but i never measure my veggies... i wonder if have to start getting precise about those too.
Nessa, I don't. I do enter it in fitday as I estimate it, but there is no way on God's green earth that I am going to measure lettuce, or other low calorie veggies like broccoli, cucumbers, cabbage, green beans. When it is a low calorie veggie, I tend to estimate it. If it is a higher calorie, or starchy veggie, I will measure it.
Nessa, I don't. I do enter it in fitday as I estimate it, but there is no way on God's green earth that I am going to measure lettuce, or other low calorie veggies like broccoli, cucumbers, cabbage, green beans. When it is a low calorie veggie, I tend to estimate it. If it is a higher calorie, or starchy veggie, I will measure it.
yeah i would measure or count starchy too,.
i really think i just have to tighten up eating what i'm eating
not so much the veggies
but things like
hummus
nuts
fats
Hi Nessa! Wow, this thread is flying. I'm new to calorie counting and new to the website both. I started with just working out and didn't manage to lose any real weight.
My first step was just to start writing down what I ate every day. It had an IMMEDIATE effect on my eating habits. Goodness, but I was always having a 'special occasion treat' almost every day! That stopped once I had to write everything down.
I started counting calories on my own before I came here. Slowly at first, just the packaged stuff. I figured 'low cal' stuff like fruits and veggies didn't count. (And I think I had no clue how to go about doing it). It was around this time that I found this website.
I recently got myself an awesome scale and started weighing everything. I also upped my calories a tad and the weight has started melting off me in the last couple of weeks. It's been a total rush.
I mostly eat healthy, that has been a major change. I almost never eat out. A couple of times googling the calories of what I was eating had me mortified. I do have the occasional treat, but they really are occasional now and I enjoy them!
I've never reallly 'dieted' before. And to me, calorie counting isn't a diet, it's just common sense. It's not something I plan on doing for a few months and than stopping, it's a change I am hoping to make for a lifetime. I think a few people have mentioned, but I had no clue what a 'healthy' portion was and I had no clue how calorie dense some foods are. It's been a relearning of healthy eating habits that I lost ages ago, if I ever had them.
Good luck! So far, it's been a great journey for me and I hope its the same for you too.
I do tend to measure my veggies, but don't find it hard to keep the general ballpark numbers in my head until I get to the computer (100 g romaine, 50 g carrots and 50 g bell pepper, 70 g cucumber)... I have a basic 'salad" and just edit quantities.
Also, once you know the calorie counts of your main foods, you can almost track in your head. I do this for my husband. He'll tell me his foods for the day and we can just estimate his calories, as we tend to eat a lot of the same foods. Depends on how exact you want/need to be (I want/need more exactness than he does).
Hey! Just dropped in to say that there are some things you'll probably always have to measure--like salad dressings, butter or mayonnaise, olive oil... Also nuts, as you already know. Starchy foods like potatoes and rice. Anything that is potentially high in calories.
With vegetables, I have a pretty good eye now for what 2 ounces or 3 ounces looks like. From time to time I'll go back to weighing just to check.
I recently found that I was UNDEReating protein foods because I was not weighing them so much. I thought I had it in my head correctly, but I didn't. 4 ounces of chicken was a lot more than I thought.
You get used to it--you really do. And eating out isn't so hard, either, once you have sizes of portions in mind.
At first weighing, measuring and keeping track seems a little like 'work'. However, it's a wonderful tool. You just get used to it. Studies show that people that journal and log their food have better success rates of losing and keeping it off than those that don't.
You can eat the same foods as SB. There aren't any 'restrictions' with calories counting. However, it's best to concentrate on healthy foods. Once in a while have what you like and count it in.
I love calorie counting. It has been the one plan that I could stick to for a long time.
I try to keep my snacks 100 calories or less
Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge 35 calories
Non Fat Yogurt 60-70 calories
Sugar Free Jello 10 calories
Sugar Free Pudding 70 Calories
Fruit you can get all kinds of fresh fruit for 100 calories or less.
These are just a few ideas.
I must plan ahead or ,as you have already found out, I would run out of calories before noon.
I use The Calorie King "Calorie Fat and Carbohydrate Counter".It is small enough to carry with me and has lots of information besides calorie counts.
It has calorie counts for fast food and restaurants as well as ethnic food.Plus just loads of helpful facts for dieters.
I try to keep my snacks 100 calories or less
Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge 35 calories
Non Fat Yogurt 60-70 calories
Sugar Free Jello 10 calories
Sugar Free Pudding 70 Calories
Fruit you can get all kinds of fresh fruit for 100 calories or less.
These are just a few ideas.
I must plan ahead or ,as you have already found out, I would run out of calories before noon.
I use The Calorie King "Calorie Fat and Carbohydrate Counter".It is small enough to carry with me and has lots of information besides calorie counts.
It has calorie counts for fast food and restaurants as well as ethnic food.Plus just loads of helpful facts for dieters.
i can't eat yogurt or fruit alone on my plan. I have to pair it with something
it's the nuts like i said... i have to give them up...
my snack is really just part of my breakfast... i just break it up more...
Hello There again. Maybe this article will help you see why a food journal is a great tool and not very hard ot time consuming. If you try calorie counting for a week or 2 and decide you dont like it you can go back to SBD. Its the freedom that is so great. If i want to eat 1600 cals of potatoes and cookies i can. Im sure t his wont benefit me, but its nice not having to give anything up. Maybe you could focus on foods with lots of volume? Maybe its time to lower your calories by 100 a day to get losing again. You can eat all day and not be hungry and stay around 1800 calories. a typical day or my looks like...
Breakfast- 2 eggwhits, cheese, salsa and 2 pieces of bacon
Snack- Yogurt or string cheese with some dried fruit
Lunch- Salad with feta, chicken and tzatziki sauce instead of dressing
Snack- cracker with pb or laughing cow cheese with celery
Dinner- salad, wg pasta with some kind of sauce and protien
Snack- something sweet, cookie or 100 cal pack, frozen fruit bar.
I think you may be surprised on how much you can eat. If you like to feel full the key is to eat foods low in calories but high in volume. Lots of veggies and fruit. Fiber and protien will keep you full as well
Hello There again. Maybe this article will help you see why a food journal is a great tool and not very hard ot time consuming. If you try calorie counting for a week or 2 and decide you dont like it you can go back to SBD. Its the freedom that is so great. If i want to eat 1600 cals of potatoes and cookies i can. Im sure t his wont benefit me, but its nice not having to give anything up. Maybe you could focus on foods with lots of volume? Maybe its time to lower your calories by 100 a day to get losing again. You can eat all day and not be hungry and stay around 1800 calories. a typical day or my looks like...
Breakfast- 2 eggwhits, cheese, salsa and 2 pieces of bacon
Snack- Yogurt or string cheese with some dried fruit
Lunch- Salad with feta, chicken and tzatziki sauce instead of dressing
Snack- cracker with pb or laughing cow cheese with celery
Dinner- salad, wg pasta with some kind of sauce and protien
Snack- something sweet, cookie or 100 cal pack, frozen fruit bar.
I think you may be surprised on how much you can eat. If you like to feel full the key is to eat foods low in calories but high in volume. Lots of veggies and fruit. Fiber and protien will keep you full as well
I do journal my food. just not the amounts and the calories
my food is similar to what you posted
just take off some of the protein at breakfast and add veggies or V8
dinner i tend not to have grain but do have extra veggies
and my pm snack is a nsa fudge bar by healthy choice
i don't eat crackers and woudl never touch cookies or 100 calorie packs...
yes part of my issue is that i'm compulsive.
part of it is that those things i avoid leave me hungry wanting more.
i could eat a whole box of 100 calorie packs in one sitting.
calories do count.
that's why SBD is not working for me..... because the plan is great if you can control your amounts but you don 't HAVE to...
sadly i do. it's time to get back in control and make it work...
I think taht its great taht you know you cant have certain things not because they are off limits in your diet but because they leave you hungry and wanting more. It took me a while to be able to eat sweets and limit myself. It looks to me like you eat pretty healthy. Maybe for a week along with your food journal just keep track of the calories just to see how much you are consuming then go from there to get a number that is good for you
