"calorie counting will get you no where"

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  • Prettypiglett
    Prettypiglett Posts: 72 Member
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    Down 150 pounds by counting calories. It is only possible if the person committed and stick to it. I still need to lose somewhere between 40-50 pounds. I have upped my calories now as I decided to lose less per week as I want to eat more for a while without going crazy.


    I love this quote, it gives me hope as I am still trying :) Well done on your fantastic achievement x
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
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    says my 100 pound roommate. I snapped back at her. I couldn't help it, I got defensive. That comment alone was enough to shut down my entire day, and I'm convinced it was the reason I wandered up to the counter at panera and ordered a brownie without even thinking about what I was doing. I've been doing MFP for a while and I've seen little to no results. Half of it is that I can't seem to disconnect the emotional connection I have to food. Also, working out every day almost never happens. However, even weeks when I manage it somehow and eat right, the numbers barely go down and if they do, they go right back up again. Is it true.. will calorie counting really get me no where? I dont know. feeling defeated.

    Girl, you CAN do this, you have to change your MIND to change your body. No one can figure that out for you hon, but we are all are rooting for you. BELIEVE you are capable of change. Acknowledge that hard work pays off, then execute your plan to the very best of your ability. If you have patience, your body and health will change for the better!! Best wishes! Don't listen to negative people, there are ALWAYS people who will try to bring you down. Brush them off like the dust they are, and then DO YOUR THING!!
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 335 Member
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    I hope it gets us somewhere. Mathematically, it makes logical sense. If you decrease your calories you will lose weight. How can it be any other way?

    I know also though that fats and sugars need to stay pretty low as well. I would add that to your goals if you haven't already.

    You don't have to work out every day. You also input that in MFP as well. I put in that I work out 3 days and it tells me what I should eat accordingly. Then if I work out more I figure it's a bonus.

    I don't think the same thing works for everyone. I know people who lost hundreds of pounds and never counted calories but instead say they started "eating clean." Others have done it by counting. Some only worked out and never changed their diets.

    I would really say not to get discouraged. Cut out as much sugar and trans fat as you can and keep close to your calorie goal. If you go over, work out to get back under again. It'll come off. You can do it!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Oh Crap!! you mean I have been going about this all wrong!!! Grr!! I can't believe calorie counting doesn't work........... LOL All kidding aside yes it (calorie counting) is just one tool in a host of them that can be used but to me it is a very important one. Food is what got alot of us Fat (Some of us off every chart, me,me,me... I was beyond super morbidly obese) so by learning calorie counting, the amounts of calories in food, reading labels, etc... it was the best way for me to hold myself accountable to the amounts of calories I was consuming... At the end before my AHA moment my dietician figured I was consume over 8000 calories a day and I was none the wiser to the amounts I was eating until I started working with her and realizing this.. So I for one am standing in the corner of calorie counting as being a very vital process for my weightloss, and I think my ticker doesn't lie... I am 34 months into this new lifestyle and I will guarantee you that calorie counting WILL be part of my permanent lifestyle from here on out.... That much I know.....
  • Jessyfai
    Jessyfai Posts: 1 Member
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    Ur body might be like mine. Calorie counting alone does not help. And u cant starve ur body, otherwise it will store all calories and u will nevrr lose weight. I hace to look at the whole picture of my meals. No more processed foods, what nutritional value do those give to our bodies? Low calories, i do count... but its got to b healthy stuff. Make it worth puttibg in ur body.
    then its ok to endulge a little, but not a lot. And dont give up. Stay with ur calorie goals and look at the other health components of the food u put in ur body.
  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
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    says my 100 pound roommate. I snapped back at her. I couldn't help it, I got defensive. That comment alone was enough to shut down my entire day, and I'm convinced it was the reason I wandered up to the counter at panera and ordered a brownie without even thinking about what I was doing. I've been doing MFP for a while and I've seen little to no results. Half of it is that I can't seem to disconnect the emotional connection I have to food. Also, working out every day almost never happens. However, even weeks when I manage it somehow and eat right, the numbers barely go down and if they do, they go right back up again. Is it true.. will calorie counting really get me no where? I dont know. feeling defeated.

    If it's not working, you are not trying. Maybe you just aren't ready. Good luck on your goals.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
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    I'm here to get fitter, and to share my imput and knowledge about nutrition and weight loss with others even at the expense of not being popular with some of my statements, this thread obviously one of them. My point is and always will be that until someone makes fundamental changes in their overall attitute to food, exercise, stress etc, that simply by counting calories almost all will not find longterm weight loss or health. That 95% failure rate isn't something I pulled out of a hat, it's reality. I'm not saying it won't work, but chances are it won't.

    You may or may not be winning at losing weight, but you're certainly not winning at being a nice, encouraging person.... maybe you should work on that a little now that you've got ALL this figured out and perfected better than MFP and better than all the rest of us mere mortals.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
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    You know, I think you are on the verge of a big break thru if you let it happen.........I just said this in another thread, your mental and emotional state is Just As IMPORTANT as what you eat and how much you work out. You recognize that you have a negative emotional connection with food........the next step is tackling that so you can be successful and be who you DESERVE to be.


    Yeah.. well I realized I had an emotional connection to food years ago haha, can't seem to get to the root of it though. and I can't stop.. I'm scared it will never change and will always stop me from being who I want to be.

    Have you gone to therapy?

    I didn't get any success in my weight loss until I had the mental connection taken care of too and fully realized that I deserved more than I was giving myself. :)
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
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    I haven't read all of the posts here, but the majority of them are 'spot on'. You get out of this what you put in, your calories should be nutritious, not junk, and a reasonable amount of exercise/activity is good, too. Don't go on a 'diet' as you will fall off very soon. I am not losing weight right now, but I have also come to the realization that I am eating healthy, getting a fair amount of exercise/activity and feel good. I have also decided that the number on the scale is just that - a number. It is not my LIFE SCORE!! Most of us are not going to lose like the commercials on TV, magazines, etc., or the Biggest Loser. You can't let other people decide for you, and you can't blame other people for the emotional eating. Find out why the emotions surface when something like this happens. Take care.
  • Austin1988
    Austin1988 Posts: 243 Member
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    If a 95% failure rate is any evidence, then counting calories doesn't work.

    So if you aren't counting calories, why are you on MFP where the biggest thing is logging food and keeping track of calories, among other things.

    It may say swiss milk on the side of the bus, as in advertising, but the bus doesn't necessarily go to Switzerland. j/k

    I'm here to get fitter, and to share my imput and knowledge about nutrition and weight loss with others even at the expense of not being popular with some of my statements, this thread obviously one of them. My point is and always will be that until someone makes fundamental changes in their overall attitute to food, exercise, stress etc, that simply by counting calories almost all will not find longterm weight loss or health. That 95% failure rate isn't something I pulled out of a hat, it's reality. I'm not saying it won't work, but chances are it won't.

    i remember you from another website. you are just being a pain in the rear! go do something positive.

    counting calories and exercising does work, if you do it. that is the problem, a lot of people just don't do it and then wonder why the program doesn't work. i am learning so much and i am already losing weight without feeling like i have cut off an entire food group or something.

    it works and it's easy, but i have to give up my cookie binges, go figure!
    LOL.............I still binge on cookies periodically, I win.


    So, if that number isn't something you pulled out of a hat, go ahead and provide your sources please. It sounds much more reliable when someone gives sources for throwing out a huge statement like 95% fail rate.
  • nicoleleighward
    nicoleleighward Posts: 1
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    Exactly!!
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    If a 95% failure rate is any evidence, then counting calories doesn't work.

    Huh? Did I miss something? Where did '95% failure rate' come from? There are thousands of ppl here who prove that counting calories does work!
    For how long?

    The CHANGE you make while counting calories and becoming aware of the types of foods you are putting in your body is where success lies.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
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    You know, I think you are on the verge of a big break thru if you let it happen.........I just said this in another thread, your mental and emotional state is Just As IMPORTANT as what you eat and how much you work out. You recognize that you have a negative emotional connection with food........the next step is tackling that so you can be successful and be who you DESERVE to be.

    LOVE THIS!! Listen to her--she's SPOT ON!
  • Pankakefacebetch
    Pankakefacebetch Posts: 108
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    Counting calories has made me 27 pounds lighter and my journey isn't over :-)
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
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    *hugs* Ignore your idiot roommate.
    Counting calories has helped me lose - even before I started exercising. The number that MFP gave me works for me (so far) but a lot of people say that it skews too low so you might need to up your calories (I'm probably a broken record here since I'm sure many have brought it up) but check this site out:

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    See what it gives you and try that for a little while. Don't be scared of higher calories. I plan to jump on the bandwagon once my weight starts stalling lol.

    Don't give up & most importantly, ignore the idiots. Oh and don't let the random brownie here and there bring you down! It happens :-)
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    If a 95% failure rate is any evidence, then counting calories doesn't work.

    Huh? Did I miss something? Where did '95% failure rate' come from? There are thousands of ppl here who prove that counting calories does work!
    For how long?

    2 years and easily maintaining......for me.
  • jbdowns35
    jbdowns35 Posts: 352
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    You and I sound a lot a like in how we view food. I have found that what works for me is having a plan. Every Sunday morning I sit down and write out my menu for the week. I figure out what I am going to eat, day by day, meal by meal, snack by snack. Am I successfull 100% of the time... no.. but I will take 95%!!! It really has made the biggest difference with my will power. It takes the last minute choice away from me.

    I use that list to grocery shop and do as much prep for the week as I can.(bake or grill chicken for lunches during the week, measure snacks into snack baggies, chop up fruit which will keep) I then post it on a dry erase board in the kitchen so I can easily pack lunches and snacks and take out the appropriate meats for dinners.

    I do this too, it is a life saver!!!! So glad I finally got a good system down for meal planning & sticking to it. I save time & money & it really makes me stick to my guns, plus I have so much extra time to fit in my workouts.
  • andreanicole686
    andreanicole686 Posts: 406 Member
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    Counting calories gets you to a smaller dress or pant size! People who usually don't know what they are talking about or have never tried to lose weight say these types of things. It seems like the biggest thing you need to work on is breaking away from emotional eating. If your mind isn't into it you will NOT lose the weight. There are plenty of people on this site that can use themselves (me included) on why counting calories does work. But it has to be a lifetsyle change NOT a diet.
  • madkison77
    madkison77 Posts: 5
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    EXACTLY!!! LOL
  • conidiring
    conidiring Posts: 230 Member
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    Most of the 95% fails happen when people stop doing what they are doing when they reach their goals and go back to their "old ways". So, is it the "calorie counting" fail or is it the "diligence" fail?

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