Use the word "calories" and everybody loses their minds

Running_and_Coffee

Yes, absolutely. People don't like that I care about calories.
I am perceived as someone who "worries" a lot about her food intake and weight.

I had to wrap my head around the idea that no one will think of me as a person who is "naturally thin" aka "lucky," but as "a person who works possibly too hard to be thin," but I am OK with that. I'm not a shallow, vain person, which is obvious to anyone who knows me, so if people think I have a hang-up on calories, so be it.

seltzermint555

Yep. I have found that a lot of people hear the word "calories" and assume it means you eat as few calories as possible (like 500-800 per day).

Or they assume that because I count calories I would run screaming from a 630 calorie loaded hamburger (not the case at all, that's a tasty filling dinner) and just eat those 100 cal packs of baked chips and Oreo thins 24/7.

I have a lot of friends who believe that counting calories is disordered behavior and "if you just eat when you're hungry" or "if you just eat whole foods" you will be at a healthy weight. It definitely does not work like that for me. For some of them, it does, because they are naturally inclined to eat the number of calories that their bodies need. Yay for them...

Orphia

SezxyStef wrote: »

nope but then again I don't say no I can't becasue I don't have enough calories....doesn't seem to be a point to that statement.

I usually just say no thanks...if asked why I tell them why...not hungry, don't feel like it, doesn't look good etc.

I say no because I don't want it not because I can't eat it and using that word "can't" indicates an issue...

You can eat anything and then work it off if you so choose or don't work it off....and give up something else later.

I

I say "I don't have enough calories" or "It's not worth the calories" so I can eat something else I'm making room for.


I decided not to worry about people's hangups about calories. I'm being the change I wish to see. It really only helps them if I'm not embarrassed to talk about something that's improved my life immensely.

nooshi713

It is so annoying at work because coworkers will see some yummy food I am eating and say "aren't you on a diet?", as if the only foods I should be eating are lettuce. When I tell them I am counting calories their eyes glaze over.

dsboohead

Talk calories (even if asked) and you will clear a room
People really want to hear about gimmicks!

PAV8888

I lost most of my weight on MFP while eating at least 0.0025 kilograms of TNT per day!
Nowadays I am maintaining while eating an average of a bit more than 11 BTU!

Orphia

You don’t have to count calories to lose weight. On Twitter recently, I was talking about how weight loss depends on your energy equation but I mentioned “calories”, and even a PhD student whose thesis is on nutrition was really nasty and also accused me of saying calorie counting is the only way.

Muscleflex79

NovusDies wrote: »

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.

I have to admit this was me many years ago! I remember seeing a guy from one of my sports teams who had lost a bunch of weight between seasons and I asked him how he did it and he said "eat less, move more." I remember being actually disappointed as I was hoping for a sexier answer!! I look back and laugh now and am so grateful for MFP and seeing the truth!

Orphia

Muscleflex79 wrote: »

NovusDies wrote: »

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.

I have to admit this was me many years ago! I remember seeing a guy from one of my sports teams who had lost a bunch of weight between seasons and I asked him how he did it and he said "eat less, move more." I remember being actually disappointed as I was hoping for a sexier answer!! I look back and laugh now and am so grateful for MFP and seeing the truth!

Yep.

I'd even now phrase it more as:

I take in less energy than I burn.