Do you count every calorie?

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  • nc1191
    nc1191 Posts: 51 Member
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    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
    rlawrimore Posts: 72 Member
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    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
    ashleigh2311 Posts: 105 Member
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    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
    lauz45 Posts: 243
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    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
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Count everything. If you start leaving things out it really adds up.
  • Mtsidad
    Mtsidad Posts: 242 Member
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    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
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    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
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    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
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
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    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
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    that plan is similar to the new weight watchers plan. Interesting to see if that has an effect
  • Ilovepeppers
    Ilovepeppers Posts: 396 Member
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    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
    Nursebeachnut Posts: 83
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    I count EVERYTHING! Even just taste of something!
  • tonicia
    tonicia Posts: 145 Member
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    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
    TAWoody Posts: 261 Member
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    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
    mamarundrc Posts: 1,577 Member
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    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
    1234lbsgone Posts: 296 Member
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    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
    deathtaco Posts: 237
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    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
    jessie580 Posts: 87
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    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 :D so fun :D

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