Calorie Counting: Do you do it?

576 Followers · 137 Items

OneHungryMess

Saved 10/18/10 to Healthy Eating

Calorie Counting: Do you do it?

It seems as though people love it or hate it, live by it or live without it. Julian Micheals had some unhappy responses when she once said calorie counting is "universal". I don't believe she said universal meaning its the right choice for everyone, but rather that it is a simple matter of measuring input and output, and therefore has the potential to work for everyone. I can understand both sides to counting and not counting and I agree that they both have their pros and cons. Kate Hudson has also recently admitted to calorie counting and says it seems to be working for her.
So I'm curious, when your trying to shed a few pounds, which method works best for you?

Saved to

Healthy Eating

n00dledancer 2 years 33 weeks

it's must for me if i'm trying to lose weight. technology has made tracking super easy (i use the sparkpeople bb app) and it makes me more mindful.

lwill2389 2 years 34 weeks

I think calorie counting or keeping a food log is obsessive.. It would drive me crazy..

Spectra 2 years 34 weeks

Not really--I eat mostly unprocessed foods. I'm aware of the calories in most foods, so I usually know generally how much of a certain food I can eat in order to stay in my calorie budget that day.

GlowingMoon 2 years 34 weeks

Generally, no. I count food groups and servings.

GirlOverboard 2 years 34 weeks

I'm calorie counting now using myfitnesspal.com because it's free, but I try my best to use it only as a *guideline* and a ways of just being aware of what I'm eating, because otherwise I'll eat all day (and not always good food) without even realizing it. I do have days where I pay a little *too* much attention to my calories, but that's mostly on days when I know I'm going to be splurging (good example, tonight I'm going to a movie theater where they serve food and beer) and/or I'm unable to be active (I'm currently nursing a hurt ankle and a very busy schedule).

danakscully64 2 years 34 weeks

No, I don't. I used to and I ended up practically starving myself because I became afraid of calories. Now, I just try to eat based on nutrients than calories. I try to stick to a plant based diet, lots of fresh fruits and veggies. The one thing I've been "counting" lately is sodium. I know I consume a lot, so I'm cutting back to see how I feel.

Feesje 2 years 34 weeks

Absolutely not. I just eat proper food every day: fruit, veggies and healthy protein, with a little indulgence once in while. Counting calories 24/7 would drive me mad.

amber512 2 years 34 weeks

I track them on Sparkpeople.com I did it orginally to lose weight (I have lost and kept off over 90 lbs) and now do it to remind myself of portion sizes. Since I have saved some typical meals and foods it takes only a couple of minutes a day to plan it out and I can always adjust if I want something else or if I'm extra hungry that day.

kclulu 2 years 34 weeks

I don't neccesarily count calroies, however I do educate myself on the amount of calories that are in the foods I eat. Being aware of how many calories are in particular foods, I have a general idea of how many calories I am consuming per meal. I would never have the discipline to be exact though, I think that would drive me insane. I think as long as you are educated in how healthy or unhealthy most foods are, you can make good decisions. By staying active, working out regularly and eating mostly unprocessed food I keep everything in check without a problem.

jessr1214 2 years 34 weeks

Yep- I input everything I eat into a website that breaks it down by calorie, % fat/carbs/protein, and tracks major nutrients like iron and calcium. It really helps me see where my weaknesses are and what I need to work on. It's honestly the only thing that has really worked for me and I love that I can eat whatever I want, just in moderation.

Lovely_1 2 years 34 weeks

I do calorie counting like a mad man...but I find it really helps make you plan what you are eating and actually see what you are putting into your body! ex) I went to Costco and wanted a hot dog so I looked up the nutrionional value on my calorie counting website and found there are almost 600 cals in one hot dog!!! I immediately crossed that food off my list!

benheld 2 years 34 weeks

When I was first transitioning from a couch potato to an active/healthy person, I did calorie counting. I learned a lot about what I was eating, and how much is too much. After a while though, it was too much work, and now I just watch what I eat.

Lo Lo 2 years 34 weeks

I used to about five years ago and I definitely had at least disordered eating, if not a full blown ED. I felt trapped and I HATED it. Now I just watch what I eat and I feel liberated and happy!

rach716 2 years 34 weeks

I answered no but I guess technically speaking, the answer is yes. I'm on Weight Watchers which turns calories, fat, and fiber into points.