New Girl counting calories

  • Hi everyone! I was just wondering if anyone had any advice. I'm new at counting calories. I am 60 pounds overweighed and not trying to gain anymore. Any advice will help. Thank you
  • Like you, I am counting calories. I find that keeping a food journal (which I had never done before) has really made a difference. I like Fitday.com - and it is free.
    Also - measure or weigh everything you can - it is hard at first to recognize a serving. If you can't find the nutritional content of something - check online. Even restaurant foods have nutritional info online these days.

    You CAN do it! And of course the best tip of all - keep in touch with 3FC for inspiration and encouragement!!!
  • CalorieKing is a great resource - just google it! It can tell you the calories in just about anything. Of course, read labels, and make sure saturated fat percentages are low, and sodium percentages do not exceed 15% too often. You will find that, generally, carbs have the most calories per serving, than lean meats, than fruits, and finally veggies, so make vegetables a large part of your lunches and dinners. If you like salads, choose a light dressing, and have it on the side, so you don't consume too much. I like the new "Salad Spritzers" dressings that are out - they are 1-2 calories a spray, depending on the flavor, so you can count calories and keep it light. Along this line, note that olive oil, though good for you, has 120 calories per tablespoon! So use it sparingly - veggie oil spray is a great cooking alternative. And although you are on a diet, you should not eat less than 1200 calories a day (this is the generally accepted number), or your body could go into "starvation mode" and try to hold onto those extra calories, and your metabolism will drop. And one more thing - water is calorie free, and a great replacement for when you feel snacky. Best of luck to you - I'm cheering you on!
  • And plan ahead, I take about 5 minutes in the evening to plan my menus for the following day.I usually stick to my plan but make changes when necessary as long as I stay within my calorie limit.