Counting calories/exercise calories burned

I hate the fact that I have to count calories... Logging every last thing I eat.. So annoying. How does anyone keep track of how much calories are going in without counting? How do you keep track of calories burned? I find MFP exaggerates a tad.
What's everyone doing for this stuff?

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I hate the fact that I have to count calories... Logging every last thing I eat.. So annoying. How does anyone keep track of how much calories are going in without counting?

    Wishful thinking.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    I hate the fact that I have to count calories... Logging every last thing I eat.. So annoying. How does anyone keep track of how much calories are going in without counting? How do you keep track of calories burned? I find MFP exaggerates a tad.
    What's everyone doing for this stuff?

    without weighing and measuring and logging, it's extremely difficult to do this accurately. ya get used to it.
    as far as cals burned...personally i dont keep track. i log all exercise as 1cal burned. for ME this keeps me sane.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I log all my food. I'm on my 655th straight day of logging in, pretty much all my regular foods & recipes are in there, or are a quick phone scan or database search away. Click click click and it's logged.

    I use a HRM when I work out to log calorie burns.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    You're really in the wrong place if you hate counting calories.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,412 Member
    You can take a break now and then, but for long-term success, you really need to diligently track your calories.

    It takes me less than three minutes per meal to log food. Everything takes some practice. It's worth it.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    You can take a break now and then, but for long-term success, you really need to diligently track your calories.

    It takes me less than three minutes per meal to log food. Everything takes some practice. It's worth it.

    Pretty much this.
  • breeezy1030
    breeezy1030 Posts: 42 Member
    Counting calories actually has taught me alot so that when I dont log something I can kinda remember what it amounts to because I eat alot of the same stuff. But your right MFP does exaggerate on the amount of calories burned with exercise. I just downloaded iheart. it seems to do a seemingly more realistic job of counting calories burned accurately. I understand how it can be a pain sometimes, but no pain no gain. Or in this case, no pain, no loss....
  • bunny92441
    bunny92441 Posts: 42
    I can't do it without weighing and counting calories. It takes no time at all. I plan my lunch and dinner ahead of time and log everything in all at once for that day, while I'm eating my breakfast. Everything beyond that takes only a second to log in. Most of the food is already in on my list.
    I also use a HRM while exercising. This tends to be pretty accurate.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I hate that I have to enter every dollar I spend into Quicken. :cry:

    I look at it the same way. If I don't want to go broke and bounce checks, I keep track of my money. If I don't want to get fat again, I keep track of my calories.

    Up until I switched to a TDEE approach nearly a year ago, I just went by the calories estimated by MFP, and that worked just fine for me. Now I go by my average calorie burned instead of an exact number, so life is a little easier. I eat about the same amount every day, instead of a really low rest day and a crazy high day if I go for a long run.
  • I have been maintaining for two years without counting calories ( well sometimes I do just out of curiosity or if I have a dramatic change in my activity level ). I did log everything in the begining, I just knew I didn't want to have to count calories forever. I do use the site to log exercise and keep track of measurements. I know it wouldn't work for everyone, but I have done very well doing it this way. I am also very active in my everyday life and I workout so my TDEE is pretty high.