Anyone else just fed up with counting calories?

[Cantsleepagain33]

And sick of having to restrict themselves every day? As I've gotten older I feel like my arms and stomach are wobblier, and I'm way off menopause yet so I fear it'll only get worse.

It's miserable having to stick to X number of calories. I have a very small frame and don't carry weight well, I'm only a 6-8 and I do regular exercise but as I say that's because of counting every single calorie.

I have a 'cheat day' once a month where I eat whatever I want and then regret it afterwards because I feel like I've put a stone on for the next 4 days.
Often go past restaurants, cafés etc. And think how nice it'd be to just order whatever you wanted and put have to worry about it.

Is anyone else feeling this way and just fed up?

Obviously we need to eat healthily and not advocating bingeing on anything, but it would be nice to be more relaxed.
However there's so much pressure on women to be slim, especially if you're single like I am.

I stopped counting calories and lost 3 stone.
It's about what you eat, not the calories.
I worked with Sue, and changed my life. Her groups are online.
The weight has stayed off for over 3 years now by just eating properly:
https://www.suethomaswellbeing.co.uk/

Agree with ER24, eat well. No shite. It works.

It's shit isn't it, feels like I'm surrounded by people at normal healthy weights eating lovely food all the time, takeaway, drinking, eating carbs in every meal.
I have to be restrictive and walk a lot. When I eat crap I graze and binge.
The reality is we don't see everything. Most who do all those things and eat a lot and don't exercise will put on weight. The ones who do all those things but stay slim are the ones regularly exercising or actually don't eat much over the whole day/don't snack etc.
And then there are those rare unicorns who have amazing metabolisms!

@EasterRose24 I don't want to "eat well"- I want to eat take aways, chocolates, crisps and biscuits and not get fat. That is impossible, whatever diet you do, whether you count calories or not. I find pursuing any diet incredibly tedious but it's the only way not to be huge.

Putting on some weight as we age ( not loads but a few pounds) is normal though. The trouble is that trying to stay the same size, particularly if that is a size your body isn't naturally going to sit at is like a long cold War- with yourself.
Maybe focus on being healthy and strong. 🌻Eat well so you have energy and don't feel deprived and prone to thinking about food.
Don't count calories. Eat normal portions of a variety of foods. Buy the next size up of clothes as and when needed. Exercise, for your health- physical and mental - not as a guilty calorie burning exercise.

We are here for a good time, not a long time. Don't live on a diet, life is too short 💜

That's not entirely true. I could eat chicken and vegetables all day, but you won't lose weight if you're not in a calorie deficit.

@xyz111 Gillian Mckeith said in her book that there were foods you could eat unlimited foods and not put weight on, and infact lose weight. She put all the dried fruits on the list. I was like wooo! I can snack on dates and raisins all day. I put weight on 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

Absolutely the Sue Thomas one is cutting out sugar, which will reduce the calories what you take in.

Same as low carb, carnivore, intermittent fasting and pretty much any diet fad, you get down to it they are just fancy ways of reducing calories you take in.

i put on loads after hitting menopause and calorie counting since Xmas to lose it. I’ve never been really slim, and since teenage years have had a huge appetite. Many days of calorie counting have felt really awful. But nothing else works for me. I’ve tried fasting and keto - Im still always hungry and still end up eating too many calories unless I calorie count. I’ve lost 2 stone and that feels so good, I need to carry On and lose one more

I’m so jealous of those who stay slim and don’t overeat naturally.

Im really impressed that you’ve stuck to it as a life choice, you’ve obviously worked hard and been disciplined and you should give yourself credit for that. You obviously enjoy being slim and being able to wear nice clothes? It’s a choice whether you continue but I think you’d hate letting go and piling weight on, I did.

Build muscle: it looks good, and more importantly keeps you strong and your metabolism high.

Reduce ultra high processed foods and simple startchy carbs.
Focus on plants, protein and healthy fats.

It's a more balanced lifestyle without having to tediously micro-manage the details all the time.

I get you, I'm the same size, maybe similar age and it's hard. I work in hospitality so I'm surrounded by everyone enjoying themselves and I can't because then I will put weight on.

I don't want to be a stick, just a bit smaller and less flabby so I'm working hard to lose fat but it's not easy. Luckily I enjoy weights and running so I'm not just doing it to lose weight but sometimes I just want to skip a day but can't because then I won't ever progress.

I do slack off sometimes though because life is just too short not to enjoy a gluttonous roast dinner or a takeaway!

I relate OP, I'm calorie counting, and yes I feel i am restricting myself every day! I basically feel permanently hungry (even though I am eating protein with every meal, lots of veg etc). It just all seems a bit miserable that I can't snack on nice things sometimes.

I try to exercise 5 or so times a week but I have to be honest, I don't love it, so again that feels like a chore.

I have only been doing this seriously for a few weeks so I'm hoping that in time my body will get used to it and I won't feel hungry all the time and hopefully that will lift my mood!

I would love to have a lovely afternoon tea or something as a treat, but if I did I would probably not be able to eat anything else for the whole day!

I am perimenopausal, and trying to lose weight on my stomach and face. I'm 9.5 stone but because I am mixed race Asian/ English, with a small frame, I really should be less.The other reason I want to lose weight is that I have high blood pressure, so I'm hoping it will lower that if I get some weight off.

The joys of getting older!

This .
Eat as clean as you like, but if it adds up to an excess of calories you will gain weight.
You could gain weight on lettuce if you could squeeze in enough of it to be in calorie excess .

Although Nutracheck is counting calories it's made me realise that I'm a greedy pig and my portion sizes were too big. Two months of weighing my food I've lost a stone. There is no class to attend for a clap or a tut tut.

One word. Mounjaro.

Please throw away your scales and stop counting calories. I am a PT and have zero issues losing bodyfat if I need to /maintaining a good weight. That's because I am really strategic about exactly how I do that. Science shows counting calories and regular weighing usually leads to maladaptive behaviours and associations with our body and the concept of fat. I would find it miserable as hell counting calories or weighing myself so never do. I do check nutrients in food though, because the right protein fibre, complex carbs etc is so good for me.

It honestly doesn't matter what you weigh. Exercise and eat healthy, exercise is a golden way of keeping your body in shape, burning more of the kcals that you eat, regulating your appetite, toning your muscles, and feeling more positive about your body.

💯 this.

I can't cal count because i get obsessive and it's really joy sapping. I stay off booze and sugar. Out running when I'm not injured. Hit 40 and my God I'm snapping things and pulling muscles left right and centre. My knees make noises.
BUT
I'm older, I'm bigger than I was and I'm ok with that.

I am 1.5 stones heavier than I was when I was young and that's fine because any thinner and I don't think I'll look that good as I'm 49 now, also I wouldn't be bothered to even attempt to get to that weight as I think I'd have to starve.

I have to count calories, I can eat all the healthy food in the world but if I eat too much of it then I will gain weight. My maintenance calories are 1650 ish which is not a lot of food if I wanted to drop weight I'd have to eat a lot less than that which I don't want to do.

I concentrate on protein making sure I get enough, and fibre etc and generally eating healthy but calories come in to it too.

My health issues meant I had to lose a lot of weight and I need to maintain this weight to continue to be as healthy as possible so I don't have a stroke any time soon.

It's shit but for me general 'healthy eating' won't work unless I know how much I'm putting in my body.

No it doesn't matter what you weigh but when you've been diagnosed with a fatty liver then you need to lose weight so it doesn't get worse.

Yep people have lost sight of what a normal portion is and what people eat is a lot bigger.

Look at cereal a normal portion is what you get in the variety pack that might fill half a bowl, a lot of people will fill their bowl up.

Yes and in my case along with cereal, not a bowl full but more than the recommended portion size, I was also having 2 slices of toast and a piece of cheese for breakfast because I was "always starving".

I'm a lifelong yo-yoer who is currently slim. I've accepted that conscious restriction is just a part of my life forever if I don't want to get fat again.

I find any sort of diet restrictive. I have just started 14:10 fasting . I am eating what I want in the 10 hours . I am losing about 1lb a week and my sugar cravings have definitely reduced.

I never count calories. I have a pair of jeans that should fit. If they get a bit tight I exercise more or eat less sugar.

I'm 5'10 and 65 kg.

If you don't want to calorie count then why not so the 5-2 diet?