COUNT calories! YES?NO?

[mumznet]

Guys I'm looking for tips on how to diet to lose weight

Should I count calories? If not what should I do?

[katand2kits]

Counting calories is quite time consuming and difficult to sustain. Also, most people significantly underestimate their calories - you have to weigh food to get an accurate idea, or only eat stuff from packets that has the calorific value printed on it.

[mumznet]

but should we have a rough idea how much we are eating? i found it helped me eat less......but eventually I gave up..

[CanISayOfHerFace]

I count calories using My Fitness Pal. It's easy to use, you can scan food with a barcode and it remembers foods you eat together making it quicker to input. It also has a facility to create recipes so if I bake a cake or make a bolognese then I know how many calories there are per portion.

I lose weight using it but of course you have to input everything you eat. I set it to consume enough calories to lose 0.5lbs per week but it seems to come off quicker than that for me.

[CactusFred]

I also use My Fitness Pal.
You can even import recipes and it works out the calories it's so easy!
I feel in control because if I want chocolate I have it and count it!
I also keep an eye on my macros but that is optional. Go for it!

[eurochick]

The only way to lose weight is to make fuel output bigger than fuel input. Counting calories should let you see where you are going wrong.

[absolutelynotfabulous]

Yes, it's the only way imho. Not time consuming at all.

Have you a fitbit ir similar? Fitbit "counts" your calorie expenditure based on activity and all you need to do is input your calorie consumption. Simples.

Most people underestimate what they eat and overestimate what they expend.

[TobleroneBoo]

I sit in front of a computer all day so find it easy to add on / play around with calories on my fitness pal.

This seems to be working for me, I've lost 2lbs a week since starting. I thought it would be a ball ache but I've realized it's ideal. I'm quite good with money and enjoy budgeting, working out where I can save or spend etc. to me this is just the same but for food

[fishonabicycle]

Works for me. It's a faff to start with, bit gets easier.

[Rorylemony]

It's time consuming to begin with but less calories taken in than your body needs mean higher weight loss. Add a bit of exercise which you'd need to increase as the weight drops off. The key is to not keep lowering cals but to keep upping the exercise. Oh and it really doesn't matter if you eat all your cals in cabbage it chocolate. Less cals means more weight loss.

[LiefieLiefie]

I've lost and kept off 10kg this way. I know roughly what I need to eat per week to lose weight and to maintain, so make sure that my consumption averages out over the week.

That way, if I have an event on one particular day, I make sure I've left enough calories to cover it without going over.

I have a set of scales, but because I eat the same things over the course of the week, I've got very good at estimating by eye. Over the past two months, I haven't calorie counted, haven't weighed, not deprived myself if I've wanted pizza/KFC and have still lost 2kg. To me, that shows that it can change how you eat and how you think about eating. It's become a natural, mindful process for me now.

[DarkestBeforeDawn]

Personally it is the easiest way to lose weight for me in the shortest amount of time (2 1/2 stone since October). I use MFP and quite enjoy inputting the calories I've eaten because it gives me a sense of control and, as a PP had said, you can still have alcohol/chocolate and lose weight! In fact I am about to enjoy a g&t guilt free and within my daily allowance. I also feel that calorie counting has made me make better food choices and eat healthier. Good luck!

[mumznet]

okay thanks for lovely messages I am still reading them and will post back with some comments

[mumznet]

okay seems more of you are agreeing to 'count/roughly estimate' calories. well done those of you who have lost some.

I'll take a look at MFP not used it before....

what do you guys think of foods that keep you full for longer? example good fats, dates, oats, protein.....then you do less snacking...

[absolutelynotfabulous]

Mmm...don't know about foods that keep you fuller longer, really, but I've found that cutting out carbs has meant that I'm more reliant on proteins and fats now. I think it's working. So I eat lots of fish and chicken with sweet corn, say, rather than rice or baked spud. Same with bread. I'd rather have some cheese as a snack for 100 cals than bread for 100 cals because the cheese is somehow more satisfying, even if it's a tiny bit.

For some reason porridge doesn't work for me. Leaves me even hungrier.

[mumznet]

Yeah same here not a fan of porridge either

I do like fish