Any ladies not count calories?

[salk]

Hi Girls (or guys if there are any lurking)

I recently completed a 12 week body transformation (you can view my only other thread if you want more information) basically it involved eating 5-6 meals a day, protein at each meal, full body weights routine Monday, Wed, Fri, with cardio on the other days. I always completed my weights but didnt always do cardio.

I dont want to use the word clean as I know it irks alot of people on here but I cant think of another term to describe my diet other than maybe lean. It included high protein, starchy carbs vegies salads and good fats etc. Pretty much had a list of foods to stick to and a set breakdown such as:

Meal 1: starchy carb & protein
Meal 2: Protein, Starchy carb or dairy or fruit
Meal 3: Protein, starchy carb + vegies/salad
Meal 4: Protein + Fat
Meal 5: Protein + vegies

Meals 2 & 4 were swapped on weights days and meals 3 & 5 were also swapped on weights days as I do my weights at night.

Overall I lost 29.5cm and 7kg, I was 66kg and I am now 59kg. I did not once count calories which was great because between looking after a 10month old and a 2 year old, running a work from home business and running a household I dont have time to count them. Since joining BB.com every post is about telling people to calculate their macros and count their calories.

My goal is to drop my body fat lift heavy as I want the lean sculpted look. I have been continuing on with the same program from my 12 week transformation and still seeing results with the tape measure. The only difference now is that I am not training full body mon, wed, fri but have set days for different body parts. I guess a split routine.

So are there any other ladies on here that dont count calories but still achieve the lean sculpted look. I would love to hear from you.

[nickys]

I preeeeetty much never have. I lack the discipline. However my diet has been the "cleanest" since the start of this year and I've lost about 5-6kg (I also have an 11 month old so who can be bothered calculating stuff besides how much sleep I might be able to get tonight ). I'd like to drop a few more % bodyfat (I'm estimating I'm about 18-20% at the moment, yes, I know, only estimating) so I might tighten up my diet when I have to and that might include counting calories eventually.

[litttlemiss]

Hi Girls (or guys if there are any lurking)

I recently completed a 12 week body transformation (you can view my only other thread if you want more information) basically it involved eating 5-6 meals a day, protein at each meal, full body weights routine Monday, Wed, Fri, with cardio on the other days. I always completed my weights but didnt always do cardio.

I dont want to use the word clean as I know it irks alot of people on here but I cant think of another term to describe my diet other than maybe lean. It included high protein, starchy carbs vegies salads and good fats etc. Pretty much had a list of foods to stick to and a set breakdown such as:

Meal 1: starchy carb & protein
Meal 2: Protein, Starchy carb or dairy or fruit
Meal 3: Protein, starchy carb + vegies/salad
Meal 4: Protein + Fat
Meal 5: Protein + vegies

Meals 2 & 4 were swapped on weights days and meals 3 & 5 were also swapped on weights days as I do my weights at night.

Overall I lost 29.5cm and 7kg, I was 66kg and I am now 59kg. I did not once count calories which was great because between looking after a 10month old and a 2 year old, running a work from home business and running a household I dont have time to count them. Since joining BB.com every post is about telling people to calculate their macros and count their calories.

My goal is to drop my body fat lift heavy as I want the lean sculpted look. I have been continuing on with the same program from my 12 week transformation and still seeing results with the tape measure. The only difference now is that I am not training full body mon, wed, fri but have set days for different body parts. I guess a split routine.

So are there any other ladies on here that dont count calories but still achieve the lean sculpted look. I would love to hear from you.

i never count, i dont care or want to know,
i make sure i have lot of protein at least a 100 grams a day, and then make sure that they are complete proteins with all the need amino acids, and good fats, and i try to eat six small meals a day, with lots of veggies and good starches yams are my fav lol

[sweethunibabi]

I make sure to pay attention to macros (protein and fat are the biggest ones for me!) As a former ED-sufferer, adding fat back into my diet was SCARY. However, I have come to realize that my body likes fat (dietary, hehe) in the form of olive oil, avocado, butter, nuts and cheese...and would rather have less (not zero!) things like bread, pasta and rice--since I've recovered (or still in the process? Are we ever truly "recovered"?) I haven't gotten my taste back for bread, rice, pasta, etc. Weird, right? Counting calories makes that old, nagging bi-otch voice rear her ugly head and tell me that lower is better. I have a general idea of my caloric intake for the day, since I basically eat the same foods (creature of habit) most days, save for the weekends, but I don't calculate down to the last kcal or gram. Figure out what works for your body!

[NOVA888]

I've tallied a couple of times just to get a ballpark figure of what I'm taking in, but the number isn't comforting. I'm pretty much in the 2000-3000 calorie range (not much variety), with most days being somewhere dead center of the two spectrums.

I was talking recently with a male UFC fighter here, and he couldn't believe that I consume as much as he does. I had to do a recount just to be sure, but then I try and put it out of my head or I'll overthink it. Instead, I prefer to eat what I need without obsessing that my calories are too high.

[salk]

Thanks for the replies, I guess I am just worried about the dreaded fat loss stall and what do I do or change if this happens. I am pretty happy that I have had good results by not counting calories but how long can I stick to doing exactly what I have been doing before it stops working. I dont want to work hard during my workouts but it be wasted because my diet is all wrong.

Man this fitness stuff can be difficult sometimes so many conflicting opinions and views on everything.

[ladyshortcake1]

I don't count either. However, I do make sure i get the right amount of protein. Other than that, i just watch my salt/sugar intake and eat whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Oh, and lots of WATER =D

[Danni89]

i counted for a few weeks to get an approximate. and i still eat pretty much the same as i did then. being easter time one days ill have a bite or two of chocolate. but i am in the 1600-2000 range, thats really hard for me healthily but yes i do and i am still losing weight. maybe when it stalls and i dont have so much stress at university i might count it but i am happy with my eating i know the days i go way over i can feel it!! i just make sure they are as few as possible.

[Iskierka23]

I don't count calories. I think I'd see better results if I did, it just seems so tedious to me. I eat "clean". I do it because it 1)helps me not go back for seconds 2)helps me skip desert 3)leaves me with lower calorie food options. I've lost about 14lbs and 8% bf.

[DanceShay]

I sure don't..the only things I "count" are grams of protein and sugar. Seems to be working well!

[salk]

Thanks for all the replies girls, its nice to know I am not the only one and its good to see not counting calories works for others too. So much easier not having to count. xoxo

[jms423]

I have counted in the past but it made me feel too OCD. I counted/logged everything for about a year and it mainly caused more stress for myself.

Since I can pretty much eyeball/ballpark it for my expereince that is what I am doing. Sometimes if I am feeling hungry during the day or want to reach for a treat I will do a quick tally in my head of the day so far to see where I am at. I mainly try to eat more protein than carbs at each meal, low sugar as possible and I never count/track veggies. My progress might be slower but I feel more sane.

[JillSlap]

I feel like a weirdo now... I HAVE to count as I go or I just plain forget what I've eaten. I'm a person who thrives on lists, though, so I don't find it tedious. I kinda like it.

I'm a vegetarian too, so if I don't keep strict track of what I eat I almost never get enough protein or fat. BTW, I'm not a cranky, uppity vegetarian, I promise. PETA makes the rest of us look bad!

[mausi79]

I wish i never started counting! Its stressing and ruining my life which is probably why i am getting nowhere with my goals Want out of it but its so hard!

[jane-m]

i count, but not religiously. i find that it becomes too obsessive and it takes over my day! i have a pretty good idea of how many calories i'm getting, i just think of what i'm going to eat that day and add them up in my head. sometimes i write them down quickly if i can't add them

[fitinidaho]

I use to count and keep track of everything I ate because I was trying to gain weight (I was down to 98 lbs) and it wasn't working. I was trying to figure out why, so I kept upping my cals.
Now I just maintain my weight by eating pretty much the same foods daily which comes out to be about 2,800-3,000 a day.

[thepowerwithin]

I have and I haven't. Depends on my goals and my how it does or does not impact my life.

When trying to get lean(er), after a certain point, I have had to track. I've been successful at going by "feel," but it only got me so far, then I have to be precise.

When eating at maintenance, I only find it necessary to track if I feel/think I am over/under eating and I need to get out of denial .

So far, I have failed at bulking successfully, so I don't know about that yet. Still learning.

Other times I have developed an obsessiveness with counting, tracking, weighing myself, preoccupation with meals, etc., which impacted my life negatively, and I have had to walk away for some time until I was ready to do it with a healthier mindset.

What a journey......

[nickys]

I preeeeetty much never have. I lack the discipline. However my diet has been the "cleanest" since the start of this year and I've lost about 5-6kg (I also have an 11 month old so who can be bothered calculating stuff besides how much sleep I might be able to get tonight ). I'd like to drop a few more % bodyfat (I'm estimating I'm about 18-20% at the moment, yes, I know, only estimating) so I might tighten up my diet when I have to and that might include counting calories eventually.

Plateaued for the last few weeks, so going to start by tracking what I eat, but not the calories. Just yet. I know I snack too much, even if they are healthy snacks, so maybe cutting back on the unconscious snacking will help.

[kpettitt]

I have and I haven't. Depends on my goals and my how it does or does not impact my life.

When trying to get lean(er), after a certain point, I have had to track. I've been successful at going by "feel," but it only got me so far, then I have to be precise.

When eating at maintenance, I only find it necessary to track if I feel/think I am over/under eating and I need to get out of denial .

So far, I have failed at bulking successfully, so I don't know about that yet. Still learning.

Other times I have developed an obsessiveness with counting, tracking, weighing myself, preoccupation with meals, etc., which impacted my life negatively, and I have had to walk away for some time until I was ready to do it with a healthier mindset.

What a journey......

^^^ This is me... I got WAY too obsessive over food in. It started to hurt my body- I stayed at a way low body fat for too long cuz I felt "fat" then I had a relapse because of some stressful events in my like and 'didn't care what I did' and..... gained 30# (which I needed about 15 of) but now I'm finding it hard to get that balance of counting and being obsessed. *shakes head* and its not easy! I've been dieting for 3 mths and have not lost a pound- but I'm afraid to go back to counting because I don't want to mess my mind up again.... oh me oh my... plus, when you step back and look at the big picture- most of the time we are the ONLY one who thinks we are fat, everyone else looks at us as beautiful! So why stress it that much IMO......

[Zero_Degreez]

I used to count calories, but it became really obsessive to the point where it was detrimental to my body. I started becoming obsessed and panicked if I went over a certain number of calories. I was not in a healthy state of mind.

I don't count calories now. I am mindful of how much or how little I am eating, but I don't worry or think too much about it any more.

It wasn't the way to live, how I was when I was counting calories strictly. It was doing a lot more harm than good.

Life is for living...

[toodlepip]

I’m at the point a few of you are at where I’m trying to break away from counting. I’m not currently logging food but it’s still hard to turn off the mental calculator. For so many years I tallied everything up and then gave myself a pat on the back or a demoralizing kick in the arse for f’ing up yet again.

I’ve gone in circles with counting, not counting. Eating intuitively and then getting wrapped up in macros etc. I’m so tired of it all and lately have found I was becoming too obsessive in a really bad way and again falling into the trap of being driven by numbers and a good day or bad day was determined by the number on the scale or the number of grams or cals, not about all the other important soul sustaining things in my life. Crazy. I just can’t sanely live that way.

Now what I’m trying to figure out how to balance is to eat intuitively while at the same time attaining my physical goals of gaining more lean mass. It’s a bit tricky as some days I don’t want large amounts of protein and just want comfy carbs…I’m working on figuring this out and I’m sure I’ll get where I want to be in time even if the results are slower in coming because I am truly eating what I want.

What a journey indeed.