Calorie Counting 101

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  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Just bumping useful posts. Don't mind me.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It feels like this could use another bump today.
  • FitnessGirl11mfp
    FitnessGirl11mfp Posts: 232 Member
    Great post! Thank you for the info!
  • clark614
    clark614 Posts: 92 Member
    Bumping to save
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Could use a bump.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Don't mind me. Just giving this a bump.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Needs a bump today
  • jodieelol
    jodieelol Posts: 33 Member
    Amazing post, read through every single comment too. Recently started weighing absolutely everything
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Bump.
  • vczK2t
    vczK2t Posts: 309 Member
    So vismal, "To correctly implement calorie counting you must log everything you consume in a day that contains calories. This includes liquids and/or supplements that contain calories". what about supplements/medication that doesn't have calories. do you think it's important to track those to see if they may have an effect on weight loss/gain?
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    I
    vczK2t wrote: »
    So vismal, "To correctly implement calorie counting you must log everything you consume in a day that contains calories. This includes liquids and/or supplements that contain calories". what about supplements/medication that doesn't have calories. do you think it's important to track those to see if they may have an effect on weight loss/gain?

    If it has zero calories it won't affect fat loss however things like sodium or medication may show a stall or increase in weight due to water retention.
  • benji_jay
    benji_jay Posts: 4 Member
    Wow! This was extremely helpful :)
    Thanks a ton.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Hasn't been bumped in a while.
  • afort001
    afort001 Posts: 45 Member
    Good article !
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    I know you wrote this two years ago but for someone trying to understand calories and how to make things work this was an amazing read! Thank you.... I overestimate when I'm not sure and measuring really is an eye opener.. Thanks again :)
  • SkyMaiden007
    SkyMaiden007 Posts: 25 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    Calorie Counting 101


    When weighing condiments I zero the scale with the container sitting on the scale. I apply the condiments to my food. I then put the container back on the scale. It will read a negative number in grams. That is how much condiment I used. This does not work for aerosols like pam or whip cream.

    MY GOD, THIS IS GENIUS!!

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Nothing to see here. Just bumping useful old threads.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    Calorie Counting 101


    When weighing condiments I zero the scale with the container sitting on the scale. I apply the condiments to my food. I then put the container back on the scale. It will read a negative number in grams. That is how much condiment I used. This does not work for aerosols like pam or whip cream.

    MY GOD, THIS IS GENIUS!!

    @SkyMaiden007 Yes it is! The first time you learn about this out either on the boards or on your own, it's magical.
    It's like you have a magical scale! ;):D

    You can make a sandwich on the scale and measure it right down to the pickle! :laugh:
  • sharon566359
    sharon566359 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you so much as a newbie this has been very helpful
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    grmckenzie wrote: »
    New here but read through this thread yesterday and bought a scale.

    Now I'm pissed off.

    I like the Quaker Harvest Crunch cereal for breakfast. Maybe not the healthiest, but I like it. And the calories weren't too bad. As the description give 1 cup (45g) 300 Calories.

    So I weigh it on my fancy new scale. 1 cup = 97 grams. So over 600. Dammit! Had oatmeal this morning.

    Yep. It really can be a shocker. Kudos to you for taking the time to inform yourself.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    grmckenzie wrote: »
    New here but read through this thread yesterday and bought a scale.

    Now I'm pissed off.

    I like the Quaker Harvest Crunch cereal for breakfast. Maybe not the healthiest, but I like it. And the calories weren't too bad. As the description give 1 cup (45g) 300 Calories.

    So I weigh it on my fancy new scale. 1 cup = 97 grams. So over 600. Dammit! Had oatmeal this morning.

    Kinda screwed up a little. Box say 2/3 cup is 45 grams. I've been using 1 cup which weighed 97 grams so I was a bit off in my frustration, but still that's off by 50%
  • msalicia116
    msalicia116 Posts: 233 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    The struggle is real folks. I like many of you measured solid foods using cups, tablespoons, and the like. It simply doesn't work most of the time and as pointed out above, it can be off by A LOT. Here's a visual representation of measuring peanut butter with a tablespoon and a scale...
    qk5eitxky53y.jpg

    Noooooo!!! Why god, why?!
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    The struggle is real folks. I like many of you measured solid foods using cups, tablespoons, and the like. It simply doesn't work most of the time and as pointed out above, it can be off by A LOT. Here's a visual representation of measuring peanut butter with a tablespoon and a scale...
    qk5eitxky53y.jpg

    This right here is why I am glad I prefer smooth peanut butter. It's actually a little less sad when trying to make a serving spread over the slice!
  • zamphir66
    zamphir66 Posts: 582 Member
    grmckenzie wrote: »
    New here but read through this thread yesterday and bought a scale.

    Now I'm pissed off.

    I like the Quaker Harvest Crunch cereal for breakfast. Maybe not the healthiest, but I like it. And the calories weren't too bad. As the description give 1 cup (45g) 300 Calories.

    So I weigh it on my fancy new scale. 1 cup = 97 grams. So over 600. Dammit! Had oatmeal this morning.

    "Healthy" and "natural" granola-type cereals are calorie bombs. Now I use a single serving as a topper to some Greek yogurt instead.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Just a little bump. Don't mind me.

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  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Just giving some threads a holiday bump.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Bumping this for visibility.
  • AFGP11
    AFGP11 Posts: 142 Member
    I know this is an oldie thread, but just wanted to say thanks for writing that all out. I was able to lose 60 pounds when I first had my son a few years ago, and learning to count calories got me through several plateaus. I took some time off because there was a death in the family and a few other things, but in that time I was smarter about food and didn't gain as much as I otherwise might. Now I am back and educating myself even more to begin a weight lifting regime with some goals I couldn't reach without nutrition. I mention all of this because if I had never learned to count calories and track nutrition from the ground up, gram by gram, I would never be considering the kinds of goals I am now. You have to learn to walk before you can fly as they say, and using a scale, a fitbit and a nutrition/calorie counter is the best way I can think of to learn how to walk.

    If we were all able to track our intake without counting, all of us would be thin and trim. If you have another tried and true way that works for you, great. If you don't, listen to the people here who have been successful and follow that system. At least give it a shot. They got results because something they did worked. It is a little more work than just cooking and eating, but it saves you a ton of work trying to figure out what is going wrong if you ever hit a plateau. You will lose faster and more steadily, and in the long run, that is actually easier than not tracking it at all and constantly guessing. Just my 2 cents.

    Thanks for the write up! It helped me a lot!