Counting Calories

soupandcookies

Hi all! This is my first post to this group, and I'm sure this question has been asked a million times, but I'm wondering about your views on calorie counting. I've been weighing and measuring my food, and counting calories, for the past 15 years (I'm 35, so this started when I was 20). It has definitely been an obsession - whether I have been overweight or normal weight. I am going to start a Whole30 next month, but this month I've decided to lean towards a Paleo lifestyle. So, I'm wonder if you feel is necessary to count calories. I do not have a lot of weight to lose (maybe 10 pounds, tops), but I'm going to be eating Paleo, to help with my general health (digestive issues, breakouts, hair loss, dry skin, etc etc.) . I also feel addicted to processed junk, and I tend to be a binge eater. I believe Paleo will help. Last night, I made a vegetable beef chili (no beans). It was delicious, but I hemmed and hawed about whether to run it through the recipe builder, and measure my bowl-full of chili. Most books say no... but I'm not sure. I definitely don't want to gain weight.

What are your thoughts on the cal counting issue? If there's another thread about this, I would love someone to post a link! Thanks!

Dragonwolf

Calorie counting should be what it was intended to be -- a tool to use as needed.

The general philosophy around Paleo is that you shouldn't need to count calories. You should be getting the proper food and nutrients such that your body normalizes naturally and you can trust your body to handle weight.

That said, a lot of people on here have found that keeping track of their food helps, but not for the reasons most people track. Instead of looking to make sure you're not eating too much, most people starting on Paleo track to ensure they're eating enough. This is a rather foreign concept to most people just starting out (and, from what I've seen, most of the people in the general MFP community), and it's compounded by the fact that the food you eat on Paleo is really filling and seems really rich and is hugely counter to what most of us have had drilled into our heads. Sometimes, it's useful to track (without "counting" per se), to see where you fall naturally and to learn what it feels like to naturally eat the right amount of food. I can also be useful to track for a while to see where your macronutrients fall, to ensure you're eating the right amounts for your needs.

As for your particular case, I'd say it probably had a negative effect on you psychologically, and it would probably be good to take a break for a while. The Whole 30 may be just what you need to deal with your calorie counting obsession. Think about it this way -- we have maintained a healthy weight for eons while eating real food, without weighing and counting every morsel we put into our mouths. It wasn't until very recently that we started eating foods that sabotaged this natural balancing capability.

Eat real food. Track for now to help recalibrate your perception of how much food is not enough, enough, or too much. When you do your Whole 30, drop the tracking entirely for a month and trust your body. Worst case scenario, you overeat and gain a couple of pounds that you should be able to lose easily by tracking again and making sure that you're not eating too much. The more likely scenario -- you maintain or even lose weight and find that you can do it without being dependent on the calorie calculator.

soupandcookies

WOW! Thank you for this amazing response. So helpful. I really appreciate it. I think you are right, that taking a break will be good for me, on many levels. I have lost touch with my body, and I don't seem to recognize hunger and fullness the way I feel I should. I am hoping that hopping on the Paleo wagon, will help with that. It's certainly worth a try! Thank you again. Much appreciated!

Akimajuktuq

I've commented many times on this subject so I'll be short and not so sweet: It's the FOOD. Calorie restriction is a big fail over the long term. I don't mean that one can eat unlimited amounts but if one sticks to the healthiest foods and eats to satisfaction (not stuffed and more) and is careful with the carbs (depending on one's needs and activity level) then one does not need to worry about calories.

Unfortunately MFP calorie recommendations and our own desire to lose as fast as possible often leads to under-eating. After a year and a half of doing just that I'm faced with reduced lean body mass and a very slow metabolism. I assure you, from experience, that it's a big FAIL. Now I have to repair the damage done which will be an even longer journey.

SteamClutch

It is not something encouraged by nearly every writer in the Paleo community but for me counting was learning what really was in the food I ate, I nearly fell over when I saw how many calories were in a potato and a cup of rice. All that said, I used it as a tool for 6 months then did the Whole30 then tried to do it after and realized I didn't need it and it was a waste of my time, because I knew how to eat, and your body manages if you over eat through elimination as long as you eat real food. Counting calories all those years should make you a walking encyclopedia of caloric knowledge, consider a Whole 30 (I would go about it with a head filled with the whole process) read up on it and step out on a little faith in how this works. If you need some Primal/Paleo friends just send a request.

cindytw

I have been Paleo/Primal and low carb for quite some time (with slips of course, and periods of time I just screw up completely!). I have found tracking necessary for me, because even though I go over my "range" a lot, it makes me more mindful of what I am doing. I can over eat on ANY plan, so I need to check myself via tracking. I am also trying to keep it low carb, around 50g or so, and I need to track for that reason as well.