When to start counting again?

I started off counting every calorie that went into my mouth. This is when I was first serious about my health & fitness. I counted for a few months, simply to get myself used to portion sizes, nutrition content, etc. I quit counting when I got comfortable with all that.

I don't feel the need to go back to doing all that extra work. I use my common sense, it's either healthy or not healthy. And relative sizes for portions are good enough. I don't like counting calories. It's a pain. I don't feel that counting them will make a difference. It will only be one more thing for me to do.

Who else has this dilemma? To count or not to count? Does it really make that much of a difference in weight loss?

I don't think I can ever go back. Counting and logging is more important to me now that it was when I was heavier.

You just never know what you're eating til you count it. You may think your safe, but without counting, consumption can get out of hand.

'Course that's just my view.

Edit: DP

Original Post by mortalmonkey:

I don't think I can ever go back. Counting and logging is more important to me now that it was when I was heavier.

You just never know what you're eating til you count it. You may think your safe, but without counting, consumption can get out of hand.

'Course that's just my view.

 

 

 I totally agree.

(though it sounds a little obsessive hehe)

I only counted the first month -- mostly to get an idea of calorie content and portion size. Also the time spent trying to calculate calories for the recipes I cook was getting annoying.  I haven't been counting the last 3 months and have still experienced a steady weight loss.  For me, I can't spend my life counting calories.  Perhaps once I reach a plateau and need to restrict further, I will start counting again for a brief period of time.  For right now, I know how much food a 1800 calorie day consists of and what I need to do. I've made permanent, lasting changes in my approach to eating and don't see myself returning to old habits.  I haven't been very restrictive in content (still use cream in my coffee, cook with butter, etc) more restrictive in the amounts I eat.  So that is my approach. 

You aren't alone if you aren't in to counting everything forever! 

I sort of end up really counting for a week every few weeks. I start out counting, doing just fine, but get bored of writing down every morsel. Then I start keeping track of calories in my head, but not as strictly for a few weeks. I don't know about you, but I always notice that if I stop strictly counting for too long then I start losing touch a little and eating too much.

If not counting is working for you, then that's great. You may find as you get closer to your goal that it becomes more important to moniter everything you eat.

I weigh my foods, count and log.  I don't think I'm obsessive because when we went on vacation/cruise, I had no problem abandoning counting and logging for the duration of the trip, and I enjoyed alcohol and deserts I don't usually allow myself.  But now back at home I'm back to weighing and counting and logging everything I eat and drink (except for water and unsweetened tea because they are 0 calories).

I need to weigh, count and log to stay on top of my intake and making sure it stays within the allowable calories.  I don't need it to balance protein/fat/carbs because for some strange reason I seem to automatically get that right.

So I guess some people are better at guesstimating than others ......

I have been counting for about 4 months.  I used to count in college too, but stopped for a few years (after the freshman 15 was under control).  I have pretty much memorized the content in everything that I eat, so I decided to stop counting for now. 

A started to feel like counting actually gave me an excuse to eat more.  I would have too high of a deficit and I would snack to get to where I needed to be.  Now, I'm going to just listen to my body for awhile.  I still mentally calculate, but I think we all know where we are at after months of reading labels. 

If I see that things are slipping, I will start back up immediately, but I feel like this change in necessary for my lifelong commitment to eating healthy. 

Original Post by cassrd05:

I have been counting for about 4 months.  I used to count in college too, but stopped for a few years (after the freshman 15 was under control).  I have pretty much memorized the content in everything that I eat, so I decided to stop counting for now. 

A started to feel like counting actually gave me an excuse to eat more.  I would have too high of a deficit and I would snack to get to where I needed to be.  Now, I'm going to just listen to my body for awhile.  I still mentally calculate, but I think we all know where we are at after months of reading labels. 

If I see that things are slipping, I will start back up immediately, but I feel like this change in necessary for my lifelong commitment to eating healthy. 

 I completely agree. With me, my personality is very goal oriented and controlling so when I start counting calories, sometimes I get carried away and it just starts to take up so much of my life!! I definitely do NOT like this so I am trying to eat whatever my body feels like and then log everything if I have time (as opposed to planning meals/ logging, then eating -- what fun is that? that is obsessive if you ask me and it takes all the color our of life, especially if you're like me and LOVE food).

At this point, I am almost scared not to count. I found it amazing how many calories I consumed when I started keeping track of what I was eating. It has helped me feel as though I am in control of something that has always felt like I couldn't control. I always had excuses to eat something that I shouldn't. I feel that if I don't count them, I might go back to making excuses....

Counting and logging helps me control comfort eating, which when I stopped logging for a time I started to do again.

I work on the basis of "if it is too much trouble to log, it's too much trouble to eat"

I counted for about 5 months. I lost 5 pounds.

Then I stopped and I have definetly gained some of that weight back. Not all of it but still....

I've kinda started getting back into counting the last few days. It gets addictive then it gets annoying.

Suprisingly I don't think I went THAT far off my caloric intake goal even when I didn't count. I mean sure, the days I grabbed fast food I am sure my calories were over 2000 (and I'll admit, I've had a few too many of those days) but I think my body just knows how much to eat and I try to keep what I do eat on a "healthier scale"

Personally, since i have been seeing steady results, i find it fun to count!

the better results i see the more motivated i am to count calories.

however, i am not obsessed. for example, when i go visit my parents for a day or two i dont count, i'll eat enough to be filling but not stuffed and try to make smart choices, but i dont stress over it.

in fact, i feel that every so often our bodies need a metabolizm boost day where we eat more/equal to what we burn. I find it works for me, and that way i dont feel like im starving myself and not getting to eat what i want.

I have lost just under 20lbs in about 12 weeks, so it's going really well.

I don't really count anymore. I guess it's necessary for some people because it is more disciplined & all, but it is just NOT worth it to me to try to count every morsel that passes my lips. It's all about making healthier choices for me =]

Do it at least a couple of days a week. I thought I had a handle on things and stopped counting and little by little, things crept up and weight started to come back on. I've just started counting every day again and it's amazing to me how out of control I let myself get, how you can fool yourself into thinking that you're not being that bad. I'd say count part-time, just to keep yourself on track.

I count my calories and try my best to measure things out but I don't have access to a food scale so I don't actually weigh it.  This is what works for me.

However, it seems that in your case, you have a good handle on intuitive eating so there's no real need to go back to calorie-counting.  I say keep up what you're doing :]

I have decided to kinda stay the weight I am for a while because I feel and look good, and wanted to get away from searching for a defecit. I'm also working on building muscle. I have not been counting, but I am still lweighing myself. If my weight goes above a number I have in my head, I will probably go back to counting to help with losing. As long as I'm in a comfortable range, teh intuitive eating has kicked in, and I'm good with that.

I started out counting and logging and measuring everything for the same reasons - to get a general idea of what is a portion and keep an eye on calories.  After a month or so, I quit because I thought I had it under control.  However, I have learned that if you don't make a conscious effort to log and keep up with everything, it is very easy to overlook something and later in the day think "well, I haven't had that much today, so a small piece of this cake is ok."  Then, you realize (or maybe not), "oh wait, I had two cookies around 2:00."  It's real easy to forget the smaller in-between meals eating, and that's where it can sneak up on you.  Once I hit my goal weight, I may stop logging every little thing, but will continue to weigh.  If it starts creeping up, then I'll go back to logging. 

When I began CC several years ago, counting kept me honest and I lost 20 pounds.  When I stopped counting, I gradually increased portions and made poor choices and voila - I've regained what I lost.

Now, I count, not so much for the calorie content issue, but for the analysis.  I'm paring down my sat fat, total fat and calories - I love having all that information at hand to help me learn daily combos of food that work within a low fat eating style.

I believe I will continue to count what I eat, because I've proven to myself that it works for me and without it - I don't do as well.

I actually gain weight when I log-

It seems I am more hungry-  maybe b/c my focus is on the food. 

I think logging is good to get idea about what I am eating, and portion size like you said, and it is most valuable for me to see the ratio of fat, carbs and protein.  Then, let it go for awhile and live into it.  If the eating feels out of whack, write it all down again and take a look and get it back into the way you want it.  I think of logging like training wheels, once I have the hang of it, I can let go but if I feel wobbly, put it back on.