Do you count every calorie?

jmruef

If it goes in your mouth it goes on the MFP log.

Edit: I do believe that's the dirtiest thing I've posted here

That made me laugh. :laugh:

I add just about everything. I don't count diet soda because it has no calories, but if it has a calorie, I count it. Otherwise, as other people have pointed out, it's really easy for all those incidental little things to add up.

It's also helpful - for me at least - to realize that "just a chip here" or "just a taste of this" really does mean something. It might be a tiny bit of something unhealthy, but when I'm chugging along on the elliptical, it turns out to be not worth the extra effort, you know?

cjjones007

I've recently added some friends to MFP. I've learned this journey cannot be taken alone and I figure friends will help. I see that I can see others food diaries and one person has counted all of their calories including 16 for 30ml of skimmed milk added to coffee. I don't but should I?

I have asked MFP to give me a 1000 calorie a day deficit (2lb's per week). I have trouble eating that (1700 cals per day), but there are some things I just generally don't count, I don't count milk in coffee (1pt generally lasts me about 10 days), I don't count all the calories in veg and salad that I eat (unless I know they are likely to be significant - things like peas, potatoes, etc).

Should I meticulously be tracking every calorie, should I save myself a few each day or should I just ignore it? Its early days and I know I am losing weight, but am I fooling myself? Is my weight loss water and will I just find I stay the same next week?

Thoughts and opinions appreciated and if you want to add me as a friend, I am happy to accept - I am keen to build up a support network.

Many thanks
Chris

Heya Chris - I count everything too.
I was doing, like you, and ignoring the small stuff for awhile and on a wild hair started counting it... Turned out it was over 400 calories a day. HOLY COW! - so now I even add the 0 calorie sweetener or Diet pepsi if I have one that day LOL

Onesnap

If it goes in your mouth it goes on the MFP log.

Edit: I do believe that's the dirtiest thing I've posted here

This might be my new motto. And is by far my favorite response of the day!

Losing2Live69

I log everything I eat...squirt of ketchup, mustard, Stevia packet, mushrooms, creamer in coffee.....if it goes in my mouth it gets logged. I log things not only to keep track of calories, but also other nutritional info like protein and sodium.

houseofcarpenter

If it goes in your mouth it goes on the MFP log.

Edit: I do believe that's the dirtiest thing I've posted here

bahaha made me giggle!!

thebamboophoenix

Yes, I count everything. At first I did this to really see exactly what I was consuming. Now, whilst I know that fruit & veg etc is minimal, I still count it; this is because I am amazed to see how much I can eat and for so few calories - I kinda get a kick out of that.

maddiecrist123

For the most part, I count just about everything. But I try not to obsess about it, beause I've had a history of calorie obsession. If I have a teaspoon of milk in my coffee or a piece of a vegetable in a sandwich, I don't worry if I don't count it.

karenjoy

If it goes in your mouth it goes on the MFP log.

Edit: I do believe that's the dirtiest thing I've posted here

That made me laugh. :laugh:

I add just about everything. I don't count diet soda because it has no calories, but if it has a calorie, I count it. Otherwise, as other people have pointed out, it's really easy for all those incidental little things to add up.

It's also helpful - for me at least - to realize that "just a chip here" or "just a taste of this" really does mean something. It might be a tiny bit of something unhealthy, but when I'm chugging along on the elliptical, it turns out to be not worth the extra effort, you know?

I bet you are in the US, because of the way the law works there, they do not have to put the calorie content if its below a certain amount per SERVING hence of you look at a small bottle of diet coke it will have TWO servings...diet coke has calories on the can in the UK, a normal can of diet coke has 4 calories and even coke zero has a calorie a can...so you might want to think again about your diet soda..

As for logging everything, I do more or less, I am not obsessive, I sometimes estimate or guess weights, and sometimes I might be over or under but mostly I log as honestly as I can and am able to. Seems to me the best way to go is to make sure you know where you calories are coming from?

jmruef

If it goes in your mouth it goes on the MFP log.

Edit: I do believe that's the dirtiest thing I've posted here

unhealthy, but when I'm chugging along on the elliptical, it turns out to be not worth the extra effort, you know?

I bet you are in the US, because of the way the law works there, they do not have to put the calorie content if its below a certain amount per SERVING hence of you look at a small bottle of diet coke it will have TWO servings...diet coke has calories on the can in the UK, a normal can of diet coke has 4 calories and even coke zero has a calorie a can...so you might want to think again about your diet soda..

Yup, I'm in the US.

Didn't know that about diet soda, but - well - I'm gonna let that one go. I don't see myself switching to a healthier alternative (like water) just because I like the taste of Diet Mountain Dew and hate HATE HATE water. So I'll chalk it up to an unhealthy vice and live with the consequences.

wilyz

If i have an apple or an orange i count it, but if i have double cheese burger i dont. Hope this helps

nc1191

I count calories for things like milk/creamer that I add to my coffee, but not gum that I chew, or vitamins or calcium chews. I'm not as meticulous as I probably could/should be, but I also don't want to obsess over it. I think it's all about finding a balance that works for you.

I agree 100%

rlawrimore

I log most things. If it is something that is say 20-30 calories and I only have that once a day then no, I don't get that detailed. If I do that with 10 things a day, then yes I log it.

ashleigh2311

i weigh just about everything.

Veggies are especially important.
Mine really add up because i usually eat a lot, so they definitely make a difference.

And same with milk, a dash of milk in tea might not seem like much, but i drink at least 5 cups of tea/coffee a day so that definitely adds up.

lauz45

I'm so glad i've been reading this thread, but i'm also quite annoyed at myself. I *thought* I logged every calorie, but I just realised I don't log sweetners in my tea (sweetex) which is 12 cals a day, or the splash of Robinsons sugar free squash I have in water (drank 1.25 litres today) which is another 100 cals today! Dammit

Ah well, now I know!

dls06

Count everything. If you start leaving things out it really adds up.

Mtsidad

Meh. Forgot about the fish oil caps. I take 6 a day per doctor's advice, so I'm gonna have to go back now and readjust my calorie intake...

I try to count everything, because even though it's not seen as "high calorie," other things add up. I'm especially alarmed at how much sodium I'm consuming. So counting everything helps me to see where I'm getting excessive.

My goal is to be honest on the board, and count everything. I try to overestimate a bit on the portions and amounts so that I'm maintaining a 2-pound-per-week goal. But I'm not here to punish myself if I fail - this isn't about making me feel bad; it's about getting into the proper relationship with food, my elbow, and my mouth.

LuckyLeprechaun

Logging every single thing is a good habit to start when you are just beginning. It makes you mindful of your eating, and it educates you on the hidden calorie surprises out there. That said, after you have been at it for awhile, you can use your judgment to use the diary as you feel is best for you.

Now that I have been at it for a bit, I don't log the things I already KNOW are very very low. Such as, the lettuce leaf on my sandwich, or the single grape I take from my hubby. If I make a stalk of celery with PB on it, I only log the PB. My rule of thumb for myself is, if it's <15 calories~ish, then I don't worry about it. My reasoning is, I didn't get fat from eating too much lettuce. However, portion size still matters! I don't count it if I have 1-2 baby carrots while I'm serving some to hubby, but if I have a full portion by myself, I do log it. So it's not the foods themselves but the actual calorie count that I use to decide whether it's worth logging.

LuckyLeprechaun

because of the way the law works there, they do not have to put the calorie content if its below a certain amount per SERVING

the line in the sand is: if it is 5 calories or less per serving, they can round down and say there are zero.

Losingitin2011

I stopped losing weight, so I decided to try a little experiment if you will. I am not going to count the fruits and vegetables I am eating for 1 week. I don't eat a lot of fruit, maybe 1-2 servings per day, but I eat a ton of veggies. If I start losing weight again, I'll continue doing it that way, if I gain, then I'll figure something else out. :-)

LuckyLeprechaun

that plan is similar to the new weight watchers plan. Interesting to see if that has an effect

Ilovepeppers

At first a didnt add everything and I didnt seem to lose weight very well. I would have a bit of milk in coffee, a couple veggies with dinner (small amounts), a single spoonful of ice cream I took from someoned plate, my babys oatmeal I would take a bite from when feeding her. Well I saw that this can add up to 100+ cals a day. So now I either track it all or I make sure if I'm doing these things that I'm at LEAST 100 cals below my goal to ensure I'm not going over.

Nursebeachnut

I count EVERYTHING! Even just taste of something!

tonicia

I think it's totally up to you. There are no mfp police to fine you if you don't log everything, but personally I log EVERYTHING. I mean, a dash of hot sauce, my vitamins, even asprin. Even if it doesn't affect my calorie total, it helps me see patterns in what I put into my body.

TAWoody

Counting every calorie is pointless. Do your best to get close but don't worry about something less than 20 calories like your buddy. Just don't snack on 50 pieces of chocolate and not add any of them because they are each only 20 calories. That's when it would matter and you should add as a bulk. It being pointless I say is because you can't always know the exact portion or calorie content of what you eat unless you hand cook EVERY meal and snack you eat and you never eat out, at work functions, or friends' homes. Not to mention that lots of calorie counts in MFP are slightly off for some items so your count might not be correct in the first place.

mamarundrc

I count EVERYTHING. It is the only way for me to hold myself accountable. I have even counted some of the baby food that I have stolen from my Son (some of his finger foods are pretty damn tasty). Otherwise, I am likely to add 100-200 calories of crap without realizing it (a jelly bean here, a bite of hubby's toast there). Everything adds up.

THat is what works for me, I know myself to well and if I didn't I would cheat a lot more. If you are not picking throughout the day, it probably isn't completely necessary but in the end it doesn't hurt to try.

1234lbsgone

I do the best I can, but I don't shed tears if I don't get it perfect. I don't bother to add bites of little things. But then again, I'm an anorexic. So if I get meticulous, it's not a good thing, it's a bad sign.

I think if you are just starting, then logging most of your food is a good start. Get the hang of it, when it gets easy, take it to the next level.

deathtaco

to an extent. But remember, caloric values on nutrition labels are estimated/rounded a lot. So even counting exact calories is going to be off of actual intake. Log the major stuff and try to not eat the little stuff. Will balance out in the end and make the diet easier to follow.

jessie580

I count every single thing so that if I notice my weight not coming off like last week, I can see what I ate/did differently.

maybe up the water, down the diet coke, more veggies less low calorie treats.
you know what I mean?

for comparator reasons

and because I am craaaazy lol

measure and weigh alllll day so fun