BIGGEST thing you have learned since tracking calories?

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Replies

  • lavender_fairie
    lavender_fairie Posts: 76 Member
    Some of the food serving weights/portions are just designed to make you fail.

    1. A serving of hot dog chili is only 10 cals. But a serving is a tablespoon lol- who puts only a tablespoon on a chili dog? My family loves chili dog night, but I shudder when I make it for them!

    2. I hate it when meat servings are only listed as "raw."- my chicken breasts come that way. Like i want to be wandering around with raw chicken, going from the scale to the pan, and then I forget which one I weighed anyway by the time I've finished cooking.

    3. Let's say a can of beans- u look at the label, and a serving is only 20 cals. AWESOME! But there r supposedly 4 servings on the can, lol. Once u pour out the juice you have enough to maybe feed ur 2-yo and half of ur 6-yo. 4 servings my eye.

    Serving sizes r meant to trick you. I can't believe how ignorant I uses to be.
  • KFN517
    KFN517 Posts: 2 Member
    I've learned estimating is not the way to go. I have to measure everything! The biggest eye-opener was probably the cream in my coffee...yikes. I would dump it in without thinking to measure or track it. Things like that seriously add up...I was consuming more than I thought I was.
  • LosingItForGood13
    LosingItForGood13 Posts: 182 Member
    That I should have thing this a long time ago and that I will never revert back to my old eating habits
  • Woodster83
    Woodster83 Posts: 71 Member
    Portion control and snacking were way out of line for me before MFP tracking.

    Exercise = More food!

    Exercise doesn't burn as much as I presumed it would!

    Even fruit is high in carbs/sugar and calories.. choose the lower ones like Strawberries.

    I didn't die of starvation like I thought I would on a "diet".

    I don't feel guilty when I eat out or have a treat now, that's been great for my soul :)

    I wasn't getting even 20% of my Iron intake a day!

    I like exercise, it makes me feel good and I'm becoming slightly addicted to it!

    I feel better sometimes when I've not had that naughty treat I was drooling over.

    & probably loads more, so far so good!
  • thatjosiegirl
    thatjosiegirl Posts: 362 Member
    That ignorance is not always bliss and my digital scale is worth it's weight in gold.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    it works.
  • CharleeCali
    CharleeCali Posts: 51 Member
    Carbs are not the devil!

    After doing low-carb for so SO long, I'm still a little hesitant to eat too many, but I can have my yummy oatmeal again without feeling guilty! Yay!

    I'm not knocking low-carb dieters at all, it worked for me when I followed it, but just by switching to MFP, I've lost 8 pounds. Eating carbs!! Who knew?

    Also, I seriously miss all the meat I used to eat. I had absolutely no idea how many calories and fat I was consuming. Portion control is the key. (but I still miss the free pass)
  • 40DayFit
    40DayFit Posts: 246 Member
    bump for awesome
  • ToraChan2310
    ToraChan2310 Posts: 45
    The biggest thing I've learned is how eating junk food is utterly ridiculous. Comparing the amount of calories in a small amount of junk that is the same amount to a large helping of something healthy...

    I would have to be a fool to eat junk food again.
  • beaches61
    beaches61 Posts: 154 Member
    I've learned that I was eating a lot more than I thought I was before I started tracking.
  • 424a57
    424a57 Posts: 140 Member
    The BIGGEST thing I learned was... ME.
    (But I'm getting smaller)
  • BL_Mark
    BL_Mark Posts: 183 Member
    Pretty much everything on here I agree with.

    I've learned my eating habits and that I can lose weight and get healthy while still enjoying the stuff I love, as long as there's "room" for it, like beer! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
    Sodium is more difficult to manage than calories. I am no longer able to eat anything that is remotely convenient save for apples, bananas and the occasional granola bar.
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
    I learned that I have a tendency to UNDEREAT! And that my "binge" days made up the gap and managed my weight until my circumstances changed and my binge days became more frequent or plentiful. I eat really healthy in general and I eat a lot, but its a lot of veggies so its always ended up being on the low side of the calorie count. My days are alot more balanced now.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    Not to eat more than my body uses in a day/week!
  • BrideCountdown
    BrideCountdown Posts: 6
    I learned how important a heart rate monitor can be when deciding how many calories I've burned during a workout. Those workout machines that tell you calories burned are big fat LIARS. It can really throw off your cals in and out if you think you're burning twice as many calories at the elliptical than you actually are!

    Also, I'll repeat portion control and scale-weighing food mentioned above :-)
  • charleigh78
    charleigh78 Posts: 247 Member
    When I exercise I CAN EAT MORE !!!!!


    This! haha
  • cahors97
    cahors97 Posts: 13 Member
    I've learned portion control. I wasn't an unhealthy eater, but I ate too much. I've realized how much I graze throughout the day, especially when I'm making a meal. It sounds so simple now, but I never realized how much it all added up. I also realized how many calories I was drinking every day. Not in alcohol, but in COFFEE CREAMER.
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
    If I don't count my calories, I go ape$hit. Some amount of accountability is totally necessary for me to keep losing or at least stop gaining.
  • bciloveme2014
    bciloveme2014 Posts: 213 Member
    That I can eat everything I want but small portions. I was eating healthy but the same portions that my husband was eating.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
    That there are a lot of stupid people.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    Using a digital food scale to weigh everything in grams is a real eye opener. Measuring spoons and cups are VERY deceitful.

    Two of my staple foods are oats and peanut butter. One serving of oats is 40 grams which according to the label is 1/2 cup. No way. Weigh 40 grams using a food scale and you'll be shocked at how empty the measuring cup is. Same with peanut butter...a tablespoon holds A LOT more than the grams stated on the label.

    If you're not using a digital food scale, you're eating way more than you think. It adds up quickly.

    +1 :happy:

    So true!
  • jtgilfoy
    jtgilfoy Posts: 25 Member
    Biggest lesson is that an ounce of cheese is a very small amount :(
  • dahlau
    dahlau Posts: 6
    My biggest eye opener:

    "Daaaaayum I eat more sugar than I thought."

    Which isn't to say I was downing Pixie Stix left and right - almost all of my sugar was coming from fruit. But there's a lot of sugar in fruit!

    I've also learned that not everyone is supportive of my new choice - but those that are make all the difference.
  • chaivind
    chaivind Posts: 7 Member
    I've learned that eating a smaller serving leaves me satisfied and more energetic. Before I was eating so much that I would just sit and watch tv or lay around after eating a huge meal. Now, I actually have the energy to get up and move around after eating. It is a double benefit, since I'm eating less and moving more.
  • Lcruz2014
    Lcruz2014 Posts: 20 Member
    Sounds like your off to great start , one thing that i found out recently is that some foods react differently to each persons body type even if they are what we consider healthy , too much of good thing will have the opposite affect and every one is different. one thing thats really helped me is tracking everything you eat and weighing yourself every morning look for what puts on pounds even if its just minor change. Change what you eat just by one item see witch food makes your body react . check out a book called ''the plan'' it makes sense to me and has helped me

    Good Luck !!
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    My biggest eye opener:

    "Daaaaayum I eat more sugar than I thought."

    Which isn't to say I was downing Pixie Stix left and right - almost all of my sugar was coming from fruit. But there's a lot of sugar in fruit!

    I've also learned that not everyone is supportive of my new choice - but those that are make all the difference.

    YES! I am almost always over with sugar. But I am just eating fruit.
  • BigVeggieDream
    BigVeggieDream Posts: 1,101 Member
    It wasn't an eye opener about what I ate. I knew I ate a horribly unhealthy meals. What it did show me, was how to control my portions and it also feels like it is making me eat better. I'm embarrassed to put something unhealthy in my diary, since everyone will see it, so I eat healthy and feel good in many different ways.
  • jlshea
    jlshea Posts: 494 Member
    Tracking beer and drinks has been eye-opening. I knew they had high calories and sugar but its crazy to see that something like a margarita has more calories in one drink than I consume for breakfast or lunch.
  • Jlmervin03
    Jlmervin03 Posts: 152 Member
    When I exercise I CAN EAT MORE !!!!!

    I know that's right!!

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