Does Calorie Counting work

[Lara96]

I keep seeing people saying they are not losing even in a calorie deficit. I was going to start calorie counting but now wondering if I should maybe try slimming world.

Slimming World is calorie deficit. If people aren’t losing (bar any medical reasons), it’s because they are not in a deficit. They are either under calculating their calories or overestimating their expenditure.

Thank you @tilypu I've downloaded nutracheck and I love it. So much more satisfying than my fitness pal!

@mondaytosunday how is slimming world a deficit? Can't you have things like unlimited pasta? (Genuinely asking)

I'm so glad! I do too, although I've not been using it that long. I always thought calorie counting would be some laborious process, but this makes it so easy.

I'm using Nutracheck too. Absolutely loving it. First week and I've lost 3.6lb. I'm being totally honest with myself and recording every single thing.

Yes it definitely works. I've lost almost 2.5 stone in the past 6 months. I'm no longer calorie counting but sticking to the same sort of meals etc.

One thing I found was that I consumed a lot of calories from drinks, so that's something to look at. You also need to include everything, not just meals.

Great job! And I think you've hit on why for me, this is better than a plan like slimming world - the practical understanding of how much and what to eat. Because I am making things I normally would, maybe with a few easy tweaks, it feels like it's more geared up for long term success than a plan where people are often looking for cheats and ways to use free foods to create snacks that they simply won't do when they come off the plan.

I even included a sneaky biscuit I had- 56 calories for a boring shortcake! So not worth it. Previously though, I'd have snaffled a couple and not thought anything of it.

Yep. Anyone not succeeding will just not be doing it properly.

Oh, it works for sure. My mom introduced me to calorie counting and it made wonders both for her and me. I was afraid at first that I will need to do it forever, but that wasn't the case. As soon as I acquired the better grasp on what's good and what's not, it became thousandfold easier.
Our choice is an easy to use Nutrition Tracker that has everything you need to improve your diet and eating habits. It features barcode scanner, wearable support, Health integration and so on.
I see many use more expensive alternatives, but they just suck your money out unnecessarily. Go with simpler one and you'll get there quick.

All diets work by creating a calorie deficit ultimately. CC means you can eat what you want though, just in moderation. There's no magic behind it, just maths. If ppl say it doesn't work, they are likely not counting drinks/snacks, miscalculating amounts or eating back exercise calories (which, as a pp said are overestimated on apps and things).

Yes, I've lost 11lb

If I need to lose weight I just have skimmed milk. Cut out crisps, chocolate, cakes, sweets and snacks I have lost 13lb in 2 months no calorie counting no exercise.

Because you have achieved a calorie deficit, whether you've counted them or not.

No - that's something that's often misunderstood. You're supposed to stop eating when you've had enough and split your plate between different food types. Basically the combination of things and synning foods creates a deficit.

Team RH is the best app for calorie counting and hitting your macros

It does work but you have to count everything. So don’t forget things like the tablespoon of mayo or the olive oil for marinading. I’ve been on a 1400 calorie diet for nearly 7 weeks, I’ve lost 16lbs.

I don't count calories but have been following Slimming World plan and have lost 5 1/2 stone since November 23.

Yes - as long as you are honest about your calories! Where a lot of people go wrong is not counting drinks and alcohol. Also alcohol full stop as once you have had a drink you are more likely to make unhealthy food choices.

Use an app and invest in some weighing scales. Log everything.

It definitely does but you need to work out what your body needs to maintain and then reduce it to know you’re consuming less than that.
There are calculators online to help you figure it out.
I can’t really do it properly because I don’t cook for myself but I have rough guess. I’m taking MJ now and that’s helped me eat less and lose weight.

Yes it works. If you’re calorie counting and not losing weight, you’re not in a calorie deficit. It really is as simple as that - calories in vs calories out. Other diets like slimming world might work because they allow you to be in a calorie deficit (but less likely to work if you’re eating tonnes of free food like pasta, as you then won’t be in a deficit.) You do need to track everything you eat and weigh out your food to make sure you’re in a deficit. It’s hard work but really works.

Is this thread sponsored by Nutracheck or something? Never heard of it. Personally I find using ChatGPT to log calories much easier -you can just chat to it and say things like oh I’ve just had about 30 g of Greek yoghurt or what have you, and it will give you a daily running total. You can also discuss what you’re fancying for your evening meal and it can plan out the likely calories. I find it much more exact than using something like my fitness pal because that is such a faff I end up not logging all of my calories. Yes, calorie counting does work, people who say it doesn’t are not logging all their calories.

How can you know it's much easier if you haven't even heard of it?

I just tried chatgpt to find the calories in a specific product that I had recently. It was completely incorrect - nutracheck is so easy. Scan the barcode. Say how much you used. Done. And it's a lot more accurate than the guess it took just now!

It's great that chatgpt works for you. But I'll stick with what works for me.

I lost 4 stone in about 7 months in a calorie deficit. I can eat at anything really as long as it’s within my deficit. I don’t do any exercise apart from walking a ton.