[sailyn]

I have counted calories in the past and whenever I do I find myself obsessing over every single calorie and it got to a point, awhile back, where I was eating next to nothing because I didn't want to write anything done. I lost a ton a bunch of weight but obviously stacked it back on. From what I can see here, counting calories is the way to go but how do you stick with it without it becoming obsessive? Also, how many calories should I be aiming to eat?

[Sea]

I found it comforting to do what they call automating my breakfast and lunch. I figure out a breakfast and a lunch that are an acceptable calorie count and do just that for those meals. I don't have to think about what to eat and figure every day. I just do that same thing everyday. Varying my dinner keeps it from getting depressing, yet I don't have to dwell on the counting all day. It keeps me on plan and removes temptation brought on by having to decide every day.

[Boinkshiky]

Hey, it seems that we have similar goals. and are about the same height and weight and are trying to lose weight couting calories!!!

for all the research i have done, here are a few thing i figured out.

To lose a pound we need 3500 cals.

So if i create a deficit of atleast 500 cals (eat 500 cals less than i use) i could lose a pound a week!!! (I know thats really slow...)

Now keeping this in mind, i eat carefully and heathy. So any extra calories i dont eat will go to losing weight.

For our bodies, if we stay in bed all day we would use ~1400 cals. and if we do little to no excersise we would burn 1700, excersise 1-2 days a week 1969 and 3-5 days a week 2220!!!

So just try to give yourself a basic limit that you will never pass. Will always eat 500 cal less than i use! and then anything you go over is a great reward. Keep in mind that your body needs calories to function and if you cut out too much cals you might end up getting sick or getting off track. Even though the process might seem slow, just try to keep your long term goal in mind...

Good luck!!!!!!!!

[sandcar150]

Great advice so far.

I'm in the same frame of mind as Sea. I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch each day and just switch around my Lean Cousine dinners each night. Same snacks each day, too. This way I know I'm eating between 1300-1400 calories daily. I know it's boring, but it works for me.

[cornellchick]

Tack me onto the list of boring eaters - fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it), I can be OK with eating the same things all the time. (I brought PB&J sandwiches to school for lunch practically every day from kindergarten to senior year of high school!!)

I have 2 or 3 breakfasts that I switch around depending on what I have in the house at the time, one delicious sandwich for lunch along with fruit and/or veggies (again depending on what I have at the time), and a handful of healthy dinners that I know how to make. I also keep healthy snacks in my cubicle at work for when I get hungry in the middle of the day.

It makes calorie counting much easier since my days all look fairly similar (fewer daily calculations, I can plan in advance, and I have a good intuitive idea of how much wiggle room I have for random snacks or other things that might come up).

Making it a habit seems to be the easiest way for me to stick with it. If I ate differently every day I would quickly get sick of having to work out all my calories. I also cheat a little bit and tend not to count things like gum, spices, mints, etc. just to keep my mind on the big picture... I know that doesn't work for everybody but it seems to be OK for me.

As for how many calories you should be consuming - you can calculate it based on your height/weight and how quickly you want to lose. A 3500-calorie deficit is about equal to a pound of weight lost. There are a lot of calculators online, e.g. http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php

Good luck!

[goal4agirl]

I agree with what sea said in her post. Sometimes I alter breakfast and lunch a little but basically stay with what works. Because if you think about it... 20 minutes after you eat you don't really think about what you ate just that you are full.
Also I keep in mind this is about healthy food choices for life. Not a 'diet' but a life change. I want to be healthy and look and feel better. Try to not obsess over your food- eat lots of fruit, veggies, eggs, chicken, skim milk and fish. Concentrate on taking good care of yourself and the weight loss will fall into place.

[yhahmd]

I can, at times, be very obsessive. So much so that I occasionally worry. But you know what. I'd honestly rather be obsessive and seeing the numbers on the scale go down, than fat for the rest of my life. Sometimes I have to sit back though and take a look at what I'm doing to make sure I'm being as healthy as I can about this. I think it's important to be aware of what you're doing at all times.

[mrsgeb2]

i like to stick to the same things also, the only real variety i have is different kinds of lean cusine meals for lunch but they are all still lean frozen meals, and i always have veggies or a small side salad with them.

it makes it so much easier if i already know what i'm going to eat bcuz it keeps my mind from wondering to off-limits, unhealthy foods.

i've become quite obsessive also and plug in everything even down to a piece of gum, but i'm still getting in my calories which is about 1600 or a lil less but never over each day. plus i my 30min workout video 3x a wk.

it's stange bcuz i tried calorie counting a few years back and hated it and thought i will never be able to succeed with it but now i've got this handy little app on my phone and it's a breeze.

[sailyn]

thank you ladies for the feedback. i actually eat pretty much the same things for bfast & lunch without realizing it, unless im off track.

i think ill still with small variety of breakfast and lunch choices and then plan ahead for my dinners. thats what i think kills me.

[Shmead]

I don't think the problem is that you are obsessive about calorie counting. You say you didn't eat anything because you didn't want to write it down. That isn't about calorie counting, that's more a mindset that all food is "bad" and that eating is "bad" and so makes you feel guilty--so you don't want to write it down.

But eating isn't bad. Food is not heroin. It's good to eat healthy, yummy things. Try to be proud of yourself when you record good, healthy, yummy meals--it means you are treating your body properly.

[sailyn]

Thank you -

I've been sticking with this the past two days and planning ahead what I'm going to eat and keeping things simple. So far I feel great & Im super proud of myself for not caving into the fast food when I was stressed & working @ home last night