eating calories rather than food!!

Does anyone find that they actually eat in order to fill in the calorie count in their head? I realized that because I am so obsessed with keeping track of my calorie intake, that if I eat something for 120 calories, I almost HAVE to have something for 80 to keep it even. This is pathetic. Also, if I know the calories of something i am more likely to eat it and enjoy it rather than if I do not. Can anyone relate?

yup, true for me. I try to make it controlled and healthy, though.

It's a pain when you don't feel like eating anymore, but still have to reach your caloric limit. Sigh.

well the problem with me is that I DO feel like eating since I am basically programmed by my calorie counting by now. Are you saying that you are TRYING to increase your calories but having trouble. I am trying to reduce them!

nope, I stay at 1500, but sometimes when I don't feel like eating anymore, I have to find other things to eat that get me up to 1500, and then stop.

Happened to me a couple times. Gone through a busy day and didn't have much to eat. At the end of the day after checking my days' log find that I'm way under and have to eat some stuff to bring it up.

I'm on the nutrisystem diet and usually eat the stuff recommended and supplement based on the caloric level set by my profile here. Its a little easier for me cause I can just search through the box and find something extra to consume knowing its not as bad as junk food.

I round up and down to the nearest 50.  Not even lying.  I will add a condiment if something's not close enough to round, or leave a bite.  I don't bother with filling a certain count, but I hate having a weird number at the end of the day.  I like being able to remember that I had 1600 one day, 1500 the next, 1700... etc.  It's hard to remember 1358.6

yeah i just round it up or down. like if something is 110 calories, then i'll count it as 100. and then later in the day i might eat something thats 390 calories. and i'll count it as 400. but for me i have stopped counting calories (as closely) anymore. because i'm back training. so i need in excess of 3500. so i just literally shove in what i can get!

FWIW, I keep track of calories in 25 calorie segments when adding up calories during the day, and since I know the caloric values of most foods I eat during the day it's pretty easy to do. 

Since I often eat snacks to deal w/mild hunger between meals, or to prep ahead of exercise (I try to eat something w/carbs and protein about an hour before exercise), I'll select food amounts that will be close to 25 calorie gradations.  For example, 7 whole almonds are about 50 calories, so if I'm snacking on almonds I'll eat either 7 or 14 of them to keep it easy to track.

I have an "excel" file where I record my daily calorie intake and will make notes of periodic weigh-ins or unusual circumstances (like vacations, travel, attendance at potlucks, holidays) which helps me catch patterns. 

When I discover a pattern, it will help me be mentally prepared for when the pattern is going to occur again.

For instance, when I go to a potluck, even my best efforts will usually result in me eating 100-250 calories over maintenance amounts.  So now I just expect that to happen and so I don't get upset when it does happen, unlike before, when I'd get down on myself for overeating.

No need to get upset, because I always make up for the "overage" within the next 1-2 days so no damage done.