BIGGEST thing you have learned since tracking calories?

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.

424a57

The BIGGEST thing I learned was... ME.
(But I'm getting smaller)

BL_Mark

Pretty much everything on here I agree with.

I've learned my eating habits and that I can lose weight and get healthy while still enjoying the stuff I love, as long as there's "room" for it, like beer! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

mojohowitz

Sodium is more difficult to manage than calories. I am no longer able to eat anything that is remotely convenient save for apples, bananas and the occasional granola bar.

CorlissaEats

I learned that I have a tendency to UNDEREAT! And that my "binge" days made up the gap and managed my weight until my circumstances changed and my binge days became more frequent or plentiful. I eat really healthy in general and I eat a lot, but its a lot of veggies so its always ended up being on the low side of the calorie count. My days are alot more balanced now.

ShellyBell999

Not to eat more than my body uses in a day/week!

BrideCountdown

I learned how important a heart rate monitor can be when deciding how many calories I've burned during a workout. Those workout machines that tell you calories burned are big fat LIARS. It can really throw off your cals in and out if you think you're burning twice as many calories at the elliptical than you actually are!

Also, I'll repeat portion control and scale-weighing food mentioned above :-)

charleigh78

When I exercise I CAN EAT MORE !!!!!

This! haha

cahors97

I've learned portion control. I wasn't an unhealthy eater, but I ate too much. I've realized how much I graze throughout the day, especially when I'm making a meal. It sounds so simple now, but I never realized how much it all added up. I also realized how many calories I was drinking every day. Not in alcohol, but in COFFEE CREAMER.

JustinAnimal

If I don't count my calories, I go ape$hit. Some amount of accountability is totally necessary for me to keep losing or at least stop gaining.

bciloveme2014

That I can eat everything I want but small portions. I was eating healthy but the same portions that my husband was eating.

dmenchac

That there are a lot of stupid people.

Pirate_chick

Using a digital food scale to weigh everything in grams is a real eye opener. Measuring spoons and cups are VERY deceitful.

Two of my staple foods are oats and peanut butter. One serving of oats is 40 grams which according to the label is 1/2 cup. No way. Weigh 40 grams using a food scale and you'll be shocked at how empty the measuring cup is. Same with peanut butter...a tablespoon holds A LOT more than the grams stated on the label.

If you're not using a digital food scale, you're eating way more than you think. It adds up quickly.

+1 :happy:

So true!

jtgilfoy

Biggest lesson is that an ounce of cheese is a very small amount

dahlau

My biggest eye opener:

"Daaaaayum I eat more sugar than I thought."

Which isn't to say I was downing Pixie Stix left and right - almost all of my sugar was coming from fruit. But there's a lot of sugar in fruit!

I've also learned that not everyone is supportive of my new choice - but those that are make all the difference.

chaivind

I've learned that eating a smaller serving leaves me satisfied and more energetic. Before I was eating so much that I would just sit and watch tv or lay around after eating a huge meal. Now, I actually have the energy to get up and move around after eating. It is a double benefit, since I'm eating less and moving more.

Lcruz2014

Sounds like your off to great start , one thing that i found out recently is that some foods react differently to each persons body type even if they are what we consider healthy , too much of good thing will have the opposite affect and every one is different. one thing thats really helped me is tracking everything you eat and weighing yourself every morning look for what puts on pounds even if its just minor change. Change what you eat just by one item see witch food makes your body react . check out a book called ''the plan'' it makes sense to me and has helped me

Good Luck !!

Pirate_chick

My biggest eye opener:

"Daaaaayum I eat more sugar than I thought."

Which isn't to say I was downing Pixie Stix left and right - almost all of my sugar was coming from fruit. But there's a lot of sugar in fruit!

I've also learned that not everyone is supportive of my new choice - but those that are make all the difference.

YES! I am almost always over with sugar. But I am just eating fruit.

BigVeggieDream

It wasn't an eye opener about what I ate. I knew I ate a horribly unhealthy meals. What it did show me, was how to control my portions and it also feels like it is making me eat better. I'm embarrassed to put something unhealthy in my diary, since everyone will see it, so I eat healthy and feel good in many different ways.

jlshea

Tracking beer and drinks has been eye-opening. I knew they had high calories and sugar but its crazy to see that something like a margarita has more calories in one drink than I consume for breakfast or lunch.

Jlmervin03

When I exercise I CAN EAT MORE !!!!!

I know that's right!!