Do you count calories or ...?

I do a bit of both? I count calories, but I make sure to always hit my protein goal. The rest falls into place.

Calories are the key. You can have your macro ratio's correct but be way over on your calories. If you're hitting your calorie goals you can adjust your macros within the calorie limits.

I always plan one day ahead... I am very strict with hitting my numbers and I couldn't be happier... at first you eat a lot of the same things over and over, but eventually you find new things to hit your macros....

I count calories and I try to eat all my protein but it is very hard.....it's definitely not hard to hit and go above my carbs though....sigh....sometimes I have about 600-700 calories left for the day and my carbs are already maxed out....but I do try...

I count calories. I try to eat 20% protein but rarely get that much. Usually I'm in the 15-18% range.

No one knows what you mean by eating clean, by the way. The term has a million definitions on these forums and in the world.

Hi all,

Do you count calories or calculate your macro/micro nutrition requirements? I know some people just focus on eating clean and healthy. I've lost more than 50 lbs so far and I want to lose 60 more but I'm stuck now.

I want to eat clean taking my nutirition requirements into consideration (introducing more protein, like - 100 grams carbs, 120 grams protein and 40-50 grams fats) But I don't know if this is the best way. The problem is that I'm becoming really obsessed with calculations - calories, grams, protein... This puts stress on me.

Without counting calories, is it possible to lose weight just following a "clean diet"? I'm afraid of overeating.

I appreciate all your help.

I'm on the eating clean spectrum so am more concerned with my macro/micro nutrients than calories. Eating clean does not guarantee you will lose weight but some find it makes losing weight easier. If you are concerned with the numbers stressing you, there are cues you can use for recommended serving sizes like a deck of cards for meat, a tennis ball for potatoes and small starch portions, 2 - 3 CDs for sandwich meats and sliced cheese. You can also use the plate method (Google it) to help with portion control. Some also use individually packaged foods to help with portion control and some foods like fruits are already portion controlled if you eat just one or half of one. with fruit just determine the difference between large, medium and small. Portion control won't be as accurate as tracking calories but if you stay within those serving sizes faithfully, you should lose weight especially if you add in exercise and increase your general activity. You won't have an actual number for your deficit but as long as you are losing weight, don't worry about it.

I do both. It's totally possible to overeat eating clean, but many find that when they eat clean (or LCHF), that they're naturally satiated more easily, so they don't end up feeling the need to count calories. Things like broccoli and cauliflower (and most fibrous vegetables) are just really filling. But if you're eating a lot of nuts or calorie dense things like that, it's easy to overeat "clean".

For me personally, I like the numbers so I count to make sure that I'm not going over (and I'm maintaining a rather large deficit). I aim for 0.7 g of protein per lb body weight (or 1 g per lb lean body mass) - which ends up being around 130 g for me. I also aim to keep my carbs under 100 g and ideally in the 50-80 g range on average. But, I restrict the carbs because I have insulin resistance. Just maintaining a caloric deficit without the carb restriction doesn't work for me (and I'm crazy hungry) because of the faulty insulin/glucose metabolism issue. If you find that you're still quite hungry on your calorie number (and you're carefully tracking), you might want to consider restricting carbs as well -- I'm much more satiated with higher fat and moderate protein.

I do a bit of both? I count calories, but I make sure to always hit my protein goal. The rest falls into place.

this. I count everything and make sure to hit that protein first.. then fat.. then fill the rest with delicious carbs.

I always plan one day ahead... I am very strict with hitting my numbers and I couldn't be happier... at first you eat a lot of the same things over and over, but eventually you find new things to hit your macros....

^^^This!

I do and have been doing this for years.

Both:

Protein minimum
Fat minimum

The rest, to my calorie limit, can be carbs or more protein/fat.

This. I plan my intake one day in advance, so I try to shift as much of my planned calories towards reaching my protein and fat goals as I can (I also like to focus a bit on fiber). Once I get there, I use any calories leftover for whatever I want.

I do both, but calories are more important to me. If I have a day where I didn't reach the right macros, but I'm still within my calorie limit, I don't sweat it. If you feel like counting macros would leave you to obsessed, then don't try to. Just aim to balance each meal with a bit of carbs, fats, and protein.

I HAVE to count. If I don't, I grossly underestimate portions and especially snacking. Counting is the only way I can lose weight.

I do a bit of both? I count calories, but I make sure to always hit my protein goal. The rest falls into place.

^ This