I hate calorie counting

crazyfordogs18

I'm really having a hard time trying to lose weight. Because I hate calorie counting, I cook a bunch of healthy meals some that have a lot of ingredients and it is a pain to try to login it. And I will go a little over my calories cause I'm so hungry especially on workout days. I have a couple health problems that make it harder to lose weight. My diet is extremely healthy and clean eating. I don't eat gluten, sugar or anything processed. I have food allergies bad and stick to a strict clean diet. I don't drink soda only unsweetened tea or green tea and tons of water no achohoul.
I eat one to two fruits a day normally an apple and banana. I eat vegetables at lunch and dinner normally steamed veggies and salads. I eat only organic meat I DON'T do second portions.

I just don't know what to do. The meals I have logged in have been very close sometimes a little over for calories. I have been trying to chew gum if I am still hungry and can't have any more food because of calories.

blankiefinder

crazyfordogs18 wrote: »

I'm really having a hard time trying to lose weight. Because I hate calorie counting, I cook a bunch of healthy meals some that have a lot of ingredients and it is a pain to try to login it. And I will go a little over my calories cause I'm so hungry especially on workout days. I have a couple health problems that make it harder to lose weight. My diet is extremely healthy and clean eating. I don't eat gluten, sugar or anything processed. I have food allergies bad and stick to a strict clean diet. I don't drink soda only unsweetened tea or green tea and tons of water no achohoul.
I eat one to two fruits a day normally an apple and banana. I eat vegetables at lunch and dinner normally steamed veggies and salads. I eat only organic meat I DON'T do second portions.

I just don't know what to do. The meals I have logged in have been very close sometimes a little over for calories. I have been trying to chew gum if I am still hungry and can't have any more food because of calories.

In order to lose weight, you have to be in a deficit. It sounds like you know that. You may have to make some food swaps that help you reach your goal. There were days that I didn't have many calories left, where I would substitute riced cauliflower in place of rice, things like that. It's possible, it just takes some hard work.

ilovecereal1982

Not a big fan of counting in general...Definitely like the addition of calculators and various other counting tools to mobile technology lately though.

mpat81

I actually think counting calories is sorta fun. I like to pre-log a lot of my meals, that way I know how many extra calories are left in my budget for snacking. It's almost like a game. If you are out of calories and still really hungry it probably means you are eating foods that are high in calories for low volume. Try to find a list of the "negative calorie" foods and eat those when you are over your goal. They aren't truly negative calories but will give you relief from the hunger without totally blowing the budget.

amelialoveshersnacks

I was on 1200 calories and it took some time to get to a point of having meals that sated me. I had to get quite clever with my choices, e.g nutrient dense, low calorie foods. I prefer to cook from scratch also, and I have alot of days that I just can not exercise. In just over a year, I have dropped about 20 kg (~40lbs). I have upped my calorie goal as I'm nearing maintenance.
If you do batch cooking, upload the recipe and log the serving size.
If you have a set e.g. breakfast, use the remember meal in the quick tools.

arditarose

So you might have to adapt your recipes, if you can't eat smaller portions and make it through the day comfortably without being overly hungry.

queenliz99

You could also try the No "S" diet. No calorie counting at all. No special equipment and very easy to implement. It costs nothing. I kind of follow this myself.

http://www.nosdiet.com

CoffeeNBooze

queenliz99 wrote: »

You could also try the No "S" diet. No calorie counting at all. No special equipment and very easy to implement. It costs nothing. I kind of follow this myself.

http://www.nosdiet.com

This might actually help me! I hate counting too. I've been calorie counting on and off for different goals for years and it just makes me nutso now. Thanks

lemurcat12

Either work on figuring out calorie counting and how to make it easier for yourself or find a different way to eat less.

I don't know how long you've been doing this, but I found that it got easier as it went along, since I learned to spot the good entries or already had them in my diary or foods. I don't tend to use a lot of ingredients (I use lots of vegetables, but not lots of other things like making a marinade or some such, so my cooking might be simpler), but one thought is to create some standard recipes for yourself based on what you plan to cook that week on the weekend and then just adjust quantities. Also remember to save recipes or meals to adjust if you have them again.

I found it fun to track what I was eating, and the attitude toward it probably makes a difference. (I note down weights when cooking and I weigh after chopping--during cooking or when setting up a mis en place. It really adds no time. The ingredients I use are generally easy to find now, since I tend to use lots of the same things.)

If you find counting is just not for you, try other ways to eat less: cut quantities, decrease portions of higher cal items (a bit less oil or cheese or butter, smaller portions of the starch course) and replace with more non-starchy vegetables. Or swap out some fattier meats for leaner meats/fish. Other tricks that people use to eat less without counting are eating only at meals or having an eating window.

From what you write it doesn't sound like you are eating that much--what's your calorie goal? How much are you trying to lose? Are you giving this enough time before deciding you are having a hard time?

Francl27

If I didn't count calories, I'd have to stick to one or two portions of grains/pasta a day, lots of fruit and veggies, no sweets, small portion of protein each meal... I'd be miserable. I'd rather be counting... but it's really up to you.

If you're not losing right now, just decrease your portions.

juggernaut1974

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Either work on figuring out calorie counting and how to make it easier for yourself or find a different way to eat less.

I don't know how long you've been doing this, but I found that it got easier as it went along, since I learned to spot the good entries or already had them in my diary or foods. I don't tend to use a lot of ingredients (I use lots of vegetables, but not lots of other things like making a marinade or some such, so my cooking might be simpler), but one thought is to create some standard recipes for yourself based on what you plan to cook that week on the weekend and then just adjust quantities. Also remember to save recipes or meals to adjust if you have them again.

I found it fun to track what I was eating, and the attitude toward it probably makes a difference. (I note down weights when cooking and I weigh after chopping--during cooking or when setting up a mis en place. It really adds no time. The ingredients I use are generally easy to find now, since I tend to use lots of the same things.)

If you find counting is just not for you, try other ways to eat less: cut quantities, decrease portions of higher cal items (a bit less oil or cheese or butter, smaller portions of the starch course) and replace with more non-starchy vegetables. Or swap out some fattier meats for leaner meats/fish. Other tricks that people use to eat less without counting are eating only at meals or having an eating window.

From what you write it doesn't sound like you are eating that much--what's your calorie goal? How much are you trying to lose? Are you giving this enough time before deciding you are having a hard time?

Yep ^^ As always, spot on good advice.

The specific ACT of counting isn't necessary, but you do have to maintain a calorie deficit. If you can do that without counting, great. If you're finding that you can't...well, then I guess I'd say that most people hate paying bills too, but sometimes we just have to do things we don't particularly care for in order to meet our goals.

tjbish02

I agree that it can take some time and seem like a pain at first but I would recommend that you really stick with it for a least a few months and see if you are happy with the results. It does get easier as you start to populate your diary with foods that you commonly eat.

jemhh

Build your recipes in the recipe builder and then just use them each time you make the same recipe. I update each recipe each time but even if you didn't, you'd have a fairly good estimate of the calories. That would take maybe 10 minutes for each recipe. The majority of people don't make a new recipe every day. I would think that the whole project would take probably 10 minutes a day for 2 weeks or so and then you'd have your recipes in and ready to go.

pondee629

I found that counting helped me get enough calories. First week left me averaging under 1000 a day. Didn't feel right and, counting told me why. Zucchinni spaghetti, cauliflower fried rice great belly fillers low calories.

I have also found, and I am going to upset some folks here, that Vegetarians/Vegans have great recipies. all you have to do is follow them and add a little meat.

CasperNaegle

jemhh wrote: »

Build your recipes in the recipe builder and then just use them each time you make the same recipe. I update each recipe each time but even if you didn't, you'd have a fairly good estimate of the calories. That would take maybe 10 minutes for each recipe. The majority of people don't make a new recipe every day. I would think that the whole project would take probably 10 minutes a day for 2 weeks or so and then you'd have your recipes in and ready to go.

This is what I do also... What I know is it doesn't matter how clean you it.. it is all down to calories in and calories out, so you have to measure to know.

enterdanger

I hate counting too. So I decided to eat "mindfully" Which ended up being BS because I intuited that it was ok to drink all the beer and eat all the cupcakes and gained back 12 lbs. So, I'm kind of half-assed counting now. I leave for a 9 day vacation on Saturday so I'm not feeling real motivated to be good knowing I'm not logging or counting on vacation.

crazyfordogs18

I have just started it has almost been a month though I have only lost 5lbs which sucks. Calorie goal for the day is 1,710 I have a condition that makes it harder to lose weight. I wanted to just let everyone know what a daily day of food looks like for me.


Breakfast

Green tea with a teaspoon of honey

1/4 cup of ground flaxseed with a 1/4 cup of coconut milk (it is like an oatmeal you heat it up)
I add in a banana and 2 tablespoons of almond butter.



Lunch

Two or three slices of boars head deli meat Turkey or Ham or chicken I switch it up.

1 slice of cheese and a babybell cheese

Left over steamed vegetables normally a bowl full.



Dinner

Normally a meat, steamed veggies and a salad
I cook a lot of paleo recipes. My portion at night can sometimes be too big I'm going to cut back even more.


Late night snack

If I'm still hungry I will eat an apple before bed.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Either work on figuring out calorie counting and how to make it easier for yourself or find a different way to eat less.

I don't know how long you've been doing this, but I found that it got easier as it went along, since I learned to spot the good entries or already had them in my diary or foods. I don't tend to use a lot of ingredients (I use lots of vegetables, but not lots of other things like making a marinade or some such, so my cooking might be simpler), but one thought is to create some standard recipes for yourself based on what you plan to cook that week on the weekend and then just adjust quantities. Also remember to save recipes or meals to adjust if you have them again.

I found it fun to track what I was eating, and the attitude toward it probably makes a difference. (I note down weights when cooking and I weigh after chopping--during cooking or when setting up a mis en place. It really adds no time. The ingredients I use are generally easy to find now, since I tend to use lots of the same things.)

If you find counting is just not for you, try other ways to eat less: cut quantities, decrease portions of higher cal items (a bit less oil or cheese or butter, smaller portions of the starch course) and replace with more non-starchy vegetables. Or swap out some fattier meats for leaner meats/fish. Other tricks that people use to eat less without counting are eating only at meals or having an eating window.

From what you write it doesn't sound like you are eating that much--what's your calorie goal? How much are you trying to lose? Are you giving this enough time before deciding you are having a hard time?

stealthq

pondee629 wrote: »

I found that counting helped me get enough calories. First week left me averaging under 1000 a day. Didn't feel right and, counting told me why. Zucchinni spaghetti, cauliflower fried rice great belly fillers low calories.

I have also found, and I am going to upset some folks here, that Vegetarians/Vegans have great recipies. all you have to do is follow them and add a little meat.

No, I agree as long as the recipe isn't trying to be a faux-meat-heavy meal. Those are inevitably a fail in my experience. My biggest problem with using their recipes is the amount of fat I usually need to cut out in order to be able to add meat and not be a seriously high calorie meal.

madhatter2013

queenliz99 wrote: »

You could also try the No "S" diet. No calorie counting at all. No special equipment and very easy to implement. It costs nothing. I kind of follow this myself.

http://www.nosdiet.com

No sweets!!! No way!

crazyfordogs18

It's not that hard I have been off sweets for 2 months. I will allow myself a special sweet on the holidays coming up and they are paleo and you use coconut sugar and honey which is better for you.

Believe it or not after a month you don't crave it anymore. Sugar is very very addicting the more you eat it the more you crave. It has been compared to people getting hooked on drugs.

madhatter2013 wrote: »

queenliz99 wrote: »

You could also try the No "S" diet. No calorie counting at all. No special equipment and very easy to implement. It costs nothing. I kind of follow this myself.

http://www.nosdiet.com

No sweets!!! No way!

juggernaut1974

crazyfordogs18 wrote: »

It's not that hard I have been off sweets for 2 months. I will allow myself a special sweet on the holidays coming up and they are paleo and you use coconut sugar and honey which is better for you.

Believe it or not after a month you don't crave it anymore. Sugar is very very addicting the more you eat it the more you crave. It has been compared to people getting hooked on drugs.

madhatter2013 wrote: »

queenliz99 wrote: »

You could also try the No "S" diet. No calorie counting at all. No special equipment and very easy to implement. It costs nothing. I kind of follow this myself.

http://www.nosdiet.com

No sweets!!! No way!