I've counted calories for ages and I've reached a point where I just don't want to do it anymore. For some rason I just feel so restricted when I do. Do you think it's possible for me to lose weight consistently by making good choices without the dreaded counting calories?

If you've been counting for a long time, you probably have a really good understanding of calorie ranges for certain foods, and that would probably help you make the best decisions. Have you thought about other plans, or just making healthy choices?

Whatever your weight loss strategy, I think you've got to be comfortable with it, and tweak as you need to. Trying new strategies isn't a big deal, as long as you're confident that if it isn't working you keep tweaking or return to what was working.

Go to your local libary and pick up a copy of Intuitive Eating...it shed light on a lot for me and I've quit counting calories and am slowly still losing weight but have found a renewed love of working out since quitting counting calories.

I've been losing weight for about 2-1/2 years (140ish pounds gone). In the beginning, I tracked everything, weighing and measuring, etc. Now I journal probably 3 or 4 days a month, which is enough. I think if you've got it down, then you can play with not journaling. But as has been said, if you start creeping up in weight or not losing what you're accustomed to, then go back to tracking everything.

I haven't been counting calories anymore since late August, and I'm still losing. It's slower, but I was expecting that anyway at this weight. I'm enjoying it (not counting). I don't rule out that I may need to use it again, but not for the moment. I DO know I couldn't be where I am now without calorie counting for many months first and learning from it.

It's totally do-able.
I've never actually counted calories - I'm even on weight watchers, and don't do the point system. It's not for me.
Mind you, I mentally count calories sometimes, but thats all.

Intuitive eating is what got me in this mess in the first place ... I haven't consistently counted calories for about a year and I've gained 6-8lbs... I need/must get back to counting calories...

Go ahead and give it a shot. If you gain, go back to counting. That's basically been my strategy for the past couple years. I'll count, and I'll lose/maintain, then I'll get sick of counting, and I might maintain for a while (up to a year), but then I'll start to gain again. When the gain comes, I just start counting again.

I'm sith Jessica. I think it's doable if you're consistant. Hey, I know the calorie count of almost everything!!!!! We usually know if we're over eating, and eating the wrong things. Just make sure you weigh often and if you see the scale start to go up, just start counting again. It's up to you. You can lie to yourself about what you're eating or you can take charge.

I don't agree 100% with the book Intuitive Eating, but it does DEPEND on really listening to what you really want, not just your first impulse, and on really stopping when you are full and not stuffed. And also on really making everything "legal" and truly not restricting yourself - it is SO easy to read and say, OK, I'll do that, but mentally, you are not really giving up the dieting and restriction. And you're not really stopping when you're full or thinking about what you *really* want. IMHO, it's a lot harder than it might seem at first. A whole lot harder. And when you get a little sloppier about those things during long-term maintenance, sure you'll gain a few pounds back. Just like you will with every other WOE. Just read the maintenance forum Which I love, by the way. It's seeing all the ups and down, but always getting on track again, that makes it all seem so possible!

NOT NOT that I'm saying the poster who mentioned it didn't do it well. Just clarifying for others who may not know much about it.

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I had an epiphany last night, though. Whenever I'm not counting calories I'm overeating to excess. I used to have such amazing control and an ability to eat in moderation. I don't have that anymore, though. It really seems to be 'all or nothing' for me. So I'm going to continue to count. I think that's the only sure fire way for me to lose weight consistently.

During a couple of years I counted every single calorie, but after a while I got sick of that and just thought I could stay the same weight without counting calories. Three years later and I'm at a weight I'm uncomfortable at so I've recently started counting again.

Of course it is possible and perhaps also healthier (mentally) to not count, but for now I can't be without it...

Well, I have ALWAYS counted calories when I was dieting.

A few weeks ago I stopped dieting and started maintaining at 140. I did start out still counting calories, just allowed myself more of them. But it felt like I was still dieting - so restrictive.

So I stopped logging them, BUT I eat more or less the same as when I was dieting. I have the same breakfasts, the same lunches, and the same range of dinners. I have the same healthy snacks (cereal bars, apples, tangerines etc) in the house that I had before and I eat them whenever I feel hungry and it's not meal time. The only concession is that I have white coffee instead of black, I snack when I feel like I need something not because "I have 200 calories left and I need to eat something to use them up".

And since I started maintaining I have lost 2 more pounds and am at my lowest weight ever!

I also allow myself occasional treats but what I don't do is go back to what I was doing before, i.e. eating whole packets of biscuits in front of the TV every evening.

Right now it is working for me, and the freedom of not having to log every single calorie is wonderful. I have no idea how many calories I ate yesterday which a couple of months ago would have sent me into a state of panic. but now that I'm in the mind-set of maintaining rather than losing, the psychological NEED to weigh less each week, and the associated misery if I'm not, has gone. Any loss is a bonus, but if I don't lose, it doesn't matter.