Is calorie-counting different from dieting?

megsmom2

There is a difference between 'going on a diet' and 'changing your diet'.

Calorie counting is just a tool I use to help me change my diet. It helps me to learn to control portions and how to eat so that I feel full and satisfied, can still have the occasional treat, but not feel restricted.

"Going on a diet" often involves limiting the types of food one eats, or having rules about when to eat etc.

In a sense, counting calories is really just record keeping. Our memory is not always that good.

This. Exactly this!

Otterluv

THIS is the world we live in. Not some fantasy of 50 years ago. In order to successful live well in this reality, calorie counting helps.

BTW - I went from sedentary to running fairly long distances and weightlifting. I know the difference between bored eating and feeling hungry. Running long distances makes you hungry, a burning wanting to eat everything in sight hunger. The kind that would encourage you to exceed your daily calorie needs. The whole gaining weight while training for a marathon thing is real, and that's why. It's all about the energy, and when we are doing activities that use a lot of energy our bodies want a lot of it, enough to store for later, because who knows when we'll run across it again.

Even for athletes, hunger cues are not always reliable.

Calorie counting helps YOU. It's NOT what works best for all. It's not what works best for me, in fact. At this time. It's not the right answer for every person, at every time in their lives. This is why I said earlier (as many others have): find what works for you and make a real plan for transitioning that from weight loss diet to to lifestyle diet.

Did I say that everyone must calorie count? Nope, pretty sure I didn't. My apologies if my post made it seem otherwise. My brother, mother and sister have all been able to maintain healthy weights by just noticing when they put on a few pounds and cutting back temporarily. I think that's wonderful for them. They don't rely on hunger cues, though. They are just MUCH better at keeping their portions reasonable than I am. It's the same with my sisters in law.

So, I have this one area in my life that I suck at. But, that's okay because there is a cheat code for me and for others with the same issue: weigh, measure, and count my calories. BOOM! It's a perfectly reasonable approach and a life changing tool.

christa279

Why come to a calorie counting forum and bash calorie counting?

It's great to be passionate about something that worked for you, but remember just that. It worked for YOU and might not work for EVERYONE else.

AwesomeGuy37

Sure people should probably get those problems that led to their obesity under control, but why demonize calorie counting?

If a cat can get fat, is his natural hunger force not working or does he have emotional issues?
Why are there underweight people?
Why do bodybuilders and normal weight people count calories?
Why are you on a calorie counting site?

Housecats are domesticated, which means that their owners use food to train them, bribe them, etc. etc. They, like people, learn that food can be a reward and not just a biological need. Animals in the wild are not overweight because they are not influenced in this way.

Some people are naturally thinner than others even though they eat according to hunger. What's considered a "healthy weight" is not necessarily accurate for everyone. BMI calculators are not an accurate depiction of how healthy a person is.

Body builders have goals to push their bodies to large, muscular proportions. Although it can still be healthy, it's definitely not "natural". So it would of course take unnatural methods to get there.

The only normal weight people who count calories are doing it to keep their weight low because they've forgotten how to do so any other way, OR they're trying to maintain a weight lower than where their bodies would naturally fall. But many, if not most, normal weight people AREN'T concerned with calories.

I used to be a MFP member and now I'm back to share my discoveries. I don't see what that has to do with the topic at hand though. But I can see how you could be trying to use that to deviate from the topic & discredit what I'm saying.

I answered your TOPIC AT HAND a while back, and you brought up this topic on your own with your logical fallacies and baseless assumptions about cravings.
Here:

The word "diet" has negative connotations associated with it, plus there are many definitions. A lifestyle would incorporate something you do not have to change. If you eat the maintenance for your ideal weight, eventually you would be that weight and not have to change a single thing. That is the theory. Many say they will diet to lose weight. Then what? When they get to their ideal weight, go back to old eating habits? I'll probably count calories for life. That's just part of my new lifestyle.

You have an answer for everything dontcha?
Housecats, dogs, ferrets, pigeons.. why differentiate? If you give an untrained housecat a whole box of food, does he not overeat?

BMI calculators are not an accurate depiction of how healthy a person is.. Who says it is? You assume I'm referring to under BMI people. Some people are not hungry when they should eat. Your making assumptions and trying to start another topic to deviate from the question I asked.

You avoid the question with bodybuilders by describing to me what a bodybuilder is. Your premise is that calorie counting is a crutch and restrictive. Focus on those.

You are making claims and I'm just asking you to back them up.

Don't play a victim.

LiftAllThePizzas

THIS is the world we live in. Not some fantasy of 50 years ago. In order to successful live well in this reality, calorie counting helps.

BTW - I went from sedentary to running fairly long distances and weightlifting. I know the difference between bored eating and feeling hungry. Running long distances makes you hungry, a burning wanting to eat everything in sight hunger. The kind that would encourage you to exceed your daily calorie needs. The whole gaining weight while training for a marathon thing is real, and that's why. It's all about the energy, and when we are doing activities that use a lot of energy our bodies want a lot of it, enough to store for later, because who knows when we'll run across it again.

Even for athletes, hunger cues are not always reliable.

Calorie counting helps YOU. It's NOT what works best for all. It's not what works best for me, in fact. At this time. It's not the right answer for every person, at every time in their lives. This is why I said earlier (as many others have): find what works for you and make a real plan for transitioning that from weight loss diet to to lifestyle diet.

Did I say that everyone must calorie count? Nope, pretty sure I didn't. My apologies if my post made it seem otherwise.

No, it's not you, this is her M.O. If you say clean eating is not necessary, she will quickly show up to accuse you of telling everyone they should eat nothing but pop tarts.

in_the_stars

Have any of you read "Hunger" ?

KimiSteinbach

If so how?

I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I constantly see people telling others, "don't diet! make it a lifestyle change!" But you're all counting your calories? Not to be judgmental but I don't see how it's different from a diet. Is this just a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle? Or do you plan to count calories forever?

This is a VERY valid question and I'm not going to digest the prior pages too much. Counting calories has to take place in order to reset and learn where one went wrong. Same as getting a scale and weighing foods or measuring.

OP is correct in that it IS a stepping stone or "baby step" to getting it straight.

Some folks may need to count cals forever but some may not. Depends upon the person.

I"m REALLY hoping this topic didn't go south with symantics.

KimiSteinbach

I will count calories as long as it has not become a natural way to live. I have to teach it to myself and it takes a very long time... it is a new way of life. I cannot count on myself doing it without a conscious effort. I have a lifetime of bad habits and bad choices to counterbalance...

So why not just try to fix those bad eating habits directly? Why turn to counting calories if it's a crutch you'll have to rely on for the rest of your life in order to maintain a healthy weight?

Wouldn't it be easier to work on fixing the issues that cause you to overeat, and once those issues are addressed, continue eating a reasonable amount for the rest of your life & losing weight steadily that way?

Absolutely true. Fix the issues. The guy who is a moderator here that lost 330 lbs had to fix his issues as to why he was eating.

KimiSteinbach

OP, you're a smug young thing, aren't you? You've got all the answers. It's neat that you've been able to analyze the entire community of MFP users in order to formulate this perfect method for weight loss. Maybe you should write a diet book.

I don't eat for any reason other than I like to eat (and I eat a healthy diet). I also like to drink wine (a lot) and I wasn't exercising, so I found myself in need of some good old-fashioned reducing. I don't need to explore my relationship with food, I need to eat less of it for a while and learn what a portion looks like. (Do you know how easy it is to pour out two tablespoons of oil instead of one when you're cooking?) I look at more than just calories because I want optimal nutrition, and without logging it I wouldn't know if I'm getting it. I've learned that I need to up my protein and fiber, so I've been able to try some new stuff that helps me do that.

Edited to add: The word DIET doesn't bother me at all. It's just a word.

No, she's just curious. Leave her alone and let her ask her questions without getting your back up.

darrensurrey

If so how?

Because I'm trying to eat a minimum of 2600 a day with a minimum of 140g protein to get heavier!

fitandfortyish

If so how?

I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I constantly see people telling others, "don't diet! make it a lifestyle change!" But you're all counting your calories? Not to be judgmental but I don't see how it's different from a diet. Is this just a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle? Or do you plan to count calories forever?

This is a VERY valid question and I'm not going to digest the prior pages too much. Counting calories has to take place in order to reset and learn where one went wrong. Same as getting a scale and weighing foods or measuring.

OP is correct in that it IS a stepping stone or "baby step" to getting it straight.

Some folks may need to count cals forever but some may not. Depends upon the person.

I"m REALLY hoping this topic didn't go south with symantics.

Open forums on the Internet are not for the feint of heart for sure. OP had some good points but the crowd got a bit hostile unfortunately

DamePiglet

If so how?

I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I constantly see people telling others, "don't diet! make it a lifestyle change!" But you're all counting your calories? Not to be judgmental but I don't see how it's different from a diet. Is this just a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle? Or do you plan to count calories forever?

This is a VERY valid question and I'm not going to digest the prior pages too much. Counting calories has to take place in order to reset and learn where one went wrong. Same as getting a scale and weighing foods or measuring.

OP is correct in that it IS a stepping stone or "baby step" to getting it straight.

Some folks may need to count cals forever but some may not. Depends upon the person.

I"m REALLY hoping this topic didn't go south with symantics.

Open forums on the Internet are not for the feint of heart for sure. OP had some good points but the crowd got a bit hostile unfortunately

OP had a question then made a bunch of statements when people tried to answer.

LinDiSm26262

For me calorie counting is teaching me about portion size and the calories in certain foods (eg pasta - my idea of a portion had about double the calories in it than I thought). That's allowing me to make healthier choices. I don't think I'll count calories forever but it keeps me focussed whilst I'm getting to target. I do think there's certain foods that I'll weigh probably forever as its easy to eat a lot of extra calories without trying (complex carbs and high fat food in my case). Calorie counting is part of my lifestyle change but to eat the right things more often and to retrain my eating habits.

This is it in a nutshell....learning portion control......the secret of weight loss.

Mr_Knight

I want to eat this:



But I need to lose weight, so I can only eat this:



Whether I get there through food restrictions, or macro restrictions, or calorie restrictions, I'm getting there via restrictions.

Which means I'm dieting.

Since I will *always* be able to eat - and want to eat - more than my body needs I will *always*, for the rest of my life, be on a "diet". Euphamisizing it into a "lifestyle change" doesn't change a thing or make it any of this any easier.

And pretending otherwise does a disservice to people who are struggling.

(Yes, of course I'm exaggerating the images to help make a point)

Sabine_Stroehm

THIS is the world we live in. Not some fantasy of 50 years ago. In order to successful live well in this reality, calorie counting helps.

BTW - I went from sedentary to running fairly long distances and weightlifting. I know the difference between bored eating and feeling hungry. Running long distances makes you hungry, a burning wanting to eat everything in sight hunger. The kind that would encourage you to exceed your daily calorie needs. The whole gaining weight while training for a marathon thing is real, and that's why. It's all about the energy, and when we are doing activities that use a lot of energy our bodies want a lot of it, enough to store for later, because who knows when we'll run across it again.

Even for athletes, hunger cues are not always reliable.

Calorie counting helps YOU. It's NOT what works best for all. It's not what works best for me, in fact. At this time. It's not the right answer for every person, at every time in their lives. This is why I said earlier (as many others have): find what works for you and make a real plan for transitioning that from weight loss diet to to lifestyle diet.

Did I say that everyone must calorie count? Nope, pretty sure I didn't. My apologies if my post made it seem otherwise. My brother, mother and sister have all been able to maintain healthy weights by just noticing when they put on a few pounds and cutting back temporarily. I think that's wonderful for them. They don't rely on hunger cues, though. They are just MUCH better at keeping their portions reasonable than I am. It's the same with my sisters in law.

So, I have this one area in my life that I suck at. But, that's okay because there is a cheat code for me and for others with the same issue: weigh, measure, and count my calories. BOOM! It's a perfectly reasonable approach and a life changing tool.

Apologies. When you used the phrase "world we live in" I made an assumption. Thanks much for clarifying.

Sabine_Stroehm

THIS is the world we live in. Not some fantasy of 50 years ago. In order to successful live well in this reality, calorie counting helps.

BTW - I went from sedentary to running fairly long distances and weightlifting. I know the difference between bored eating and feeling hungry. Running long distances makes you hungry, a burning wanting to eat everything in sight hunger. The kind that would encourage you to exceed your daily calorie needs. The whole gaining weight while training for a marathon thing is real, and that's why. It's all about the energy, and when we are doing activities that use a lot of energy our bodies want a lot of it, enough to store for later, because who knows when we'll run across it again.

Even for athletes, hunger cues are not always reliable.

Calorie counting helps YOU. It's NOT what works best for all. It's not what works best for me, in fact. At this time. It's not the right answer for every person, at every time in their lives. This is why I said earlier (as many others have): find what works for you and make a real plan for transitioning that from weight loss diet to to lifestyle diet.

Did I say that everyone must calorie count? Nope, pretty sure I didn't. My apologies if my post made it seem otherwise.

No, it's not you, this is her M.O. If you say clean eating is not necessary, she will quickly show up to accuse you of telling everyone they should eat nothing but pop tarts.

Wow. That was uncalled for and a gross mischaracterization. But, meh. Opinions are like...well, you know. cheers

Wiseandcurious

There is a difference between 'going on a diet' and 'changing your diet'.

Calorie counting is just a tool I use to help me change my diet. It helps me to learn to control portions and how to eat so that I feel full and satisfied, can still have the occasional treat, but not feel restricted.

"Going on a diet" often involves limiting the types of food one eats, or having rules about when to eat etc.

In a sense, counting calories is really just record keeping. Our memory is not always that good.

This. Me exactly.

RaggedyPond

I feel like counting can fall into the "dieting" category. It isn't something that is possible to do the rest of your life. Tons of people lose weight using MFP and come back again because they started eating more than they did when they had something telling them how much to eat.

FindingAmy77

If so how?

I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I constantly see people telling others, "don't diet! make it a lifestyle change!" But you're all counting your calories? Not to be judgmental but I don't see how it's different from a diet. Is this just a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle? Or do you plan to count calories forever?

yes forever. but the lucky thing is about it. once you do it long enough you will have the calories memorized and it will just be about being more active and watching the portion control. a diet screams deprivation but a lifestyle change says I am in control of what I eat and not the other way around. it means being more active and never going back to your old ways but finding new ways to be a healthier you. we as human beings are only soposed to be having a certain amount of calories to sustain ourselves each day. your health and your body depends on this.

FlaxMilk

Animals given enough food in the wild will often overeat. It makes sense. They don't know when their next meal is coming. There are plenty of chubby "wildlife" critters in our area, because people put out bird seed and nuts.

I know I feel better when I eat nutritious foods in the "right" amount for me. I know that, but I still tend to overeat and choose the less nutritious food when left to my own devices. Because it's not just about my hunger cues. It's because my emotions and my history and my experiences do play a role in my reactions to food. If they didn't, I'd just blend up all the food I need for the day and drink that as I go. I know I get the food I need, don't have to think about it, plenty of time for the rest of my life. Why don't we do that? Because food is more than just fuel, at least in a human world where we have enough.

Left on my own, I would happily eat carbs, carbs, and all carbs (maybe some fat.) There are very few protein sources I gravitate toward. I have gone through plenty of times when I didn't "count" and didn't restrict and ate way too many carbs and calories and not enough protein.

My maintenance calories are what some others can use to lose weight. I'm still a human, and my body still likes to eat even though it literally needs less than some others. That's why I have to use my brain to manage my body. Intuitive and mindful eating doesn't work for me because I give myself permission to ignore my body and my good senses if I don't have some structure. I wish that weren't true, but it is for me.

Your point stands that the opposite is true for some others. Some will rebel against too many rules and restrictions and binge. It depends, but one approach really doesn't fit all.