Does just counting calories really work?

salty134

Hi all, I see lots of success stories with before and after photos. Some area massive change so well done to you all.

My question is have you all lost weight just by counting calories and using myfitnesspal

I guess you must be combining this with exercise?

Or are any of you combining calorie counting along with any of those extreme exercise DVDs such as px90/insanity

Any advise will be appreciated

Salty

JessByrdy

All I know is just cutting calories worked for me and my husband. Just having the knowledge of how many calories are in your food (and getting a food scale to make sure you are eating the appropriate serving size) has made all the difference.

Eventually I got into the gym and love being active now.

But the majority of our weight loss was strictly watching our caloric intake.

Also, we've both done the gym (ARC trainer, treadmill, free weights) and DVDs (insanity & P90X) ... and now I'm doing Barre classes. They all work, it's just about finding something you enjoy

Good Luck!

Mr_Knight

For people who can stick to it and who use sensible numbers - yes, it can work.

Unfortunately most people can't stick to it any better than they can stick to the grapefruit diet (or etc).

Only way to answer the question for you is for you to give it a try.

Sharon_C

I lost all my weight by calorie counting only and eating at a deficit. I didn't start working out until afterward. Now I go to the gym 4-5 times a week and do weight lifting. I've only lost a few more pounds but I've lost a lot of inches since weight lifting.

BrianSharpe

A caloric deficit is all it takes to lose weight, even a modest deficit of 100 cal/day would result in a 10lb loss over a year.

It takes discipline and accuracy to work though, you will see all sorts of threads along the lines of "I'm doing everything and not losing....", usually they're doing everything except accurately logging consumption.

Exercise can help but it's real goal is fitness and health.

paulandrachelk

Have been reading MFP for a bit over a year and most people seem to combine calorie counting (deficit calories) with some sort of exercise. This either gives you more deficit or some extra calories to enjoy. Most of us are also out of shape and need to get healthier overall, hence another reason for exercise.

j4nash

exercise, even a few times a week and calorie counting does it for me.

Falling2Grace

Counting calories didn't work for me whatsoever. I guess it just depends on the person, but calorie counting was not successful to me no matter how well i followed it. Also, i recently read that the FDA allowes up to a 20% error on the label for calories....that could add up to a lot of extra weight per year! It isn't just calories in, calories out. Unfortunately the science of losing weight isn't that reduced. Although, yes, it can work, but is it sustainable....thats debatable. I do believe in clean eating will conqur a lot. Your weight loss sucess will be 90% what you eat, 10% how you move. Obviously calorie counting works for some as there have been great successes seen here, but the only way you would know is to try it.

gem2001

Haven't lost a pound calorie counting. I may need to adjust my numbers. But I set out to eat like a grown up and record what I ate. Some non scale related benefits are that I am more aware of calorie density. I haven't eaten out since I started logging everything and I generally feel better.

I'll be adding exercise back in shortly because clearly my body needs it to let go of the pounds.

scaryhygienist

Hi! My story is that I started just counting calories and doing lighter exercise like walking to jogging. I lost about 40lbs that way in about 3 months! I am feeling stronger so I recently purchased PiYo from a friend that is a beachbody coach. I have lost 10 more lbs in less than 2 months. The other thing that changed is that I have a fitbit that counts my calories burned as well...that has been very helpful. I am looking into a more accurate devise that measures heart rate and everything.

Juliarosemary66

To me it is a combination of calories in and calories out! It's not rocket science- eat less, move more! Losing weight through diet alone works ok at the start of your weight loss journey but exercise helps to tone and strenghten and keep the weight loss going! I hated exercise but have found activities I really enjoy, things I couldn't or wouldn't have done when I was a couch potato!

Smirnoff65

It has worked really well for me combined with exercise for when I want to eat or drink more, this was only walking at the start but since then I have become a lot fitter so now go to the gym as well now. Be truthful and honest with your logging, keep to a deficit and you will lose weight and inches.

ABabilonia

A caloric deficit is all it takes to lose weight, even a modest deficit of 100 cal/day would result in a 10lb loss over a year.

It takes discipline and accuracy to work though, you will see all sorts of threads along the lines of "I'm doing everything and not losing....", usually they're doing everything except accurately logging consumption.

Exercise can help but it's real goal is fitness and health.

Excellent post!!!

Cheyenelikewyoming

Counting calories kind of gives me a cut off point. Like when I go for some cookies, I know that three is better than six. And at the end of the day I don't go rummaging around in the kitchen to eat again if I'm at my cut off.:drinker:

Shalva

I lost a great deal of weight in the past counting calories alone and am just coming back fro am 18 mos. injury to my ankle and subsequent surgery and am losing what I gained during the injury by just calorie counting and exercise (about 80 minutes of good cardio 5-6 days a week) does it work without the exercise sure, losing weight is pretty basic math.

The cardio gives me a bit of squeak room and I never eat back more than a bumpers worth of those calories. The FDA allows for 20% well thats really only a problem if you are eating a lot of packaged or processed foods and are relying on the manufacturer of that food. If you are eating clean, not processed foods then honestly that is really not an issue. I count everything I eat, I seldom eat my entire calorie alotment for the day just in case I messed up somewhere or couldn't accurately count something (like the double chocolate chip cookie pieces I had at lunch, pitiful honestly) or whatever.

I am consistently losing

paulperryman

for the most part yes, tho the body will throw you curve balls, exercise and counting calories is the way to go, sometimes the numbers dont add up but just keep at it, if you are at a helathy deficit and exercising consistantly you are doing good for your body whether you are losing "weight" or not

you wont always lose weight, but if you are dilligent and counting what you eat, the matchs say it has to be paying off one way or another 3500 calories a week deficit is 1lb roughly. the problem comes with under or over estimating intake/exercise other bodily issues like hormones, disease, water retention which throw everything out.

For me personally i ate around 1600-2000 calories and trained like a mad man for nearly 6 months straight before i mixed things up to get out of a plateau, and then back to it when i started losing again, plateaus will happen it's almost enevitable, now i stick to around 2400 for maintenance eat below that i dont gain, eat above 2400 i gain regardless

Unknown

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mommy22alyns

I've lost 43 lbs this year just by counting calories.

mynameisush

Counting Calories has been the only diet that has ever worked for me and I have stuck with. When I diet hard core I'll do my calorie counting 6 days a week and I will take a day off to enjoy a meal I love. That doesn't mean go over board and eat all day. Just eat a meal you love like pizza. Exercise will definitely speed things up. If your like me and loathe exercise try to do things that don't really feel like exercise. I really enjoy walking trails with friends it will get me tired but the conversation pushes me forward. Also swimming. The lake really has helped me this past summer. When you train your self and stick with the counting calories, you wont have to count them as badly. I pretty well know my limits. You wont feel as deprived either when you stop counting. The first week of counting is terribly hard. Every last calorie counts (just one more pretzel...)lol. You will feel better when you start seeing those numbers drop. What also has helped me is buying a scale and weighing myself daily. It can be easy to get off track and eat what you want for a week and still have one number in your head and expect to see the same number when you go to weigh yourself. Granted I don't weigh myself the day after an "off" day. Some the scales help, others it discourages them. Keeps me on track. Good luck with your weight loss, stay strong you can do it!

socalkay

Because of medical problems, I'm relying mostly on counting calories. I did buy a stationary bike and try to do 25 - 30 minutes at least 5 days a week. I wish I could go swimming too, but it is what it is. Still, I've lost 10 lbs in 2 months so progress is being made, mostly because I am now paying attention to what I eat 24/7.

Rosie5025

I've lost 71 lbs in a yr by just cutting calories. In the begining I was exercising but I was getting over whelmed trying to figure it all out.
Now that I have things *food * intake and counting under control I am starting to get back on my Nordic Track. I have to start toning and losing inches. But I think going from a size 30 pant to a size 18 is prettt good for just calorie counting.

Good luck,
Rosie.

Greenbomb

Yes. Studies have shown that for weight loss, cutting calories is more effective than exercise. Of course, both togehter are optimal, and you want to work out for other health benefits. But...Interesting they found that sometimes people overestimate how many calories they burn working out, and over compensate by eating too many calories.

About 5 years ago I went on a very strict diet- did Weight Watchers to the letter, cut out all alcohol. I did not work out, other than daily walks with my dog. I lost 25 pounds in three months.

My current status....I sinced gained that weight back, and am counting calories (but not as rigidly as when I was on WW) BUT I am doing bootcamp 3 days a week- classes are an hour long and very intense. I know I am healthier with the work outs, but have only lost 5 pounds in 7 weeks. I know if I cut the calories much more it would make all the difference.

spa407

It is for me. I'm down 36 lbs since May 23, 2014. All I've done is started counting calories and walking on extra mile a day. Just last week I added in a running program.

LiftAllThePizzas

Hi all, I see lots of success stories with before and after photos. Some area massive change so well done to you all.

My question is have you all lost weight just by counting calories and using myfitnesspal

I guess you must be combining this with exercise?

Or are any of you combining calorie counting along with any of those extreme exercise DVDs such as px90/insanity

Any advise will be appreciated

Salty

The exercise allows you to eat a larger amount of food while still being in a caloric deficit. Plus it improves your health and gives you more energy to move and be happier while you're burning more calories and eating more. I've never heard a good reason to not exercise. I mean if you're just going to be a lump on the couch then why does it even matter whether you are a fat lump or a skinny lump?

astroophys

It's not really about calorie counting working or not working. It's about eating less calories than you burn. It really is. Despite the whole starvation mode scare tactics, you can't make mass out of nothing. So yeah, calories in < calories out. Calorie counting tends to help people make sure that their calories in is less than their calories out.

I count calories. It has allowed me to really see how much I used to eat and take full responsibility for my being an obese child and an obese/overweight adult. Since joining MFP, I have made the most significant losses since I chose to lose weight a few months ago. Finally adding exercise has given me an even greater boost! You can certainly lose weight without exercise, but if you are physically able to exercise, it is truly worth doing.

For others, eating paleo helps them keep their calories in less than their calories out. For others, it's cutting out processed sugar. For others, it's joining a running group and doing crossfit. The methods are endless, really.

Find what gets you to take in less calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight, do it, and you will lose weight. Don't let any naysayers convince you otherwise. Weight loss is not impossible. It can be difficult, sometimes incredibly difficult, depending on the circumstances (lack of awareness when it comes to how much one is actually eating...I recommend watching "Secret Eaters" the BBC show, genuine medical issues, emotional difficulties connected to eating, etc).

The best of luck to you, and I hope you reach your weight loss goals and more!!!

bimmerjt9

6 months ago I decided to eat healthily and lose weight. In 4.5 months I lost 13 lbs. I started using mfp 1.5 months ago since when I have lost about 12 lbs. I've also been exercising 3-4 days a week though it all. So yes it has greatly helped me understand what I am eating and how to limit my calorie intake. Some foods calories were very surprising to me. So for me yes!

alereck

A calorie deficit will help anyone lose weight, exercise or not. If you eat at a 200 calorie deficit with no exercise you will lose weight slowly and your body image might not change much (you might become skinny fat) but you will lose.

Exercising will improve everything about your body and help you lose the weight faster as long as you are still eating at a deficit. And no, it does not have to be a crazy insane workout to get you there. Anything will help, but it has been proven that a strength conditioning program works best to lose weight and improve body composition.

Start slow keeping things simple: eat less and exercise more. Once you starting seeing the results hopefully you will get more into it and start increasing intensity and how dedicated you are to the process.

Good luck!

carrieann8

Counting calories is great, but in my humble opinion, it isn't everything. And frankly, there is more to your diet and your life style than calories and exercise. If you count calories for doughnuts in the morning, fast food for lunch, and fried whatever for dinner, even if you are under your calories, you are sabotaging yourself.

The sugary cereals and grain carbs stays as sugar in your system and makes you crave more sugar and more carbs. Google it. It puts you into a cycle of craving things that make you gain weight! For instance, a ketchup pack may only be 6 calories but its first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup and that is what scientists use to fatten lab rats. Unpronouncable ingredients in many fat free and low fat foods are just plain scary.

Yes, I count calories. I also eat real food. Most of the food that comes into my house doesn't have a label. But it isn't as simple as calories in and calories out. I also know that 200 calories of lean chicken or pork is better for me than 200 calories of chips and candy. I've taken time to get to know my body. I am lactose intolerant and avoid dairy because it hurts. I also know that too many grains makes my body swell and its just not pleasant. I know protein and fruit in the morning gives me the energy I need to get through my morning at work. I know a light lunch like veggies, fruit, and lunch meat keeps me from getting the afternoon sleepies and an afternoon snack of cashews or chicken helps when I'm getting the 3:00 munchies before dinner. So, no, its not just calories in and calories out.

Snow3y

Naw it's all bs, the only way to lose weight is to drink 200litres of water whenever you're hungry, and have a cube of cheese for breakfast

AllOutof_Bubblegum

I lost the first 30 lbs of my 40 pounds dropped JUST by eating at a calorie deficit. Then I dropped the last ten after I joined my gym and started lifting heavy weights.

salty134

Thanks everyone for the advise. I'm going to give it a go. Start by counting calories then maybe add some running.

I have counted calories,before and lost some weight, but fell of the wagon when I stopped,losing the weight.

Let's see if I can stick to it this time...........