"calorie counting will get you no where"

damifino

Grinch my counter argument is everyone on this site loosing and maintaining their weight with what you say is something that will not work and is doomed to fail.
And as far as loosing weight slowing your metabolism. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn so if you are exercising and toning and building muscle while doing your calorie counting then your metabolism will most definetly work better. I really believe you have no idea what you are talking about and are just on here trolling to get people pissed off and I am going to request that you be removed from the forums.

Danube73

This is my first post, as I've only been a MFP member for about a week. I apologize that I haven't yet read all the replies. However, I feel compelled to share that calorie counting has already made a tremendous difference for me. I've discovered that it's just like any sort of budgeting -- you prioritize, and you decide how to "spend" the calories you are allotted. I used to squander my daily calories on foods that had little to no nutritional benefit; now, I am mindful of how I distribute and allot my calories throughout the day. I'd much rather spend 100 calories on a banana than on a candy bar, for instance.

So yes, calorie counting is definitely extremely beneficial, because I think it makes us accountable for the wholesomeness (or lack thereof) of the calories we consume. In addition, I believe that a person's mindset needs to be fully ready to make the emotional changes necessary for the physiological ones to occur, if that makes sense. I know in my own life, I used to be terrible with budgeting money. Until I was emotionally ready to be better at budgeting, saving, and prioritizing, I didn't make any progress in my bank account. In the same way, until that switch "flipped" and my emotional response to food changed for good, I knew I would make little to no progress in my weight loss and my quest for a healthy lifestyle.

I have taken off 5 lbs. so far (much of that water retention, I'm sure) and I have never felt better. There is something so gratifying about "budgeting" my calories each day. I love filling out the food log, just like I now love filling out my checkbook ledger and being mindful of where my hard-earned money goes. Sorry if I'm driving that comparison in to the ground, but it has been in the forefront of my mind since I began this journey.

In the week I've been a member of MFP, I have been incredibly impressed with the intelligence, motivation, and support of the other members. Best of luck to you, OP... you definitely have a solid support system in the people here, myself included!

BrianSharpe

If a 95% failure rate is any evidence, then counting calories doesn't work.

Based on?

95% failure for "diets" yes, but for people who actually re-train their brains and exercise your assertion may be exaggerating things.

grinch031

Grinch my counter argument is everyone on this site loosing and maintaining their weight with what you say is something that will not work and is doomed to fail.
And as far as loosing weight slowing your metabolism. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn so if you are exercising and toning and building muscle while doing your calorie counting then your metabolism will most definetly work better. I really believe you have no idea what you are talking about and are just on here trolling to get people pissed off and I am going to request that you be removed from the forums.

Look now you're putting words in my mouth. I never said it won't work and is doomed to fail, what I'm basically saying is that people need to do it the right way and stop thinking that calories are the only thing that matters because of one simple physics equation. The more people understand about how it really works, the better chance they have of long term success.

I have been on here a few months and while I bump heads with people on the science behind dieting, I am by no means a troll. My opinions are completely relevant to the thread BTW.

You can go ahead and try to ban me for having a difference of opinion (how childish), but you are making judgements about me that are completely baseless.

VAgal123

This is the link to the blog...good luck!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/samantha1373/view/the-30-day-fitness-challenge-232493

SweetSammie

I like this approach because nothing is off limits.
In the past 2 weeks (I've been at this 11 days), I have eaten out way more than usual (off for spring break, things came up, etc.) Sometimes I splurged, sometimes I didn't.
If I splurge, I can either work out more, OR I can be really sensible on my other meals of the day.'
Luckily, I really enjoy healthy foods, so my splurges are often guacamole, or sour cream, or pizza (with veggies). Or bread with butter...

Yesterday I wanted wine with friends, so I walked for over an hour and kept my other meals really sensible.

I also like CHOCOLATE. Diana's Banana Babies are GREAT. Chocolate dipped bananas, 150 calories.
I think they are best if you let them sit 10-15 minutes before eating them, so the banana is creamy, cold and soft.

Hot chocolate is also GREAT. I found some Blue Diamond Hazelnut crackers, which I am going to put with a little nutella and banana slices, I'll let you know how they turn out.

Frozen yogurt is good, too. We have a place that sells theirs by weight (Orange Leaf), so if you ask, they will weigh JUST your yogurt, no toppings to make it easier to put in the diary. I try to have a TON of fresh strawberries on mine, that way I see the full bowl... but a bunch of what is IN my bowl is fruit.

This is the first time i have dieted and have not felt EXTREME guilt about having "non-diet" foods... I think because I am trying to make every thing I do sustainable.. things I would eat, workouts I would do for the rest of my life. I am also sort of a fan of having a REAL brownie if you really want one... because a lot of the time imitations don't cut it.

If I can, you can too!

grinch031

I'm negative about rubbish posts that are unhelpful. Do you really think a candy bar diet is a good way to lose weight and improve health?

The problem is much of the content of this thread is not grounded in any science. Unwanted weight gain is not a psychological disorder, it is a physiological disorder caused by the modern foods most commonly consumed. I already said my solution, which is to eat foods better for the body (ie. more natural, less processed), and not just thinking in terms of calories. Even that isn't good enough, because once someone is obese, they are metabolically damaged such that the lower their weight becomes, the harder it is to maintain. But that's about the best they can do right now.

Um NOOOO I don't think a candy bar diet is a good idea...Duh!! But neither is beating down people who are trying to improve their lives and their bodies. Of course eating natural, unprocessed food is best, any 8 year old could tell us that!! And NO ONE, obese or not, is "damaged" beyond repair! Everyone is capable of change. You are helping nothing, and you need to do one thing to make the world a better place... GO....AWAY!!!!!!!

How did I beat anyone down? I simply pointed out an opposing view relevant to the thread started by the OP.

dlwyatt82

...the body controls BOTH Calories IN and OUT no matter how much you try to win that battle.

So physiology is 'magic' and the human body will simply decide to use less calories for the same exact actions to keep/make people fat? Yeah, that makes sense. Also, I hear that if the gremlins that live in my car feel like it they can give me 50 MPG instead of the 28 that I get now.

Where did I say "same exact actions"? It is scientific fact that people who lose weight actually have slower metabolisms than people who are naturally at the lower weight. It is part of the 'starvation response' where your body is defending its fat storage because leptin levels have decreased to deficient levels. Also changes to Calories OUT can be subtle. You can feel unmotivated and lazy, but in reality its your body trying to reduce its caloric expenditure. Also people who are resistant to obesity (ie. teenagers who can eat seemingly unlimited amounts of food) will be highly motivated to be physically active whenever they over-eat as a way for their body to compensate.

So Cals IN and OUT are not indepedent variables. Both are highly influenced by the body.

And who cares? You still need to maintain a deficit to lose weight, regardless of where your metabolism is functioning. Those studies you're referring to only showed a very small difference between the TDEE of the people who lost weight when compared to the people who were light all along. I don't recall the exact figure, but it was somewhere around 5%. Whoopdee freakin doo.

Counting calories is a valuable tool for almost everyone who wants to lose weight. If you managed it without counting, congratulations, you get a gold star. You were still maintaining a caloric deficit, whether you tracked anything or not.

grinch031

...the body controls BOTH Calories IN and OUT no matter how much you try to win that battle.

So physiology is 'magic' and the human body will simply decide to use less calories for the same exact actions to keep/make people fat? Yeah, that makes sense. Also, I hear that if the gremlins that live in my car feel like it they can give me 50 MPG instead of the 28 that I get now.

Where did I say "same exact actions"? It is scientific fact that people who lose weight actually have slower metabolisms than people who are naturally at the lower weight. It is part of the 'starvation response' where your body is defending its fat storage because leptin levels have decreased to deficient levels. Also changes to Calories OUT can be subtle. You can feel unmotivated and lazy, but in reality its your body trying to reduce its caloric expenditure. Also people who are resistant to obesity (ie. teenagers who can eat seemingly unlimited amounts of food) will be highly motivated to be physically active whenever they over-eat as a way for their body to compensate.

So Cals IN and OUT are not indepedent variables. Both are highly influenced by the body.

And who cares? You still need to maintain a deficit to lose weight, regardless of where your metabolism is functioning. Those studies you're referring to only showed a very small difference between the TDEE of the people who lost weight when compared to the people who were light all along. I don't recall the exact figure, but it was somewhere around 5%. Whoopdee freakin doo.

Counting calories is a valuable tool for almost everyone who wants to lose weight. If you managed it without counting, congratulations, you get a gold star. You were still maintaining a caloric deficit, whether you tracked anything or not.

If maintaining a deficit is so easy, why are there dozens if not hundreds of people posting each day that they have stopped losing weight? Because creating a deficit for an extended period of time is difficult for a number of reasons, one important one is because the body adapts to it to restore energy balance any way it can. This is why we need to be mindful of what is going on hormonally.

mon696

:flowerforyou: Calorie counting has worked for me. It can't be a Monday-Friday thing either. A nutritious diet and exercise is the 'secret' to weight loss. Basically someone who posted here wants us to believe that once we are fat we will always be fat. Not true, don't be discouraged by them or your roommate. I've lost 114 pounds with no pills, shakes or surgery. Keep track of what you eat and what you do, be dilligent and don't give up.:flowerforyou:

Haters keep on hatin':explode:
I'm a lover so I'll keep on lovin'
Fighting on the internet is like a screen door on a submarine: pointless
:bigsmile:

Memorysketch

I'm an emotional eater.
I'm also one that counts her calories and tries very, very hard not to let every little emotion open my mouth. I eat when I'm bored, happy, mad, sad, depressed - even horny. :blushing: Food was a reward, or food was medication.

I have a huge relationship with food, and I'm working /so hard/ to figure out how to deal appropriately with it. I don't think I'll ever view food just as 'the stuff that fuels your body', because it's intrinsic to many, many cultures. Especially where I grew up - Southern girl, right here! :drinker:

With that said, I have two little posters on my fridge. One tells me not to give up, and the other tells me I am not a dog, I do not need to be rewarded with food. It helps remind me that I am /stronger/ than my impulses. /Sometimes/. Calorie counting /does/ work. But you have to do it. You have to make the right decisions. And it's hard. It really is. Especially when it's your own mind plotting against you. Hold yourself accountable for your actions, even if other people will, too.

We can totally be friends if you like.

txsgirlK

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.

Ok then, put that way it makes more sense, lol.

Marll

Calorie counting doesn't do jack if you are eating the wrong foods anyway. Go ahead and look at my ticker like others have suggested. Most of that weight came off not counting calories at all just cutting out certain things that cause me to gain weight without thinking about it. I'm consistantly 1000+ calories over what MFP says I should be taking in and still loose.

If calorie counting is not working for you, maybe you might want to try something different.

hamstermole

Calorie counting helps us be accountable. I like counting calories, then I know I am not under or over eating. I too have a weird relationship with food. There are little sayings I tell myself, "A taste on the lips, forever on the hips." "Nothing tastes as good as feeling thin feels." I also hold MYSELF accountable...I tell myself I can eat what I want...BUT then I stop and think, "Is this what I want, really?" I try to do other activities to keep myself busy. Sometimes it is second by second and the choice will either reinforce our good feelings about ourselves or not.

angie_sample

i've lost 68 lbs counting calories. Counting calories makes me feel very in control. I plan my days ahead of time and dont punish myself if i do go over. Long term calorie counting may not be necessary but i do think its important to count calories for a couple of weeks just so u can see how much u are truly eating and how different foods range in the amount of calories they have. I've also counted carbs, sodium intake, fat, for a while just to learn more about food.

dlwyatt82

If maintaining a deficit is so easy, why are there dozens if not hundreds of people posting each day that they have stopped losing weight? Because creating a deficit for an extended period of time is difficult for a number of reasons, one important one is because the body adapts to it to restore energy balance any way it can. This is why we need to be mindful of what is going on hormonally.

Don't be so dense. All you're describing are some of the reasons people encounter plateaus, and there are lots of things people can do to get around those. It happens to everyone who has a lot of weight to lose, and that doesn't make the value of calorie counting go down at all.

What's the point of coming to MFP to basically say "this website's approach doesn't work." Most of us will just laugh and ignore you, but there are probably a few people out there who will take your trolling to heart and give up. Get on board, or GTFO.

grinch031

If maintaining a deficit is so easy, why are there dozens if not hundreds of people posting each day that they have stopped losing weight? Because creating a deficit for an extended period of time is difficult for a number of reasons, one important one is because the body adapts to it to restore energy balance any way it can. This is why we need to be mindful of what is going on hormonally.

Don't be so dense. All you're describing are some of the reasons people encounter plateaus, and there are lots of things people can do to get around those. It happens to everyone who has a lot of weight to lose, and that doesn't make the value of calorie counting go down at all.

What's the point of coming to MFP to basically say "this website's approach doesn't work." Most of us will just laugh and ignore you, but there are probably a few people out there who will take your trolling to heart and give up. Get on board, or GTFO.

You can make stuff up about me like another poster if you want, or you can be reasonable and have debate that doesn't involve personal attacks. I participate in plenty of threads with both positive and negative things to say, and no I don't go around trolling. If disagreeing with you is trolling, then sorry you need to re-educate yourself on the definition of trolling.

And if I am wrong as you claim, does everyone here have psychological problems that lead to them needing MFP? Somehow there is an epidemic of psychological disorder that started in the US and has is spreading around the world? Is that what its all about?

thistimeismytime

If maintaining a deficit is so easy, why are there dozens if not hundreds of people posting each day that they have stopped losing weight? Because creating a deficit for an extended period of time is difficult for a number of reasons, one important one is because the body adapts to it to restore energy balance any way it can. This is why we need to be mindful of what is going on hormonally.

Look dude, you may have some valid points, but the truth is you're coming across as a BULLY, and it's just not helpful. Maybe you're just completely misunderstood, and you're really a super nice guy who wants to help everyone, who knows? But judging from the responses to your posts, you need to work a bit on how you present your information, maybe sprinkle in a little positivity. I'm being totally serious, not sarcastic at all. Just in case you didn't realize you were coming across that way. When you give people the impression that there is no hope for them, and they are somehow damaged beyond repair and nothing will work for them in the long run, it evokes a feeling of despair, not hope. ALL of LIFE, not just weight loss, is about hope, so don't take that away from people. Ok, I'll leave you alone man.... have a good day.

grinch031

If maintaining a deficit is so easy, why are there dozens if not hundreds of people posting each day that they have stopped losing weight? Because creating a deficit for an extended period of time is difficult for a number of reasons, one important one is because the body adapts to it to restore energy balance any way it can. This is why we need to be mindful of what is going on hormonally.

Look dude, you may have some valid points, but the truth is you're coming across as a BULLY, and it's just not helpful. Maybe you're just completely misunderstood, and you're really a super nice guy who wants to help everyone, who knows? But judging from the responses to your posts, you need to work a bit on how you present your information, maybe sprinkle in a little positivity. I'm being totally serious, not sarcastic at all. Just in case you didn't realize you were coming across that way. When you give people the impression that there is no hope for them, and they are somehow damaged beyond repair and nothing will work for them in the long run, it evokes a feeling of despair, not hope. ALL of LIFE, not just weight loss, is about hope, so don't take that away from people. Ok, I'll leave you alone man.... have a good day.

No I think the people who reject my differing opinion are acting like bullies. I've been called a troll multiple times even though I can prove I'm not a troll. Just someone with an opposing view that doesn't fit the norm. Don't participate in *controversial* threads if you want one-sided views.

Mzkely4u

THANX JENNY GREAT TIP!!! I WAS THINKING OF SITTING DOWN AND PLANNING AHEAD AND IT HELPS TO HEAR THAT ITS HELPED YOU