Do you HAVE TO count calories?

It depends on the person I guess. I don't think it matters that much in the beginning, because you're eating so many less calories than you used to, you're going to lose weight.

For me, though, I do it all and have since day 1...weigh and measure everything (4-6oz per meal, 3 meals a day only), and I track calories, fat, carbs and protein. Especially now that I've lost over 100 pounds since surgery, and almost 170 total, my weight loss has slowed down significantly to 1 or 2 pounds per week. If I don'****ch my calories (I stay under 800/day), then I don't lose.

I think when I finally reach my forever weight and go into maintenance, I will probably be less concerned about tracking the calories, and more concerned about how much I eat and making sure I continue to eat protein first.

I laughed a little when I read this because of your last paragraph. I've actually had the exact opposite thought that maybe when I reach my final goal weight and go into maintenance I WILL start tracking calories. Just so I can figure out how I should be eating to maintain. Since that seems really challenging!

LOL knowing how I am, chances are I won't stop either. It sounds good, tho!

I believe each person has to find the way that will work the best for them to keep them on track and healthy. For me personally I have to stay accountable so I track every bite that goes in my mouth on MFP (I have recently surpassed 650 consecutive days logging on MFP). I mainly focus on total protein grams and carbs. I try to stay at least at 75+ protein and under 50 total carbs per day. I also weigh and measure everything when I prep my food for the day.

For my personal success I need to weigh my food and count calories. I was vigilant with MFP until about 6 mos ago, counting protein, sodium and net carb and very successful. Then around Christmas I got lax, invited refined carbs into my life, went on quite a few trips and had about a 20 lb regain. I'm back to MFP, tracking everything, keeping under 1200 calories per day and have lost most of it. I eat about 6x per day and not after 7 PM, usually 200 cals or less each time and always protein forward.

I could not sustain only 3 meals per day as I was dealing with dizziness and dropping blood sugars and extreme fatigue. Much better since I eat more often. I also try to eat my first food within 1 hour of rising or I get the dizzies.

Low-ish carb works best for me. Around 100g protein per day and 55-65 net carbs. The carbs are higher because of the amounts of berries, veggies and greek yogurts I consume. I avoid blatant refined sugar except for my 1 tsp in my coffee every morning.

I need the accountability of counting calories and tracking exercise because I can ostrich at times and if I didn't track it, then it didn't happen (head in the sand). Kind of like how I used to look at myself in the mirror - never below the neck, so I never acknowledged how large I was getting (but that's another story).

So - Yes to vigilance but No to obsession. Especially if you think you'll start restricting yourself too much and develop a different kind of issue with food. Aim for those protein targets and get your liquids in however that best works for you. Good luck!

I count calories like a hawk. I'd never be able to maintain otherwise.

Some people can pay their bills, write checks, use their debit cards, etc, and never pay any attention to their account balance. They always have enough left in their account before their next paycheck.

If most people tried that, they'd be bouncing checks, and having sales people cutting up their cards. They need to keep track of their balance, or else.

If you start going over on your calories, no one will send you overdraft notices, or cut up your cards. You can keep spending calories like mad. A few here, a few there, maybe a splurge sometimes. Before you know it, you are in a big calorie hole. I ended up on the operating table by not paying attention to calories. Sure, I'd do it for a few months here and there. But never long term.

Excellent analogy! My therapist at the bariatric clinic called it a calorie budget. We all wished we were calorie millionaires and never had to count or track anything the way we assume rich people never count pennies, but alas, we must stick to a calorie budget just like a typical money budget. Spend more than you should and it means big trouble and the hole just gets deeper and hard to climb out of over time.

The other interesting thing she pointed out is that most wealthy people do plan/budget/count which is why they usually stay wealthy. Those skinny people we always hated who could eat 'whatever they wanted' actually were usually mindful and only ate when hungry, planned indulgences, etc.

I couldn't agree more.

I think that the body doesn't know what calories are. The problem, is that humans don't either, and we will always eat more when we estimate things. We will always eat unplanned food and overestimate.

I still weigh my food, and I also meal prep, so I eat fairly reliably the same. It is second nature now.

If you are too obsessed with counting calories I would talk to a dietitian and a counselor, and see what strategies you can use. What do you mean by "get obsessed," I guess is my question.

For me I try to stay between 800-1000, mostly higher since I'm slowly raising my protein and fat since I'm redoing the sleeve to a DS late this year. I still lose weight. Any time I don't track, forget it! All my good eating goes out the window, because I can still eat a ton of stuff I shouldn't be eating.

May I ask why you're doing a DS after VSG?

I had a VSG in December of 2016 and my weight loss has slowed the past two months. I've lost a total of 120 (Whole 30 before surgery) and I have about 60/70 to go to goal. I realized I was eating too many nuts and nut butters. I'm considering signing up for Weigh****chers (again) to be more structured than I seem to be on my own.