"calorie counting will get you no where"

PattyMallo

Calorie counting works, if you're counting your calories correctly and measuring properly. It's so easy to say one cup and count those calories, when in fact, you've really had a cup and a half. Miscounting or measuring is only cheating yourself.

Because there was a time that WW wasn't working for me, so I decided to visit Jenny Craig. Within six months, I had lost 30 pounds. I have kept that weight off for 20 months! I joined MFP to keep me on track eating "normal" food, making healthier choices.

So, don't get discouraged. COUNT those calories --- and count them properly! Good luck --- YOU can do it!! :happy:

447eliz

I consider it more of a lifestyle change then calorie counting. It is all about choices. Also, I have found eating every two to three hours has helped me keep my metabolism up. I have thyroid problems, so making smart choices on what I eat and how I eat, and making sure to consume enough calories so my body will function, has help me feel better than I have in years. Stay positive and surround yourself with supportive people. Make sure you know that it is all about you and not what other are doing and think. Everyone's body is different and reactions differently. Just find your groove and it will all work out. Stay focused and motivated.

Weighinginwithmy02

have you ever thought about cognitive behavior therapy for your emotional eating?

gemiwing

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.

Sorry you're having a rough go of it right now. The idea of 'counting calories' didn't work for me- stay with me here lol- it didn't work because I was trying to restrict my food intake too low. I had a correlation of eating less was 'good' and if I was 'good' that meant I ate less. "Eat less move more" was a lie for me because I didn't understand the bigger picture. I would be 'good' and restrict restrict restrict- only to lose it all in an 'emotional' (ie, last ditch effort by my body to get some calories in me) eating splurge. Then- restart the cycle of feeling 'bad' because of a 2x2 inch square of flour and eggs.

Far better to fuel ourselves than to starve. If I were to take a person and put them in a box- only feed them less and less food.. would I be good then? No. So why do I give myself a pass to do the same to me? Starving myself now won't fix the overeating in the past.

What changed my thinking was finally seeing whether I ate or didn't had NO bearing on whether I was 'good' or 'bad'. The terms have lost their meaning.

So that brownie? I would eat it and enjoy it. Log it- account for it and make room for it in a sensible eating plan. Then remember nothing but good things about the brownie and me eating it- no longer is my food chained to guilt and remorse.

So I no longer 'count calories' in the same way I was before- now I'm adding up fuel and making sure I have enough for the busy life I have planned. I will never be 'bad' because of what I ate again- I am liberated and free. Hope this rambling made sense

natalienovella88

I havent read anyones comments so if its been said already ignore this one, but you cant just try to do really well one week and then stop working out/eating right the next. Eating right is more than just calories. Your body needs fuel and nutrients to lose weight too. You have to make sure you are eating lean proteins, veggies, and fruits. Brownies will get you nowhere-Not counting calories. I know it is hard. I want a brownie probably everyday but if you can set a goal to work out at least 3x a week and track your eating daily, then you will see results. There is just absolutely NO WAY that if you are eating right and exercising that the lbs won't come off. I used to have a personal trainer and he told me that even if you workout every day for 3 weeks you wont start seeing the results until 2-3 weeks later. You can't expect results over night or even in just a week. You really have to try for MONTHS and MONTHS, NO STOPPING. It took me 5 months just to lose 30 lbs and I never gave up, never stopped. You can totally do it. You got this! just keep your mind set postive and ignore the roommate.

umachanxo

I've been calorie counting since September 2011, and I've lost 23 lbs. My waist has gone from 40" to 27".
Pick up the 30DS Jillian Michaels and do it as much as possible. You CAN get results. You have to set your mind to it and stop focusing on the negative.

You have to eat a proper amount and balance nutrition, also. Eating 1200 calories worth of unhealthy foods is going to be a slow, unhealthy process. Check out the forums or make a thread for some easy, cheap, healthy recipes to go on!

Good luck.

joepat21

The ONLY way to lose weight is to have a calorie deficit at the end of the day. No matter what diet you do, it's the calorie deficit that ultimately determines your weight loss. Last year I read about a Professor in Utah that sought to prove that premise by going on a diet of nothing but candy bars. He watched his calorie intake and tool some vitamin supplements and ended up losing weight due to the calorie deficit. There are things you can do in manipulating the macronutrients that you ingest and exercise that you perform to target more fat loss vs. LBM, but the basic premise of lower calorie intake still remains in tact.

dandy_girl

I am using mfp, not as a calorie counting tool, but as a way to journal my food. My focus is the food pyramid (now called My Plate). It's a great way for me to see if I'm eating enough of the RIGHT stuff. The calorie count is a side effect. Meaning, on days when I'm getting 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables, I tend to be low on calories. On days when my "bread" or sugar counts are too high- those are the days I go over.

Maybe instead of a calorie goal- make a "healthy" goal, like getting all of your fruits and veggies in each day.

Hang in there! You will find your way soon!

grinch031

The ONLY way to lose weight is to have a calorie deficit at the end of the day. No matter what diet you do, it's the calorie deficit that ultimately determines your weight loss. Last year I read about a Professor in Utah that sought to prove that premise by going on a diet of nothing but candy bars. He watched his calorie intake and tool some vitamin supplements and ended up losing weight due to the calorie deficit. There are things you can do in manipulating the macronutrients that you ingest and exercise that you perform to target more fat loss vs. LBM, but the basic premise of lower calorie intake still remains in tact.

How does ignoring all the science that goes on into the bio-chemical processing of energy except the 1st law of thermodynamics helping anyone? Its not. People need to stop talking about candy bar diets that are completely unsustainable and unhealthy.

kanmuri

I wasn't losing weight, even if I went to the gym 3 times a week and saw a nutritionist. Once I started counting my calories, it started going down. It just makes sense. If you put too much petrol in a car, it'll overflow; it's the same thing for your body. But food alone is not a solution. You need to start exercising more. I use to hate the gym; now I go 5 times a week and I ask for more

lentigogirl

I think that calorie counting (and making sure that the calories are the right sort) and exercise -- real lifestyle changes -- are the ONLY things that work. Fad diets don't, especially in the long run. Hang in there.

xo_morgan

well, you can always look at it the other way, not counting calories has brought us all to where we are today so apparently not knowing what you are consuming is not working either so something has to change.

Yes, something fundamental has to change......dieting and counting calories is a fail.

Then why are you on a "calorie counting" website......:noway:

jcstanton

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.

It's a daily struggle to change your relationship with food, for sure. One thing that works for me is to daily remind myself that, if I want to be healthy, I have to eat to live, not live to eat. Food is a fuel source for my body. If it's not going to help my body run efficiently, I shouldn't put it in my mouth. Period.

It's also difficult to break the emotional attachment when your body is also PHYSIOLOGICALLY addicted to junk food. Even after the junk is out of your system, you're still going to find yourself craving it from time to time....particularly during times of emotional stress. It's VERY important to avoid junky food once you've started eating healthy. You'll find yourself thinking, "Just a little bit won't hurt me." But, once you give in to the temptation to have "just one" cookie, before you know it, you've eaten half a package of Oreos. Trust me on this, every binge begins with just one bite. I'm not saying I'm perfect....far from it, in fact. I've certainly had my share of failures. However, it's important that, when you do fall off the wagon, you jump right back on.

My suggestion would be to keep a journal of all the moments that trigger your desire to eat something you shouldn't. Every time you find yourself going to the refridgerator or cupboard looking for something to eat, stop and ask yourself, "Why am I wanting to eat right now? Am I REALLY hungry? Or am I just eating because I want to?" Whenever you determine that you are eating just because you want to, ask yourself what triggered the desire. "Was I feeling upset about something? Was I bored? Was I thinking about anything or anyone that brought on negative emotions?" Write down your answers. I almost guarantee you that, after a week or two of faithful journaling, you'll start to notice a pattern. It will help you to determine what the emotional triggers are, so that you can come up with a game plan. For example, keep a "To Do" list on hand. When you find yourself wanting to eat because you are bored, instead of going to find something to eat, refer to the next task on your list and go do it.

I know it's difficult, but I'm going to tell you what my high school algebra teacher told me when I was struggling to pass freshman algebra, "How badly do you want this (to graduate)? Anything worth having is worth the effort put forth to obtain it." Your health and quality of life are DEFINITELY worth having. Therefore, they are worth the effort.

thistimeismytime

How does ignoring all the science that goes on into the bio-chemical processing of energy except the 1st law of thermodynamics helping anyone? Its not. People need to stop talking about candy bar diets that are completely unsustainable and unhealthy.

Well, why don't you tell us what to do, oh most High Grinch? I have never seen so much negativity on one post before...I'm officially off the forums for a while...you guys are so freaking GROUCHY!! Maybe you need to EAT!

I really hope the original poster can glean some positive comments and information from this thread and ignore the rest...It'll be hard for her, but hopefully she can.

rainunrefined

Calorie counting works, if you're counting your calories correctly and measuring properly. It's so easy to say one cup and count those calories, when in fact, you've really had a cup and a half. Miscounting or measuring is only cheating yourself.
...
So, don't get discouraged. COUNT those calories --- and count them properly! Good luck --- YOU can do it!! :happy:

Exactly..

vlpeay

Why would you let someone else's bad manners determine whether or not you will be successful? Hang in there! Losing weight is not quick & easy! Give yourself some time & understand you will have ups & downs but DON'T QUIT!! Develope some discipline (mind over matter is just as important as counting calories) & let's see what that 100 lb "friend" has to say with your success!!

ladyfingers39

Personally, I think we are all sinners and like to eat to excess. Yep, i said it. God gave us perfect bodies, and eating too much has destroyed it. Then we blame, science, our metabolism, our doctors, our parents, McDonald's, our kids, our jobs, our schedules, blah blah blah....

Bottom line, we have to eat less and move our bodies. I fail at this every other day and pick myself up and try again, praying that someday it will sink in and I will have back a good functioning body that God intended for me to have.

marycmeadows

how much are you eating? eating enough calories, and eating the right foods is key (panera is not the right foods)...... just saying.
and what kind of exercising are you doing?

You have to figure it out and put the pieces of the puzzle together. It's not really as simple as calories in vs. calories out. It's just not. Food is fuel, and you have to fuel your body properly.

sw 303.4 (1/1/11)
cw 193.6 (down 109.8lbs)
gw 160
29 y/o 5'6''

adswillis27

The ONLY way to lose weight is to have a calorie deficit at the end of the day. No matter what diet you do, it's the calorie deficit that ultimately determines your weight loss. Last year I read about a Professor in Utah that sought to prove that premise by going on a diet of nothing but candy bars. He watched his calorie intake and tool some vitamin supplements and ended up losing weight due to the calorie deficit. There are things you can do in manipulating the macronutrients that you ingest and exercise that you perform to target more fat loss vs. LBM, but the basic premise of lower calorie intake still remains in tact.

How does ignoring all the science that goes on into the bio-chemical processing of energy except the 1st law of thermodynamics helping anyone? Its not. People need to stop talking about candy bar diets that are completely unsustainable and unhealthy.

I think the point of this was to say that as long as you have a deficit of calories you will lose weight. Is it heathy to lose weight eating this way? No. You probably wouldn't be able to maintain this weight lose without changing your diet.

Burning more calories than you consume will result in weight lose. Counting calories is a great way to ensure you are getting the right amount of calories, and you also need to track how much you actually burn in order to determine the amount you should consume.

almc170

Most successful weight loss is based on calorie counting, like WW. Understanding the emotional triggers, however, is just as important. I recommend getting therapy specifically geared towards overeating as a emotional issue and not just a physical one. Dana Wallach does some over the phone work too, and she's great. Helped me a lot! Keep at it lady, you can do it. I also found that making my food diary public was extremely helpful. More accountability! I'm also competitive, so if my friends were under their goal then I wanted to be too!!!

WW has a much better track record than straight calorie counting. But don't be fooled, WW is not simply a calorie restricted diet in disguise as a point system. Its point system is carefully crafted to improve bodily hormonal responses by valuing foods good for the body over those bad for the body. The key to sustained weight loss is managing appetite such that a person doesn't over-consume calories. If a person is hungry all the time as a result of calorie restriction, they WILL fail and regain all the weight. This is what happens 90% of the time because people don't understand that the body's hormones have the final say. Calorie deficit IS a side effect of good eating in the long term. Manual calorie deficit based on eating frozen dinners and 100-calorie packs is a temporary weight loss solution.

Not really, no. The WW points system is basically calorie counting. It's disguised to keep people from hacking the formula, and thus bypassing the program (believe me, I've done it). That's why they change it every year or so. It doesn't really have anything to do with hormonal responses or anything else. That might make for nice marketing copy, but WW is in the business of adding and keeping paid members.

For evidence of the role of behavior/lifestyle change in successfully maintaining and losing weight:
http://www.ajcn.org/content/82/1/222S.full