Counting calories

[StrongLikeMamma]

I hate doing this. Do you think it’s important to do so if on WLIs?

It’s more important that you’re eating under your TDEE than that you count them - the only way to lose weight is to burn more than you put in. I do count but plenty don’t.

I think it’s important as you can develop a really good relationship with food and also make sure you are getting enough protein and fibre.

I think it’s important to understand weight loss and how you can safely achieve it. I see a lot of people using WLI to get high suppression and barely eat, what they eat is usually not the best either. If you eat a healthy and balanced diet you won’t need to count calories every day. You will know what works and have a good idea of calories in the foods you eat. I do think it’s imperative at the start to count every little thing and ensure you are eating the right amount though. There are some terrifying accounts of women eating less than 800 calories going about.

I did it the first couple of months to get a good baseline for both calories and macros, especially protein, I haven’t since, but if I stopped losing weight (or felt I wasn’t eating enough) I’d track again temporarily to see where I was going wrong.

I believe if you don’t measure it you can’t manage it, but that doesn’t mean you need to do it all the time, just when necessary.

Not really if you have a decent understanding of the calorie values of what you’re eating.

I didn’t count and track as I find it mind bogglingly boring. After 40 odd years of dieting though, I could probably have given you a fairly close estimate of my calories on an any given day whilst I was losing.

I eat shed loads of protein and fibre. I don’t snack. I go to the gym and lift weights. I have cut down on alcohol.

I’m perimenopausal, 3 stone overweight and everything aches. I seem to loose then regain the same 3-4lbs every week. I’m sick of it and hoping GLP1s will restore my seemingly broken metabolism.

I just can be arsed to be measuring and counting calories all day. I find my fitness pal has become awful to use these days too - maybe there’s a better app?

I haven’t counted calories up to now (60 lbs lost). My weight loss has slowed right down as I try to lose the last stone, so I will probably have to start counting calories, which is very boring!

Arg it’s sooo boring isn’t it?!

I do not find calorie counting supports a good relationship with food for me. So I don't do it. I just eat whatever I want. It just turns out that what I want, on MJ, is salad and chicken.

I don't think about what I eat at all. It's unimportant now. I lost all the weight anyway and my BMI is now 21.

Awesome 🙌

I count more to make sure I eat enough as it is so easy not to eat enough.

I'd definitely over eat if i didn't count calories, especially as i am rarely home and always eating on the fly

I started by calorie counting but as time went on I found I could kind of judge it more, without counting. I think it was useful to do as I'm completely off Mounjaro now since end of December and being more aware of calories has kept me in check.

Eating out for example - I don't calorie count but I do pick lighter options as I'm not about to sit and eat a burger and chips at about 1500 calories when that's my whole calories intake for the day! I never used to think about it, hence I put on weight, but I do now - even though I am not counting, I just roughly know what is 'okay'.

I think absolutely the opposite- it encourages a bad relationship with food if you’re just looking at numbers. There are plenty of people on these boards regularly eating less so they can have wine, for example.

I have just been eating healthily. No low fat/diet, just normal, natural food. I’ve avoided processed foods and refined sugars. Using the balanced plate idea (Voy were very good for help with that). It’s worked really well for me over the past 5 months.

Oo just ordered from Voy!

I use nutracheck as I hate MFP. I don’t use it much now, but it was useful to make sure I’m eating enough. Some days I could easily eat under 900 calories.

It was also useful for getting enough protein. I thought I was eating loads, but wasn’t eating anywhere near enough.

I eat (and ate) healthily but had zero portion control. I use Nutracheck to ensure I am eating a normal portion and sufficient protein. I’m a shortie so it doesn’t take many super-sized meals for the pounds to pile on. Have lost 2 stone so far (another stone to go). WLI have been helpful but, as I deliberately haven’t chased suppression, I definitely need Nutracheck as well to limit the amount of food I put on my plate.

Voy were fabulous. I was with them for 3 months and still use the app. They just got expensive. You get a session with a coach, but using their meal analysis (protein log) is really useful in encouraging you to eat a healthy, balanced diet without counting calories. Best of all is the AI coach, Joy. Ask her anything- menu ideas, exercise plans, recipes, treat ideas, etc it comes back with so much information. I found it all so helpful. And there’s a lot of back up if you’ve any iffy side effects. Get your money’s worth and use it all.

I counted to begin with and found this a really helpful way of understanding how many calories were in stuff and how easy it was to tip over with just a small amount of junk (but I used to eat so much crap it’s unreal). I’ve lost steadily and am a healthy bmi now but still a little off goal. Knowing the calories really helps and if I am in a plateau I may count again just to ensure I am still on track. It has changed how I view food and even having better awareness does help me I think. I couldn’t continually do it brutally like I did at the start though, it was quite grim looking back at it.

I think it’s essential because it is so easy to underestimate how much you are eating.
My portions were much heavier than I had realised so guesstimating was way out.
Especially cereal. 30g (usual portion assumed on the back of the box) looks like a pixie portion to me!
I use nutracheck and weigh everything.
Sometimes now I know by eye the calories / portion size if it is something I eat frequently but I still record everything.

I feel I'm aware im spending lots of money and feel appetite suppression so trying my best to eat more nutritious food.

On the other hand I'm not as good at counting wine calories! Xx

I have not counted calories at all and I have lost well over 5 stone, which have maintained (on purpose) for 6 weeks. The support of WLI's has given me the freedom to enjoy my food, in small healthy amounts, with no snacking in-between. I focus on lots of protein and fibre, some healthy fats and a few glasses of wine at the weekend.
I really focus on what is healthy rather than counting calories, and that works for me.
I highly recommend the latest Zoe podcast, which goes into this in much more detail. It is helpful as well as inspiring.

This is how I eat already. I also exercise. I just don’t lose significant amounts of weight. Feel like my metabolism is just broken.

I think counting is important, people have no idea of how much a small piece of cheese, nuts, avocado, bread is etc.

Hi @StrongLikeMamma I really really recommend the latest Zoe Podcast. I think it will really help you understand your metabolism, why it might seem 'broken' and what you can do that will help.

I like to watch it on YouTube as I don't get distracted so easily, but you will find it on the usual podcast platforms if you prefer to just listen.