Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Calories

36 replies

niadainud · 17/03/2025 20:34

Inspired by another threat (but not a TAAT).

The impression I get from MN is that it is unusual to more or less eat a bit (or a lot) of whatever you fancy, and not to count calories for every meal.

I have never counted calories in my life, snack every day, and frequently eat biscuits, etc. I'm 50ish, about 8.5 stone, size 8ish. If I think I've put on a few pounds I'll cut back on said biscuits and maybe skip the occasional meal or stop eating earlier in the evening, but otherwise I don't even think about it other than a general awareness of trying to eat vaguely healthy meals.

I appreciate I'm probably quite fortunate, but I am genuinely astonished if it's really the case that everyone else is tallying up everything that passes their lips and weighing up whether it takes them over a particular number. Or is that actually just on Mumsnet and not in real life?

So AIBU to ask whether most people closely monitor what they eat on a daily basis, meal by meal?

OP posts:
Original poster
niadainud · 17/03/2025 20:51

Okay - so I realise this is going to sound like I'm trolling and I'm genuinely not - do people usually, for example, weigh out pasta? If I have spaghetti, I would put about a third of the packet (500g, not 1kg!) in the pan as that's what I need to feel full (but not stuffed). Is this, um, very peculiar?

OP posts:
Original poster
niadainud · 17/03/2025 20:49

Dueanamechange2025 · 17/03/2025 20:41

Lucky you! Through not counting calories (and some medical issues) i got to 20st! Would be lovely not to worry about it.
Currently 3st down. Tracking all my food in take. HTHs!

Good luck with the continued weight loss - three stone is impressive!

OP posts:
KellySeveride · 17/03/2025 20:49

All I can say is you are very lucky. And I say this as someone who naturally sits on the slim side. I still have to be aware of calories and what I eat because I can and do gain weight if I’m not careful.

CheckoutChump · 17/03/2025 20:48

I was the same - until I hit late 40’s menopause. Calorie counting is the least of my worries - just looking at calories is enough to have me bursting out of my clothes.

Original poster
niadainud · 17/03/2025 20:47

holjam · 17/03/2025 20:43

Seriously? Are you a troll? Believe me I’d love to be in one of the people who never has to think about my calories and could just eat what I wanted without an immediate 10lb weight gain.

Yes, seriously. I promise I hadn't realised it was so commonplace to think about the calories of everything and track them every day. I am genuinely surprised. It's not the case in my family or, to my knowledge, amongst most of my friends.

OP posts:
Original poster
niadainud · 17/03/2025 20:46

Nowvoyager99 · 17/03/2025 20:39

Do you not speak with other women in real life?

You are in your fifties and this is new information?

Seriously? Most menopausal women talk incessantly about their fucked up metabolism/diets/attempts to exercise because it’s almost impossible to stay slim as you get older. I can’t imagine how this has escaped your notice.

I am very envious that you eat to live and have no food noise. It’s not that unusual, but yes you are the fortunate minority. Go celebrate!

Honestly no, this isn't a topic of conversation that comes up regularly with friends or female family members, even though we're often eating when we meet.

My mum weighs about the same as me (although she's a bit shorter) and never counts calories or weighs portions (at least not for the purpose of dieting), although she eats very healthily and will cut down on sugar and carbs if she thinks she has gained a bit.

OP posts:
FiveShelties · 17/03/2025 20:45

Great effort @niadainud 😁

holjam · 17/03/2025 20:43

Seriously? Are you a troll? Believe me I’d love to be in one of the people who never has to think about my calories and could just eat what I wanted without an immediate 10lb weight gain.

Dueanamechange2025 · 17/03/2025 20:41

Lucky you! Through not counting calories (and some medical issues) i got to 20st! Would be lovely not to worry about it.
Currently 3st down. Tracking all my food in take. HTHs!

Nowvoyager99 · 17/03/2025 20:39

Do you not speak with other women in real life?

You are in your fifties and this is new information?

Seriously? Most menopausal women talk incessantly about their fucked up metabolism/diets/attempts to exercise because it’s almost impossible to stay slim as you get older. I can’t imagine how this has escaped your notice.

I am very envious that you eat to live and have no food noise. It’s not that unusual, but yes you are the fortunate minority. Go celebrate!

YourEarsCouldWinPrizes · 17/03/2025 20:37

It's so funny, I said to my husband this morning, "can you imagine, there are people out there who just eat mostly what they want, don't count calories, don't spend hours a day thinking about every single thing that passes their lips. Imagine that!"
And here you are!