How do you count?
 

Today is my first day calorie counting (well, first day back at it... I lost 50 pounds a few years ago counting...)

I'm trying to decide what "method" to use. I have an account at sparkpeople (from way back when) and I have "Losing It" for my iPod that I downloaded a few months ago. I also have a trusty notebook in my purse...

What method do you use? Why does it work best for you?

I use Fitday. I generally have a computer around wherever I am, so it's no trouble to add things, and I find it very motivating to see all the charts and graphs and so forth. The only frustrating part is that I cook a lot from scratch so it's sometimes a bit of a pain to add in all the components to what I've made.

I have the loseit app for my itouch but I've been using Livestrong for quite a while and it has so much history there for me that I have switched to the LS app for the itouch too.. they sync and it's quite handy.

I use Sparkpeople :) I havent really looked at the others mostly because spark is the first one I saw and it does all the things I need it to. You can get sparkpeople on your itouch too but it requires wifi.

I use sparpeople and i also ues there mobile version when Im not at my computer

I use a abinder filled with loose leaf paper. Its name is "The Book" and it has a picture of a scale and then it has the line "notheing tastes as good as thin feels" in 6 different languages. Corney and old fashioned but it is working for me.

I keep a journal type book on the table infront of my chair and post it notes in kitchen.

I use fitday.com and if I don't happen to have a computer available I use Lose it on my iphone. I also have a calorie counting book for when we travel and have limited options.

I use TheDailyPlate and have the LiveStrong app for my blackberry that cooresponds to the site. They have the same app for iPhone. It allows you to track your calories via phone and automatically updates the website, and vice versa. I LOVE it. There have been bad reviews for the app saying you can't type in your own calories if the item you're searching for isn't recognized. The way around this (on the app) is to search for "generic calorie" and select the one that fits. With the site, you can click a button to enter your own calories and describe what it is that you ate.

My favorite part about the site is that I can track my fitness, water consumption, weight, BMI, AND calories.

It even breaks things down, so at the end of the day I can look back and see my percentages of what I ate. Like 54% of my diet was carbs and 21% protien, etc. It also has to the total daily value, like my sodium was 118%.

Love, love, LOVE my daily plate and the app that goes with it!

I have a running total in my head, which I know sounds bad and is probably bad advice. I have divided my daily total calories by 6 equal meals. I stay within that number for each meal. It actually keeps me from nibbling because nibbles of junk makes confusing numbers in my head. :D It's easier to stick with 200 calories 6 times. Around 3:00 I'll think "Let's see it's three o'clock so I've had breakfast, snack and lunch. That's 200, 400, 600 calories. This snack will make 800."

To figure out those meals, I plan ahead. I use fitday for random food items.

I have a small purse day planner i carry with me incase i'm not home all day, and then i have a larger desk top diet journal where I "officially" record everything, cals, carbs, fat, protien, fiber, sodium, toning, cardio, emotions, goals, weigh-ins, the whole sha-bang.

I like sparkpeople because I can track calories in/ calories out and I like to see the calorie deficit I make. It motivates me. When I'm out all day not near my computer I write it in my diet diary which is ALWAYS in my purse.

Is there any particular reason you log your emotions?

I use Lose It and Nutrition Menu on iTouch. I record my weights on Fit Day. I use a scale and measuring counts and my DH eyeballing at times.

Good luck on your journey. I think recording it in the easiest manner for you is the key. Something that become a Habit quickly and forever.

Any particular reason you chart your emotions? You have me curious if it helps.

I use sparkpeople, I used to do weight watchers points on my own but I think calorie counting is helping me understand more of the big picture what choices I can make to improve my eating habits.

I use the pad and pen. I like that because I can do it anytime, anywhere. I also post my weight on my calendar , that way I can see at a glance if a pattern is forming.

I use the FitDay program for PC, as opposed to the website. I have it installed on my Netbook, which I bring almost everywhere with me.

I record my emotions on a daily basis, just to help shed light if there are ever any slip ups... and also to keep tabs of how I successfully pull through harder days than others.

old fashioned pen and paper here to! I like that it is handy right then and there without going to get on my computer or phone. Just seems the easiest. I think if I did decide to do the computer (which I am now that I have a BB) I would use pen/paper and then upload everything at one time.

I write in my calendar. I'm a nurse so I live by my calendar - when do I work? what day is it? So I look at it all the time. If I write my food in it I'm constantly reminded. Sometimes I don't eat something I shouldn't just because I don't want to write it on the calendar and look at it all week. It's also easy then for me to see the week as a whole - sometimes I only eat 800 or 900 calories on a day after two or three long shifts because I'm catching up on sleep. That gives me a little more flexability on those long shifts if I'm hungrier than I've allowed for.

I am using index cards right now. Have a stack of them -easy to take with and then just keep them in order by date. Can flip back through to easily look up foods and there counts. Used a notebook and pen before - too many times - just needed something different this time!

opps! I meant THEIR counts!

I use lose it on my iPod and then track it with calories burned with my Go Wear Fit.

Journaling your emotions is a very handy tool. It allows you to look back and see if there is a correlation between wanting to eat a whole bag of pretzels and a crappy day or too much ice cream and a sad day or nothing at all and an insecure day. Make sense?

It's helpful to know if I was bored all day or stressed, it helps to pinpoint eating problems. Also i'll note it I was busy or overslept, bc often this impacts my eating as well

I use dailyplate.com I love that it has so many of the foods I eat already in and accurate.I've tried sparkpeople, but it seems too busy for me lol

another Fitday fan here. I've used it on and off for a few years, so at this point, it's got almost all of what I eat in either my recent food or my custom food lists. I don't think there is a Android app for it yet, but I just go into the web on my phone if I'm not near a computer. But usually, I plan out what I'm going to eat for the day in the mornings, so I don't have to add a lot throughout the day.