They say calorie counting is not good

MichelleTijerina1
MichelleTijerina1 Posts: 1
edited September 23 in Introduce Yourself
What you eat and how much you eat is what is truly important and will show great results. However, I use this to see how much sugar, carb, starch, and what I'm eating to much of in general through the diary. I love this counter and believe me I hate going over 1200 but when it's protein , fiber, and vitamins - I'm good when its pure!

Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    It really comes down to calories in and calories out, hence why several recent people have lost weight eating twinkees and junk food.
  • elid
    elid Posts: 209 Member
    Who are "they"? I don't know if I can say with authority how good or bad calorie counting is, but it's helped me lose weight for the past two years. :)
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
    It really comes down to calories in and calories out, hence why several recent people have lost weight eating twinkees and junk food.

    LOL! True. I know I had days where all I ate were a few items. A few terrible fattening items! But I stayed under my cal goal and the weight just kept comin' off. Not the healthiest way to continue on but it is possible to lose weight without changing the types of foods you eat. But then you risk other health complications...
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
    I think calorie counting is good 90% of the time. However, I do see for about 10% of the people on here, they use calorie counting as an excuse to severely undereat. They think less calories automatically = better, and there's a point where too little is bad for you. And some people here are definitely obsessed with counting to the point where they don't eat as much as they should.

    But as far as counting calories for weight loss, it's really the only proper way to do it. Your body loses weight when it takes in less calories than it is burning. There is no other way to do it. If you eat healthy foods, but take in less calories than you are burning, you won't lose weight. What you eat and when you eat can effect metabolism, so you body can burn more calories if you eat healthily, but counting is still important for people trying to lose weight.
  • karamae
    karamae Posts: 136 Member
    There was a recent study done by a professor, I believe in the mid west somewhere, who ate twinkies, junk and a vitamin every day but stayed within a certain amount of calories. He ended up losing weight, lowing his cholesterol but ate horribly. That showed that losing weight is all about calories in, calories out. :) Wish I could eat junk all day but I know it's not the right thing and I'd feel awful!
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
    It really comes down to calories in and calories out, hence why several recent people have lost weight eating twinkees and junk food.

    I agree. While I am counting my calories, it's so I know how much fuel I'm putting in my body and how much I need to work off. I need to know how many calories I'm eating so I can make sure I keep creating the deficit that's helping me lose weight. Regardless of how much you eat or what you eat, it comes down to calories in, energy out. Counting just helps me keep track :)
  • jojoworks
    jojoworks Posts: 315 Member
    Hi and welcome to MFP!

    I resisted counting calories for DECADES! Finally, when I was 100 lbs over weight I decided I'd better make some kind of effort to lose it. I thought I'd HATE counting calories, instead what has happened is I've found that tracking what I eat helps me make better decisions. The mere act of recording my food has enabled me to lose weight. I've come to equate tracking calories with being "mindful" of my nutrition as opposed to the "mindless" eating I used to engage in.

    different things work for different people, I hope you find a path here to help you be healthy!
  • cassieko
    cassieko Posts: 40 Member
    It's true that obsessing about calories only is not the way to lasting weight loss... we should all be thinking about WHAT we put into our bodies, eating RIGHT vs eating LESS...

    However, keeping a food diary helps keep you accountable and helps you see where your downfalls are... and I LOVE being able to track how much sugar I am eating. Good gracious, I should know better.

    I think it comes down to - are you trying to "game" your diet by eating low calorie "diet" garbage, or are you eating the right things, lean proteins, whole grains, veggies, etc, and just keeping track of all of it. Time will tell.
  • jackied61
    jackied61 Posts: 3
    Sometime when I train at the gym I am left with to many to eat, what happens then, for example I should have 1200 calories a day, go to gym and burn 630, so that is added on, now I have 1100 odd calories left to eat???
  • pookakat
    pookakat Posts: 1
    I lost something like 100 lbs a year or so ago (put some back on due to being lazy and enjoying dating/marrying my amazing cook of a husband) counting calories and exercising. I plan on doing it again just like that. And for my mathematically minded husband, it works wonders.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    Who are "they"? I don't know if I can say with authority how good or bad calorie counting is, but it's helped me lose weight for the past two years. :)

    Not counting calories-2 years, 8 months, 20 pounds lost.
    Counting calories on MFP-4 months, 20 days, 20 pounds lost.

    Seems important to me.
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