Losing weight without calorie counting

[Anonymous]

I have lost weight using Myfitnesspal before. The problem is, I always always always gain it all back because it is not sustainable. I have this mindset of "I need to weigh/measure out and log every last exact gram of food that enters my mouth"- which is not realistic because, you know, I'm not always at home when I eat and I can't pull out my food scale at a restaurant and weigh my salmon. LOL. It's just a mental block that means calorie counting is not going to work for me. I have a significant amount of weight to lose (i'm 5'7" and 240 pounds. No judgment please.) But then I also have this mental block of like...if you're not precisely counting calories you can't lose weight! I like the control that comes with knowing exactly how many cals I'm eating for cals in cals out. But it's not feasible for me. But...I need to lose weight. If you've lost weight without cal counting (like...a lot)...tell me about your experience. I will not do intermittent fasting, keto, etc.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to count calories but all calories count.

The trainer I follow suggests the 3 plates and 2 snack approach.

Each meal/plate but be half veggies, 1/4 protein. Snack must fit in the palm of your hand.

You can find more info here:


https://www.syattfitness.com/fat-loss/how-to-lose-weight-without-counting-calories/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lost weight using Myfitnesspal before. The problem is, I always always always gain it all back because it is not sustainable. I have this mindset of "I need to weigh/measure out and log every last exact gram of food that enters my mouth"- which is not realistic because, you know, I'm not always at home when I eat and I can't pull out my food scale at a restaurant and weigh my salmon. LOL. It's just a mental block that means calorie counting is not going to work for me. I have a significant amount of weight to lose (i'm 5'7" and 240 pounds. No judgment please.) But then I also have this mental block of like...if you're not precisely counting calories you can't lose weight! I like the control that comes with knowing exactly how many cals I'm eating for cals in cals out. But it's not feasible for me. But...I need to lose weight. If you've lost weight without cal counting (like...a lot)...tell me about your experience. I will not do intermittent fasting, keto, etc.

you really need to look at why you gain it back. Are you an all or nothing approach? Do you deprives yourself of food you love while you lose weight only to binge later.

With any weight loss strategy you also need an exit strategy. If counting calories you do that to lose weight. During that time you get a good idea of portion sizes and calories in foods. When transitioning to maintenance you can't stop counting all at once and go back to previous habits. You should gradually stop counting. This could mean not tracking one day a week, then two, then three... see how your weight handles this. Do you go off the rails on the days you aren't tracking?

Weight loss and maintenance is a lot of trial and error.

[Anonymous]

If you just eat healthy foods, such as on a plant based diet, you do not need to calorie count. You cannot get fat from eating too much steamed broccoli.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you just eat healthy foods, such as on a plant based diet, you do not need to calorie count. You cannot get fat from eating too much steamed broccoli.

Except who the hell lives on steamed broccoli?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lost weight using Myfitnesspal before. The problem is, I always always always gain it all back because it is not sustainable. I have this mindset of "I need to weigh/measure out and log every last exact gram of food that enters my mouth"- which is not realistic because, you know, I'm not always at home when I eat and I can't pull out my food scale at a restaurant and weigh my salmon. LOL. It's just a mental block that means calorie counting is not going to work for me. I have a significant amount of weight to lose (i'm 5'7" and 240 pounds. No judgment please.) But then I also have this mental block of like...if you're not precisely counting calories you can't lose weight! I like the control that comes with knowing exactly how many cals I'm eating for cals in cals out. But it's not feasible for me. But...I need to lose weight. If you've lost weight without cal counting (like...a lot)...tell me about your experience. I will not do intermittent fasting, keto, etc.

You don't need to obsessively count calories every day but you do need to have a general idea of what your calorie intake is. Otherwise how do you really know how much you're eating?

Look OP, you don't have to diet, count calories, exercise or anything. But then you need to adjust your expectations and accept your weight.

Sounds like you don't want to be uncomfortable at all but get great results. That is unfortunately not realistic. You will have to get outside of your comfort zone slightly to get results. The key is finding the minimum amount of calories you can cut where you don't feel miserable but helps you lose weight.

[Anonymous]

Get to your doctor and see about getting a prescription for a semaglutide such as Ozempic or Wegovy. It is an amazing drug with excellent results for a slow and steady weight loss. Basically it makes you feel full faster and helps with obsessing about food. I've been on it for 2 weeks and lost 4 pounds without counting a calorie. I am simply eating less and not stressing about it. I still have to exercise and drink a lot of water. But the obsession with what I'm eating is gone.

[Anonymous]

I did this with IF. Cut out all the empty calories i was eating after hours with wine and ice cream. I don't think about my fast at all

[Anonymous]

Weight Loss for Busy Physicians podcast talks about this - lots of episodes to explore why you're eating in the first place

I do a lot of meal prep for the week - eat the same things a lot of days. You could do the calorie count for this once for the week and then just count the extras?

I'm really focused on avoiding the foods that make you crave more - flour, sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed foods

Good luck

[Anonymous]

I am all for picking the process that required the least amount of effort provided it is working. Try a new approach and not tracking for a month and see if you are losing weight. When you are very over weight it requires less effort to lose weight. Meticulous tracking is usually only required as you get closer to goal weight. But if after a month you have not lost weight then you need to take a closer look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you just eat healthy foods, such as on a plant based diet, you do not need to calorie count. You cannot get fat from eating too much steamed broccoli.

No, but I can get fat on a hummus, avocado, grains based diet. Ask me how I know!

[Anonymous]

Try eating until you are only about 80-85% full. Supposedly that helps w/metabolism, and in time you will feel less hungry -- or at least at peace w/o feeling overfull beyond satiation.

[Anonymous]

Your only chance at losing weight and keeping it off is weight loss surgery. If that’s your goal, you should start looking into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lost weight using Myfitnesspal before. The problem is, I always always always gain it all back because it is not sustainable. I have this mindset of "I need to weigh/measure out and log every last exact gram of food that enters my mouth"- which is not realistic because, you know, I'm not always at home when I eat and I can't pull out my food scale at a restaurant and weigh my salmon. LOL. It's just a mental block that means calorie counting is not going to work for me. I have a significant amount of weight to lose (i'm 5'7" and 240 pounds. No judgment please.) But then I also have this mental block of like...if you're not precisely counting calories you can't lose weight! I like the control that comes with knowing exactly how many cals I'm eating for cals in cals out. But it's not feasible for me. But...I need to lose weight. If you've lost weight without cal counting (like...a lot)...tell me about your experience. I will not do intermittent fasting, keto, etc.

You don't need to obsessively count calories every day but you do need to have a general idea of what your calorie intake is. Otherwise how do you really know how much you're eating?

Look OP, you don't have to diet, count calories, exercise or anything. But then you need to adjust your expectations and accept your weight.

Sounds like you don't want to be uncomfortable at all but get great results. That is unfortunately not realistic. You will have to get outside of your comfort zone slightly to get results. The key is finding the minimum amount of calories you can cut where you don't feel miserable but helps you lose weight.

I'm like OP. Counting calories doesn't work for me. I can't do it unless I can weigh all my food and know exactly how many calories something is. So it ends up with me eating a lot of process food because they have calories listed on it. I don't expect losing weight to be easy. And I take offense that you thing people like me or OP don't want to be outside our comfort zone. I want to find something that I can put effort into, that I can sustain over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lost weight using Myfitnesspal before. The problem is, I always always always gain it all back because it is not sustainable. I have this mindset of "I need to weigh/measure out and log every last exact gram of food that enters my mouth"- which is not realistic because, you know, I'm not always at home when I eat and I can't pull out my food scale at a restaurant and weigh my salmon. LOL. It's just a mental block that means calorie counting is not going to work for me. I have a significant amount of weight to lose (i'm 5'7" and 240 pounds. No judgment please.) But then I also have this mental block of like...if you're not precisely counting calories you can't lose weight! I like the control that comes with knowing exactly how many cals I'm eating for cals in cals out. But it's not feasible for me. But...I need to lose weight. If you've lost weight without cal counting (like...a lot)...tell me about your experience. I will not do intermittent fasting, keto, etc.

You don't need to obsessively count calories every day but you do need to have a general idea of what your calorie intake is. Otherwise how do you really know how much you're eating?

Look OP, you don't have to diet, count calories, exercise or anything. But then you need to adjust your expectations and accept your weight.

Sounds like you don't want to be uncomfortable at all but get great results. That is unfortunately not realistic. You will have to get outside of your comfort zone slightly to get results. The key is finding the minimum amount of calories you can cut where you don't feel miserable but helps you lose weight.

I'm like OP. Counting calories doesn't work for me. I can't do it unless I can weigh all my food and know exactly how many calories something is. So it ends up with me eating a lot of process food because they have calories listed on it. I don't expect losing weight to be easy. And I take offense that you thing people like me or OP don't want to be outside our comfort zone. I want to find something that I can put effort into, that I can sustain over time.

PP here. My intent was not to offend. But when OP couches her desire to lose weight in terms like "I can't..." and "xyz doesn't work" or "I refuse to do xyz" then that sounds like someone who doesn't really want to lose weight. I'm sorry if that sounds mean but that's the truth. I am trying to lose some weight too. But since I don't have as much to lose, losing actually does require me to be pretty diligent with my diet, tracking and exercise. I effing hate it too and wish I could snap my fingers and be my goal weight but that's not reality.