Dear Calorie Counters,

So everyday we count our calories, and mark it down in a book or log it some where. But what happened when we reach our goal? Do you stop counting calories and start trying to eat "normally" without all the math? Are we going to go on for the rest of our lives adding up what goes into our mouth?

This is one of my fears. I count calories, I lose weight, I'm going to have to do this everyday for the rest of my life? I know it works cause I have done it before but... i hate math... i hate having to worry about "OMG this is to caloricly expensive! I cant eat it"

I'm afraid so, BleuMaus. I still count calories, still log everything ,still weigh daily,that is much easier than ever having to wear extra large clothing again.

Will I actively count calories my entire life? Probably not. Will I have a mental picture about what 2000 (or whatever) calories are and try to eat around that? I think so.

I always wonder when someone says 'going to eat normally'. What is normal eating? When I was 280, I ate normally for me. I still eat normally - for me. Normal can change over time as your body changes.

I really think it helps to not think of being OFF or ON a diet. You have days where you eat a certain amount of calories and lose some weight. You also have days where you eat a larger amount of calories and don't. That's all part of an individual's normal style of eating.

I polled that I will count calories thw rest of my life, but honestly my hope is that eventually my body will become adjusted to how many calories I need to maintain my weight. Also after doing maintenece calorie counting a long time I hope that I will know how to eat to maintain and not have to count calories exactly. But for this to become a reality I will definately have to continue to weigh daily be diligent about counting as long as it takes to be able to eat the right amount without logging.

I guess I am saying I am preparing to count calories forever, but hoping that I will be able to someday have a mental tally that doesnt involve close measureing and logging every morsel.

I have no idea. I really hope I can do it on my own but I don't know yet

Somebody in another thread perfectly expressed my own approach, which is to remain "calorie aware" rather than precisely counting. I've been doing this for a year and so far it's working fine. I eyeball portions and loosely estimate calories, but that's about it.

F.

I do something similar to freelancemomma. I eyeball and estimate calories...exactly as I did when I was losing.

This isn't a diet to me, I changed my life and have been maintaining my weight. Hopefully I'll be maintaining for the rest of it

I won't always count calories religiously but I'll have an idea of what everything is calorically. I maintained my lowest weight within a few pounds for over a year by just eating normally so I feel like it can be done...but I also feel like that's why I stopped losing.

I voted I don't know... I'm pretty far away from my goal, but when the time comes, I'll just have to see what works for me. I won't keep counting, at least not as much, if I don't have to I think.

I'll probably calorie count in one way or another for the rest of my life. I did stop journaling my food intake and counting calories earlier this year, and the scale did go up. I don't see it as a burden; I chose a nice pen and a pretty journal to write my food intake, weight, and exercise in, and will also put little reminders to myself about accomplishments along the way or thoughts I have if I'm struggling on a particular day.

I also have simplified what I eat so that I don't need to count every meal. I eat oatmeal 6 mornings of the week (with frozen cherries, cocoa powder, stevia, and slivered almonds) and on the 7th day I eat a dry cereal with yogurt. I've also simplified my lunches and dinners and for snacks I'll usually have fresh fruit, veggies, or greek yogurt (easy to get those calories charted).

I may get to a point in my life where I won't have to journal and count calories (I don't get an exact count, I use a range), but I'm not there yet.

It seems for me in my experience that I have to count calories pretty strictly e.g. using a food scale, as well as measuring cups & spoons, and have tight portioned controlled meals to actively lose weight... But to maintain being "calorie conscious" seems to work well for me within reason... to a point... then I seem to slowly start to drift up in my calories... And I've recently seen some studies that show that people who "estimate" calories... underestimate by 50% and up...

So every so often I have to go back to being really strict about counting calories to get that "calorie creep" back in check...

I voted "For the rest of my life". But I would like to add a few comments on that.

I have a pretty set meal plan for breakfast and lunch M-F and I will stick to that and add a few nutritionally sound calories (not candy or chips) to get me into my maintainence calorie range.

My weekends I will change things up a bit, but I will still log my calories and measure my portions for a few reasons
#1 I am afraid over time if I do not measure my portions they will slowly get larger and I will begin gaining weight.
#2 I can track (and hopefully stop or prevent) any weight gain. If I see a weight gain I can look back on what and how much I have ate and make little changes before they become a big problem.
#3 I have lost before, only to regain because I don't track or use portion control.

I am scared to death of maintaince because ultimately that is where I have failed in the past. I cannot change the past, but I can learn from my mistakes and improve my future.

I will NEVER go back to the way I used to eat.

I will probably count strictly at maintenance for a year or so then go with calorie aware like a few people have stated.

Im just going to continue to count forever. I am so boring that I rarely eat something I don't already know the counts for anyways. I do more eyeballing than I use to but I've been using the same dishes for the same foods for three years so I feel like I can tell what a portion is most of the time.

it's a lifestyle change. there will definitely be days where you just don't keep track (probably during the weekend), but for the most part, watching how many calories you eat is a change you need to implement into your life. remember, eating "normal" is what caused you to gain weight in the first place. caloric restriction has to be your new "normal."