Use the word "calories" and everybody loses their minds

Orphia

I often forget how far I've come in the 3 years maintaining weight since I lost 80lb.

At home and at work people have slowly got used to me not eating every single thing I'm offered due to sometimes not having enough calories left in my daily/weekly limit.

I sometimes forget how so many people freak out when you mention the word "calories" as if they think you mean starvation and debilitating OCD and spending 5 hours a day scribbling figures in a bookkeeping ledger.

Have you encountered that reaction too?

tulips_and_tea

Yes, and I don't even track my calories or log my food, but I use the word "calorie" when referring to food and the energy it provides.

From my unhealthy family's viewpoint this equates unhealthy obsession on my part to which I reply that clearly I know how to properly fuel my body or else I wouldn't be able to do my 7 - 8 mile walks several times per week plus lifting sessions at the gym. I don't think I've convinced them yet, however.

RunStart34

OMG.. with family and co-workers. Whenever I've said No thank you to a donut or some kind of dessert. I get back a comment "it won't be to bad if you indulge a bit you workout". UMMM.... "do you know how many calories are in that??". I see food with calories and how much i would have to cut on my actual food or workout to cover that one donuts. I am a numbers person so it always on my mind.

GottaBurnEmAll

I am fairly fortunate in that most calorie bombs in social settings that I haven't planned for are either gluten-containing or gluten contaminated. Sometimes having celiac disease is convenient. People don't freak out when you tell them you have it.

apullum

I don’t talk about calories with most people. I’ve learned to be comfortable with saying “no thank you,” with no additional explanation, when people offer me food I don’t want. For those few situations that really require an explanation, I usually go with “I just ate” or “I’m not very hungry.”

endermako

i encounter it almost on the daily. lots of eye rolls and sneering looks. i now just say "it won't fit today" if i'm offered something. I still get an eye roll though. TBH i don't really care

MikePTY

"Calorie counting is super unhealthy, you have to lose weight by doing 'X'" - with X being some new fad diet that is actually unhealthy.

BattyKnitter

Ugh yes people always get stuck on calorie counting = obsessed and unhealthy oh and especially if you weigh your food! It literally adds 2-5 minutes to my day to weigh and log, I wouldn't count that as obsessive!

Now the spreadsheet I keep and update every day with my weight, calories burned (according to Fitbit), calories eaten and deficit I could see some people seeing that as obsessive but honestly I just really like data!

paulbrttn

Yeah, they want to hear a magic formula.
Them - How have you lost the weight?
Me - Reduced my calories
T - Oh no dont have the patience for that

M - It's mostly been high protein, moderate fat and low carbs with intermittent fasting
T - Wow, tell me more

Maxematics

Yes. I've been maintaining my weight for three years now but when I was losing weight people would ask for my "secret" but scoff at the answer; calorie cutting and exercise.

"Don't tell me that because I go to the gym every day and I haven't lost ANY weight." - Woman who would go to the gym and walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes then treat herself to a high calorie protein shake right after.

"Sounds like an eating disorder." - Coworker on a low carb diet eating 1200 calories while I ate a minimum of 1800.

"Oh, I WISH I had enough time in my life to do that." - Friend who spent hours watching Netflix every day.

Crabs in a bucket mentality. Counting calories isn't as intriguing as fad diets that people feel good bragging about. People will gladly talk about fasting, liquid diets, keto, etc but be appalled by counting calories. Many people don't want to admit they eat a lot more food than they think. It's easier for them to believe they "barely" eat but can't lose weight. It's easier for them to blame their genetics and say others are simply "lucky".

Silentpadna

"Counting calories just doesn't work for me".

"You're lucky. You get to eat carbs and still lose weight"

"Controlling insulin is the key to everything. How do you control yours?" (Me: "I control how much I eat").

"I don't have hours every day to spend exercising" (Me: "Neither do I").



Me: "It's always about energy balance. You can measure calories and be sure".
T: "It's not that simple for me. I've been reading ______ "
Me: "It really is that simple".

CSARdiver

I would agree with this, but note that it is getting better. I never offered advice unless asked, but as soon as I mentioned calories - or God forbid - the counting of the calories...then the eyes glaze over, the mind and body go slack... So you do keto? So you no do keto?

Recently though I've seen a number of people using MFP or similar tool. I hear "how many calories does that have?" more often. Of course this is only my n=1.

Taking a step back it's amazing to see just how much misinformation and disinformation is out there designed for weight management failure - much of this coming from our alleged "trusted" institutions.

cwolfman13

I don't think I've ever talked about calories with anyone other than my trainer, his wife, and my wife. When I'm offered something and I don't feel like using my calories on that particular thing I just say, "no thanks" or "I just ate" or something of that nature.

MPDean

Would it help to use Joules?

smms0714

Pretty much everyone in my department at my work is trying to lose weight. We have 3 on WW, 1 doing keto, and then there's me just counting calories and trying to walk more (to start out). The WW group constantly asks what I'm doing to lose weight as soon as I say counting calories they look horrified and tell me that's way too hard. Ummm on WW you count points so... They constantly ask how many points are in something I'm eating, and I will just tell them the calorie amount. Always, makes me laugh that they think what I do is so hard. I mean MFP does the calculations for me I just follow it.

etherealanwar

Honestly at my workplace when the topic has come up people are not against it at all. I've only had one person say they could not be bothered to track calories but everyone else does not try to argue with me.

Tacklewasher

I've really started to treat these conversations like religion or politics. One guy at work is IF, one lady is all about the insulin etc. but if it gets too much at lunch I pack up my food and go back to my desk.

dhiammarath

BattyKnitter wrote: »

Ugh yes people always get stuck on calorie counting = obsessed and unhealthy oh and especially if you weigh your food! It literally adds 2-5 minutes to my day to weigh and log, I wouldn't count that as obsessive!

Now the spreadsheet I keep and update every day with my weight, calories burned (according to Fitbit), calories eaten and deficit I could see some people seeing that as obsessive but honestly I just really like data!

I love data. >.> I have a spreadsheet that I update once a week with some weekly totals. I like having it in one place so I can easily see my data where I like it. I also have a monthly spreadsheet I update for my measurements and size changes and other things over time. But I'm very data driven. I find logical interpretation soaks up the stink of emotional investment. Or something.

sijomial

Nope - never met anyone IRL that freaked out or lost their mind when the word calories was mentioned.

Had some odd comments (it's easy for you, you can't eat that when you are dieting, good calories/bad calories, yes but you exercise etc.) but no extreme reactions. Mostly just a reasonable debate.

ExistingFish

I've honestly never had it come up in conversation. But I'm a SAHM, I'm not offered food often, and because I'm breastfeeding and active it's usually within my limits, so I don't turn down much. Soda I guess, I take diet or water.

pinuplove

Beyond being accused of eating like a bird during work lunches (sort of true - I'm not a fan of stuffing myself and then trying to stay awake all afternoon in a boring conference room) people rarely comment on my eating habits. Thankfully.

NovusDies

CSARdiver wrote: »

I would agree with this, but note that it is getting better. I never offered advice unless asked, but as soon as I mentioned calories - or God forbid - the counting of the calories...then the eyes glaze over, the mind and body go slack... So you do keto? So you no do keto?

Recently though I've seen a number of people using MFP or similar tool. I hear "how many calories does that have?" more often. Of course this is only my n=1.

Taking a step back it's amazing to see just how much misinformation and disinformation is out there designed for weight management failure - much of this coming from our alleged "trusted" institutions.

A woman cornered me for advice a few weeks ago and when I told her what I did she said "awww" with a mournful sigh inflection. I took it to mean she wanted a sexier answer.

Colorfan

Its funny because people ask how you do it? They want you to tell them youre doing some kind of "lifehack". Its Keto, its intermittent fasting, its cutting out certain foods, its eating certain foods, its working out, etc. No, all that stuff can help, but at its core its all calorie counting thats doing the real work.

Evamutt

I go to a monthly meeting where we have potluck before our meeting. I usually make a dish that I can also enjoy. My best friend who knows how I've lost weight gets her feelings hurt when I don't have some of what she brought. Last time she brought a pasta dish heavy with cream sauce. I tasted it & said it was good but didn't have any. After all this time I don't know why she doesn't understand. If I had a bite of this & bite of that i'm sure i'd gain weight. My husband is always offering me bites. Other than them, I don't talk about calories to anyone (unless they ask how I lost weight) I don't want the comments

kshama2001

smms0714 wrote: »

Pretty much everyone in my department at my work is trying to lose weight. We have 3 on WW, 1 doing keto, and then there's me just counting calories and trying to walk more (to start out). The WW group constantly asks what I'm doing to lose weight as soon as I say counting calories they look horrified and tell me that's way too hard. Ummm on WW you count points so... They constantly ask how many points are in something I'm eating, and I will just tell them the calorie amount. Always, makes me laugh that they think what I do is so hard. I mean MFP does the calculations for me I just follow it.

Ya, WW was good back in the 90s but now that there are free apps like MFP, I don't see the point in paying for WW.

I don't believe I spent significantly less time with WW than I do with MFP.

smms0714

kshama2001 wrote: »

smms0714 wrote: »

Pretty much everyone in my department at my work is trying to lose weight. We have 3 on WW, 1 doing keto, and then there's me just counting calories and trying to walk more (to start out). The WW group constantly asks what I'm doing to lose weight as soon as I say counting calories they look horrified and tell me that's way too hard. Ummm on WW you count points so... They constantly ask how many points are in something I'm eating, and I will just tell them the calorie amount. Always, makes me laugh that they think what I do is so hard. I mean MFP does the calculations for me I just follow it.

Ya, WW was good back in the 90s but now that there are free apps like MFP, I don't see the point in paying for WW.

I don't believe I spent significantly less time with WW than I do with MFP.

I don't understand how the points work. To me it's easier to use this to just track my calories and nutrition.

pinuplove

smms0714 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

smms0714 wrote: »

Pretty much everyone in my department at my work is trying to lose weight. We have 3 on WW, 1 doing keto, and then there's me just counting calories and trying to walk more (to start out). The WW group constantly asks what I'm doing to lose weight as soon as I say counting calories they look horrified and tell me that's way too hard. Ummm on WW you count points so... They constantly ask how many points are in something I'm eating, and I will just tell them the calorie amount. Always, makes me laugh that they think what I do is so hard. I mean MFP does the calculations for me I just follow it.

Ya, WW was good back in the 90s but now that there are free apps like MFP, I don't see the point in paying for WW.

I don't believe I spent significantly less time with WW than I do with MFP.

I don't understand how the points work. To me it's easier to use this to just track my calories and nutrition.

1 point used to equal roughly 50 calories, although now I understand that the new program assigns punitively high points values to foods deemed 'unhealthy' to offset the unlimited 'free' foods.

smms0714

pinuplove wrote: »

smms0714 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

smms0714 wrote: »

Pretty much everyone in my department at my work is trying to lose weight. We have 3 on WW, 1 doing keto, and then there's me just counting calories and trying to walk more (to start out). The WW group constantly asks what I'm doing to lose weight as soon as I say counting calories they look horrified and tell me that's way too hard. Ummm on WW you count points so... They constantly ask how many points are in something I'm eating, and I will just tell them the calorie amount. Always, makes me laugh that they think what I do is so hard. I mean MFP does the calculations for me I just follow it.

Ya, WW was good back in the 90s but now that there are free apps like MFP, I don't see the point in paying for WW.

I don't believe I spent significantly less time with WW than I do with MFP.

I don't understand how the points work. To me it's easier to use this to just track my calories and nutrition.

1 point used to equal roughly 50 calories, although now I understand that the new program assigns punitively high points values to foods deemed 'unhealthy' to offset the unlimited 'free' foods.

Thanks! I was really confused as to how it all worked.

collectingblues

My personal pet peeve lately.

Asker: "I've been working out, and I eat healthy, and I do low carb, and I'm not losing weight. It's so hard! It must just be my metabolism. Or maybe it's the pump or the insulin making it impossible." (9/10 times, this is happening in one of the non-MFP diabetes groups I belong to.)

Me: "Are you weighing and tracking your food? That might be a good place to start."

Asker: "No. I shouldn't have to. I'm eating healthy."

mbaker566

my friends are convinced keto is the only way to lose weight and to cure all autoimmune disorders.
i tried explaining but they don't listen so i just smile and eat a sandwich

Bry_Fitness70

Going from one bar to the next with a group of neighbors, I decided to log my calories from the bar in MFP since I had a few minutes to kill. The next thing I know, someone is saying "are you logging your drinks?!? Seriously?" I said yeah, thanks for fitness shaming me for it! The same group also think I'm a lunatic for going to the gym at 5am and running during my lunch hour when working from home - none of this has made any difference to me or changed my behavior at all 🤷‍♀️