3 Years+ Maintainers-do you track calories Yes/No?

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  • jane837
    jane837 Posts: 68 Member
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    I've been tracking for 5 years, and have maintained a loss of 80 lbs for 3 years. I track about 85% of the time, which seems to be a good balance for me.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I track everything and have every meal for four years. I enjoy it. But I very rarely modify my eating because of it because I have learned to 'naturally' eat at maintenance.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    5 years maintenance here.

    I track, otherwise I gain. Every time.
  • reverendshoebox
    reverendshoebox Posts: 2 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I initially lost 120 pounds, and I've maintained most of that loss for nearly 5 years. For the most part, tracking seems to have properly trained my brain to eat decently and I've kept up with the exercise, so I usually don't have to count my calories. But every now and then if I get off track (pun not intended) and I find I need to track again for a while to get back under control. That's where I am right now...I'm actually celebrating my 5 year anniversary 20 pounds up from where I should be, but tracking's not a hard habit to slide back into. Congrats to all of you.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    RWClary wrote: »
    No, my eating is intuitive now, but that was after tracking every day for 3 years.
    We learn by doing, and now, I just look at food - any food...and know the calories and macro balance.
    Same with exercise burn.

    This!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
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    Maintaining over 6 years. Rarely count calories or weigh myself.

    I used to log a couple of times a year to maintain portion sizes, weight, and re establish a TDEE for changing workouts.

    This year I have found I am no longer needing to do that. If I up my exercises I just boost my calories accordingly without having to do a 6 week TDEE extrapolation.

    In general I maintain easily without tracking.
    An 18 day all you can eat and drink cruise vacation and I have a 2.6lbs gain- I only came back Monday so I am still shedding the water weigh

    Cheers, h.
  • lohlgren
    lohlgren Posts: 34 Member
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    Around 12 years maintaining after a 70 lb loss. I log whenever I gain 4 or more lbs., usually a few months a year. Looking through my logs I have gained as much as 9 lbs but always brought it back down. I know what I can eat, but love calorie dense food, so i do fluctuate! Not bad for 12 years. Log, log, log.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I've been maintaining for 5 years and no weight gained back. I haven't been calorie counting in a while now. Sometimes I do find that I'm dropping weight again so instead of tracking I simply eat a little more on the days that I know I'm more active.
  • xX_PhoenixRising_Xx
    xX_PhoenixRising_Xx Posts: 622 Member
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    Ask me in a year. But at the 2 year point I've been maintaining a 150+ lb weight loss okay while tracking a few days, or sometimes just part of a few days per fortnight. I seem to naturally fluctuate up and down 10 lbs or so without doing much at all, my measurements don't change. I have gone months without tracking as well and not gained. But then I spent 2.5 years closely tracking every morsel in order to lose so much. If I don't know what a portion size looks like by now, there'd be no hope for me I reckon!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited April 2016
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    14.5 years maintaining +-5 here.
    I don't count calories regularly. But I didn't losing either.

    If I had counted while losing, I would have had it as a goal to wean off.

    I do weigh daily and always have. I find that more helpful.

    And right now I'm keeping an eye on carbs while going through menopause.

    If the scale goes up a few with menopause, I'll count for a bit.
    If I add new foods to my routine, I'll check those.
    If I go to a chain restaurant, I use MFP to help me select my meal...

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