Hey Rachel

I'm a calorie counter, and have successfully lost 190 pounds, (and obese person) by counting calories. It works, it's free, and it doesn't take a PhD. All it takes is a pencil, a piece of paper, some sort of calorie guide, (free on-line) and most importantly, commitment to better health. Check out my story linked in my signature. Good luck!

hey rachel

i've been counting calories and have lost 45 lbs so far.. so you can definitely lose weight while counting calories! Especially if you do it in a way that you can make a lifestyle, like you said. When I started I was actually eating about 1800 calories, and I eat close to 1500 when I'm working out, and around 1200 when I'm not.

Congrats on making it the first week! That can be the hardest one..!!

Oh we've got LOTS of success stories here at 3FC achieved through counting calories. I've lost 165 pounds counting my calories.

But for me, I can't just count any old calories, where those calories come from really, really, REALLY MATTERS. I need to count HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS calories. I can't spend my calories on those 100 calorie packs and the such. Also leaving sugar-y/flour-y type foods in my diet would have caused me to have more cravings and desires for those type foods, and they're foods that I over ATE a LOT, so I needed to pretty much eliminate them, VERY strict in the beginning in fact. They were foods that I just couldn't or wouldn't stop eating once I started - my solution therefore was not to START in the first place. Do away with them, make them absolute and definite NO's took away the chance that I would over eat them. Problem solved!!

I need to get the biggest bang for my buck so to speak. I need lots of volume and filling power from my calories. So counting calories ALONE also wouldn't have worked for me. I need the combo of the calorie counting + a focus on whole foods.

But yes, if you stick with it - it'll work!! The program works as long as you work the program!! That was always my problem though. I would start something and then not stick to it. Not until I FIRMLY COMMITTED to it. That ironclad commitment - THAT'S what gave me that stick-to-it-ness that is essential to losing the weight. The decision to lose the weight once and for all and permanently. That's what made me WILLING to stick with it.

So as long as you decide to do this, commit to doing this and are willing to do what's necessary, then you will by all means "do this". Losing weight IS a doable thing after all. For everyone and anyone. Yourself included. Be excited about the changes you are about to make. It's the most thrilling, gratifying thing in the world.

I look forward to hearing of your continued success.

Hey Rachel! Welcome and good luck...I look forward to hearing your personal success story soon. Looks like you already have a little one...the first days are always the most difficult.

Calorie counting is the only thing that works for me. I'll be honest, I don't write everything down, but I have a very good concept of the calorie count of most foods and when I do the general tally at the end of the day, I'm between 1200-1500. I love this method of weight loss because it's isn't exclusive to any group of food, it's more focused on moderation. You can have a lot of variety while calorie counting...which is crucial to me!

Again, good luck, we're all here to support you.

Hi Rachel and welcome to 3fc's! I lost all my weight and have been maintaining through calorie counting. I found it got much easier over time.

Good luck!

Another counter here! It gets easier as you get more time under your belt. Congrats on the 6 days! Just a question, but how much do you weigh? You very well may be able to eat more than 1200 calories and still lose at a good clip. I eat about 1500 calories a day and am still losing about 10 pounds a month.

Anyway, good luck!

thank you all for replying. it is really helping!!!!!!!!!
i have been staying at 1200 calories a day. it is starting to get easier. today is day 6. i guess it is what suits the individual>>>i cannot give up candy bars or cheeseburgers,,,so if i want a candy bar,,i plan for it. i know that is not the best of ways but it is working for me. is that ok? like if i want a butterfinger,,i will buy one and have it for breakfast with black coffee. is that ok if it works for me. i have realized that my eating is mostly emotional so this way I can control it.
this morning, i got up and wanted a ham sandwich with chips. well the bread was 120, the ham was 60 and had mustard on it. that was 180 calories>>.however i luv chips with a sandwich,,so i figured out how to have chips with a sandwich. doritos have 15 calories per chip. that is alot if you were to put some on your plate with the sandwich,,so i took 3 chips and put them on my sandwich. that was 245 for my sandwich with chips. i hope this is ok.
also i have been drinking only crystal light, black coffee and tea with splenda. the tea really curves my appetite. i have been going to the ymca,,,any suggestions about a good work?

i am deadset on this weighloss. i will never eat like i did. i HATE being fat. it affects every aspect of my life. the way i feel about myself! my career! my shopping! going out with friends!!! and just got married in november and dated my husband for 2 years>HE HAS NEVER SEEN ME NAKED!!!

thank you all so much and keep replying...i luv it and hopefully one day i can support someone too!!

You might want to start looking into more whole foods with time though. I know when I first started and was eating those kinds of things at the end of the day I was starving.

I've lost over 60 pounds so far by counting calories and working out. It is possible for you to lose weight while eating the foods you've listed, however, these foods will most likely leave you very hungry. Whatever works for you though. If it's the only way to do it, I say go for it and work on it later.

It IS possible to lose the weight. Weight loss is not that complex a thing, really. Calorie counting isn't rocket science. Just stick to it, no excuses!
Good luck!

I have lost 43 pounds since the middle of September by counting calories and working out about 5 or 6 days a week. It is the absolute best thing I have ever done for myself.

What helps me control my appetite and binge eating is:

-eating only protein for breakfast
-eating almost nothing until lunch (usually, I can have a small apple or nothing) I try to save my calories for the late afternoon/evening time
-If I work out in the morning, I'm a lot less hungry until lunch, so I try to workout in the mornings, but that has been hard since the kids are on winter break.
-I avoid Diet Coke completely because it stimulates my appetite (same goes for Splenda). Instead, I drink Zevia, which is a zero calorie soda from the health food store, sweetened with Stevia (from a plant).

-When I first started, I cut out all refined sugar (so only fruit was ok and not even a lot of fruit). I also stopped eating white stuff like pasta, pizza and bread, which I rarely have and must be portion controlled, of course.

-I now have occasional sweets that are low cal. I like Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa. yes, it has Splenda, but when I get a chocolate craving, it helps a lot.

-I keep a food log on my iTouch called Lose It. It is extremely helpful and it tells me how many calories I can eat.

-I hardly EVER eat the calories I burn from working out.

I think that what you're doing is a great start! I think to be successful long term, you might want to find alternatives to your cravings. Instead of having a Butterfinger, maybe you can have a small piece of it (the fun size version). Personally, I cannot keep anything like that in the house and still be successful, but we are all SO different. I think sugar is very addicting and sometimes, if you can cut it out for 2 weeks, you might not crave it so much. Just a thought. Only you know what you can handle though.

Congrats on getting started and sticking with it for all these days!

The problem with leaving those type foods into your diet is that they are nutrient sparse and when eating a limited amount of calories, well you really need your foods to pack a nutritional punch. But just as important, if not more so, is that these are empty calories in every way, shape, manner or form. They're not satiating. They won't satisfy you . They will leave your desires for those foods high on your list, instead of letting your wants for those foods to die down. AND you will be hungry. There is no staying power there. You will be hungry in a very short amount of time. As opposed to eating filling, satiating and long lasting protein and fiber.

Like I said in my original post on this thread - where my calories come from really, really MATTERS. I think that you may find this to be the case as well and most likely your eating will evolve.

You can have a candy bar for 250 calories or you can have an ENORMOUS salad loaded with veggies and tuna or veggies and turkey breast. This will keep you full for hours. Also, chances are you're not going to want and eat another ENORMOUS salad. But you very likely will want to eat another candy bar.

I urge you to look around and find satisfying foods to eat. RETHINK what a treat is. It doesn't have to be laden with sugar and chocolate and fat. You just may be making this harder than need be.

I love sugar free/fat free yogurt. I partially freeze it and add 1/4 cup of Fiber One cereal to it. It tastes ice creamish and keeps me going for a long time. All for 120 calories.

A baked apple with walnuts, raisins and cinnamon - about 125 calories and satisfies me for a long time as well.

A 3 egg white omlette with sauteed mushrooms, peppers, onion, spinach - 100 calories of pure satisfaction and vitamins and minerals. AND deliciousness.

A pint of grape tomatoes - 90 calories worth of deliciousness and goodness. VERY filling. A cookie the same amount of calories. But chances are you won't stop at one (or 12) and you won't be full from it.

It takes time to find these foods and for you to develop a love of them. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.

Keep finding what works for you, being open to change things up if need be.

I reached my goal counting calories in 2009. As others have stated, eating whole foods will be more filling and you'll be able to eat more with fewer calories. But at least you're aware of the calories in the foods you're eating, and that's a great start!! I am a total chocolate addict and it's difficult for me not to have something small every day. I have hot chocolate that is 70 calories a packet, or a sugar free Jello pudding or chocolate mousse (60 calories each). I have one of those 2 things most days but I work them into my calorie count. They aren't the healthiest things I could eat but it satisfies my cravings. Without them I'd probably inhale 20 Snickers bars in one day!!

Good luck to you!! It sounds like you're off to a great start.

Hey there, I can 100% say that calorie counting works! I started in Jan 2008 at 534 pounds and have lost more than 200 pounds since then and most of that was in the first year! I got comfy and slowed things down a bit (not all on purpose lol) but I blogged the entire thing and still blog daily about it http://zeusmeatball.blogspot.com/ (link is in my sig too) I have recipes, daily food logs and just how things went every day since Jan 08 have a look! I hope that there is some nugget of info or anything on there that you can use to your advantage

As Ever
Me

Welcome. You are in the thick of it. Keep going. Yes, I can honestly and with no reservation--THIS WILL UNEQUIVOCALLY WORK!

I agree with RR about getting the crap out of your house and not indulging. I found it necessary to keep my GI low and focus on whole foods. I promise the cravings for the crap will greatly lessen or go away if you stick to your whole foods. In fact, some women even reach the point of getting sick once they try to eat garbage. What helps me the most are lean proteins, veggies and fruits and complex carbs in moderation.

Congratulations on making this life changing commitment to a better, happier, healthier you. It is exciting. Every single morning is exciting. The views only get better so keep climbing the mountain!