When to stop counting calories?
barbiex3
Posts: 1,036 Member
I never ever went on a "diet" or counted my calories before I joined this site on April 30th, 2011... I have never overweight at any point in my life. I have lost 21 pounds (all within the healthy range) that I didn't need to lose, but I basically just wanted to get abs, but now I really don't care because it made me so unhappy. Basically, I want to stop counting my calories. I'm so sick of obsessing over what I put in my mouth. For the past 2 weeks I've switched over to "maintence", so I'm allowed to eat a lot more than before usually 1950 + exercise calories, but it is just not helping.... I feel like I've messed up my eating habits for life... I really like this website for support, but I feel like the calorie counting is really messing with my head... =/ Has anyone stopped counting calories and just listen to their body?
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Replies
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Honestly, I don't think I will ever look at any food again without mentally thinking "that has X calories and X sodium." Oh well.0
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Honestly, I don't think I will ever look at any food again without mentally thinking "that has X calories and X sodium." Oh well.
=/....0 -
i know what you mean.... u look GREAT in both pictures by the way..... i have the same issues though, i have struggled with eating disorders and OCD for years.... i feel like this is a wonderful site for support and to help me stay on track and really account for what i am eating and while i have not lost any weight lately i have changed my eating habits quite a bit. i eat alot healthier food options now and i hardley ever eat out or have fast food. but sometimes i feel like i am obsessing over this site and i feel like i want to stop tracking but i think if i do i may gain weight.0
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I've definitely had the same problem in the past when I've lost weight, and the stress of feeling like I had to put the exact right number of calories into my body in order to maintain was exhausting and made me miserable, so I gained the weight back. I think, though, that what you have to do is just stop counting, even though it may feel uncomfortable. You need to treat your body as if you trust it, even if you don't yet, so that, over time, you can gain back that trust. If you gain a couple of pounds, it's not the end of the world--you'll just know to eat a little less. Likewise, if you start losing, you'll know you can allow yourself some more calories. It's definitely tough, and I have yet to practice what I preach, but I think it's just the kind of thing that takes time and practice...and don't be too hard on yourself.0
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I stopped. I started logging food again a few days ago because I wanted to drop another couple of pounds for a trip in three weeks, but I stopped a few months ago at around 135, got down to 130 without counting calories (actually wasn't all the way "dieting" at that point -- was being pretty good during the week and really quite bad on weekends).
This morning the scale said 128.0 (didn't log it because I'm planning to be really bad tomorrow and know I'll be closer to 130 Monday morning). But I started getting really obsessive and stuff a few months ago and knew it wasn't healthy so I stopped and I'll stop again after Labour Day when we get back from Atlanta (going to be in a pool, so wanted to drop another couple of vanity pounds).0 -
Well, it takes three months for your new weight to level and become natural, to where if you over eat or under eat it'll want to regulate itself to X weight. So, for me... when I get to my goal weight, I'm going to count in maintenance for three months, figure out where I belong, and then listen to my body once I'm there.0
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Last time I got down to my goal I stopped tracking. I'd still weigh every once in a while and then if I noticed the scale up over 3 pounds consistently I tracked again until it was gone.
Then I got pregnant again....0 -
Honestly? Counting calories has helped me have a healthier view of food. I admit that I have gotten very good at portion control, learning what serving size is and even knowing what all the food I eat is in calories.
If it bothers you - stop. If you are obsessing - stop. Do what works for you. I've found that even when I don't count? I am pretty close to my goal overall.0 -
I know what you mean
I haven't reached my goal, but I totally have that OCD feeling. even on days where I'm feeling comfortable/self confident I still have to be like "okay that's 15 chips, I'm done." it's kind of crazy.
the site has helped me, but it's also made me (more?) neurotic. not sure how to help that
BUT I do like RebelliousRose's idea, to keep tracking at maintenance for a while, THEN let go.
maybe once you can convince yourself you'll "stay that way" you'll be able to relax more!
best of luck to ya, barbz0 -
i am at the point where i dont really care anymore...but i DONT eat what i want WHENEVER I WANT, i try and listen to my body..eat when i am hungry, and stop when i am full. right now, i look at food at fuel, vitamins and nutrients rather than calories that i have to burn off later (i used to think of it as just calories and i hated life and myself). when i want to be slimmer i just hold out and feel hunger pangs more but i like to eat, so i do. i count calories just to know i am not in starvation mode.
and you know what? all those obsessive thoughts about food are being put to better use
food will NEVER run my life again 
take back your life too! 0 -
I've had the same problem. I recently stopped logging on to my fitness pal in an attempt to stop counting calories and just try to eat 'normal.' Even when I make healthy choices, I mentally count the amount of calories I'm taking in and it drives me crazy. I have always been a huge health nut and have a master's in kinesiology, but now it almost seems like a curse because I analyze every bite of food I put in my mouth. I guess you can say I'm OCD about it, but like you, I wish I could just go back to oblivion and leave the obsessing behind. I don't know what to do about it.0
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I'm tempted. I recently got into a pretty big fight about how much I obsess over calories and my figure.
The worst part is, if this keeps up when he sees me next week he is going to realize it's much much worse than he thought.0 -
My .02
I think the key is to try and find that balance where you are aware of your intake (calories) and focus on eating healthy as often as possible. Giving your body all the fuel it needs to be successful with whatever lifestyle you have. Not to obsess about it, but rather just be aware...As it makes no difference if I really eat 1 or 2 bananas more today then yesterday. Assuming each banana has approx. 100 calories...will those 200 calories make or break my fitness goals. Not unless I'm doing something like boxing/fighting where my weight is critical.
For me, weight is just a number...it does not determine my fitness or quality of life level. What matters more is the quality of life that I feel from my diet, my body's response to that diet and how I feel from the reflection i see in the mirror.
We should be aware of what we eat and the quantity of the foods we eat...but definitely not to obsess with it.
Cheers to you all and keep living healthy! (whatever healthy means to you).0 -
"Listening to my body" is what made me 270 lbs. I've lost a lot of weight at two different points in the past, only to gain it back. For maintenance, I will have to come up with a less obsessive scheme than what I'm doing now. But going back to intuition and "normalcy" is not an option, I believe....0
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Hi. I would say this. For the most part, before "we" were bombarded with artificial stimulants, we relied on our bodies to tell us how much sleep we needed, how much water to quench our thirst, how much food to eat. This (I am generalizing so excuse me if it doesn't apply to everyone, lol) is why we are overweight and X (insert your reason here). So I believe that the less artificial stimulants we consume or let affect us we can go back to allowing our "techniques of weight loss" behind us. I am of course quoting a book from Lisle, The Pleasure Trap. The example he gives is to look at the wild animals, birds even. The birds eat enough food so that they can still fly and how many skinny birds do you know? Maybe we can use another example. I encourage you to look up the laws of satiation or read his book. you can gain confidence in the knowledge that we can allow our bodies to go back to trusting our eating instincts. Good luck!0
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Just remember, after you hit 30, that metabolism you have right now will begin slowing down....then you'll be watching again, calories & exercise.
Once you're in your 40's it's slowed even more...and think about even a 2lb gain a year continuing until you're 60 and above...where will you be at then?
Your metabolism has slowed even further...how much harder will it be then?
I know it seems obsessive, but once you decide to let go and move on, you're still going to be thinking about it in the long run.
It's better to know and continue on eating healthier and once in awhile pigging out then it is to just say forget it and eat whatever all the time...
I never want to go back to 200lbs again. And I am 49, so I HAVE to be careful....0 -
Just remember, after you hit 30, that metabolism you have right now will begin slowing down....then you'll be watching again, calories & exercise.
Once you're in your 40's it's slowed even more...and think about even a 2lb gain a year continuing until you're 60 and above...where will you be at then?
Your metabolism has slowed even further...how much harder will it be then?
I know it seems obsessive, but once you decide to let go and move on, you're still going to be thinking about it in the long run.
It's better to know and continue on eating healthier and once in awhile pigging out then it is to just say forget it and eat whatever all the time...
I never want to go back to 200lbs again. And I am 49, so I HAVE to be careful....
I'm 19 years old. I'm a teenager... I don't really think I need to be worried about what it will be like when I hit 30 for a while... and I always ate healthy before and took care of my body, hence never being overweight...0 -
I totally understand how you feel. I've always been a healthy weight but hated feeling "fat" and "unhealthy" so I joined. (140 was my highest - with clothes & sneakers on.) But I wanted to be "skinny." I stopped counting for a while but to be honest I don't even remember how I used to eat before counting. =/ So now I've decided to eat when I want but log in and make sure I understand what's going into my body. I still have calorie counts of everything memorized and I don't know how to stop thinking like this: 1 medium apple = 80 calories; 10 small strawberries = 20 calories; 1 chips ahoy cookie = 40 calories... I know when I can eat and when I can't, and I feel like I'm not going to stop even when I get to where I plan to be.
But really.. I've started to love how I feel. I don't mind if it takes me a year to lose the last 15 lbs. I eat to live. I know when I've had too much crap food and when I've been eating food that my body wants. I know sometimes I obsess about it and have to take a step back and logout for a while but when I consider the alternative, I think I like this option better.
I've recently upped my calories so I could eat more and still be okay and realized that I had been undereating all along. I never would have realized that if I had still been eating in oblivion and "guessing" about what's healthy for me. I used to be on a number of "diets" only to gain the weight right back. Calorie counting has just worked for me because I'm not counting anymore - just logging. I love that I know when too much is too much.
For me, I think it's been all about trusting myself that I can do it myself and not need this "count" every minute of every day.. just finding the right balance between eating real and keeping myself in check.0 -
A few years back I started watching sugar and carbs, after a few months it did become obsessive. It wasn't good - I was spending way too much time thinking about food. I couldn't open my refrigerator for a snack without calculating. And it would really bother me if I went over my goal, almost anxiety producing.
Instead of adding to my life it was starting to take away from it.
Anyway, I stopped. It did take some time to not look at food like that anymore, but it did happen. It was so nice to have goals in my life not based on carbs, and to think about something other than food.
I think you're very smart to question it now, and very observant. I really wish you the best in whatever you decide to do. :flowerforyou:0 -
Just remember, after you hit 30, that metabolism you have right now will begin slowing down....then you'll be watching again, calories & exercise.
Once you're in your 40's it's slowed even more...and think about even a 2lb gain a year continuing until you're 60 and above...where will you be at then?
Your metabolism has slowed even further...how much harder will it be then?
I know it seems obsessive, but once you decide to let go and move on, you're still going to be thinking about it in the long run.
It's better to know and continue on eating healthier and once in awhile pigging out then it is to just say forget it and eat whatever all the time...
I never want to go back to 200lbs again. And I am 49, so I HAVE to be careful....
I'm 19 years old. I'm a teenager... I don't really think I need to be worried about what it will be like when I hit 30 for a while... and I always ate healthy before and took care of my body, hence never being overweight...
I think she's just making you aware of how your body changes as you age. Even in your mid-20's you'll see differences. When I was your age, I ate whatever I wanted and never gained an ounce. By the time I hit my mid 20's I saw that eating whatever I wanted, in large quantities wasn't having the same effects on my body as when I was 18, 19 or 20.
Just be aware that our bodies change as we get older and it becomes harder to keep the weight off and harder to lose it when we DO gain it.0 -
I stopped counting calories because of the same reason; I felt that food, exercise, calorie counting etc. was consuming my life and I felt obsessive. Unfortunately, it's 3 years later and I have gained all of my weight back. ( I also struggle with binge eating-which is most of my problem!) I think I made the mistake of not being on "maintenence" calories and I literally felt like each day was a "diet" and each day was a battle and I got tired of fighting the battle. However, I think it's a battle worth fighting and I'm back on MFP to conquer this! Best wishes to you!0
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plan your meals in advance to fit into your calorie goal so you dont have to worry about counting calories while your eating... thats what i do and i enjoy it. it makes it easier to balance your carbs protein and fat and such as well0
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Ive done this for yrs, its never endingHonestly, I don't think I will ever look at any food again without mentally thinking "that has X calories and X sodium." Oh well.0 -
B - just wanted to let you know that I think you are quite amazing - at any age!!! I wish the best for you, whatever you decide to do! Also - I'm about to turn 55 and my metabolism hasn't changed a bit, so please don't worry about what the future has in store for you. But perhaps there are other passions in your life besides those that relate to eating & exercise & appearance??? Maybe it's time to turn more of your attention to them? xoxoxo0
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Just remember, after you hit 30, that metabolism you have right now will begin slowing down....then you'll be watching again, calories & exercise.
Once you're in your 40's it's slowed even more...and think about even a 2lb gain a year continuing until you're 60 and above...where will you be at then?
Your metabolism has slowed even further...how much harder will it be then?
I know it seems obsessive, but once you decide to let go and move on, you're still going to be thinking about it in the long run.
It's better to know and continue on eating healthier and once in awhile pigging out then it is to just say forget it and eat whatever all the time...
I never want to go back to 200lbs again. And I am 49, so I HAVE to be careful....
I'm 19 years old. I'm a teenager... I don't really think I need to be worried about what it will be like when I hit 30 for a while... and I always ate healthy before and took care of my body, hence never being overweight...
I think she's just making you aware of how your body changes as you age. Even in your mid-20's you'll see differences. When I was your age, I ate whatever I wanted and never gained an ounce. By the time I hit my mid 20's I saw that eating whatever I wanted, in large quantities wasn't having the same effects on my body as when I was 18, 19 or 20.
Just be aware that our bodies change as we get older and it becomes harder to keep the weight off and harder to lose it when we DO gain it.
That's what happened to me. I've always been a thin person who was relatively active, and people have always said that I ate alot. I never thought I would be someone who struggled with weight issues. Age and having children seem to change our metabolism. :-)0 -
What al1108 mentioned above is something that might be useful - logging at the end of the day instead of counting throughout the day.
This is a bit cheesy but it's something to think about -"When we give up dieting, we take back something we were often too young to know we had given away: our own voice. Our ability to make decisions about what to eat and when. Our belief in ourselves. Our right to decide what goes into our mouths. Unlike the diets that appear monthly in magazines or the thermal pants that sweat off pounds, unlike a lover or a friend or a car, your body is reliable. It doesn't go away, get lost, stolen. If you will listen, it will speak."
— Geneen Roth0 -
But perhaps there are other passions in your life besides those that relate to eating & exercise & appearance??? Maybe it's time to turn more of your attention to them? xoxoxo
EXACTLY! I miss my life (: !0 -
What al1108 mentioned above is something that might be useful - logging at the end of the day instead of counting throughout the day.
This is a bit cheesy but it's something to think about -"When we give up dieting, we take back something we were often too young to know we had given away: our own voice. Our ability to make decisions about what to eat and when. Our belief in ourselves. Our right to decide what goes into our mouths. Unlike the diets that appear monthly in magazines or the thermal pants that sweat off pounds, unlike a lover or a friend or a car, your body is reliable. It doesn't go away, get lost, stolen. If you will listen, it will speak."
— Geneen Roth
lol it almost made me tear up.. for real tho. It's kinda sad because it's like I didn't trust myself! yikes..0 -
B - just wanted to let you know that I think you are quite amazing - at any age!!! I wish the best for you, whatever you decide to do! Also - I'm about to turn 55 and my metabolism hasn't changed a bit, so please don't worry about what the future has in store for you. But perhaps there are other passions in your life besides those that relate to eating & exercise & appearance??? Maybe it's time to turn more of your attention to them? xoxoxo
^ Just because this was worth re-posting.. I realized that once I stopped "counting" I had so much more energy and piece of mind to spend my time on other things.. real things. You're so young and have soo much going for you.. Keep yourself aware of what you're consuming but don't let it be the center of your world. You're a runner and a daughter and a friend and a student and a future leader. Go be those things. =]0 -
B - just wanted to let you know that I think you are quite amazing - at any age!!! I wish the best for you, whatever you decide to do! Also - I'm about to turn 55 and my metabolism hasn't changed a bit, so please don't worry about what the future has in store for you. But perhaps there are other passions in your life besides those that relate to eating & exercise & appearance??? Maybe it's time to turn more of your attention to them? xoxoxo
^ I agree completely. You're 19!!! Enjoy your youth!
I'm 47 and I've always been within 8 pounds of what I weighed as a teen, not everyone gains.0
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