Nessa, I don't. I do enter it in fitday as I estimate it, but there is no way on God's green earth that I am going to measure lettuce, or other low calorie veggies like broccoli, cucumbers, cabbage, green beans. When it is a low calorie veggie, I tend to estimate it. If it is a higher calorie, or starchy veggie, I will measure it.

yeah i would measure or count starchy too,.

i really think i just have to tighten up eating what i'm eating


not so much the veggies
but things like
hummus
nuts
fats

the rest would work out....

Hi Nessa! Wow, this thread is flying. I'm new to calorie counting and new to the website both. I started with just working out and didn't manage to lose any real weight.

My first step was just to start writing down what I ate every day. It had an IMMEDIATE effect on my eating habits. Goodness, but I was always having a 'special occasion treat' almost every day! That stopped once I had to write everything down.

I started counting calories on my own before I came here. Slowly at first, just the packaged stuff. I figured 'low cal' stuff like fruits and veggies didn't count. (And I think I had no clue how to go about doing it). It was around this time that I found this website.

I recently got myself an awesome scale and started weighing everything. I also upped my calories a tad and the weight has started melting off me in the last couple of weeks. It's been a total rush.

I mostly eat healthy, that has been a major change. I almost never eat out. A couple of times googling the calories of what I was eating had me mortified. I do have the occasional treat, but they really are occasional now and I enjoy them!

I've never reallly 'dieted' before. And to me, calorie counting isn't a diet, it's just common sense. It's not something I plan on doing for a few months and than stopping, it's a change I am hoping to make for a lifetime. I think a few people have mentioned, but I had no clue what a 'healthy' portion was and I had no clue how calorie dense some foods are. It's been a relearning of healthy eating habits that I lost ages ago, if I ever had them.

Good luck! So far, it's been a great journey for me and I hope its the same for you too.

I just leave my plate on the scale when I am loading it up....

I do tend to measure my veggies, but don't find it hard to keep the general ballpark numbers in my head until I get to the computer (100 g romaine, 50 g carrots and 50 g bell pepper, 70 g cucumber)... I have a basic 'salad" and just edit quantities.

Also, once you know the calorie counts of your main foods, you can almost track in your head. I do this for my husband. He'll tell me his foods for the day and we can just estimate his calories, as we tend to eat a lot of the same foods. Depends on how exact you want/need to be (I want/need more exactness than he does).

Hey! Just dropped in to say that there are some things you'll probably always have to measure--like salad dressings, butter or mayonnaise, olive oil... Also nuts, as you already know. Starchy foods like potatoes and rice. Anything that is potentially high in calories.

With vegetables, I have a pretty good eye now for what 2 ounces or 3 ounces looks like. From time to time I'll go back to weighing just to check.

I recently found that I was UNDEReating protein foods because I was not weighing them so much. I thought I had it in my head correctly, but I didn't. 4 ounces of chicken was a lot more than I thought.

You get used to it--you really do. And eating out isn't so hard, either, once you have sizes of portions in mind.

Jay

At first weighing, measuring and keeping track seems a little like 'work'. However, it's a wonderful tool. You just get used to it. Studies show that people that journal and log their food have better success rates of losing and keeping it off than those that don't.

You can eat the same foods as SB. There aren't any 'restrictions' with calories counting. However, it's best to concentrate on healthy foods. Once in a while have what you like and count it in.

I love calorie counting. It has been the one plan that I could stick to for a long time.

Welcome!

you all are GREAT. I have to do something.

I actually measured 1/4 cup of nuts this morning (I mix walnuts and pecans) for my oatmeal. way more than I expected...

I am planning on doing Phase 1 South Beach starting September 1 and will be incorporating strict Calorie Counting along with that.

I'm scared. Maybe I'm scared to succeed. but that's a different thread is it not?

i just added up breakfast (fine under 300 calories) and my am snack (oatmeal milk banana and nuts) and i'm shocked...

before LUNCH i'll be ingesting over 800 calories...

I try to keep my snacks 100 calories or less
Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge 35 calories
Non Fat Yogurt 60-70 calories
Sugar Free Jello 10 calories
Sugar Free Pudding 70 Calories
Fruit you can get all kinds of fresh fruit for 100 calories or less.
These are just a few ideas.
I must plan ahead or ,as you have already found out, I would run out of calories before noon.
I use The Calorie King "Calorie Fat and Carbohydrate Counter".It is small enough to carry with me and has lots of information besides calorie counts.
It has calorie counts for fast food and restaurants as well as ethnic food.Plus just loads of helpful facts for dieters.

Yeah, nessa, it's a real wake-er upper, isn't it?

Here's my morning so far:

2 eggs with 1 oz. cheddar cheese, 1 piece multigrain bread, 2 cups coffee w/ coffee mate lite, and snack of 8 sweet cherries: 503 cals.

Jay

i can't eat yogurt or fruit alone on my plan. I have to pair it with something

it's the nuts like i said... i have to give them up...


my snack is really just part of my breakfast... i just break it up more...

see:

breakfast:

coffee w/ff half and half
v8
blueberries (approx 1 cup)
2% cottage cheese (4 oz)


very small breakfast

snack
oatmeal
banana
milk
nuts

it was the 1/4 cup nuts that did me in...

827 calories between breakfast (small) and snack

sad really

and lunch is just salad and protein and a bit of dressing also small...

i kind of graze all day...

i don't eat jello or pudding much and one wedge of lc cheese is so NOT a snack for me.

like i said i'm a huge eater...


and my meals are planned out and written down daily...

i'm just seeing changes i have to make that will cut my calories....

i know i have to... i'm having a huge revalation...

Hello There again. Maybe this article will help you see why a food journal is a great tool and not very hard ot time consuming. If you try calorie counting for a week or 2 and decide you dont like it you can go back to SBD. Its the freedom that is so great. If i want to eat 1600 cals of potatoes and cookies i can. Im sure t his wont benefit me, but its nice not having to give anything up. Maybe you could focus on foods with lots of volume? Maybe its time to lower your calories by 100 a day to get losing again. You can eat all day and not be hungry and stay around 1800 calories. a typical day or my looks like...

Breakfast- 2 eggwhits, cheese, salsa and 2 pieces of bacon

Snack- Yogurt or string cheese with some dried fruit

Lunch- Salad with feta, chicken and tzatziki sauce instead of dressing

Snack- cracker with pb or laughing cow cheese with celery

Dinner- salad, wg pasta with some kind of sauce and protien

Snack- something sweet, cookie or 100 cal pack, frozen fruit bar.

I think you may be surprised on how much you can eat. If you like to feel full the key is to eat foods low in calories but high in volume. Lots of veggies and fruit. Fiber and protien will keep you full as well

I do journal my food. just not the amounts and the calories

my food is similar to what you posted

just take off some of the protein at breakfast and add veggies or V8
dinner i tend not to have grain but do have extra veggies

and my pm snack is a nsa fudge bar by healthy choice

i don't eat crackers and woudl never touch cookies or 100 calorie packs...


yes part of my issue is that i'm compulsive.

part of it is that those things i avoid leave me hungry wanting more.

i could eat a whole box of 100 calorie packs in one sitting.

calories do count.
that's why SBD is not working for me..... because the plan is great if you can control your amounts but you don 't HAVE to...

sadly i do. it's time to get back in control and make it work...

I think taht its great taht you know you cant have certain things not because they are off limits in your diet but because they leave you hungry and wanting more. It took me a while to be able to eat sweets and limit myself. It looks to me like you eat pretty healthy. Maybe for a week along with your food journal just keep track of the calories just to see how much you are consuming then go from there to get a number that is good for you