[Kayhm0711]

Okay so I have tried the Atkins time and time again and I time and time again I fail because I can't stick to it. I was looking in to doing Weight Watchers but it's just too exspensive. So I decided I am going to use caloriecountplus.about.com to count my calories. I already work out 3 days a week and I am going to go ahead and up that too 5 days a week. I was thinking I would do Cardio 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week. Just want to know other peoples success with counting calories. What did you do to make you were losing weight and so on. I am so tired of being overweight and though I do know its the most healthy really to count calories and lose it gradually I have always been the person who wanted a quick fix. But I have realized that I am not going to be able to reach my goal with a diet I just need to change the way I eat and gradually lose the weight. It's not like I am in a hurry, I need to do this slowly and gradually so it will stay off.

[Insatiable]

I really like calorie counting. I have tried WW before and I kept falling off because of the magical calculation for the points, no one knows it. You just memorize the points, well what if you eat something new. UGH! Did not work for me, coutning does. Calories are everywhere. Easy!

However, just counting calories is not enough. You have to eat good quality calories. I just read a great book called UltraMetabolism. It states (and I agree) not all calories are the same. For example a 100 calorie salad is much better for you and than a 100 pack of cookies. Make good choices. Also, try and have a lean protien, good fat, and good carb with every meal. The protein will help you be full, the good fat will help with cravings, and the carbs will keep you going through out the day.

Good luck!

[UrsusMaritimus]

I think the realization that there are no "quick fixes" where weight loss is concerned is a step in the right direction! I tried a lot of other diets - Atkins, South Beach - before calorie counting, and I find calorie counting SO much easier. For me, the other plans were just too restrictive food-wise. I like bread. I like fruit. I want to eat both of those things on a daily basis. So calorie counting it is.

One of the most important things I learned as I was getting started is that it takes a little while to figure out what your calorie limit should be. There are several online calculators, but everyone's body is different, and it depends on the amount of weight you want to lose per week. I started out eating about 1300 calories a day, but found I was hungry at night; I upped it to 1500 and have been losing steadily (1-2 lbs. per week) without the nighttime hunger pangs.

I would suggest perusing the threads - there's a lot of good information here. And keep checking in with us!

[Ija]

As portion sizes keep getting bigger, our perceptions of what normal eating looks like becomes increasingly warped. Calorie counting offers a way to relearn how much you should be eating.

One of the huge benefits of calorie counting is that it's not extreme --it allows for (and encourages) balance. No foods are forbidden or limited, but in order to eat a satisfying volume of food you'll have to generally keep your menu healthy. You can have your occasional slice of gooey pizza or bowl of Ben & Jerry's as long as the bulk of your diet comes from fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains and legumes, lean meat and dairy, etc. It's not hard to incorporate these things into your calorie limit so you don't feel deprived. Best of all, it gets easier as you learn how much to eat!

I, too, have tried a lot of diets (including some of the crazy fads promising to take the pounds off quickly). But calorie counting (while eating a heart-healthy diet with occasional treats) is what works for me.

[bargoo]

Calorie counting works for me. I have done just about every diet there is, I can lose but fail at maintaining, counting calories has taught me what I can do to maintain my loss. When I started on this current effort to lose it once and for all, I decided I was not going to pay someone to tell me what to eat.

[Kayhm0711]

Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it. It really makes me want to stick to this, just because it seems so easy. Today for breakfast I Cheerios with 1% milk well that was more like my lunch because I got up at 11am lol. Then I drank water, and Minute Maid Light Lemonade. I had some Grapes for a snack. Then for Dinner I had Turkey Sandwich on Wheat with 1 slice of 2% cheese and mustard and a cup of grapes and strawberries. For a snack after dinner I had a handful of gold fish. When added together I ate approx. 1200 calories today I was shooting for more like 1400 but I will try to incorporate some more foods into my diet tomorrow. Thanks for all the help though and I really think this is going to be the way to go because I feel great after today and I really don't feel restricted at all.

[stacysreadytolose]

Calorie Counting seems like the way to go. I'm just starting with this, and am finding lots who do that as a means of "weight control."