Do I HAVE to count calories?

shmerek

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

By "stuff into yourself" I only meant that you should never deprive yourself of eating until you are full. Calories are not all the same. That is why counting calories is a short term solution at best, eventually it will catch up to you. What you need is wholesome food which will not harm you. Modern research has proven that deprivation causes metabolism to slow and results in weight gain. Conversely, some foods are known to increase metabolism and eating more can actually help you lose weight along with appropriate activity. I apologize for the silly way in which I approached the subject and alienated people. I do actually know my stuff when it comes to nutrition but my weakness is proper communication. I successfully passed practice exams for dietician registration but I prefer to learn on my own rather than spend structured time in a classroom setting. WHAT YOU EAT is far more important than HOW MUCH when it comes to controlling your weight. Sorry for getting carried away with "stuffing" .
ps. people who look at my diary notice a lot of sugar in my diet when I am out and get thirsty like in a mall etc. but I also mitigate the sugar intake by muscular activity which uses sugar as energy (if you examine my logs you will see my fitbit goal is a marathon every day)

Please cite the "modern research" proving your point please.

_HeartsOnFire_

Are you aware of some of these PepsiCo brands?
Quaker oats
Tropicana

These brands are usually associated with nourishing food, but, for the sake of profit, they have morphed into purveyors of even worse garbage: quaker makes granola bars which are candy in disguise and tropicana is made from concentrated sugar water. You fools who believe this garbage is food deserve what you get. LOL

NOMORECARS

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

By "stuff into yourself" I only meant that you should never deprive yourself of eating until you are full. Calories are not all the same. That is why counting calories is a short term solution at best, eventually it will catch up to you. What you need is wholesome food which will not harm you. Modern research has proven that deprivation causes metabolism to slow and results in weight gain. Conversely, some foods are known to increase metabolism and eating more can actually help you lose weight along with appropriate activity. I apologize for the silly way in which I approached the subject and alienated people. I do actually know my stuff when it comes to nutrition but my weakness is proper communication. I successfully passed practice exams for dietician registration but I prefer to learn on my own rather than spend structured time in a classroom setting. WHAT YOU EAT is far more important than HOW MUCH when it comes to controlling your weight. Sorry for getting carried away with "stuffing" .
ps. people who look at my diary notice a lot of sugar in my diet when I am out and get thirsty like in a mall etc. but I also mitigate the sugar intake by muscular activity which uses sugar as energy (if you examine my logs you will see my fitbit goal is a marathon every day)

Please cite the "modern research" proving your point please.

PLEASE CITE YOURS

shmerek

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

By "stuff into yourself" I only meant that you should never deprive yourself of eating until you are full. Calories are not all the same. That is why counting calories is a short term solution at best, eventually it will catch up to you. What you need is wholesome food which will not harm you. Modern research has proven that deprivation causes metabolism to slow and results in weight gain. Conversely, some foods are known to increase metabolism and eating more can actually help you lose weight along with appropriate activity. I apologize for the silly way in which I approached the subject and alienated people. I do actually know my stuff when it comes to nutrition but my weakness is proper communication. I successfully passed practice exams for dietician registration but I prefer to learn on my own rather than spend structured time in a classroom setting. WHAT YOU EAT is far more important than HOW MUCH when it comes to controlling your weight. Sorry for getting carried away with "stuffing" .
ps. people who look at my diary notice a lot of sugar in my diet when I am out and get thirsty like in a mall etc. but I also mitigate the sugar intake by muscular activity which uses sugar as energy (if you examine my logs you will see my fitbit goal is a marathon every day)

Please cite the "modern research" proving your point please.

PLEASE CITE YOURS

You are the one making the ridiculous claims here buddy, therefore you should back them up otherwise it is just unsubstantiated bollocks. That is kind of how it works, it isn't my job to prove your point it is your's so have at it.

NOMORECARS

My original statement was that all calories are not the same. Two of my earlier posts backed this up with research. These facts have been common knowledge for many years. Are you honestly telling me that not a single MFP member has ever seen any of the research? If that is the case, why do we even have this forum?

NOMORECARS

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

By "stuff into yourself" I only meant that you should never deprive yourself of eating until you are full. Calories are not all the same. That is why counting calories is a short term solution at best, eventually it will catch up to you. What you need is wholesome food which will not harm you. Modern research has proven that deprivation causes metabolism to slow and results in weight gain. Conversely, some foods are known to increase metabolism and eating more can actually help you lose weight along with appropriate activity. I apologize for the silly way in which I approached the subject and alienated people. I do actually know my stuff when it comes to nutrition but my weakness is proper communication. I successfully passed practice exams for dietician registration but I prefer to learn on my own rather than spend structured time in a classroom setting. WHAT YOU EAT is far more important than HOW MUCH when it comes to controlling your weight. Sorry for getting carried away with "stuffing" .
ps. people who look at my diary notice a lot of sugar in my diet when I am out and get thirsty like in a mall etc. but I also mitigate the sugar intake by muscular activity which uses sugar as energy (if you examine my logs you will see my fitbit goal is a marathon every day)

Please cite the "modern research" proving your point please.

JUST CHECK SEVERAL POSTS BACK

NOMORECARS

If you want to be in shape, yes. Yes, you do.

You do not need to count calories to be in great shape. Athletes 100 years ago did not even know what calories were.

Yes but there is this little thing called progress you know? There is no way an athlete from 100 years ago could compete with a modern athlete with science, nutrition and training methods on their side

It's too bad more people in this forum don't read modern science about not all calories being the same and non-nutritive chemical substances destroying our health.

NOMORECARS

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

You DO NOT NEED TO COUNT CALORIES. Eat as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself, just be sure that everything you eat is FOOD. You will be healthy beyond belief in several months. p.s. Doritos and Pepsi is not food. Stay out of bakeries, bakeries do not sell food. Candy stores do not sell food. 90% of your local supermarket shelves are filled with substances which are not food. People can never become obese by eating food.

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

Seriously, when you nourish your body properly you will discover natural limitations on how much you can eat because your body will tell you when it has had enough. This does not happen with food-like substances from a bakery, candy store or Doritos bag. Contrary to popular belief, it is not calories in/calories out. Eating too little will put your body in starvation mode and slow your metabolism. Eating more will quite often help in losing weight as long as you only eat food. Chemicals which resemble food such as Doritos do not have this same effect and the calories in/calories out theory will indeed occur. Deprivation is an extremely idiotic and ineffective method of losing weight.

Bollocks

You are what you eat. Enjoy.

NOMORECARS

Are you aware of some of these PepsiCo brands?
Quaker oats
Tropicana



These brands are usually associated with nourishing food, but, for the sake of profit, they have morphed into purveyors of even worse garbage: quaker makes granola bars which are candy in disguise and tropicana is made from concentrated sugar water. You fools who believe this garbage is food deserve what you get. LOL

So because Quaker also make granola bars their 100% oats cereal doesn't count as food?
And Tropicana juice made from 100% fruit juice (not concentrate) has somehow morphed into sugar water?

LOL

sisterlilbunny

_HeartsOnFire_

A calorie IS just a calorie. That's it.

Nutritional value is a WHOLE different topic all together.

That is all.

seltzermint555

I recommend it.

It took me 4+ years to lose 45 lb without counting calories.

Since I've been counting calories, I have lost 76 lb in less than 13 months. It has honestly NOT been that difficult. I've gone to bed with a growly hungry tummy like 6 times IN A YEAR...

So eh, I am a big believer in counting calories.

_HeartsOnFire_

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

You DO NOT NEED TO COUNT CALORIES. Eat as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself, just be sure that everything you eat is FOOD. You will be healthy beyond belief in several months. p.s. Doritos and Pepsi is not food. Stay out of bakeries, bakeries do not sell food. Candy stores do not sell food. 90% of your local supermarket shelves are filled with substances which are not food. People can never become obese by eating food.

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

Seriously, when you nourish your body properly you will discover natural limitations on how much you can eat because your body will tell you when it has had enough. This does not happen with food-like substances from a bakery, candy store or Doritos bag. Contrary to popular belief, it is not calories in/calories out. Eating too little will put your body in starvation mode and slow your metabolism. Eating more will quite often help in losing weight as long as you only eat food. Chemicals which resemble food such as Doritos do not have this same effect and the calories in/calories out theory will indeed occur. Deprivation is an extremely idiotic and ineffective method of losing weight.

Bollocks

You are what you eat. Enjoy.

And I'm full of awesome. So yeah, I guess I am what I eat...

midwestspitfire

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

You DO NOT NEED TO COUNT CALORIES. Eat as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself, just be sure that everything you eat is FOOD. You will be healthy beyond belief in several months. p.s. Doritos and Pepsi is not food. Stay out of bakeries, bakeries do not sell food. Candy stores do not sell food. 90% of your local supermarket shelves are filled with substances which are not food. People can never become obese by eating food.

Seriously? No, this is WRONG. YES, you should be eating REAL food, but not "as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself". It is absurd to think you will not gain weight by eating unlimited amounts of anything. It is STILL calories in verses calories out!

Seriously, when you nourish your body properly you will discover natural limitations on how much you can eat because your body will tell you when it has had enough. This does not happen with food-like substances from a bakery, candy store or Doritos bag. Contrary to popular belief, it is not calories in/calories out. Eating too little will put your body in starvation mode and slow your metabolism. Eating more will quite often help in losing weight as long as you only eat food. Chemicals which resemble food such as Doritos do not have this same effect and the calories in/calories out theory will indeed occur. Deprivation is an extremely idiotic and ineffective method of losing weight.

Bollocks

You are what you eat. Enjoy.

And I'm full of awesome. So yeah, I guess I am what I eat...

kjo9692

Damn, I think Bill would be the type of person to suggest to wear one of these too:



You know, to avoid the government and aliens from controlling us, and the food industry too.

To all of your advise:

ktkdmommy

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

Unless you have a real grasped on how YOUR body works with food and or exercises, then yes you will probably have to count cals to maximize your weight loss. Is it necessary, no, not at all, I've never counted anything in my life up until a couple months ago, just because I wanted to make a real go at a "bulk".

The one things about counting calories, is that you can let it consume you, just like the weight on the scale.

I totally agree with this. it can completely become an obsessive compulsive thing. if you are seeing results without counting than you know yourself well enough to not worry about it.. on the other hand, some people just don't realize how much they are eating until they put it all down on paper and it can really be quite suprising.

shmerek

JUST CHECK SEVERAL POSTS BACK

Ya a blog post by one guy proves nothing. I am talking about actual peer reviewed studies. Otherwise you are talking horse ****.

shmerek

A calorie IS just a calorie. That's it.

Nutritional value is a WHOLE different topic all together.

That is all.

Can I have an Amen!!

klaff411

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

You DO NOT NEED TO COUNT CALORIES. Eat as much as you can possibly stuff into yourself, just be sure that everything you eat is FOOD. You will be healthy beyond belief in several months. p.s. Doritos and Pepsi is not food. Stay out of bakeries, bakeries do not sell food. Candy stores do not sell food. 90% of your local supermarket shelves are filled with substances which are not food. People can never become obese by eating food.

Yes you can. Its about portion control as well. You can't just eat 8 ozs of chicken and a whole 12 oz steak and expect not to gain weight.

klaff411

I'm just beginning to try to lose weight, and I think that counting calories might just be more effort/more destructive or discouraging...thoughts?

This is the wrong kind of thinking. This is just vilifying food and confusing people who are looking for real information. Portion control is everything and calorie counting is a big part of it.

I never vilify food. I vilify the corporations which tell us that their garbage is food.

I agree with that. But what your saying in your original post is that portion control doesn't matter. Remember your talking to people many times who may have never considered that -- something which might be self-evident to you or me.