Okay, I’m not sure if I should post this just yet but I thought I would. This is going to take some more research which I will get to once I’ve got my other things taken care off. It seems as though there is a sudden discussion of calories. I don’t count calories and don’t forsee beginning to. There is some research to the side that counting calories and getting them into a particular number doesn’t always help everyone. Please know that I am in no way telling anyone who counts calories to stop. If it is working for you…great! For me…nope. If I have to start counting calories and such I just give up. I try eating sensibly. I try to get in my fruits, veggies, protien, dairy, a couple “starch” servings and a fat. Now, I try to play it smart like if I am having red meat for dinner than skip the small potatoe just cause they are both heavier. Since this time last year I have lost about 55 pounds. No, not as quick as Blest or some others but enough to keep me satisfied (most of the time). Do I believe that it would have come off quicker if I would have eaten better? Definitely! I do still eat junk occasionally. In fact, I had pizza for dinner the other night. NO, I’m not saying go out and eat pizza ’cause it’s no big deal but for me this is what works. I have tried changing my life style before (meaning zero tolerance for anything) and once I get close to my goal, I crash. I still want to enjoy the things I used to…just not as much. I don’t personally want to live a life where I can’t have onion rings ever again. Call me silly but it just doesn’t work for me.
Might I also add here that when I do super well for LONG periods of time and then eat something that has been forbidden, I put on lots of little pounds. If I occasionally have a “forbidden” it just doesn’t seem to affect me much. Anyhoots, I’m trying my hardest to eat now how I will eat when I reach my goal.
And dearest blest, I did pass up the Jack in the Box burger that I wanted soooo badly last night. See, I don’t hold to the eat whatever bad stuff whenever…I just believe (for myself) that VERY occasionally it is okay. If it isn’t, then I know whats just around the corner. My life since jr. high has been anorexic/bulemic, diet hard core, crash, diet hard core, crash… I just don’t want to do that anymore.
*I’m not sure if this is coming across that I’m folding my hands and not doing the challenge. I understand that the calorie counting is optional. I catagorized this as Just Life and not challenge because I still planned on doing my part for the challenge. There has just been some discussion about calories and so I wrote this as my take on them for ME. Again, if you like to count and it works for you…Great! We all have different ways of loosing and I think that’s what has been great about this blog. We don’t all have to subscribe to the same plan.
For me, calorie counting is just one of many different ways to diet. For example, since I am on South Beach I am very restricted on what types of foods I can eat (especially on Phase 1!) So that is my plan…I have done strictly counting calories before and it does work. I even did it where I didn’t count grams of fat at all…just calories and it worked. For me, it would be too much to count calories AND follow another plan. I don’t have time!
Comment by Brandi — March 16, 2007 @ 7:06 am
I don’t do calorie counts either. I wouldn’t find it helpful to do every day, in fact I think I’d find it unhelpful and get all obsessed and start measuring out my food with a ruler and volumetric flasks. I’m glad I did work out my calories for my food journal day, just because it showed me they were about right and I think it might be useful for me to check occasionally, but mostly, I don’t. Do what works for you and what you know you can sustain.
Comment by Bekki — March 16, 2007 @ 7:14 am
I agree with Blest — it’s an interesting piece of information to add along with my current plan of what works for me. Seeing how many (or how few, so long as it’s not too few!) calories I eat in a day is intersting. The whole thing about losing weight comes down to having a calorie deficit (less calories in than out), and it’s cool to see how almost none of us are strictly counting calories but how all our different plans work to re-orient the way we eat such that a calorie deficit is introduced. I’ve done calorie counting… and I agree with Brandi — it works — it’s just a pain to keep up
Comment by Anne — March 16, 2007 @ 7:19 am
I got what you were trying to say Tami and I don’t calorie count either. The obsessive compulsive side of me would go on a rampage I’m sure lol. Counting for one day this week made me analyze everything to the point that I wasn’t having fun anymore. I do tend to slip back into my “starve” routine so I have to check my calorie count every so often to make sure I’m not going back to that old habit. Overall though, I don’t find it helpful.
I know we all have our own plans but I do get worried about adults when they go below 1200 - it’s really not good for you long term. There’s more than ample research to show this. I think I’ll be writing a post on this topic soon.
Anne is right that you need to burn more than you eat but I do feel there is a point at which the pendalum shifts and you are doing more harm than good. I think we all have strong feelings about our nutrition plans, they are very personal to us and chosen because of what we personally believe about diet and nutrition. While it’s not a religion, I think because it’s tied so closely with who we are that sometimes feelings can get in the way when someone feels their plan is being put down (intentionally or not).
I think I have reached a “to each his own” point where dieting is concerned - the only time I really speak out though is when I feel someone isn’t eating enough. This is largely because I battle the demon myself I’m sure lol.
((hugs)) Tami - I didn’t feel you were boycotting the challenge, just stating your feelings about calorie counting and treating
Comment by Blair — March 16, 2007 @ 7:55 am
Hey Tami we love you. I know how you feel about calories. I really would hate to do it all the time but it was interesting to do it for one day. I haven’t got the time to do it often. Even then it involves some guesswork as I eat homemade stuff mostly. I need a simple plan that gives me rules of thumb about what to eat, how often etc. South beach does that for me. I did do my calories for yesterday and will post it later when I get home.
I think your attitude to eating sounds really sensible and it works for you. So be encouraged and don’t let us bully you into doing something you don’t want to. I admit I did bully my daughter (Bekki)a little bit but look she did it and was glad she had. But she is my daughter and is used to me. I wouldn’t dream of insisting that you do it too unless I knew you a lot better.
Comment by Elly — March 16, 2007 @ 9:33 am
Tami, counting calories and keeping tabs just makes me think about my food all day, which makes me want to eat.
But what I learned in the challenge is that I am now eating a lot less calories than I ever could when I counted.
Here’s the conversation I would have with mysel at 10pm:
“Let’s see, I can have 1600 calories. I’ve only had 1350 today! What’s in the cupboard that is less than 150 calories? Ohhh, looky here, I can eat a WHOLE CUP of marshmellows. Mmm-mmm-mm (stuffing them in my mouth all at once)!”
But I also learned from the challenge why my 3rd week on South Beach was so hard. I had not planned my meals well, thought I would just randomly start adding foods back in the mix, and was not getting enough calories. I was overcome with cravings.
The first thing I plan to do from now on, when I feel overwhelmed with cravings, will be to calculate my calories and make sure I am not too low. Otherwise, I’m not going to worry about it. (I think this is basically what Blest does, too.)
And, girl, I love how you just say it! I have a feeling you get as critical as I can (especially of yourself)!
Comment by missy — March 16, 2007 @ 9:52 am
While I find counting calories a bit too mathematical for me, especially since most things I eat are homemade, it was enlightening to do. Seeing how many calories a favorite salad dressing had, and how much is in a (too) small cup of ice cream gave me a wake-up on where little slips are made each day.
I can see having a day now and then when I count up calories of what I havealready eaten (versus making decisions based on how many calories a food has) would be beneficial. A sort of check & balance.
Comment by lady laura — March 16, 2007 @ 10:02 am
I totally agree with everything you said. While not technically “counting” calories, I kept track of what food I ate online and it automatically kept track of the calories for me, as well as nutritional info. So I was able to see which foods were not giving me much nutritionally and limit them. And I’ve tried telling myself “No more sugar” or “No white flour” and I’m just doomed to fail if I do that.
So a little here or there works for me. Like last night, I made cookies and I ate one. One. Did I want the whole tray? Of course! But I want the weight off more!
Comment by Jana — March 16, 2007 @ 2:40 pm