Is Counting Calories Really Worth It? My Experience and Thoughts

[FilipM4002]

Hey everyone,
I’ve been tracking my calories on and off for a while now, and I wanted to share my experience and see what others think. When I first started counting calories, it felt like a great way to take control of my eating habits. I learned a lot about portion sizes and how many calories are actually in some of my favorite foods. It definitely helped me become more mindful.
However, after some time, I started to feel like it was taking over my life. I’d stress out if I didn’t know the exact number of calories in something, and eating out became more complicated than it needed to be. Eventually, I decided to take a break and focus more on eating intuitively — paying attention to hunger and fullness rather than numbers.
Now I’m trying to find a balance. I still track occasionally when I feel like I’ve lost my sense of portion control, but I don’t do it every single day anymore.
What about you? Do you count calories regularly, or do you find it too restrictive? Has it helped you reach your goals? I’d love to hear how others approach this.

I totally agree, counting calories can be helpful at first, but it’s easy to become obsessed. Finding balance and listening to your body is definitely the best approach.

I have never previously been a calorie counter and have been gradually putting on weight for years with occasional bouts of losing a few pounds by cutting out most snacks and puddi but then putting them back on again and more. I started using MyFitnessPal this year to track calories and exercise and have been steadily losing weight for first time ever. I don’t stress about getting it exactly right eg weighed things initially but now generally do it by eye. But the act of doing it just makes me more conscious of what I eat so I make better choices.

I count calories and log in an app fairly strictly in a deficit. If I am aiming for maintenance then I might still weight my rice/pasta/oats rather than guesstimating portion sizes but don't weigh anything else and don't log it anywhere. It helps me keep it under control without getting obsessive.