Anybody else get tired of counting calories?

123457»

Replies

  • FitAndLean_5738
    FitAndLean_5738 Posts: 90 Member
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I weigh my food at home. I don't bring it to restaurants or friends' houses. I estimate my calories for restaurants. I definitely do not log on vacation.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I used a food scale whenever I was home, and estimated all other times. I found using the scale made me better at estimating over time. IMHO, it's better to estimate and be a bit off than just not log. I think having that data to look back on, even if it isn't perfect, is better than nothing. But i am the analytical type :wink:

    Some people do perfectly fine with estimating and using cups and spoons. I guess they are just better at eyeballing than the rest of us!

    This is what I do as well.
  • GrowlingCupcake
    GrowlingCupcake Posts: 13 Member
    Having to constantly weigh, and log everything definitely led to the downfall of my first attempt to lose weight. I have OCD, so becoming obsessive about it was ridiculously easy, and it started to turn into ritualised behaviour. Eventually, there was so much anxiety about the whole thing, that I just burnt out, and gave up.

    I think weighing/logging is an excellent tool, but it can be difficult to find the right balance, and it is definitely not something I want to do for life. Currently, I am estimating, and have not had any issues; I think the months I spent weighing food helped me understand portions.

    I do plan on going back to weighing/logging at some point, but my end goal is to be able to estimate portions with good degree of accuracy.
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I am losing ~2lbs per week. I have a lot to lose, though, so even if I am constantly underestimating calories, I am still below maintenance.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,064 Member
    I tend to go back and forth. With less than 25 pounds left to lose, if I want an appreciable loss, I really do need to weigh, measure, and track or my losses slow - with my eating patterns I can still lose, but it slows to a barely-there crawl.

    I do not carry my scale or other such things with me - if I must estimate, I do, and my phone as the app where I can enter food as I eat it. Doing all the weighing and measuring at home helps me gain a pretty solid understanding of how much I'm actually eating.

    If I take a break from measuring/weighing things, my numbers can start to get a bit out of whack over time though, so it's best for me to keep doing it, but I do take breaks from it, too.
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    edited November 2018
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I don’t own a food scale. I’ve lost successfully by eyeballing portions and sometimes using measuring cups/spoons. I do log daily.

    I have nothing against a food scale, and would have bought one if I ran into a problem. I’ve lost 43 pounds since the beginning of the year, I’m at a healthy weight/BMI and have been maintaining since the beginning of October.

    Different things work for different people.

  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I weigh all the food I prepare at home. When eating out I estimate.

    I don't log on vacations or holidays.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,183 Member
    edited November 2018
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I weigh my food at home. I don't bring it to restaurants or friends' houses. I estimate my calories for restaurants. I definitely do not log on vacation.

    The same here, except that I don't estimate restaurant food and I don't log on vacation either. In my book it would be very rude to bring a food scale to a restaurant or to somebody's house.

    Edited to add that: I didn't use a food scale while I was losing, and I was successful even when I had less than 12lbs to lose. I got the scale to keep better tags and control of my macros, but since I have been in maintenance for almost 9 years, I am not longer very accurate or hardcore with the weighting and logging.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,089 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I do think the strategy of photographing the food on the plate is a good idea for those who have trouble remembering the detail afterward or estimating the portion sizes afterward

    Ive never done it but it sounds a really helpful tip.

    and at weddings, baby showers,birthday parties, restaraunt outings, just about every event these days, people photograph each other, the cake ,the venue etc - photographing the food could easily be done while taking other photos without looking awkward or weird.

    You don't even have to hide the fact that you are taking a picture of your food. I have friends on Facebook that not only take pictures but post many, many meals for all to see. When I see them I am often trying to work out the calories LOL!

    I think that taking pictures of the food at a restaurant, unless you are a reporter for a culinary magazine, is tacky. And taking pictures at somebody's house is not good table manners and borderline disrespectful in my book. If somebody has trouble remembering pencil and paper will do the trick.

    But that is me, and you can Woo me all you want.

    Well I wouldn't be wooing you ( not getting the 'dare you to woo me' attitude though) - but I disagree.

    Restaraunts are public places, no reason you cannot photograph the food.
    And at any event where photographing in general is ok and the done thing ( which is just about everywhere) nobody will notice that you photographed each other, a selfie, whatever, and then one of your meal.

    I don't see it as tacky or disrespectful and, like Ann said, easy enough to do in subtle manner.

    But obviously is just a helpful tip - nobody has to do it if they feel uncomfortable with it.

    If the restaurant doesn't mind, I think it's fine. But technically, a restaurant is not a public place; it's a private business, and some of them do have policies against taking photos of their food (I've only seen this in fairly recent years, so I assume it's some kind of reaction to negative social media posts).
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,089 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    As others have said, I weigh almost everything I eat at home (unlike some other MFPers, I don't generally weigh things packaged as single servings when I'm eating the whole package -- e.g., a frozen "TV dinner"-type meal, a granola bar or a 1 oz. bag of chips/crisps, and I never found that to be a problem with my results), but I don't take my scale with me to restaurants, other people's homes, on vacation, etc. I still log. Weighing at home has given me confidence in estimating when I'm away from home.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food?

    Not sure how specific you mean to be here. I don't weigh prepackaged things like some do (sliced bread/buns/wraps, eggs, yogurt cups, bars, etc) or very low-cal things like lettuce & greens or mustard because it's never affected my ability to lose at my chosen rate. But I generally weigh the different parts of my meal, and weigh when cooking so I have an accurate portion size/calorie count. If I don't finish something, I'll usually just log the whole thing and consider it a bonus. I don't generally log when I pinch a chip or something off of one of my kids' plates, or taste while cooking, but again, if weight loss slows, I know where the problem is.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I log everything that has a calorie but I don't weigh everything, I estimate almost everything. I'm working with a trainer who's ok with that as long as I'm losing as planned. I do pull out the scale for things I tend to overeat on like cashews and from time to time just to recalabrate my eyes. I'm losing as planned so I'll keep this up until/if it stops working.

    I've lost 22lbs since the end of September so I'm right on schedule for my 2lbs a week so far.

    Having said this I know that perhaps I'm over on some things and under on something things. I know that I may slow down or not lose one week as much because I was underestimating.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I weigh everything at home on a digital food scale. When at a restaurant or someone's home--no. I also don't weigh or log during the summer when I'm at the beach house. We eat out frequently there and since I usually gain weight, I bought a accurate body scale and was very careful this year. I didn't gain. I consider the summer my "diet break". Estimating (eyeballing) is always tricky. If I don't have to do it much, I'm OK.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,262 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I do think the strategy of photographing the food on the plate is a good idea for those who have trouble remembering the detail afterward or estimating the portion sizes afterward

    Ive never done it but it sounds a really helpful tip.

    and at weddings, baby showers,birthday parties, restaraunt outings, just about every event these days, people photograph each other, the cake ,the venue etc - photographing the food could easily be done while taking other photos without looking awkward or weird.

    You don't even have to hide the fact that you are taking a picture of your food. I have friends on Facebook that not only take pictures but post many, many meals for all to see. When I see them I am often trying to work out the calories LOL!

    I think that taking pictures of the food at a restaurant, unless you are a reporter for a culinary magazine, is tacky. And taking pictures at somebody's house is not good table manners and borderline disrespectful in my book. If somebody has trouble remembering pencil and paper will do the trick.

    But that is me, and you can Woo me all you want.

    Well I wouldn't be wooing you ( not getting the 'dare you to woo me' attitude though) - but I disagree.

    Restaraunts are public places, no reason you cannot photograph the food.
    And at any event where photographing in general is ok and the done thing ( which is just about everywhere) nobody will notice that you photographed each other, a selfie, whatever, and then one of your meal.

    I don't see it as tacky or disrespectful and, like Ann said, easy enough to do in subtle manner.

    But obviously is just a helpful tip - nobody has to do it if they feel uncomfortable with it.

    If the restaurant doesn't mind, I think it's fine. But technically, a restaurant is not a public place; it's a private business, and some of them do have policies against taking photos of their food (I've only seen this in fairly recent years, so I assume it's some kind of reaction to negative social media posts).


    Well, if a restaraunt has such a policy and it was clearly stated - sure, best not to do it there.

    Have not come across this myself.
  • Xanifur
    Xanifur Posts: 44 Member
    edited November 2018
    I typically eat a lot of the same foods through the week, then change it up every few. Always the same measurements on the scale. Takes no time at all. Weigh item 1 TARE, item 2, TARE etc. Using the app its easy to multi-add items. I don't find it bothersome and when you get used to it, it goes quickly. Prepping meals in advance also helps.
  • oimullett
    oimullett Posts: 48 Member
    So far (40 something days) it's only a pain when it comes to new home-made recipes, which I've also realised I don't make enough of. But then once it's logged once it's easy to re-log so it's all good really.
  • craiglawanna0911
    craiglawanna0911 Posts: 24 Member
    I'm counting calories and yes it's a headache some days ..but i enjoy challenging myself to eat fewer than the day before.
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,479 Member
    I get tired of going to work, doing laundry, paying bills, etc too...but if something works, it works! I personally go by macros as opposed to calories, but it's still counting/logging.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »
    For everyone who logs: do you all use food scales to weigh every bite of food? What if you're at someone's house for dinner or at a restaurant? Do you bring your food scale with you so you can measure your food? Do you bring you food scale on vacation with you? Or do you just not log or do you estimate?

    For those who log but don't have a food scale: how has estimating everything been going? Were you able to see results while solely relying on portion size estimates?

    I eat most of my meals prepared from home. I use a food scale to weigh a number of things at home. I do not weigh every single thing I eat. I usually weigh things like peanut butter, salad dressing, cheese, meat, condiments. I do not weigh things like salad greens, every slice of bread, eggs.
    I do not take my food scale to a restaurant or someone else's home when I do eat away from home.
    I eat a variety of food at home and have paid attention to portion sizes so I feel fairly comfortable estimating the times I need to. I needed to log and weigh food for quite awhile to lear what portion sizes were right for me.
  • suzievv
    suzievv Posts: 410 Member
    oat_bran wrote: »
    Yeah, it's really exhausting sometimes to be honest. I feel like I can never relax. Like, I can't just grab an apple without thinking and eat it when I'm hungry. I should take out my scale, weight it, make sure it fits into my goal, then log the number before I forget. It sort of takes the enjoyment out of eating the apple. Any event that has food in it, makes me a little nervous and needs to be prepared for in advance. How will I know the calories of food that I will be eating? Should I try to look for the info in advance? should I estimate? How will I work it into my goal? should I readjust all of my other meals that day or the next day to bee able to "afford" it. Sometimes it's easier to pass on the invitation than to worry about all that. And sometimes when I'm eating out with friends or I'm at a party the calories are always on the back of my mind. Like, before grabbing a handful of popcorn or dip a carrot into the hummus, I have to estimate the calories and decide if it fits into my goal and make a mental note to log it as soon as I can instead of focusing on the conversation I'm having. Eating out, being invited over for dinner, parties, holidays, spending time over at a friend's place, when you have to cook for yourself and someone else at the same time, going to vacation... everything is associated with slight anxiety around calories and is less enjoyable due to having to log.

    Cooking, instead of being therapeutic and relaxing is now less enjoyable as well, and takes so much more time. Because I have to make sure to weigh every single ingredient before adding it, log everything, then divide into equal portions, all while making sure that the calories and macros per serving fit your goal.

    I really don't understand how people here take "only a fe minutes to log". Most of my meals are made from scratch and contain many ingredients. So I have to weigh every one of them every time I cook and log it while I'm cooking or preparing my meal to eat later. Which takes quite a lot of time in my opinion. If I include the time I spend on grocery planning to fit my goals, meal planning, weighing separately the ingredients for my every meal (3-5times a day), or looking for the closest estimates when I don't know the exact calories, logging it, making sure it fits my goal etc. it takes much more time than "a few minutes" and much more energy and headspace than I want to spend on t.

    I will definitely not be able (or willing) to spend my entire life doing that. I can only hope that someday after losing enough weight and logging at maintenance I can learn to eat intuitively. I mean 80% of the people around me are at a healthy weight and don't count calories, they can rely on their hunger cues to know how much they should eat. So I hope I can learn to do that too...

    @oat_bran I’m with you! I cook every day for a household of 6. I enter the recipes and use that feature; but it is time consuming. Many, many times it does take *quite* a lot more time and effort than “just a few minutes” to log.

    For most of my life, including losing 50 pounds after each of my first 3 pregnancies, I did not have to log. I didn’t understand CICO, so I didn’t count calories. I simply ate less. I am now logging to lose weight after another pregnancy, and to get accustomed to eating less again... I’m hoping that after I reach my goal and maintain for a while, I’ll be able to eat at maintenance without having to log so much. I guess I’ll log as much as I need to, if I have to... it works, and as annoying as it can be sometimes, it’s definitely worth it.

Categories