nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

MyFitnessPal Community

Do you guys really count calories?

__freckles__

In my life I could probably count the times I've actually kept track of my calories for a day on one hand. But I know a lot of people here do it. So how do you do it? Do you actually weigh everything out and keep a list of everything you eat throughout the day? The two times I did it on MFP I kind of just guessed at the amounts I ate.

I'm asking because I'll soon be at my normal weight. I'm just starting to weightlift (which I LOVE btw). I want to burn more fat but retain the muscle I have. So...do I need to count calories and how many should I eat? I'm 5'8 soon to be 145 lbs and 28% body fat. Would like to set a first goal of 24% body fat. I do weightlifting 3 times per week for about 45 minutes each session.

Help is appreciated!

Replies

quill16

Yes I weigh EVERYTHING and Count EVERYTHING. It was the key to my success at losing 200 lbs

Chief_Rocka

someone should create a website that does it for you

TheEffort

After a while of tracking, when you look at food....all you see are calorie numbers, grams of protein, sodium levels...etc...

This is true for me.

NovemberJune

Yes, I weigh/measure and log everything. It's easy. Plenty of people reach their goals without counting calories but this is what I like. :flowerforyou:

NovemberJune

someone should create a website that does it for you

:laugh: ...maybe even an app to go with it!

magerum

Accurate tracking will get you results that are more predictable

ndj1979

nope, I just pretend to ....works for me ..

ndj1979

Accurate tracking will get you results that are more predictable

complete malarky ...

Cranquistador

gettingmy_lifeback

Yes i leave my food scale out and i have 2 sets of measurement cups ( in case one is in the washer lol) I dont like eating out so it's not a problem and i usually make all my food

LeslieN65

I log it all....all calories, all foods, all drinks, all exercise.....and measure the foods and drinks and use the same utensils and plates, bowls, cups ect. that I put the measured product in...and recheck every few days...sometimes the eyes misjudge...I even count crackers...anal? Probably....but I want to stay fit!! And quickest way to lose my fit and firm is to just guess! I do give myself time off and have a beer or 2 and skip the anal-ness..gotta stay sane and focused:-) All work and no play is no good!

stumblinthrulife

Yep, measure everything, log everything.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I can't imagine why I would be here if I wasn't counting calories.

Chevy_Quest

Someday I hope not to have to count calories. But that is going to be a long way down the road.

I know for a fact that there are some people who are so "in tune" with their bodies they just instinctively know when to eat less or eat more. Those people do in fact exist and I really am happy for them.

However, and I am just speaking for me, counting calories is the only way for me to "re-learn" how to eat and develop good life-long habits!

Danimal718

someone should create a website that does it for you

:laugh: ...maybe even an app to go with it!

and get on the treadmill for you and lift the weights.

LeahT84

i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

^^THIS.

Hannah_Hopes

I log everything and measure out

I used to be rubbish with portion sizes so really learnt how to do it right now when I'm around food I'm just there like that's x calories should be x grams for one portion - it can get annoying but I find it fun :laugh:

L4GFOREVER

I would say yes! When i look at food i see sat fat, carbs and protein ,

pseudomuffin

I have a food scale I use for figuring out meat portions and a set of measuring spoons and measuring cups I use for everything else. I make all meals at home with the exception of maybe 1-2 we have a week with friends, at which point I either eyeball portions or look up the restaurant's nutrition. It's not too time consuming, and most of the time I either log as I eat or after I've eaten, unless I'm really budgeting calories (though I haven't had this happen since I cut out carbs)

JenniTheVeggie

Yes. It isn't hard.

teamAmelia

i weigh / measure EVERYTHING, i log EVERYTHING...

EVERY SINGLE CALORIE that goes into my mouth gets counted!

ive been known to log 1 skittle... what??? sometimes i just need a taste!

1- yuck. I hate Skittles.
2- I wish that I had your self-control when it came to White Cheddar Cheeto Puffs. Mmmm.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

At home I weigh all my food and measure free-pouring liquids. The only thing I don't weigh is raw spinach, and I have weighed it before just to be sure.

When I eat at someone else's house or at a restaurant I do the best I can, and I try to make those instances few enough that they don't mess with my progress.

I agree with neandermagnon-- it gets much faster and easier once you're in the habit. I eat the same foods a lot and I've learned how to search for the usda entries in the database so I'm getting the most accurate entries. It barely takes me 10 minutes to log.

mattschwartz01

Whenever it is possible and feasible, yes, I will weigh out portions. My dietitian gave me some techniques for estimating that work VERY well. How do I know they work well? I'm still losing weight. One of her tips was that 3oz of chicken is roughly the size and thickness of a standard deck of playing cards.

jjinteso

I weigh/measure and count every gram of what I eat every day too. I then log it into MFP. I am so anal that I actually created by own database of foods since I found so many on the website here to be in error. All of my data either comes from the USDA, the manufacturer website or manufacturer packaging.

I will also bring my scale and a tablespoon to a restaurant. I just had sushi tonight at a restaurant and weighed every gram of each piece. I also measured out the low sodium soy sauce.

ninrj

Yes I weigh everything...every day. However, I always prep all my food for the entire day the night before. I find that it saves a lot of time and I don't have to worry about numbers and weighing throughout the day.

Prephred

After a while of tracking, when you look at food....all you see are calorie numbers, grams of protein, sodium levels...etc...

LOL and your friends look at you like you are nuts when you go, Chinese pepper chicken - 1 cup is about 300 cals and a crab ragoon is 140

The_Enginerd

Yep, for every single one of my 910 days so far. It does go much quicker after you get the hang of it. Most of what I eat is already in my recent or most used foods, and that makes it quite quick. I weigh everything at home, and have done enough weighing to have a very good idea for estimating when I eat out at a place that does not have calorie counts.

Otterluv

Yes I do. I weigh and measure. When I get slack my weight loss stalls.

MarioLozano16

I count my macros not my calories bro

bazzawood30

569 day and counting!!!!!!!!