Do you count calories?

[Carley]

If so why do you? Or why don't you? I do but I'm torn on the idea!

[Czarina]

I certainly do! It works for me. I love counting calories, because I don't have to stress about whether I'm eating too much, or not enough. I know if I stick to my allocated calories (and eat my exercise calories back), then I'm going to lose weight.

It's also good in the respect that I can fit treats in without having to feel guilty!

[FatFukShrinking]

Hi,

I don't count calories because calories aren't the only thing i need to worry about. There is carbs, fat, sodium, protein. I can get a can of tuna that is virtually nothing in calories like 150calories, yet it is 10grams of fat, and 600mg sodium.

If i only counted the calories i could end up eating wayyyyy too much sodium, way too much fat... and not enough protein, etc etc. I also don't want to have to live like that, you can't know the exact calories of something unless you weigh it and measure it exactly. For example if i make a stir fry, i would have to weigh the meat and the sauces to work out exact calories. To me that takes a little bit of the joy out of food.

This is my own personal experience. I want to do something i can live with. I just make healthy choices and stick within a basic routine, but routine isn't that good for weight loss, sometimes you have to shake it up a bit. Your body can get used to things... i'm only at the start of my weight loss, but i plan on changing things around when my weight loss slows down.

If you want to stop counting calories because you aren't getting the results you want... then maybe your body needs a bit of a shock to shake it up?

[Carley]

Hi,

I don't count calories because calories aren't the only thing i need to worry about. There is carbs, fat, sodium, protein. I can get a can of tuna that is virtually nothing in calories like 150calories, yet it is 10grams of fat, and 600mg sodium.

If i only counted the calories i could end up eating wayyyyy too much sodium, way too much fat... and not enough protein, etc etc. I also don't want to have to live like that, you can't know the exact calories of something unless you weigh it and measure it exactly. For example if i make a stir fry, i would have to weigh the meat and the sauces to work out exact calories. To me that takes a little bit of the joy out of food.

This is my own personal experience. I want to do something i can live with. I just make healthy choices and stick within a basic routine, but routine isn't that good for weight loss, sometimes you have to shake it up a bit. Your body can get used to things... i'm only at the start of my weight loss, but i plan on changing things around when my weight loss slows down.

If you want to stop counting calories because you aren't getting the results you want... then maybe your body needs a bit of a shock to shake it up?

I'm getting frustrated counting calories, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and going by CK I should only have 1500 calories but I find it near impossible to stay under that. I also know that no calories are equal as well which makes things a tad more tricky. I'm very active which CK doesn't take into account. I exercise 30-60 minutes every day, I do 40 minutes of walking for the kinder run. I'm chasing two VERY active kids all day.

It's frustrating weighing something, everything you eat. As you said it can really take the joy out of eating it! I also find it depressing if I go over my calories.

[Czarina]

Hi,

I don't count calories because calories aren't the only thing i need to worry about. There is carbs, fat, sodium, protein. I can get a can of tuna that is virtually nothing in calories like 150calories, yet it is 10grams of fat, and 600mg sodium.

If i only counted the calories i could end up eating wayyyyy too much sodium, way too much fat... and not enough protein, etc etc. I also don't want to have to live like that, you can't know the exact calories of something unless you weigh it and measure it exactly. For example if i make a stir fry, i would have to weigh the meat and the sauces to work out exact calories. To me that takes a little bit of the joy out of food.

This is my own personal experience. I want to do something i can live with. I just make healthy choices and stick within a basic routine, but routine isn't that good for weight loss, sometimes you have to shake it up a bit. Your body can get used to things... i'm only at the start of my weight loss, but i plan on changing things around when my weight loss slows down.

If you want to stop counting calories because you aren't getting the results you want... then maybe your body needs a bit of a shock to shake it up?

I'm getting frustrated counting calories, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and going by CK I should only have 1500 calories but I find it near impossible to stay under that. I also know that no calories are equal as well which makes things a tad more tricky. I'm very active which CK doesn't take into account. I exercise 30-60 minutes every day, I do 40 minutes of walking for the kinder run. I'm chasing two VERY active kids all day.

It's frustrating weighing something, everything you eat. As you said it can really take the joy out of eating it! I also find it depressing if I go over my calories.

Do you eat back your exercise calories?

[Cgclau]

Hello,

I also count the calories, without to become stressed with that, just giving right point of how much calorie I eat versus what I burn with exercise.

[Carley]

Do you eat back your exercise calories?

I never did until yesterday, I wasn't sure if I could!!! I'd find I'd burn 600 calories and even though I was eating 1500 calories (then minus exercise) I was always hungry, which was frustrating and also depressing because I was thinking what am I doing wrong? Now I've corrected that mistake, hopefully I will have better luck?

::walks off blushing::

[Sara89]

I'm on the counting bandwagon. I find it helps keep me in check and I can look back on what iv eaten. I think it's apersonal choice it's not for everyone. I don't weigh anything I just got for approximate numbers

[lalalaaa]

I'm on the counting bandwagon... with ck giving me 1240, I dont think I have a choice.
Maybe in the future, I will be more in tune with the calorie thing, but currently doing my food diary before I eat to make sure I stay in the quota

[Shalimar]

I do, simply for the fact it works for me .

[alizezz]

I do, simply for the fact it works for me .

Me too ..

[Carley]

I haven't been counting calories for weeks, I love that freedom. i know that calories are not created equal

[Alexandria_]

What my mum and I did was take the average amount of calories for a piece of fruit, a serve of dairy, a serving of bread, etc. and we gave them point values.
So what I go by is that I'm allowed to have two points (or serves) of dairy a day, 1 point of lunch protein, 2 points of bread, 1 point of cereal, etc.

It is just a really simplified version of counting calories. I find it really helpful because this way I don't need to stress over counting calories, but I can have a fair idea of the amount I'm eating.

[joner]

Hi All
I don't count calories any more. I now know what foods are good, and what foods are bad for me. I think most people now really know what foods are healthy and which are unhealthy, whether they choose to follow the healthy choice is a different matter .
On my healthy days I eat plenty of lean protein (with every meal), lots of vegetables (as much as I want), good fats, and minimize my sugar and simple carbs (breads, pasta's etc). Then on the third day I have a FREE day where I pretty much just eat what I like, including my naughty favourites. This way I don't have to worry about calorie counting, don't get bored with conventional strict boring diets and also get to eat my favourite foods (though not every day). Eating healthily and realistically like this means I have made this a lifestyle change and not a short term diet (which I believe DON'T work), and have been getting great results.
It has now been proven that when eating the same number of calories every day the body gets used to this and the metabolism slows. Having my FREE days keeps the body guessing and keeps my metabolism up.

[Marissa]

Alexandria, is sounds like you are talking about Weight Watchers. Did you try that or did you make up your own system?