When is calorie counting counter-productive?

daniellescsu
daniellescsu Posts: 101 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have logged in for over 85 days straight and have basically not lost weight. Not gonna lie, I go over my calories a lot with wine or a couple beers, but I eat a lot less and exercise more and do not drink any more, so it only makes sense I should be losing and feeling healthier. But I don't really feel healthier and I think it might be due to calorie counting causing me to make wrong decisions.

For example, I was STARVING yesterday and had some cashews available in my car to hold me over. However, when I looked at the 160 calories per 1/3 of the TINY bag, I didn't want to eat them b/c I new they would be a huge dent in my daily calories. So I was tempted to go to the gas station and get a bag of junk, which was less calories (I found various chip items, etc). Now, I am very aware that nuts are healthy even if they are high calorie, and chips are processed junk that lead to nothing but harm in your body. BUT, when we get obsessed with that number and staying under that red line, I feel like sometimes I am tempted to make the unhealthier choice to stay under.

I guess my question is, how do we get over this hurdle of being ok with going over cals and still feeling good if we go over with all super healthy foods. And not feeling guilty. And not wanting to eat processed crap in order to stay under an arbitrary line. I feel I would lose more weight over my calories, with healthy options, than under it, eating processed crap.

Thoughts? And don't just say plan better, because life happens sometimes and it is impossible to plan every meal, every day. :)

Replies

  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    If 160 cals is a "huge dent" in your daily cals, you may be eating too little. What is your TDEE? What is your deficit? If you have no idea what I'm asking, read this

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
    Interesting that you should be in 85 days and lost nothing at all, though on the other hand you don't really have a lot to lose which may be the reason, I'm told the closer you get to your target weight, the harder it becomes. However you must be doing something wrong, though it's anyone's guess what it is. I've counted calories for 55 days now and lost 23 lbs, but I had a hell of a lot more to lose than you, and still do. But there is nothing wrong with the theory. If you are being totally honest with yourself in logging and keep at or below the level set by MFP you almost have to lose weight unless there are other factors involved and I can't imagine what those might be.

    Sorry, not very helpful really................
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
    If 160 cals is a "huge dent" in your daily cals, you may be eating too little. What is your TDEE? What is your deficit? If you have no idea what I'm asking, read this

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    Exactly. MFP shouldn't feel like a diet. I'm able to fit in wine, drinks, etc. just fine and I don't feel deprived.

    I would check your calories to see if you have them set too low, or if your exercise is really giving you the burn you think it is.

    I'm like you, I don't want to eat carrots and celery all day. If I go out for a steak I want to enjoy it. But I have to make up for it somewhere, either in my calories or by exercising. Now, running is my go-to exercise and I know I can easily burn 500-600 calories running 5 miles. Been doing it for years. I also train for 2-3 half-marathons a year and to me there's nothing better than running to keep you thin.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    1. You have very little weight to lose (150 lb at 5'6" is within the normal range), and fat loss becomes difficult the less fat there is to lose.

    2. You cannot expect to have progress if you regularly eat more than you should. Since you do not specify what your TDEE is and your diary is locked, it is hard to tell whether you are doing this.

    3. You say you are exercising more, but you do not say what you do and how much. Are you lifting weights, running, etc.? If you are lifting weights, you should not be tracking your weight for progress but measurements and body fat percentage.
  • Kanuenue
    Kanuenue Posts: 253 Member
    It's a fine line. But I think planning snacks/treats is key.

    Food shouldn't make you feel guilty. It's just food, and it's just a numbers game. You aren't failing if you go over your calories, you are learning.

    Nutritious eating can still be high calorie (I love nuts of all kind and tropical high sugar fruit), so you have to work it into your diet. Just because they are "good" calories, doesn't make them low in calorie. And nuts are exceptionally calorie dense.

    Is there an alternative to keep in your car? Can you keep an apple, or veggie chips? Can you overcome this small setback with an extra walk in the evening? There are a million solutions out there to meet all your goals, including consuming nutritious whole food & weight loss. I believe you can have your carrot (sometimes cake) and eat it too!

    I take pistachios when we go to the movies instead of getting popcorn. A treat I feel good about! Nothing is off limits.
  • soulshine23
    soulshine23 Posts: 28 Member
    i think the idea of planning ahead for snacking emergencies is a great one. i mean, i do this with my toddler, so it makes sense to do it with my own nutrition too.

    i am trying to lose 13 lbs, and they just come of so slow. my husband is trying to lose 10x that amount, and he can eat like, almost triple what i am 'allowed' by my own calculations... i stick to mine, exercise, pay attention, because i want this to work... he doesn't have to try all that hard and he is losing 2-4 lbs a week. very frustrating, because the fact is i think i hate cointing calories. i definately don't want it to be my lifestyle for the remainder of my years... but for the past 5-6 weeks, it has become very eye opening how much calories are in certain foods... like you mentioned the cashews, and before i paid attention, i could eat 2 cups of delicious raw cashews without even thinking about it, no problem... probably ate my calories for 2 days in one snack, lol!

    so, i don't even have cetain foods around, so i don't get tempted. nuts, dried fruits, certain white-carb junk. even certain 'OK' foods, but i just have no self control- can't eat a normal portion, no matter if my life depended on it, i.e. chips and salsa. so, no more chips and salsa for me until i can get a better grip and make what the calorie counting is teaching me more of an ingrained food-lifestyle choice, and hopefully one day i can ditch the calorie counting and be able to eat a normal portion of cashews, chips & salsa, etc.

    i also agree with the others here- mfp has probably given you 1200 calories, which i did for a week or so until i found the 'roadmap' thread and took 10 minutes to figure out my BMR & TDEE, yay! i get to have 150 extra calories AND more if i want to exercise. so, i don't feel so deprived anymore, and the weight is slowly (really slowly) coming off... i don't feel lightheaded or exhausted, and there are less times that i fall prey to binging because my SOUL is hungry from being underfed. i don't think it is good to feel a sense of starvation, and if you are eating right and under your TDEE, you really should gradually lose weight.

    i hope that helps you- how frustrating to take the time and effort for over 80 days and not see some progress. i am seeing 1/2lb off a week, and that is with NO cheating. i make sure to do enough exercise in the day so i can enjoy my enening glass or two of wine- which is important to me (no i do not have an alcohol issue!), to feel like a civilized human being.

    anyway, good luck!
  • imchicbad
    imchicbad Posts: 1,650 Member
    Alcohol is your enemie trust me on this one. Seek ye out the roadmap ... Your obviously missing the jist of weight loss and empty calories . The link above the previous poster posted will help also. Your macros is very important.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    Calorie counting is counter-productive when you over-analyze EVERYTHING you are putting into your mouth...Yes, EVERYTHING :wink:
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    If you go over today make it up tomorrow. Just try to stay within your macros and calories for the week or three days (whichever is easier for you).

    And definitely revisit your calculations. If you are at a very low level of calories it's far to easy to go over. With a higher calorie level you will be able to have a treat once in a while and still lose weight.

    ETA: If you do end up looking for snacks at a gas station or convenience store, consider beef jerkey. cheese sticks, and milk. Protein curbs your hunger longer than carbs and is good for you.
  • TheStephil
    TheStephil Posts: 858 Member
    I believe you aren't eating enough regularily. Have you figured out what your BMR and TDEE are? If you eat under 1200 cals normally and then "splurge" and eat 1600 one day, it could cause problems. If you gradually increase your calorie intake to 10%-20% of your TDEE and make sure you don't fall under your BMR then you may see better results.

    I'm at 161 pounds and eat anywhere from 1600-2000 calories a day depending on my exercise and usually lose weight/inches each week. I was down to 150lbs when I first started MFP and was eating 1200 calories and after qickly losing 5lbs I stalled. I ended up gaining quickly every time I cheated. Now that my calories are higher, I lose more often and am able to have treats every day.
  • daniellescsu
    daniellescsu Posts: 101 Member
    I guess I wasn't looking for advise on how to lose weight or stay under my calories. It was more along the lines of being something to think about as far as foods that are healthy vs. foods that are low cal and what is more important. I know I can go over and eat less the next day or something, but if I go over eating healthy food, why should I have to? I was being more deep I guess than just counting numbers.
  • daniellescsu
    daniellescsu Posts: 101 Member
    If you go over today make it up tomorrow. Just try to stay within your macros and calories for the week or three days (whichever is easier for you).

    And definitely revisit your calculations. If you are at a very low level of calories it's far to easy to go over. With a higher calorie level you will be able to have a treat once in a while and still lose weight.

    ETA: If you do end up looking for snacks at a gas station or convenience store, consider beef jerkey. cheese sticks, and milk. Protein curbs your hunger longer than carbs and is good for you.

    Thanks, sadly I do not eat much meat or dairy so gas station would be all processed junk!
  • daniellescsu
    daniellescsu Posts: 101 Member
    I believe you aren't eating enough regularily. Have you figured out what your BMR and TDEE are? If you eat under 1200 cals normally and then "splurge" and eat 1600 one day, it could cause problems. If you gradually increase your calorie intake to 10%-20% of your TDEE and make sure you don't fall under your BMR then you may see better results.

    I'm at 161 pounds and eat anywhere from 1600-2000 calories a day depending on my exercise and usually lose weight/inches each week. I was down to 150lbs when I first started MFP and was eating 1200 calories and after qickly losing 5lbs I stalled. I ended up gaining quickly every time I cheated. Now that my calories are higher, I lose more often and am able to have treats every day.

    I have no problem staying under 1200 if it is just food. I actually feel full most of the time. The times I go over are when I go out on weekends and have drinks. I know people say stop drinking and lose weight, but that isn't realistic. It is like a low carb diet. I would lose a ton of weight quick, but since it is not a realistic life style the minute I started acting like a normal person again I would gain it all back plus some!!!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    I would have eaten the cashews. You have to figure they are going to keep you satiated far longer and be much more nutritionally beneficial than any chips.

    Cashews aren't just calories. They are healthy fats and minerals you won't get from chips. Any time you can opt for the whole, natural foods you are going to be better off if for no other reason than you won't be reaching for more food in the next 45 minutes. All the carbs in those chips would send me off the deep end. The nuts would tide me over until the next meal.
  • swishandflick
    swishandflick Posts: 42
    I love wine, and am just one pound away from my goal weight even after indulging in several drinks every week.

    The key is to try and remember and count each drink you have, and don't just use those as "throwaway" calories or something. I try and only drink on days when I've worked out, so if I have four glasses of wine (adds up to 400 cals or so), it's on a day when I've already worked out so it's not a huge deal and it won't send me way over my goals. On those days I may have a lean cuisine for dinner or just a thin steak with some veggies.

    If you're out with your friends, find whatever the "healthiest" thing is on the menu and get that rather then just sharing a bowl of chicken wings or something. What helps me is not just ordering the salad all the time, but if you get a veggie burger for example it's usually satisfying enough for me and makes me feel like I'm still socializing etc. without depriving myself.

    I second the recommendations on keeping healthier snacks around you. Nuts are pretty calorie dense, but my go-tos also include beef jerky (good for the car since it doesn't go bad), and almonds (no salt, and I only keep 10 of them in each bag), and any kind of fruit.

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