Do you guys really count calories?

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__freckles__
__freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
In my life I could probably count the times I've actually kept track of my calories for a day on one hand. But I know a lot of people here do it. So how do you do it? Do you actually weigh everything out and keep a list of everything you eat throughout the day? The two times I did it on MFP I kind of just guessed at the amounts I ate.

I'm asking because I'll soon be at my normal weight. I'm just starting to weightlift (which I LOVE btw). I want to burn more fat but retain the muscle I have. So...do I need to count calories and how many should I eat? I'm 5'8 soon to be 145 lbs and 28% body fat. Would like to set a first goal of 24% body fat. I do weightlifting 3 times per week for about 45 minutes each session.

Help is appreciated!
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Replies

  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    What are you doing to get to where you're going?

    When you get into bulking and cutting, you may want to be really precise with your calorie intake.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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    What are you doing to get to where you're going?

    When you get into bulking and cutting, you may want to be really precise with your calorie intake.

    Right now I'm following the New Rules of Lifting for Women workouts. But when the author talks about nutrition he assumes you want to build muscle. I don't want to build muscle, just retain what I have and burn fat.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I do weigh and measure everything, but then I swing between body recomposition and eating at full TDEE to prepare for racing. So I do like to be precise and change up my macros based on my goals.

    Otherwise, just keep doing what you're doing. Any one of these things could happen:

    a) you'll eat at maintenance and lift, which will see you naturally get leaner and more ripped and your weight should stay roughly the same
    b) you'll eat a bit above and do a bulk, which will see you put on extra muscle mass and your weight will increase slowly until the calories you're eating just level off to maintenance with the higher muscle mass
    c) you will eat a bit below maintenance and keep getting leaner and continue to lose weight slowly
  • letmebangbro
    letmebangbro Posts: 213 Member
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    After a while of tracking, when you look at food....all you see are calorie numbers, grams of protein, sodium levels...etc...
  • jhloves2knit
    jhloves2knit Posts: 268 Member
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    i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

    EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

    ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste! :)

    I read your success story and saw your before and after photos. Whatever you're doing, it works!
  • jhloves2knit
    jhloves2knit Posts: 268 Member
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    After a while of tracking, when you look at food....all you see are calorie numbers, grams of protein, sodium levels...etc...

    That's funny. Didn't realize I was doing exactly that and talking about my analysis. No wonder my husband gets cranky.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

    EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

    ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste! :)

    I read your success story and saw your before and after photos. Whatever you're doing, it works!

    thank you!
  • bunbunzee44
    bunbunzee44 Posts: 592 Member
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    yeah I measure everything. when I started I guesstimated, but those were so off! it gets easier soon, because you'll have all the things you eat regularly pre-measured :3
  • catwoman_leo
    catwoman_leo Posts: 36
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    i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

    EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

    ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste! :)
    i just gave a close look to your DP!and You look just woww! help me out sista! how did you get those leaner arms :sick: ???
  • catwoman_leo
    catwoman_leo Posts: 36
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    I never find any specific options to put for the calorie count :\ ...
  • Mady1911
    Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
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    I started about 3 weeks ago, after stuffing my face with pizza...next day was curious to see how many cals I actually ate that day and I had a shock! I count every gram, every fruit, veg or whatever I put in my gob! And I get results! I found that I was underestimating everything before! And definitely was lacking important info, e.g. that spices, pepper, vinegar, cocoa powder also have calories!

    Not experienced enough or qualified to answer to your other questions, but well done for your progress and goof luck for what's to come! Ta-da!
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

    EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

    ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste! :)
    i just gave a close look to your DP!and You look just woww! help me out sista! how did you get those leaner arms :sick: ???

    lol... I been kicking my own *kitten* at the gym :)
  • paullee9861
    paullee9861 Posts: 10 Member
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    I weigh and measure everything and keep an accurate honest diary.
    Nothing goes in without logging, Mostly I plan the day ahead.
  • Mguilmot
    Mguilmot Posts: 232 Member
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    If you are guessing how much you are eating, you might as well guess how much you weigh.
    Why being so precise on that scale ? :-)
  • jamesbowlin
    jamesbowlin Posts: 10 Member
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    i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

    EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

    ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste! :)

    Well we all need just a little taste of the rainbow every now and then. Although for me the secret candy taste would be reese's pieces. MMM so yummy but so bad for me! :)
  • kazhowe
    kazhowe Posts: 340 Member
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    i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

    EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

    ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste! :)

    This! I weigh everything even at work and if I want something - I find out how many calories etc are in it and then if I REALLY want it and think the 'cost' is worth it - I have it ! Having said that - mostly when I find out how much something is going to 'cost' me I weigh it up against how long I will have to run or workout in the gym and decide that I don't quite want it enough!
  • TheFitnessTutor
    TheFitnessTutor Posts: 356 Member
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    A scale is mandatory and should be in every home regardless of intentions, goal or bodyweight. End.
  • zedgt87
    zedgt87 Posts: 379 Member
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    download_zpsef018a13.gif
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
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    I did weigh everything at first. Now I am fairly accurate at guessing some things.

    I put every item in the diary though, and sometimes it's shop bought so the calories are already worked out. Sometimes it's logged by item with a rough size (eg banana, medium).

    So it's largely guesswork for me.

    If you want to have maximum accuracy (total accuracy not possible, ever) you'll need to weigh absolutely everything.

    I can't be bothered with that myself.

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