Are you really losing weight by counting calories?

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  • madi_lumpkins
    madi_lumpkins Posts: 17 Member
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    I've lost 48lbs by counting calories. I started at 230lbs and I'm at 182 now.

    I eat what I want. I try to make good decisions as frequently as possible, but I'm not going to turn down cake at a birthday party. I have treats, but I keep it in my calorie goal. Sometimes, I go over. I have days where I don't count at all. But when I do count and I'm consistently under, I lose weight.

    You look amazing for 182!
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
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    SW:271.5
    LW: 181
    CW:191.5

    Calorie counting works!
  • Yolanda4160
    Yolanda4160 Posts: 170 Member
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    Yes, counting calories, exercising, and making healthier choices. For me, once I started counting calories, it taught me that if I make healthier choices, I can eat more and be full and still stay within my calorie limit.
    SW: 225
    CW: 148
    GW: 128
  • rvicini
    rvicini Posts: 252 Member
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    Yes
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
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    Sw:208 pounds
    CW 183 pounds

    counting calories helps me make wiser choices about my food and keeps me on track. I can see where my calories are alloted. it helps me know I am to under in carbs, and protein and to high in fats. the work outs help too. There really isn't a one size fits all. some do better not counting because they obbess over it and that causes more eating and weight gain. you really have to see what works for you.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    No, counting calories is not helping me long-term. It's making me obsessed with food and measuring it. Making better food choices and eating when I am hungry, listening to my body, and staying active is actually what has helped me lose the most weight. I feel more stressed and lose less weight now that I have started counted calories again. I know how to eat. I just binge. So that's my problem. However, if someone has no idea of how many calories in most foods, I think calorie tracking is a useful tool. For me, I've been counting calories since grade school so I'm not learning anything new by doing it. I'm just being obsessive.

    I can't remember everything regarding counting calories, since using the counting calories method I've yo-yo dieted for most of my life.

    However it looks something like this:

    SW: 145
    Next weight: 189
    Next diet: 130
    Next weight: 190
    Next diet: 135
    Next weight 200
    Next diet: 150
    Next weight: 210
    Next diet: 155
    Next weight: 220
    Next diet: 175
    Next weight: 237
    Next diet: 172
    Next weight: 231
    CW: 185

    There's some more diets in there, but I'm sure you see the point.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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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 ma'am! Counting calories has definitely taught me how to make better decisions. For example, I used to eat a HALF BOX of cereal in one sitting. Like two giant bowls. I had no idea that 1 serving is usually 3/4 cup and around 100-150 cals. I no longer buy cereal. I started measuring everything on a food scale and in cups/spoons and although I was eating stuff that wasn't too bad, I was eating way too much of it.

    I make sure I stay under my calories by planning my meals ahead of time and measuring/weighing all my food.

    SW - 175lbs last May
    CW - 148lbs today. I lost 27lbs by counting calories and working out.

    Just want to add: I for sure have cheat meals/days. I am human, and I definitely would've given up if I didn't allow myself to indulge every now and then. Just gotta get right back on it the next day.
  • clarkeee05
    clarkeee05 Posts: 7
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    Before I was counting calories I was tottally over eating and eating CRAP!! Now I focus on good choices and work out as much as my 8 month old allows me too!! Although I am only down a couple lbs I am on the right track and with a little more exercise and alot more muscle build up i will be peeling the weight off :)
  • Bdde
    Bdde Posts: 133 Member
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    Yes and no!

    You can count all your calories but if they are coming from a bad source of nutrition it doesn't change a thing!

    High protein, loads of veggies, and low low carb is what is finally working for me!
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    It's made me better at judging how many calories might be in something, so I make more beneficial decisions. It's really easy to underestimate calories. I feel I'm getting better at making realistic guesses.
  • Bumdrahp
    Bumdrahp Posts: 1,314 Member
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    YEP!!! I have lost between 48-50 lbs ( fluctuates) just by calorie counting, and some work outs...or just simply walking.

    SW around 245
    CW 197

    Some days are MUCH harder than others, since I used to just eat whatever whenever I wanted.. ( dunkin for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, mcdonalds for dinner.. icecream later on...this was the norm) and now that my body is used to healtheir choices, it's been harder for the weight to come off.. but it's still coming off, and I feel better than ever.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
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    No, counting calories is not helping me long-term. It's making me obsessed with food and measuring it. Making better food choices and eating when I am hungry, listening to my body, and staying active is actually what has helped me lose the most weight. I feel more stressed and lose less weight now that I have started counted calories again. I know how to eat. I just binge. So that's my problem. However, if someone has no idea of how many calories in most foods, I think calorie tracking is a useful tool. For me, I've been counting calories since grade school so I'm not learning anything new by doing it. I'm just being obsessive.

    Best answer I've read. Calorie counting is great if you want to figure out how you can squeeze a snickers bar and a piece of pizza in to your day but it mostly pointless if you're eating healthy. I didn't do it at all until recently when I started adding more "fun" foods back in my diet now and then.
  • sarahertzberger
    sarahertzberger Posts: 534 Member
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    I started out as 185 and I'm now down to just about 178, I've only been doing it for 3 1/2 weeks and it is great, I haven't really changed what I ate because I do love food, and I can't just cut out stuff that I like to eat, I just eat less of it now, I feel so much better, I am losing the weight where as before I wasn't at all, and I am even starting to notice changes in my body I can see the weightloss and I know that the counting calories is helping me lose this weight. Just stick with it and you will see the results too.
  • LeahRandom
    LeahRandom Posts: 34 Member
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    Start - 165.5 Current- 156.8 Goal -130 ish

    Yes!
    I lost weight before without counting, just eating healthier and excercise. This time around I didn't have a lot things like fast food to cut out, they were already gone. I did have lack of exercise, and too much dessert. My wife was making fun of me for measuring and weighing my food, until I told her by measuring out 1 tablespoon, I had realized that I had been putting about 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise on my burgers. Whether I keep good track each day or not, I am now more aware of portion size, calories, etc. and it helps me make better decisions. I don't measure/weigh all of my food, but now I know what many 'portions' actually look like.
    I exercise at least 3 days a week, mainly just walking and light strength training now, due to some injuries.
  • aladams83
    aladams83 Posts: 47
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    Starting Weight: 150 lb
    Current Weight: 145 lb
    Goal Weight: 125 lb

    i've found that its not only counting the calories but learngin how many carbs, fats, protiens etc... that you are taking in. Exercising has def helped things along. I have def focused more on how I feel and look and go by measurements more so than the scale. I workout 6 days a week and eat right... and its been a nice steady journey to the me I want to be. :)
  • lucypeaks
    lucypeaks Posts: 96 Member
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    oh yes! have been on here consistently since the 2nd January and have lost 13 lbs in just over a month (tracker shows less as i signed up before xmas and put on a few lbs,so it's counting from my previous lower weight!). I exercise most days and eat back some of the calories some of the time. If i want something naughty to eat i just do a little extra exercise! starting weight : 175lbs current weight: 162lbs....17lbs to go and i'll be a very happy bunny!
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
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    No, counting calories is not helping me long-term. It's making me obsessed with food and measuring it. Making better food choices and eating when I am hungry, listening to my body, and staying active is actually what has helped me lose the most weight. I feel more stressed and lose less weight now that I have started counted calories again. I know how to eat. I just binge. So that's my problem. However, if someone has no idea of how many calories in most foods, I think calorie tracking is a useful tool. For me, I've been counting calories since grade school so I'm not learning anything new by doing it. I'm just being obsessive.

    Best answer I've read. Calorie counting is great if you want to figure out how you can squeeze a snickers bar and a piece of pizza in to your day but it mostly pointless if you're eating healthy. I didn't do it at all until recently when I started adding more "fun" foods back in my diet now and then.

    Sadly, portion control is typically one of the most common culprits when deciding you want to stop calorie counting. So, although I agree with the statement, and I really hate how counting has made me obsessed with food and measuring, I, and many others, find it really hard to reach that mental point where you can (without thinking) limit your portions.
  • porkchop_13
    porkchop_13 Posts: 122
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    Yes, it's really my only reason for using MFP
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    I think so. I weigh 5 lbs less than I did in January. I'm curious about something from you OP. What else did you think would be involved? Is there some other thing you feel needs to happen to lose weight?
  • PomegranatePriestess
    PomegranatePriestess Posts: 2,455 Member
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    I've lost 40 lbs in 165 days by just logging my foods and exercising vigorously approximately five days a week.

    Yes, I make better choices because seeing the food on the page shows me its nutritional value in relation to the goals I have set for myself in order to lose weight.

    Measuring my foods has been a tremendous help. I use a digital scale that cost me less than $20, and a set of measuring cups and measuring spoons. These tools help me log my food accurately.

    Planning my meals has been invaluable. I use a grocery delivery service (Peapod) -- the website helps me plan more effectively and efficiently. It allows me to quickly and easily see what I am bringing into the house: I can check labels online. I can also see what percentage of my order is produce (almost half of my items usually come from this section), how much protein, dairy, etc. I can also stand right in my kitchen and see what I already have, check recipes in my book for what I might need, etc. and order it all right then. It has cut down on the volume of food that goes bad and has to be tossed.

    For exercise, I have tried to vary what I do so as not to get bored. I do cardio and High Intensity Interval Training (think Crossfit). One night a week, I do water aerobics. Twice a week I typically do some form of equipment-based steady-state cardio, like the elliptical or treadmill. Sometimes, I do intervals on those machines. I did my HIIT class three times a week in January; I'm dropping it down to twice a week now to incorporate more lifting and circuit training at my gym. I have a personal training appointment scheduled for this Thursday.

    For me, making subtle changes in my typical food intake and increasing my activity level has paid off. I am healthier and happier as a result. There's no big secret to what I'm doing. I think almost anyone could do this as long as they put their minds to it.

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