Does anyone here not count calories, or have stopped?
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The only time I don't "count calories" is on my cheat days. Once I lose the weight I'm trying to I will continue to count calories because I DON'T want to just end up back where I started. For me, entering my meals doesn't seem to take that much time.
I'd also like to clarify that eating healthy and counting calories are not a diet that I cheat on... what I mean by cheat day is just a day that I allow myself to go over my calorie goal because I don't have as much control as usual (days spent driving and having to eat fast food on the road are a good example). I still log everything, so I guess you could say I count calories, but I don't do it as I go, I do it at the end of the day so I still know where I'm at.
I've tried to lose weight before in many different ways, but honestly: CICO is the only way that works... it's science. Other diets work because they're restricting calorie dense foods. Frankly, I'd rather eat small portions of things I love and lose/maintain weight then to try to restrict myself on a diet that makes me eat boring food.0 -
SatiaRenee wrote: »I take pictures of my food but I don't count calories at all. I do, however, make sure I get a balance of food--vegetables, fruits, proteins, some carbs and healthy fats, etc.
Wow, I love this idea! It's fun, but it's a mindful approach. Thank you.
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Haven't for a long time...
It's useful for people cutting down in small amounts in order to be lean for summer, etc.
It's not that useful for maintenance or for very overweight people IN THE LONG RUN imho.
You appear to be a thin and healthy 20 yr old, why would you be counting cals?
Be active, eat quality food, avoid refined carbs and unless you gain/lose a bunch of weight, don't worry about cals all the time.
Thank you.
I have gone from being overweight, to underweight through an eating disorder, and now at a healthy weight through recovery. I guess i started counting because I was afraid of being overweight again.
Why did you start? 0 -
barbecuesauce wrote: »Weird
Some of the fittest and leanest people I know are probably on here, day in, day out logging their calories and monitoring their maintenance levels
If calorie counting isn't for you then OP find another route to losing / maintaining
But I think you'll find most users of a calorie counting site like MFP count their calories
Right. I never understand this thread, every time it's posted.
I started this thread as I wanted to know others experiences, and others who are in the same boat. There's nothing wrong with curiosity.0 -
When I stopped counting calories I tried to apply everything I've learned while I was counting. I ate caloric dense foods in moderation and added lots of vegetables to my meals. I had some weight fluctuations 2-3lbs, but for 7 months I mainly maintained my weight. When I felt I had started eating too much for a long time I returned here and started counting again.
Calorie counting is a tool to help us and make things easier. You can stop using it anytime, as you can come back anytime and help yourself with it.
Hey, cheers! I know what you mean, when you think you've gone a bit overboard and want to know how much you've consumed. >.< I still log in recipes and some restaurant meals. 0 -
thatsillyshana23 wrote: »What worked for me was counting calories first, so that I had a basic understanding of what I was consuming. Now I don't count them because I just don't like thinking in terms of eating numbers instead of food. But I still know when I'm eating too much or too little because of that basic understanding and the way I feel. If I'm hungry, I eat. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. It's worked well for me.
This comment all the way! Thank you.
I come from a disordered eating background (Bulimia), so my relationship with food was already terrible. Looking at food as numbers was great at the start, but lately I've been enjoying food less because that's all I can see- A number, not a beautiful meal.0 -
It seems weird that a lot of people are saying that it's too time-consuming to count kcals. I don't understand what takes time? You look at the label, you calculate the kcals you are going to eat or have eaten, then you record it on your computer or on your phone or even on paper. All of this takes less than a minute... Besides, if you count kcals often enough, I have found at least, that I have already memorized the kcalories in most of the foods I eat.
Maybe I'm also too much of a scientist with my head stuck in chemistry and all but I also don't see why it is so bad to think of food as numbers instead of as just "food" because when it comes down to it, that's exactly what food is. Kcalories is the energy in the food, and you eat food for energy, not for any other characteristics it has. Sure, we like to eat tasty things but that's not really why we need food to live. Focusing on food instead of energy is why we get fat in the first place after all. I like to think of all the thermodynamics and biochemistry happening when I take in food because that's the reality of why we eat.
Most of my meals are home made.
But in response, it's not necessarily a time consuming matter, it's a thought consuming matter. In simplified terms, I see a number, rather than a meal. For me, that's an unhealthy mindset.0 -
I still count calories but I've been stuck for over a month now so maybe that's not working for me and I need to try something new.0
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It's possible you're counting wrong, though a one-month stall isn't impossible by a long shot.tasteoheavn wrote: »I still count calories but I've been stuck for over a month now so maybe that's not working for me and I need to try something new.
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The key is mindfulness. So, whether you choose calorie counting or another methodology, you need to maintain vigilance about what's going into your body.
Based on the personal journey that you shared in your profile, you should be in a position where it takes minimal effort to log your food intake.
My suspicion is that your question might go deeper. Do you feel deprived of certain foods that you enjoy? Do you ever feel guilty about what you're eating? If yes, you need to be kind to yourself. Life is a journey. Give yourself permission to enjoy treats guilt-free. If you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there's no reason that you should not be able to incorporate the full spectrum of foods. Have you tried building a 'free day' into your schedule?
Hey, cheers for the response!
When you say you went through my profile, do you mean my MFP profile, or just the question?
It's not necessarily an effort to log in my foods. The issue for me is prior to calorie counting, I already had a bad relationship with food through an eating disorder. I'm well recovered from that, and i began counting to maintain my healthier weight. It was fun initially, but now I no longer see a meal-I see a number.
So you're on the dot when you say the question goes deeper. I can't say I feel deprived of food, but I feel deprived of enjoyment when eating food because all I see is calories.
I've decided to be more mindful of my eating habits, and not over think every single thing that enters my mouth. Be grateful even that I can eat! >.< Haha.
As for cheat days, I admit, I've never liked the idea of them. My basis on them is if you eat a lot of bad food on Sunday Funday, you'll be cranky and bloated at bedtime. Or else, "If I can have a cheat meal, should it be nachos or parmie? Should it be lunch or dinner? Friday or Monday?"
That's only my experience however. 0 -
I tried quitting counting calories before but I still ended up estimating calories in my mind. I think once you start it's hard to ever really stop.
I do find logging it very time consuming but I am trying to pre prep all my meals for the week and pre log them on Sundays and then all week I don't have to do any counting, weighing, logging etc.
Ahh, yes! This is exactly it. >.<
Even as I eat my brekky now, I'm just thinking, "Oh, oatmeal, that's very caloric, 1/2 a cup..."0 -
When I need to lose weight, I count calories. Correction: When I WANT to lose weight! If I had been doing that the past ten years, I wouldn't be where I found myself in December of last year. But once I get to maintenance, I'm going to let the scales do the counting for me. If I stay within a two-to-four pound range, I'm fine. If I waver over that, time to cut back, and if I need to count calories to do that, so be it. After I lost the first 25 pounds, I became lacadaisacal about counting and/or logging. Oh, losing that 25 pounds was easy to do! I can do that any time I want! So on a see-saw I went for the next three months. Now I'm tired of the see-saw. Today I probably overdid it exercise-wise, but getting a bathing suit I ordered online in the mail yesterday which, although it is technically my size, makes me look like an overstuffed sausage, was all it took! BUT I WILL go out in public with it, yes!!!! And I will lose weight! And I WILL get down 35 more pounds until the bathing suit is too big for me and I have to donate it to my local Cancer Services (it's a mastectomy bathing suit) and buy a brand new one for the new me. Yes, yes, and YES!!!
Okay, end of un-rant. 0 -
robbackatya wrote: »
The reality is there are thousands of ways to lose weight, but for me I lose weight by eating as much food as I possibly can. I hate strict diets and I hate cutting my calories by any significant amount . Lost 40 pound at 46 years old eating at a 35 calorie deficit to my HSK Prime # (health sidekick) . That being said I don't get obsessive like a lot of people I see that way or measure every morsel or track every step. I don't want this crap to become my God. Losing weight is more about brains than brawn is what I have come to understand.
Great job! Congratulations mate.
Looking dapper! 0 -
To me, the counting calories is a lot like budgeting money. It's a lot less stressful eating food that I know fits, or spending money that I know I've saved for something, rather than eating and hoping or spending and hoping.
There's no internal conflict when I eat what I've planned. There's no internal conflict when I buy something for which I've planned. Then, when the piper shows up in January, both financially and on the scale, and he will, knowing that he's already paid is icing on the cake.0 -
I love this analogy. We all eat and we all spend money. Keeping a record, just helps to keep our priorities in mind.DeguelloTex wrote: »To me, the counting calories is a lot like budgeting money.
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I have a serious love affair with food. Counting my calories holds me entirely responsible for everything I put in my mouth. 7 lbs lost in 3 weeks. Slow and steady wins the race. I have noticed that I feel physically ill if I slip and eat something not so good for me. My tummy can't take it!0
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cassandralepandaa wrote: »It seems weird that a lot of people are saying that it's too time-consuming to count kcals. I don't understand what takes time? You look at the label, you calculate the kcals you are going to eat or have eaten, then you record it on your computer or on your phone or even on paper. All of this takes less than a minute... Besides, if you count kcals often enough, I have found at least, that I have already memorized the kcalories in most of the foods I eat.
Maybe I'm also too much of a scientist with my head stuck in chemistry and all but I also don't see why it is so bad to think of food as numbers instead of as just "food" because when it comes down to it, that's exactly what food is. Kcalories is the energy in the food, and you eat food for energy, not for any other characteristics it has. Sure, we like to eat tasty things but that's not really why we need food to live. Focusing on food instead of energy is why we get fat in the first place after all. I like to think of all the thermodynamics and biochemistry happening when I take in food because that's the reality of why we eat.
Most of my meals are home made.
But in response, it's not necessarily a time consuming matter, it's a thought consuming matter. In simplified terms, I see a number, rather than a meal. For me, that's an unhealthy mindset.
All of my meals are home made. I don't eat out at all and I don't make any boxed or pre-packaged food. I should have mentioned that .
I still don't think I quite understand what's unhealthy about it though. You eat food for energy, and energy is quantifiable; in a world with too much energy at our disposal, it makes sense to count said energy in order to not take in more than our bodies need. That seems a lot healthier than just eating food because it's food in my opinion.0 -
cassandralepandaa wrote: »Hey all!
Lately, I've found that counting calories have consumed too much time and thought that could be put towards other things.
To put it into perspective, it's at the point where when I look at food, all I see is a number.
Does anyone here not count calories? How has it affected your journey? Have you let go of the weight still? Put it back on? Maintained?
I don't count calories...I just know the average caloric amount of the food im eating. I weigh out my meats and veggies. I know If I put 6oz ground turkey, 4oz turnip greens, and 4oz green beans in a pan with some onion and pepper that it'll be around 500 calories. I only eat three times a day, so its around 1500 calories a day. Sometimes its 1800, dunno, as I said, I don't really count...I just know when too much is too much.
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cassandralepandaa wrote: »robbackatya wrote: »
The reality is there are thousands of ways to lose weight, but for me I lose weight by eating as much food as I possibly can. I hate strict diets and I hate cutting my calories by any significant amount . Lost 40 pound at 46 years old eating at a 35 calorie deficit to my HSK Prime # (health sidekick) . That being said I don't get obsessive like a lot of people I see that way or measure every morsel or track every step. I don't want this crap to become my God. Losing weight is more about brains than brawn is what I have come to understand.
Great job! Congratulations mate. Looking dapper!
I don't get it.0 -
I think what I'm going to do is stop weighing and measuring vegetables and just guess on those. That should cut my time by more than half. I'll still weigh and measure meats, fats, grains, dairy, and fruit, but vegetables have so few calories that my guess can be totally off and it won't really matter.0
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I've stopped before but always seem to gain the weight back. Mind you I'm not overweight at all, but it's really easy to gain 5-10 pounds. After my next loss, my plan is to weigh myself more often and log one week every month to keep myself mindful. Hopefully it's successful.0
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I stopped about 3 weeks ago. I've lost 4lbs since. I did count for the first 18 months, but about 6 months ago I started eating just because I had calories left and not because I was actually hungry. Also, I got super lazy about accurately counting calories, so I was kind of sabotaging myself. I'm not going to lie though, after 18 months of counting, I still count in my head. I just can't stop myself yet. I don't log my food on MFP anymore.0
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I don't count and haven't now for years. It was very useful when I got here to help me understand where some calorie bombs were but after a few months I found it unnecessary. I've done a few spot checks here and there but those have gotten fewer and farther between. My eating and lifestyle suit me fine to be able to maintain my weight rather easily with minor adjustments as needed.0
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I got tired of counting calories and my weight loss stopped abruptly and I have gained 8 pounds!
I wish I didn't have to but it's the only way for me I guess. When I'm not logging it's like I think "Oh I can eat whatever I want!" which is ridiculous. I went from 1500 cals a day to probably 2500. Yuck. 0 -
enterdanger wrote: »I stopped about 3 weeks ago. I've lost 4lbs since. I did count for the first 18 months, but about 6 months ago I started eating just because I had calories left and not because I was actually hungry. Also, I got super lazy about accurately counting calories, so I was kind of sabotaging myself. I'm not going to lie though, after 18 months of counting, I still count in my head. I just can't stop myself yet. I don't log my food on MFP anymore.
I have had the above problem also. I gained weight because I ate even when I wasn't hungry. At meals I didn't quit when I was no longer hungry...sometimes I didn't quit even after I was full.
The ironic thing is...I used to track to make sure that I didn't over eat...now I am tracking to make sure that I eat enough. I have had to reduce my sodium intake in half and raise my potassium and iron. What I am finding is that the foods that fit all three are fairly low in calories. I sometimes get to the end of the day and I haven't hit the 1000 calorie mark. My goal is 1400 calories a day. So I end up back in the kitchen eating more food when I am not hungry. I am working toward making sure that I get at least 1200 minimum.
Moral of this story...I would hope to get to a point where I don't have to track. However...to make sure that I hit the levels of sodium, potassium and iron that I need and to make sure that I am eating enough...I might have to track longer than what I intended.
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Right, except the natural state of a human female at 20 would be fairly lean unless they had a child.
Whoop, there it is.
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ok if by "natural" you mean like in the wild, our hunter-gatherer ancestors, or presupposing an ideal active childhood than sure
but it does sound like you're suggesting it would be difficult for a 20 year old woman to not be "fairly lean" ...which would be incorrect...many 20 year old women today struggle with their weight, maybe not the majority but a significant enough portion for your statement to be very odd0 -
Yeah, I stopped. I counted for a while on here, but it didn't last long. I, too, found it too consuming. Too much time weighing, measuring, trying to find a correct entry, etc. And too much time thinking about food. I didn't want my whole life to be about food and exercise. So, I stopped. I have still been losing wieght and, more importantly, inches. I'm getting pretty close to goal, I think.0
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I stopped counting calories about a month ago when I realized I had become neurotic about it. I was freaking out as I logged and worrying about every 1/2 tablespoon of this, or ounce of that. And eventually I was eating way too little.
So I went on vacation, ate what ever I wanted... and came back home to regroup. I am now back to eating 80% paleo, 20% normal and have lost 3 lbs (of weight I had put on in the few weeks before vacation after I fell off the rails and then vacation). I feel good about my choice for right now and I am going to try this new approach for the next few months.0 -
My trainer actually suggested I stop after logging for 2 1/2 months (last aug) because I was getting a bit overwhelmed with the whole change process. I am a very consistent eater and had started hitting my calories and macros within a couple of weeks after starting. I did not log again until earlier this month (almost 11 months later) when I wanted to check up on myself for a week. Much to surprise my calories and macros were right on. I've lost 95 pds and 50 inches so it works for me.0
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Right, except the natural state of a human female at 20 would be fairly lean unless they had a child.
Whoop, there it is.
......
ok if by "natural" you mean like in the wild, our hunter-gatherer ancestors, or presupposing an ideal active childhood than sure
but it does sound like you're suggesting it would be difficult for a 20 year old woman to not be "fairly lean" ...which would be incorrect...many 20 year old women today struggle with their weight, maybe not the majority but a significant enough portion for your statement to be very odd
This is because so many children are overweight or obese. Back when I was 20 (early 80's) it was fairly rare to see someone so young struggling with weight. Because it was even more rare to see an overweight child. There were a few, but very few.0
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