Calorie counting vs. Intuitive eating.

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  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    JustDoIt987 wrote: »
    I know that many of us are here because intuitive eating does not work for us ( eating whatever you want when hungry and stopping when full ) and I agree , calorie counting is great and I lost weight easily , BUT do you guys really do it for the rest of your lives ? Checking out restaurants menus, thinking about calories etc? I am maintaining now and I literally spend 85% of my day thinking about calories / food. I get nervous when I cant find calories of a particular restaurant online and make a big deal out of it. I am thinking about switching to intuitive eating
    What works for you guys ? Intuitive eating or calorie counting ?

    Both are just tools to helping you control your CICO.

    Personally I find the calorie counting and eating in moderation an unworkable model and favour LCHF which allows me to eat intuitively. Both will work for some people and not for others.

    Choose the one that works for you.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    I failed in the past with intuitive eating. I am only two months into maintenance after a 64 pound loss, but so far I have continued tracking like I was when losing. At some point maybe I will try watching the scale and only counting when necessary but not too soon. I do have a pretty good handle on common foods I eat and would probably mentally count calories roughly if I were to try not logging. But I am not risking it in the near future. Too many times I have failed at maintenance.
  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 667 Member
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    Morgaen73 wrote: »
    Yes, I've been doing it for almost four years now and I will probably do it for the rest of my life or untill I get to the age where it doesnt matter to me anymore.

    And what age would that be? I intend to stay at a healthy weight for the rest of my life. There is no age that that would stop mattering. IMO.

  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    Intuitive eating doesnt work for me because I'm always hungry. I have tried to just eat in moderation and have gained weight over the years.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Calorie counting. Just as I don't know anyone with wealth who doesn't live by a budget I don't know of anyone who is in top shape and does not manage calories/exercise.

    There are too many variables for this to be intuitive.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Calorie counting. Just as I don't know anyone with wealth who doesn't live by a budget I don't know of anyone who is in top shape and does not manage calories/exercise.

    There are too many variables for this to be intuitive.

    ^^ well put! :smile:
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    I do not trust calories advertised on restaurant menus. Food suppliers change, kitchen staff changes, kitchen scales are not always used for every single meal portion. And than there are those add - ons. A little extra sauce here, some "creamy" salad dressing there, a couple of extra olives with the appetizer - and a couple of hundred calories later...
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    neugebauer52 wrote: »
    I do not trust calories advertised on restaurant menus. Food suppliers change, kitchen staff changes, kitchen scales are not always used for every single meal portion. And than there are those add - ons. A little extra sauce here, some "creamy" salad dressing there, a couple of extra olives with the appetizer - and a couple of hundred calories later...

    I agree the calories on menus are generally underestimated. It's a good starting point, though. You know for sure that skinny-sounding salad isn't going to be less than the shocking 900 calories listed on the menu :)
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited May 2018
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    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Calorie counting. Just as I don't know anyone with wealth who doesn't live by a budget I don't know of anyone who is in top shape and does not manage calories/exercise.

    There are too many variables for this to be intuitive.

    Does tracking my weight in a trend app count or are you referring to calorie management in the form of tracking and logging?

    I am an non-tracking bulker/cutter.. I did track for my first bulk but since then I've done it just by feel and using my weight as reference. Not gaining enough, eat more. Gaining too much, eat less.

    I will say, what I do is very rare though and is typically not recommended especially for someone starting out.

    ETA: Unless of course I don't fit your criteria for top shape
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Calorie counting. Just as I don't know anyone with wealth who doesn't live by a budget I don't know of anyone who is in top shape and does not manage calories/exercise.

    There are too many variables for this to be intuitive.

    Does tracking my weight in a trend app count or are you referring to calorie management in the form of tracking and logging?

    I am an non-tracking bulker/cutter.. I did track for my first bulk but since then I've done it just by feel and using my weight as reference. Not gaining enough, eat more. Gaining too much, eat less.

    I will say, what I do is very rare though and is typically not recommended especially for someone starting out.

    ETA: Unless of course I don't fit your criteria for top shape

    Of course. There are several methods to achieving the same goal and there is no superior method other than the one that works for you.

    Borrowing from the financial analogy if you're pulling in a high income and have spending under control you've essentially developed habits that make saving seem intuitive whether or not you consciously implemented these. Just as people who devote time to fitness are ensuring their deficit/maintenance is achieved by providing another positive feedback loop.

    I'm a very lazy logger and eyeball many of my entries, but as I originally logged in great detail I know if I'm off an oz on lean chicken breast it isn't going to matter much in my budget. As long as I hit my weight and bodyfat % goals I can slack off other details.

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