Does anyone else HATE calorie counting?
 

I just need to gripe.

Calorie counting (along with whole foods and exercise) is what works for me, but oh man do I HATE it. I really, really, really dislike it.

:mad:

Anyone? Anyone?

i really hated it at first, but it is already second nature. i like it because it tells me when to stop. after my calorie count goes close to 1800, food doesnt exist for the rest of the day.

i dont do whole foods, i have just been doing smaller portions, no oil, no butter etc. i couldnt do something that is too restricting, and honestly, if i want a little butter on my toast, i dont want to feel guilty about it, i just adjust my other meals accordingly

excercise has been my favorite part of dieting, i hate it before i go, and i gripe about it, and pout and put it off until late, but after i get going i dont want to stop!

I agree.... calorie counting is kinda bothersome..... BUT, so is being overweight and not being able to do the things I can now.... so I do it.

I can do restrictive diets really well..... but when I fall off them I fall really hard. So, it is best that I just 'bite the bullet" and count.

I go through phases with it. I tried low carb for the first time ever a few months ago - something I thought I'd never do - mainly because I couldn't mentally bear going back to the slog of calorie counting. (I guess the novelty of counting carbs was more interesting?) Didn't work great for me for weight loss, though it did help instill some lower-carb eating patterns that I've continued.

Counting calories is THE only way I've ever reliably lost weight. I mean, what I eat makes a big difference, but counting is the only way to ensure that I lose. That's what I cling to, at the end of the day. And I find that while I mentally resist it at the beginning, it gets easier and easier to do it quickly and with less effort. But I hear you.

Vent away!

In a way i feel you.

It is so tedious and annoying sometimes to put the food in.
then it seems like calories disapear so quickly lol. (unless eating only veggies)
but at the same time its quite lovely. so simple and i do like it and i do know that even though i do gripe about it to every now and then this calorie counting thing is going to:
1. save my life
2. improve my life
3. prolong my life

So i have to look at the silver lining and be thankful. : )

No matter what plan you try, you will be counting/measuring something....Atkins counts carbs, WW counts calories, IP and SB count food intakes, WL surgery patients have to measure/count food portions. The interesting thing is the vast majority of healthy people do the exact same thing....they are constantly counting, measuring or watching food intakes.

I'm a calorie counter and know what you mean. I just look at it this way...either way it goes, I'll be counting something. Better to count calories than my increasing jeans sizes :)

I agree it's a little tedious at first especially when you are not used to it and you have to look up every single thing etc, but the more you do it, the more it becomes less of a bother and a part of your routine. Plus after a while you kind of know how many calories are innwhat quantity of the most common foods you eat and it becomes less tedious.

When I first starred this journey, I allowed myself to have fast food, whatever I liked as long as it was within my calorie limit for the day. So being the only way I found to lose weight without giving up my favorite things, I stuck with it. Eventually 3 years later, it's like a game to me. Like me vs the calories, can I come in under or will I let the calories win. I kind of enjoy it and feel weird when I don't do it. I'm on a break from plan whilst recovering from bowel surgery so I'm not counting right now. But it does become a part of your life and you begin to feel strange when you don't do it.

I learned to count calories by way of an exchange plan when I was 8 years old and joined Weight Watchers for the first time with my mother in 1972 (WW used exchange plans until the early to mid- nineties).

Exchange plans are a calorie counting method, because every food within an exchange category has approximately the same carb and calorie count. Fruit exchanges for example average about 70 calories (and range from about 50 to 75).

I've been doing exchange counting so long that it's become second nature, and I find it easier and more fun than "straight" calorie counting, because I can print off a chart and just check off boxes as I record what I'm eating (there are tons of websites that have free printable charts).

I make it a game/challenge because rather than have a set, limited chart. I have minimums and maximums and make an effort to hit my minimum number of exchanges in each category without going over my maximum (this is akin to the old WW option of optional or floating exchanges).

Just as an example my "minimum" for vegetable exchanges is 3 (a total of 75 calories since all veggie exchanges have about 20 to 30 calories). However, my maximun is 10 (250 calories total). I've never used all of my veggie exchanges, but getting in as many as I can has become a bit of a game. I try to make most of my optional exchanges/calories come from veggies and protein rather than from fat and carbs.

I've found that if I "hate" something, I don't do it, so to be successful I have to make it fun. I even have resorted to childish sticker charts to provide a tangible reward.

I love it, actually. I needed something like this to keep me in line. It's second nature now and I just do it automatically and keep a tally in my head as the day goes along.

I tried not counting one day and it drove me nuts! I need to keep SOME sort of mental tally going!

I view myself as a science experiment now. I like seeing how many calories I can eat, what they do for me and how I can get stronger/more fit from what I'm eating.

I know but if I don't do it I will gain AND feel more hungry :s how can I feel more hungry when im eating loads more.

I will ween myself off it or at least try to transition to a point where I can control and maintain without having to log.

doesn't bother me at all. it's the only thing that makes sense to me.

I don't hate it because I don't make a big deal of it. I eyeball and estimate. It seems I'm not far off the mark because my weight loss and maintenance have proceeded as predicted.

F.

Yeah I'm not too into it. I only truly calorie counted for 2 days just to get an idea of what I've been doing and I was doing fine. I just look at things. If I'm eating something packaged that will tell me exactly how many calories are in it I'll look at it but I don't make a big deal out of it. I eat healthy food and eat good portion sizes and I'm consistently losing so I'll go with it.

re:
 

For some people there is some sort of powerful mental connection that occurs in the process of writing (or typing) it down - like it builds that concrete memory in your brain that says, "I have had this much." I can't really explain it.

I eat pretty much the same thing every day and know how much each item is without looking. I STILL track it. For some reason, that really helps me, and each time I have failed or gained something back it was when I was not tracking.

There's so many tools out there that make it easy. Are you using one or just writing stuff down on paper?

Im on WW, so Im not counting calories, but points instead. I hated it at first. It was frustrating when I was used to eating what I want, when I want. What I love is that its taught me alot about accountability. I am very aware of every single thing I put in my mouth now. I can still enjoy myself, but within limits. Its also taught me alot about portion and serving sizes. I am still amazed at the sheer quantity of some foods I used to eat.
It stinks now, but eventually it becomes habit, and much less annoying.

My only complaint is when it comes to recipes. I'm still trying to learn how to accurately count, like say, a plate of spaghetti. It just confuses me so I end up eating a lot of foods out of boxes and packages with the calorie count ready to go. Once I learn how to measure and count everything, I think I'll like it a lot more!

If you don't like measuring, you can try eyeballing portions. The following might help you:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Healthy/L...ion-Size-Chart

http://www.arthritistoday.org/pdf/portionchart.pdf

I rarely measure. I just eyeball and when I do measure I find I'm pretty close :)

What exactly do you hate about it? Serious question. Does it feel tedious, too detail-oriented, or just the idea that you have to do it?

I like the flexibility (and the outcome!), so it's worth it to me. I use an app (My Fitness Pal) that makes it as easy as possible. I have taken two week-long breaks over the last year (just eating intuitively and not tracking) and that has helped a lot when I start getting tired of it.

I guess for me, after a while, I try to make calorie counting part of my routine. After running three half-marathons and not really dieting during those times in my life (urg!), I now know after long hard exercise routines that you can't outwiegh a bad nutrition program.

So, now, I try to stay at 1500 calories a day, all day, all the time. I am trying to just make 1500 calories a day what I do, a new lifestyle change.

After a while, it starts to become habit. For instance, today when I loaded my lunchbox, I took a cereal bar (150), jiffy to go (250), apple (100), banana (100), pulled pork meat (300), and an orange (100). I can tell just from filling up my lunchbox that I am eating about 1,000 calories while at work today. When I get home, I make a low-calorie meal under 500 that my hubby will eat (skinnytaste.com is my favorite). And that's what my program is now, I guess we'll see what the results are.

Calorie counting is annoying, but I guess I like it better than weighing myself. I know that when we embark on these lifestyle changes it's important to quantify them in someway. I guess for me counting calories in the only way that I know I am making a lifestyle change. good post!

The only thing I don't like about it is that the planning makes me think about food all of the time. Therefore I feel like I talk about it a lot too. :dizzy: But not thinking about food and how much I was eating and what I was actually eating is what caused me to gain weight in the first place.

I honestly like tracking and finding new low cal recipes to try and I definitely love seeing the scale go down and the need for smaller pants!

:) Awww, the encouragement was exactly what I needed! I've been counting for several years now, on and off. I have found that if I get off track, I do have to start measuring again, and then once I've done that for a week or so, going back to eyeballing works just as well. So there is that small reassurance. I HATE washing out all those measuring implements.
But, I did lose two pounds last week, so the counting has paid off. :carrot:

It stinks, but it works!

Yep, I stick my plate on my scale, measure 1-2 oz of dry pasta, then cook it! Simple.

2oz dry pasta = about 3/4 - 1 cup cooked

I've said this a million times, but I usually make my meals ahead of time and freeze them. If I have a recipe, I just make it and divide it by recommended servings.

I love calorie counting, because it's the only thing that works for me. I know I can have chocolate if I account for it in my calories, whereas if I cut it out altogether I'm sure I would have given up losing weight long ago (like I did every other time).

It can get a little tedious at times, and sometimes I don't like having to think constantly about food and how many calories are in everything I eat. But it keeps me accountable, and the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages, in my opinion.

It's easier when using prepackaged food. Harder when I make my own recipes since I have to portion things out and divide all the ingredients. when I cook for the family sometimes they have bigger portions then I do, so then I'm not sure how to do the math... and I'm not always good with eyeballing portions, if I'm hungry I will take a bigger portion.

I far prefer counting calories to wearing extra large size clothing again.

i hate it but I also find it oddly comforting. Its the same love/hate relationship I have with my scale. Its great for those days when I think I have blown y diet and in my head i think "its ok... youve ruined your diet so you may as well eat what you crave, get it out of your system and start fresh tomorrow". Then i count my calories and realise am still within range and instantly my head quiets down. On the other hand, i also get very anxious if i cant log my calories (i didnt have my phone for a week when it broke) and i could only log calories when i got home where I could log into myfitnesspal. Longest two weeks of my life! So yeah... on the one hand i hate it but on the other hand, i dont think I could do this without it.

I hate it too but, it's a necessary evil :(

to really be accurate, you can weigh the entire meal (don't forget to weigh the dish first so you can subtract it!) then figure out how much your portion amounts to. Just stick your bowl/plate on the scale, tare, and plate up your food.

With casseroles, I like to cut into the right number of portions - usually 8 - then I grab one portion. Everyone else may have a bigger portion after, but so be it! If it's something like stir fry, I just stick with 1 cup and 1/2 cup rice, and if it's something like chili or soup, I stick with 1-1.5 cups.

If I have to estimate based on the amount of individual ingredients on my plate, I do that.

I hate that calorie counting keeps me honest with myself. ;) Even if I don't know the calorie count for something I've eaten, I look it up and choose the closest thing possible. It also keeps me honest with portion sizes.

I do like that I can eat whatever I want, as long as I count the calories.

Calorie counting is the ONLY thing I've ever stuck to. Unfortunatly I get bored with things and I'm starting to get bored with it...I hope this isn't the beginning of another fail.

Calorie counting helped me lose weight. How can I hate it? :D I actually don't mind it at all. I can't imagine living life without counting calories now.

Hooray for 2 pounds!!

I highly recommend using a food scale and weigh instead of measure. I very rarely use measuring cups or spoons. Most packages list the serving size in grams or ounces.

For example, breakfast I have cereal with milk. I put the bowl on the scale and turn it on. I pour 1.5 oz of cereal in (serving size of my cereal is 1 oz and I have 1.5 servings). Zero out the scale and pour 4 oz of milk and voila, bowl of cereal with nothing extra to wash.

Good luck!!

I find that it is hard to get started, hopefully the process will get easier. So far today I'm not hungry and i'm about where i am supposed to be. I haven't gotten to the point where I hate it yet. My measuring cups and food scale will get a workout LOL

The food scale/nothing to wash has really got me thinking.

Stupid question/ if it's more than one ingrediantseseses, you just weigh, add, weigh, add...

:dizzy:

Yep. You mean tare (zero out) the scale in between? Yep, you can do that. In general it's just figuring out the calories for each ingredient and adding it up. Same goes for a recipe. Add together all of the ingredients and divide by servings.

Huzzah!

:D

that just gave me an idea on how to work around recipes. when I make big one dish type meals like pasta or soups my family members take bigger portions than me, so dividing up portions into containers doesn't really work.

so I wonder if I could just add up how much all the ingredients weigh together and then divide it by the number of portions and then weigh out my own portion :?: I guess I would have to weigh the ingredients uncooked cause it's probably not too safe to put a hot pan on the scale, so not sure how much that would effect things.

It is a pain figuring out how many calories in a recipe/dish prepared from scratch but it's worth the hassle of measuring/weighing, adding, and dividing to see that darned scale smile at ya once in awhile.

Be careful with this..... an ounce of liquid measure is not the same as an ounce of weight! You are measuring the weight of the milk, not the volume, as a measuring cup would. You could end up eating way more than you had intended by using a weight measurement on liquids. A way to prevent this from confusing you is to change your scale to grams, since there is no liquid "gram" like there is for ounces. That way you know you have to look up the value for e.g. 100g of milk.

So there is still a way to use this strategy, just be mindful!

I am still in the "learning to do this and do it everyday" stage and I am with you! Somedays I feel that it is great. When I can easily get the calorie counts for things and when I land in my goal I love it because I know that I was successful in losing weight at least for that day. BUT so many other days I hate it! I hate having a hard time knowing how to count somethings. I hate having to measure every morsel I eat and every morsel I put in a recipe when I am cooking. Sometimes I feel that counting calories makes me want to love on lean cuisine meals so the counting is easier.

But I hope that the longer I do this the easier it gets. I look forward to loving it most of the time and hating the counting rarely. Right now its kinda the opposite....