Do you calorie count and why?

[ralphiebabs12]

Just curious really. Do you count calories?

I tracked my calories for a month or two a few years back out of curiosity. I don't now, I do a lot more home cooking and I think it would take me ages! Generally I stick to a philosophy of eat when I'm hungry, until I'm full. I'll tend to eat something if I'm craving it (although I guess it helps that I generally crave healthier things!) This is in reason of course, if I craved a big dominoes pizza every night I wouldn't eat a big dominoes pizza every night mainly because there's not a dominoes for miles

I've seen some say they count calories for a while until they get a general idea how many calories are in each food, then they guess.

Just curious for other's opinions and insights

@zzizzer

I've read on here not to trust the calories fitbits say you burn? I walk for two hours a day ( over 6 miles) and each day do between 21,000-24,000 steps in total out of the house. I don't count the steps I use at home as I don't carry my phone with me.

I'm currently eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'5" and weigh 12st 5.

Just looked at my old Fitbit stats before it broke and it said I burnt 3,000 calories a day.

I've been calorie counting since start of November with MFP. Been trying to lose weight for 2 years now since having DD and this is the first thing that has properly worked. I now have a healthy BMI but still looking to lose a few kg. It's set to 1310 calories a day and if I plan my meals out I find it quite easy to stick to. I don't add exercise calories as it creates a false sense of security I think and I don't want to eat them back.

I have a very slow approach and often have 2 days off a week to allow drinking on Friday/Saturday and the occasional takeaway. It makes the loss slower but is far more substanable and honestly I'm not in any rush.

I'll also add I don't think exercise makes a ton of difference unless you're training like an athlete. The most weight I've lost has been with the gym closed and properly focusing on what I eat.

Still loads of benefits to exercise though of course and I can't wait to get back to it, but for fitness not weight loss

My maintenance calories is 1450ish, but my diet calories is 1200... though I'm super pleased if I manage just 1000! I'm 5ft and very sedentary. HATE exercise.

I NEVER wanted to be someone who counted calories. But, I was just eating too much. I tried to eat less for a month, but I lost nothing. Then, I reduced my carbs and started calorie counting, and I've lost 3kg in a month.

I hope I can stop counting, because it's miserable! I just want to be able to eat what I want again, but I don't trust myself. I stopped recognising when I was full and just ate and ate and ate. I need to be in the habit of small portions and low carb and no snacking...

I'm counting most days, at the moment. 1530, more if I get a decent walk in. Just slowly shaving off a few lb of winter padding, using mfp to track.

I'm calories counting with Noom at the moment and am on 1280 a day. It makes sense to me, it just works. I've lost 3 lbs in 1.5 weeks and aim to lose another 10.

What I like about calorie counting is I don't feel deprived like I would with low carb or intermittent fasting or anything like that. So the other day when we were having pizza for dinner I budgeted for that by having porridge for breakfast and salad for lunch, and I still got to enjoy my pizza.

I'm finding it ok. Im lucky that I really like salad, vegetables, tinned fish, eggs and sweet potatoes which helps bulk up a lo cal diet!!

Another one calorie counting to lose lockdown pounds here. It’s startling to realise how much a portion of cereal should be, or how many extra calories a sprinkling of cheese can add on to a meal.

Myfitnesspal here too. Eating 1200 calories a day. No exercise. I've lost 12lbs in 4 weeks. But I usually eat under. Went from 12st 4lb to 11st 6lb.
I don't think it's sustainable for long periods, but works ok for a few weeks.

My Fitbit says I burn 2250ish calories a day. By tracking 1500 calories 5 days per week and about 2000 at the weekend I’ve lost 1kb a week for 5 weeks. That was just my Xmas podge so I’m back to maintenance now. I’ll keep an eye on the scales and if it creeps up I’ll track again as I find inputting it all very monotonous!

I also agree with Mfp helping with portion control, my ore tracking cereal bowl probably contained about 800 calories

I do due to a life time of eating disorders. I wish I didn’t. It’s made me see food as numbers not flavours. I would never encourage anyone to do it.

I calorie count and do 10000 steps. Bmi is 38. So obese. I have 2100 kcal and lose weight. I also will reduce that amount when I don't lose anymore but I'm happy to be able to eat well and loose. However I do eat high protein and high fibre with 80/20 nutrionally dense foods. No alcohol

I do! 1260 a day, usually I'm under by a 100, since new year I have lost 7kg started at 68.9kgs and I'm 158cm x

I've been calorie counting since the start of February in order to gain weight. My offical target is 2150 cals per day, but I try to get to 2500. I don't find it stressful, it's been quite easy with my fitness Pal.

@TowandaForever

Do people mind saying how many calories they eat a day if they calorie count? I'm new to this.

1200-1500.

I do as it's the only way I feel in some sort of control over what I eat. Pre baby I was eating around 2000 a day on average, was 10 stone and I'm 5'6. I'm now 6 months postpartum, I'm eating around 1800 a day but still 12 stone :(. An average day I seem to walk around 12000 steps. I've had weeks where I've eaten around 1500 and still don't lose more weight. My metabolism just seems so low after having a baby :(

@ShipOfTheseus

No, I don’t. I’ve only ever heard of anyone doing it on MN, not in real life.

Really?! That is very odd.

I lost weight 10 years ago by counting calories - 1200 a day but I exercised and ate the calories burned there which encouraged me to exercise (usually 300 a day, 6 days a week)

It is so much easier than all the overcomplicated crap you get with WW and SW (which is just tricking you into eating less calories without being straight about it!). I can't bear cutting out food groups - low carb works really well but not eating carbs makes me feel a bit down tbh! I'd always rather eat what I want but less of it.

I need to lose some weight now (bloody lockdown) and will be doing cal counting. I tend to be strict and properly count everything when dieting but I tend to know most things off by heart after doing it for a while so when maintaining can tell if i am going too mad. I'm not obsessive but nowadays when we have so much choice and so much fat and sugar is added to everything it is better to know calories. Intuitive eating is much harder now than it would have been in the 1950's!

@meeeeh maybe you have lost some muscle mass while pregnant? Try some squats and lunges to build that up, more muscle mass = higher calorie burn. I found it fairly easy to lose weight after pregnancy, however, I had to be honest with myself re the sugary snacks and drinks that I kept reaching for an energy boost.

If you're new to calorie counting please for the love of god don't choose your calorie target based on what other people are eating.

Google TDEE Calculator, input your details and it will tell you your BMR (Base Metabolic rate = the calories you burn laying in bed, doing nothing).

Then look at your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure = how many calories you burn in a typical day, this takes into account how active you are). Eat at that and you should maintain your weight.

If you subtract 500 a day from your TDEE, you should in theory lose 1lb a week. It's never that linear though and that's ok, that's just what having a human body is like. If you calculate how many calories you burn in exercise, don't eat those calories back, those calculations are usually exaggerated.

Yes. I lost a load of weight 15+ years ago without counting, then very very gradually regained some of it. In autumn 2019 I decided to shift it again and tried calorie counting. It worked well so although I'm now maintaining rather than trying to lose any more I'm still counting.

Part of the reason, strangely, is that I've really upped my exercise over lockdown (cycling) and I'm now actually tying to make sure I eat enough to fuel it as I sometimes have a tendency to undefuel. My energy levels feel far more balanced if I track and plan my food properly.

I ride with a power meter which gives fairly accurate calorie counts so I eat all those beautiful exercise calories, even on long ride days where there are more than 2000 of them.

What @NutellaEllaElla is so correct! Don't just choose 1400 calories if 14 stone as someone said up thread. It's based on many more factors than that. Your body may go into starvation mode and you won't lose a thing. For those that do a lot of exercise you may need many more calories than that. It isn't about the calories so much it's about the types of food. Protein is key. It's all about macros and TDEE. Sure you could eat macdonalds every day and would lose weight if under your intake but it would be slower than eating your proper macros. My carb intake is supposed to be 30% and I still struggle now to go it every day. I love bread, rice and spuds, but I try to hit my protein every day and drink lots of water. I've lost over 5 1/2 stone this way after trying every bloody diet club there was. Also if you do exercise a lot sometimes the scales are not your friend and a tape measure is a better tool. Measure yourself and see if you are losing inches off yourself. I am now 7lbs heavier than august last year but am thinner than I was. Hth

@GalesThisMorning

I'm calories counting with Noom at the moment and am on 1280 a day. It makes sense to me, it just works. I've lost 3 lbs in 1.5 weeks and aim to lose another 10.

What I like about calorie counting is I don't feel deprived like I would with low carb or intermittent fasting or anything like that. So the other day when we were having pizza for dinner I budgeted for that by having porridge for breakfast and salad for lunch, and I still got to enjoy my pizza.

I'm finding it ok. Im lucky that I really like salad, vegetables, tinned fish, eggs and sweet potatoes which helps bulk up a lo cal diet!!

Can you tell me a bit about noom please? I’ve seen it advertised.

@stevematekatemate tbh I'm not extending it past the trial offer and I'm going to carry on logging calories with Samsung health for free. I've only used it as a way to log calories, but it also offers a coach, a support group, articles about why we overeat, motivational articles, recipes and virtual high fives. I havent engaged with any of that tbh. I think if you need some help understanding how to cook and eat healthier it would be useful, or if want the support of a group of people.

For me the promotional trial was a good way to kick start my diet, as it made it an official start date, and it made me feel accountable. But I'm in the habit of it now and the calorie log is the exact same as Samsung health. Sorry Noom!

Yes, I count. I have an ED history (still get relapses), so it's both to make sure I'm eating enough, and to make sure I won't gain weight. I'm at a healthy BMI and want to keep it there. I also keep an eye out for the amount of protein and fibre I get, because I don't get enough without paying attention to it.

I eat c. 2000 Kcal a day, often a bit more, and I'm short and in my 40s, but not sedentary.