OK, I keep reading about how "stressful" counting calories is. I have to say, I don't see it. And that makes me think I'm not doing it right... What am I missing? I mean it isn't hard to look at the calories on the tuna, mayo, bread & cheese when I make my sandwich & add them up..... Am I not doing something right here? When I make chicken patty for my daughter, if I am having a "no count meal", I can look at the box & see how many calories are in the 1 patty... I seriously think I'm not doing this right cause it's easy for me.... Is it hard for everyone?
I think its really easy too. I think the reason that people say its stressful is not because it's hard, but because it forces you to be accountable for what you eat (and think about it every time you eat). For those of us who have already gotten used to taking responsibility for our food actions, it's easy as cake. I think people should be thinking about what they're eating, calculating, no matter whether they're counting calories or not.
Maybe that's it... I know I ate bad and I know that's why i was fat! I've always known that, but I think I just never realized exactly how big I was... My weight went on so quickly from the birth of my daughter, I kinda missed the fact that I was fat for a couple of years! :-)
It's probably stressful at first... like anything else you do for the first time. And if people are keeping a running total in their heads (vs a journal or online program) or have to divide servings sizes and do some extra math it's probably stressful.
Your doing your counting correctly, extasee. Dont worry about it.
I have wondered about this also. I figure it's different strokes for different folks. Everyone responds to things differently. I also tend to eat the same handful of foods, so that makes it easier for me. I'm glad that I like counting calories (or at least don't mind) because it so totally works!
Yeah, it's not too tough. In the beginning, while I never found the counting itself bad, it irked me because I was using Fitday and was constantly adding in custom foods. Once I switched to The Daily Plate that minor nuisance was gone.
Last edited by FB; 10-22-2008 at 03:25 PM.
Reason: Spelling!
Another question for you guys.... Thanks for all your input already! I saw someone mention putting your foods into a journal of some sort... Do you all do this? I just kind of keep a running total in my head throughout the day, I'm thinking maybe I should try actually tracking it, it seems a lot of people here are somehow tracking their food & caloric intake....
I do Daily Plate. Others do FitDay. Others have a physical journal.
I like the online ones because they track EVERYTHING. Protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sodium, salt, calories... EVERYTHING. I dont have to think about it!
Protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sodium, salt, calories... EVERYTHING. I dont have to think about it!
Is there somewhere I can go that will tell me how much of these things I should getting each day? I don't know & honestly, the only thing I look at on the label right now is the calories! That's probably a bad thing huh?
Um... Not necessiarly a bad thing... But something you should be really watching if your trying to eat healthier.
You can get info online. Google "daily intake fiber" (or whatever) and you'll find what you need. Personally, I need 25g of fiber a day, shoot for 100g protein, try to stay below 175g carbs, less than 1600mg of sodium, etc.
Just depends on your body. You can do some online calculators - just be sure to do more than one to get a good idea. Sometimes they can be wrong.
I use FitDay PC, which now has a lot of my custom foods in it and I personally find it pretty easy counting calories. The only thing I do (to make my life easier) is that I plan the next day's food before I go to bed. It takes me about 5 mins and I usually have to get stuff arranged (to pack up in the morning, or leave to thaw for dinner) anyway.
If you're hitting your calorie goal without a problem then the macros (protein, fat, carbohydrates) probably don't matter. Higher protein diets, with a good amount of fat, help me manage hunger. Everyone will probably have a different opinion of what you should eat, but to some extent, calories are generally pretty much the same. Having said that, it's nice to get your calories from a wide variety of foods, mainly for good nutrition.
I use my-calorie-counter.com and it totals EVERYTHING in the nutritional chart, not just the calories. I think I find it tedious b/c I eat out a lot and have to look for nutritional information on every resaurant I eat at. But once I get a running start I can just point and click through the website and it will be more enjoyable.
How difficult calorie counting is kinda depends on how you eat. Obviously easy if you eat everything out of a box, bag or can. Not too hard if you eat simple meals like broccoli, sweet potato, baked chicken. It gets a lot harder when you like to make lots of new recipes with lots of ingredients, and you don't always make things the same way twice.
I also use my-calorie-counter.com. It lets you add in your own custom foods, as well as searching for foods and/or exercises. It's also pretty user-friendly and easy to figure out.
Counting ?!
Or if your really busy, it can be annoying.
