Do People Get Annoyed With You Because You Count Calories?

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Replies

  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    But I also have people who make comments like "are you ALLOWED to eat that?" when I decide to splurge and eat something that isn't 'healthy'.

    I tried to explain what I was doing to someone who asked at work the other day, and she was quizzing me on what I was and wasn't "allowed" to eat. I told her I was allowed to eat anything in moderation, I was just trying to stick to recommended daily guidelines on sugar, carbs etc each day. She didn't get it. This woman is stick thin, and obsessed about it, and no doubt has been on countless fad diets.
  • mirapaigew
    mirapaigew Posts: 107
    My friends get frustrated with me because I don't eat like I used to. They always want to eat at the worst possible places. And then I usually get stared at in the grocery store because I will compare items nutritional value. lol
  • mirapaigew
    mirapaigew Posts: 107
    The worst is when they try to shove it in your face by bragging about how they're eating pizza or something greasy.... I have a couple "friends" like that. Cool, you're eating unhealthy... I'm so jealous.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
    it is annoying, the calorie counting though....

    i get annoyed at my partner for constantly counting (although he's eased up lately now he has hit his goal weight). especially when he eats basically the same thing for breakfast every day, the same thing for lunch every day and the same range of things for snacks and dinner... so he knows where he's at...

    i do a rough calculation every now and then, and i feel like i know roughly what i'm eating, and only really check when i'm eating something i haven't counted previously. i know roughly what i eat is worth in calories, and i don't care about going over or under 100 or even 200 calories, as long as i'm eating around about what i'm supposed to be eating, and not always over.

    like anything, it can get a bit addictive...
  • zydratethief
    zydratethief Posts: 171
    Oh God yes....

    I admit though i havent been at all angelic - My boss is training for a marathon and wants to loose weight, so i find myself asking him "Should you be eating that" as he is about to tuck into a pastry...

    He gives me an evil look at that point..


    My family however have started a game "Can you tell me the calories in a banana, and apple, a chicken breast"

    Gets annoying!
  • kristarablue
    kristarablue Posts: 702 Member
    Oh God yes....

    I admit though i havent been at all angelic - My boss is training for a marathon and wants to loose weight, so i find myself asking him "Should you be eating that" as he is about to tuck into a pastry...

    He gives me an evil look at that point..


    My family however have started a game "Can you tell me the calories in a banana, and apple, a chicken breast"

    Gets annoying!

    :LOL My co-workers see me coming and they try to hide the fast food that they are eating then make excuses because they are supposed to be on WW or watching what they eat. Cracks me up because I never actually say a word to them, they just feel guilty in my presence because I am militant about what I eat.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    The rule round here seems to be to only eat in public, so it appears you can stuff your face but maintain a perfect figure. To admit to counting calories would be like admitting you eat babies.
  • AUPerry
    AUPerry Posts: 166
    Some people do, but now some people ask me for advice, which I think is really cool, even if they don't take it :P
  • JCubbins
    JCubbins Posts: 92
    ALL THE EFFIN TIME. When I mention calories, my whole family gets hyper and I get a 2 hour lecture about becoming anorexic :/ They don't understand it, although my parents recently started helping me to find some cool healthy stores :)
    I've never mentioned counting calories and nutritients in front of my friends, so they don't know... haha.
  • Green_Eyed_Girl88
    Green_Eyed_Girl88 Posts: 73 Member
    YES!!! I hear it all the time! Most put it out there as a concern "I really hope your eating enough and not going overboard" "Is it really healthy to count EVERYTHING you eat?" UGH! Im so sick of it..As if being almost 200lbs was healthy!!! Either support me or LEAVE!!!!
  • michelletyler38
    michelletyler38 Posts: 469 Member
    Nobody usually even knows I am doing it LOL.

    LUV the phone app.

    For all they know I am texting!

    Lol same. And I plan my days out ahead of time which makes it easier to avoid foods not planned into my day. I could actually see how constantly talking about calories & tracking could get annoying to the people around you if it's all you talk about!
  • michelletyler38
    michelletyler38 Posts: 469 Member
    Well, I don't make it the center or focus of conversation. If I'm eating with friends, I mentally do some rough calculations in my head, make the best choices I can, and then add things in later. Nobody wants to hear about anyone else's diet. That's rule #1.

    Exactly!
  • libby328
    libby328 Posts: 287 Member
    Wow.... yep same here, my husband and my mother in law both do! What I cant stand is when they try and tell me when I need to eat and how much I should be eating, this is coming from 2 people that have never even tried to diet!!! People tend to take it personally when there is someone around them that wants to be in better shape and have a healthier lifestyle. not sure why but they do!
  • angela828
    angela828 Posts: 498 Member
    No one has ever said anything to me. I had mentioned it to my friends back in January and they said I wasn't fat, blah blah, normal friend-type stuff but I honestly do not think they know how INTO counting calories I am!

    My mom knows but I know she likes it bc she wants me to be at a healthy weight and my fiance knows EVERYTHING bc I talk about it all the time so if he is annoyed he doesn't show it, He also will say "do you have enough calories for that?" which helps put things into perspective.

    I look at it the same way as people who do weight watchers.. they count points, I count the calories. basically the same thing. I am discreet in public, if I'm at a restaurant w my friends or family I log it in on my phone but won't be all "Okay, my salad is 400 calories.. this bread is 100 calories... " lol
  • jenswwjourney
    jenswwjourney Posts: 181
    I plan my day ahead of time so the only person who really knows is my fiancee. It also keeps me on track because I am like "Oh I didn't plan that. NO!" so its nice that I have to stick to my plan and cannot go crazy.
  • tsgaddy
    tsgaddy Posts: 96 Member
    I made the mistake of telling a few coworkers that I was starting this whole lifestyle change. I really only mentioned it because I knew that eliminating sugar [READ: chocolate] may have a slight affect on my mood and I wanted them to be aware that I *may* have some *****y days. Turns out I really didn't have any due to the lack of chocolate, but now it's because of them being all in my diet business. On one hand, I appreciate all of the unsolicited advice because I *think* it's coming from a good place, but as I said, it's unsolicited which is annoying.

    I also honestly believe that not everyone in your life wants you to succeed at this. Those who offer you junk KNOWING that self control over food has obviously been a problem in the past, or those who get upset (why in the hay nay are they so mad? how does YOUR tracking adversely affect THEM anyway?) because of your tracking are just being jerks.

    I try to remember that this is a complete lifestyle change which may include changing your circle of friends as well. If we were recovering alcoholics, would we still go hang out with the gang at the bar?

    Me thinks not.
  • ltlemermaid
    ltlemermaid Posts: 637 Member
    Most of my friends know that I am tracking etc so they usually don't say anything about that, but they do try to get me to eat stuff that I really shouldn't, and roll their eyes when I decline. I've gotten used to it. I plan my meals ahead of time as much as I can and if I know I'll be over my calories I try to work out more that day. I also usually substitute veggies in for fries as sides and don't miss them at all...

    sometimes I can't do anything about it so I enjoy what I can and try to stay at maintenance level as close as I can.
  • tsgaddy
    tsgaddy Posts: 96 Member
    I think most people who are condescending toward people who count calories are really just insecure about their own eating habits.... its actually quite obviously true.

    I totally agree
  • jamerican23
    jamerican23 Posts: 177 Member
    I always ask where are we going I go to the website it there is one I check the menu chose what i want and stick to it .......That way i don't hear the comments or just ignore the comments you have to do what is best for you.
  • fitnessjch
    fitnessjch Posts: 449 Member
    I just try and hide it. I will eat what I want when I'm out, and then will just add to MFP in the evening
  • Tzavush
    Tzavush Posts: 389 Member
    My husband gets terribly annoyed because he says he wants to lose weight, but hasn't made the transition yet.
    He figures if he goes to the gym he can eat whatever he wants because it will all balance out.
    He constantly makes comments about me using the app to input my calories.
    He asked me on Sunday if I was going to be doing this for the rest of my life..... i just told him "Yes"
  • runlorirun
    runlorirun Posts: 389
    My husband doesn't give me too hard of time, I think sometimes he's testing me to see it I am really counting everything, and for good reason! I wasted tons of money on Weight Watchers and cheated most of the time. Yesterday I ate two pieces of popcorn and was mad I couldn't figure out how to count those two pieces...lol

    Right now only my hubby and kids know what I am doing. I have failed myself so many times I don't want other to know yet.
  • mrb_9110
    mrb_9110 Posts: 189 Member
    I try not to make it a point, like if someone offers me something, i'll say, "Oh, that looks good, but I'm not hungry. Thank you though."
    I've found that if I don't make my "diet" the focus of a food conversation, then people don't ask about it.

    I do think it's funny however that if I were on one of those fad diets like Atkins or South Beach, that I could just say, "Nope, it's not on the diet." and people would probably just leave me alone. Even if I were on WeightWatchers (which I don't think is a fad diet) people would still be like okay.
  • jakemg
    jakemg Posts: 42
    I've got the Android app, so it's a little easier to do it surreptitiously. Still, if' I'm on my phone while I'm eating, I'm "putting my calories in."
  • jakemg
    jakemg Posts: 42
    I only hope people don't think I'm implying that they're fat or something. I will take it easy on portions or appetizers. When asked, I just say, "I'm counting calories." I hope that doesn't make them imply that I'm saying they're unhealthy for not being aware.
  • bugnbeansmom
    bugnbeansmom Posts: 292 Member
    My husband did after about 60 days but he has gotten used to it now and it is just part of a meal.

    My coworkers? well a few of them call me the "Food Nazi." They started this with me and mean it in a nice way but they joke about having a motto for meals. W.W. A. E. What would April eat? Kind of funny. I do feel pressure from this though to always set a good example and it can get kind of tiring at times.
  • jakemg
    jakemg Posts: 42
    People give me crap for it all the time, just ignore them. They're just jealous ;)

    Could be. I'm in good shape and they assume I shouldn't need to be keeping track. How the f*** do you think I got into shape? How do you think I maintain my weight, etc. Maybe they're just mad that they aren't in shape and can't commit to just keeping track. It's actually kind of easy. If I know I'm going to eat a burger at dinner or something, I take it easy at lunch/breakfast and I always end up under my calorie goal. If I go out to breakfast and eat an omelet, I know to just rock some celery and yogurt for lunch to make up for that calorie fest.
  • jakemg
    jakemg Posts: 42
    ...maybe they are just jealous of the self control you have?

    Someone else said this. Probably. It's hard at first to exercise self control, but after a few weeks, it's super easy.
  • jakemg
    jakemg Posts: 42
    Yeah, but that's what you're doing (eat healthy and exercise). I think the term "dieting" implies that it's a temporary thing. You're counting calories and tracking exercise. It's a tool that helps you do those things. For me, I would (and will) snack like crazy because there's no way for me to keep track. Oh, it's just a cookie. Oh, it's just a donut. Yeah, but it adds up. This keeps you aware of how much it adds up.
  • TrainerRobin
    TrainerRobin Posts: 509 Member
    It always amazes me when folks are so opposed to tracking calories.

    When we want our vehicles to last a long time, we don't just toss any amount of oil into them. We pay attention to how much oil we add during an oil change, and limit it to the "prescribed" amount.

    When we want to stay fiscally sound, we track our deposits and debits from our bank accounts.

    In my world, our bodies are much more precious than our vehicles (which can be replaced) or bank accounts (which can be replenished), so it's logical (once we understand what calorie balance is and actually know the numbers that get us the desired healthful results) that we do the same kind of tracking/monitoring of our most precious resource -- our bodies.

    When people object, I share this thought with them, and usually get an "Oh well, I guess that's a point" answer.

    What I've also observed over the years is that almost all of the folks who object don't understand the basics. They leave it at a "well, I generally try to be moderate and not eat too much and that works pretty well." When I ask them if they know how many calories are in a pound of fat and how many are in a pound of lean, they RARELY ever know. This has led me to believe that most of these folks see tracking as nonsense at least in part because they don't realize that it (how many calories we need to maintain or lose or gain) is something that's genuinely measurable ... just like how many quarts of oil our vehicles hold and how much money is in our bank accounts.

    I track the debits and credits in my bank account to be fiscally responsible.
    I track the debits and credits in my diet to be physically responsible.

    :drinker:
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