Why counting calories indefinitely perceived as bad thing?

^^ I agree with everything rheddmobile said. My habits have changed at food events.

E.g. during the holidays when there are weeknight events (gosh, remember that?), having a weeknight glass of wine would be more calories than usual, so I would routinely eat before going and enjoy the glass of wine and ignore the food. I've discovered that exquisite little passed hors d'oeuvres often look yummy but taste bland. Also hard to count. Also hard to actually make a meal (feel full) on that stuff. Also messy when you're dressed nice. So if I'm already splurging a little on wine, it's easier skip the hors d'oeuvres and save the trouble.

But at other food events, like at a seated dinner, it really is about the food and I do enjoy it. If it's during a time I'm tracking closely, I'll do my best to estimate. If I'm tracking loosely, I might just make mindful choices and not worry about it at all. I generally prefer substantial servings of a few things than tiny bites of a million different things.

alisdairsmommy wrote: »

I just read through this thread and I find myself thinking: in every area of my life where I have wanted to improve, I have done some kind of tracking:

- I began budgeting when I needed to learn about money
- I kept a booklist when I wanted to get more intentional about my reading
- I started a recipe file when I wanted to get better at cooking
- I have checklists for chores to make sure my house is in order
- I have a prayer journal for my spiritual health

...why wouldn't I, if I wanted to get more serious about nutrition and eating, start writing it down?

I struggle with procrastination and got so much done today after writing out a list first thing!

Thanks, that is an interesting article! It sounds like he is mostly disagreeing that people will gain weight after calorie restriction whether they continually adhere to the diet afterwards or not( which I don't remember Dr.Fung addressing in his videos, but I am going to look into that.) I'm mostly researching why many people can't adhere to it long term, and Dr. Fung goes through a lot of research explaining that well, I think, even regardless of his personal opinions on the subject.

kshama2001 wrote: »

NVintage wrote: »

This explains so much!
https://youtu.be/5F5o0a4p_3U

Here's a good write up debunking Fung's positions (not necessarily specific to that video, as I have not watched it):

https://www.myoleanfitness.com/evidence-caloric-restriction/

I didn't get that feeling from his videos, but now I'm curious about him!;) I do think some health professionals come off that way when they focus more on the business side of it....Dr. Oz... I think it's rare for anyone to go through all that school without mostly wanting to help others, though. I've been reading a lot this week about hormone levels/weight loss in science journals, and he sort of dumbed it down to where I understand it a little better. (JSTOR has a lot of the scientific journals online for free until July because of COVID btw!)

AnnPT77 wrote: »

NVintage wrote: »

Thanks, that is an interesting article! It sounds like he is mostly disagreeing that people will gain weight after calorie restriction whether they continually adhere to the diet afterwards or not( which I don't remember Dr.Fung addressing in his videos, but I am going to look into that.) I'm mostly researching why many people can't adhere to it long term, and Dr. Fung goes through a lot of research explaining that well, I think, even regardless of his personal opinions on the subject.

kshama2001 wrote: »

NVintage wrote: »

This explains so much!
https://youtu.be/5F5o0a4p_3U

Here's a good write up debunking Fung's positions (not necessarily specific to that video, as I have not watched it):

https://www.myoleanfitness.com/evidence-caloric-restriction/

My personal opinion is forged by being at a healthy weight for 5+ years now (easily, I might add), via calorie counting, after 3 previous *decades* of obesity: I think Fung is a profiteering self-promoter, and wrong on the facts.

But it's just my opinion. 🤷‍♀️ I'm not even a nephrologist.

I could definitely how some people that this could turn into an obsessive thing--myself included. In years past, tracking calories or points could be obsessive for me, especially if I set my calorie goal too low. I also would become anxious if I didn't think I could accurately calculate the amount of points or calories, and may have even avoided foods or situations where that was the case.

I lost weight in a healthy way using MFP about 9 years ago, but got to a point where I didn't want to continue to do it anymore. I was able to generally maintain the weight loss, but did start to creep up. When I decided to go back on MFP, I wanted to lose a bit more weight to get closer to my college weight (not unreasonable, as I was never super thin). I told myself to one--aim for a slow weight loss and 2--not get too obsessive about it.

So far, I think it's working and have been back on for about a year, even though I met my goal back in September. It's just a way to keep myself mindful of what I'm eating, something I've often struggled with. I don't know if/when I"ll stop, and some days I track more loosely than others.

Tracking your calories and exercise for the day and meeting your goal is an excellent way to fill daily fulfillment and happiness while building discipline that will make other aspects of your life better as well. I feel the same way after having a to do list with all the tasks crossed off. I would recommend taking 10% or a number of days you feel comfortable with to not count calories and just indulge without worry of failure or guilt. A vacation from this excellent health accountability tool can be helpful.

Counting calories for life is personal choice. Just like counting your money everyday or just checking it occasionally. Some are more concerned about it than others.
My thought is that if one pays more attention to detail on ANYTHING, they are likely to be better aware and have less failure overall.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

pfeiferlindsey wrote: »

But but but....the dancing "Intuitive Eating Registered Dietitian" on TikTok tells me that calorie counting is evil!!

Here's the thing...this will be long term for me. My prior behaviors show that when I come off counting calories, I gradually slip back into bad habits. The weight slowly creeps on and before I know it, I'm back here starting over for the ????th time. I'm tired of that, so here I am to stay.

Yep!

I had to swallow my pride and learn that eating "intuitively" just isn't likely for me. My mind is weird about food, for a variety of reasons, so I have to be more intentional about it. I don't have to worry about that for other substances or behaviors that aren't very tempting to me.

My husband can eat intuitively - he's never done any other way. And he's never had a problem with weight. But he has to be more intentional about other things that are more difficult for him, that I don't struggle with at all.

I think it's a mistake when we assume that everything that is hard for us is hard for everyone else, or everything that is easy for us is easy for everyone else (the latter seems to be at the root of a lot of judgment).

alisdairsmommy wrote: »

pfeiferlindsey wrote: »

But but but....the dancing "Intuitive Eating Registered Dietitian" on TikTok tells me that calorie counting is evil!!

Here's the thing...this will be long term for me. My prior behaviors show that when I come off counting calories, I gradually slip back into bad habits. The weight slowly creeps on and before I know it, I'm back here starting over for the ????th time. I'm tired of that, so here I am to stay.

Yep!

I had to swallow my pride and learn that eating "intuitively" just isn't likely for me. My mind is weird about food, for a variety of reasons, so I have to be more intentional about it. I don't have to worry about that for other substances or behaviors that aren't very tempting to me.

My husband can eat intuitively - he's never done any other way. And he's never had a problem with weight. But he has to be more intentional about other things that are more difficult for him, that I don't struggle with at all.

I think it's a mistake when we assume that everything that is hard for us is hard for everyone else, or everything that is easy for us is easy for everyone else (the latter seems to be at the root of a lot of judgment).

Agree, agree, agree. Everyone has things that are easy for them and things that are hard for them, and sometimes the hard things are really hard. The moral value that gets ascribed to certain behaviors or abilities doesn't help, either. Your husband is not a better person than you are just because he can eat intuitively. You're not a better person than your husband for having a functioning sense of time (or whatever his particular struggle is that is a strength of yours, I just used time as an example). We all have different strengths and it's well past time we stopped demonizing those differences.

I want to say : just don't talk about it. But it wouldn't work because you are talking about your boyfriend and if/when you live together it'll be harder to him to not notice.
You can show him some pictures from various periods in your life and tell him that's the tool you've found that helps you the best to stay accountable.

People talk about learning "good nutrition". If you've succesfully lost weight while counting calories, usually you already KNOW about good nutrition. I am just like you, OP. I slide easily if I don't keep myself accountable. Some people weigh themselves daily (instead of their food) and if weight creeps up on successive days then they reduce intake/increase output in order to get back to normal. I've found it doesn't for me. I'll pass the croissant if I know I have to log it. I don't need it, I don't have a craving. I just LIKE FOOD!!

Good luck anyway. Just ignore the naysayers and ask your BF for his support, not his judgment.