All calories may not be equal

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  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    Do people not cook from recipes anymore? Is that not basically basically counting calories? Or is just the input of the food into the app the OCD part?

    The funny thing is that cooking from recipes drives me crazy (this is also why I like to cook and only like to bake on rare occasions). Reading recipes and getting inspired and then doing what feels right with the ingredients I have on hand is fun -- following a recipe is not. But weighing and logging the ingredients I choose to use doesn't feel burdensome at all.

    People are different and, of course, I'd never call someone who enjoyed following recipes OCD.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Let me be clear, the OCD comment was aimed at those who stress over weighing a pre-packaged, single serving yogurt just incase the calories are off by +/- 5-10kcal. Those who weigh restaurant food and pick apart meals "just incase".

    Counting calories is one thing but that is just not normal behaviour.

    The point about pre-packaged stuff being potentially off was a response to a poster who was claiming that it was better to change one's diet to be all packaged single-serving stuff vs. to have to weigh. IMO, saying you must use pre-packaged to count properly is way more neurotic than weighing one's foods*, and once you weigh it's not much of a hassle to weigh everything you put in a bowl or on a plate or use in cooking.

    *If I were going to make such judgments, but I personally think it's wrong to do so.
  • gonetothedogs19
    gonetothedogs19 Posts: 325 Member
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    Do people really believe that using scales will give someone OCD? I'm trying to follow the logic of using a mental health condition as an insult, is it coming from a fear that you might "catch" it? If someone has been diagnosed with OCD they don't need Internet people to tell them they've got it, and not all of their behaviours will be a manifestation of it. It is perfectly reasonable to have a mental health condition and yet still be comfortable with using tools in a healthy way.

    I don't have OCD, although I did check the calendar three times after reading some of these posts - just to check that this is really 2016.

    Nothing "gives you" OCD. It's not a disease.

    I know someone who orders his food at a restaurant and then always go to the bathroom to wash his hands. Nothing gave him OCD. He is OCD.
  • gonetothedogs19
    gonetothedogs19 Posts: 325 Member
    edited August 2016
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Let me be clear, the OCD comment was aimed at those who stress over weighing a pre-packaged, single serving yogurt just incase the calories are off by +/- 5-10kcal. Those who weigh restaurant food and pick apart meals "just incase".

    Counting calories is one thing but that is just not normal behaviour.

    The point about pre-packaged stuff being potentially off was a response to a poster who was claiming that it was better to change one's diet to be all packaged single-serving stuff vs. to have to weigh. IMO, saying you must use pre-packaged to count properly is way more neurotic than weighing one's foods*, and once you weigh it's not much of a hassle to weigh everything you put in a bowl or on a plate or use in cooking.

    *If I were going to make such judgments, but I personally think it's wrong to do so.

    I was that poster.

    Bottom line - the vast majority of people fail at diets, whether they count calories or don't count calories.

    My suggestion was that in order to make calorie counting easier for newbies, it would be much better to eat pre-packaged foods (including things like single-serve yogurts, cans of tuna fish and soup) or foods where you don't have to weigh or measure anything (like an egg).

    It's hard enough to start any diet (which is why most people fail). Making newbies weigh and measure and obsess over calories on Day 1 makes the situation even worse, and will result in more failure.

    The people here on this site who say its easy to weigh, measure and count remind me of vegans who say it's easy to be a vegan. Both are not easy.
  • gonetothedogs19
    gonetothedogs19 Posts: 325 Member
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    Mentali wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Let me be clear, the OCD comment was aimed at those who stress over weighing a pre-packaged, single serving yogurt just incase the calories are off by +/- 5-10kcal. Those who weigh restaurant food and pick apart meals "just incase".

    Counting calories is one thing but that is just not normal behaviour.

    The point about pre-packaged stuff being potentially off was a response to a poster who was claiming that it was better to change one's diet to be all packaged single-serving stuff vs. to have to weigh. IMO, saying you must use pre-packaged to count properly is way more neurotic than weighing one's foods*, and once you weigh it's not much of a hassle to weigh everything you put in a bowl or on a plate or use in cooking.

    *If I were going to make such judgments, but I personally think it's wrong to do so.

    I was that poster.

    Bottom line - the vast majority of people fail at diets, whether they count calories or don't count calories.

    My suggestion was that in order to make calorie counting easier for newbies, it would be much better to eat pre-packaged foods (including things like single-serve yogurts, cans of tuna fish and soup) or foods where you don't have to weigh or measure anything (like an egg).

    It's hard enough to start any diet (which is why most people fail). Making newbies weigh and measure and obsess over calories on Day 1 makes the situation even worse, and will result in more failure.

    The people here on this site who say its easy to weigh, measure and count remind me of vegans who say it's easy to be a vegan. Both are not easy.

    You've revealed one of your hidden assumptions here - that the failure of newbies is disproportionately related to being overwhelmed by weighing of food. I would say it's far more likely that the failure of newbies is disproportionately related to not being able to eat everything they want in the portions that they want, which is not resolved by limiting them to specific foods (that will still be off by hundreds of calories).

    In fact, you contradicted your own assumption at the start by saying that most people fail at diets regardless of counting calories. So why would counting calories in a way that severely restricts your eating solve the problem?

    You missed the point. If you want more people to join the fraternity of calories counters, it is suggested that they start out eating pre-packaged food, eggs, etc.

    And another thought - You are more likely to get an accurate count that way (add 10% to the label if you want to), than doing it on your own.

    And another thought - Weigh and measuring yogurt because it's in a large container? How about keeping an empty single-serve container, and scooping the yogurt from the large container into the single-serve container? No counting necessary.
  • gonetothedogs19
    gonetothedogs19 Posts: 325 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Mentali wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Let me be clear, the OCD comment was aimed at those who stress over weighing a pre-packaged, single serving yogurt just incase the calories are off by +/- 5-10kcal. Those who weigh restaurant food and pick apart meals "just incase".

    Counting calories is one thing but that is just not normal behaviour.

    The point about pre-packaged stuff being potentially off was a response to a poster who was claiming that it was better to change one's diet to be all packaged single-serving stuff vs. to have to weigh. IMO, saying you must use pre-packaged to count properly is way more neurotic than weighing one's foods*, and once you weigh it's not much of a hassle to weigh everything you put in a bowl or on a plate or use in cooking.

    *If I were going to make such judgments, but I personally think it's wrong to do so.

    I was that poster.

    Bottom line - the vast majority of people fail at diets, whether they count calories or don't count calories.

    My suggestion was that in order to make calorie counting easier for newbies, it would be much better to eat pre-packaged foods (including things like single-serve yogurts, cans of tuna fish and soup) or foods where you don't have to weigh or measure anything (like an egg).

    It's hard enough to start any diet (which is why most people fail). Making newbies weigh and measure and obsess over calories on Day 1 makes the situation even worse, and will result in more failure.

    The people here on this site who say its easy to weigh, measure and count remind me of vegans who say it's easy to be a vegan. Both are not easy.

    You've revealed one of your hidden assumptions here - that the failure of newbies is disproportionately related to being overwhelmed by weighing of food. I would say it's far more likely that the failure of newbies is disproportionately related to not being able to eat everything they want in the portions that they want, which is not resolved by limiting them to specific foods (that will still be off by hundreds of calories).

    In fact, you contradicted your own assumption at the start by saying that most people fail at diets regardless of counting calories. So why would counting calories in a way that severely restricts your eating solve the problem?

    You missed the point. If you want more people to join the fraternity of calories counters, it is suggested that they start out eating pre-packaged food, eggs, etc.

    And another thought - You are more likely to get an accurate count that way (add 10% to the label if you want to), than doing it on your own.

    And another thought - Weigh and measuring yogurt because it's in a large container? How about keeping an empty single-serve container, and scooping the yogurt from the large container into the single-serve container? No counting necessary.

    What happens if you have more than one person eating out of the same container?

    You can't be serious, can you?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    debrag12 wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    I think if a "Newbie" was to read this thread it would scare and put them off straight away! So many judgemental, rude, aggressive people getting their back up!!
    I also noticed that a lot of people on here may have developed OCD with weighing and numbers, weighing a pre packaged yogurt haha come on REALLY!
    I dont take a food scale out of the house and carry it around with with me, that is just sad.
    I have and I am still losing weight just fine.

    Wait a minute, now......

    As to the bold statements: While you are pointing that finger out, there are three more pointing back at you. Rude judgemental and aggressive are all in the perception. ;);)

    That said....

    What is wrong with weighing pre-packaged food? The nutrition information on the package often does not match up with how much a food weighs. Weighing food is just one tool for personal accountability.

    What is sad about carrying a scale around in your purse? It is just another tool for personal accountability.

    Everybody has to do what works for them. I don't weigh my food when I eat out at a restaurant or at other people's houses, but but I have a scale I keep at work in case I want a small snack not on my plan.

    The reason you are losing weight is because whatever you are doing is creating a calorie deficit. In fact, it does not matter what you do to eat less than you bun, what matter is you eat less than you burn because it's the only way to lose weight.

    All this does not negate the fact that a calorie is a calorie.

    Does anyone actually do this?

    Shoot, I don't know, but some people might.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    psulemon wrote: »
    Let me be clear, the OCD comment was aimed at those who stress over weighing a pre-packaged, single serving yogurt just incase the calories are off by +/- 5-10kcal. Those who weigh restaurant food and pick apart meals "just incase".

    Counting calories is one thing but that is just not normal behaviour.

    When something prepackaged labelled as 200 grams can be 250 grams that stuff can wipe out your deficit.

    It definitely can, especially if you have a small deficit.

    Yes to both of these.