Life Without Calorie Count

I love keeping track of my calories because it really keeps me aware of how much I'm eating throughout the day.. and I have lost weight.

But, what about the days when I just CAN'T count everything?  Like if I'm at a dinner party and don't know everything they put into the food.. or if I want to start "weaning" myself off CC so that I don't have to track my calories every day (and just make good choices, without measuring everything)?

Like for example- yesterday during the day, I kept track of my calories, and I was around 650 after lunch.  Then for dinner, my boyfriend took me out to a local mexican restaurant, and I ordered tacos.  It was fine- I didn't eat my whole meal, and I was fine afterwards (wasn't overfull, but I also didn't know how many calories I had eaten).  So, I just drank some tea later that night and didn't eat anything else because I didn't know how many calories I had "left" for the day.

I just feel more "in control" when I make all my meals and measure everything, but that's unrealistic to do every day.

Anyone else have this problem? 

I have this problem very often..  Actualy Daily..  I usually cook for my family or help my mother cook for my family..  When I cook everything goes into one big pot and we usually make too much so its very difficult to divulge exactly how much of everything is on one plate.  I would cook for myself only but I like cooking for my family and having them enjoy my food.  Another problem I've encountered through this problem is that since I don't know exactly whats on my plate I can't input it into calorie counter...  It's pretty annoying and kind of frustrating..  Having to guestimate how many calories are eaten at diner is annoying..  I usually say between 600-800 just to be safe but who knows how many were actually eaten..  Oh well..  That's what an evening walk is for, right?

To me counting calories is the internship for my weight loss program but that should end when I reach my ideal weight which is my Graduation!  

I will then be my own food expert having learned about the calorie and nutrient value of good foods, as well as the bad foods, which I did.  I now know what my body wants and does not want and when I was comfortably full to stop eating.   I went all Vegan, drank water and do moderate exercise during my 5 month weight loss program to lose 35 pounds.  I now am watching the weigh scales and do my Blood Pressure daily.

Some days, you just gotta let it go!   Like Tuesday, we had a big Mexican buffet for lunch at work.  I ate a little of everything.  Do you think I bothered to count calories?  Nope.  No need to get all uptight about counting every meal every day.

i do suffer from this alot everytime i eat out i usually just overestimate everything

then when i go home i search for anything close enough to what i took and incr the amount by 50% to avoid any uncounted dressing or oils

but i always think how life d go afterwards

how about vacations where i wont have access to we? counting while dating will b also kinda of hard?

am graduating by dec and am sure there ll b lot of partying afterwards it d b hard to count every bite

dont get me wrong am committed to healthy eating for life not for a certain goal weight but dont knowif i ll b counting for life?

I'm new to this but I think you're right. Some days you can't count. But if you try your best to count most days then I don't think that progress will be too badly affected. I think it would be a bit obsessive to count every last little thing.

If I know I'll be going out for dinner I'll just make sure to eat very sensibly during the day so that I can enjoy the meal (no doubt absolutely packed with calories as they always are in restaurants!) that way I won't feel as guilty. You can't do much else can you?