Do you plan on counting calories your whole life in order to maintain?

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Replies

  • gymprincess1234
    gymprincess1234 Posts: 493 Member
    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).
  • jeanona
    jeanona Posts: 155 Member
    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 :)

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited February 2018
    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.
  • rockymir
    rockymir Posts: 498 Member
    edited February 2018
    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.
  • Squish815
    Squish815 Posts: 150 Member
    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.
  • sofchak
    sofchak Posts: 862 Member
    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.


  • amandarunning
    amandarunning Posts: 306 Member
    sofchak 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!

  • sosteach
    sosteach Posts: 260 Member
    Yep
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,122 Member
    I am not sure if I will always calorie count, maybe I will, maybe I won't. I don't find that it takes up much of my time so it really doesn't bother me either way. When I get into maintenance I will probably log until I know I have the correct calorie level then take a break from logging, continue to weigh in once per week and see how I get on. If weight starts creeping back on outside of my weight range then I can always pick it back up again.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,514 Member
    Probably not, but every time I stop logging what I eat (at least eyeballing), I gain weight.
  • CaptainJoy
    CaptainJoy Posts: 257 Member
    No. I planned on counting calories for life but l learned enough during my year of weightloss to be mindful of my calories in relation to my activity. I love knowing that the XXL grilled stuffed burrito I order from Taco Bell has 840 calories. That's breakfast and lunch if I'm not up for a long walk. If my clothes start getting snug, I do step on the scale, make dietary adjustments, and get my body moving. I tapered off logging and no longer use a Fitbit even though I like to occasionally log a day's worth of food just to see how many calories I'm actually consuming.
  • senorajoselina
    senorajoselina Posts: 19 Member
    Yes. Estimating doesn't work. Been there, done that.
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,746 Member
    Ok - I understand the feeling of being locked in and being too obsessive with the logging. I get that sometimes also. But then I remember all the years I did not log or weigh and tried to be "normal" and always gained weight again. sigh. But the logging and weighing is a small price to pay if I can maintain. Maybe the answer is NOT to try to log the day in advance always but maybe log most of it, and then make up your mind about the evening when you get there. I have started doing that sometimes instead of pre logging and it is a lot more freedom feeling. I think that not logging would work best for folks who have lost weight once and made the 'lifestyle change' while losing and maintaining,
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,879 Member
    sofchak 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.


    Pretty much where I was once upon a time...