How to Stop Counting!

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madaracountertenor
madaracountertenor Posts: 13 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
When I stop counting, I start eating a lot of little trivial things that I don't even notice till I count again... Any tips? How did you manage to stop counting and not gain weight?
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  • LITtlerMeCO
    LITtlerMeCO Posts: 130 Member
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    I find the only way to know what I'm eating is to be aware of what I'm eating. It can be in my head if I'm not near my computer, on a piece of paper, or on here, but if I don't acknowledge it I can't have knowledge of it.
  • mattwbinder
    mattwbinder Posts: 1 Member
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    I reached my goal weight and I'm still counting. I think I'll keep counting for some time. The other day I went over by 1500, and now I can balance that out. I became overweight when I wasn't counting, and with counting I think I can maintain.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I do log every day, every meal, every bite, but I can log the end of the day and get the same numbers as if I log all day.

    I listen to my stomach and stop eating when I'm not hungry. And I don't snack unless I make a conscious decision that I'm hungry. Often if I buy something that looks good but more than I usually eat (a big muffin, for example) I find I eat half and am full. So I stop.

    I've been logging so long I don't even think about it. In fact, I log my food and barely look at the calories because I know I'm okay. The big reason I log is to make sure I eat ENOUGH and to make myself comfortable when I feel I'm eating more than usual it's because I really have burned a lot more than I've taken it.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    I started by logging every other week. After a while, I just quit logging food. I use the scale, how my clothes fit, and my endurance/energy levels to keep on track. If I get a little too high or low, I adjust. I might start logging food again if my weight changes too much, or my clothes start getting tight, but that's pretty much it.
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
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    mattwbinder wrote: »
    I reached my goal weight and I'm still counting. I think I'll keep counting for some time. The other day I went over by 1500, and now I can balance that out. I became overweight when I wasn't counting, and with counting I think I can maintain.
    This is what I'm aiming for too. I lost most of my weight a few years ago, then kind of lost interest and stopped logging. Before I knew it I was back to square one. I don't intend to let that happen again. If logging's what it takes, so be it.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
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    I never stopped counting....if I don't write what I bite I'll yo yo back to where I started and I worked too long & too hard to lose 150 lbs to mindlessly put them back on again. I've been logging since day one and have no plans to stop. Been maintaining for a bit over 14 months and logging has become second nature to me.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    The other thing that helps you learn portion sizes is thinking about how you feel AFTER you eat. Things taste great the first bite, less and less wonderful after that. So that's one thing to attend to. But I notice if I eat too much, I feel lousy afterwards. After a while, I learned what point I was satisfied at, and what point would make me feel bloated and crummy afterwards. And I'd stop then.

    You want eating to be a pleasure and to feel good, not bad, when you're done.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    I don't stop counting, measuring. I do stop judging myself.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    You can stop counting, but you still have to be mindful of your eating habits.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Not planning to here.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    Maintenance doesn't mean not counting/logging. It means eating at the break even point without losing or gaining.

    Stopping counting is flirting with regaining the weight you lost.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited May 2015
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    madaracountertenor wrote: »
    When I stop counting, I start eating a lot of little trivial things that I don't even notice till I count again... Any tips? How did you manage to stop counting and not gain weight?

    I didn't. I've been in maintenance for over two years now and I will continue counting calories for the next 40+ years. I also still measure out portion sizes, use my food scale on a regular basis and weigh myself daily.

    There's a dismal rate for long term successful maintenance. Spending a few minutes every day figuring out calories is well worth it to me, to be successful at this whole thing.
  • andympanda
    andympanda Posts: 763 Member
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    You will always need to count, or at least approximate, you can try not logging, but should always keep in mind how many calories you are putting into your body. Continue to weigh yourself. If you start putting on weight, go back to logging an keeping better track of calorie intake.
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    I've been maintaining for ten months, and afraid to quit logging. It isn't totally accurate, since I eat things that are difficult to log, but it certainly helps. I like to have an idea of how much I can still eat for the day.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I've tried to stop counting several times but that mindless eating or not thinking about what I'm eating happens...so for me its logging which I don't mind, it takes about 2 mins out of my day to pre log all my meals, so worth it when it means I'll stay slim :smile:
    I'm 8 months into maintenance.
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    I've tried to stop counting several times but that mindless eating or not thinking about what I'm eating happens...so for me its logging which I don't mind, it takes about 2 mins out of my day to pre log all my meals, so worth it when it means I'll stay slim :smile:
    I'm 8 months into maintenance.

    I've never really managed to do much pre-logging. I guess I'm just not that organized. I've never been one to plan out my/my families meal for the week.

  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    madaracountertenor wrote: »
    When I stop counting, I start eating a lot of little trivial things that I don't even notice till I count again... Any tips? How did you manage to stop counting and not gain weight?

    I've been in maintenance for years and I still log everyday. Including weighing all solids and measuring liquids. How do you know what you're taking in if you don't?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I developed certain habits.

    I walk at lunch most days - 1.4 miles, occasionally 2 miles. I lift 4x week at the gym. I eat many of the same foods from week to week, so I know about how much I'm eating.

    Also, weigh every week - if you see your weight creeping up, eat just a little less for the next week (or exercise a little more, eating the same amount), and see where you are. Just minor adjustments here and there as you go, not letting yourself get too far away from where you want to be.
  • madaracountertenor
    madaracountertenor Posts: 13 Member
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    Sarasmaintaining wrote: »
    madaracountertenor wrote: »
    When I stop counting, I start eating a lot of little trivial things that I don't even notice till I count again... Any tips? How did you manage to stop counting and not gain weight?

    I didn't. I've been in maintenance for over two years now and I will continue counting calories for the next 40+ years. I also still measure out portion sizes, use my food scale on a regular basis and weigh myself daily.

    There's a dismal rate for long term successful maintenance. Spending a few minutes every day figuring out calories is well worth it to me, to be successful at this whole thing.

    To be completely honest, this doesn't sound sustainable to me, and weighing every day isn't as accurate as it sounds... I don't want to have to meticulously weigh every gram of food I eat forever.
    Then again, I did lose the first 10 pounds without counting so maybe watching but not exactly counting is the way to go...

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