Does calorie counting actually work for you?

Hi, i recently lost 20 lbs, but gained back about 7 from chronic binging. I successfully lost weight before I started counting calories.

But ever since I started to count them, I have found myself being more restrictive, and missing out on foods I used to eat/like so I wouldnt go over my limit, which eventually led to those multiple binges.

I want to lose those extra pounds, but I don't know what to do now. What should really be done? And does counting work for you?

Counting is the only thing that works for me. I also shoot for an average limit per month so I can enjoy the foods I love. For instance, today is Sunday so I am totally going to enjoy some Pringles and onion dip this evening. I won't have a deficit today, but I will continue to maintain my average this month.

There is no reason you can eat the foods you love. No reason at all. With proper portion control, maintaining an average deficit (called the "zig zag" method), and counting your binges, you may find the binges actually becoming a part of your routine, and thus, stop being binges all together...indulgences I call them.

Take care and keep counting! Search around for the zig zag method. You may be surprised how effective it can be in keeping your body guessing and your culinary desires fulfilled.

Cheers and keep in touch...

Zig zag method? Could u please explain again please? sounds promising

Yes, it works for me but I totally understand your binging.  I have a hard time with that as well, but have learned to still enjoy the foods that are higher in calories/lower in nutrients occasionally.  Now I have smaller servings (sometimes just three bites of something I crave) in an effort to stay on track.  It does get easier!

This year my goal has been to enjoy only one sweet each week and I do count the calories of that sweet.  So far it is working with only one minor slip.  Perhaps setting a weekly goal to allow an indulgence would help?  It keeps me on track and I have something to look forward to every week.  It also stops me from slipping when I realize if I slip or eat something now, I won't get my planned sweet later in the week. 

Hang in there.

I think that binging is your bodies way of getting nutrients that you are lacking from your daily diet.  If you are giving your body lots of natural vitamins and minerals from real food the binges should be fewer.  You also have to eat the recommended calorie intake that the calorie target states.

Please make sure that you are getting your macro nutrients.  To do this click the analysis tool and click on the underscored date.  Play with your food log until you can get closer to be over the 100% on your vitamins, calcium and iron.

Zig zaging example would be...take your calorie target and go under for a day by 100 calories, eat your target the next day and 100 over the following day.

Example:
Day one 1400 calories
Day two 1500 calories
Day three 1600 calories
Day four 1500 calories
Day five 1400 calories
Day six 1500 calories
Day seven 1600 calories

Yea I think I started binging when I started eating only about 1800 calories a day, but I should be getting about 2000.

Yes - calorie counting does work for me.  last summer I lost 16 pounds and have maintained it for 9 months.  Counting calories has made me much more AWARE of what I eat.  For me - I plan on eating a lot - I love to eat - however I eat lower calorie foods such as popcorn, sugar free frozen pudding, sugar free frozen treats etc when I feel like binging.  Last week  I started counting again as I'm going for my last 7 lbs to reach my goal weight.   It's probably going to take two months but I feel pretty confident that I'll get there!

Yea-------- you need to count those calories as well as excercise. I wouldn't recommend binging though, it will mess up your diet. Should you get a sweet tooth you can find things in the south beach brs, weight watcher bars, weight watcher ice cream bars i think they are only 110 calories a bar, i am not saying eat the entire box but 1 bar will help that sugar craving. DAC 250 Good luck.

thnx for the continued support CC, I hope i can get back on track

Calorie counting works for me.  I plan my treats in as well.  I can not imagine my life with out the foods I enjoy.  But by planning appropriate portions into my diet and making those foods a regular part of my diet I can have anything I want.

For example, if I want dessert I plan what I will have and plan on eating a lighter dinner.  Dessert and salad for example.  You cant do this every day of course and that is just fine.  Learning to eat well is what the game is all about any way.

pinoypi i am the same way! i haven't gained, but i haven't really lost, and i lost before i started. anyway, i do the same exact thing, i restrict too much, and end up bingeing. im really trying to stop. i dont know if i shoudl stop counting but i kind of can't its addicting. weird.

Original Post by freakybunny:

Counting is the only thing that works for me. I also shoot for an average limit per month so I can enjoy the foods I love. For instance, today is Sunday so I am totally going to enjoy some Pringles and onion dip this evening. I won't have a deficit today, but I will continue to maintain my average this month.

There is no reason you can eat the foods you love. No reason at all. With proper portion control, maintaining an average deficit (called the "zig zag" method), and counting your binges, you may find the binges actually becoming a part of your routine, and thus, stop being binges all together...indulgences I call them.

Take care and keep counting! Search around for the zig zag method. You may be surprised how effective it can be in keeping your body guessing and your culinary desires fulfilled.

Cheers and keep in touch...

 www.naturalphysiques.com   or www.freedieting.com

Either one will provide you with zig zag numbers.  Both are comparable in calorie amounts. 

counting calories is the only way to go for me if I want to lose weight.

I didn't learn about calorie counting here, but this site has been very helpful.  I lost 50 lbs in 6 months by counting and the weight has stayed off for 1-1/2 years by counting.

I would have lost patience with the program on small deficits.  If you're serious keep your daily deficits high - 500-1000 cals/day.

Measurable progress takes months.  Even with high deficits 10 lbs a month is a lot.

Beyond a certain point it is impossible to get a high deficit at a healthy calorie intake unless you exercise.  More than you would expect, especially if you have been sedentary for a long time.  The exercise doesn't have to be aerobic or intense.  You just have to put in the time.

At maintenance you can increase your eating considerably, but you still have to balance it with exercise.  I now eat about 800 cals per day more than I did when I was losing weight, but to balance that I exercise 500-600 calories a day. 

Is there another way? It's the only way I know to make sure I have a healthy deficit and still get all the nutrients I need. I found it works for me.  I lost while having chocolate and ice cream.  I have never binged but I allow for the things I love and I make sure I eat enough. If I didn't count calories, while trying to lose I'd be afraid of under eating and sabotaging myself.  This is the first time I have tried to lose weight and by counting calories I have been succesfully maintaining at my goal weight for a couple of months now.

Is there another way?  Any other diet (south beach, atkins, the zone, or others) would probably restrict your treats MORE than calorie counting. 

With counting, you can still have sweets or junk in moderation--it's just about where you want to spend your calorie budget.  On something like Atkins, cake would be out of the question completely.  When counting, you could have some cake but maybe not have as much pasta that day or whatever.  I maintained a 1200-day calorie diet and even ate McDonalds.  It can be done.

Counting is the only thing that worked for me.  Trying to "eat healthy and exercise" was nothing but frustration.  With counting, I had the math to show me I was doing a good job and give me the motivation to keep going even when I wasn't seeing results right away.

One word:

Your damned right it works!

mook

Maybe you're being too restrictive.  At first, I was restricting myself to the bare minimum (1200 cals per day) but I found myself hungry all the time, irritable, and constantly thinking about all the food I'm missing out on.  I was trying to aim for losing 2 pounds per week.  But after admitting to myself that I need to eat more or I'll go nuts, I increased my calorie intake to 1500 per day and I'm now aiming for losing about a pound a week - which I have very, very steadily now.

It's been about a month now of calorie restriction and I am very used to it.  I barely have any cravings for junk anymore (I'd babble about McDonald's everyday but my boyfriend, who is dieting with me, really helped me fight those cravings).  I had a cheeseburger a few days ago to treat myself (I still stayed within my 1500 limit) but calorie restriction has taught me so much about nutrition and has made me much more aware about what I'm putting into my body.

I think the cravings are inevitable in the beginning but really try to tough it out (obviously, in a healthy way like eating lots and lots of healthy food).  If you can stick to it, you really are giving yourself the opportunity to have a healthier lifestyle.

If you really must eat some pizza, pasta, burgers, etc. there are many resources on the internet to help you along with your calorie restriction.  For example, you can type in "meal makeovers" and a lot of recipe sites provide healthier alternatives to family favorites that are normally very fatty and bad for you.  I love using cookinglight.com (http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/ligh ten-up/weeknight-meal-makeovers-0040000003971 0/page9.html) so you can try that too.

Best of luck!  I know you can do it!!

I've been combing diet with exercise and it seems to be working quite well for me.  I lose on average about 2 pounds (which is supposedly unhealthy but I figured since most of it is from exercise it should be alright).

Here's what I would do:

1. I let myself eat something that I've been craving (ice cream, gelato, etc) one meal out of a week, without worrying about the calories.  One day won't undo your entire week, unless you make it a DAY instead of a meal.
2. Increase your calorie intake.  I have my calorie limit set at 1400, because when I was at 1200 I was just hungry all the time and very irritable.
3. Exercise more.  When I go over my limit I usually just make up for it by exercising more.  It's really hard when you start but after awhile you get used to it and it's not that bad anymore.  :)
4. Healthier alternatives.  Just google "healthier alternatives" to whatever food you're craving.  While admittedly it wouldn't taste quite as good, it still helps with the cravings.
   

I was successful before calorie counting, but the weight didn't come off nearly as quickly as it does now.  I just had no clue as to how much I was eating or how many calories were in some of my favorite foods before I started on this website.  Now that I'm more aware I'm definitely much more careful, but not necessarily restrictive.  I just know that if I splurge and eat McDonald's that I'm going to have to really cut back for the rest of the day...or really pick up my workput. Calorie counting was the finaly step I needed to take in order to achieve my ultimate weight loss goal...it has been what I've been missing all these years :-)

Hi again! I would be careful about equating binging with your body's need for certain nutrients. Often binging is emotional and part of an eating disorder -- a disorder I am personally in recovery from.

I don't know you or your situation, but if you are tempted to excuse binges as  physiological rather than psychological in nature you may delay your recovery and the work needed to uncover why you binge.

Again, I hope I am not coming across as judgemental or anything, I just have found that being real with myself and accepting others being real with me has helped me immensely!

Good luck!