Should i stop calorie counting?

Sure, give it a try. I'd say go at least a month making what you consider good food choices, and see what the results are. Calorie counting certainly isn't the be all end all.

For the first few weeks, I logged no matter how many calories the meal was.
Now I have a better grasp what I should and shouldn't eat every day.
Though it is annoying when you're out to dinner and they don't have the calorie count so you have to guesstimate.

Also, change your birthdate in the system, it affects how many calories you should be eating.


To do this, go to: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

(MY HOME> Settings> Update diet/fitness profile)

Try it for a bit and see what happens. I used to plan out my meals and snacks for the entire week on here. At the beginning, trying to fit in everything within my calorie allowance drove me mad. Eventually I got used to it. Sometimes I'd "cheat" and tell myself it was ok to go over my calorie allowance one day because I was being "good" on other days. About 3 months ago my weight loss stalled. I kept losing the same 2-3 pounds and it was beyond frustrating. Then about 3 weeks ago I became really busy with work and life in general. I started going to the gym more often (I usually go 5 days per week, but had been slacking) and unconsciously stopped counting calories. Sometimes I'd log what I had eaten throughout the day and sometimes I didn't. But, and here's the huge but...I was making healthy choices. After being on here for a year, I knew what I could and couldn't eat throughout the day. I was no longer day dreaming about filling my calorie allowance. Instead, I was eating what I wanted and when I wanted, but it was always (or more often than not) healthy. I probably couldn't have done this a year ago, but for some reason it has worked and I have dropped 5 pounds. So...try it and see if it works for you.

I agree with giving MFP a try. I am currently not recording my foods on it, but I remember when I did and how much I did lose with. However, it's been hard to record since I moved home from college because my family cooks or I go eat out with my boyfriend. Instead, I have been trying to record what I eat in terms of notes versus calories.

I like to use calorie counting when I have specific goals such as building muscle, but the truth is it can't just be about counting calories. It is about the kind of food you are eating and is it nutrient dense. The problem with calorie counting is a lot of the time we are not giving the body what it truly needs. That is why I like the concept of clean eating. With that said, I always recommend to people that they calorie count in the beginning so they can't at least to get use to portion sizes.

I am new and would love to hear the kinds of foods you have been eating.

For those who want food recommendations you will get a whole variety of responses as people respond differently, boring answer but true.

Some tolerate dairy, some not. Some will lose eating Pop Tarts , some not.

Some are young and their metabolisms can tolerate more, some are relative old fogies who need a bit of metabolic help.

Some just think that a 'balanced' diet and everything in moderation is the thing, some blow up like balloons when they follow the Food Pyramid guidelines

For me avoiding processed food, sugar, grains(i.e. all bread, pasta, rice, corn, etc) and legumes is the way forward.

Having started MFP on the low fat thing I just know this to be the case, the data and the results ain't lying. And it has precious little to do with calories. I track to make sure I'm getting enough, not to restrict myself.

For some they will be satisfied with progress eating more carbohydrate, pizza, coke and whatever than me if they just restrict the calories, hence the fun process of tracking and tinkering with the macros. And it can be fun