Although I don't have much of a history, I've been researching nutrition and mostly on a diet for two years now. Starting this two years ago even helped me to realize I wasn't happy with what I was studying in school, and switched over to studying food science!

Anyway, I tend to have a problem getting myself counting calories again. I lost 40 lbs before by counting calories, so I have no problem doing that and losing weight. My problem is that when I stop for a period of time (was just on vacation), I have trouble getting back to it. Voices in my head say... "Kathleen, you know what's healthy and you're eating what's healthy, why do you need to count calories?" but I'm afraid that part of me just wants to get rid of restrictions.

I don't eat junk food, don't drink soda, eat lots of veggies, everything like that. I have a good handle on portion control. I know where my trouble spots are. But I know that my weight loss is more consistent when I'm counting calories than when I'm not. It's even easy for me during the week, when I'm not with my fiance. So why do I argue with myself over whether I count calories? I'm not having trouble returning to healthier eating...just counting it.

Kathleen,

I SOOOO hear you! It's like, I know what is and isn't healthy to eat, so why should I have to count calories if I'm eating healthy already? It's an evil thought, though...I find that the itty bitty bit of extra added effort of writing down the number of calories makes me more aware of what I'm doing wrong and makes me less likely to do those things because I hate seeing those big numbers! I don't like feeling limited, but I also find that when I keep track of my calories, I realize that by eating certain foods and avoiding others, I can actually pack a lot of food into my daily allowance--more than I would even normally eat thinking I was eating healthy. It's amazing how many "healthy" foods can still be high in calories, so keeping track forces me to eat even better healthy foods, if that makes sense

*smile* Thanks for the quick reply! It provided the "kick in the butt" I needed. And I know exactly what you mean about even the healthy calories adding up. That's what really slows down my progress sometimes.

I get so frustrated with myself when I know exactly what I should be doing but I don't want to.

HA, welcome to ME vs. EXERCISE! I know I need to do it, I know I'll feel better when I've been doing it consistently, but the couch is so much more comfortable, and Paige Davis doing Trading Spaces is so much more fun than Billy Blanks doing Tae Bo

Counting calories is a nuisance and a pain, and unfortunately pretty necessary. I hear what you are both saying on this one, it is so easy to over eat when you don't do it.

I used to hate exercise, I now make all these entries in my diary and make them as appointments. So far that works. I can't do exercise at home, the couch is too comfortable, or I get distracted and wander off and do something else. I use the gym and the pool or go for a walk. I really enjoy exercise now, I see it as play time rather than a task. I remember how much I used to love splashing in the pool as a kid, and just try to look at it like that!

I experimented with not writing things down and found that I would count the calories anyway! but I also found that when I didn't write it down or document it then I wasn't accountable for it either so I would go overboard sometimes hehe but I feel the same way ... I always say "I wish I was like other people who didn't have to count calories and still not gain weight" but for right now I guess that's whats working and maybe once I reach my goal I can experiment once again .. good luck to you though