Does calorie counting work and what do you eat in a typical day?

[Nosuchthingastoomichcheese]

I think calorie counting is the only way I can lose weight. Just wanted some ideas of what I could eat in a typical day.

Been looking on a few websites for ideas. Going to start recording everything I eat. Got a samsung watch so can use that app. Any more ideas very welcome! Still feel unclear about my calories I'm allowed though.

Its the only way its ever worked for me. And better still if built in with exercise. If exercise then options like porridge, vegetable curry (low fat homemade), fruit, ryvita tomato cottage cheese type lunch. For months on end. But it worked.

If you take up walk running to work towards running, its a good way to start feeling good. Then get the miles in amd dont worry about speed and the time you take is time you cant be eating, plus I found it acted like an appetite suppressant. Just remember to keep hydrated with water.

Ive lost 4 plus stone twice in my life. Struggling now though as in my 50s and finding motivation to get started difficult.

Thank you. I'm.on antidepressants, wonder if that does make it harder to loose weight.

I had had a bit of weight creep, and took the opportunity in late lockdown to lose half a stone to get my trousers back to comfortable! I used My Fitness Pal, which I found really easy to use and very helpful. Having never calorie counted in my life, it was an eye opener to see the calorie content of some things I thought would be fine. I think MFP doesn't advise you go lower then 1200 cals per day. I also exercise quite regularly, and needed to be able to use my exercise calories. I've got an Apple Watch, so I used that in conjunction with MFP.

It took longer than MFP told me it would, but I also didn't kill myself over it every day, if I wanted an extra biscuit, I had one.

I'd also say to keep listening to your body. In the beginning, I was sticking to 1200, not eating my exercise cals back, and I started to feel really lethargic and sleepy, and a bit spaced out. That's what made me start eating my exercise cals! And initially I was also ravenous, but my body seemed to readjust its expectations fairly quickly. The easiest thing I found was skipping breakfast, although I'm not sure skipping meals is the healthiest really.

If you could start the exercise you may find it helps your mood naturally. Depends how bad the reason was why you have anti depressents prescribed.

One of the two times I lost weight was when I was put on anti depressents and didnt get on with them, so needed to find an alternative.

Without, I assume, local running clubs being open and witg winter coming, whats not easy will be harder, but its perfectly do able with a bit of positive thinking and pushing yourself.

I actually think planning a 3 mile walk twice a week and a 5 mile one on a Sunday. With idea to work up to running it eventually, is a good place to start and perfectly do able for most people.

I did MFP year ago and lost a stone. Using 1200 cals a day. I put it back on through lockdown and have tried slimfast but although I initially lost about 4lb in a week, it's v hard to stick to. Going to go back on MFP and accept it will be slow. A lb a week is 52 in a year =about 4 stone which I do need to lose. My biggest problem is post 9pm. Kids are in bed, I'm alone, feel like I 'deserve' a wine or nibbley bits. If I could stop that, I'd be fine. When I was doing it befure, I had 1/2 wholemeal bagel for breakfast. Salad or meat and veg but no carb for lunch and often a ready meal for dinner as it gives you the cals.

OP, one thing that has really helped me - because I was a big nighttime snacked, is to do 16:8. So most days I only eat between 10-6, and because it's a clear cut off I can't and don't eat in the evening. And there is just less time in which to eat so harder to overeat.

Ffs - nighttime snacker

That is a good idea. I'm such a night time snacker too. Kids have gone to bed and I'm just wanting to snack.

It's been a game changer for me!

Day 1 today.
Breakfast- 2 scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes and spinach
Lunch - chicken and veg soup
Dinner - steak with peas and few new potatoes.
Water and 3 cups of tea. One was decaff. All with half a sweetener.

Came to 1063 calories. So got some spare? Might have bit of fruit and yoghurt later.

I find this the only way I loose.
I'm nearly 70 and put weight on easily. I virtually never eat badly. Fruit, veg protien etc . I can drink too much. I've been on 800 calories for over 7 weeks and lost 11kg or about 22lbs. I weigh everything and miss lunch. Its really, really hard. I'm drinking tonight as we have finally sold our house. I usually have
150g cottage cheese or 3 eggs ..no fat.
3 coffees
200g ham or chicken or tuna with lots of salad no dressing just balsamic.
Thats it....horrible but it works

If you Google 'why calorie counting doesn't work' you'll get other views. Do you really want to weigh everything you eat? Check out 16:8 which is about when you eat and combined with something like keto or low carb can be very effective, yet you feel satiated and eat foods you'd never look it when calorie counting. This way of eating takes into consideration the relationship/impact between food, insulin and hormones. In my opinion, when we're younger we get away with a lot. But hitting 40 made weightloss a lot more difficult and I had to take hormones into account.

That doesnt sound much MrsT maybe I'm eating too much.

Calorie counting does work. But please careful with it. In my personal experience, everytime i try counting calories, i get obsessive over and over again. Which then leads me to binging once I restrict myself too much, which is inevitable.

That is my worry as I can be a binger

I lost over 3 stone in 2017 by calorie counting. I've kept most of it off but did put on 1/2 stone over lockdown so am being a bit stricter this month!

I eat everything I want and have alcohol, biscuits and chocolate most days. I don't have breakfast and split my calories over lunch, dinner, snacks in a 25/50/25 ratio. I like to have a light lunch and a bigger meal in the evening followed by a glass of wine/G&T and some dark chocolate.

If I want to lose weight then I do this:

Lunch: Tuna or ham salad (lettuce leaves, radish, tomatoes, celery, peppers, mushrooms), no dressing just herbs and seasoning. A 10 cal jelly or similar and a couple of rice cakes.

Dinner: A lot of veg (e.g. cabbage, kale, broccoli, runner beans, sugar snap peas, mangetout, beefsteak tomatoes, large mushrooms). A small piece of chicken or fish. Sometimes I have something like chilli or bolognaise sauce but will eat them with veg rather than pasta or rice.

Snacks: A couple of biscuits mid morning, maybe one more in the afternoon. Skimmed milk in coffee and tea. Some dark chocolate and a glass of something in the evening.

I'm lucky that I don't like potatoes in any shape or size and I'm not fussed about pasta or rice either. I can happily have 4/5 vegetarian meals a week too as I'm not a massive meat eater.

At weekends, I do have something like a croissant and eggs for breakfast, homemade pizza for supper etc.