has any of you ever lost a substantial amount of weight just by eating healthily?. Im just so fed up of counting points ,units ,syns and god knows what else.

I totally hear you on being fed up!!

For me personally, I have now accepted that counting IS the only way. The only thing that eating healthily does for me is help me maintain my weight. At 96KG/ 15 stone, that's not *really* what I want to be maintaining...

but I can totally sympathise, because part of what I'm struggling with is all of the d**m counting!!!!

In 2002-2004 I lost most of 106lbs just by eating healthily and walking more. 'Healthily' for me meant the kind of sensible choices we all know are good for us, plus smaller portions. The portion control was the big thing for me. I'd discovered how little I actually needed to eat to avoid hunger pangs.

The downside of this for me was that after 2 years of sticking to it, it felt so second-nature to eat whatever I wanted but in small amounts, that gradually I forgot about the small amounts, and here I am. I've discovered that I need a regime, and for me it's calorie counting.

Hmmm. I kinda look at it the other way. I was fed up (in fact that was my user name when I first joined 3FC!) of being fat, unhealthy, not the best me that I could be, I was fed up of hoping and wishing and longing to be thin. I was fed up of worrying about my weight, my health and my future. I was fed up of my knees hurting. I was fed up of wasting so many years of my life settling for second best when first was within my reach.

I am a calorie counter. I don't find it a burden though at all. It's time very well spent. It is the only thing that sets my limits and puts the brakes on overeating. For me, eating healthy is not ENOUGH. I need boundaries and forced portion limits, as I don't know exactly when to stop eating and counting my calories provides that for me. For me, I can easily, easily over eat healthy foods as well. EASILY. So for me, it wouldn't work. Calorie counting is something I can do for life. I believe it's sensible, reasonable and logical to keep track of what I am ingesting. It accomplishes a thin, healthy, productive, energetic, HAPPY me.

But of course we are all different.

Oh - I just wanted to add.

Calorie counting isn't enough for *me* either. I need the combination of the healthy eating (95% of the time) + the calorie counting. The healthy eating keeps me full and satisfied, staves off many cravings and of course provides me with much needed nutrients and energy.

Honestly, I don't see all the need for these diets like counting points and whatever else... after it all, weight loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out ONLY.

You can lose weight by eating healthy foods, but you can eat TOO many healthy foods so portion control and counting calories is essential in my opinion. e.g. you could eat 4000 calories of celery and still gain weight, yes you'd probably explode before you could manage to eat 4000 calories of celery but you get the idea!

Counting calories doesn't have to be hard, and if you try and see it as being in tune with what is going in and out of your body rather than seeing your calories as a restriction, it will become a lot easier to stick to.

Firstly, decide how many calories you want to eat daily. Most people opt for between 1200-1500. Then you need to track your calories, which you can do using calorieking.com.au. It is as simple as that, you search for a food, see how many calories are in it, subtract that from your daily total then you are done!

It may seem like a lot of work at first but it's so worth it, and when you are eating the largest amount of food for the smallest amount of calories you will have learned how to make smart choices. This is simply eating healthily, but just a bit more organised and under control.

Good luck to you!

Sure, it's possible, it's just not possible for everybody, or even necessarily all the time for a given person. We are all overweight or obese or out of shape or in poor health for different reasons. I don't count anymore, but doing it for a while taught me a lot.

Yes I lost weight by eating healthily, I stopped eating for the sake of it at night, exercised and basically cut out the crap I used to eat. Mind you it is something you do have to do forever really as I have gained about 10lbs.
I did once do Weighwatchers, and although it is hugely successful for some I really didn't get on with it. I like being accountable to myself.

Good luck

Michele

Healthy eating- yes, but not alone, I coupled mine with low calories.
At the mo, I'm making sure in around or under 1200kcals a day with under 39g/fat a day, so under like 12g fat per meal

Ive been in your shoes, trust me - I was sick of the counting calories. Recently I went on the Bodychef Premier plan, they do the shopping, preparation, cooking and deliver it fresh to my door! Hassle free and I am losing weight

Thats a good way to do it! being real simple about things and a good way to start off.

WHAT? Okay, you are continuing to drop and you quit counting! Yay for you Julie! Really!

I want to know though--do you find you subconciously count even if you aren't journaling? Are you weighing daily to make sure you are still on track? Also--how long have you been doing this? Forgive me--I am sure you have posted it before. It's just that our stats have always been similar and enquiring minds want to know! Also--is this your final time to lower goal? TIA.

Oh gosh, since August or September. Vegetarian since about the same time too. I do still weigh daily. I don't think I subconsciously count calories except in a very general way. I mostly pay attention to making sure I eat veggies and beans and good stuff. I pay attention to quality. I pay attention to stopping before I get full and not eating when I'm not hungry. And I pay attention to things not directly related to weight loss that still make a big difference - great sleep, a clean kitchen, having fun, friends, being happy and busy (but still with relaxing alone time!) in the rest of my life. Those make a big difference to me, and I know you've mentioned that too.

Totally <-- in my best valley girl voice -- I do feel like your weight loss twin

But, I'm not sure what that last question means?

I started my diet by just deciding to eat healthily, I focused a lot on cutting out the sugary and processed foods and BALANCING my meals.

I found I was eating far too many carbs and fat but not enough protein, as soon as I did weight started dropping off. As I'm a vegetarian I made my main source of food steamed vegetables, and because it is so healthy I found I could eat a lot of them to fill me up!

Now I tend to count calories as I find it helps me know where I am in a day, but adding in regular exercise has helped a lot!

but you have to be realistic , you cant live on rabbit food all your life or lettuce. I beleive you can have what you wnat in moderation. we All have an idea whats good and bad foods. In my experience if ive stuck to low fat and salad type foods i lost very quickly , but put all my weight back on just as quick. So in my experience its a waste of time. Balance and moderation is the key.
In my plan i have 2 days where i dont worry about what i eat or if i have a social drink.
Other days i stick to healthy foods and keep my portions in control. I have cut back on red meat and use quorn instead. Switched larger for spirit mixers. And its early days but its working.Trust your gut instinct you know when uve eaten bad but dont worry about it just get on track the next day. Swap foods like white to brown bread. But on your free day have a bit of white. You cant totally deniy yourself ..........i know i cant it just makes ya miserable and losing weight is about feeling better. Some people like the control factor of counting points but personally ive better things to be doing. I know conciously what not and what to eat and apply it everyday to my weight loss plan. But dont beat my self up or go mad on the treadmill if i have a cheeky buiscuit with my tea. Thats just not real life for me i just carry on. Hope this helps