Counting Calories - I hate hate HATE it!

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MireyGal76
MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so just venting here... I really REALLY hate counting and keeping track of my calories. I guess I'm spoiled, I don't want to have to watch what I eat, and when I do, I am well aware of why I'm not making my goals.

I am thankful for the ease that we can track things on MFP, but really, I'm not even at dinner and my TH double double, muffin and 1/2 sub at lunch has me over my fat content.

boo hoo hoo... yeah, yeah I know, suck it up butter cup.

For other calorie counter haters out there... what do you do to ease the pain of counting?
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Replies

  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    I take a break from it every once in a while. I still eat " healthy " I just don't log it all.
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
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    The results make it worthwhile for me. Plus when I consider the alternatives, it doesn't seem so bad.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    It takes me all of a minute or two a day. I'm not sure what the big deal is that some people have with it.
  • sgmomma
    sgmomma Posts: 299 Member
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    I hate it too, just because it annoys me to have to figure out our home cooked meals every single night or guess when we are eating with family or out somewhere that doesn't offer cal information
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    I think maybe that's the problem - not knowing how many calories my home made food has.

    Once I have a list of stuff I commonly eat, maybe it will take me only two minutes to log... but until then, trying to figure out how many calories that bit of chicken I had in a tortilla wrap with some cheese and mustard feels so painful, I don't wanna bother. :-P
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
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    I make home cooked meals for my family every single bloody night (grrrr!), so figuring out the calorie count can be a little time consuming, but I'm at the point now where I also have so many or my basic foods like rice, spaghetti, meat sauce con carne, all my burgers or patties etc stored and measured (I always calculate my recipes for 100g serve (or per piece serve) so it doesn't matter how much I eat I can log it so easily) It takes time, but it has also taught me a lot about what I have been putting onto myself, and I like that...now I find it kind of interesting to put in my meals and see what they are, I don't think I had any idea about calories before I stared counting.
  • LiddyBit
    LiddyBit Posts: 447 Member
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    I agree, it is really annoying for those of us who cook at home or eat fresh food a lot. I don't have a solution. I suck it up and grumble while I enter all my ingredients.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Unless you are always experimenting, eventually you will always be eating the same things, and will have entered it previously.

    Make use of the meals and recipes features, and the ability to copy a meal into today.

    We eat about 3 dishes every week for dinner, the other 4 are rotated between about 20 or so recipes. I've long since entered them in so at most just need to adjust quantities.
  • chelelynn1972
    chelelynn1972 Posts: 23 Member
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    I think the reason I struggle with the calorie counting is because of the cooking I do. I have a culinary degree and will often throw some things together and I cook nearly every night. I'm trying to train myself to jot down what I've used and the amounts as I go but sometimes with the measurement conversions and weighing, etc. it's a real PIA. I work full time and have a 5 year old and a spoiled husband :wink: so some evenings I just don't want to fool with it. I have started a recipe collection in my diary of the things I cook most often, but I still may vary them some each time I make them.

    In general, I know how healthy (or not) my meal is and I do okay with calorie counting for the rest of the day, so as long as I'm seeing results I'm okay with not calorie counting some meals.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
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    I was talking with one of my trainers last night...........I feel like MOST of the struggle of losing weight and getting fit is mental.

    It's all a choice. If you chose to hate it, and chose that it's going to suck........it will. When I started this whole thing I went into all of it TOTALLY positive. I love eating healthy, I love being knowledgeable about my food choices, I love treating myself well. I supposed I could chose to see only the negative and be miserable about it, but every minute I spend being miserable is 60 of happiness lost. ;) So I just chose to love this journey.
  • trhjrh06
    trhjrh06 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    I actually really like it. It's kind of fun lol. Like a game sort of. I don't know maybe it's just me.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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    It is time consuming - I cook at home all the time really, and my meals vary a lot. But I really like seeing the nutritional breakdown and how close I am to my macros. I think if you're feeling that resentful, and still eating subs and muffins, maybe you need to take a step back and really reflect on why you're doing this and whether you really want to - you sound a bit in two minds about it and that won't help you succeed. Good luck!
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    It is time consuming - I cook at home all the time really, and my meals vary a lot. But I really like seeing the nutritional breakdown and how close I am to my macros. I think if you're feeling that resentful, and still eating subs and muffins, maybe you need to take a step back and really reflect on why you're doing this and whether you really want to - you sound a bit in two minds about it and that won't help you succeed. Good luck!

    I think you hit the nail on the head there... I think I want the nice body, without needing to watch what I eat. That seems to be my last stronghold. And so far, I've been ok, but if I want that last bit of success, i need to change my mindset... either that, or be happy with what I have and who I am now. :)

    Thank you!
  • Jbarbo01
    Jbarbo01 Posts: 240 Member
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    Its good to take breaks for sure, but honestly you dont have to count calories if you are not a consistent overeater in my opinion. The eat clean diet has a really great answer to that, and its just that you eat a serving size at each meal. You eat the small frequent meals so you have a 1/2 cup of brown rice, a palm size piece of chicken, and baseball size of vegetables for a meal as an example. If you just use proper portion sizes, eat only when youre hungry, eat when not distracted (no standing, in front of tv, computer, etc.) and stop when youre full, and you eat healthy foods you don't need to do it if you hate it. However, I like eating distracted, I overeat all the time, so Id rather have the control tracking gives me. You really do have other options, just ideas to think about because I understand hating it. Its no fun.
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
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    So far I actually really like it =)
    If you go see my diary you will understand why though.. It is easy to count when its all on the package for you =p
    I can't afford to put together a bunch of healthy meals at the moment.. and for me to start learning, it is easier to use frozen dinners.. I'm sure when I start cooking for myself I'll start to not like it so much.. just something to get used to I guess.
  • DeniseB0711
    DeniseB0711 Posts: 294 Member
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    That motivation sentence at the end of day when you complete your food diary...If everyday were like this you'd weigh _____ in 5 weeks. I really like seeing that number.

    Denise
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
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    Honestly, I count calories and that is IT. Why are you worried about being over your fat count when you're "counting calories?"

    If keeping up with it all is stressing you out or making you hate doing it, switch to just one macronutrient and don't worry about the others for a while. That is what I had to do, and it is working very well.
  • ThatOthrVeganChic
    ThatOthrVeganChic Posts: 7
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    I'm actually new to MFP so last night was my first time ever logging my calories. I just got kind of curious. I seldom if ever count calories even if I'm trying to loose weight because I get obsessive about it. So I watch my portions and I cut the junk and the processed foods and focus on eating whole grains, fruits and veggies. Being vegan makes it a little easier. This usually works well for me. But like you sometimes I wonder about the calorie content of what I make at home. I think I'll keep plugging in my calories on here because I really am curious.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I only hate it when I have a bad day and go over my calories, then obsess over what to do about it the next day, because basically, I am at the very, very bottom of a healthy bmi and should not be having to ask myself if I can have an ice cream, or if I can have a chocolate bar a few times a week. It has made my life extremely boring of late.
  • broadway_Calls
    broadway_Calls Posts: 18 Member
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    I don't count strictly calories or weigh myself at the moment but I still think I'm 'on a diet' so to speak. I just know how much my body needs and go more by instinct, like I'll count the calories of certain carbs to make sure I don't go OTT but tend to eat whatever veg/fruit I like without trying to fit it into a 'daily maximum'. It's worked for me so far :)

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