Is calorie counting really a lifetime/long term solution?

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Tatarataa
Tatarataa Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I am always so insecure about what method for weight loss I should apply, especially as I have got issues with emotional eating/binge eating. I have tried intuitive eating several times and always failed and also other methods like eating certain foods only or restricting eating to certain times...so far the calorie counting was working best for me. However, I am insecure as many therapists and weight loss experts and also especially the intuitive eating authors and community account calorie counting responsible for most binge eating problems. What do you think and what is your experience? Is calorie counting a lifetime solution? I am almost ready to think so and give it a go (and of course at the meantime try to work on my binge eating as well)....I just need some supporters that can tell me "yes" you can decide for calorie couning and NOT feel deprived but free by doing it and relying on it forever!

Many thanks for your answers,
Tata
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Replies

  • Childfree1991
    Childfree1991 Posts: 145 Member
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    It may depend solely on the individual. My friend for example lost 20 pounds so far (and still losing) by calorie counting. She eats whatever she wants as long as its in her calorie reach. She does a little bit of exercise here and there. She eats under 1500 calories I think she said.
    I however, lost my weight once I ate closer to nature and switched from cardio to weight training. I don't count calories. I eat when I feel real hunger and I eat healthy.
    But hey, everyone is different.
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    For me, yea
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I think it can be a life long solution for some. Maybe not for everyone, but for some it's completely the way to go.

    I will probably have to keep calorie counting forever. I'm not scared of it and I don't think I will have any problems. I started in 2013 and only stopped (doctors advice) for the 9 months of pregnancy. I currently eat pretty close to 2000 calories on average to lose weight. That said I have a piss poor ability to judge portion sizes without weighing my food and to know when enough is well enough without counting calories.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    So your concerned that someone selling you a product is talking down its competition? Intuitive eating bad mouthing calorie counting.

    So far I have found calorie counting to be good.

    I think if you fail at calorie counting it isn't it's fault it's yours and you would probably fail or stumble on any weight loss plan.

    These are tools for you to use, they aren't going to control you, you need will power.

    I have been calorie counting for like 280 days. I don't feel deprived of foods. I eat pizza and other junk food, just not every day or 3 times a day.

    It can inspire you to lookout side of your normal food groups to find foods that are tastier, nutritionalier or more satisfying for less calories.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    It was cumbersome at first, but now calorie counting takes me only a few minutes a day. And it's no more laborious than tracking my expenses, paying my bills and balancing my budget -- which I also will have to do for the rest of my life, but hey, that's life. It's not overwhelming. It's like brushing your teeth -- something you do every day but don't really have to think about all that much.

    If you've had EDs before, you should probably talk to your therapist about this, though. What works for some people may not work for others.
  • APeacefulWarrior
    APeacefulWarrior Posts: 86 Member
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    I think for many people, it becomes second nature to count calories once they've done it long enough - logging is no longer necessary for them. Portion control is probably a bigger problem - especially here in the US, because our restaurants serve such huge portions - often 3-4 times a true portion size. When I eat out, I don't count calories, because I'll never be sure, but I ask for a to-go box at the start of my meal, put the excess food in it to take home for a couple extra meals and guesstimate my caloric intake. I don't think I'm usually that far off.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Tatarataa wrote: »
    Hi,

    I am always so insecure about what method for weight loss I should apply, especially as I have got issues with emotional eating/binge eating. I have tried intuitive eating several times and always failed and also other methods like eating certain foods only or restricting eating to certain times...so far the calorie counting was working best for me. However, I am insecure as many therapists and weight loss experts and also especially the intuitive eating authors and community account calorie counting responsible for most binge eating problems. What do you think and what is your experience? Is calorie counting a lifetime solution? I am almost ready to think so and give it a go (and of course at the meantime try to work on my binge eating as well)....I just need some supporters that can tell me "yes" you can decide for calorie couning and NOT feel deprived but free by doing it and relying on it forever!

    Many thanks for your answers,
    Tata

    Hi Tata,

    You need to find what works best for you. Just because you have failed at not counting calories in the past does not mean you will fail in the future, or even now.

    For me, I plan on counting calories, weighing food, and logging until I get good and tired of it and want to find a new way.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    Since logically, eating at a calorie deficit is how a person loses weight, calorie counting is the best way to do that. Once a person reaches a weight loss goal, that person will want to maintain the achieved weight. Obviously it's important to know how many calories to eat to maintain that weight, so calorie counting is the best way to do that as well. once the method is learned, it's quite easy to do and takes only a few minutes a day. it becomes second nature to weigh foods and measure liquids.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    I've looked into the whole intuitive eating movement and I wasn't impressed. It sounds lovely, but the reality is I need structure to keep my focused and on track. I'm in maintenance now and I have been able to get away from tracking calories every day, but I have other checks and balances in place (and I still spot check calories a few days each month too).
  • phyllb
    phyllb Posts: 735 Member
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    For me, suck city it is, I am always ready to eat whether it is because I am sad, happy, anxious, excited, Whatever.... oh well, calories in has to equal calories out in some fashion for me to stay at maintenance.
  • MK24551
    MK24551 Posts: 174 Member
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    So far for me counting calories has worked and I feel it's sooooo easy. I've tried weight watchers and I hated it. I felt so restricted, deprived. It was horrible for me! But since MFP I don't feel deprived at all. I feel awesome! Good luck!
  • shinisize
    shinisize Posts: 105 Member
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    Calorie counting in the long term helps relearn portion sizes and and helping make balanced choices, essentially relearning to eat more intuitively. Many of us have become accustomed to eating far more than we should, and calorie counting is a very factual way to keep track and help moderate that. Yes, you'll probably glance at the serving sizes and calories/macros in foods for the rest of your life. Will you waffle on how much raw broccoli you can have in ten years? Probably not, since after ten years you will have a pretty good idea of how much fits your needs.
  • alisupercali
    alisupercali Posts: 17 Member
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    It sounds like you should look at calorie counting as a way to help re-educate your mind about portion sizes, frequency of eating etc. But whatever your goals are, you should make sure that you have a sustainable support system, regular therapy to help you address your emotional eating issues. If you find that calorie counting is feeding into an obsessive habit, or you start being really hard on yourself for slip-ups, it's probably not the most healthy solution for you. Try to find ways to identify what triggers your emotional eating and develop coping mechanisms to help you move away from turning to food. Do you meditate, keep a diary, listen to relaxing music, get outside? For those of us who are lucky enough not to have emotional issues with food, calorie counting is a no brainer, but your situation is more complicated and you need to make sure that you're protecting yourself and that you have support and encouragement around you.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Judging from the number of "I'm ba-ack!" threads, it's reasonable to guess that no, calorie counting isn't a viable lifetime solution for a significant number of people.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
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    Tatarataa wrote: »
    Is calorie counting a lifetime solution?

    Yes, I think so. I plan to do it forever. At maintenance, but I overeat on lifting days and fast on some others, so there's no realistic way I could manage calorie cycling without tracking.
    I don't believe in "intuitive eating" or intuitive anything, really. Our brains are too complex and tricksy, so I trust in math.

    This gets posted all the time, because it's great:
    rippedbody.jp/nutritional-hierarchy-importance-fat-loss-muscle-growth/

    Calories aren't everything, but they're the best and most essential thing to nail down first. You'll see post after post on here of what happens when people invert their priorities and the screw-ups that result.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    Judging from the number of "I'm ba-ack!" threads, it's reasonable to guess that no, calorie counting isn't a viable lifetime solution for a significant number of people.

    Or once they reached their goal they stopped calorie counting and got back into the same old eating habits again....and stopped regular weigh in times till the problem was huge.

    I plan on calorie counting forever and weighing in at least 2x a month if not more frequently. I will not be out of my goal weight range (140-155) ever again.

  • lisab64mfp
    lisab64mfp Posts: 89 Member
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    It's been 5+ years (9 months losing and 4+ yrs maintaining) for me so..............my answer is yes. Like the poster above me, I don't ever want to be out of my goal weight range again. It (logging) really does become second nature after a time.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    Judging from the number of "I'm ba-ack!" threads, it's reasonable to guess that no, calorie counting isn't a viable lifetime solution for a significant number of people.
    Or once they reached their goal they stopped calorie counting and got back into the same old eating habits again....and stopped regular weigh in times till the problem was huge.

    That's pretty much what happened to me. I stopped calorie counting because I graduated from uni and moved back home, meaning that I no longer prepared my own food - my mum cooked dinner each night. I did as much exercise as I could and ate as little as possible all day until dinner to try to make sure I didn't gain weight. I tried to limit how much dinner I ate each night. I thought it was working since I couldn't see any difference in the mirror or feel any difference in my clothes. Then when I got some new scales and weighed myself a few months later I found out I'd gained 20lbs.

    So the only solution for me, at least in foreseeable future, is calorie counting and weighing myself.
  • ljashley1952
    ljashley1952 Posts: 273 Member
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    Not necessarily. It depends on the individual. I've been calorie counting for years and I'm getting to a point where I have most of the stuff I eat figured out. At some point, I will not need to count calories. I will know what to eat and how much to keep my body in a bit of a calorie deficit or at least maintain.

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