New Plan - pure calorie counting

Cinder333

Hello everyone,

I have been on every diet imaginable. Cabbage Soup diet, Atkins, Slimfast, Big Breakfast, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers. I am probably missing some. But I am going to try to find a more permanent way of eating.

To start my diet, I am going to try calorie counting. I wasn't going to worry too much about WHAT I'm eating, although to stay full enough I am planning some fruits and vegetables to volumize meals.

I am 5'1, and weight is currently 129. My goal is 113. I could live with 115. I was going to start with about 1400 calories a day. Does that sound reasonable? In the past when calorie counting I would try to do very low, and end up starving and quitting.

Has anyone had luck with just calorie counting, and not worrying about quality? I do plan to start subbing in some healthier foods as I go along.

Thanks!

brendajfg

My history is similar to yours. I now strictly calorie count so I never feel deprived. I have the best of everything, but in smaller portions. It works. My husband lost 30 lbs just counting calories too. Best of luck to you.

TeaBea

Sounds like a good plan. Tweak things as you go and learn new eating habits. Protein, fiber and fat are filling components, but it's a different combination for everyone. Figure out what works for you.

Just keep logging, both good days and bad. None of us are perfect, but we don't have to be. Just work on being consistent most of the time.

texasredreb

This is a calorie counting website. Most of us are counting calories! Good luck, I hope it works for you.

NovusDies

Cinder333 wrote: »

Hello everyone,

I have been on every diet imaginable. Cabbage Soup diet, Atkins, Slimfast, Big Breakfast, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers. I am probably missing some. But I am going to try to find a more permanent way of eating.

To start my diet, I am going to try calorie counting. I wasn't going to worry too much about WHAT I'm eating, although to stay full enough I am planning some fruits and vegetables to volumize meals.

I am 5'1, and weight is currently 129. My goal is 113. I could live with 115. I was going to start with about 1400 calories a day. Does that sound reasonable? In the past when calorie counting I would try to do very low, and end up starving and quitting.

Has anyone had luck with just calorie counting, and not worrying about quality? I do plan to start subbing in some healthier foods as I go along.

Thanks!

If you put your stats into MFP it will give you a calorie goal for each day. If it says something around 1400 then it is a reasonable goal.

Quality is subjective anyway. Just eat in a way that helps you get through the day physically and mentally and then make small changes over time as needed.

This is a good read:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

Considering how many plans you have been through I wonder if you understand that the bathroom scale will not be a good indicator of progress at times. It can and very likely will go up for reasons completely unrelated to fat. You might want to read this:

http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

middlehaitch

Sounds good, it also sounds like a sustainable approach.

If 1400 is what MFP gave you for a reasonable loss, eat that. If you decide to exercise be sure to eat a consistent amount of your exercise calories back. You need to fuel extra activity.

Taking your time to learn to log accurately form the beginning will help you in the long term.
Use a digital food scale for all solids, even prepackaged single items.

Use cups and spoons for liquids only. Don’t forget oils,marinades, and dressings. Weigh peanut butter, never ever eat by the spoonful- it’s a calorie bomb.

Double check the entries you are using. Single items use the USDA data base, packaged items- does the entry in the data base agree with the data on the package or the mfg website? Use the package/web info if there is a discrepancy.

Read the ‘most helpful’ posts at the top of each subforum.

Cheers, h.