I'm currently on Day 6 of P1 and am going strong. I've enjoyed finding this site and reading your threads.
Occasionally, I track my calories on MFP. I wonder if other SBD'ers track their calories? I know that SBD isn't about tracking calories, but sometimes I find it helpful to know what I'm taking in. But I'm about to start a new job that'll be pretty intense next week so I'm trying to set some managable expectations for myself about all the meal prep, cooking, and tracking in order to keep this good momentum long term!
Would love to know how others "handle" their calories, if at all!
When I was first starting, I did not track at all. When I had been on the plan for a long time and was in a plateau, I tracked for a while. I struggle with eating when I'm not hungry and sometimes counting calories is a good way for me to restrict that over-snacking tendency.
I didn't track calories for several years on SBD. Last February I wanted to take my holiday #'s off plus a few. I counted using livestrong for 6 weeks and took off my holiday gain plus 6 more. I didn't mind doing it and I learned alot. I like it as an additional tool, but haven't committed to doing it all the time.
I have pretty much decided that I need to be aware of the calories in things. I know for me in order to have a loss I need to eat under 2200 calories/day. One of the things that trips me up with SB is unlimited protein and seeing how I have disordered eating, I can take it and twist that into something delusional. Like I might think I really means I can eat as much lean protein as I want and I could easily take out several servings of protein in one sitting.
I've made a decision to eat appropriate serving sizes of protein during my meals and I try to fill up on my veggies and beans first before diving into the protein.
I didn't track calories the first couple of months but have ever since. I have a history of binge eating and know that I can overeat anything, so tracking calories keeps me honest about portions (yes, I weigh and measure everything but veggies). It's become second nature now and takes very little time. I use FitDay on my computer. It's been really helpful as I fine tune maintenance. I've learned so much about what does and doesn't work for my body.
I also track my calories on MFP. I can't just let myself stick to on plan foods without counting because I have issues with portions and over indulging. I find tracking and eating SBD foods works well in combo for me.
Thanks for all the responses -- many of you handle it like I was thinking...occasionally when I feel like it's necessary to keep portions under control. I, too, can let those portions get a little big!
I don't track calories but I feel like I just KNOW when I am going over. I write out my meal plans a few days ahead of time and look to see that I am including enough of everything I need (veggies, protein, good fats) and not too much of the other stuff. If i go over one day (like lots of peanut butter or cheese) I just try to cut it out the next day. I also have problems with portion control. Just because it's lean meat does not mean I can eat as much as I want! Last night we had grilled steaks for dinner. The first thing I did was cut mine in half and put half away to have with a salad for my lunch today. Out of sight, out of mind. And then I know that if I ate the whole thing for dinner, my lunch would only be that salad.
My whole point of starting with SB was that I no longer have to count calories.
But although I will never count calories again, I am doing SB in conjunction with Paul McKenna's program "I Can Make You Thin (horrible title, great book). That book taught me how to eat in accordance with my hunger/fullness signals and to slow down my eating. I figure that, combined with SB will be a winning combination.
Tracking calories?
