I've been thinking about this, since I'm getting closer to goal - will I count calories the rest of my life or just watch what I eat and let the scale be my guide?

Personally, knowing me, I'll always count. Recording everything I eat into fitday has just become so second-nature now that I honestly think I'd be lost without it. I honestly don't believe I can give it up.

(not that I want to, but I'm making a point here)

It's not just knowing how many calories I'm eating per day, it's also knowing what my fat percentages are and what nutrients I'm getting and where they're coming from.

Some people continue to count and others simply watch what they eat and keep an eye on the scale. Like a woman I know, she hit her goal weight but she's stopped counting everything. She just continues to weigh herself about twice a month and if the scale starts creeping up, she backs off the food. If it starts dipping down too low, she increases her intake. I'm kind of "iffy" about that idea. I'm sure it's great for some, but it would literally drive me crazy to NOT know how many calories I'm eating and what my fat and protein percentages are (I don't count carbs, I never have).

What will you do?

First of all, WOW. good for you for getting so close to your goal weight. we have similiar goals and it's inspiring to see someone accomplish it.

I don't think I will always count calories. on busy days I don't record my calories until maybe a few days later and eating a certain way has become such a routine that I hardly ever go over my daily allowance. recording has become a routine but I still do think it's kind of a drag.

First off, kudos to you both for being so close to goal! Well done!

As to whether I'll be counting calories when I'm that close or at goal? I guess, right now, it's just too far away for me to really know.

I know how I am, though, and if I were to guess, I'd guess I'll probably modify. I'll probably still weigh as close to daily as I can (depending on where I am, obviously). And I'll keep watch over what I eat and how often I move. And if things start going wrong, I'll nip it in the bud.

But will I diligently record every item every day like I do now? I hope things will be so natural for me (my non-scale goal is for this to be my new normal) that I won't need the constant vigilence.

It'll be nice to know I can do it if I need to, though! Good question!

I hope I will not have to be counting calories "on paper" forever. It consumes a fair bit of my time right now - but it's worth it! I have been eating between 5-6 300 calorie meals a day and it's started to click what that looks like size and calorie wise. Obviously, as I continue to lose I'll have to cut back on my total calories. Like Lena, I've started weighing myself every day and intend to continue doing that for a reality check.

Wow LLV, congrats on getting so close. Yes, I think I'll always count. I am getting married in October, and I will *probably* meet my goal before then. I think as soon as I am satisfied I have met goal I am going to create a new ticker for myself that monitors how many months I have maintained that weight. I'll also probably stick with the same calorie goal for 2-4 weeks and see what it does for my weight. But I imagine in some way or another I'll always count. Maybe I'll take more time off, but I'm sure I'll have to keep coming back to it.

I am very near my goal and I think I wont count anymore becuase I will know what is a serving and read the labels. I guess that is sortta counting but I will not count how many cals I had each day. I will no not to eat that whole bag of cookies or stop at the local burger king 4x's a week.

Haven't even been counting long but I think I will always record. Same thing as you said...I like to know I'm getting all my nutrients. If the only reason we are doing this is to reach our goal weight and then give up I think we will gain it back. I think it's important to actually care about what we eat and remember that although we enjoy eating food it is primarily energy for our bodies to burn and we do not need to be giving our bodies more fuel than we need. It's like overfilling the gas tank on your car. I want to eat to maintain once I get to my goal so I don't find myself starting over again in a year or two. If there's one thing we know...it's a lot easier to put it on than take it off. Congrats on almost being at your target- keep on cruising!

Yeah, see that's what I'm worried about. I'm worried that if I stop counting once I reach goal, I'll slowly slip back into old habits and start putting weight back on. Because when you're not accountable, it's very easy to 'forget' what you're doing. I think if I force myself (not that I'll have to literally FORCE anything because I enjoy counting calories) to stick with what I've been doing, looking at it as a way of life now rather than a chore, I'll be able to keep the weight off. Because I've found that when I have days that I'm not actually counting, I eat things I shouldn't because since I'm not actually recording the food, then it doesn't count.

That's a very easy mindset to fall into. And I know I'd fall into it and stay there. I guess it's just a matter of knowing yourself. Only I know what's best for me and only I know what's going to work for me. I'm not saying I'll go nuts and eat like a pig. I'm just saying that this slip-up here and that slip-up there WILL eventually add up to pounds gained. And what I want to do is maintain. Not fight to gain and lose the same 3-5 pounds the rest of my life.

Thanks, all of you, for your input

Well, I have been on maintenance before and maintained my weight loss (pregnancy happened and I had to start the journey all over again!) and I had a different maintenance plan that worked for me.

For one-I cannot "not count" my calories and maintain my weight well. It isn't just about going over my maintenance calorie level and gaining-but it is also about the tendency to eat more junky stuff when I don't pay particular attention-and slacking off my exercise. I HAVE to maintain control.

For those like me-they have to continue to count calories for the rest of their lives. Some choose to count calories at a maintenance level-meaning that if they got to goal on 1400 calories a day, then they might find that eating 1800 calories a day KEEPS them at their goal weight range. On the other hand, I DO like the freedom and rewarding myself-so here is what I did for maintenance:

Monday through Friday I exercised and counted calories at WEIGHT LOSS level. Just like I was still trying to lose weight. On weekends, however, I didn't count calories-and I didn't "plan" a workout. They were my days off. However-I was still active. I might swim with my kid, or take a light walk with my husband, or go to the zoo-but not something like doing 3 miles on the treadmill or lifting weights. I tried to make better choices-but it was a weekend, and if we went to Pizza Hut, so be it. I had some, I just ordered something a little better for me-such as Veggie Lovers on thin crust. I also watched and made sure I didn't get "stuffed". If we went to Baskin Robbins or something instead-I got a child size scoop of low fat or sugar free. Basically-I had an indulgence or two over the weekend and didn't worry about it so much. I DID NOT, however, go on an eating binge all weekend. This worked out very well for me and I maintained my weight well until I became pregnant again.

I plan on doing the same thing once I reach goal after having this baby-and using it to maintain that weight loss for life.

Yeah, I think I will too. Like I said, it's about what works for each person and I think I could easily slip back into old habits if I don't stay accountable. I didn't lose this weight just to turn around and put it back on.

I'm trying to get closer to 130 before I make the decision to maintain. As long as it's taking to get these last 10 pounds off, I doubt I'll get down any further than that. And that's okay. I'm comfortable.

The next thing I have to figure out is how many calories I can eat to maintain. Even though the weight loss is very slow, I'm still losing a little at a time. So I'm sure to maintain I can up my calories. That's gonna be tough, though. Because I'm so used to my calorie level now, I'm not sure if I'll be able to regularly add in more. My breakfasts are rarely over 250 calories, mostly because I have to force myself to eat in the mornings and breakfast, for me, is nothing more than just 'dumping' something into my body for nutrition. And my lunches are already pretty sizeable. I usually eat big lunches.

My problem is in-between-meal snacks. I can't do it. I rarely eat anything in between lunch and dinner. But then I only eat 1200 calories a day. So you can't really squeeze a whole lot into that.

I have found the best way to see what your maintenance calorie level would be, is to add in calories slowly-100 at a time, and see how you do. Once you reach goal, you could go up to 1300 a day for a couple weeks-long enough to see if that would make you lose more or maintain, or gain. If you lose or maintain on that for a couple weeks, then add in 100 more to make it 1400. You basically "stop" and go back 100 calories a day when you hit the point where you see gaining on the scale. For some that may be 1500, for those who are very fit and active-it could be 2200. Everyone is different. I like to eat-so I exercise more so I can eat more.

Excellent advice, thank you. I think building up gradually is the better way to go rather than just saying, "okay, starting today I can eat 1700 calories."

I believe you have to give your body time to adjust to a higher calorie level just as it did a lower calorie level.

Can't wait till I can "try" to work up to 1700 calories! NOw that's a challenge I'm up for! One thing I was thinking about as far as continuing to count calories...a couple people had said they're just going to weigh themselves a couple times a month and start dieting if they gain weight. If you are eating an extra 100 calories a day...easy to do...(even an extra apple and a piece of cheese) in a year you're up 10 lbs. The weight gain would be so gradual you wouldn't even notice. I think that's why there are so many people in here saying "I'm doing this for the 3rd...4th...5th time." Maintaining is the way to go. That's why I think that the only good diets are ones you can do for life like calorie counting.

Well see, that's the problem. I don't wanna be on any diet. I don't want to fight with losing the same 3 pounds over and over again because the scale keeps creeping up on me.

I've thought about doing that, just letting the scale be my guide. And maybe in time I can. But right now I just don't trust myself NOT to fall back into bad habits. For now, I need to stay accountable

Nope.

Q: Will I always watch what I eat?
A: Yep.

Q: Will it bother me that others can eat whatever they want and not gain weight?
A: Nah. I got over it. I plan to live to ripe cantankerous 150 (already a third of the way there and I think I have the cantankerous part down pat! ). The way I look at, folks who can eat whatever they want are the same folks who develop diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, high cholesterol, and other age-related disease. I'm going to be disease-free. Mwahahaha!