheduled exercise class, research the latest gimmick to get myself out for my next run, etc etc. So while I may be human and get into a temporary funk, so far, it seems I actually prefer logging

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