What are your feelings on calorie counting?

shadows2424

I like it. To me its simple, relatively quick and keeps me accountable. I know theres a lot of debate about it where some hate it and feel its over complicating what should be a simple thing, eat less lose weight, while others feel its the only real way to be accurate. How do you feel about it?

yesimpson

It's simple, doesn't ban any foods, and it's easy to grasp the link between activity and calorie intake. Makes sense to me.

oolou

Well, the only reason I use MFP is for the calorie database and the way I can track my calories daily easily here ... so you're sorta speaking to the converted regarding my thumbs up to calorie counting

Lleldiranne

I like it. I can still eat what I like, just modify the portions (and not everything all at once usually). I don't do well on a diet that requires eliminating things, so counting is great for me.

I always wonder why some people join a site designed for counting calories and then say that there is something wrong with counting calories, TBH. (I do also like watching macros, but that's more for body composition than weight loss)

AnvilHead

Whether one chooses to count/log calories or not, it's a fact that the only way to lose weight is through a caloric deficit. No miracle diet, supplement, exercise, etc. is going to change that. If you're taking in more than you're putting out, you'll gain weight. If somebody is able to sustain a reasonable deficit without counting or logging their intake, they'll lose weight - most people just find it difficult to do that. It's like trying to calculate if you've got enough gas in your car to get to a destination without knowing how much gas you have in the tank or how far away the destination is.

dhimaan

Works for me.

frankiesgirlie

For me MFP has demystified weight loss. It not any magic pill, or special combination of foods, or cutting out any certain food, or ancient Chinese secret tea. It is quite simply calories in vs calories out. The only thing to figure out is how to structure your allotted calories in a way you can live with forever.

Gisel2015

I personally don't like it. I spent over 60 years of my life not counting calories without problems. I was not obese/fat, I always liked to exercise and I was active. I don't binge and I never did, and I don't have a sweet tooth or a love affair with food. I eat to live not the other way around.
Then all of the sudden I put 10 extra lbs due to inactivity due to surgeries, a heavy business travel schedule, and a stupid thyroid that decided to became "hypo;" somebody told me about MFP and I joined. Now I am hooked and I have an OCD approach to calories counting and logging that makes me unhappy. But, and since have been maintaining for 5 years, I don’t log while on vacation, I take a break once in awhile or a delete my account for few months in order to get my sanity back.
There are many people in MFP that don’t count or log anymore and are doing fine. Others came back with all the weight that they lost or more, because they lost the structure. We are all different, just do what works for you and don’t worry about the rest of the world.

Lounmoun

shadows2424 wrote: »

I like it. To me its simple, relatively quick and keeps me accountable. I know theres a lot of debate about it where some hate it and feel its over complicating what should be a simple thing, eat less lose weight, while others feel its the only real way to be accurate. How do you feel about it?

I spent 15 years trying to lose weight without knowing how many calories I should be eating and how many I was eating because counting caoories seemed like a hassle. Sometimes I lost weight but I always gained it back. Counting calories with MFP for over a year now has been the easiest and most effective weight loss I have ever had.
Some people can lose weight without doing this but it isn't difficult or complicated to be aware of your actual calorie intake and can be an important tool to maintaing a lasting change.

Pawsforme

I agree that the basics of BMR, TDEE and calorie counting should be taught in school. I don't think everyone needs to count calories all the time. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But too many people are totally clueless about their calorie needs, what a typical portion size looks like and the calories contained in common foods. Even with nutrition information posted on packages and menus, too many people don't really know how to apply that information to themselves.

Asher_Ethan

I wish calorie counting was taught to me a lot earlier. It's the only thing that has really ever made sense when losing weight. I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.

nvmomketo

Counting calories is helpful to learn portion sizes and how calorie dense foods are. I don't eat to a calorie count though, but rather to satiation. Some days that is 1100 kcal s and others it is 2200.

shadows2424

Gisel2015 wrote: »

I personally don't like it. I spent over 60 years of my life not counting calories without problems. I was not obese/fat, I always liked to exercise and I was active. I don't binge and I never did, and I don't have a sweet tooth or a love affair with food. I eat to live not the other way around.
Then all of the sudden I put 10 extra lbs due to inactivity due to surgeries, a heavy business travel schedule, and a stupid thyroid that decided to became "hypo;" somebody told me about MFP and I joined. Now I am hooked and I have an OCD approach to calories counting and logging that makes me unhappy. But, and since have been maintaining for 5 years, I don’t log while on vacation, I take a break once in awhile or a delete my account for few months in order to get my sanity back.
There are many people in MFP that don’t count or log anymore and are doing fine. Others came back with all the weight that they lost or more, because they lost the structure. We are all different, just do what works for you and don’t worry about the rest of the world.

Im sorry its dragging you down.

ultrahoon

It's nice and simple, and it lets you see the bare bones data. I prefer that over arbitrary rules.

Gisel2015

shadows2424 wrote: »

Gisel2015 wrote: »

I personally don't like it. I spent over 60 years of my life not counting calories without problems. I was not obese/fat, I always liked to exercise and I was active. I don't binge and I never did, and I don't have a sweet tooth or a love affair with food. I eat to live not the other way around.
Then all of the sudden I put 10 extra lbs due to inactivity due to surgeries, a heavy business travel schedule, and a stupid thyroid that decided to became "hypo;" somebody told me about MFP and I joined. Now I am hooked and I have an OCD approach to calories counting and logging that makes me unhappy. But, and since have been maintaining for 5 years, I don’t log while on vacation, I take a break once in awhile or a delete my account for few months in order to get my sanity back.
There are many people in MFP that don’t count or log anymore and are doing fine. Others came back with all the weight that they lost or more, because they lost the structure. We are all different, just do what works for you and don’t worry about the rest of the world.

Im sorry its dragging you down.

Thank you but it is not dragging me down (very few things do that to me), but I dislike the fact that I became so attached to MFP and to the whole process of counting, weighting my food and logging. That's is why I take breaks from all of it. I appreciate your sympathy

Wynterbourne

Calorie Counting IS my diet and it works for me. That is the key to a successful diet; finding what works for you because it is different for everyone.

tracie_minus100

I've tried many other methods, but calorie counting is the only thing that works for me. I've lost 93lbs calorie counting.

robertw486

Gisel2015 wrote: »

We are all different, just do what works for you and don’t worry about the rest of the world.

Bolded for emphasis.

The trend I often see here on the forums is that some people tend to think that any way other than what they do is complicated. Even if the way they do it is somewhat complicated.

I think it's fairly quick and easy myself. I actually joined with much more interest in tracking nutrition than calories, but in the end it's the same use of the app functions.

Do what works for you.

ise311

Im ok with it, but it's hard to count macros. Especially when I always cook at home. Or get some meals outside. Very hard to guess all the macros.

laurabolt500

Calorie counting is the only thing that keeps me on track! If I don't do it, I either over or underestimate my intake and end up not knowing why or how I gained or lost the weight.

Orphia

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

I think they should teach it to everybody growing up, so people would know how to control their own weight when needed instead of wasting years being fat and/or wasting hard earned money and effort on things that don't work and end up just frustrating the person.

When I learned calorie counting, it was like the lightbulb went off over my head and the sun came out and shined, lol. I can't thank MFP enough for changing my life.

So much this.

I always knew that calorie counting was the most scientific way to lose weight. But I always thought it involved lots of pen, paper and maths maths maths.

When I discovered the MFP app made calorie counting easy, I signed up and was instantly hooked! I've lost 27 kg since April.

Francl27

I love it too. Started MFP 3 years ago, and I'm still close to 80 pounds under my starting weight. Coming from someone who loves food and has a crazy sweet tooth, that's saying a lot, I think.

MommyL2015

I like it because there's only one rule, which is super easy.

jennifer_417

Eating fewer calories than you burn is literally the only way to lose weight. Every so-called diet out there works by this principle, whether it will admit it or not. So why not cut out the middle man and just do what works?

ki4eld

I don't like it, but I'm lazy. I also don't like scrubbing toilets or taking a bath on lazy Sundays, but I'm an adult and sometimes the adulting has to happen. Calorie counting is part of that. Not counting certainly wasn't going well for me.

Seriously, my protein number is the #1 driver and second is carbs. Calories kind of take care of themselves.

summerdaze120

I count to an extent, but I try to focus on my Macros more instead - I feel those are an important aspect.

Machka9

shadows2424 wrote: »

I like it. To me its simple, relatively quick and keeps me accountable. I know theres a lot of debate about it where some hate it and feel its over complicating what should be a simple thing, eat less lose weight, while others feel its the only real way to be accurate. How do you feel about it?

It works for me.

jennifer_417

frankiesgirlie wrote: »

For me MFP has demystified weight loss. It not any magic pill, or special combination of foods, or cutting out any certain food, or ancient Chinese secret tea. It is quite simply calories in vs calories out. The only thing to figure out is how to structure your allotted calories in a way you can live with forever.

Also, this.^^^

cwolfman13

my feelings are that it was a good teaching tool but i liken it to training wheels on a bike...good for learning, but ultimately, you take them off and just ride. i'm going on 3 years of maintenance without logging a thing.

brdnw

I lost 90lbs calorie counting but i also chose more healthy foods than to simply say "X items fit under 1800 calories so i can eat it".

LasVegasOrange

I love it because it's kind of like a game or a puzzle. Except for one thing. Eating out makes me CrAzY. Trying to guess all the ingredients to break down the meal into its individual components and then guessing as to the weight and the amount of oil, etc is a bit of a project. But it's worth it. I am meticulous on the days that I have control over everything and I play it very safe and always err on the side of overestimating on days I eat out. I also watch macros, so that adds to the fun on those days...