BIGGEST thing you have learned since tracking calories?

jackiedoug

Oh how true, My portion are too big too! I'm 5'8 but I eat like I'm much taller. I would love to lose about twenty pounds.....And get my weight under 200 lbs.....

jackiedoug

Amen.....you Go!

MelisaBegins

I have learned that I am not alone!

acorneredbaby

Serving sizes and I realized that things that fit those serving sizes are filling as they are and I don't need to eat 2 or 3 serving sizes (that I once thought was just one) to be full AND rack up a bunch of calories.

chatnel

this thread is great.

I have learned I don't need to eat 5 times a day to keep my metabolism going and it's impossible to eat 5 meals a day and come in at under 1200-1400 calories anyway.

Also those 20 calories lollies (sweets) that I just have a "few" of, sure do add up.

VanillaSmile427

this thread is great.

I have learned I don't need to eat 5 times a day to keep my metabolism going and it's impossible to eat 5 meals a day and come in at under 1200-1400 calories anyway.

Also those 20 calories lollies (sweets) that I just have a "few" of, sure do add up.

It really is a myth that you have to eat 5-6 meals a day for weight loss. As long as you meet your calories deficit you will loose the pounds. Stick to what you like. I am at 1340 calories/day and it would be hard making 5-6 decent meals out of that. So I eat 3 main meals and one snack, so i totally agree with you. Check out my diary if you'd like.

Phrick

The caloric difference between regular and lowfat versions of many foods is very small.
The fat is often replaced with sugar and filler crap!

+10. I finally started comparing labels instead of blindly assuming that low-fat versions of stuff were automatically better for me - in most cases I end up deciding that the 5-15 calories per serving I'd save, aren't worth the taste sacrifice! Also in some cases the low fat things actually have MORE calories!!! One example I found recently was Campbell's Healthy Request Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup - the "regular" Healthy Request CoC Soup is 60 calories in a 1/2 cup serving, but in the 98% Fat Free version, it's 70 calories in a 1/2 cup serving!!

ki4yxo

I'm pretty sure that's unprepared. If you mix with water,
should be about 2 1/2 cups. (Actually, 2 11/16 prepared...)
There's only 10 3/4 ounces in a can so you can count
on a serving (like with most soups) as being a cup. If
you use milk, yes you'd have to add the extra calories, etc..

Most prepared cans IE; Progresso are 2 serving sizes.
Before MFP, a can of soup used to be lunch. I was so
far off the charts on sodium it wasn't even funny. Now
I'm off 2 different blood pressure meds! Pickles for
snacks, store bought salsa, bread, cheese, etc. are
all high in sodium. I now cook fresh beets, and toss
with some balsamic vinegar, a little kosher salt, and
fresh cracked black pepper. It cures my pickle cravings!

I no longer keep soup in the house, except some tomato
and chicken for the kids. They don't have high blood pressure,
nor do they eat it every day! Maybe once (twice?) a month.

Oh and if you like cheese, switch to Swiss. It has the least
amount of sodium. An ounce of cheese isn't a lot, so I add
avocado, and tomatoe to my grilled cheese. So good!

Anyway, I find if I keep my sodium in check everything else
(calories, fats, carbs) just kind of falls in to line. I've learned
to eat in moderation. Now I have goals. Almost 2 years 4
months in to this, and it works.

KarissaA

I've learned spices (garlic powder, onion powder, etc) have calories.


I've also learned that 1-2 m&ms can be satisfying.

chrisram88

i learned proportions! I can satisfy my stomach the same as when i use to eat 2 plates!

Phrick

I'm pretty sure that's unprepared. If you mix with water,
should be about 2 1/2 cups. (Actually, 2 11/16 prepared...)
There's only 10 3/4 ounces in a can so you can count
on a serving (like with most soups) as being a cup. If
you use milk, yes you'd have to add the extra calories, etc..

yes it's unprepared. I only use it in recipes and even then try to use a home-prepared mix instead but I was out of mix and in a hurry the other day when I noticed this difference (too much hurry to mix together a new batch; obviously not too much to read the labels still :laugh:)

Jade0529

I learned that I was just clueless when it came to portion size, calories, servings per container/package - esp small packages. It never occurred to be there would be say 3 servings in a small bag of nuts.

I also finally learned that there are no "bad" foods. I can enjoy all sorts of foods and drop weight

RamonaFr

I've learned portion control, and I've learned that it's really really easy to deceive myself, unless I measure all my food. No guesstimates -- they don't work.

chesnity3

Using a food scale is an eye opener and I can still eat whatever I want but with portion control.

sally884

If the label says half a cup or tbsp how do you measure on the scale ?

sally884

Oh and I have learned to think before I eat ! What could I eat that's a better choice or will fill me up? I've learned that when I gain weight it doesn't mean it's all over and to give up but to work harder.
I've learned MFP is awesome!

s4naz

- I learned how many calories I was DRINKING before (I was never big on soda, but Starbucks coffees etc) on a regular basis
- I learned that I can still eat what I want, and still lose weight

EveyRose

I've learned that although I thought I was mostly eating healthy that the occasional fast food/alcohol binge were doing way more dammge then I had ever imagined...talk about the horror 8o

sokkache

1. I like to snack...a lot.
2. I like to snack a lot right before I go to sleep.
3. I should stop snacking before I go to sleep.
4. I still haven't stopped snacking before I go to sleep.
5. When food is healthy, it's less calories, therefore I can eat more.

*sigh* By bedtime, I usually have maybe 100 calories left and I almost always use it up for a midnight snack. I still have yet to control this eating habit.

Rachelc1992

I hate calories.

The best little things are the things with usually the most calories!

Miss_TeaPot

I binge a lot so tracking my calories helped me control that.

daw0518

I learned that there are a lot of foods I like that I just never knew I did because I wouldn't give them a chance when I was younger, like sweet peppers, avocado, & green onions. I never knew I liked veggies in general - & now I voluntarily snack on veggies with greek yogurt ranch or hummus - that never would have happened a year ago!

bkjk997

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

This!

I've also learned that there ARE exercise s that I enjoy... turns out I love Zumba and step aerobics. I NEVER thought I would look forward to working out, but that has started happening in the last week or so. (Before MFP, my slogan was, "The only time you'll ever see me run is if there is a bear behind me.")

bkjk997

Oh, and I learned that I eat a lot more salt than I thought I did. Still working on that one, but it's been an eye opener.

Choc46

I was very sad the day I learned what 40g of cheese looked like

tealgrove

A cup in a cup is not the same as a a cup I "think" is a cup.

Portion control is key.

BoxerBrawler

I used to think that a standard serving was a lot bigger than it actually is. Once I started counting calories and weighing my foods I didn't think a standard serving would not be enough to satisfy me.... and it didn't when I first started out, but it does now.

Phrick

If the label says half a cup or tbsp how do you measure on the scale ?

The label will also say, in (parentheses) next to where it says 1/2 cup or 1 tbsp, how many grams the item is (so on oatmeal it says Serving Size: 1/2 cup (40g) ). 40g is the weight.

rachellleanne

- To distinguish between hunger and cravings

- To control my portion sizes and bulk out my meals with vegetables

- That I used to use way too much cooking oil! Just logging those calories at the beginning made me use way less

- That I probably wasn't getting enough protein. I now eat a lot more beans/lentils etc (I'm a vegan)

- That I used to deny myself snacks which led to binging on high carb/unhealthy foods. Now I snack on fruit/vegetable sticks etc and don't let myself get too hungry

- Knowing that I have to log my food makes me 'think before I eat' and makes me less likely to graze

- Also, to not just to look at the calorie content but the nutritional make up overall

Swiftdogs

Look it up BEFORE I eat it. It only takes a couple of Oh ****! log entries to learn that one. I can pass on a lot of things now that just aren't worth the calorie hit.