Are you really losing weight by counting calories?

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  • 05kilos2015
    05kilos2015 Posts: 11 Member
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    Ah, the simplicity of this statement and you are so right. Thanks. I'm living by it. Kathryn
  • 05kilos2015
    05kilos2015 Posts: 11 Member
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    The pictures tell the story. Well done. I like your philosophy, logging for the rest of your life. Why not? Just like cleaning your teeth. If it becomes a habit, it should work. Kathryn(Sydney, Australia).
  • jimshine
    jimshine Posts: 199 Member
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    I am surprised at how much I was taking in. Calories are lurking where you don't expect. Most appetizers are packed with them, Look at what a shake has in it. Or fries. Once you know these things, you can make smarter choices.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    I want to know the truth lol.. Are you really losing weight by just counting calories and exercise?
    Yes. What other way is there to do it? If caloric intake is less than caloric expenditure, you lose weight - simple as that.
    What are you doing to make sure you stay under your calories?
    Setting a sensible goal, logging my caloric intake and sticking to it (for the most part, anyways).
    If you don't mind please also tell me you start weight and current weight from when you started counting your calories?
    I've lost 45 lbs. and over 12% bodyfat. I'm actually about 2 lbs. below my goal weight, but want to lose about 4-5% more bodyfat and then put on some muscle (via a bulk cycle) to come back up to goal weight.
  • NotScaredToTry
    NotScaredToTry Posts: 46
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    I want to know the truth lol.. Are you really losing weight by just counting calories and exercise? Is counting your calories teaching you to make better decision? What are you doing to make sure you stay under your calories? If you don't mind please also tell me you start weight and current weight from when you started counting your calories? I am just a little curious.

    Yes but also with exercise... what goes in must come out (exercise wise)
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    Yep counting & exercise as well here. My ticker says it all. I got to that weight in 7 months. Counting & exercise. No cheat days, no rest days & sure as hell no slacking off & making any excuses.
  • DarrelBirkett
    DarrelBirkett Posts: 221 Member
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    Yes. lost near 3 stone in around 6 months.

    Check my blog on here for a bit of info if you are struggling to make progress :)
  • tnsumner
    tnsumner Posts: 283 Member
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    Exercise and eating right is the way to do it. Don't trust some magic pill or starving yourself. I count my calories and check labels carefully now. I won't go near a frozen pizza these days. Why have a bite of a pizza when I can have an entire chicken breast for the same calories? (Obviousy the chicken is lower in fat.)

    My starting weight was 230. My current weight is 175. It has taken a year. I did slack off for a while. January 1, 2013 I weighed 202 pounds. So being serious about what I'm doing, I've lost over 25 pounds in 4 months.
  • killerfairies
    killerfairies Posts: 2
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    I have tried all sorts of diets and healthy eating programmes - weight watchers, slimming world and the eat well plate as recommended by the NHS in the UK would lose a bit of weight but not much. Since I started counting calories I have lost over 14lbs - 4 since starting to use this website a few weeks ago. The reason I think it is working is that I am now thinking about how many calories I should eat each day and making better choices. This combined with 7 exercise sessions a week is having the desired effect.
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Well, not really. I lost 80 lbs before I joined MFP and started counting calories. I continued to lose at about the same rate while I was counting them, and recently decided to stop. I was getting really preoccupied by numbers instead of just eating healthily. I've continued to lose weight at the same rate. So counting calories hasn't been that amazing for me, but for some people it really helps keep them on course.
  • Dottyb1940
    Dottyb1940 Posts: 188 Member
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    No I am doing the 5/2 diet that suits me fine as I can still have a social life and be very strict on the 2 days I need to be. It might not suit everybody but I find it easier than counting calories. Comes off slow just about 1lb per week and I am happy that way.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Yes counting calories and exercise. I was 333 at Feb 28th I,m 297 now. I'm not actually finding it that difficult. Sorry I always feel guilty when I tell people I.m not finding it that hard. I,m aiming for a fitness level near what I was 10 years ago
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    Absolutely. It is pretty basic, calories in, calories out.
    I have learned a lot about nutrition, portion size, and making good choices regarding food
    Began exercising in Oct 2012 after 100# loss and knees improved enough to make exercising less painful. Now I am exercising daily at least 1 hour and I have had a fit bit for 2 months and it motivates me even more to move.

    290 March 12, 2012
    148 April 1, 2013

    It works. Simple as that.
  • DulceDollie
    DulceDollie Posts: 115
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    A few years ago, I lost about 30 pounds and got back to my skinniest (Junior High) weight by counting my calories. I also did lots of Tae Bo! I made exercise a habit. It definitely helped me to make better choices. I got pretty good at estimating how many calories were in what- although I always double-checked to be sure. I gained all of it back and more when I stopped exercising and especially when my eating habits went back to my "normal". I'm giving it another go and am hoping I will have as much luck as I did before when I was consistent and stuck with it. Good luck to you!
  • NattersConn
    NattersConn Posts: 2
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    I've lost 8lbs so far by counting calories and gentle exercise, I walk for at least 30 mins a day pushing a double buggy. Not much fun checking every bit of food for calorie amounts, but got to lose this baby weight so sticking to it :)

    SW was 135
    CW is 127
  • that1milestone
    that1milestone Posts: 3
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    I honestly don't know why counting calories gets such a bad rap! Why wouldn't you keep track of how much you're eating? The total amount of calories you eat in a daily basis is extremely important when you're dieting, so naturally you should actually keep track.

    When I count calories it forces me to look at what I've eaten on a given day and cut back if I'm eating too much. You can overeat if you're not keeping track of what you're eating and how much you're eating. I think that it's just too much effort for some people, but you don't need to actually pull out a calculator and count them up.

    I have a general idea of how many calories I consume on a daily basis, I don't write down what I eat, but I know how many calories are in what I eat. For example I may eat a breakfast burrito that has 200 calories so I know that for breakfast I consumed 200 calories and I add that to my rough estimate of how much I eat for lunch and dinner.

    I've lost 32 lbs. already just by watching how much I eat and I'm going to start to also pay more attention to what I'm eating as well. However, remember that counting calories only helps if you're eating proper foods. If you're just eating a bunch of junk food counting calories doesn't have the same effect it would if you were eating healthier foods.
  • OmegaAlpha007
    OmegaAlpha007 Posts: 70 Member
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    Yup :)
  • Emmabulliemum
    Emmabulliemum Posts: 294 Member
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    103lbs down yep1 it works believe all the hype you want the only way to do it is eat healthy, exercise, cut portion sizes and make sure what you put in is less than you burn.

    Doctors tell us the truth might not be what you want to hear but believe me it's the only way that worked for me
  • Zekela
    Zekela Posts: 634 Member
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    Ive never really counted calories until mfp. But, I have a tendancy to eat until I'm not hungry anymore too. I thought I was counting calories, but then my husband jokingly said to me, "why are you measuring it when you are going to have 3 - 4 bowls of cereal regardless..." This is so true for me. I think Im more about fueling my body right to gain optimum results since I'm active. Ive realized that eating better helps me a whole lot physically and mentally. Before mfp, I was eating way too much sodium and sugar and not enough protein. Becoming more aware of what's going in my body is more important than calorie counting.
  • Hodgie12345
    Hodgie12345 Posts: 51 Member
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    Week 1 of my 'restart' and counting calories and eating clean as possible but also walking as much as possible each day and I have lost 8 lbs. Hodgie x

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