Does callorie counting really work?

KassandraUptegrove
KassandraUptegrove Posts: 5 Member
in Getting Started

Hello!

I just recently joined and I weigh 212 pounds, just weighed in again today. I've been on and off diets and not exercising as much as I used to before moving into my new house. I weighed about 198 before I moved and when I got moved in, obviously a new house, I didn't want to cook and I did a lot of take out. I am hopefully getting back on track. I've got my treadmill plugged in and I did 30 minutes on it today along with some step and squats. I would say i usually eat probably closer 2500-3000 calories the past couple of months. (Not sure of the exact amount, but I was eating a lot!). Long story short, it's gotten out of hand. Any advise would be appreciated!

Best Answers

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,485 Member
    Answer ✓

    Yes, calorie counting does work. Calories are a different word for energy. Your body needs energy to function. If you add too much energy it gets stored as body fat. If you eat too little your body takes what it needs from fat stores. Simples.

    However, measuring the energy into your body requires a bit of learning. Use a food scale to weigh everything you eat, measure out cooking oils and condiments. And chose database entries in grams that are correct. Lots of entries are not correct, thus if you have a product with a packaging and nutritional information then compare to the database entry. If fresh produce then check other sources to see whether it's correct. I've seen apples in there that come in at 5000 calories per 100g apple, and a whole big chocolate bar at 2 calories. If there are things you commonly eat then logging becomes faster because the same results always show up on top. You can also copy from one day to the next.

    Thus once you regulate your 'energy in' you will lose weight. It just takes time. Thus make it as simple as possible for you. Eat food you enjoy and not food that someone told you will speed up weightloss. Those things don't exist. If you find that some products really are too heavy for your calorie budget then see if you can make replacements. Try out things. Find things that keep you full longest, and don't forget the occasional snack.

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 9,379 Member
    edited April 5 Answer ✓

    seriously, welcome to MFP @KassandraUptegrove


    read these boards, learn from them, separate the TikTok fast diet believers from the lose mindfully believers, and you will be successful.

    “Fart around”, as my dad would have said, don’t apply yourself, and you won’t be.

    It’s got to be a wholehearted effort with an early eye towards maintenance. Believe it or not, it’ll get here sooner than you think, and you don’t want to be like 90% of folks who go “yippee!” and fall right back into the old habits that made them obese.

    And FWIW, as a senior, I started higher than you, and have been holding 145-150 for several years now. (I pack a lot of muscle into my XS clothes, muscle being denser and thus heavier than fat.) If chocolate scarfing me can do this, any fool can.

Answers

  • KassandraUptegrove
    KassandraUptegrove Posts: 5 Member

    Thanks yirara! I appreciate the info. It's very helpful

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,620 Member
    edited April 5

    Personally I don't count calories, I lost weight and maintain my weight using a different method but counting calories definitely works.

    When I did count calories on an earlier attempt, nevertheless, what I did was record the food and the caloric value before I started to actually implemented the diet. I did this for about 4-5 weeks and also recorded my weight every week. This told me how many calories I consumed as well as it's effect on my weight over that time and my weight pretty much held steady, so now I had the amount, within reason plus or minus errors of where I needed to start. It was from this foundation (total calories) I then reduced my overall calorie intake and lost weight, it's a no brainer really. I never changed anything regarding my exercise and sport involvement because this was already factored into total caloric consumption. Wish you luck

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,453 Member

    counting calories in itself doesn't work - what works is counting them and eating to the appropriate limit as measured by counting.

    I could super accurately count and eat 3000 calories a day - I won't lose weight.

    so two things: accurately measure and eat to that amount. Make sure amount is appropriate one first.

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 9,379 Member

    The other 40% of me I left sitting on the curb would say, “Yes, calorie counting in the form of weighing accurately, logging honestly, and sticking to a reasonable goal worked very well indeed.”

  • totameafox
    totameafox Posts: 1,284 Member

    The more knowledge you have, the better decisions you can make. It only makes sense to know what you are putting into your body when you are making the effort to lose/maintain weight. But that's just my opinion.

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