BIGGEST thing you have learned since tracking calories?

krennie8

I learned how much of my eating is due to boredom rather than actual hunger. I also learned eating to finish your meal even when you're stuffed is NOT a good thing.

Additional things I've learned,
-there is no magic weight loss pill
-counting calories works even if it isn't "hip"
-you can't do it for anyone besides yourself
-dieting isn't all or nothing

Skeels

I was eating way too many Meal replacement Bars

JustSomeEm

I have learned that the biggest key to success is being honest with myself.

sashafischang

OMG! I feel exactly the same way as you. I am your height (4'10.5") and also eat pretty healthy. However, just like you I had to learn that I couldn't eat the same amounts as my taller/bigger friends and family.

The other thing I learned is that little cheats add up, and I can't cheat (even something small) more than once or twice a week.

ktsmom430

Serving sizes by far the most important thing I have learned!

KeairaSedai

I've learnt to.. Eat the food. (https://gokaleo.com/stop-dieting/)

I've learned that it's easy to eat too little. I got overweight by eating too much, but it is important to calculate your TDEE for example on a site like: http://www.health-calc.com/body-composition/ideal-body-weight or http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Then eat enough. Don't be hungry. But eat healthy stuffs.

ADDITION: Yes, a scale really helps. No matter how healthy you eat if you think you're eating your TDEE, and you're doing twice that, it's not helping.

bcattoes

I've learned I eat a lot of fat. I've never tried for a low fat diet, but I had no idea I ate so much!

I've also learned that tracking calories is way too time consuming for me to do long term. Even without weighing or measuring, the time to find the correct entry for every ingredient in every meal is just too much.

cardinalsfootball

How completely SMALL the portions that normal BMI sized person eats. It at least feel like I was eating 4x the food when I started.

Not tracking food and eating whatever I wanted was glorious, but the health consequences ended up just being too high.

Autk79

How high alcohol calories are and realized why I wasnt losing weight when dieting LOL

VanillaSmile427

OMG! I feel exactly the same way as you. I am your height (4'10.5") and also eat pretty healthy. However, just like you I had to learn that I couldn't eat the same amounts as my taller/bigger friends and family.

The other thing I learned is that little cheats add up, and I can't cheat (even something small) more than once or twice a week.

Yep! As a short/small person I try and keep up with my friends and I just can't do that! I just eat little meals now and the weight is slowly coming off! It will take time but it's gonna be worth it!

I am going to look into buying a scale that way I can weigh my food and my calorie counting can be more accurate! Thanks for the tips everyone!

lavender_fairie

Some of the food serving weights/portions are just designed to make you fail.

1. A serving of hot dog chili is only 10 cals. But a serving is a tablespoon lol- who puts only a tablespoon on a chili dog? My family loves chili dog night, but I shudder when I make it for them!

2. I hate it when meat servings are only listed as "raw."- my chicken breasts come that way. Like i want to be wandering around with raw chicken, going from the scale to the pan, and then I forget which one I weighed anyway by the time I've finished cooking.

3. Let's say a can of beans- u look at the label, and a serving is only 20 cals. AWESOME! But there r supposedly 4 servings on the can, lol. Once u pour out the juice you have enough to maybe feed ur 2-yo and half of ur 6-yo. 4 servings my eye.

Serving sizes r meant to trick you. I can't believe how ignorant I uses to be.

KFN517

I've learned estimating is not the way to go. I have to measure everything! The biggest eye-opener was probably the cream in my coffee...yikes. I would dump it in without thinking to measure or track it. Things like that seriously add up...I was consuming more than I thought I was.

LosingItForGood13

That I should have thing this a long time ago and that I will never revert back to my old eating habits

Woodster83

Portion control and snacking were way out of line for me before MFP tracking.

Exercise = More food!

Exercise doesn't burn as much as I presumed it would!

Even fruit is high in carbs/sugar and calories.. choose the lower ones like Strawberries.

I didn't die of starvation like I thought I would on a "diet".

I don't feel guilty when I eat out or have a treat now, that's been great for my soul

I wasn't getting even 20% of my Iron intake a day!

I like exercise, it makes me feel good and I'm becoming slightly addicted to it!

I feel better sometimes when I've not had that naughty treat I was drooling over.

& probably loads more, so far so good!

thatjosiegirl

That ignorance is not always bliss and my digital scale is worth it's weight in gold.

LolBroScience

it works.

CharleeCali

Carbs are not the devil!

After doing low-carb for so SO long, I'm still a little hesitant to eat too many, but I can have my yummy oatmeal again without feeling guilty! Yay!

I'm not knocking low-carb dieters at all, it worked for me when I followed it, but just by switching to MFP, I've lost 8 pounds. Eating carbs!! Who knew?

Also, I seriously miss all the meat I used to eat. I had absolutely no idea how many calories and fat I was consuming. Portion control is the key. (but I still miss the free pass)

40DayFit

bump for awesome

ToraChan2310

The biggest thing I've learned is how eating junk food is utterly ridiculous. Comparing the amount of calories in a small amount of junk that is the same amount to a large helping of something healthy...

I would have to be a fool to eat junk food again.

beaches61

I've learned that I was eating a lot more than I thought I was before I started tracking.