As I’ve been trying to work out more and eat healthier, I’ve been experimenting with different ways to hold myself more accountable to make sure I wasn’t overeating.
I had heard many people swear by counting calories, so I thought I would give it a try. I thought it would help me to manage my food intake and to make sure I wasn’t sabotaging weight-loss efforts.
You thought Kim Kardashian’s wedding didn’t last long? I made it through three days of calorie counting before I threw it all out the window.
After doing some research, I downloaded the MyFitnessPal app for my iPhone, which I heard has the largest database of foods, and it allows you to log your workouts in addition to your meals.
It just didn’t work for me. I can see how counting calories could really hold you accountable and help you to plan out your meals, but I just felt guilty every single time I ate something.
I’ve always had a healthy appetite and would indulge in moderation when I felt like it. I’ve also always truly enjoyed my food. Once I started logging my eats, all I could focus on was the daily allotment of calories going down and wondering whether or not those calories were worth it. It just took all the joy out of my meals. I was stressed, unhappy and hungry.
It was also a lot of work. I would often forget to log something then try to retroactively remember all my snacks.
I think that as long as you are diligent and able to be exact with logging your food (it helps to have a food scale), and you don’t take the numbers too personally, calorie counting really could work. But I hated the feelings of guilt and resentment that I was feeling, so I quickly gave up the attempt.
I’ll just have to find another way to stay accountable!
Do you or have you ever counted calories?
I would look into some of the Weight Watchers techniques! I’m not saying that you need to lose weight at ALL, but weight watchers uses a points system instead of calories so it makes it a little easier to understand/ allocate. I lost a good amount of weight when I did the program a few years ago!
I’ve been using MyFitnessPal on my blackberry since April. (Before it, I used LoseIt on my iPod touch – and yes, MFP has more foods in it, but LoseIt has a nicer aesthetic to it.)
I like calorie counting to stay on track, but it is stressful to only have x number of calories for a snack while I have a headache and am stuck at school, or if I am going out for dinner with my boyfriend, or anything like that. Special occasions, I am always like “no counting for this”, but if I have a treat at mcdonalds or something I’ll add it in and try to fit it in.
It can be super depressing, but it did help me lose 14 pounds so far since March. I haven’t been changing much lately because I’ve been stressed and snacking lately – but I plan to get back into staying under my calorie budget!
Counting calories isn’t for me either. I think it can get obsessive. A lot of times I’ll have clients keep a food journal (no calories just food)
I counted calories for years and became so obsessed with it that I couldn’t even eat a small piece of fruit without documenting it. If I went even slightly above my self-imposed daily allotment of calories (which, at my lowest, was 600 calories) I would freak out. It was a horrible, horrible cycle and I will never count calories again.
I’ve never counted calories and I don’t think I ever would. I just try to balance healthy eats with my not so healthy eats. I try to eat lots of vegetables, proteins, whole grains and fruits. I have the occasional sweets but I balance them out with the healthy foods. I think if you keep trying to count calories, you are going to drive yourself crazy. As long as you try to eat healthy and take care of yourself, I think you will be fine. You are beautiful Jessica! Remember that
I’ve never counted calories, I have a feeling I would forget to check the calories of every component of the meal. I do my best to just eat whole foods & guide myself by that.
I’ve never been successful at counting calories, for many of the same reasons you list here.
For me, it comes down to being smart about portion sizes, eating whole foods whenever possible and moving whenever I can. But I’m struggling too
No calorie counting for me! I prefer to eat REALLY BIG meals – so I eat 3 big meals a day and very few snacks. I’ve tried to eat smaller meals and add in snacks and it just doesn’t work for me.
I will say that if I don’t balance my meals (healthy amount of carbs, proteins, and fats) I can tell and I end up eating junk. Once I started listening to my body and realizing this, I have just felt so much better about my diet/weight. I still have my days, of course
I have counted calories before and it is absolutely challenging. Just like you, I find myself wondering if every single thing I put in my mouth is ‘worth’ it. I definitely try for moderation and make wiser decisions.. but if I want some sort of small dessert at night, I’m gonna have it!
I agree with you. I downloaded My Fitness Pal onto my phone a while back but every time I entered my food I felt really bad about eating and it didn’t work for me at all. I have tried Weight Watchers with the points plus and I really liked the program and their tracker you can use on your phone, but it’s pricy which is a huge downside to the program.
I agree with what the others have said. Try to eat whole foods and stay active and if you want to have that dessert, do it. Depriving yourself just makes you crave more and I know with myself that I’ll end up eating a pint of ice cream at night because I didn’t let myself have that small piece of cake earlier in the day.
Good luck girl! We’re all in the same boat with trying to stay on track.
I used to count calories too, but that didn’t work out too well. I became obsessed with the number and wasn’t able to enjoy food. So I stopped. I’m glad I did too. I find that eating healthy meals and working out helped and I was much happier too. I hope you find a way that will help you!
I used to count calories, but I decided it wasn’t healthy for me anymore. I’m happier eating what I know will fuel my body and what will make me feel good.
I’m pretty aware of the nutrition of what I eat, but I think calorie counting is good for people who don’t.
I’ve tried calorie counting, but I never feel like I’m doing it right. I think I under or overestimate my portions.
I just downloaded this app a couple of weeks ago after a friend recommended it. I HATED it. Mainly because it takes forever to enter the food I eat (those two days I had a lot of home cooked food… so no barcodes I could swipe), but also it was discouraging. But it did teach me to stop throwing bacon on everything.
no, we never have before. too much workkk
I just found your blog and am readnig through… I also quit MFP after a week or so… for the same reason! Calorie-counting doesn’t really work for me (it adds too much stress to stick to it), so I just try to choose healthy foods.
Thanks for stopping by!!