Anyone else here hate counting every single calorie?
Replies
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I think calorie counting is pretty easy and don't mind doing it. I do think that people should learn to estimate/eyeball serving sizes though.
I agree and I agree. I'm getting better at knowing about how much peanut butter is 20 grams, what 3 ounces of steak or chicken looks like (I was really surprised), etc.0 -
Been counting for over 500 days. Ill continue another 500. It works and although tough at times I ultimately enjoy being healthy now. Well worth it! I've lost 70 lbs and an working on muscle and toning now. I love this app for what it has helped me accomplish with increased awareness.
That's awesome moto450 -- and I agree with you -- I LOVE the increased awareness. I haven't seen much of the accomplish part yet, but I'm getting there.0 -
paperpudding wrote: »There is a middle ground between just mindlessly eating everything and literally counting every calorie.
I think we all have to find where in the middle suits ourselves individually best.
I do not count 'every single calorie' - I freely confess I do lazy logging - guestimate when eating out, log every mandarine as a medium mandarine, every cappacino as the same, every piece of toast as the same etc.
This level works for me and I lost and then 2 years maintained doing this.
If others can acheive their goals by strict tight logging or by not counting at all - good for them.
It is the results that count, not the process.
This is very much the same for me. I don't bother counting salad, because if I'm gaining weight is sure as hell isn't the lettuce, cucumber or spring onions with my lunch causing the problem.
No but it could be because of the piece of chocolate that you thought you could afford but actually takes you over maintenance because you didn't log the lettuce, cucumber, and onions that you had at lunch.
I mean it's not a single thing that makes people put on weight, it's just eating more than they should... but you know that.
I do count every calorie... because I want to make sure that I can afford that piece of chocolate. And this way, I don't have to feel bad about eating it... in the end it seems healthier than people who lost weight avoiding 'junk' and end up feeling guilty every time they eat a cookie.
Well, one way to not feel guilty is to not feel guilty. For example, the previous poster could eat the cookie and simply not worry because she didn't log ~50 calories of lettuce and kale
Yes and this is exactly how I got fat... not feeling guilty for eating a cookie that may or may not have fit in my day... and the only way I would know for sure that it fits in my day is if I log everything.
I had a small deficit last week (800ish). Quite sure that I ate more than that in veggies/condiments... so if I hadn't logged them, I would have wiped off my deficit.
Knowledge is power. And my willpower sucks. If it wasn't the case, I could probably get away with not logging properly, but it's definitely not the case.
Exactly0 -
If your macros are accurate you calories are accurate. Hate has nothing to do with it.0
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endlessfall16 wrote: »happyheart15 wrote: »I wonder how the 100% counters deal with eating at mom and pop restaurants. Don't go there at all?
There is a "mom and pop" place here called Company Burger with cheeseburgers to DIE for! Yes, that good! It is extremely similar in size and ingredients to an In-N-Out or Five Guys burger, so I chose one of those to log it.0 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Acacia_Evers wrote: »No but it could be because of the piece of chocolate that you thought you could afford but actually takes you over maintenance because you didn't log the lettuce, cucumber, and onions that you had at lunch.
I mean it's not a single thing that makes people put on weight, it's just eating more than they should... but you know that.
I do count every calorie... because I want to make sure that I can afford that piece of chocolate. And this way, I don't have to feel bad about eating it... in the end it seems healthier than people who lost weight avoiding 'junk' and end up feeling guilty every time they eat a cookie.
BAM. This. Right. Here.
People don't count everything and then they wanna cry when they're not budging. Like... \o/ What.
Sure - if people are upset that they are not losing/maintaining when they dont log accurately, tightening their logging could be the answer.
But that doesnt mean everyone who doesnt count everything is not successfully budging (or maintaining if that is their aim)
The lazy logging that I do does works for me - sure, my count is not accurate and I may be eating more or less than I think I am , but the reality is that what I am eating (whether it really is the net 1710 daily average that I think it is or not) is working - for 2 years I have maintained at my goal weight.
No need to tighten up logging or count every slice of cucumber - what I am doing is working fine.
The criteria for whether what you are doing is working is not how accurate your diary is - it is whether you weight goals are being met - ie as I said ,the results, not the process, is the important thing.
+1. I'm a result oriented person like you.
To me (not bashing anyone) it's a bit insane to log *everything that goes into the mouth*. That's overkill. If I did that, it would be telling my subconsciousness that my willpower, discipline, perception are completely, ridiculously off!!! Basically I can't handle something so basic!
Yesterday after dinner I spontaneously picked a few cashew kernels, 3 pitted prunes, a 1/4 of an orange to snack. Didn't bother to "calculate" their calories. The scale was kind to me this morning!
Your scale drop probably had more to do with what you've been eating the last two weeks than with what you ate yesterday... Just saying.
But the bolded part - yeah. I'm aware that my discipline and willpower are completely off and that's precisely why I log... and to limit those 'spontaneous' pickings of treat that would most definitely just end up making me gain weight again. Like I just had a bite of ice cream and a couple cookies after lunch... you know, spontaneous thing too... except it added up to 200 calories... which I probably wouldn't have realized if I hadn't logged it... and is how I got fat.0 -
I haven't logged a single morsel in 3 years with no issues maintaining. I'm in a small cut right now and not logging either and I'm having no problems dropping some fat.0
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MynameisChester wrote: »I counted calories initially which I think is great for educational purposes. I just count macros now and focus on food quality. Better adherence, lost 33 pounds so far (220-187) and much more manageable. Anyone else feel the same?
nope If I'm counting my macros my calories will be on point bc math. I don't count every single calore. I count 4 oz of steak the calories fill in automatically.
I happy to have found a calorie tracker. It's helped me to successfully reach my goal while sometimes still enjoying the foods I felt at one time or another made me fat. Like pancakes. Pancakes didn't make me fat over consumption of pancakes and other calories made me fat. I've reintroduced pancakes into my diet in the last 12 months and I am happier and guilt free bc I can count the calories and macros.0 -
paperpudding wrote: »There is a middle ground between just mindlessly eating everything and literally counting every calorie.
I think we all have to find where in the middle suits ourselves individually best.
I do not count 'every single calorie' - I freely confess I do lazy logging - guestimate when eating out, log every mandarine as a medium mandarine, every cappacino as the same, every piece of toast as the same etc.
This level works for me and I lost and then 2 years maintained doing this.
If others can acheive their goals by strict tight logging or by not counting at all - good for them.
It is the results that count, not the process.
This is very much the same for me. I don't bother counting salad, because if I'm gaining weight is sure as hell isn't the lettuce, cucumber or spring onions with my lunch causing the problem.
LOL!!!!! You are sooooo right! For me, it is the dressing, the sunflower nuts, and the croutons!0 -
Nope. To me it's like brushing my teeth or taking a shower, it's part of my every day activity that I do.0
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MynameisChester wrote: »I'm seeing the trend that it's either count calories or get fat. Part of also what I do is just make sure my pantry is stocked with whole food. Sure I may indulge in some processed foods once in a while but I don't keep it in my home too often. I'd say my fridge and pantry is stocked with like 85% whole nutrient dense foods, and 15% processed food (Doritos and chocolate sometimes as I enjoy these every one in a while). Anyone else consider this method instead?
Same here except I count my calories. a lot of WHOLE foods can pack a caloric punch. Lets face it none of us got to being overweight or obese by eating the suggested serving amount.
A person can get in a caloric surplus eating WHOLE food or by "eating clean" The point is to get in a deficit to lose how does one know for sure they are in a healthy deficit unless they track?
If not tracking works for you, great. This is a tracking community. We track every day some days not on weekends, take long periods away from it but we know what works for us, tracking deficit over a period of time.0 -
Cindy01Louisiana wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »There is a middle ground between just mindlessly eating everything and literally counting every calorie.
I think we all have to find where in the middle suits ourselves individually best.
I do not count 'every single calorie' - I freely confess I do lazy logging - guestimate when eating out, log every mandarine as a medium mandarine, every cappacino as the same, every piece of toast as the same etc.
This level works for me and I lost and then 2 years maintained doing this.
If others can acheive their goals by strict tight logging or by not counting at all - good for them.
It is the results that count, not the process.
This is very much the same for me. I don't bother counting salad, because if I'm gaining weight is sure as hell isn't the lettuce, cucumber or spring onions with my lunch causing the problem.
LOL!!!!! You are sooooo right! For me, it is the dressing, the sunflower nuts, and the croutons!
Hehehe...he/she is right because there's not a single person in this world who snacks on cucumber (or other greenie veggies), even on obsessive level (is there such a person?), and becomes overweight! 0 -
sarahlifts wrote: »MynameisChester wrote: »I'm seeing the trend that it's either count calories or get fat. Part of also what I do is just make sure my pantry is stocked with whole food. Sure I may indulge in some processed foods once in a while but I don't keep it in my home too often. I'd say my fridge and pantry is stocked with like 85% whole nutrient dense foods, and 15% processed food (Doritos and chocolate sometimes as I enjoy these every one in a while). Anyone else consider this method instead?
Same here except I count my calories. a lot of WHOLE foods can pack a caloric punch. Lets face it none of us got to being overweight or obese by eating the suggested serving amount.
A person can get in a caloric surplus eating WHOLE food or by "eating clean" The point is to get in a deficit to lose how does one know for sure they are in a healthy deficit unless they track?
If not tracking works for you, great. This is a tracking community. We track every day some days not on weekends, take long periods away from it but we know what works for us, tracking deficit over a period of time.
This is a Fitness community. Weighing, tracking, logging, exercising are just one of the aspects of fitness and we all do it in different ways. There is not right or wrong just personal preferences and/or needs.
If you read some of the posts (like @cwolfman13), you will see that there are many people that don't track consistently or at all and have no problems with maintenance.0 -
ok0
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ReaderGirl3 wrote: »bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »Yeah I definitely do not count every calorie. I have no idea how people weigh their food as well. It just seems too obsessive for me. I estimate and have still lost weight. I'm more for the lifestyle change not a strict diet that makes me feel like my life revolves around it. I am not very overweight so I guess I don't really feel the need to. It works for some though so not bashing anyone who does.
You use a food scale, takes about 2 seconds? What don't you understand about this (sincerely asking).
It also takes a couple of seconds to log in calories, but hardly anyone does it consistently based on the fact that 2/3 of America is overweight and a 1/3 of America is obese. It also takes a couple seconds to log in purchases into finance apps like mint, yet the average household is roughly 15,000 in credit card debt. You have successfully built the habit of weighing your food and that's great! For others, it may be a challenge.
Some people may have "invisible barriers" that they may not be aware of that may prevent them from successfully building habits such as weighing. For example, maybe someone's kitchen is chronically messy and you can never find the saran wrap, so people may not want to weigh raw meat on top of the scale. Maybe there's not enough counter space to leave the weighing scale out consistently, so every time you may need to keep putting out and taking away the weighing scale which takes energy and time. People who work intense long hours may come home hungry at the end of the day to five screaming hungry kids, so weighing every ingredient can be an obstacle.bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »Yeah I definitely do not count every calorie. I have no idea how people weigh their food as well. It just seems too obsessive for me. I estimate and have still lost weight. I'm more for the lifestyle change not a strict diet that makes me feel like my life revolves around it. I am not very overweight so I guess I don't really feel the need to. It works for some though so not bashing anyone who does.
You don't have much to lose, so your eating habits are probably healthier in the first place than some of us... so I can see how it wouldn't be a big deal for you not to log/weigh.
To be honest, I understand where you come from and I'm sure that most people think that it's obsessive too. .. heck I am embarrassed about it and avoid doing it in front of people. My eating habits and hunger are messed up though so it's that or being fat.
This comment above, sometimes it is embarrassment that prevents someone from weighing or building any habit. When I was out with the guys, everyone ordered either a beer or soda, but when I ordered water, of course I'd get teased or made fun of, so ordering water can at times be anxiety provoking depending on the company.
Everyone has their own personal invisible barriers no matter how silly or trivial they may be, including myself, ReaderGirl3. I'm sure you can identify some of your own as well, and when you understand them, then you can really make an impact on changing your habits. Hope this answers your question!0 -
bubble_wrap0428 wrote: »Yeah I definitely do not count every calorie. I have no idea how people weigh their food as well. It just seems too obsessive for me. I estimate and have still lost weight. I'm more for the lifestyle change not a strict diet that makes me feel like my life revolves around it. I am not very overweight so I guess I don't really feel the need to. It works for some though so not bashing anyone who does.
You don't have much to lose, so your eating habits are probably healthier in the first place than some of us... so I can see how it wouldn't be a big deal for you not to log/weigh.
To be honest, I understand where you come from and I'm sure that most people think that it's obsessive too. .. heck I am embarrassed about it and avoid doing it in front of people. My eating habits and hunger are messed up though so it's that or being fat.
Weighing food or counting calories may make others feel bad or secretly jealous for not watching what they eat like you do which is why people would probably prefer not to watch you weigh your food
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MynameisChester wrote: »I counted calories initially which I think is great for educational purposes. I just count macros now and focus on food quality. Better adherence, lost 33 pounds so far (220-187) and much more manageable. Anyone else feel the same?
How is counting the macros different than counting calories?0 -
I don't "count" in that I don't record what I eat - I eat what I already recorded.
I build meals here on the site the night in advance, pop them onto my next day's log, and then use the log as a recipe of sorts to portion out the food I've chosen. Works great, super quick, super easy, and it gives benefits besides weight loss, namely that I don't have to think about what I'm going to eat when I get home from work.0 -
Nope! I love counting the calories that I eat, and seeing the results 0
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