Is calorie-counting different from dieting?
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For me "dieting" is something to be done temporarily with temporary results. Calorie counting is understanding the 'energy' my body needs and providing it with said calories so that I can lose/maintain weight. Calorie counting is something I will do long term.
I haven't changed my diet at all, with the exception of being more open to trying new foods, etc. I still eat all of the same foods, just in smaller portions than what I ate previously. Portions that fit within my calorie goal.0 -
I'd say the plain simple answer is yes, it is the same, both are restrictions. However calorie counting is more about being able to eat essentially whatever you want, just to be mindful of how much to eat. Which in the end is much less restrictive.
Unless you're someone that struggles with portion control, then it's the most restrictive type of diet - different horses for different courses.
You just got to find the style that works for you.
Personally I find the idea that being aware of ones energy intake is restrictive to be pretty nonsensical. My goal, given my objectives, is a net of 1960 per day. If I choose to burn a further 1200 on a run then that gives me options. As it worked out yesterday I couldn't physically consume enough to hit goal, today I probably will as I'd only anticipate burning about 400.
Choices, one is not a slave to the numbers that the machine generates.0 -
I'd say the plain simple answer is yes, it is the same, both are restrictions. However calorie counting is more about being able to eat essentially whatever you want, just to be mindful of how much to eat. Which in the end is much less restrictive.
Unless you're someone that struggles with portion control, then it's the most restrictive type of diet - different horses for different courses.
You just got to find the style that works for you.
Personally I find the idea that being aware of ones energy intake is restrictive to be pretty nonsensical. My goal, given my objectives, is a net of 1960 per day. If I choose to burn a further 1200 on a run then that gives me options. As it worked out yesterday I couldn't physically consume enough to hit goal, today I probably will as I'd only anticipate burning about 400.
Choices, one is not a slave to the numbers that the machine generates.
Agreed. There is nothing I am "not allowed" to eat on MFP. I am making choices that swap high calorie foods to lower ones to help me lose weight, but which foods I swap out, and how often is entirely up to me. So it's the least restrictive method of losing weight, for me.
However, "diet" is a term I'm not entirely happy with because it has 2 meanings:
The first meaning is a temporary reduction in food, often including exclusion of food groups and rigid adherence to a set of rules, typically for losing weight but in the case of body builders also for building muscle.
The second is simply the word for the way you eat.
I see calorie counting as a tool to help people manage their weight rather than a diet in itself (after all, you can't eat MFP!
). Some people will not keep the changes they make after they reach maintenance. In these cases, I think the MFP method is very much a "diet" in the first sense. Conversely, many people on MFP stress that this is about making a healthy lifestyle, not a temporary change just to lose weight. I suspect that most people of this mindset will continue making good food choices and checking nutrition labels after they hit maintenance; however, I think it is unlikely that they will continue to log rigorously forever once they have a handle on how much they can eat at maintenance. They may continue for 6 months to a year but lose momentum when they find they don't need to count rigorously any more. For these people, I think it is arguable as to whether the MFP method is a diet in the first sense as yes, the rigorous counting stops, but the healthier food choices stick. Both ways are diets in the second sense, of course. 0 -
I will count calories as long as it has not become a natural way to live. I have to teach it to myself and it takes a very long time... it is a new way of life. I cannot count on myself doing it without a conscious effort. I have a lifetime of bad habits and bad choices to counterbalance...0
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So why didn't you just try to un-learn those harmful food habits, why turn to calorie counting? I can see how counting calories can make you eat less, but it doesn't address why you felt the need to overeat in the first place. Wouldn't you get the same results by simply deciding to stop getting so overly full? Learning to say no to huge portions because your body doesn't need them? Learning how much food allows you to feel physically good after eating and learning to be okay eating that much? You would eat way less that way, plus you'd actually be addressing the root causes of your overeating.
When you used to eat overly large portions, didn't you feel really full? Wouldn't that alone be enough to tell you to maybe cut down on your portions?For me calorie counting is teaching me about portion size and the calories in certain foods (eg pasta - my idea of a portion had about double the calories in it than I thought). That's allowing me to make healthier choices. I don't think I'll count calories forever but it keeps me focussed whilst I'm getting to target. I do think there's certain foods that I'll weigh probably forever as its easy to eat a lot of extra calories without trying (complex carbs and high fat food in my case). Calorie counting is part of my lifestyle change but to eat the right things more often and to retrain my eating habits.
I would eat until there wasn't any food left, even if I was full, because that was how it was when I grew up. I had no control over how much food was put on my plate, but you ate everything on your plate and didn't leave the table until you did, because you had to be grateful for the food you were given and it somehow helped starving children in Africa).
Counting calories for me is figuring out portion sizes, pure and simple. While a diet for me involves restricting something and that magically makes you lose weight. I've been on diets in the past with little or no success now it's about just not eating to much.
It seems like by counting calories, you're focusing your energy on the wrong things. Like, it makes more sense to me to focus on the habits that got me overweight in the first place (eating large portions because that's what you learned growing up, for example), and learning to change those (starting to say no to extra food if you know you don't need it, paying more attention to your fullness and deciding not to get overly full at meals), instead of relying on an external control mechanism to control my eating.0 -
So why not just try to fix those bad eating habits directly? Why turn to counting calories if it's a crutch you'll have to rely on for the rest of your life in order to maintain a healthy weight?I will count calories as long as it has not become a natural way to live. I have to teach it to myself and it takes a very long time... it is a new way of life. I cannot count on myself doing it without a conscious effort. I have a lifetime of bad habits and bad choices to counterbalance...
Wouldn't it be easier to work on fixing the issues that cause you to overeat, and once those issues are addressed, continue eating a reasonable amount for the rest of your life & losing weight steadily that way?0 -
It seems like by counting calories, you're focusing your energy on the wrong things.
Agreed. Most calorie counters fail, just like any other diet.
Used as a tool to relearn and restructure eating habits, it's powerful. But most people, from what I've seen, don't actually do that.0 -
I agree. It could be a great crutch to show people how much food keeps them feeling good & energetic, and how much is too little, and about how much is too much. It could help people figure out what reasonable portions look like if they have no idea.It seems like by counting calories, you're focusing your energy on the wrong things.
Agreed. Most calorie counters fail, just like any other diet.
Used as a tool to relearn and restructure eating habits, it's powerful. But most people, from what I've seen, don't actually do that.
But most people start to depend on it and eventually come to the conclusion that without it they could never keep their weight at a healthy level or eat reasonably. And to me, that's pretty troubling.0 -
People that count calories ARE addressing their issues of eating too much. This is the way they choose to retrain themselves. Stuff happens in our bodies (within the endocrine system) to make our bodies not really have the full signal. Being able to count calories helps us to know how much we SHOULD be eating to fuel our bodies. It's like an old junk car I once had. The gas gauge didn't work and neither did the odometer. I was basically guessing when it needed gas and how much it needed. My full gauge was broken. Counting calories was my 'odometer' and helped fix my 'gas gauge'. I'm at maintenance and don't really count any more. I recognize what my body needs. So the "dieting" and counting calories was the retraining.0
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I found that by calorie counting when I was losing weight (which I will call a "diet" since I was restricting my intake below normal levels), I learned a lot. One of the biggest things I learned, and something that I use all the time now, whether or not I actually log food, is general rules for estimating food intake. So I can go somewhere and know roughly how many calories and macros a meal may have, and make decisions based on that information. So if I go to a friends house and they make pasta with store bought sauce, I can decide how much to eat, or what else I would have to do to make it fit in with my other daily choices, and I wouldn't need to actually go to MFP and check it all out.0
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If so how?
I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I constantly see people telling others, "don't diet! make it a lifestyle change!" But you're all counting your calories? Not to be judgmental but I don't see how it's different from a diet. Is this just a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle? Or do you plan to count calories forever?
Ironically, most people talk a good talk about "lifestyle change" but pretty much miss the boat when it comes to actually implementing such a change. People who think that the act of calorie counting is the "lifestyle change"...they are missing that boat IMHO.
I'm in maintenance and have been for about 9 month now. When I was losing I counted calories...I used that method to teach myself to eat properly...to make better nutritional decisions...learn portion control and moderation...to better understand what it meant to eat a balanced diet. I do not count calories anymore in maintenance; I use the tools that I developed during my weight loss to help me successfully maintain.
The "lifestyle change" really comes down to making nutrition and fitness an intricate part of your life. Problem is that most people hit some arbitrary weight on the scale and think they've crossed the finish line...so they slack on their nutrition and they slack on their fitness. What they don't realize is that they haven't crossed the finish line...they've just arrived at the starting line...it is just the beginning and the real work starts in maintenance. Sadly, that is missed on the vast majority of people which is why only about 5% or so of people who've had weight issues will get them under control and keep them under control, regardless of the method used to lose weight.0 -
I use it to gain, lose, and maintain. It takes less time than brushing my teeth and showering and shaving.If so how?
I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks and I constantly see people telling others, "don't diet! make it a lifestyle change!" But you're all counting your calories? Not to be judgmental but I don't see how it's different from a diet. Is this just a stepping stone to a healthier lifestyle? Or do you plan to count calories forever?
I see it as a corrective measure like wearing glasses, because following my natural hunger signals does not give me the result I want.0 -
So why not just try to fix those bad eating habits directly? Why turn to counting calories if it's a crutch you'll have to rely on for the rest of your life in order to maintain a healthy weight?I will count calories as long as it has not become a natural way to live. I have to teach it to myself and it takes a very long time... it is a new way of life. I cannot count on myself doing it without a conscious effort. I have a lifetime of bad habits and bad choices to counterbalance...
Wouldn't it be easier to work on fixing the issues that cause you to overeat, and once those issues are addressed, continue eating a reasonable amount for the rest of your life & losing weight steadily that way?
For those with real food issues, 'fixing the issues' is a lot easier to say than do. Imagine telling a heroin addict that they had to keep using some heroin in order to stay alive, but not to use too much.... Food addiction really can be that way. There are times I wish my problem was alcohol or drugs. Cold turkey would be a lot easier.
Calorie counting is a tool that makes me mindful of what I eat. By logging everything I am more aware of what I'm eating and when I'm eating it. It is about trying to separate real hunger, my body's need for fuel, from the other emotions that have triggered my eating in the past. Calorie counting is part of fixing the issues, not a crutch.
Will I have to count calories the rest of my life? I hope not. However, once I reach my goal, I plan to slowly increase my calories until I find my maintenance level. Then I will count at that level for a while until I get a comfortable 'feel' for what that is like. I expect the entire process to take several years, so I am hopeful that I will have 'dealt' with the issues. However like an alcoholic, I will need to be aware of my issues and mindful of slipping into the old habits for the rest of my life.0 -
diet : the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
eta: so yes, I am on a diet for life.0 -
So why not just try to fix those bad eating habits directly? Why turn to counting calories if it's a crutch you'll have to rely on for the rest of your life in order to maintain a healthy weight?I will count calories as long as it has not become a natural way to live. I have to teach it to myself and it takes a very long time... it is a new way of life. I cannot count on myself doing it without a conscious effort. I have a lifetime of bad habits and bad choices to counterbalance...
Wouldn't it be easier to work on fixing the issues that cause you to overeat, and once those issues are addressed, continue eating a reasonable amount for the rest of your life & losing weight steadily that way?
For those with real food issues, 'fixing the issues' is a lot easier to say than do. Imagine telling a heroin addict that they had to keep using some heroin in order to stay alive, but not to use too much.... Food addiction really can be that way. There are times I wish my problem was alcohol or drugs. Cold turkey would be a lot easier.
Calorie counting is a tool that makes me mindful of what I eat. By logging everything I am more aware of what I'm eating and when I'm eating it. It is about trying to separate real hunger, my body's need for fuel, from the other emotions that have triggered my eating in the past. Calorie counting is part of fixing the issues, not a crutch.
Will I have to count calories the rest of my life? I hope not. However, once I reach my goal, I plan to slowly increase my calories until I find my maintenance level. Then I will count at that level for a while until I get a comfortable 'feel' for what that is like. I expect the entire process to take several years, so I am hopeful that I will have 'dealt' with the issues. However like an alcoholic, I will need to be aware of my issues and mindful of slipping into the old habits for the rest of my life.
I sympathise (I'm the same).
Sadly not everybody gets this - certainly not outside of their own little bubbles or belief system.0 -
OP - you're missing something - there is a global aspect to this...it's not JUST about food choices, or weighing food, or why we overeat in the first place. It's about all of this combined.
The original question "diet" vs. "lifestyle change". Most people on this site are either overweight or were overweight at some point. Which means that they have/had issues with food. How much to eat. Eating for the wrong reasons, etc...most of these people have tried "diets". The cabbage soup diet. The juice diet, the low carb diet. Keto. Paleo, raw foods, the 3-day-diet...the list goes on and on. These are temporary things. They're not incorporating a change into your life that you can do forever.
"Lifestyle change" means changing your habits. How you eat, what you eat, quantities, how much you exercise. And finding the balance there...something that you will be happy to be doing in ten years - long after you've reached your fitness goals.
When I count calories, I can eat whatever I want. Because I'm aiming for a total calorie goal. I can have chocolate, and pasta and donuts...whatever I want. I try to hit my macros every day, and I eat whatever I want within those parameters.
I'd say most people who have long term success are also addressing their food issues as they lose weight. I can't think of one person I know who has looked for the first time at what an actual serving of pasta is and not felt deprived. When you see how much you are eating versus how much you should be eating (to maintain)...it's usually a shock...which makes you ask the questions - why am I eating so much?
We address these issues - with the help of others here on MFP who have also struggled with the same. And hopefully the next time we're in a situation where we struggle, we're a bit wiser. Make mistakes less and less often until the new lifestyle is second nature. 0 -
It seems the OP is under the impression that all humans are in possession of a system that produces hunger/full signals which, if followed faithfully, would result in everyone being at their ideal weight.0
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I have gained 12 lbs since I brought my baby home from the hospital. Yes, GAINED since having a baby.
I think my stomach has stretched due to my overeating...what used to satiate me no longer does.
For example- I used to be able to eat half a Chipotle burrito and feel satisfied. Now if I eat just half I don't feel "full" and I am hungry again a lot sooner than before.
So now I have to get used to feeling less full/actual hunger until my body is back to "normal" and everything regulates again.0 -
...why turn to calorie counting?
It's a tool to help learn more effective eating habits?
In the absence of any boundaries and context around the behaviours one needs to learn then success is neither assured nor understood.
By understanding how intake and output relate to one another one can make informed choices.
As an example, I now know broadly what'll give me a reasonable intake for a day, in the order of enough to maintain weight. I also know broadly how to compensate for a 90 minute run, a 30 minute run, a 60 minute run and I can forecast what I'll be needing to consume after a 120 minute run. In the absence of understanding the principles I'd be seeing random outcomes, with the risk of burning out when I'm training.0 -
Precisely.It seems the OP is under the impression that all humans are in possession of a system that produces hunger/full signals which, if followed faithfully, would result in everyone being at their ideal weight.
Humans have been doing that since the dawn of time. People didn't even start caring about calories until like 50 years ago, and back then obesity rates were drastically lower than they are now. How do you think those people regulated their weights? How do you think people who don't struggle with their weight or diet even today, regulate their weight?
There's no reason to believe that some people just don't have hunger/fullness signals. Everyone has them. It's just a matter of knowing how to listen to them, which most people who struggle with their weight have long since forgotten how to do. And counting calories doesn't really fix that problem. It just perpetuates the (false) belief that you have no way of eating normal amounts of food without imposing external limitations.0
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