Anybody else get tired of counting calories?

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Replies

  • RandyInOklahaoma
    RandyInOklahaoma Posts: 12 Member
    I have to log mine to stay accountable. It really helps!
  • cartersmom06
    cartersmom06 Posts: 68 Member
    How long have you been logging?

    I never minded logging my food, certainly not for the first few years anyway (it got me to goal weight and it helped me keep it off imo) - I now no longer need to log as I can maintain my loss without physically logging however mentally I still am very aware of my approx calorie daily intake.

    Ive been logging on and off for years never losing much weight because I grow tiresome of the process. I dont have alot to lose, 20 pounds would be nice. I keep coming back to this app though because its the only way of eating that lets me eat what I want without restricting certain foods. I always lose momentum though during the process because I dont see any results of weight loss. I can never seem to lose that pound a week I have my calories set for and always feel hungry in the evening after I have used up my calories for the day. I get frustrated when I step on the scale and there is no loss, sometimes even a gain. FYI Im a 53 yo woman, 5'7" 178 pounds. Im also in perimenopause. Cycles are all over the map! Maybe somebody here has some advice that has been where I am. I trust the process, just growing tired of not seeing results thats all!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    How long have you been logging?

    I never minded logging my food, certainly not for the first few years anyway (it got me to goal weight and it helped me keep it off imo) - I now no longer need to log as I can maintain my loss without physically logging however mentally I still am very aware of my approx calorie daily intake.

    Ive been logging on and off for years never losing much weight because I grow tiresome of the process. I dont have alot to lose, 20 pounds would be nice. I keep coming back to this app though because its the only way of eating that lets me eat what I want without restricting certain foods. I always lose momentum though during the process because I dont see any results of weight loss. I can never seem to lose that pound a week I have my calories set for and always feel hungry in the evening after I have used up my calories for the day. I get frustrated when I step on the scale and there is no loss, sometimes even a gain. FYI Im a 53 yo woman, 5'7" 178 pounds. Im also in perimenopause. Cycles are all over the map! Maybe somebody here has some advice that has been where I am. I trust the process, just growing tired of not seeing results thats all!

    have you played around with macros much?
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    How long have you been logging?

    I never minded logging my food, certainly not for the first few years anyway (it got me to goal weight and it helped me keep it off imo) - I now no longer need to log as I can maintain my loss without physically logging however mentally I still am very aware of my approx calorie daily intake.

    Ive been logging on and off for years never losing much weight because I grow tiresome of the process. I dont have alot to lose, 20 pounds would be nice. I keep coming back to this app though because its the only way of eating that lets me eat what I want without restricting certain foods. I always lose momentum though during the process because I dont see any results of weight loss. I can never seem to lose that pound a week I have my calories set for and always feel hungry in the evening after I have used up my calories for the day. I get frustrated when I step on the scale and there is no loss, sometimes even a gain. FYI Im a 53 yo woman, 5'7" 178 pounds. Im also in perimenopause. Cycles are all over the map! Maybe somebody here has some advice that has been where I am. I trust the process, just growing tired of not seeing results thats all!

    I get that. If you are close enough to goal that weight loss is likely to be slow and struggle without those concrete results, I think it can be really helpful to make the primary goals things be things other than weight on the scale. Part of that could be super accurate logging, but also other health goals that appeal to you: examples, "I will eat 10 servings of veg per day" or "I will complete this exercise/fitness goal and comply with my training plan when doing it." For me, when I was frustrated it was helpful to reframe my goal as being to get into the absolute best shape I could, independent of weight -- so I decided to train for a triathlon and the eating was part of my way of getting there. I did lose, but wasn't so worried about fluctuations, as I could see I was in better shape each week or two.

    I would also try to think in longer term for weight loss. As we get older (I'm 48), it seems like time passes faster and faster, so I like to think about monthly or even 3 or 6 month goals more than weekly ones. Sure, I also weigh weekly (actually most days), but I learn fluctuations and don't worry about it. If I am complying with my plan and it seems to be working in the long term -- and you have to get that a chance! -- then the daily changes aren't important.

    If you are hungry, you may want to change up your meal timing or food choices, however, although for me it also can be mental in that I'm hungry when I'm used to eating or trying to distract myself from something else or what not. Something engrossing in the evening to distract you from eating until you are used to it might be useful, or snacking on low cal foods so you can snack, if that's the deal (cucumbers, celery, pickles, whatever). Or, shift your calories or save some for an evening snack -- nothing wrong with that!
  • cartersmom06
    cartersmom06 Posts: 68 Member
    How long have you been logging?

    I never minded logging my food, certainly not for the first few years anyway (it got me to goal weight and it helped me keep it off imo) - I now no longer need to log as I can maintain my loss without physically logging however mentally I still am very aware of my approx calorie daily intake.

    Ive been logging on and off for years never losing much weight because I grow tiresome of the process. I dont have alot to lose, 20 pounds would be nice. I keep coming back to this app though because its the only way of eating that lets me eat what I want without restricting certain foods. I always lose momentum though during the process because I dont see any results of weight loss. I can never seem to lose that pound a week I have my calories set for and always feel hungry in the evening after I have used up my calories for the day. I get frustrated when I step on the scale and there is no loss, sometimes even a gain. FYI Im a 53 yo woman, 5'7" 178 pounds. Im also in perimenopause. Cycles are all over the map! Maybe somebody here has some advice that has been where I am. I trust the process, just growing tired of not seeing results thats all!

    have you played around with macros much?

    I have no idea how to do the macro thing! I have done low carb and was a miserable mess!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    How long have you been logging?

    I never minded logging my food, certainly not for the first few years anyway (it got me to goal weight and it helped me keep it off imo) - I now no longer need to log as I can maintain my loss without physically logging however mentally I still am very aware of my approx calorie daily intake.

    Ive been logging on and off for years never losing much weight because I grow tiresome of the process. I dont have alot to lose, 20 pounds would be nice. I keep coming back to this app though because its the only way of eating that lets me eat what I want without restricting certain foods. I always lose momentum though during the process because I dont see any results of weight loss. I can never seem to lose that pound a week I have my calories set for and always feel hungry in the evening after I have used up my calories for the day. I get frustrated when I step on the scale and there is no loss, sometimes even a gain. FYI Im a 53 yo woman, 5'7" 178 pounds. Im also in perimenopause. Cycles are all over the map! Maybe somebody here has some advice that has been where I am. I trust the process, just growing tired of not seeing results thats all!

    have you played around with macros much?

    I have no idea how to do the macro thing! I have done low carb and was a miserable mess!!

    you try a bit less this, and a bit more that...

    for me, while i am not low carb, getting adequate protein and a good amount of fat is what keeps me full, so i am usually around 40% carbs, 35% fat and 25% protein. if i have too many carbs, and therefor not enough fat and protein i am hungry regardless of how many calories i eat.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
    I have recently been put on a low-sugar, high fiber, low saturated fat plan by my doctor. Basically, lots of fruits, veggies,whole grains, and olive oil, some low fat proteins and low fat dairy, and as little processed foods (white baked goods, white breads, sweets, etc) as possible. (also, sadly, no wine or alcohol). I am trying to lower triglycedrides and cholesterol. I am still logging to check macros and keep myself accountable, but I really am not paying attention to calories.

    What I find is that if I eat the "good healthy" foods, I don't have to worry about my calorie goal for maintenance because I become full and satisfied before I run out of calories for the day.

    I think, though, to lose I will have to lower calories, or servings of something.

    For reference, I come from a long history of calorie counting and believing that no foods are off limits as long as you stay within your calorie goal. While that is technically true, I finally became quite hungry pretty much all the time doing it that way. And obviously my health (blood lipids) suffered, because even though I am close to normal weight, my cholesterol and triglycerides are higher than they have ever been in my life.

  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited November 2018
    yes I hate it. I haven't logged my food since July or so. I'm not trying to lose weight though. All the people saying it only takes 5 minutes of their day and it's so easy, I don't understand that. Everytime I cook something new I have to write down each ingredient and weigh it, and enter everything in a recipe builder, and remember to weigh the stupid pot before I make the thing so I can subtract that off the final weight etc. When I make dinner I have to carefully weigh each side dish I put on my plate one at a time instead of just plopping stuff on my plate like everybody else does. Logging food is so easy but only until dinner time. Sometimes I want to get back into counting my calories and lose another 5-10 lbs and lose this belly fat hopefully but ugh, counting calories is such a drag for me.