do you still count intake?

Hi everyone, I no longer "count" what I eat every day and was wondering if anyone still keeps tabs each day! I am 18 months out and have maintained a weight of 150 pounds, give or take a few pounds. My doctor does not want me to lose anymore and I am waiting to have a hernia repaired and a TT. I still keep to the foods we are susposed to eat, take my vitamins and get plenty of water or fluids in. I used to use fitday all the time but I have not been there in a few months. Tomorrow I am going to write down everything I eat and drink and see how I am doing. Donna 277/150

Hi Donna, On my way down to my lowest weight I never really counted anything. I was losing weight, so I didn't want to rock the boat After my regain, it's been very slow to come off again. I find that tracking my intake helps me to feel like I'm doing something proactive. It's also so easy just to have a little more of this and a little more of that, and it really adds up if you're not careful. So far now I've started tracking the intake again. When I get to where I want to be (and stay there for awhile this time ) I may stop again depending on how successful I am then. The way it looks now, it may be awhile... -- Jim F. high-475, surgery-414, lowest-164, current-195, goal-160

Hello Donna - I don't count it RELIGIOUSLY - as in log everything, track everything, down to the last bite. However, I do keep a 'running total' very BASIC kinda total in my head. Ive been on a thousand and one diets over my lifetime and I could probably come up with a guestimate caloric count that's awfully close to accurate on any given food. Doesn't mean Im right all the time, but when I have to guess, I guess on the high side. My "daily goal" is to try and keep my calories within 1500 a day - some days, Im under (those are rare) some days Im over (WISH those were rare, ha!) ...but bottomline, I let the SCALES be my tracker. Ive been in the "maintenance" stage for a year and 2 months now - six months into it, I had a 15 lb bounceback and it scared the hell out of me. Ive since, brought that number down to 7 lbs and I've been content to keep it within that range ever since. If the scales fluctuate more then that on any given day - I start eating bunny food again (veggies, salads, etc) for a few days, with protein shakes as a supp - it seems to be working, so far. We're all different and you just need to find what works for YOU - if tracking it on Fitday, daily, works - then that's the PERFECT (right) solution for you. Who knows, it might be something I do again, further down the road - in life, nothing stays the same forever. - Lei

I'm with you Lei. The operative word for me is 'ish'. About 7 PM everyday, I mentally run through what I ate and what I did as far as activities. Somewhere between then and retiring for the night, I adjust. If I think I am under protein-wise, I might make up some tuna salad w/o bread/crackers/etc. If I over-did things, I go without my bowl of bran flakes before bed. I guess I count by 100s rather than by single-digits. In this manner, I have maintained my weight +/- 3 pounds. Of course, I am not trying to maintain a BMI of 19.5 like some folks, so I have some lattitude to work with. Those aiming for the bottom end of normal or below have a different problem to solve that requires different tactics. Nowhere Man/PH/Jay

New picture!!??? You are looking GREAT Betty

I count everything. Every day. For over four years. Count and record it all including the "forbidden" foods, the tastes when I cook, blah, blah, blah. Don't get me wrong, I am not rigid and nuts...I only recognize my own lack of awareness if I don't hold myself accountable. Karen

I keep a mental diary, and I also around 7'ish go through my day and round things off in my mind. My thing is to jump out of bed each and every morning and weigh myself. If I see so much as a half pound in one direction, I know how my day will be. Very strict if up a pound, without much thought if I stayed the same, and a little looser with my eating if I am 1 pound down. At 2-1/2 years out this is working for me, but I must weigh myself rather than count, and that keeps me on the straight and narrow. Missy

I keep track mentally most days. Sometimes I will get specific and write everything down. I saw my dietician last week to address these issues. She advises not counting calories. She says eat until you are full and quit. As long as I'm making wise choices, I should be okay. I do, however, weigh every day. I stay within a 4 pound range. If I blow it one day, I really watch it the next day. If I want chocolate, I eat it. I just don't eat it all day long. One piece and I quit, usually. I don't dump on sugar unless it's excessive. That's one thing I wish I hadn't found out. I think if you are too restrictive, you set yourself up for failure. I know if I am craving something, I do better to just eat it otherwise I will eat everything around it and still not satisfy the craving. I eat fairly normally tho. I focus on protein and complex carbs if I still need something to feel full. I do rely on protein bars. They are easy and protable. I have problems with low blood sugar so I keep them handy. Lyn 262/150/142 (I'll be at goal, I hope, after my TT!)

I definitely count my intake every day. My past history shows that when I don't count it, the most amazing things happen, like sudden unexplained weight gain!! I plan to keep on counting whether I ever use that information or not. I do think everyone needs to do what works for them. Jan

Thank you all for your answers. sorry I did not write again until now, I have had such a busy week, my sons paper work for the Marines was finally sent through without them wanting more information and then BOOM, they called on monday and by that night he was gone! Thankfully I did not sit around and eat. well I did have some popcorn. My son is 18 and although he has been planning on joining for over a year and a half. this last part went extreamly fast and so far it seems unreal that he in marine bootcamp, I did not get the chance yet to write down everything I ate in one day. I do plan on doing it though tomorrow. I will see my surgeon tomorrow also to talk about the hernia repair and TT. Donna 277/150ish