NO MORE CALORIE COUNTING

bpetrosky · April 2019

My natural body likes to tell me what it needs, but I know it is a lying *kitten* because wine and cheese are always involved.

Mazintrov13 · April 2019

Oh sorry I didn’t see the part where you said “no” calorie counting, I’m sure there is people who track on there, but it’s a good subreddit nonetheless!

lin_be · April 2019

I really don’t find tracking my calories as unnatural. I look at it like I look at my checking account. I’m trying to keep things in balance. And ‘back in the day’ we use eat meat, potatoes, corn and food was scarce so it can’t really be compared to modern times.

GemimaFitzTed · April 2019

I listened to my body's apparent needs. It involved eating far too much. It involved next to no exercise. It involved putting on and staying over 50kg above my goal weight.

Counting calories takes a maximum of 5 mins of my day. Calorie counting and MFP has given me is perspective. I now know what 1600cal looks like. I now know what 100g of protein looks like. I can see my progress on a chart. I now understand why it is important to stay above 1200cal.

debraah66 · April 2019

sweetangelkitten wrote: »

spinnerdell wrote: »

Eating wholesome food when I was hungry led to a 70 pound weight gain over the years. Counting calories allowed me to lose that weight and maintain the loss. Wishing you a better outcome with your eating plan.

Why does this lead so many people to weight gain? We weren't counting calories a couple hundred years ago or even a hundred years ago... Seems unnatural to be measuring and counting, we should eat when we are hungry >,<

A couple hundred years ago people were doing so much more activity than now. Plus, they didn't have the kind of foods we have now. Many had to live off what they could hunt or farm. There was hunting, farming, and so many activitys that had to be done on a daily basis just to survive.

HotFrieZ · April 2019

I take more of a mixed approach. I go through periods where I don’t track on an app but I have general calorie knowledge at this point and tend to eat a lot of the same foods frequently so I have a general idea of how much I’m eating. You’re basically on a calorie counting website so I don’t think this is the support group you are looking for.

I have mixed feelings on this topic in general. Part of me is all for body acceptance but I just truly don’t think being obese is healthy for most people. I’m sure there’s one in a hundred out there who is obese and simultaneously healthy, but I don’t think that’s the norm. However, I do think if our body easily maintains a weight that is considered a little overweight and we eat well and are active, that is far healthier than starving ourselves to get to a certain weight.

And I agree with the above posters that things are more complicated food wise than they were before. I’m sure my great grandmother made everything from scratch but I honestly don’t have the time or desire to do that. I’d rather spend a little time tracking at times than do some kind of Whole 30 type thing but that’s just me. And I like being able to eat ice cream, cheez it’s and donuts lol.

nvmomketo · April 2019

It isn't uncommon in the Low Carber Daily or Keto mfp groups. Many still count calories but there are quote a few, like me, who found that if they lower carbs to a certain point, appetite goes to a normal level and cravings go away. As long as I keep carbs very low, I can eat according to my hunger cues and still lose weight. Ymmv

Good luck!

Nony_Mouse · April 2019

sweetangelkitten wrote: »

That is why I said to use whatever means you plan to use. Some people go by how their clothes fit. If they get snug or you find yourself buying bigger sizes you might reconsider your plan. My point is to keep an eye on things. I still don't know how I managed to keep buying bigger clothes without stopping to think I was doing something wrong. Don't be me... please.

If I buy larger clothes then I am working to try to accept that and see where my natural body is

If it leads you to being overweight, then what it means is that you're ingesting more calories than your body needs. Nothing to do with your 'natural' body. We're actually (unfortunately) extremely well disposed to gain weight easily, because we evolved in times that fluctuated between food plenty, and food shortage. Our bodies had to take advantage of the times of plenty to balance out the times of shortage, or we'd be extinct.

Is your goal weight loss, OP? The statement above suggests not, in which case I'm somewhat perplexed as to what your goal is? If it's just to eat wholesome foods and let what happens happen, I'm not sure why you need a website for that. Maybe a HAES (healthy at every size) community?

sugaraddict4321 · April 2019

sweetangelkitten wrote: »

Why does this lead so many people to weight gain? We weren't counting calories a couple hundred years ago or even a hundred years ago... Seems unnatural to be measuring and counting, we should eat when we are hungry >,<

My body often tells me what it wants, not only what it needs. That's how I got fat. I don't always crave "wholesome" foods. You'll never catch me binge-eating kale, for example.

That said, I think intuitive eating can work for many people, particularly when in maintenance. I've not tracked food for months and the scale has stayed within a range of a few pounds. However, I tracked every bite for years before and I know my activity level, calorie burns, and how far I can go before things start to get out of control. I know what a proper portion size for me should look like.

If your goal is to lose weight, it may be helpful to track/log for a few months so you have an idea of what you're currently consuming. From there you can adjust what you're eating and eat more intuitively if that's what you prefer. For me, I don't think I'd be as successful if I didn't have an accurate picture of what I was consuming when I started.

Wishing you the best on your journey.

lin_be · April 2019

Also, the lifespan a couple hundred years ago was like 30-40 years. We can can expect to live much longer than that now, even being obese. We aren’t exactly the same natural beings as we were back then. I think modern living is more ideal, even if that means I have an abundance of food and need to count how much I consume.

Panini911 · April 2019

Best of luck in finding what works best for you.

unfortunately for me, eating "healthy" without calorie counting is why i was obese most of my life. even after loosing 100lbs twice. I'm a victim of my own portion creep. even in maintenance this time around i should do check ins with the scale and diary every few weeks even if i don't do so daily.

sweetangelkitten wrote: »

spinnerdell wrote: »

Eating wholesome food when I was hungry led to a 70 pound weight gain over the years. Counting calories allowed me to lose that weight and maintain the loss. Wishing you a better outcome with your eating plan.

Why does this lead so many people to weight gain? We weren't counting calories a couple hundred years ago or even a hundred years ago... Seems unnatural to be measuring and counting, we should eat when we are hungry >,<

a couple of hundred years ago our access to food and what foods as well as our actiivty level was VASTLY different. you can't really compare the two.

SamPeery · April 2019

Back to the comment on not counting calories a couple hundred years ago, there weren't the amount of processed carbs then as now. Processed carbs boost insulin secretion, insulin secretion boosts weight gain.

pinuplove · April 2019

SamPeery wrote: »

Back to the comment on not counting calories a couple hundred years ago, there weren't the amount of processed carbs then as now. Processed carbs boost insulin secretion, insulin secretion boosts weight gain.

Jobs were also more physically demanding. Life in general was more physically active. Less automation, fewer machines to do things for us. Carbs are not the root of all evil.

texteach66 · April 2019

I think that's awesome! I don't trust myself enough to do that, but I would love to be able to do that!

nvmomketo · April 2019

lin_be wrote: »

Also, the lifespan a couple hundred years ago was like 30-40 years. We can can expect to live much longer than that now, even being obese. We aren’t exactly the same natural beings as we were back then. I think modern living is more ideal, even if that means I have an abundance of food and need to count how much I consume.

Average life expectancy was lower due to a high childhood death rate - chances of dying before 6 was 20%. Once you got past that, 60-80's was pretty typical beyond times of plagues and wars.

lemurcat2 · April 2019

It's not insulin, it's calories vs. movement.

bodyofartsandmuscle · April 2019

Been there done that and thought the same way you did. Did not work and I gained the weight back. Good luck!

staticsplit · April 2019

I do a bit of a blend. I count calories but I'm not too stringent with it. I weigh most things at home but not every morsel. For instance I just count 200 ml of milk once for the tea/coffee I have throughout the day. Is that perfectly accurate? Probably not. I don't care. Close enough. Also if I eat out or at a friend's I just guess. This helps me make sure I'm in the ball park. Within that, I try to be flexible and eat what I want--some days it's very nutrient dense, other times it's not. If I'm over by 300 calories one day, I find the next day I naturally tend to be a bit less hungry and it evens out. I try to approach it all with very little stress. An all or nothing approach got me into trouble in the past.

Annie_01 · April 2019

Of course you can lose weight without counting calories. If you want a chance at success however don't think it is easy. You can't just eat to your hearts content or you are wasting your time. You have to have a plan...I don't mean one off the internet that claims you can lose 10lbs a week and never count a single calorie. One that you have designed based on timing of when you like to eat, foods that you love and portion sizes designed that will help keep you in a deficit.

Meal prep has been my life line along with a recipe builder to give me some idea of how many calories there are in my dish. If I have correct portion sized meals prepped I stay on target...if I don't...I don't do well. I stock up each week on lean proteins(well...there is also the bacon), vegetables, fruits and other things that I enjoy. I have learned to keep a few frozen dinners in the freezer as backup for when I have nothing pre-prepped. They are not my favorite thing to eat but they have helped to keep me on track. I tend to do 2 meals a day(brunch and dinner) with a couple of snacks thrown in(usually fruit or additional veggies).

I weighed and measure for several years and it worked for me...until it didn't...I just couldn't do it. My life felt as if it hinged on a calorie and I...well it wasn't pretty.

It is however beneficial to of had that experience. I learned much from my time of weighing each little gram of food. I don't know what your goals are I couldn't figure it out from your OP...no matter...either way(lose,controlled gain,maintain) if you want to succeed you MUST have a plan. At least I think this is true for most people.

NO MORE CALORIE COUNTING

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