Graduating from counting calories???

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jtboner
jtboner Posts: 59 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I have hit my first goal and will eventually be hitting my second goal :) but what then? I personally don't see myself counting calories for the rest of my life, but how do I go on living a healthy life without counting calories and without gaining weight? Any ideas out there?
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  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    Learn intuitive eating.
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
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    It is all about making the right choices. I think this thread words it well
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10225081/shock-horror-i-now-eat-like-a-thin-person

    I've always been "thin" and after reading that post I realised that the things she names I almost always naturally do.
  • dfranch
    dfranch Posts: 207 Member
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    I think I'll continue to count for the foreseeable future. I've been maintaining for about a year, and really never want to put the weight on again. If It means spending 5 minutes every day logging my food, it's a small price to pay.
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    It's probably best to count calories for a while once you hit maintenance, to get used to what you should be eating. After that, you can probably ease off the counting a bit, but continue to monitor weight. If it starts creeping up again, you know it's time to go back to counting for a while!
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    If you have experience weighing out a lot of food you should have a better idea of serving sizes than non weighers. I plan to control do a counting calorie bulk phase because I don't know how much to eat after my cut.
  • littlecrystal
    littlecrystal Posts: 110 Member
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    I am planning to do exactly what I am doing now, i.e. alternate day diet. I eat 1000kcal on day A and current TDEE on day B. When I reach my goal I am planning to eat 1200-1400kcal on day A and future TDEE on day B. TDEE is quite intuitive. And day A foods are limited to the ones I truly love - I already remember calories by heart.
    I tried counting calories for a long time but for me was not sustainable, so I had to find something else.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I haven't completely stopped counting calories yet, but I have backed off a bit. I'm doing a quick add calories more frequently than I was when I was losing weight. I'm sure I'll drop it completely, eventually, but I'm still trying to find a new normal.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Currently on week 7 of mindful eating and it's going swimmingly well :smile:

    After logging cals for 3 yrs I felt ready to go it alone - I still eat the same as when I was counting cals..I love that I don't feel i need to log any more :smile:

    I weigh in frequently and if I did see myself going near top of my goal range I would know to cut out a snack ...but so far so good :smiley:
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    jtboner wrote: »
    I have hit my first goal and will eventually be hitting my second goal :) but what then? I personally don't see myself counting calories for the rest of my life, but how do I go on living a healthy life without counting calories and without gaining weight? Any ideas out there?

    It certainly can be done. You just need to be honest with yourself on whether or not you are one of the people who can. Set a definitive weight range & be diligent in self-awareness.

    I can not because my internal portion calculator is horribly inaccurate. LOL

    If you have a set repertoire of foods then staying within that should help you sustained beyond counting calories.

    Also as others has mentioned ... constant monitoring and mindfulness will have to be a part of the routine in place of logging.

    Good luck!

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I have maintained for over 5 yr.
    what has worked for me is....

    Stopping eating when I am saited rather than button popping full.

    Having a good eye for portion sizes that suit me.

    being able to divide my plate, when not eating at home, so the excess is put aside immediately. ( this actually sometimes works in reverse as a big restaurant size plate of food can put me off eating)

    Popping into MFP and doing a few weeks of logging if my calorie out changes. ie, I do more structured exercise in the winter so like to make sure my 'ci' is keeping up with my 'co'.

    Cheers, h.
  • BettyBoles
    BettyBoles Posts: 68 Member
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    It absolutely should be possible. You simply should be straightforward with yourself. Set a specific weight range that you have to acquire within a month. Do regular workout and take diet with less calorie with a supplement.
  • mikehardin62
    mikehardin62 Posts: 122 Member
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    I have been on a natural weight loss for over a year, and i can say, count those cals, DON'T get lazy, remember where you were and where you want to stay. I count everything, no matter what till i breath no longer. It becomes a lifestyle, not a habit. So count,watch,keep track, do whatever it takes to keep living FREE FROM FAT!
  • Debbjones
    Debbjones Posts: 278 Member
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    I've been maintaining for over 2 years. Like the posters above, I will never stop counting calories. I realize counting calories is NOT an exact science, proven fact there are too many variables. Once you realize this counting and maintaining a reasonable calorie goal is easy and intuitive.

    Remember you are NOT on a diet but to maintain your weight loss you must make lifestyle changes... counting calories is one of my "little" changes. Along with better food choices, maintaining you weight loss should not be difficult. :smile:
  • mikehardin62
    mikehardin62 Posts: 122 Member
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    Amen....debbjones....that statement is spot on!!!!
  • fobs13
    fobs13 Posts: 1,080 Member
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    Been maintaining a few months and still mostly log my food and exercise though not as rigid with myself if say on vacation for a week. Find it has worked so well and it doesn't bother me to do it so why stop!
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    While I don't calorie count hardcore, I do keep a written food journal to help me plan and track my meals. I am very aware of what I am consuming and it helps me fit things in and helps to make sure I am eating balanced meals.

    Going from being overweight most of my life from eating anything I wanted to losing 80 lbs naturally and maintaining for over 2 years with ease I can't see myself going without planning. It's sustainable for me and doesn't take a lot of time out of my day. Good luck OP. :)
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,998 Member
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    I have maintained for nearly 2 years.

    I'm like Rainbow - I still count calories but I'm not a hard core counter. I estimate a lot and call all mandarines a medium mandarine without weighing, that sort of thing.
    But logging is an easy habit for me now and it keeps me accountable and my weight within range.
  • Florida_Superstar
    Florida_Superstar Posts: 194 Member
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    I've counted calories for 10 years (doing it on paper for most of that time before I found MFP). Here is how all that logging helped me recently. After maintaining my weight for a almost a decade, I slowly gained about 5 pounds. It really bothered me because "nothing had changed." Having all the logs of my body weight, food, and exercise showed me exactly what HAD changed. It wasn't obvious to me without looking back, and I'm really glad I had the history.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited August 2015
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    jtboner wrote: »
    I have hit my first goal and will eventually be hitting my second goal :) but what then? I personally don't see myself counting calories for the rest of my life, but how do I go on living a healthy life without counting calories and without gaining weight? Any ideas out there?

    You do the things that healthy and fit people do...you eat right (appropriate quantity and quality) and exercise regularly. millions and millions of healthy and fit people don't log anything...it is quite possible to be mindful of what you're doing/eating/drinking without logging.

    I would hope that logging has taught you a thing or two about how to eat...what an appropriate serving is...roughly how many calories are in what...what you can get away with and what you can't. I always viewed logging as similar to training wheel on a bike...I used logging to help teach me how to eat appropriately...but yeah, eventually you should be able to just ride.

    I've maintained for over two years and don't log anything. I eat very healthfully...I eat a ton of veg, a few servings of fruit daily, whole grains and legumes, primarily lean sourced protein, and fats from things like avocados and nut, olive oil, etc. My diet (noun) is largely centered around whole food nutrition and meals and such prepared from scratch, whole ingredients. It is easy to over-eat junk...it is possible to over-eat nutritionally dense whole foods...but far more difficult given the satiety factor. Bonus....nutritional profile rocks.

    I don't eat much in the way of traditional "junk"...sure, I'll have some cake at someones birthday party...or maybe some desert on one of my few nights out at a restaurant or something...the once every few weeks pizza night with the family, etc...but these types of things are pretty negligible to my diet overall. I don't eat out often...maybe 2-3x monthly and even though I don't log, I'm still mindful...I don't just start snacking on stuff and whatnot...I'm mindful of what I'm doing always.

    I exercise regularly 5-6 days per week just like I did when I was losing weight...I primarily cycle and lift. In general, I like living an active lifestyle outside of my office job...I don't watch much t.v. and as a family, we'd much rather be out at the zoo or hiking in the mountains or playing in the park than sitting around the boob tube.

    maintaining a healthy weight is the bi-product of living a healthy lifestyle, not counting and logging every little thing.
  • krdews
    krdews Posts: 124 Member
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    That was my mistake the first time around... several years ago I lost weight by being mindful of what I was eating and working out regularly - felt good, looked great. The weight slowly crept back on and here I am today back at my goal weight from mindful eating and working out - looking good and feeling great! I'd like to think I am wiser today than I was yesterday; therefore I realize that in order for me to maintain my ideal weight - I need to continue to be mindful of what I eat and workout regularly - yes there is pattern. So, whatever got you to your first goal, will get you to your second goal and will keep you at your ideal goal. If it ain't broke, don't fix it applies here!

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