MILMIN...I love this!!!! It's been in my head since last night.

You may want to look at meal planning in order to make sure you're getting an appropriate number of calories (and you can find an appropriate amount by Google).

I can tell you, though, that you're missing vegetables! The way I meal plan is I decide what I'm eating for the entire next day: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack and make sure that it looks balanced in terms of nutrients, and that it all adds up to the right amount of calories.

Some great websites that have already calculated the nutritional information for you and have really delicious meals are www.skinnytaste.com, www.eatbetteramerica.com, www.cookinglight.com and www.eatingwell.com.

Once you figure out what a typical day looks like, you will find that it's easier to calculate your calories.

I agree it is so not fun! But there are no quick fixes, too bad it took me 42 years to figure that out...LOL. Like almost everyone else I have been on every diet you can think of. Weight Watchers for most people works great, for me not so much. Too many options, too many ways to bend the points. I would find myself almost not eating all day just to save up for brownies and milk every night. I did not change my mind, how to make it a lifestyle change

For me counting calories means no way around it, if you are not losing or gaining you can in black and white see why. I tried counting calories for months on paper, my own spreadsheet etc, but what really worked for me was myfitnesspal. I tend to eat the same foods over and over several times a week so once you get a week or two's worth of food saved it is so easy to just mark those foods again. I know think of it as how much bang can I get for my buck....in other words what healthy vegetables and fruits can I eat and still have calories left to eat what I enjoy.

I agree counting calories is hard! But if I dont keep track of all my calories I start slipping very quickly and eating way more calories than I should.

I tried calorie counting a few years ago with a bit of success. Sadly the 15 lbs I had lost crept back on plus another 15. I am not a meticulous, type A person and knew that it might not work for me again.

I started Weight Watchers in the spring and for some reason I have found that counting points is so much more liberating than worrying about how many calories are in carrots and cucumbers. That's just me. I've learned so much throughout the process and I can see sticking with it for the long term and I'm pretty sure I have the tools now to know immediately what to do if I see myself getting off track. Something to consider if you are willing to invest some money for a month or two to see if it works for you.

Well, you don't have to count the calories on some diet plans, but you're still eating less calories one way or another if you want it to work. I tried Atkins when I was a teenager. It was easy, on the one hand, because there was no need to count calories. But I think I lost weight on that one mostly because I got so sick of eating meat and mayo and cottage cheese pancakes that I just didn't want to eat anything at all. I did ADF (alternate day fasting) for several weeks a few months ago, and it really worked well for me in terms of simplicity. I didn't get hungry on the days when I didn't eat, and I wasn't prone to gorging on the days when I did (it obviously wouldn't work if one was). But I had horrible stomachaches late at night on the days I did eat so I had to stop.

Ultimately, it's calories in versus calories out and you just have to find the way to do it that works for you. My sister (who is fit as can be) hates to count calories, so instead she eats as much as she wants and exercises like a fiend to make up for it.

Until I find something that works better, I'm clinging to my calculator.

Don’t be too obsess of counting calories. It will drive u nuts. Previous months, had been obsess with counting calories.

While counting calories may benefit u so that u will not over eat but u should not over do it. u will end up being frus and pig out. Just like what i did.

Estimate roughly and it doesn’t have to be exact, sometimes common sense can help like grilled chicken will definitely be better than fried chicken. Choose healthy meals and eat smaller portion. when u r hungry, stuff urself with fresh veg or some fruits. but be careful as some fruits contain high amount of sugar

If I followed this advice I would be overweight!

Calorie counting does have to be exact for many people. The closer you get to goal weight the less room you have for estimating. Underestimating a handful of calories here or a few grams there leads to stalls and gains when people think they are doing really well.

Making sensible decisions (grilled chicken vs fried chicken) and eating healthy meals are a great way to start a dieting process, and is good advice for a new calorie counter. But when the difference between maintaining and losing is 100 calories a day (a few oz of cheese or grams of peanut butter), estimating is the best way to bring your weight loss process to a screeching halt!

Calorie counting meticulously only drives you nuts if you let it. For me it's a critical part of maintaining a healthy weight, and therefore worth it.

I disagree. Nowadays nobody has a feel for portion sizes anymore. And I mostly blame restaurants and fast food joints (supersize anything!). The portions they serve are HUGE, especially here in North America.

Being overweight/obese doesn't only mean bad food choices. I was eating very healthy and balanced before but I was eating way too much.
While I had no big adjustments to what I eat, I had to reduce my portions a ton!

Calorie counting down to every single bit I eat is the only way I can learn how much I can eat and lose weight. Even after almost a year I am still overestimating calories and portions. Without tracking I would be exactly where I started or even worse.

I think it will take years to really learn how to eyeball it. If I ever get there. Calorie counting online or on a smartphone is no big deal. If I have to do it until the end of my life, so be it. No biggie!

It is way more important to occasionally enjoy food that is not necessarily considered healthy. I still eat chocolate, cake, fries, etc. but I watch closely how much I eat and how often. It can totally fit into a diet. I actually think it is very important to eat stuff you love because it will make you stick to the plan. If I cut out foods that I love, I wouldn't be able to lose weight. I would give up. So I enjoy my favorites now and then but I make it work within my calorie limit.

This is real life, no game, no diet. It is re-learning how to eat without gaining weight. To me that also includes going out and partying, having fun like everybody else. I am doing what everybody else is doing (business lunches, dinner parties, BBQs, etc.) and still lose weight. You never hear from me: "I can't because I am on a diet". I just manage, whether it means that I cut back on the next meal or day or workout more!

There are all sorts of diets out there. And all of them will work if you stick to their rules.

But the only way I can lose weight is to count my calories.

It is a real drag to keep count of every little thing I eat, and it is a very slow process, but it is the only way I am going to shed the fat.

Maybe you need a different approach to dieting.

:hug:

I would agree with you that your diet is the best for every dieter,
but then we would both be wrong.

Thanks everyone who posted. I found a neat little diet for me Mediterranean is right for me.
:)

I agree with many of the other posts. For me, calorie counting is the best bet because I am a poor estimator, and I'm the type of person who needs external boundaries. So, when I have tried to just "watch what I eat" to lose weight, I have never lost weight because I just don't have any direction: Should I allow myself a small treat every night? What about every other night? Or just once a week? I don't want to eat just "healthy" foods, but how often should I allow myself the junk?
I can't seem to answer those questions adequately enough for me to lose weight. I end up feeling too deprived (because I don't allow enough indulgences), or I don't lose weight (because I allow myself too many indulgences).

Calorie counting is a good external tool I can use. I like healthy foods, but I also like indulgences (a chocolate croissant for breakfast, a couple of organic ginger snaps w/ my evening espresso, some half-and-half in my coffee, etc.), and calorie counting allows me to have those indulgences in moderation. It defines what "moderation" is for me by the numbers. I know if I eat too many indulgences, that will detract from the amount I can eat in my meals, and I end up hungry.

I also recommend a smartphon app. It has made calorie counting SO much easier than it was in the past.

This is an amazing thread. I love it.

Kaploids you really nailed it. What a great explanation - no wait; that was really one awesome essay!

It's true, no matter how we do it, be it calories, food exchanges,
Weight Watchers points or Calorie Points (which I learned about on this forum!)...lowering calories works.

Once I changed my attitude about counting calories (right now I'm counting calorie points), everything fell into place. Then I started rebelling against weighing and measuring (bad attitude resurfacing)...until I ran into these two books I'd like to share with you. I found them on amazon, and I think OA puts them out; I'm not sure though. They are called "The Cups and Scales Everything Weighed and Measured Cookbook". This one really gave me an attitude adjustment about weighing and measuring food. The other one is called "Cups and Scales: Measuring Food and Emotions." They made me realize that this is something I'll have to do the rest of my life to gain control over my eating. And I actually look forward to getting out my food scale and measuring cups now; that's how good those books are.

I hope this thread continues. It keeps saying what we need to hear.

Originally Posted by milmin2043
Calorie counting is hard, being fat is hard, not fitting in your clothes is hard. Pick your hard.


I love it too! GREAT SAYING!!!!

So yeah pick your hard. I started out calorie counting and portion control to get a good handle on what I could or could not eat. Once you get going you will get the hang of it. I no longer journal what I eat every day or write it down, it's become habit that I can look at the label and note it in my head. At some point you need to know exactly what you are consuming and what you are putting into your body cause it will effect you either good or bad. To lose weight you really have to be aware exactly how much you are eating. It doesn't have to be forever, you will get the hang of it eventually to know what you can eat. If I'm unsure about something I look at the calories, protein and carbs info and think twice before putting it in my mouth, considering first what I already had in the day. Another trick I use is planning my meal every morning. I go into the kitchen and put out exactly what I'm going to eat. This helps when I go into work, I pack everything, I stay on plan and I don't have to count throughout the day, I do it in the morning in my head.

You can certainly look into other plans, however I have found that with calorie counting I can still have the things I LOVE in moderation, like strawberry jam! It's learning how to eat like a healthy person. We need some sort of direction or we can get lost very easily. Good luck!

this quote is amazing! i love it :)