I cant trust the calorie counter

Well, I knew it was a "pig out" day.  I had allowed myself a couple of cookies and had a couple of measured tablespoons of syrup on my french toast.

So far not so bad.  I had promised to take my son for a burger and I chose a chicken salad at Wendy's.  I did not use all of the dressing and did not add any toppings.  I got back home and added the salad to my food log.  Now here is the bummer.  This site lists the salad that I had as having 170 calories (with out dressing).  I was very suprised but eager to accept the numbers and had a couple of chocolate chip cookies because it looked like I could afford it.  Just 2.

But after dinner, when I knew I had over done it because I had 2 pieces of low fat quiche, I decided to look up the salad on Wendy's site - 540 calories!

So, basically my diet is blown today by more than a few calories and I did not make time to excercise at all.  Instead I did all the other weekend stuff like laundry, grocery shopping and cleaning house.  But I feel so awful because I blew my diet so badly. 

Whats worse is I have suddenly developed an unhealthy regard to food.  Yes I am overweight, but in general my diet was pretty OK.  I was /am over weight because I did not excercise.  But I was never a big junk food eater, binge eater, or so self indulgent I did not know when to stop.  I watched my fat and sugar and have always been the one to leave my plate half finished when everyone else cleans theirs.  Yes ate the wrong foods some times and over did it on occassion.  But food and I had a normal relationship.

Once I decided to loose weight though, my relationship with food is confused.

Suddenly I feel guilty when I eat.  I count every calorie and get disapointed with myself when I dont make my calorie goals.  Suddenly food is EMOTIONAL.  When before it was just good tasting or fun to cook.  Suddenly I find myself wanting to eat when I am stressed.  I have never ever been that way before. I really hate this feeling.

Food should not be about guilt.  But all of this counting, measuring, reading about what to cook and what to avoid, I feel like a wreck. 

And I can not  trust the calories on this site again.  Not after my salad fiasco.  I will have to double check every calorie. 

this site has made me obsessed with calorie counting, ill never have a healthy food relationship again :(

also, if it was the mandrid chicken salad, this site says its 170, with out dressing and TOPPINGs, idk what kind of toppings are on that salad

I really don't think that sounds accurate, the McDonalds site. I mean did yours come with a breaded chicken or cheese or croutons?

yeah, i looked the salads up too.  the only salads that i saw that were above 200 without added toppings were the taco and blt salads.  but it's still good to double check calorie counts that seem off.  i do it a lot.

i did a calorie counting diet a few years ago and i admit, every so often i did get a little crazy.  but the point of counting is just to keep yourself in check and make yourself aware of just how much you're consuming.  if you log a few cookies you're more likely to think twice about eating them.  but if you have one crystal light with only 5 calories, it's not as important to log it.  i never do.  you shouldn't live and die by the calorie count because you'll lose your mind, not just your belly.

I blew my diet today too :( feel guilty, and I really hope im good tomorrow. Gonna have to really work it off tomorrow!

I feel a bit better after reading these replies.  I went back to the wendy's web site and realized I could recalculate without the nuts and the noodles.  Which I did not eat,  I only used 1/2 package of dressing too.  Whew!  yay cookies!

Annacabana - I dont log "odds and ends" calories either.  I log what will have an impact.  I have always been a label reader so i have always had a good idea of what I was eating.  But all of the sudden I feel the desire binge of everything.  I have never ever been a binge eater!  I think about food now more than I ever have and psychologically I don't think that is really very healthy.

Be careful with the "odd and ends" calories. From my own experience, a bite here and a nibble there REALLY add up. I can "nibble" my way through 300 extra calories.

First of all dont think of 'blowing your diet'.....toss the DIET word out!  It is a lifestyle change.  No, it isnt obsessive to think about the fuel you are putting in your body.  If you want a premium perfomance machine, you better be thinking about what kind of fuel you are using.

Log everything....everything you drink, eat etc.  It all adds up.  Mindless calories make for unwanted pounds.  Do your body a favor and eat well - count calories - and for goodness sake, move your body. 

i guess i wasn't that clear with my last post, and i'm sorry if i misled anyone.

what i meant by not logging everything was like a glass of water (no calories) or ONE crystal light (5 calories).  i do enter things like a tablespoon of chopped onions (3 calories) or a pickle (5 calories).  5 calories from ONE drink won't ruin your day, but if you have 100 things that are 5 calories, it will.  i don't log calorie free water because it gets annoying when i'm on my 5th one for the day.

also, my response was more geared toward midtheory and her new obsession with counting.  i actually had a small breakdown at work once because i was so obsessed with calorie counting that i couldn't function.  that's not healthy either.

No, I dont log every diet cola (2 a week) or the teaspoon of sugar I put in my coffee.  (2 a day).  I refuse.  Because, yes indeed, eating better is a lifestyle change.  At some point in my life I will not be tracking calories.  That is the goal anyway, 

The whole point is to learn to eat right and understand what you need to eat.  Training wheels.  But for me those wheels will have to come off eventually. And I will be on my own.

"diet" by the way is not a dirty word.  I use it in its original sense.  Diet just means the food you take in.  Everyone has a diet - even if it is a really bad one. 

Dont get me wrong - tracking calories is good.  Tracking calories showed me I needed to eat more during the week.  I tend to not eat enough when I am working.  But for the first time in my life I feel BAD ABOUT FOOD.

What's happened to you is that you're more conscious than you may have been in the past of the content of various foods.   Things you formerly enjoyed now seem 'dangerous' because of their calorie content perhaps.   Things you formerly enjoyed you may have now declared out of bounds in the interests of weight-loss..... and more appealing in times of stress as a result.  You mention 'what to avoid'.   Measuring, weighing, looking at nutrition panels, reading websites etc., can take a lot of the enjoyment out of eating if you let it.   You also gave up smoking... so many of life's little pleasures have suddenly gone by the sound of it.

There is a middle ground but it takes a little time to get there, in my experience.   You have to start with the weighing and measuring (that's the building blocks)  but, pretty soon, you should get to a point where you can judge portions by eye.   You should also find you come around to some 'core' meals that you cook quite a lot and which you only need to spot-check the quantities... save those in the recipe folder so you can come back to them.   Try to inject the fun back into eating by trying out new recipes (there are a lot in the CC database) ... and choose them for looking delicious and satisfying, rather than for being 'low-cal' or worthy.  Eat things because you like them not because you think you should...

And if it all gets too much.... trust your judgement occasionally.  Don't be frightened to kick back and smell the roses.  Enjoy a little of the foods you've been avoiding, have a glass of wine... whatever you prefer.   A little flexibility goes a long, long way in keeping you on an even keel mentally.... we're only human, after all.

Calorie-counting is a good servant but a bad master.  Keep smiling.

I noticed myself that sometimes Calorie Count is off. But I make it a point to read the labels when possible. I'll compare the labels to Calorie Count and if it's off I just log in what my box states. Before I head out to lunch I try glancing at the restaurants nutrition guides so I can plan ahead at the choices I can make. Yes....I so miss my chicken wings and mexican food....I live in Chuco Town for goodness sake......but I'm learning to adapt to a healther lifestyle. I've learned that my morning coffee is 85 cals. (That bites) I, however, have also had a bad time with juggling my calories. Should I drink a cup of milk or my coffee? The milk is healthier BUT the coffee has less calories. I'm just looking forward to the time when I can be a little less hard on myself. I figure.....the more exercising I do to get my body toned....the more I can feed it. I'm not there yet....but one day I will be.

Hi Madamq,

You know, I can understand what you mean. Before I joined calorie count (a month ago), I was COMPLETLY clueless about what I was putting into my body.  Now I am constantly aware of my calorie intake, the difference b/w you and I is that I really am grateful to know how quickly calories build up.  When I would read that something had 300 cals in it, I would think that was good and eat to my hearts content. Now I don't really see the number, I see the portion sizes.

I have learned so much on this site, but I've also learned that if it sounds too good to be true (even the activity log) I go to other sites for a second opinion.  If you're in doubt, get a second opinion. 

Also, how many calories is your "limit"? Maybe you're feeling so deprived because you are pushing yourself too much.  I know that a lot of us like to set goals, but sometimes the deadline is too soon or unrealistic.  I think that you should re-evaluate your goal and calorie intake.  If you feel this badly about the "diet", you should change it. 

If you ate 2500 cals a day and your cutting down to 1500 or less, no wonder you're obessessed.  Try taking it easy.

I hope you don't think I'm being critical, I've been there and I just don't want you to be angry with yourself.  If something is not making you happy, stop doing it.  Continue to watch what you eat, but ease up a little.  I still allow myself a "bad food"  daily, because I adjust my calories per day depending on my workout, or lack there of.

There really are a lot of great, healthy and naughty foods you can mix into your lifestyle w/o killing yourself.

I hope that I could help and I hope that you realize that change is scary, but eating better and not ignoring how we so often mistreat food is essential.

Take care and hope to hear from you!

MJ

I have been using caloriecount on and off for about a year.  From my time with it I have taken away two key items:

1) calories used in activity minus calories eaten should not go over 500 otherwise you might feel hungry all the time and even worse your body may go into starvation mode and you will gain weight.

2) it is ok to have a binge day as long as you realize it was a binge day and add a little more exercise or cut back a few calories the next few days.  i used to go out for wings every wednesday over the summer but i knew i had to drink extra water that day and would try to walk either to or from the location to add some activity to my day.

i feel i have a better relationship with food now.  yes i am still counting calories and still trying to lose some pounds, but i also am interested in toning my body once those pounds are shed.  That next phase will be an even tougher balance, making sure i eat enough per day.