Should I count calories or Not?

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lose25togain
lose25togain Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
I HATE counting calories!! Its time consuming, I am never sure if what I log is really correct. Sunday is the easiest day to put together maybe two days worth of food and count the cals. After that, its almost impossible with a busy schedule. I try to not eat the same foods so I constantly have to look up new foods. Also,the quantity of how much I eat changes, so there's the frustrating conversions.

I know some ppl say don't count, just eat healthy and enough. I did count cals a few days last week and I could barely reach 1500. I was full by 9pm and around 1200 cals. My BMR is1492 and with my workouts, I need to eat 2,574 to maintain. Since, I want to lose, I am aiming for 1500-2000/day.

Should I just eat healthy when I am hungry (I might be under 1500) or count?

Any tips of making it easier or increasing cals without eating too much?
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Replies

  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Do you have the phone app? You can scan anything that has a barcode. For produce I usually just add "raw usda" to the item and when I see eight results listing the same calorie count, I know it's the right one.

    This thread has tips on finding the correct entries using the website tool

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    IMO yes, you should count your calories - at least until you get a feel for what you're eating. If you're having trouble, look for the entries without the * by it - those are "official" entries.

    It's not hard to count calories - I do and I weigh my food. I also work out regularly. I, too, am very busy. I've just made it something that isn't an option, so I don't get to decide to do it or not. Like brushing my teeth or wiping after I pee - it's non-negotiable.
  • lose25togain
    lose25togain Posts: 9
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    Yes, I have the app.I only use the app, never the site. I even thought it was MFP that was frustrating but they are all the same.

    I hate when I get so many search results with different numbers with a wide gap between them.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Give me two examples?
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    I personally tend to eat the same stuff several days in a row, since I buy in bulk to save money. Those items are automatically saved in my diary for frequently used foods, so all I have to do is check everything off, and it's already there.

    If it helps to track, you could always do a big meal prep day on Sundays, and count everything out then. You can make several days worth of meals, and do all the logging for the week on Sunday.

    I'd definitely recommend counting, because you could end up consuming more than you think and derail your efforts, or at least slow it down a bit. It gets tedious, but it's worth it in the end when you start seeing results!
  • lose25togain
    lose25togain Posts: 9
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    IMO yes, you should count your calories - at least until you get a feel for what you're eating. If you're having trouble, look for the entries without the * by it - those are "official" entries.

    It's not hard to count calories - I do and I weigh my food. I also work out regularly. I, too, am very busy. I've just made it something that isn't an option, so I don't get to decide to do it or not. Like brushing my teeth or wiping after I pee - it's non-negotiable.

    I didn't know about the official entries. Thank you.
    Yes, I am trying to not think of it as being optional and get it done.

    Is converting frustrating for you?
    What about reach 1500? I get full very quickly. I tend to eat less in the week when I go to work and more on the weekends. Its hard to reach 1500 in the week.
  • incantarix
    incantarix Posts: 35
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    I think you should definitely take the time (and after a couple days it's really not that much time at all) to count calories. You could easily "just eat (what you think) is enough" and go over by hundreds of calories. Some people can actually lose weight by cutting out a few things from their diet and see results. Maybe you are one of those people, I don't know. But if you have a substantial amount of weight to lose, and nothing has worked before, then calorie counting is going to put you on the right track.

    It is not going to be as easy as just clicking one button and everything you've eaten for the day is magically in the system. You have to look around and find the right match for your food. If you make your dinner, you'll have to manually put in all the components of your meal.

    If all of this seems annoying and time consuming for you, then you're probably not ready to lose weight in this way. In my opinion, a few minutes a day logging your calories is WELL worth the results of consistent weight loss.

    Good Luck!
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    I HATE counting calories!! Its time consuming, I am never sure if what I log is really correct. Sunday is the easiest day to put together maybe two days worth of food and count the cals. After that, its almost impossible with a busy schedule. I try to not eat the same foods so I constantly have to look up new foods. Also,the quantity of how much I eat changes, so there's the frustrating conversions.

    I know some ppl say don't count, just eat healthy and enough. I did count cals a few days last week and I could barely reach 1500. I was full by 9pm and around 1200 cals. My BMR is1492 and with my workouts, I need to eat 2,574 to maintain. Since, I want to lose, I am aiming for 1500-2000/day.

    Should I just eat healthy when I am hungry (I might be under 1500) or count?

    Any tips of making it easier or increasing cals without eating too much?

    So you say you are full at around 1200 calories but need to lose weight and your name says you need to lose 25?
    Something doesnt give as you obviously were eating more than you should have for awhile to have that weight on you.

    As far as counting. Yes,some dont need to, but if you need to lose weight and gained by not counting then I think you probably need to.

    Too hard or takes up too much time?

    BS.

    It is easier now than EVER to count calories with most chain places having it on their menu/drive through. Diff apps, etc etc etc.

    Too hard or takes up too much time is just another BS excuse.
  • lose25togain
    lose25togain Posts: 9
    Options
    I HATE counting calories!! Its time consuming, I am never sure if what I log is really correct. Sunday is the easiest day to put together maybe two days worth of food and count the cals. After that, its almost impossible with a busy schedule. I try to not eat the same foods so I constantly have to look up new foods. Also,the quantity of how much I eat changes, so there's the frustrating conversions.

    I know some ppl say don't count, just eat healthy and enough. I did count cals a few days last week and I could barely reach 1500. I was full by 9pm and around 1200 cals. My BMR is1492 and with my workouts, I need to eat 2,574 to maintain. Since, I want to lose, I am aiming for 1500-2000/day.

    Should I just eat healthy when I am hungry (I might be under 1500) or count?

    Any tips of making it easier or increasing cals without eating too much?

    So you say you are full at around 1200 calories but need to lose weight and your name says you need to lose 25?
    Something doesnt give as you obviously were eating more than you should have for awhile to have that weight on you.

    As far as counting. Yes,some dont need to, but if you need to lose weight and gained by not counting then I think you probably need to.

    Too hard or takes up too much time?

    BS.

    It is easier now than EVER to count calories with most chain places having it on their menu/drive through. Diff apps, etc etc etc.

    Too hard or takes up too much time is just another BS excuse.

    Yes, I definitely had to have been eating more plus not working out. I am not sure how much I was eating because I did not track it. I gained about 15lbs in the last yr. The extra10 I need to lose is a new goal.

    It is easier with the apps but its very time consuming. I KNOW ITS AN EXCUSE lol. I actually did count everything today but It took over 30mns all together to look up foods and conversions. I also keep track of other nutrients.

    I could barely eat past 1200 last week. I think (and I could be wrong) I gained because of eating the wrongs foods high in cals (fast food, sweets etc) but not necessarily more (quantity) of them.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    It typically takes me very little time to use the app. The rest of the time is spent dinking around catching up with MFPals and other stuff. Still waiting for examples of frustrating searches without clear results?
  • alphabear_
    alphabear_ Posts: 11 Member
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    I work 42 hours each week as a Chef. I spend 10+ hours a week training. I spend 15-25 hours a week studying my Physiotherapy & Exercise Science Bachelors. I manage to find the seconds in my life to log my food.

    But I'm sure you're a unique snowflake and certainly don't have the time.
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
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    Everyone is different. Some people don't need to count calories. Personally I find if I don't count, then I will have a tendency to overeat and underestimate my eating. When I do count I realise how much I am actually eating since I can see the numbers right there in front of me. For me it's easy to pretend things are not as bad as they are if I don't count.

    But others are different and can just eat healthy and manage to maintain a healthy weight. If you are one of those people great. But you are on MFP so you are probably here for the purposes of losing weight. If just eating healthy didn't work for you before, then maybe you should try this for a while?
  • Yoshirio
    Yoshirio Posts: 242 Member
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    Takes me a total of ten minutes daily to log my food.Less if I already have it scanned in.I
  • tmj4477
    tmj4477 Posts: 145 Member
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    I don't like calorie tracking either but honestly with all of the apps today its really not that hard. Unless you can lose weight estimating all of your food choices I would suggest you find some time to calorie count. You could write down everything you eat during the course of the day then add it later at the end of the day...but if you go over then its too late.

    I am a very busy person as well but I figure if people I know who are CEOs, CFO's, supervisors of 100s of people, who are in the office by 6 and leave after 6 can calorie count and workout so can I
  • tmj4477
    tmj4477 Posts: 145 Member
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    [/quote]

    Yes, I definitely had to have been eating more plus not working out. I am not sure how much I was eating because I did not track it. I gained about 15lbs in the last yr. The extra10 I need to lose is a new goal.

    It is easier with the apps but its very time consuming. I KNOW ITS AN EXCUSE lol. I actually did count everything today but It took over 30mns all together to look up foods and conversions. I also keep track of other nutrients.

    I could barely eat past 1200 last week. I think (and I could be wrong) I gained because of eating the wrongs foods high in cals (fast food, sweets etc) but not necessarily more (quantity) of them.
    [/quote]

    If you know its an excuse then you need to move past it if you are serious about your goal.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Yes, I have the app.I only use the app, never the site. I even thought it was MFP that was frustrating but they are all the same.

    I hate when I get so many search results with different numbers with a wide gap between them.

    put in "USDA" after whatever it is that you are searching for unless it is a packaged, brand item with it's own nutritional information.

    There is nothing hard about counting calories and it isn't that time consuming once you get into a rhythm..most people cycle through the same foods and recipes week in and week out so within a matter of weeks most of what you need will be in your recent or frequent options.

    when I was keeping a daily log to lose it took me maybe 10 minutes to pre-log my entire day.
  • Heatherybit
    Heatherybit Posts: 91 Member
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    "I could barely eat past 1200 last week. I think (and I could be wrong) I gained because of eating the wrongs foods high in cals (fast food, sweets etc) but not necessarily more (quantity) of them. "

    A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. It is a unit of energy. Food = fuel. "Wrong" fuel does not store any differently than "right" fuel. 1200 calories of lean boneless, skinless, chicken breast is the same as 1200 calories of Doritos. You may not get the other benefits of eating lean protein by eating Doritos, but it won't make you gain weight.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
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    On a calorie counting website. Doesn't want to count calories.

    Legit.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Any tips of making it easier or increasing cals without eating too much?

    I have no tips for making logging food easier. I, too, found it too time consuming and inaccurate to be of use.

    But increasing calories is easy. Fat is usually the answer for me. Nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil. Do you eat enough fat?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    On a calorie counting website. Doesn't want to count calories.

    Legit.

    It's a finess website.

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