Is it alright to just go by calorie intake?

MericoX
MericoX Posts: 199 Member
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Most of the time I'm too busy to search for each food, so I just enter in the calories. Right now I'm not really paying attention to the other categories in the food diary (protein, carbs, sugar).

Is that alright? I'm just wanting to loose a chunk of weight, haven't done much exercise yet, though will soon.

Replies

  • jellyfishjen
    jellyfishjen Posts: 1,787 Member
    Try and add some exercise. Being very large and unfit I started with 3mins a day on the exercise bike. It does help your well being.
  • amysambora
    amysambora Posts: 219
    That's how I started. It wasn't until a couple of weeks in that I started to pay attention to exercise, then the protein/carbs/sugar amounts etc. Taking it one step at a time worked for me, but others prefer to throw themselves into it more enthusiastically at first - whatever works for you!
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
    Step by step...baby stepping it! :o) Take one mountain at a time hunny! Too many times in my life I've tried to take it all on at once, and then I get frustrated, beaten down and just plain give up.

    You are making a huge change in your life and counting calories is the first GIANT step. You need to get this down pat. In the beginning you still need to pick up food items to look at the package and eventually you will begin to know "This Serving Size" + "This Serving Size" ='s this. I think its so important to know this first before you continue.

    I started with this and then went on to very low impact exercising. Then I attacked my eating habits, when I ate my snacks, how often I ate, what I was eating. Next step, more intense workouts. I had lost enough weight at this point that I could handle them. NOW I pay attention to sodium, protein...everything. Now at any point along the way you plateau or feel you off, reexamine your journey. Its your journey. Do what is right for you. :o)

    Awesome job by the way, Congrats on your five pounds off!! :o)
  • HealthyishWithMaggieG
    HealthyishWithMaggieG Posts: 397 Member
    Most of the time I'm too busy to search for each food, so I just enter in the calories. Right now I'm not really paying attention to the other categories in the food diary (protein, carbs, sugar).

    Is that alright? I'm just wanting to loose a chunk of weight, haven't done much exercise yet, though will soon.

    How do you feel about tough love, as long as it's given kindly and constructively?
  • Ms_Natalie
    Ms_Natalie Posts: 1,030 Member
    hi there...it would be good to increase a little exercise! plus, once you start, it gets really enjoyable :flowerforyou:

    You also need to watch your sodium..as this can make you retain water and affect your weight loss. carbs are also a good one to watch. make sure you are getting enough water too.

    :flowerforyou:

    the more you do; the more results you will get!
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    You don't even need to exercise or call it that. Just start to become a little more active. Find something you enjoy doing whether it's dancing around your living room, going on short walks, just figure out what it is and start doing it more often.
  • WeightingForSara
    WeightingForSara Posts: 122 Member
    To be honest, I pay no attention to anything besides calories and exercising them away, and I've lost 90lbs... so... If it's easier for you, then have at it!
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
    That's how I started. It wasn't until a couple of weeks in that I started to pay attention to exercise, then the protein/carbs/sugar amounts etc. Taking it one step at a time worked for me, but others prefer to throw themselves into it more enthusiastically at first - whatever works for you!

    This is a good, perfectly healthy way to go about making these changes. If you throw yourself into it, you can get overwhelmed. If you start by just focussing on calories, then you'll be able to slowly start paying attention to everything else as well and build a great, balanced diet.

    Calorie intake vs use is the key ingredient to weight loss/control, so it's a great place to start.
  • ironmule2042
    ironmule2042 Posts: 103
    I lost 46 lbs by just watching my calories... In the last few weeks I've started looking at the rest and it has me a bit overwhelmed.

    I'm thinking of going back to just tracking calories but not the other stuff, but also making an effort to at least be aware of the other stuff but not tracking every little thing.
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
    I lost 46 lbs by just watching my calories... In the last few weeks I've started looking at the rest and it has me a bit overwhelmed.

    I'm thinking of going back to just tracking calories but not the other stuff, but also making an effort to at least be aware of the other stuff but not tracking every little thing.

    People tend to over think the other stuff anyways. The only thing that really matters with macronutrients is some of each. In other words, keep it somewhat balanced.
  • Uptopargolf
    Uptopargolf Posts: 263
    What you are doing is just great, like everyone else said. You don't want to get overwhelmed and give up. There are plenty of people on here who ONLY watch calories. And they have lost PLENTY of weight.

    Like Tate said, if you get some of each you will be in good shape with your diet. Just remember tho, that while just watching calories you want to eat healthier food. I know some of my own friends, want to watch what they eat.. But they end up eating the same bad stuff, just less of it. It may help in the short term, but not the long.
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
    It's a great way to start. The important thing is to start. I have never bothered worrying about anything other than calories and exercise, although I have found it interesting to see which are the foods to avoid.

    The thing would be if you are doing everything you think you should be and still not losing. Then it is time to analyze what you are eating. I have noticed that most people that get stuck are usually eating too many processed or fast foods even though they are staying under their calorie goal. Fat and sodium can be roadblocks if they occupy an overly large portion of your food composition.
  • bparr
    bparr Posts: 246 Member
    Starting out tracking your food and calories is fine. You'll get use to the tool and then get more motivated to challenge yourself and do more. Welcome to MFP-- it's a great tool. :tongue:
  • wendix
    wendix Posts: 74 Member
    in my opinion calories at the most important thing to count since it's unlikely you will ever overeat that way.
    once you've done this for a while, however, you may find it useful to look at other aspects of the food. This is because foods such as pulses, peanuts, granola, beans etc have a fairly high calorific content compared to what you might think but are extremely good for you in other ways (low in fat, high in fiber etc) so in my opinion calories are not the best way to judge foods like that.

    Same with calories in things like diet sodas since there are a lot of sweetners but no calories or snacks such as salted popcorn or crisps which don't have a lot of calories but a huge amount of salt (plus saturated fat in the crisps) which will lead to bloating and water retention.

    having said that, counting calories is the most important aspect of weightloss but it is good to look at other things too :)
  • cragmor
    cragmor Posts: 24 Member
    Sometimes I think that is the best way to start. There can be so much info thrown at you that you just get confused. While just considering calories in vs calories out can work for weight loss, that does not mean it is healthy. Generally, it should be healthier than not. For instance, if you eat one big cheeseburger and fries a day, you might be taking in 1200 calories a day. You will lose weight, but your heart will not thank you.
    Once you start getting the feel for where the calories are, you will notice other things. For example, I like to drink a chocolate milk for breakfast. I normally drink 2%, and found that it was 270 calories for a 12 oz bottle. The skim is only 130 calories. This is where the fat hype comes in. Fat does not make you fat, but it adds calories. I saved myself 140 calories just by making that switch. Cut out the fat to save calories, not to avoid getting fat. While it is a similar thought, it is not the same.
    You will start to see other things where going for lite/light/fat free will open up more calories to you. By then, you may start understanding how you body reacts to different daily caloric intakes, different types of foods etc.
    So, by all means, begin with just calories. Maybe even take a day or two to eat normal, but track everything you eat a drink. To do this will give you a better understanding of where all those calories are coming from. Then you can start comparing how you felt after eating all that, now with the knowledge of what it is to what it feels like to cut some calories. You will start feeling better from eating better, and feeling better for the accomplishment.
  • MericoX
    MericoX Posts: 199 Member
    Thanks everyone for responding, it really means a lot!
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