Opinions on calorie counting?
Replies
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Calorie counting is important but do not take it too seriously as a habit because it may become your obsession and we don't want, right?
You calorie intake depends on your age and daily activity, so if you are not active at all and eat whatever you want and do not limit your intake, you may result with gaining weight, and when I say not active at all, I mean just lying in bed, watching TV etc.
1200-1500 calories is the minimum limit for a woman, but only if her aim is to lose weight (including moderate exercise). But if your aim is to maintain your weight, the recommended calorie intake is 1600-1800 calories a day.
Healthy foods are your best friends so freely grab on to them and take out all the greasy stuff such as junk food and you won't have to worry about the calories AT ALL! You can eat bread, pasta and still be thin! But remember, limit your carbohydrates to 150g daily.
All in all, there are advantages and disadvantages in calorie counting, but the only solution is healthy nutrition and the problem will be surely solved. I guarantee it!0 -
As long as you don't obsess about it.
I once brought my food scale to a restuarant...0 -
I disagree with that. I tried calorie counting for 20 years. No one can do that for the rest of thier lives. Talk about eating disorders, obsessing over every little thing you put in your mouth, how many calories in it, can I afford to eat it, every single day for ever (yes, forever. if you stop, you will go back to eating like you did before, and get fat again. truth is if you restrict your calories, by the time you're at goal weight, you'll have to stay on a restricted amount for ever to maintain that weight).
I no longer have to count calories, or obsess over what I eat. I don't weigh everything, I don't spend half the day dreaming of my next meal, and doing mental math to work out what I can eat. I'm the least obsessed with food that I've ever been, and I'm actually losing weight consistantly like I've never done before, without always feeling I'm about to slip, cheat, fall off the wagon.
You decide. You want to weigh and measure and record your food, you go for it, but it seems to me the very definition of an eating disorder.
Whoa there. No. It sounds to me like YOU had disordered thinking about food already and are trying to place blame on the process of calorie counting.
First of all, anyone who starts counting calories has to be realistic about it. Don't ever let yourself become 'obsessive' about it in the first place. Obviously that's not healthy for anyone. If you can't handle it, don't do it. Don't force it. Take a break, come back & try again later. Not a big deal.
Secondly, whether you're 'counting calories' or not, you're restricting your intake in some way in order to lose weight. Lucky you, you can do it without having to hold yourself accountable. Or maybe not so lucky - sometimes people need to hold themselves accountable so they know they're not starving themselves and losing too much too fast. The way you talk in this post makes me worry a little that this might be an issue for you.
ETA that I realized I didn't answer the initial OP question - honestly, it's whatever works for you. You might find calorie counting totally easy & wonder why on earth you never did this before because it seems so easy, or you'll struggle a lot with it & hate that it's hanging over your head everyday. I think even if you hate it, doing it for a few months is worth it to at least get an idea of what your daily caloric intake should look like. I'm of the 'wow, this is so easy why did it take me so long to do this' variety & have been logging consistently since January. Calorie counting has made me a whole lot more realistic about weight loss goals & my understanding of food - particularly in regards to maintenance. For the first time ever, even when I go off track, I'm able to at least maintain my progress so I can pick up where I left off in a few months, rather than gaining back the 20lbs I lost & having to lose them again.0 -
It's sometimes difficult to log on every day, but I know if I let it slip too long , the weight just creeps back. It becomes a life style and allows you to eat the foods you love in moderation.0
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I think it's great because it really makes you realize what's in the foods you eat and what is a normal portion, after you understand that then you wouldn't have to do it if you didn't want to.0
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It depends on how badly You want to lose weight, because this is the one way that is GUARANTIED by the laws of the universe that it'll ALWAYS work. Think of it like this - You got three budgets in Your life now: monthly pay, data plan on Your phone and daily calories. :bigsmile: You can do whatever You like with them.0
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Pros - you don't have to give up anything for life (which is basically what you have to do with fat diets or you'll gain the weight back). You learn portion control.
Cons - If you're not doing it right and not weighing your food, it won't always work. So it takes a bit of time, and sometimes you really just have to guess.0 -
Works for me.................... Best of Luck0
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I couldn't get the physique I wanted until I started calorie counting. I lifted since high school and was underweight till about my early 20's. At early to mid 30's I woke up and realized i had gotten fat. Calorie counting taught me to how to cut, bulk and maintain with ease. Calorie counting destroyed my fear of carbs and fats. I also learned that setting calorie intake comes first and then macros comes second. You can have the most perfect macros, but if calories are set wrong then you will not see the intended result (gain, loss, or maintain).0
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I've heard a lot of pros and cons to calorie counting and I'm trying to decide what is best for me and my lifestyle. I would really appreciate any and all input!
Well first of all this is primarily a calorie tracking site of sorts, so consider that. I would imagine if I went to a keto forum and asked about low carb dieting or if I went to a paleo cave and chiseled a question on the wall with cave drawings to ask about a pototo -- in both cases I'd probably get somewhat of a biased answer.
Having said that...
I think it's certainly worth attempting for a couple of months to see whether or not this is a method that you can adhere to. In that time it may help you to become more accustomed to portion sizes and energy values of certain foods and you might learn more about the different macronutrients, and if you pay attention it may also help you learn about your energy needs. My opinion is that these pieces of information can all have value that can be applied to some extent even if you choose not to track long term.
So having said that, I think it's a great method for most people to use at least short term. I think it's a great method for some people to use long term. I think that additional techniques should be used at some point, such as environmental management and building awareness around hunger/satiety, and building better habits around food. All of this can be done while logging, in my opinion, so it's not an either/or scenario.
EDIT: I also think it's somewhat goal dependent. As of right now my opinion is that if your goal is to get very lean, tracking is probably your best bet for accuracy purposes. Competition level athletes that need to make a weight class for example.0 -
I think it greatly depends on your personality and how you approach calorie counting.
I would not advise it for anyone who is or has suffered from an eating disorder unless they are under professional supervision.
Otherwise just look at it as an educational tool. Play with a few calculators and learn what your body needs and how that changes within your normal routine. Start logging food. When I started I was surpised more than once that something I thought of as "healthy/lower calorie" really wasn't, and I was better off eating something more normal and enjoyable to begin with. It taught me appropraite portion sizes, what to expect my macros to look like if you eat a certain way, and how to put together a balanced meal. If you really commit to logging accurately for few months to a year most people find they learn how to eat healthy and can intuitively maintain without having to log for the rest of their lives. Counting calories does not have to be something you have to do forever, but it can cartainly help you develop good habits that you can carry with you for the rest of your life.0 -
As long as you don't obsess about it.
I once brought my food scale to a restuarant...
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Yeah I think that is a bit much....just guesstimate what it is you ate, and then add about 300 calories to it in that situation.0 -
I think it helps get you used to portion sizes which is a plus. For me I find it a bit of an eye opener when you put in certain foods and makes me change my mind before adding something to my plate. If I don't lose weight at the end of the week I can easily see where I have gone wrong!0
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I think it greatly depends on your personality and how you approach calorie counting.
I would not advise it for anyone who is or has suffered from an eating disorder unless they are under professional supervision.
Otherwise just look at it as an educational tool. Play with a few calculators and learn what your body needs and how that changes within your normal routine. Start logging food. When I started I was surpised more than once that something I thought of as "healthy/lower calorie" really wasn't, and I was better off eating something more normal and enjoyable to begin with. It taught me appropraite portion sizes, what to expect my macros to look like if you eat a certain way, and how to put together a balanced meal. If you really commit to logging accurately for few months to a year most people find they learn how to eat healthy and can intuitively maintain without having to log for the rest of their lives. Counting calories does not have to be something you have to do forever, but it can cartainly help you develop good habits that you can carry with you for the rest of your life.
This. I think the question for the OP is what are your goals, why do you have doubts. If it's a history with ED, then talk to a professional about whether this is really a good idea.
For me, though, it's doesn't play into obsession or over restricting at all and when people make such assertions they are clearly speaking more about their own issues than calorie counting. I don't think I needed to count to lose or would need to to maintain (I lost once before and maintained for years without it), but for me it makes it easier and more enjoyable. I have a way of eating that I enjoy and that I consider healthy and can modify that to have fewer calories. I started logging the modified version (how I'd eat now if MFP or the like weren't available) and saw that I was eating fewer calories than reasonable, so used the tool to adjust. Similarly, I used it to experiment with how different calorie levels worked as I increased exercise, with different macro breakdowns, and just to be able to watch what I'm eating so I remember to get a variety of vegetables, enough of various micros and fiber, etc. This part of it may be burdensome to some, but I find it interesting and an added attraction.
I didn't regain before because I didn't know how to eat. I went through stuff that stupidly led me to stop exercising, stop weighing myself, and then gradually to stop eating the healthy way I prefer to. Had I been counting (and weighing) I think it could have helped, because it would have been easier to make the eating less all or nothing. As it is, the only time I really think about calories is the end of the day when I decide whether to include extra fruit or dairy with dinner or have some ice cream. That depends on my calories for the day and I am sure I would do the same basic calculus without MFP. I find logging fun, though. Maybe some day I won't, shrug.0 -
Someone (not I) wrote this on a different post the other day, and I think it's brilliant. (Hope I'm not stepping on any toes by quoting and not attributing):
<<Think of tracking your intake and exercise like tracking your checking account. Would you ever go to a store and swipe your debit card without ever knowing what your balance is to spend or what the price of the item your buying is? Eating without tracking is exactly this.
Who would ever go to Best Buy and just start writing a check for the prettiest washer and dryer or fanciest computer just because you were "hungry to have one"? Blind eating is just like blind spending.
Would any of us irresponsibly ask the question, "Hey when can I stop checking my balance at the bank? It's getting old seeing how much money I have or don't have every day . I just want to relax and spend freely and assume that I have unlimited funds available". Or how about, "Hey, I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks...can't I just blow a bunch of cash that I don't have and just worry about the overdraft fees later when I get home?"
I would hope not.
Your friendly Registered Dietitian >>0 -
I never counted calories and was fat for 25 years. I started counting calories in February (after 3 or 4 false starts over the past 5 years) and have dropped 60+ pounds. I'd say, if you're ready for the commitment, it can work wonderfully. Also I think the phone app for this site helps a whole lot. I used to use Sparkpeople and I never had as much luck because I found the food database difficult to navigate.0
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I disagree with that. I tried calorie counting for 20 years. No one can do that for the rest of thier lives. Talk about eating disorders, obsessing over every little thing you put in your mouth, how many calories in it, can I afford to eat it, every single day for ever (yes, forever. if you stop, you will go back to eating like you did before, and get fat again. truth is if you restrict your calories, by the time you're at goal weight, you'll have to stay on a restricted amount for ever to maintain that weight).
I no longer have to count calories, or obsess over what I eat. I don't weigh everything, I don't spend half the day dreaming of my next meal, and doing mental math to work out what I can eat. I'm the least obsessed with food that I've ever been, and I'm actually losing weight consistantly like I've never done before, without always feeling I'm about to slip, cheat, fall off the wagon.
You decide. You want to weigh and measure and record your food, you go for it, but it seems to me the very definition of an eating disorder.
Seems that no matter what diet you choose, you are counting. People count their sugar, carbs, sodium. Losing weight sensibly it is about using portion control. Not deciding what you think is good or bad. Just read this AM where people were discussing the matter of pizza and McDonalds on MFP. I agree you can have them sensibly. You however, wouldn't make it a part of a DAILY diet.
I have lost 28 pounds since May. I could not have done it without counting my calories. It is amazing looking back on how I ate without caring what I was beginning to look like.
I think it is the greates thing I stumbled upon. IMO!0 -
Until science comes up with something better this is all we have. No matter what DIET you go on they are all calorie counting. Does it matter whether you call them calories or points or cards or getting boxed pre measured meals, or shakes? Someone counted the calories at some point.0
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I've been counting calories for 505 days now. I lost 65 pounds (which is more than I originally planned) and got myself into excellent physical condition. I never did the weight/measure thing though. My point is that you should start out slow and then proceed with caution. I began losing weight immediately once I started logging. I have the phone app, so it is very easy and convenient. I suggest to the OP; give it a try. Go to whatever level you are comfortable with and see if it works. If it's working proceed accordingly. If it doesn't work, then make adjustments. Most importantly is to become more healthy.
For me county calories is no more obsessive than checking my bank statement, balancing my checkbook.
PS. I also check the weather every day and plan how I am going to dress on the forecast. I take an umbrella if rain is predicted, and put on more clothes if the weather is cool/cold. Hmm. I must have a financial disorder and a weather disorder as well. I enjoy my disorders so I think I'll keep them.0
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