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Are you happy with Counting Calories?
Are you really happy with it?
Does it make you miserable? :dizzy: Is it easier than other diets you have tried? What do you like most about it? What do you not like about it? How much weight have you lost? How long have you been counting calories? Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? I really need to lose weight to be healthy. I don't necessarily want a rockin' hot body (although it would be nice ;) ). I just want to be healthy and not worry about dying too young and leaving my daughter without a mom and my husband without his wife. So this is an interview to see what you like about counting calories. I have tried every diet under the sun and frankly I am tired of trying "diets". I want something that I can stick with long term and still be able to venture off if we go to a fancy restaurant while on vacation or eat the occasional slice of birthday cake a few times a year, etc... I just want to be happy with my self and be happy with the way that I eat. For the last 3-4 years I have been fighting with low carb. I keep trying to tell myself that it is fantastic and I can eat all that stuff that I love like steak and bacon, mayo, cheese, veggies with real butter, salad with real salad dressing, etc... But the truth is, it makes me miserable. I would love to have some carbs with my meals. I don't feel good doing low carb. I keep getting the feeling that it is wrong for some reason. :( So if you would please answer my questions and give me any other information that you think might be useful in making my decision on how I need to combat this problem I have. I'm at my wits end and I just don't know what to do. :?: Thanks in advance. |
Are you really happy with it? VERY much
Does it make you miserable? not in the slightest Is it easier than other diets you have tried? ABSOLUTELY What do you like most about it? NOTHING is off limits - all things in moderation (with PLANNING of course) What do you not like about it? Nothing How much weight have you lost? 93 lbs How long have you been counting calories? I lost the weight in 53 weeks, I have been maintaining since (and don't forget I am POST menopausal - which slowed my loss considerably) Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? YES!!!!!! I LOVE counting calories because I'm not into deprivation. You tell me I can't have bread, I will CRAVE bread. I still each chocolate and drink red wine daily. The rest of my calories are VERY, VERY clean, healthy ones. I absolutely LOVE eating 6 times a day. I love the foods I eat. I can't say enough about how much counting calories has changed my life :) It is free, easy, and something I can do forever :D |
Are you really happy with it? I am because I can have anything that I want, but only a certain amount
Does it make you miserable? not at all- I had half a McFlurry today, but that meant no sweet treat after dinner Is it easier than other diets you have tried? SO MUCH- most diets are all about depriving yourself or something and I just am not happy when I "can't" have something- it makes me want it more What do you like most about it? Feeling like I can have whatever I want, but knowing I won't overeat or go out of control because I will have to write it down later What do you not like about it? I used to write everything I ate after I ate it and it was too much work- I would skip days because I would get behind and not want to do the catch up. Now I write down everything I plan to eat for the day in the early morning- first thing at work. Then I can make changes throughout the day, but it's MUCH easier when the majority is already written down- AND it helps me make better choices:) How much weight have you lost? I've been doing it for three weeks and I've lost 3 pounds:) How long have you been counting calories? Three weeks, but I did it before I got married last year for about six months and lots about twenty pounds- wish I had kept going instead of letting myself slide back up... ***I would also tell you that if something isn't feeling good - like low carb- then it probably isn't good for you. I'm a strong believer that if a diet tells your to completely cut something out that should be a staple of any diet then it probably isn't healthy. ;) Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? |
Heyy i love counting calories! i too have tried a million other things but after everything i've realized this is the only thing that works.. its a lifestyle change not a diet!
Are you really happy with it? yes, i plan for what i want to eat when i go shopping and eat everything i used to just in smaller portions. Does it make you miserable? Not at all, some days are harder than others but so far its been pleasantly easy to stick to. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? Yep! What do you like most about it? I like that nothing is off limits, thursday night is pizza night and i can have my 2 sometimes even 3 slices of pizza without feeling guilty because ive planned for it in my calories that day. What do you not like about it? sometimes it can be a little difficult to figure out the calorie contents of certain items like home cooked meals, ect but for the most part i'm able to come close. How much weight have you lost? 27 lbs How long have you been counting calories? december Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? yes definately thats the best thing about it Good luck! :carrot: |
I love calorie counting. I have lost 70 pounds + doing it. I do not feel deprived. I feel very much in control and feel like it's both effective and doable longterm for me. I like that calorie counting is flexible. I also like that it very much educates me about how portions look, what calories are in the items I eat frequently, what fills me up and satiates me and what sends me running back to the pantry.
ETA: I began in late May 2008. |
I'm another one on the bandwagon. I love it - it lets me enjoy the foods I want to enjoy. And I think that while some people find the writing down or calculating cumbersome, you have to do that on any diet that works. Calorie counting just gets you back down to the basics of any diet - they are all (if they work) calorie in versus calories out. And for me, I kind of enjoy the writing down - that may just be me though - gives me complete control over something during the day. I started in January (I'm one of those resolutioners) and have lost 25 pounds so far. I will definitely stick to it long term (especially since a lot of the things I eat are now memorized, I'll always know the counts whether I want to or not).
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Are you really happy with it?
~It doesn't make me scream with joy or anything, but it's painless and doesn't consume much of my time or thoughts. Second nature. Does it make you miserable? ~Oh gosh no! It's emotionless, it's mathematics. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? ~It's very logical and mathematical. There are no special rules or phases. It's black and white. What do you like most about it? ~That it's simple, under my direct control, free and no harebrained rules. What do you not like about it? ?? Nothing. How much weight have you lost? ~146.4 pounds! How long have you been counting calories? ~422 days! Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? ~Yes, I'm pretty sure I can, especially with the aid of technology and TDP. I've done it for over a year now and don't resent it or give it much thought. It's part of my meal, like the food itself, the dish or silverware. |
Thanks you all. I really appreciate your comments. I'll look forward to reading more.
I'm really leaning towards counting calories. I need to do some praying about it. I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don't know what else to do. |
Are you really happy with it? Yes
Does it make you miserable? No Is it easier than other diets you have tried? I haven't really tried anything else. What do you like most about it? 1) It works! 2) Not having to give up carbs. What do you not like about it? Guilt that I feel when eating off plan, but I think it's something I would struggle with on any diet. How much weight have you lost? 30 lbs. How long have you been counting calories? Three years (it didn't take three years to lose the 30 lbs, I've been maintaining for about two years). Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Yes. I've already been doing it for three years. I have no doubt I could do this for the rest of my life. The advice I would give you about making a decision is that no decision is permanent. If what you are doing now isn't working for you for whatever reason and you think calorie counting is something that would work, why not give it a try? Commit to it for three months to give it a chance to work and to give yourself a chance to get used to it. If it's not working after three months or if you don't like it, you can switch to something else. This was the exact approach that I used when I first started. What have you got to lose (besides weight ;))? |
I'm finding that as I get older, I HAVE to count calories to lose weight. I used to count carbs but it's just not working for me anymore. As soon as I started counting calories, I started losing again. I'm very happy about that and know I can live with this.
good luck with your decision! |
This is the first time in my life I'm doing a safe , smart diet . I love counting calories, yes I'm just starting out but I feel great. No pills no shakes no heart palpatations just great fresh food. :dance:
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[QUOTE=hpnodat;2629438]Are you really happy with it? Extremely. Nothing else worked for the long haul.
Does it make you miserable? No, in fact I prefer it, there are no absolute NO foods Is it easier than other diets you have tried? The easiest for me What do you like most about it? It's just math What do you not like about it? figuring out multi-ingredient recipes How much weight have you lost? 68 pounds How long have you been counting calories? all my life on and off :) Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? yes, it is now instilled in me as a lifestyle, not a diet |
Are you really happy with it? I LOVE it. It forces set limits on me. Portion control that is. Something I desperately need. My intuitive eating valve is missing. I need SOMETHING to put the brakes on my eating. And calorie counting is it. Wanting to get the most from every precious calorie, it's also taught me to be very *choosy* and pick the highest quality of foods.
Does it make you miserable? No, just the opposite. It was freeing to me. It led me to shed the weight. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? I don't consider it a diet. I don't consider it hard or easy. I consider it "my way of life". It's just what I do and who I am. I keep track on lots of things in my life. This is just one more of them. One of the most important too. It makes perfect sense to me (now) to keep tabs of what I'm ingesting. What do you like most about it? See the first question/answer. I also love the order and semblance it gives to my life. It's very logical. It keeps my food, weight and health in check. What do you not like about it? Nothing really. Sure, I would love to eat what I want, when I want. But I tried that experiment for over 20 years. I certainly wasn't happy with the outcome of that little experiment. Not such a good idea, I DON'T recommend it. ;) How much weight have you lost? 165 lbs. How long have you been counting calories? 2 years, 5 months and 22 days. Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Oh yeah. Like I said, it's now a part of me. It makes perfect sense to monitor what I eat to ensure that I eat the proper amount of food. With all things that are important, you just do them. Calorie counting to me is no different. |
Are you really happy with it? Yes, counting calories and working out have given me the results I wanted, plus some.
Does it make you miserable? Only when I try to go out to eat at some of my favorite restaurants, and no calorie counts are available. I learned this weekend you can't always trust grilled chicken in a restaurant. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? Never really tried anything else. What do you like most about it? Like others have said...I can have pretty much whatever I want, as long as it's within my ranges for the day. I love having pizza and cheeseburgers, and still not gaining. What do you not like about it? Honestly, and this may just be me because I've got an addictive/obsessive personality, but the strict planning and counting and writing bothers me. It's a necessary evil, but it takes some of the "fun" out of meals for me, if that makes any sense. Really not many spur of the moment choices anymore, which I sometimes miss. How much weight have you lost? 80 pounds How long have you been counting calories? Since July 31, 2007 Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Absolutely |
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Just doing a quick reply~I love calorie counting~it was hard for me the first month~I was trying to start out at 1200 calories and felt starved(but I was trying to eat junk food also!!)~ But I upped the amount to approx 1400 to 1500 and Added healthy food also....Fruits & Veggies ect(I think the reason I had it hard the first month was because I was proboly eating 4000 or more calories a day out of Pure Boredom~Plus I had quit smoking and was a total candy addict and those calories for candy add up quickly! LOL and the switch was dramatic at first~but I got use to it quickly when I switched to a more sensible amount and healthier choices & the plus the results was magnificant & kept me motivated)
But The actual counting is extermely easy and When I started eating healthier choices I no longer felt starved I feel overly full actually.Plus I still fit in a homemade personal pizza Daily! I started in november 2008 and have lost 36.7 Lbs. So far. I just added my 2 pics for you to see (my before and latest after pics~i know you have been asking about counting calories for a few weeks now And I hope my pics help motivate you ~I also hope you do not mind me placing them on here for you.brown top is before brown/teal top after.~I know you will do well with it.It is so simple and You think why didn't I do this sooner:D??? GOODLUCK!!!! |
Are you really happy with it?
Yes, absolutely. It's really the only way I know that I can watch what I eat while still making meals for my BIG family. Does it make you miserable? No way. It gives you flexibility to eat what you want w/in your limit Is it easier than other diets you have tried? absolutely. I've never been able to follow a strict diet plan because I have 4 kids and a husband to feed and it's too hard to cook separate dinners or get them to eat what I'm eating. What do you like most about it? I love the flexibility. I also feel more in control. I've taken several online profiles to come up with my recommended calorie intake and I've gotten a big range so I like that I got to test it out and see which daily intake works best for me. I feel like I created my diet myself. What do you not like about it? Not much. I'm still fairly new and I need a more "to go" way of keeping track, but it's been recommended to me to get a calorie count book and notepad. I keep a big enough purse that I can keep those things on the go. How much weight have you lost? I had lost 13 lbs before TOM visited this week and I gained 4lbs back!!! But I'm sure that'll disappear just as soon as TOM does. How long have you been counting calories? Well, I did WW for about 4 months and that's pretty much the same principle and I lost about 20lbs with that. I've been doing just calorie counting for about 8wks now. Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Definitely. I'm sure that as I continue I'll just "know" the calorie content of certain foods and won't have to measure everything and will jsut be able to see the right portion size. But it has saved on my grocery bill because now that I'm measuring my portion size I don't cook 2 boxes of rice a roni or have tons of wasted leftovers. I hope all this helps you. Good luck on your weight loss plan! |
I've only been counting calories for 2 weeks but I've already lost 3 pounds. Like others, I really enjoy the freedom of knowing that no foods are off limits...I just have to control portions and/or make trade-offs later in the day to stay within my calorie limit. I found a calorie-counting program on-line that is really easy to use. Calorie counting really makes you get real about what you're eating instead of offering some "magic" solution to weight loss. Plus I could never sustain a diet long-term knowing that pizza, fries or potato chips were off limits forever!
I've tried Weight Watchers and Atkins with only short-term success. Good luck with your choice! ;) |
You ladies who have lost so much already are just awesome!
I don't think I could add much to this post except to say that I have never believed that cutting carbs out of your diet is a healthy thing to do. Carbs are your body's preferred fuel. We love them for a reason. The most important thing is to choose foods that are healthy for us and not just because they are low in calories. To paraphrase what someone else said, you have to make sure you get the most nutritional bang for your calorie buck. |
Are you really happy with it? Very happy.
Does it make you miserable? No. It makes me miserable (like Mindi) when restaurants don't have their nutritional information available. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? Very. What do you like most about it? It's simple portion control. I can eat whatever I want, but make healthier choices, and eat the things that are "bad" in moderation. You can work anything into your meal plan and stay with in calories. What do you not like about it? There really isn't much not to like. How much weight have you lost? About 30-35lbs. How long have you been counting calories? Since September of 2008. Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Yes. When you're dieting you can't tell yourself you'll never have bread, or ice cream, or a glass of wine ever again. It's simple, easy, and you can enjoy the things you love. |
Are you really happy with it? Blissfully happy!
Does it make you miserable? Not at all. It actually does the opposite. It makes me happy to know exactly, or as close to exactly as possible, what I'm eating from day to day. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? It is much easier, yes. Though to be fair, I never really tried hard at any other diet - they were too much trouble. What do you like most about it? The freedom to eat what I want as long as I plan for it in the calories and am prepared for the ramifications of my choices. For example, one day I had 35% of my calories in sugary junk and felt rundown and gross for two days... Didn't gain long term, but paid the price for my indulgence for over a week in water retention. What do you not like about it? At this point, nothing. I don't like the fact that not everything has calories listed, but that isn't the fault of the plan. How much weight have you lost? In total, 60 pounds. The first 30 were informal calorie counting - I reduced calories when I met my now DH because I was too busy to snack. The last 30 was deliberate counting. I've also maintained that weight loss for six months come Friday. How long have you been counting calories? 390 days Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Absolutely. As I get more comfortable with the foods I eat I find I can estimate more and measure less and am still comfortable I'm in range. I do touch base with weighing and measuring every so often to make sure I'm still in line. And, as others have said, I don't have to say no to indulgence foods all the time and can still maintain my weight. |
And add to the other positive things already said , it is FREE!!!!!!
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2. No, it doesn't make me miserable. Occasionally I get annoyed by the fact that I have to think about every single thing I eat, but really I was doing that anyway, so what is the difference? 3. Yes, it is definitely easier than other diets. I don't see results as quickly as I did with low-carb, but then I couldn't stick with low-carb. 4. What I like most is that I can eat whatever I want, just in smaller quanitites. It feel basically "normal". 5. I don't really dislike anything about it, except maybe that I have to do anything, but that is mainly a problem I need to take up with my metabolism! 6. Overall, 62 lbs. Since starting calorie counting about 35 lbs 7. I'm not entirely sure about the exact date, I think it was sometime May-June. 8. Yes, I can stick to calorie counting long-term. In fact, I'm pretty sure it is something that I'll be doing for the rest of my life. I hope this helps! |
Are you really happy with it? Yes
Does it make you miserable? Sometimes, when I'm PMSing and I want to eat an entire cheesecake...then sure, I'm miserable. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? No, it takes just as much work, planning and dedication as anyother "diet" I've ever tried. The weight does not just magically melt off by counting calories. Only if you cut calories will that happen. What do you like most about it? I've successfully lost a bunch of weight and feel great and in control 95% of the time vs. 5% of the time before I started. What do you not like about it? That I have to do it and I'm not naturally thin. I'll be honest here. It sucks! Restricting calories is not joy time. It's not a picninc or like Christmas. It's tough and it takes work. It's just as difficult as any other diet for me. How much weight have you lost? 149 pounds How long have you been counting calories? Since March 4th, 2008 Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? I sure hope so! I've stuck with it almost a year, and in doing so I think I might have added many more to my life span. |
1.Are you really happy with it? Yes when I'm not Plateau ing
2.Does it make you miserable? Yes, when I hit a plateau because I was restricting and working out and nothing worked but then, I upped my calories and It started working again like magic so then NO. 3.Is it easier than other diets you have tried? I haven't really committed to any other diet before.. 4. What do you like most about it? That I can have anything I want as long as I factor it in 5. What do you not like about it? when I have to "guess" at the calorie content when I eat out.. I get obsessive and start panicking I've estimated wrong and kind of dwell on it. How much weight have you lost? 20 lbs How long have you been counting calories? Since December 29th, 2008 Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Yes, I really hope so.:^: |
Thank you all so much for your responses.
I think I had already made the decision, I just needed motivation to do it. This is great motivation. It's going to be really strange switching over to low cal foods. Honestly I have gained more weight than I have lost eating low carb. Mainly because I couldn't stick to it and I would end up eating all that fatty food and then I would break and binge on carbs. That is a bad way to live. It would excite me when I saw a huge drop on the scale just within a few days but when I would binge I would avoid the scale because I knew the weight would come right back on and plus sometimes. I went to the grocery store today to pick up some staples to last me through the weekend. I don't want this to be all about low calorie convenience foods, because I think anything that is processed is bad for you. Now I guess I need to figure out where to start as far as calories go. Also I guess I need to learn how to balance my meals as well. I guess it's not rocket science but I have a tendency to make it that way. |
Are you really happy with it? Yes
Does it make you miserable? :dizzy: Nope Is it easier than other diets you have tried? Yes What do you like most about it? I can eat anything in moderation, I can plan in advance for things I want to eat, and if I screw up there's always tomorrow to fix it. I'm an organized person, and counting calories fits my personality and lifestyle very well because it's a logical and organized way to lose weight. What do you not like about it? Tracking my calories in the Daily Plate is a bit tedious sometimes. If the online websites were faster and had better food databases, it would not be as tedious. How much weight have you lost? 15 pounds since last year, and I'm now at goal How long have you been counting calories? Since January 2008 Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? I think so. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I just make it part of my daily routine to track my calories, and part of my weekly routine to plan all of my meals |
Low Cal Foods
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Are you really happy with it?
Yes Does it make you miserable? Not at all. Like others have said it makes going out to eat really unappealing, but luckily I want to save money to so I call that a bonus most of the time. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? I haven't tried anything else, really tried anyway. What do you like most about it? Flexibility, control, accountability, and education. It makes me think about what I'm eating. Tracking online has been great, it gives me a record to reflect on when I'm doing good, and lets me see when I'm straying. I've been a victim to "I'm eating healthier, why arent I losing??" when I really would eat healthy three days a week and not healthy 4! What do you not like about it? Um, it feels tedious sometimes. But honestly it makes me take time out to think about my health, which is important. How much weight have you lost? 13 pounds this year How long have you been counting calories? Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? Yes, it's coming more and more natural to me to estimate what I'm eating though I will probably always track. I've got a long way to go until I have to worry about maintenance though. |
I have only been calorie counting for a little over a week but got really serious about it in the last couple days. The thing I like about it is that I can still eat what I love just much smaller portions. I am eating 1800 calories a day with 45 minutes exercise (just starting out and need to work my way to longer) per day and I was craving pizza today so I worked out ate a small breakfast 1 cup cherrios, 1/2 cup milk, and an 80 cal. yougart that put me at 240 calories for lunch I had 2 slices of pizza each slice was 280 cal. and after lunch I had dessert, a 60 calorie low fat fudgecycle. Now this was not my best day and not a healthy lunch but with eating that I still have pleanty of calories left over for dinner and a snack. 940 to be exact. So there are days like today that I feel like I am cheating but I am still within my calorie range for the day.
Tina |
Are you really happy with it? yes!
Does it make you miserable? not at all Is it easier than other diets you have tried? yes in that it's not soooo restricted, no in that I lost quicker with low carb What do you like most about it? I know that it's good for my body and that it's likely to last in the long run What do you not like about it? nothing really How much weight have you lost? so far? about 10 lbs in the last 2 months How long have you been counting calories? strictly? about 6 weeks Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? definitely |
Are you really happy with it? Yep
Does it make you miserable? Being morbidly obese made me WAY more miserable than saying no to a cookie. Is it easier than other diets you have tried? I never really tried anything else What do you like most about it? flexibility What do you not like about it? i can't really think of anything bad about calorie counting...having to be responsible to myself, maybe...but that's not calorie counting's fault. :p How much weight have you lost? 92 pounds How long have you been counting calories? since Dec 2003 Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? I'm not giving myself a choice on that...not going back to where I was. :carrot: |
Are you really happy with it?---SUPER happy!
Does it make you miserable? ----NEVER Is it easier than other diets you have tried? ---100% because i can eat anything in the world i want. even though i choose the good stuff i know i could have the bad if i wanted it. What do you like most about it? ---- i can eat everything. every single food i love and nothing is off limits. What do you not like about it? ----nothing How much weight have you lost? ----25lbs in 8 weeks How long have you been counting calories? ---off and on for a long time. i knew all about calorie counting before i got serious about weight loss and just wouldn't practice it all the time. Is counting calories something that you thing you can stick to long term? --- forever and ever. |
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