Do you plan on counting calories your whole life in order to maintain?
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Yes I will plan on counting calories the rest of my life. Not counting calories is what got me here in the first place. But I am not going to go to bed hungry, I am not going to deny myself treats, I am not going to the obsessive. I will probably log and track the rest of my life. And that's okay with me13
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SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. It seems almost like some folks think counting calories forever is a bad thing and something to try to wean off of? What harm is there in it? I can see being a little less strict about it but if it works where is the negative? Unless of course you just hate using MFP to log.
I am guessing because it isn't natural, to do especially upon; a regular basis!
Please define "natural". Do you find the use of tools in general not natural?
Specific 1's yes, such as; a food scale & gym equipment! Once these tools didn't exist, to ensure that we maintained; an ideal weight/strong physique but yet, we did!2 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. It seems almost like some folks think counting calories forever is a bad thing and something to try to wean off of? What harm is there in it? I can see being a little less strict about it but if it works where is the negative? Unless of course you just hate using MFP to log.
I am guessing because it isn't natural, to do especially upon; a regular basis!
Please define "natural". Do you find the use of tools in general not natural?
Specific 1's yes, such as; a food scale & gym equipment! Once these tools didn't exist, to ensure that we maintained; an ideal weight/strong physique but yet, we did!
How do you feel about cars? At one time we all stayed fit and healthy walking everywhere we had to go.6 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. It seems almost like some folks think counting calories forever is a bad thing and something to try to wean off of? What harm is there in it? I can see being a little less strict about it but if it works where is the negative? Unless of course you just hate using MFP to log.
I am guessing because it isn't natural, to do especially upon; a regular basis!
Please define "natural". Do you find the use of tools in general not natural?
Specific 1's yes, such as; a food scale & gym equipment! Once these tools didn't exist, to ensure that we maintained; an ideal weight/strong physique but yet, we did!
How do you feel about cars? At one time we all stayed fit and healthy walking everywhere we had to go.
Some of us still do, at least; for the most part! However not everything necessary's within, what's considered; to be walking distance!
I believe that you're mistaking, my comparison; as me being against modernization! If that were so then it'd be quite hypocritical of me, to be using MFP; when instead figuring my CICO's also plausible without MFP!1 -
I've gone into maintenance twice in the past six years. In both cases, my weight slowly started to drift upwards. This is a problem if I'm not weighing myself and taking corrective action when I've gone up five pounds.
I've decided in maintenance I need to either track my calories or weigh myself regularly, but probably don't need to do both -- and also have sworn to myself that I will never ever buy larger clothing again because my clothing is getting tight -- if that happens, it means go back into calorie counting again.15 -
ManOhMan, I don't think I've ever tried to plan the whole rest of my life in advance: I'm not gonna start now, even though at this stage (age 62), there's surely more if it behind me than ahead!
I'm heading into year 3 of maintenance. I'm logging most days now, skipping a few that are too annoying (major grazing from heavy-appetizer buffet for a meal, say - waaaay more effort than it's worth at this point, even if I think I overate) or the rare day I'm unmotivated. (I logged like religion while losing, because I wanted solid info about expected progress, and to estimate maintenance calories.)
Right now, I expect to keep logging for the foreseeable future, because it seems like it helps me accomplish what I need to do to stay happy, at very reasonable effort. It might go on forever.
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I will never 'unlearn' all the numbers I've seen and worked with in the past 5 years. I know I'll have periods where I log, sometimes I'll weigh my foods, sometimes I'll just eyeball and log, sometimes I wont log, but I will always keep a mental tally in my head cause I dont think I'll ever not care about what I'm eating again.3
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@AnnPT77 , don't be so sure. The way Aubrey de Grey talks about it, you may have a few more healthy years ahead than behind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ARUQ5LoUo 3 -
vaguely. Won't always be super close. Right now I am 'spitballing' everything while doing a slow bulk and it is going as planned. I am pretty good at maintaining without logging because I've memorized the calories of so many things.3
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I don't know...I don't want to, but I may have to. I find it a bit stressful, to be honest, but I think it's the only reasonable way forward for me since my hunger cues are so inconsistent.2
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I am in the process of transitioning from calorie counting to mindful eating.... going to try it for a few months to see what happens.
I'm doing this as well. I'm going to continue to track my weight in the libra app to make sure my trend stays within my maintenance weight limits.2 -
Wasn't planning on it but I think I'm going to have to. I eat like an *kitten* otherwise. Even when I'm counting...I'm an idiot. Here's to a life of entering food in a stupid app.9
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SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. It seems almost like some folks think counting calories forever is a bad thing and something to try to wean off of? What harm is there in it? I can see being a little less strict about it but if it works where is the negative? Unless of course you just hate using MFP to log.
I am guessing because it isn't natural, to do especially upon; a regular basis!
Please define "natural". Do you find the use of tools in general not natural?
Specific 1's yes, such as; a food scale & gym equipment! Once these tools didn't exist, to ensure that we maintained; an ideal weight/strong physique but yet, we did!
How do you feel about cars? At one time we all stayed fit and healthy walking everywhere we had to go.
Some of us still do, at least; for the most part! However not everything necessary's within, what's considered; to be walking distance!
I believe that you're mistaking, my comparison; as me being against modernization! If that were so then it'd be quite hypocritical of me, to be using MFP; when instead figuring my CICO's also plausible without MFP!
Haha, I really didn't think you were a real life luddite!
Where I'm coming from is the assumption that using some tools (like calorie counting) isn't natural, while using others (like a ruler - or a car) somehow is.6 -
Yes. I find it freeing to be able to keep track of my exercise and calories. I gained weight for many reasons, but one of the BIG ones was that I did not weigh myself for over 10 years. I plan to weigh weekly and log/track for the rest of my life. I'm 52, so I lived most of my life without it, but I don't want to go back to being 100 lbs. overweight.3
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I weigh daily and track my exercise, but rarely track my food. I eat the same food fairly consistently so I generally know about how many calories I eat. If I start to get to the high end of my 5 lb maintenance range I eat in a deficit for a few days to get back to the lower to mid-range. I generally stay within about a 2 lb range without much effort (although I rarely have a day that I would call over eating). I have been in maintenance for 8 months after losing 20 lbs in 3 months.4
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Regarding what's natural and unnatural--it's pretty unnatural to have as much food and the types of food we have available to us 24/7 (think 2 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts). In order to deal with that fact and and the natural tendency we were born with to eat what we can when we can, I think using an "unnatural " tool such as mfp to control ourselves is warranted. For me, anyway.12
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lightenup2016 wrote: »Regarding what's natural and unnatural--it's pretty unnatural to have as much food and the types of food we have available to us 24/7 (think 2 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts). In order to deal with that fact and and the natural tendency we were born with to eat what we can when we can, I think using an "unnatural " tool such as mfp to control ourselves is warranted. For me, anyway.
Yes, my thoughts exactly! I was starting to type this idea but you beat me to it 2 -
@BeccaLoves2lift - cheers to success for both of us! I have the same strategy to weigh daily and track the trend.
We will see how the process progresses...1 -
Yes - for the foreseeable future anyway. I've reached maintenance before, logged for a while, then got out of the habit. My weight drifted back up.
This time around, I lost the weight, and have been maintaining for 14 months or so. I still weigh myself and my food daily, and keep a food journal. I like to eat, so I can easily eat more than my body needs if I don't keep track.
I do take breaks for vacations or holidays, and am not as strict with situations like parties or going out to eat. But for the most part, I keep track.
I don't view it as a chore, more like a fun science or math project. And it doesn't take that much effort, so why not if it helps keep me on track?6 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »@AnnPT77 , don't be so sure. The way Aubrey de Grey talks about it, you may have a few more healthy years ahead than behind.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ARUQ5LoUo
We'll see, and I'm hedging my bets . . . but my money says Imma flame out in 20-25 years, regardless of emerging med tech. I already dodged death once on 60/40 live/die odds, genetics says 80s, and (sadly? happily?) even at 62, I'm (hedonistically speaking) really Not A Good Girl, entirely.
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Good question. I think once I get to my goal weight, I will track at maintenance at least a year while I adjust to maintenance calories and/or muscle building goals.
Going rogue scares me a bit, I did that for a month this year and gained weight, don't have that portion and self control.
Hopefully won't have to track for the rest of my life, but for now I don't see quitting anytime soon (still 18lbs to maintenance).0 -
Interesting question.
I've been maintaining for a long time (lost 60 lbs around 12 years ago all the weight I put on during pregnancy) but my weight always tended to creep up 10 pounds above my goal weight. Before MFP, I never counted calories, merely ate less and moved more but I did it in a never-ending binge and restrict cycle that was very destructive for me.
After joining MFP a few years ago, I became more aware and counted calories obsessively only to get burned out after a few months, quit and yes, delete the account I had at that time. I then tried IF with only loosely counting (as a PP said, once the numbers are in your head, it's hard to get them out again) and that was successful but life got in the way and that also halted.
So NOW for maintenance, I plan to combine all the WOEs I've previously tried and am now using a combination of logging in an excel spreadsheet total daily cals (estimated), doing IF plus calorie cycling! I'm pleased to say that it's working well. I'm more relaxed, more happy and most importantly, not hungry! So back to the OP's question, I'm kinda counting calories but doing it in such a way that it's not a burden for me
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amusedmonkey wrote: »Detritus_1965 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »IMO, it's a teaching tool...kinda like training wheels. Eventually you just learn to ride...
Agreed.
For some it takes longer, some reach this goal faster ... but the goal has to be to get rid of this tool.
I personally don't believe that. The goal of learning the multiplication table and long division is to be able to do certain calculations. The goal is to do these calculations, not to get rid of calculators.
Obviously you got me wrong.
To stay in your picture:
When learning addition you (usually) start by counting your fingers. It is, of course, NOT the goal to get rid of your fingers, but not having to use them for counting anymore.
Eventually you will replace the "teaching tool" fingers (or, to get back to OP, "Calory Counter") by brain capacity.
Get rid of crutches, learn to run.
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Detritus_1965 wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »Detritus_1965 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »IMO, it's a teaching tool...kinda like training wheels. Eventually you just learn to ride...
Agreed.
For some it takes longer, some reach this goal faster ... but the goal has to be to get rid of this tool.
I personally don't believe that. The goal of learning the multiplication table and long division is to be able to do certain calculations. The goal is to do these calculations, not to get rid of calculators.
Obviously you got me wrong.
To stay in your picture:
When learning addition you (usually) start by counting your fingers. It is, of course, NOT the goal to get rid of your fingers, but not having to use them for counting anymore.
Eventually you will replace the "teaching tool" fingers (or, to get back to OP, "Calory Counter") by brain capacity.
Get rid of crutches, learn to run.
I don't think of calorie counting as a crutch, but as a tool that can make life easier. A crutch would be to follow a pre-written meal plan, while useful as a start to get an idea about how food works, the ultimate goal is customization for sustainability. Calorie counting can be treated as training wheels for those whose plan would not be sustainable counting long term and who thrive on other methods for maintenance, but it can also be used as a tool that augments a sustainability plan for those who don't find counting hindering and/or who don't do well without it. I see no extra "life points" in ditching a useful tool that helps the process. Weight maintenance needs to be the focus, not counting-free bragging rights.17 -
Calorie counting got me to goal weight back in 2013 and its being calorie aware that has kept me maintaining that weight ever since. I no longer need to log my food/calories but I still mentally tot up my intake. Personally I think its good to be calorie and portion aware in general, it was eating mindlessly that made me overweight to begin with.
So to answer your questions yes I will always continue to think in terms of counting calories albeit on a loosely counted basis.3 -
I expect to count calories and macros for the rest of my competitive life...am I thrilled? About the rest of my competitive life, yes. About the counting, not. Not at all.
But I really believe I have to pay a price for what I want and this may be part of it. I do relax things a bit in the off season, but it's also true I have basically cancelled the off season now and I'll keep on competing. Oh well.
I dream of being an old and wrinkled woman sipping drinks on a beach of Panama though. I don't think that will happen, I'll probably die training or racing, and my last meal was surely counted.4 -
I can't say for sure that I'll ALWAYS count calories but for now (been maintaining for 2 years) it's the best way for me.
These days I'm not always accurate in what I count/log and there are days where I'll log my breakfast and then not get around to adding anything else but for the most part, keeping an eye on how many calories I'm eating makes maintaining a lot easier.2 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. It seems almost like some folks think counting calories forever is a bad thing and something to try to wean off of? What harm is there in it? I can see being a little less strict about it but if it works where is the negative? Unless of course you just hate using MFP to log.
Great question, @SummerSkier - for me, MFP has become an obsession, specifically around planning out my day in advance. What was once a relief, knowing I had food scheduled throughout the day now feels like a prison. I feel locked into eating certain foods at certain times regardless of whether or not I am hungry, to meet my calorie/macro goals. I’ve lost my mindfulness about hunger cues. I’ve also lost my spontaneity along the way...
I may journey down this path of mindful eating and realize that it was a big mistake - that these trade-offs listed above are worth every bit of control that MFP provides as a very helpful (and proven) tool for weight management. If I am successful going down this new path, freedom from my obsession around food will be my prize.
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SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. It seems almost like some folks think counting calories forever is a bad thing and something to try to wean off of? What harm is there in it? I can see being a little less strict about it but if it works where is the negative? Unless of course you just hate using MFP to log.
Great question, @SummerSkier - for me, MFP has become an obsession, specifically around planning out my day in advance. What was once a relief, knowing I had food scheduled throughout the day now feels like a prison. I feel locked into eating certain foods at certain times regardless of whether or not I am hungry, to meet my calorie/macro goals. I’ve lost my mindfulness about hunger cues. I’ve also lost my spontaneity along the way...
I may journey down this path of mindful eating and realize that it was a big mistake - that these trade-offs listed above are worth every bit of control that MFP provides as a very helpful (and proven) tool for weight management. If I am successful going down this new path, freedom from my obsession around food will be my prize.
I couldn't have worded that better myself. Making similar changes myself and cutting the ties to logging and weighing (me and food). I do actually think (hope) I'll eat better and make better choices and enjoy my food more with a more relaxed but mindful approach. Only started today though!
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Yep0
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