Does anyone else find calorie counting to be exhausting?!
 

I haven't lost any weight in the past three weeks despite a healthy diet and exercise 4-5 days per week, so I decided to start calorie counting yesterday. I'm sick of it already. When I'm counting calories, it really consumes my life! It's all I think about. I can't enjoy food because I'm too scared that I'm eating too few or too many calories. I just don't think I can do that. That's why I never joined WW--counting points is the same concept. It just drains me.

Am I the only one with this problem?

I have been a calorie counter for over two years now. I like it well because it's extremely adaptable and flexible. I also tend to plan out my day's food, because then I don't think about it, I just eat it. And substitutions are fairly simple to do once you've got it all down.

I don't stress over "exact" calories much because even the calories on the label are an approximation. Maybe try to aim for a calorie "range" instead of an exact number.

Or perhaps calorie counting isn't right for you. It's not for everyone (like, I wouldn't like weight watchers). It does get easier to estimate calorie counts. I almost never have to look anything up anymore, and I can plan out a day's worth of meals in under two minutes no problem.

Hope that helped at all.

<<I don't stress over "exact" calories much because even the calories on the label are an approximation.>>

Same here. I do an estimate at best (food labels help a lot) and never write anything down. As long as you're honest with yourself about what you're eating, there's no need to agonize over the exact figure, IMO. And it gets much easier over time.

F.

Loseit.com has a wonderful calorie counting app.

Yes, I get extremely annoyed at having to do it. But it is what needs to be done for me. I try to stay in a range of 1200-1600. That's a big range, so I can usually accommodate most things.

Originally Posted by freelancemomma:
<<I don't stress over "exact" calories much because even the calories on the label are an approximation.>>

Same here. I do an estimate at best (food labels help a lot) and never write anything down. As long as you're honest with yourself about what you're eating, there's no need to agonize over the exact figure, IMO. And it gets much easier over time.

F.

I feel the same way. I'm more portion control and paying close attention to calories, but I don't really count them. I keep a tab on them, but I have a feeling I know what I should be eating and how much of it I should be and it's been working for me so far.

I hate that I have to count calories, but I hate weighing over 200 lbs. a lot more. ;) There's definitely a learning curve with any program but this program is free so I think it's worth it to give it some time until you're used to it. Hang in there....it gets better. You can always stop later if it doesn't suit you.

A new addiction...
 

Every time I start counting calories I become a little bit addicted to planning and inputting. It seems like counting takes the place of eating for me which is alright. I use an app on my phone called calorie counter (by fat secret)...it takes just a minute to put a meal in and seems to be pretty accurate. It is quite a bit of work, but so far its working for me so ill be sticking with it

I disliked doing it on paper but didn't mind keeping a mental count this time. I have been using www.fitday.com though for a week or more and I love it. If you eat X item a lot, you can create a custom food so that the information on it is always there, all you gotta do is click to add it to your journal. Saves lots of time and breaks down so many stats for you that it's kind of hard to keep from getting into it.

Even when I didn't officially write it down I still counted in my head. Writing it down is less stressful to me. I have a serious issue with organization so I usually plan seval days of meals out in advance. I use an app on my phone to calculate it and it's very easy that way. There are many apps out there and websites as well that can do the hard work for you. Calorie counting is less restrictive and doesn't feel like a diet to me.

I hate calorie counting, even with my Iphone app (but it does make it better)... What I have done to solve this problem is by not having 1000000000000 choices. I tend to rotate between the same 3-4 breakfasts, 5-6 lunches, and 7-10 dinners. I have all of the info for these meals already written down, so when I eat them, I don't have to count everything up again. I just go to my little book that has all the information in it and BAM I'm done and I only ever had to count them once. Makes my life sooooooooooooo much easier.

YES. I hate it too......pain in the ***...especially at night when I am cooking because I measure EVERYTHING before putting it together.

I got a nice free app on my phone called CalorieBalancer. You can add your intake and it has a deduction part too based on time worked out, weight, and activity. I do try to round up on food (down on exercise) though if ever in doubt just to make sure I don't go over!

It gets easier. Find a free app you like. I use one that allows me to save my favorite foods so they're easy to find, along with "groups"--lots of the meals I eat are the same groups, and now I know...oh, that's a 410 calorie lunch, and this is a 370 breakfast, etc.

I hate to admit it since I've been at this for so long, but yes it does get frustrating and exhausting. Either it's too much or too little calories. Unless you eat alot of prepackaged food with labels, you have to add up all your recipes and make sure you get the right sized portions and the right calorie counts.

I agree that calorie counting can be a lot of effort, especially in the beginning when you are not yet accustomed to it, don't yet have a staple of foods that you eat often and know the calories of, and so on. I also agree that calorie counting may not be the right approach for everyone.

However ... any method you choose for losing weight will require mindfulness of what you are eating and how much. And, if you are like me, and grew fat by eating mindlessly of whatever looked and tasted good to your appetite at any time, then adapting to mindfulness takes a whole lot of effort at first.

Put another way, it's not that calorie counting is particularly hard - it's that the transition from mindless eating to being completely mindful of every morsel you put in your mouth is hard. And that transition is absolutely necessary if you are a fat person who wants to become a thin person. Changing your habits is ALWAYS hard. It always takes effort. That effort will, at times, be exhausting. If you want to lose the weight, though, at some point you will have to put in the hard work of changing the way you eat - whether by calorie counting or any other method. It does get easier, but it also does take time and effort to reach the point where it is easier.

I ballpark calories to the nearest 100 (rounding up). I know it's not exact, but unless scientific measuring machines are involved, it's never going to be 100% exact anyway. I use it to keep accountable, but I don't let it wear me down.

I've been doing it so long, it's pretty easy for me. A poster above mentioned having to figure out recipes and such - I just estimate. If it's too complicated and unwieldy, I won't do it. If something is easy (like tonight, we ate at Pick Up Stix and the nutrition was online, cool beans), I use that. If it's not easy, I do my best and just keep on going. I figure, sometimes I'll be too low, sometimes I'll be too high, over time it will average out. For me, the important part is the accountability - making good choices, writing them down.

Originally Posted by carter:
I agree that calorie counting can be a lot of effort, especially in the beginning when you are not yet accustomed to it, don't yet have a staple of foods that you eat often and know the calories of, and so on.

Exactly.

To the OP. I personally think everyone should count calories at least for a while to get an idea of about how many calories different foods have.

That said, if you hate counting calories, than don't do it. Just eat lean meats and vegtables with a serving or two of fruit a day and you'll lose weight. (this is called Paleo) The primary reason to count calories is because it allows a lot of flexibility in the kinds of foods you eat.

Yes, extremely so. So I don't calorie count. ;)

I think it works AMAZINGLY well for some, not for others. Like most things in life. :shrug:

I choose to do intuitive eating and have made general rules that I go by: little to no sugar, only whole grains, well-balanced meals (relatively low carb), lots of fruits and veggies and meat. I also weigh daily to keep tack of how I'm doing and to remind myself every morning why I'm doing it. It's worked well for me but I know that system might not work for others.

It's rather a personal decision. Calorie counting is insanely stressful for me, it actually makes me overeat because I think about food too often. I do make myself aware of calories in food but beyond that I eat until I'm full but make sure that the foods that I'm putting into my mouth are health.

I find calorie counting to be much easier than having to wear extra large sizes again.

Originally Posted by Glory87:
I ballpark calories to the nearest 100 (rounding up). I know it's not exact, but unless scientific measuring machines are involved, it's never going to be 100% exact anyway. I use it to keep accountable, but I don't let it wear me down.

This is what I do, and it's a great way for me not to have to write anything down or use an app in my phone. It's very easy to keep track of round numbers like that in my head.

I generally round to the nearest 100 or 50 depending on the item. I keep a tally in my head and then can decide what I can or can't have later in the day.

I think I would find calorie counting exhausting too if I was measuring and counting every single calorie!

I use myfitnesspal.com and actually love calorie counting now. -- I feel i am in charge. Since I eat same things over and over again, I created recipes and now with just a few clicks I am able to input the info.

Echoing a lot of people here, but the reason I like calorie counting is it's so flexible. I don't have to wonder how much I derailed my week after I eat some fries - I just take a look at the calories and factor it in. There's no "good" or "bad' foods, but I do have to be mindful how much I eat so I'm satiated within calories. It seems to work for me.

That said, I eat out a lot and a lot of pre-packaged foods. I do find cooking + calorie counting to be more frustrating as it's a lot of additional math. Especially if you're cooking multiple servings at once and the trying to guesstimate how much you've taken.

Still though - I don't sweat it - if I go out to eat and I don't know their nutrition information, I make what I think is a good choice and look up the info later if it's available. Sometimes I'm unpleasantly surprised, but then I learn something and I also make a mental note of what to get if I go there again.

I find it exhausting, but it's the only thing that works for me, so I do it anyway.

Originally Posted by my2cats:
That said, I eat out a lot and a lot of pre-packaged foods. I do find cooking + calorie counting to be more frustrating as it's a lot of additional math. Especially if you're cooking multiple servings at once and the trying to guesstimate how much you've taken.

Just for a different approach, I don't guesstimate - I measure. For example, yesterday I made a big batch of chicken curry. When it was done, I scooped it into a container for storage using a 1 cup measure. I counted out 10 cups. I know exactly what I put into it, so it's no problem for me to add up the calories in the entire batch and divide by 10 to get the calories per cup.

When I serve myself later in the week dinner, I just measure how much I'm serving myself - 3/4 cup, a cup and a half, whatever - and I know the calorie count.

Again, it takes a little effort up front - but it's not THAT much effort once you get accustomed to doing it. And I stand by what I said before ... you cannot lose weight without some effort, no matter what your plan.

Every diet is some sort of form of counting calories. WW Points, Southbeach, Akins, Paleo, etc. Losing weight is a mathematical equation -a way to create a calorie deficit - it consists of burning more calories than you consume, and there's hundreds of ways to do that. The simplicity of calorie counting is free & easy & that's what I like about it. BUT YES IT TAKES EFFORT. Any diet takes effort! And yes, it can be "exhausting" - but only in the beginning. Once you get a firm grip on what foods have how many calories, it gets pretty easy from there.

Like others, I have found that using an on-line counter works best for me, & I happen to like FitDay.

Also, what really helped me was to make a list of every single food that I love. Everything that I eat - everything that I'm willing to buy, cook, digest. Then I looked up calorie counts for these foods. I took care to measure what a "serving size" is of these foods. I input all of it into FitDay. Now I don't have to "count" - it's pretty much done for me - I just enter it & BOOM - done.

So yes, OF COURSE IT TAKES EFFORT. Every diet does. It also takes effort to BE fat. Effort to get dressed when "nothing fits". Effort to climb a flight of stairs when you're huffing & puffing. Effort to enjoy the simplest of activities when your knees are killing you - all because you're fat. And you know what else? If they ever make an effortless diet that works, none of us will ever be fat again. But until then, you'll have to put some effort into it if you truly want to lose weight, no matter what form of creating a calorie deficit you choose. :^: :hug:

I've been counting for so long now it feels like second nature to me. It helps that I tend to have the same things most days for breakfast and lunch. Dinner I tend to put abit more effort in but I normally end up making an approximation of calories based on the portion. It's snacking that would make me lose count so I just try to eat at meal times, makes it so much simpler. I also tend to allocate calories to meals instead of days, I.e 250cals breakfast, 400cals lunch, 500cals dinner, dessert 150cals. This way I know i'm keeping in my daily calories without having to "budget" for meals later on.

Originally Posted by Beach Patrol:
Every diet is some sort of form of counting calories. WW Points, Southbeach, Akins, Paleo, etc.

I disagree to some extent with this. Every diet is some sort of calorie deficit but not necessarily calorie counting. Diets such as Paleo, South Beach Diet, intuitive eating (ok, more a general eating philosophy than a diet per se) involve restrictions and watching your hunger signals but you're not actually counting anything (as compared to the point system in weight watches or calories in calorie counting). Basically, it's a choice of restrictions vs. counting. Then again, some people do both and yet others to purely intuitive eating with no restrictions.

Like other posters, I don't get overwhelmed because I plan ahead. My breakfasts stay relatively similar, and my snacks either a serving of fruit or one of maybe 6-8 different things that I already know calorie counts for.

There are maybe 10 different soups I make that I know the calorie counts for and I tend to stay with those for lunch.

Dinners are always different. I like to experiment with recipes (most of the places where I look for new recipes have calorie counts provided for me). I plan a day ahead, so I know what my entire day's meals will be. I just follow the plan I provided for myself.

It's like balancing a checkbook. If I decide to have both a piece of cheese AND some turkey in my breakfast sandwich (an extra 60 calories or so), I'll make sure my dinner meal is something on the lower end of the calorie range of dinners I have readily available. If my soup lunch is 100 calories instead of 200, I know I have the wiggle room to have spinach ravioli with a lot of veggies and pasta sauce (one of my favorites) for dinner, and not something on the lower caloric end of my dinners, like chili.

When you cook, it's a great idea to portion it and label it with the calorie count. If you make up a random meal, type/write it out with the calorie count. Do the math once to reap the benefits every time you make a particular dish.

Once you're really familiar with the ingredients you buy, you can swap them out knowing everything will be relatively similar. I buy about six different bread products and I know the calorie counts of each are between 70-100, so swapping one for another is not a big deal.

Calorie counting makes me neurotic. I'm too paranoid about going over, and then I'm paarnoid about going under. But at the same time, I find myself slowly trying to lower my calories because "lower must be better" which always backfires. Overall, the whole experience makes me batty. So I don't do it.

I follow SouthBeach instead and it works great for me. A big part of it is that I feel so much better without a lot of carbs, and my body thrives on it. But, mostly, it allows me to kind of naturally cut calories without stressing about it. Every once in awhile, I'll "audit" a few days to count up and make sure I'm hitting a healthy range, but otherwise, I just eat. It takes more planning in some ways, as there are foods that are off limits, and places that I really have a difficult time finding something that is on plan that I still like, but it feels a lot more effortless to me.

To each their own, but CCing wasn't the right plan for me.

You have to be accountable for everything that goes into your mouth if you want to be successful at weight loss. The best thing to do is sit down one day and plan the menu for the upcoming week then you don't have to think about it all the time.

I've never actually counted calories. Since I'm doing Weight Watchers, I've always just counted my points values. I've been very successful with that, but I do have to admit that lately I've been wondering about something. Namely, I've been wondering if my 29 points a day actually constitutes a healthy range of calories. It seems that some days, my 29 points leaves me hungry as **** and those are the days when I wonder -- hmmm, am I actually taking in sufficient calories?

But the thought of counting calories leaves me exhausted, to be honest. *L* And I don't have a fancy smartphone so I can't do apps -- although I guess Fitday or sites like that would do the same job.

I do find it exhausting. I think an exchange plan is simpler for ME... (say, 5oz lean protein, 3 servings veg, 1 serving fat for a dinner). But you can try different things and find what suits you the best.

Originally Posted by JohnP:
The primary reason to count calories is because it allows a lot of flexibility in the kinds of foods you eat.

Yes---and this is the main reason I do it. I am not a good estimator of how many times I can allow myself a treat and not gain. So, I have to rely on an external tool--in this case, calorie counting---to set the limits for me.

To me it's a trade-off: a bit of inconvenience involved in calorie counting vs. the freedom to eat more of the things I love regularly.

I hate it too. I try to write most of it down but I'm not as vigilant with it as I should be. I track (mentally or on paper) what I'm going to eat for the whole day, and the calorie count and stick to it as best I can. I usually do a pretty good job of sticking to it.
BUT I know it would be better to meticulously keep track on paper. One of my goals for this month is to try and do it more consistently.

Originally Posted by Candeka:
I hate calorie counting, even with my Iphone app (but it does make it better)... What I have done to solve this problem is by not having 1000000000000 choices. I tend to rotate between the same 3-4 breakfasts, 5-6 lunches, and 7-10 dinners. I have all of the info for these meals already written down, so when I eat them, I don't have to count everything up again. I just go to my little book that has all the information in it and BAM I'm done and I only ever had to count them once. Makes my life sooooooooooooo much easier.

^^^ This is what I do. I spent one afternoon planning a few different meals and writing down the calories. I rotate when I get bored. It makes sticking to plan easier cause as long as I'm eating the foods I've made for myself, I know I'm doing good for the day. It's a lot easier to be accountable when you KNOW that anything added throughout the day is over the limit. Having a planned list also makes shopping waaaay easier.

Originally Posted by sontaikle:
This is what I do, and it's a great way for me not to have to write anything down or use an app in my phone. It's very easy to keep track of round numbers like that in my head.

I generally round to the nearest 100 or 50 depending on the item. I keep a tally in my head and then can decide what I can or can't have later in the day.

I think I would find calorie counting exhausting too if I was measuring and counting every single calorie!

This is what I do as well. I never weigh anything or write anything down. I just ballpark it, round up, and keep the numbers in my head all day.

Yes, it's tedious and tends to make me feel insane. I also do that thing where I have some "left over" and feel OBLIGATED to eat more.

A year and some odd months of diet consciousness = I know about how many calories are in most foods, so I can estimate and approximate with some accuracy. I try not to get wrapped up too tightly in numbers crunching and I don't weigh or measure anything.

I agree with the OP that it was initially exhausting, but once you know values it becomes empowering. I know when exactly when I have leeway for a treat and don't beat myself up if I eat something unplanned for if I can adjust portions later to compensate.

Counting calories also makes it easier to go over your calories for the day without stressing out. If I go over, I will compensate the next day or throughout the week. I accept the day's indulgence without feeling guilty and move on. I don't find it tedious at all, and love that it is freeing.

I started calorie counting last Sunday. I've tried it off and on for a day or two at a time but I couldn't stick with it.

I do agree that it is tedious. I have an iPhone and have probably been through 10 different apps trying to find one that I like. I'm using MyNetDiary at the moment and like it. It also has an online site if you don't have a smart phone. I have the free version at the moment.

I have dropped almost 5 pounds since I started a week ago.
Although I find calorie counting to be a burden, it motivates me to exercise. The more you exercise or at least move, the more you can eat! (And I love to eat!)

My biggest problem with it is the fact that I'm on Meal Plan (the joy of college). If you have access to a kitchen, I think it would be a whole lot easier because you aren't dependent on what the school's options are (sigh...).

Best of luck!