Does anyone here NOT count calories?

Sometimes i feel a little left out when i go on the forums because i dont count calories.  i am doing low carb and it decreases my appetite so much that i dont even need to count the calories to have a deficit and lose weight.  i do love this forum though.  i think its one of the best weight loss websites out there (some of the people on other forums are really awful, actually).  im just wondering if there are any other non calorie counters on the calorie count website.

hey there - to answer your question, I currently don't count calories, but that doesn't mean that I don't think calorie counting is invaluable in starting a person off in the right direction.

Calorie counting is important for people who don't realize how calorie dense some of the food they're eating is, and at the beginning of one's weight loss journey it's also a great tool in distinguishing healthy alternatives from the bad. That being said, I have also come to realize in the course of the past couple months that calorie counting can also aggravate food obsession if you've had a problem with it in the past. At one point I caught myself logging a piece of sugar-free gum - it was ridiculous.

Quite simply it's unrealistic for the everyday working drone to be able to count calories at every single meal. Calories are also, at best, a ballpark figure - what you see on labels are not exact.

I think a medium between counting calories every so often just to make sure you fall within range, and eating clean and healthy and making smart choices is the best path to losing weight. If you plateau or start putting on weight, quite obviously it would be useful to take a look at how much you're eating by counting again - and even if you are currently losing weight, just adding up the totals for a way to make sure you're not eating below your BMR will ensure your body is receiving enough to sustain itself, especially if you are working out.

i agree that calorie counting should be more about figuring out a ballpark #.  i definately pay attention to calories and get freaked out if something is outrageous in calories, but i dont count them to lose weight.  i used to count calories and it was really freaky knowing that you only have x amount of calories left for the next x amount of hours and you have to divide and plan and do all kinds of math just to get a full tummy for a few minutes.  now i just eat till im satisfied without counting calories, which like i said is easy when you cut out carbs for some reason. 

Original Post by jessicasbc:

Sometimes i feel a little left out when i go on the forums because i dont count calories.  i am doing low carb and it decreases my appetite so much that i dont even need to count the calories to have a deficit and lose weight.  i do love this forum though.  i think its one of the best weight loss websites out there (some of the people on other forums are really awful, actually).  im just wondering if there are any other non calorie counters on the calorie count website.

I currently (as of August) do not count calories however, I did....I used to do it all the time...every meal of every day...I dont any longer because I am so used to eating properly it sort of mentally comes natural to me.  I personally think in order to get to where you want to be you sort of need a gauge or tool of some sort and the calorie counting gave me the tool and means to look at my nutritional information...but as I tell others I coach...its just a tool...

BTW I used to look (key word look) at my carb intake and I never worried about it and would and still do consume 300-350 carbs daily....and I continued to lose weight....so my opinion is carbs arent evil.

Dave

In terms of carbs, I think that some people just get cravings when eating carbs and that's why cutting them out would lead to weight loss as the cravings wouldn't be as strong.  Also depends on the type of carb.

I actually started the weight loss thing again in November and decided that I would not count calories.  Granted I still have a ballpark figure in my head, but I don't go crazy like I used to.  Its such a relief not to have to do that.  Counting became a problem for me, b/c if I went over, I would get annoyed and depressed and that would lead to bingeing.  Plus it was outrageously time consuming and especially  problematic when I would have meals with my parents or in restaurants.  Now I just go with the flow, I've been doing this for a long time, I know what I should be eating, and I keep a close eye on the weight.

I count calories in my head, but I rarely actually log them. I get too obsessive and I don't want to be. I'm not sure if this is what you mean, but I certainly don't get worked up about how many calories this piece of chicken was, or anything like that.

I also am doing a lower carb diet. I say lower because it's not within my capacity to break from carbs completely or I'll just gain the weight back when I eventually do give in to the cravings. But I definitely have limited my portions drastically from what I've eaten in the past.

But otherwise I'm not following a specific diet at all. Just paying more attention to what I eat and making better choices. =)

I also kind of don't count, I did make a check list of the calories of stuff i eat and now I know much i eat in a day but don't weight or measure, its easier, I go crazy when i measure, I tried it one day and lasted till lunch.

Well I just basically eat when I'm hungry, it seems to work for me. 

Mostly healthy food, fruits, vegetables, lean meats. All good stuff. I used to be obsessed with counting calories but that just made me think about food more often, which eventually led me to eating more food in general. I think your body should be the only judge of whether you've eaten enough or not, I don't see the purpose in counting calories anymore. 

I also do not count calories. I try to consume foods high in protein, drink lots of water, and eat a few small meals a day. An important key to my weight lost success so far has been eating beef jerky as crazy as that sounds. It's high in protein, available at any gas station or convience store, and gives me a good "pick-me-up" during my long days at work. I think it keeps my metabolism kicking in throughout the day.

For those that are curious, although I'm a non-calories counting member, this website is a useful tool for me to maintain my motivation and view others opinions and success.

i rarely log what i eat these days. it made me way too obsessive before. i have a well-rounded knowledge of foods that are calorie dense, but good for you. and although i dont count calories, i usually estimate in my head what i've consumed and i've found it works for me.

im still struggling to make sure i get enough calories for the day but its nice to not log everything because then i'll allow myself to eat something "bad" and i wont feel so bad for it. i just make sure to eat healthy for the rest of my meals/snacks.

i used to log, I don't anymore...I'm eating a high carb diet(ya that's right) and don't find the need to as log as long as the  weight is coming off

its so weird how some people thrive on low carb and some thrive on high carb.  dieting is freakin' crazy. lol

I am so trying to stop counting calories. I mean, i'm only 13! >_<

But tis hard once you've started.
(Also trying to eat only when hungry ^^)

Original Post by ichigochanx:

I am so trying to stop counting calories. I mean, i'm only 13! >_<

But tis hard once you've started.
(Also trying to eat only when hungry ^^)

 I agree it is hard to stop when you start but what worked for me was I removed the item that I was using to log in the calories from my computer completely...now if I want to do it then I have to do it in my head and generally I dont bother...I just eat normally without giving it any thought.