Why I stopped counting calories
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I've found this whole conversation really interesting. I'm not yet at the point where I feel like I can stop logging, as I'm still trying to lose weight. However, I've never let logging keep me from enjoying food. I went to a buffet last week. I'm going to two popluck picnics this weekend. I'm going to log what I eat at those picnics as well as I can, but I'm not going to avoid food because I don't know what calories it holds. The only time I avoid food is when I know it's something I don't like.
OP - I wish you the best of luck maintaining without MFP. You may find that, you have a better grasp of proper portions now and you don't need to log. I'd say... maybe pick a normal day and log it without looking at the totals. At the end, see how you did. That'll tell you for sure if you if you're ready to let go of using this tool. At the same time, I can totally understand not wanting to use something that was sucking the enjoyment out of eating.0 -
Well... I'm back!
The first week or so was fine. I logged a few days retrospectively and was well under my calorie allowance and actually lost a small amount of weight. I was a lot happier too!
After a while though, I had my first binge, something I had previously attributed to having constantly logging everything. Clearly this wasn't the cause. No problem I thought, put it behind me. However, without any short-term consequences to overeating, binges started happening more and more - more so than before. Pistachio nuts, were and always will be my downfall! The binges started merging together, such that I was eating similarly to the diet that caused me to gain weight in the first place (although remember I was never overweight in the first place).
Whilst I had attributed the binges to this app, I suspect that they were actually more the result of doing more exercise - I started the two at the same time. My first occurred the day after I had had a double training day, swimming 3k in the morning then 50k bike in the evening. I probably didn't eat enough that day (had I been logging I would have eaten more, I would imagine) so was very hungry the next day, meaning I had a *big* breakfast (>1000cal) which descended into a cheat day. Looking back, I often used to eat a lot straight after exercise (this was a while ago, so I'm not sure), and maybe the following day. However, because I wasn't really bothered about what I was eating, I didn't label these as cheat days.
I'm not sure how I will deal with eating out and the other issues I mentioned in my OP, but it's become clear that I need this app. This isn't because I can't weigh out portions or know what I should and shouldn't be eating (my macros were spot on when I retrospectively logged a few days), but rather I need some form of consequence to eating too much. People log for different reasons I guess.4 -
ConicalFern wrote: »Well... I'm back!
The first week or so was fine. I logged a few days retrospectively and was well under my calorie allowance and actually lost a small amount of weight. I was a lot happier too!
After a while though, I had my first binge, something I had previously attributed to having constantly logging everything. Clearly this wasn't the cause. No problem I thought, put it behind me. However, without any short-term consequences to overeating, binges started happening more and more - more so than before. Pistachio nuts, were and always will be my downfall! The binges started merging together, such that I was eating similarly to the diet that caused me to gain weight in the first place (although remember I was never overweight in the first place).
Whilst I had attributed the binges to this app, I suspect that they were actually more the result of doing more exercise - I started the two at the same time. My first occurred the day after I had had a double training day, swimming 3k in the morning then 50k bike in the evening. I probably didn't eat enough that day (had I been logging I would have eaten more, I would imagine) so was very hungry the next day, meaning I had a *big* breakfast (>1000cal) which descended into a cheat day. Looking back, I often used to eat a lot straight after exercise (this was a while ago, so I'm not sure), and maybe the following day. However, because I wasn't really bothered about what I was eating, I didn't label these as cheat days.
I'm not sure how I will deal with eating out and the other issues I mentioned in my OP, but it's become clear that I need this app. This isn't because I can't weigh out portions or know what I should and shouldn't be eating (my macros were spot on when I retrospectively logged a few days), but rather I need some form of consequence to eating too much. People log for different reasons I guess.
Just an FYI, when I was having MAJOR binge issues, there were two reasons. 1) I was working out too much, and 2). I wasn't eating enough fat (so what I binged on was ALWAYS a combo of fat and carbs).0 -
ConicalFern wrote: »Well... I'm back!
The first week or so was fine. I logged a few days retrospectively and was well under my calorie allowance and actually lost a small amount of weight. I was a lot happier too!
After a while though, I had my first binge, something I had previously attributed to having constantly logging everything. Clearly this wasn't the cause. No problem I thought, put it behind me. However, without any short-term consequences to overeating, binges started happening more and more - more so than before. Pistachio nuts, were and always will be my downfall! The binges started merging together, such that I was eating similarly to the diet that caused me to gain weight in the first place (although remember I was never overweight in the first place).
Whilst I had attributed the binges to this app, I suspect that they were actually more the result of doing more exercise - I started the two at the same time. My first occurred the day after I had had a double training day, swimming 3k in the morning then 50k bike in the evening. I probably didn't eat enough that day (had I been logging I would have eaten more, I would imagine) so was very hungry the next day, meaning I had a *big* breakfast (>1000cal) which descended into a cheat day. Looking back, I often used to eat a lot straight after exercise (this was a while ago, so I'm not sure), and maybe the following day. However, because I wasn't really bothered about what I was eating, I didn't label these as cheat days.
I'm not sure how I will deal with eating out and the other issues I mentioned in my OP, but it's become clear that I need this app. This isn't because I can't weigh out portions or know what I should and shouldn't be eating (my macros were spot on when I retrospectively logged a few days), but rather I need some form of consequence to eating too much. People log for different reasons I guess.
I have a lot of respect for you, for how you thought through your initial situation, formed a hypothesis about the cause, described your thinking here, tried something new, learned from it, and reported back to this thread.
Thank you, and well done! I wish you success in meeting your goals - and I'll bet that your experimental, open-minded attitude will help you get there.4 -
Im still learning every day and logging/weighing has been the most eye opening thing in the world besides childbirth! For example....an appropriate serving of pasta vs. a restaurant portion of pasta!0
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gonetothedogs19 wrote: »
Add in appetizers and bread rolls a drinky and a bite of dessert and my calories are done for a week! I never thought twice about it until I started logging food etc.0
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