Anyone just calorie counting?

[LingDiLong]

I started dieting on the 4th of January using Myfitnesspal and I've lost 2lb so far. I've had a good look around all the threads on here but not many people seem to 'just' be calorie counting. I've read loads about how good low carb diets are but the thought of it fills me with horror. I'm not a fan of meat and don't like eggs. I can't really afford to buy fish in great quantities - certainly not enough to eat with every meal. So I basically just try and keep within the Myfitnesspal parameters for calories, fat and carbs. Oh and I'm exercising every day alternating running or 30 Day Shred.

So is anyone else doing things the old fashioned way like me? And am I doomed to failure if I can't cut right back on the carbs?

Absolutely not doomed to failure. It is very simple - burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight, End of. I have just started my fitness pal as well - 4lb in first week!

You should join us on the my fitness pal support thread :)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/big_slim_whatever_weight_loss_club/1261446-myfitnesspal-com-support-thread-all-welcome-part-2

On my way!

Am very Shrinkingnora! I may just join you both on that thread later on. Thanks

I have a good few stone to lose and the first week of any eating plan always works well for me. It's keeping it off that's the problem.

I'm doing the same, to be honest I figure that this might be the best long term way to lose weight and keep it off.

Good luck both of you, Ling and Shrinking

Thanks TwoJack, and to you. I'm hoping it'll work long term too, I just know I couldn't stick to anything that completely eliminates a food group, cutting back on everything seems a better fit for me.

I have been calorie counting as well as cutting right back on carbs and that has worked really well for me. I allow myself some extra calories at the weekend and having that to look forwards to stops me going over my limit during the week. I have gone from 13 and a half stone to 9 stone 3 pounds and it has taken just over 8 months.

Fluffy that is amazing. Well done. You must feel so much better! How many calories are you allowing yourself? Are you exercising much?

For the first three months I ate completely normal meals but cut out all crisps, chocolate, sweets, biscuits, cakes and ice-cream ( I still don't touch any of them including over Christmas). Then I changed things a bit and aim for around 1000/1100 calories a day during the week and 1400/1500 at the weekend. I have done absolutely no exercise as this makes me hungry and messes everything up for me. I do eat really a lot of lean protein and don't go near bread.
I have never lost more than 2.5 pounds a week or less than 1 pound, including going on a cruise, Christmas week and 2 other short holidays. I think this week could be the first week at staying the same so probably my body telling me I have got to a good weight.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for that Fluffy. I know what you mean about exercise making you hungry - it makes me insanely hungry but also insanely happy so I try to stick with it! If my results are half as good as yours I'll be very pleased.

No not doomed to failure BUT if you stick to calorie counting and eat empty calories (sugar, white carbs, processed food) can be hard to get adequate levels of nutrition and this could be an issue if you have a lot too loose.

FWIW I found it easier to stick to calorie limits by having protein at each meal and cutting back on carbs just because I was full for longer but some people might be fine without cutting back on carbs. Pulses contain some protein and are v cheap - if you add to a meal you don't need grains too.

Wow fluffy, that's really inspirational. It sounds like you've found something that really works for you. I'll also be really pleased if I do as well as you.

Foreveronadiet that's really helpful thanks, for some reason I thought pulses were high in carbs too. I eat quite a lot of them already but glad to see they would work as part of a lower carb diet. Definitely trying to avoid the sugar/white carbs/processed food. I tend to fill my MFP diary in first thing in the morning with 3 healthy meals which takes away the temptation to waste my calories on crap and end up skipping meals.

I just calorie count, nothing else works longer term for me. Two summers ago I lost 1.5 stone in 3 months sticking to around 1500 calories a day.

I've put 9lbs back on so I'm back on the counting. I also don't exercise heavily when I'm on a diet - it leaves me starving hungry and I over-compensate for the exercise.

I'm now on about 1500-1800 calories a day - it'll be slow to come off (1lb a weekish) but hopefully by Easter I will have lost the 9lbs and a bit more.

Pulses contain both protein and carbs but healthy slow release carbs.... so if you have in a meal don't need a grain as well. But they are cheap and filing so a great diet food. Soya beans much higher in protein than the rest.

Look up slow-carb diet - (Tim Feriss) advocates lots of pulses. I'm not suggesting you try his (very limiting) diet just more that pulses are good.

FWIW I lost 4 stone last year. Started off calorie counting with making healthy food choices, but reached plateau when I hit a BMI of around 24.5 and I wanted to loose a bit more, so went lower carb at that point. But I eat a lot of eggs, chicken and turkey...... and cheap fish.