does anyone on here eat what they like but just count calories?

2

Replies

  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    I eat whatever I want. I had a young college student at the gym tease me that it was great I lost 60lbs but it was only because I had to give up beer. My trainer gave me a look, because he knows I love beer. Here's the thing, you will learn that you have to be reasonable at times. If I want to drink a 250 calorie Imperial Russian Stout, I have to acknowledge that I'm sacrificing *food* for that beer. So I don't do it every single day. I go to Oktoberfest every year, have my beer and brats. I spike in water weight etc, log it, and go back down.

    One of the reasons I exercise so much is so I can eat more. Last night my daughter wanted to go out to dinner. I ate a chicken wrap with sweet thai peanut sauce, and french fries. I had only eaten 1200 calories in my meals, so I ate half the wrap and half the fries.

    You just have to think about it in advance, and then decide where to make the sacrifice. At some point you will decide to eat a salad, because you can't eat a 600 calorie burger, and 300 calories of fries at every meal. Unless you have a gob more calories than me!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I do! I lost almost 70 pounds by just counting calories. Here's the thing though - you get a lot more bang for your buck if you fill those calories up with healthier food items. Yes, you can have french fries, but just know that for those 750 calories (or whatever) you could have had breakfast and lunch.

    Totally this^

    French fries wouldn't be worth it to me....but they might be worth it to you. We all pick and choose different things.

    Logging foods you like allows you to make informed choices. Getting to goal without much information is often a mistake.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    edited November 2015
    cheesyP wrote: »
    Like candy,juice,fried foods?

    Can you give me advice

    I eat what I want, usually. I try to eat healthier versions, but if one day I eat half of an 18" pizzas (yes I did) then I count some of it for the days following so that my average calories per day stays the same. For example, I may eat 2000 calories instead of 1500 and then eat 1000 the next day to average 1500. Or I might eat 2500 and for the next 4 days eat 1250 in order to make up for the extra 1000. :) I always eat things I like. Today I missed breakfast, so I had vegetarian "chicken" parmesan with angel hair pasta, which was 672 calories (2oz angel hair pasta, 1 quorn garlic and herb cutlet, 2oz of part skim milk mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of chunky marinara, baked). Oh and I found out 2oz of angel hair pasta seems like a lot more than other pastas so I'd stick to that one. lol. It looks like so much more than penne when it's cooked, per serving. I ate some candy on Halloween and it put me over my calories, so I counted it for Sunday/Monday instead. Eat what you want, but maintain a daily average calorie level that will allow you to lose weight/maintain a deficit. Also, tossing in some vegetables and fruit would be better for your health. Good luck. :)
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    If you're hating what you're doing, you won't keep doing it, no
    matter how good you know it is for you.
    Find exercise you like & do a reasonable amount of it.
    Eat food you like, in reasonable amounts.

    If I want chocolate, I have chocolate, just a bit.
    I like peanut butter, so I have it nearly every day... just a bit.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If you're hating what you're doing, you won't keep doing it, no
    matter how good you know it is for you.
    Find exercise you like & do a reasonable amount of it.
    Eat food you like, in reasonable amounts.

    If I want chocolate, I have chocolate, just a bit.
    I like peanut butter, so I have it nearly every day... just a bit.

    You should try putting them together. ;)
  • retailwizard1
    retailwizard1 Posts: 84 Member
    Yes I count calories... eat very lil carbs... most of my calories go for protein like salmon or chicken ... heavy on veggies and tgen tge rest to treats... chocolate, chips or nuts
  • lilyrunner
    lilyrunner Posts: 36 Member
    I count calories, and portion sizes. I do eat what I want except no white bread, no soda (diet or otherwise) and no added sugar.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    lilyrunner wrote: »
    I count calories, and portion sizes. I do eat what I want except no white bread, no soda (diet or otherwise) and no added sugar.

    For me eating what I want includes white toast every morning (similar values to wholemeal but fewer calories), also as an after work snack, I also drink diet sodas daily and eat cookies and ice cream

    I also count calories, watch my protein macro and nutritional spread and eat cookies and ice cream daily

    Different strokes for different people
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited November 2015
    I eat what I want within reason. If I eat too much junk, I'm going to be starving, obviously, so it doesn't work.. but I make tasty meals as well. But do I eat everything I want when I want it? No. Sometimes I have to wait weeks before I can spare the calories for something specific (like a piece of cheesecake).

    Today my diet was chocolate brioche, pizza, biscotti, and maybe soup for dinner. That should still be within my maintenance calories (obviously though... maintenance calories. No deficit). I wouldn't be able to get away with it every day though and I have maybe half the protein than I should.

    So no, you can't just eat whatever you want all the time. You need some compromise.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    I eat anything I want, I just restrict portion size.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    lilyrunner wrote: »
    I count calories, and portion sizes. I do eat what I want except no white bread, no soda (diet or otherwise) and no added sugar.

    For me eating what I want includes white toast every morning (similar values to wholemeal but fewer calories), also as an after work snack, I also drink diet sodas daily and eat cookies and ice cream

    I also count calories, watch my protein macro and nutritional spread and eat cookies and ice cream daily

    Different strokes for different people

    I tried to look at your diet, but it is private. Literally, cookies and ice cream every, single day? I was curious. Haha. I'm not a big fan.
  • cheesyP
    cheesyP Posts: 56 Member
    That's what I'm trying to do
  • cheesyP
    cheesyP Posts: 56 Member
    Wow! You give me hope!!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    lilyrunner wrote: »
    I count calories, and portion sizes. I do eat what I want except no white bread, no soda (diet or otherwise) and no added sugar.

    For me eating what I want includes white toast every morning (similar values to wholemeal but fewer calories), also as an after work snack, I also drink diet sodas daily and eat cookies and ice cream

    I also count calories, watch my protein macro and nutritional spread and eat cookies and ice cream daily

    Different strokes for different people

    I tried to look at your diet, but it is private. Literally, cookies and ice cream every, single day? I was curious. Haha. I'm not a big fan.

    Eh - if you plan for it and work it in it's really not that hard. I have some chocolate every day, and 1-2 glasses of wine/night. If I really want cookies and ice cream I would have room for that too.

  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    Me.

    Basically I don't sweat the macros too much..other than fat. I tend to dial back down if I notice I'm exceeding that one frequently. While I do eat "junk" food, I will agree it's much easier to stay within my allotment if I'm getting lots of veggies in (lots of food for a light calorie hit).

    I also try to not drink my calories...whole fruit instead of fruit juice...very minimal soda (as in maybe 1-2 times a MONTH)..and even more minimal alcohol.
  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If you're hating what you're doing, you won't keep doing it, no
    matter how good you know it is for you.
    Find exercise you like & do a reasonable amount of it.
    Eat food you like, in reasonable amounts.

    If I want chocolate, I have chocolate, just a bit.
    I like peanut butter, so I have it nearly every day... just a bit.

    She speaks the truth.
  • pie_eyes
    pie_eyes Posts: 12,964 Member
    I eat what I like all the time. Its a good thing I enjoy healthy foods as well as unhealthy foods, I try to balance both.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,398 Member
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    lilyrunner wrote: »
    I count calories, and portion sizes. I do eat what I want except no white bread, no soda (diet or otherwise) and no added sugar.

    For me eating what I want includes white toast every morning (similar values to wholemeal but fewer calories), also as an after work snack, I also drink diet sodas daily and eat cookies and ice cream

    I also count calories, watch my protein macro and nutritional spread and eat cookies and ice cream daily

    Different strokes for different people

    I tried to look at your diet, but it is private. Literally, cookies and ice cream every, single day? I was curious. Haha. I'm not a big fan.

    Though I haven't seen that diary, I'd have no reason to doubt what she says.

    If you want cookies and ice cream daily, chances are you can make it fit with the other things you eat and still lose weight and get your proper nutrition. It's all just a matter of priorities really.

    I have times I want to eat the things I want without any (or at least little) moderation involved. When they have the food trucks at a local brewery is one such type of day. So I get up, don't eat, work out hard and go there hungry and with a calorie allotment of 3000 or more calories in hand to break even for the day. And I have a couple beers, eat some good food, and don't feel guilty.


    Or, you can "bank" calories and really splurge one day if you want. It all balances out. See my August 1st diary if you think you are limited on what you eat or drink.
  • Riff1970
    Riff1970 Posts: 136 Member
    No food is off limits. Everything in moderation.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,447 Member
    cheesyP wrote: »
    Like candy,juice,fried foods?

    Can you give me advice

    I only eat foods I like, and I eat fewer calories than I burn. Simple as that.