Anyone NOT count calories?

kathryn

kathryn

Cathlete
Seems like a lof of people answering on the 'how many meals do you eat a day' thread also list their calorie count.

Anybody like me, who doesn't count...at all? I mean, I will take note of the calorie count of any processed foods I eat, but other than that, I just eat when I'm hungry, and when I stick with whole foods, there's no problem with having to count calories, I've found.

Even this summer, when I'm eating more fat (from avocados, nuts, coconut 'cream'--the most lucious, raw coconut oil product I've come across yet: I'm right now eating a fruit bowl of strawberres and mango with a tablespoon of that on plus some raw dried unsweetened coconut on top, YUM!), I'm not having any weight problems. The problem comes with processed foods.

So how about it, anybody just 'eat'?
 
Hi,

I don't really count mine on a daily basis, but I do know approximately how many I consume, based on what I eat every day. So for me, the focus is not really on calories, although I am aware of how many I am taking in. I focus on eating "clean", moderate portions, and working out...if you do that, you should be in good shape (pun intended!)
 
I count protein grams. I find that if I eat enough good, clean carbs, I don't have to count anything else. I've been eating so much fruit this season, and I'm leaner than I used to be. Go figure.

Pinky
 
Kathryn, I'm like you, I just eat. I do eat every few hours (when I'm hungry) and I eat fairly clean and whole foods but if I want a piece of cake I have it. I have no idea how many calories I eat and it's not an issue for me.

Jo
 
Kathryn,

I have never counted a calorie a day of my life; not even the one time I actually had to lose weight. I simply have cut out processed foods for the most part, no white flour, no dairy, almost no sugar (a binge now and then, I am a chocoholic), only whole grain breads, pastas, etc. I eat salmon, chicken only occassionally, and never red meat. Love my fruits and veggies.

I do not count calories, I do not step on scales, I do not check my body fat, I do not take HR during exercise. I have exercised for my entire life and can tell in a heartbeat (pardon me that one:+ ) if I am in my training zone and whether it's high or low end. I can look at my body and see if it's where I want it to be in terms of body fat and I go by measurements or the way my clothes fit as to whether or not I'm where I want to be.

I eat when I'm hungry and exercise 6 days per week. Life's too short to keep track of every itty bitty calorie, etc.
 
I also stopped counting calories. I found that it consumed me and that I would eat alot of empty calories. Since I went "clean" so to speak, I have finally broke through my plateau, and I am not starving and it all tastes really good.


Maeghan AKA megadoo

http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar072/slider-but3/lb/203/145/156/.png[/img] [/url]

http://www.picturetrail.com/megadoo2
 
I don't count calories. I lost 40 pounds 7 years ago and never counted 1 calorie. I just cut out all the junk food, fast food, white flour and sugar and started eating more fruit and veggies. I have a scale but haven't stepped on it in years.
 
I'm just like you. I've never counted calories. I eat when I am hungry, try to stick to food that is good for me and I watch my portions. I, too, dislike processed foods.

Joanne
 
I don't count calories either. I tried to once or twice, but it's way too time consuming and frustrating. Being that I don't eat "junk" food and I'm reaching all my fitness goals, it seems pretty fuitless. I eat when I'm hungry and keep only healthy food in the kitchen. Whatever works!

Barbara
 
I wonder how long this 'counting calories' thing has been around?
Cavemen/women sure didn't do it.
I doubt our grandparents, or even our parents, did it.
Seems like a fairly recent phenomenon (which coincides pretty much with the increase of processed foods...coincidence? I don't think so).
 
No way. It would completely stress me out, and stress leads to weight gain.

How's that for rationalizing?
 
I have no idea how many calories I eat in a day. I know I eat a lot. There have been times where I started a count in the morning but thought "what's the point?". I weigh 10 lbs more than I did when I graduated high school but it is all just addition of muscle due to taking up weight lifting. I don't wear a HR monitor either and I have no idea what my percentage of body fat is except an estimate that it is pretty darn low compared with some of the numbers and pictures I have seen quoted by others. If I were needing to lose weight or had health concerns as a result of food intake/exercise I would be apt to keep track of all these numbers. My day is filled with so many other things that I just don't have anything left to dedicate to what I call the "numbers" game. I really do make an effort to listen to my body because staying tuned to it's demands IS very important as I do tend to push it pretty hard!:)
 
Count me in with the non-counters. No calorie-counting, no scale-weighing, no heart-rate checks during my land cardio workouts (although I do take a 6-second check after the shallow water segments of my aqua classes). Uber-counting reminds me too much of my bulimia days, and all that counting never did me a d@mn bit of good.

I wish I could say I avoided processed foods, but I don't. Cheez-Its, Old Dutch Baked Cheese Doodles, potato chips, microwave popcorn (light popcorn, natch) and Lean Cuisines rule my days in addition to fairly low-fat, low-sodium high-fiber stuff. Ah well. The day my tricks make me upsize from a size zero to a size two is the day I'll change - not until then.

A-Jock
 
Kathryn, I don't count anything. I just eat what I know is good for me and when I do "cheat" I stop at one thing, or I allow myself one "cheat" day once in a while if there's a special occasion or I want to eat something I almost never eat, and then I forget about it and move on. Life is too short to obsess over food or calories or points or numbers. I find if I'm eating clean most of the time I do just fine with weight, with energy level, and with everything else.

Carol
:)
 
Non counter here as well. For me it becomes and obsession and I find I lose sight of how I really feel as opposed to "am I eating the right amount of calories" worries. I have found even when I did obsess over every little morsel, it did nothing for me in terms of weight loss. I think listening to your body's signals is the best way to go.

Rhonda
 
While I don't count day-to-day calories, I know my intake because my eating is the same 6 days a week. I let it fly on the seventh day. But about 4 or 5 years ago, I had to start counting points, then calories to reverse my 5 pound weight gain. I need that gauge, and I also weigh and measure portions. If that's what it takes to stay in my current size, that's what I'll do. If you find it's necessary, there ain't nothin' wrong with it, and bless all of you that never have to do it. To each his own.

"You can't win them all - but you can try." - Babe Zaharias http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/musik/music-smiley-004.gif[/img]
 
I am a non counter also. Tried it for about 2 days, and it was just to hard! I watch what I eat, and try and eat clean. I do eat dairy a lot though- I can not go a day without my coffee yogurt!!:)
Deanie
 
I never used to, nor did I weigh or measure myself. Then I got into the Eat to Live diet and found myself entering every little bit of food into a computer program and good grief - I actually started worrying about calories. I got sick of entering all my meals and stopped. I'm done with that and no longer count. I'm much happier now! :)

The counting did teach me, though, how to better estimate my protein/fat/carb ratio, which has helped me to clean up my diet. Live and learn, right?
 
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