Calorie Counting...
I've seen two posts in the past week where the person posting gets upset because this is frustrating for them or they decide it's a waste of their time.
I wanted to post this to remind certain people why we're all here.
We want to be healthy - most of us are severely overweight (per my BMI - I am at 36 - severely overweight) My BMI has gone from a 38 to a 36 in the past month as I've lost 15 lbs.
You can't just count calories and expect a loss/change - you must also exercise! This is a big factor. The more I exercise, the more I lose and the better I feel. It's about BALANCE! Too much salt and not enough water will cause weight to come back (water weight).
You've got to drink water like its... well WATER!!! You need water to help with digestion, to keep your body running and to help you lose weight. I recommend more than 64oz a day (that's 4 16oz bottles of Aquafina/dasani - whatever!)
Muscle weighs more than fat - if you're working out/lifting weights you are building muscle - that weighs more than fat so if you notice a 5lb loss one week and a 3lb gain the next and you spent that whole week inbetween lifting weights for 30min/day then chances are that 3lbs gain is MUSCLE - don't get discouraged - just keep going.
I'm really tired of reading posts written by people who don't have to struggle just to maintain, like I do. To those people I'm asking kindly that if you find that Calorie-Count is not working for you then please just leave peacefully because when you post those negative thoughts, you're just bringing down the vibe for the rest of us. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way and I just wanted to get it out there in the open.
This is really working for me - please be thoughtfull of others feelings!
Thanks so much! Crystal
I wanted to post this to remind certain people why we're all here.
We want to be healthy - most of us are severely overweight (per my BMI - I am at 36 - severely overweight) My BMI has gone from a 38 to a 36 in the past month as I've lost 15 lbs.
You can't just count calories and expect a loss/change - you must also exercise! This is a big factor. The more I exercise, the more I lose and the better I feel. It's about BALANCE! Too much salt and not enough water will cause weight to come back (water weight).
You've got to drink water like its... well WATER!!! You need water to help with digestion, to keep your body running and to help you lose weight. I recommend more than 64oz a day (that's 4 16oz bottles of Aquafina/dasani - whatever!)
Muscle weighs more than fat - if you're working out/lifting weights you are building muscle - that weighs more than fat so if you notice a 5lb loss one week and a 3lb gain the next and you spent that whole week inbetween lifting weights for 30min/day then chances are that 3lbs gain is MUSCLE - don't get discouraged - just keep going.
I'm really tired of reading posts written by people who don't have to struggle just to maintain, like I do. To those people I'm asking kindly that if you find that Calorie-Count is not working for you then please just leave peacefully because when you post those negative thoughts, you're just bringing down the vibe for the rest of us. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way and I just wanted to get it out there in the open.
This is really working for me - please be thoughtfull of others feelings!
Thanks so much! Crystal
I beg to differ! Whilst it's true exercise is fantastic and great for your health and weight loss. In theory you could lose weight by staying in bed all day (not that I'd advise that) x
The point I'm trying to make is that you will have an easier time losing weight if you get up and move around. Most of the posts I've seen complain that they're eating what's recommended but not seeing the loss. I had someone email me asking what my secret was - it was EXERCISE. :)
But thanks for your input. :)
But thanks for your input. :)
Oh ok - ditto I agree! I just thought I'd add clarification... since so many people post with can i lose weight and do no exercise? Answer is yes but that's def not ur best (or quickest) option x
I think for maximum health, if not maximum exercise, you definately need to exercise. There's research going on right now trying to determine if alot of the issues we once thought were directly connected with obesity are actually connected with your heart's health, how fit you are.
I think for maximum healthy, you need to not just be THIN but fit. And to do that, you need to exercise!
I think for maximum healthy, you need to not just be THIN but fit. And to do that, you need to exercise!
i don't think its right to say don't post if your thoughts are negative. thats biased. to paint calorie counting as though its this win-win situation is an illusion, and its unfair not to present the full picture. it's also unfair how this site seems to cater to obese and severely overweight people, yet proclaims all opinions are welcome here while locking threads that go against the majority (the obese) outlook.
anyway, i definately exercise, i watch my cals, yet i gain. i do NOT strength train either. and i drink water like its fruit punch--so i'm never lacking. i'm always way past the bare minimum. so when i'm doing all the right things, probably better than others, and i'm GAINING, don't tell me not to get discouraged. you're lucky to just maintain--i'd have even taken that. but not like i can get any encouragement here either since all my posts get locked. wow, what a great community this is.
anyway, i definately exercise, i watch my cals, yet i gain. i do NOT strength train either. and i drink water like its fruit punch--so i'm never lacking. i'm always way past the bare minimum. so when i'm doing all the right things, probably better than others, and i'm GAINING, don't tell me not to get discouraged. you're lucky to just maintain--i'd have even taken that. but not like i can get any encouragement here either since all my posts get locked. wow, what a great community this is.
pinthin, cut the crap.
Your posts get locked. Boo hoo hoo.
You promote fasting and starvation which are against the posting guidelines as we've told you MULTIPLE times. And people react negatively to you because of your posts.
We cater to ALL people who are looking to manage their weight in a healthful fashion. pinthin, based on your posts, that does NOT include you. You want to lose weight the unhealthy way, through fasts and starvation. We can't stop you from doing that, but if you're going to promote that than, yes, your posts will be locked and deleted, as will everyone else who promotes unhealthy habits.
We do not and WILL not promote unhealthy habits, nor will we allow them to be promoted on this site.
Your posts get locked. Boo hoo hoo.
You promote fasting and starvation which are against the posting guidelines as we've told you MULTIPLE times. And people react negatively to you because of your posts.
We cater to ALL people who are looking to manage their weight in a healthful fashion. pinthin, based on your posts, that does NOT include you. You want to lose weight the unhealthy way, through fasts and starvation. We can't stop you from doing that, but if you're going to promote that than, yes, your posts will be locked and deleted, as will everyone else who promotes unhealthy habits.
We do not and WILL not promote unhealthy habits, nor will we allow them to be promoted on this site.
Your problem, Pinthin, is that you came in here, posted this negative thing saying it's a waste of time and basically told everyone else here that they're wasting their time. They are not you. You gained because you gave up.
This works for me - better than spending $30/month on a gym membership - I'm going to keep doing it. I am just tired of hearing people like you complain when you hit a plateu or gain back 3 measly pounds - which could very well be water weight.
People like me who can look at a cookie and feel their thighs expanding don't want to hear your negativity. I still have 65lbs to lose before I hit my FIRST goal - The last thing I want is to come in here and see posts like yours that was locked this morning.
If it doesn't work for you, fine - do what is right for you. You have every right to get discouraged - the difference between you and the rest of us that are seeing success is - we get discouraged, but we DONT GIVE UP. Baby steps, dear.
This works for me - better than spending $30/month on a gym membership - I'm going to keep doing it. I am just tired of hearing people like you complain when you hit a plateu or gain back 3 measly pounds - which could very well be water weight.
People like me who can look at a cookie and feel their thighs expanding don't want to hear your negativity. I still have 65lbs to lose before I hit my FIRST goal - The last thing I want is to come in here and see posts like yours that was locked this morning.
If it doesn't work for you, fine - do what is right for you. You have every right to get discouraged - the difference between you and the rest of us that are seeing success is - we get discouraged, but we DONT GIVE UP. Baby steps, dear.
We cater to ALL people who are looking to manage their weight in a healthful fashion. pinthin, based on your posts, that does NOT include you. You want to lose weight the unhealthy way, through fasts and starvation. We can't stop you from doing that, but if you're going to promote that than, yes, your posts will be locked and deleted, as will everyone else who promotes unhealthy habits.
whatever if you could read you would know my prior post had nothing to do with promoting starvation. if you're going to try to say that post promoted unhealthy eating, you mine as well delete all the hundreds of binging posts on this forum as well. you don't lock one post based on what you've seen in prior posts--notice the word prior. once again nowere in my last post did i promote any unhealthy eating. so you can "cut the crap."
whatever if you could read you would know my prior post had nothing to do with promoting starvation. if you're going to try to say that post promoted unhealthy eating, you mine as well delete all the hundreds of binging posts on this forum as well. you don't lock one post based on what you've seen in prior posts--notice the word prior. once again nowere in my last post did i promote any unhealthy eating. so you can "cut the crap."
Your problem, Pinthin, is that you came in here, posted this negative thing saying it's a waste of time and basically told everyone else here that they're wasting their time. They are not you. You gained because you gave up.
i said it wasted my time. which it did. i didn't say it wasted your time individually, so if you choose to take it that way thats on you. theres what i said and what i didn't, not what i "basically" said so stop making assumptions. and i did NOT gain because i gave up. you call going to the gym atleast 40 min 6 days a wk, sometimes for up to 2 hrs, and eating the precise amount of cals your supposed to "giving up." the point was i was doing everything right, yet still gained. i could care less about weight i gain when i overeat. cause it's well earned. its expected. but when i'm doing everything right yeah i'm going to vent and be frusturated, and for you to act like you wouldn't feel the same has to be a lie since you're on this site trying to lose i presume.
and also i'm not giving up. i'm just not holding calorie counting as bible anymore like other people.
i said it wasted my time. which it did. i didn't say it wasted your time individually, so if you choose to take it that way thats on you. theres what i said and what i didn't, not what i "basically" said so stop making assumptions. and i did NOT gain because i gave up. you call going to the gym atleast 40 min 6 days a wk, sometimes for up to 2 hrs, and eating the precise amount of cals your supposed to "giving up." the point was i was doing everything right, yet still gained. i could care less about weight i gain when i overeat. cause it's well earned. its expected. but when i'm doing everything right yeah i'm going to vent and be frusturated, and for you to act like you wouldn't feel the same has to be a lie since you're on this site trying to lose i presume.
and also i'm not giving up. i'm just not holding calorie counting as bible anymore like other people.
Let's examine the evidence shall we? From your last post, which was locked this morning. I've selected the clips that angered us ALL...
"Since Sunday I've been eating what I want and in insane amounts but really I don't even have to. I don't care about food when I can have it. Calorie counting just creates this dumb obsession with food, only because it tells you what you can't have. So know I don't care anymore. and i think you people shouldn't either. this is all dum. its just food, gosh. its so stupid getting excited over something like "oh whoppe i passed up a sliver of cake today" or "oh gee goolly i had an exquisite 100 cal pack of donuts!!! made my day. what a waste of life and sanity. i lost 20 pds over 2 months only to gain half back in 2-3 days of overeating? thats dumb. this is dumb. notworth it at all. living and being normal is so much more benifical than knowing how many tenths of a gram of protein you recieve at each meal."
THe bold/underlined comments are contradictory to everything you've said in THIS post. Overeating or "eating what I want in insane amounts" can cause weight gain. (duh)
"look i'm 18, and at a normal weight, and probably would still look a whole lot skinnier than you even on my "fattest" day."
This comment in bold/underline was uncalled for. there is no reason for you to insult anyone. Just because this works for us doesn't mean you need to insult us.
"so really, calorie counting is what triggers overeating/unhealthy choices--which are the things that lead to heart attacks. which i am probably more likely NOT to get by dropping all this sorry counting."
So far, by counting my calories - I've been able to avoide binging or overeating and have lost 15lbs in one month (4 weeks - 28 days) this doesn't mean I'm going to keel over from a heart attack just because I'm making myself aware of what /when I'm eating. I started this because due to family history, I'm more prone to heart diseases!
"I feel sorry for you.
your response was...
yeah me too since like 6 months of my life went down the drain for the sake of nothing."
If this is wasting your time and life then please find something more productive to do with your time.
"Maybe it's time you concentrated on the exercise part of the equation, to build and tone muscle, and not so much about the calories?
Your response was...
well thats the thing. i've started exercising since the beginning of this month and have gained 5 pds. so its really not fair at all."
Could it be that the 5lb gain you experienced was MUSCLE WEIGHT since muscle weighs more than fat - I would tend to believe this is what you saw.
Honey - you're 18 - your thin and you think your perfect so go live your life and do whatever you want. But for me - who's 25 and has been fighting my weight since puberty hit 12 years ago - I personally don't want to hear you whine about a 5lb gain!
"Since Sunday I've been eating what I want and in insane amounts but really I don't even have to. I don't care about food when I can have it. Calorie counting just creates this dumb obsession with food, only because it tells you what you can't have. So know I don't care anymore. and i think you people shouldn't either. this is all dum. its just food, gosh. its so stupid getting excited over something like "oh whoppe i passed up a sliver of cake today" or "oh gee goolly i had an exquisite 100 cal pack of donuts!!! made my day. what a waste of life and sanity. i lost 20 pds over 2 months only to gain half back in 2-3 days of overeating? thats dumb. this is dumb. notworth it at all. living and being normal is so much more benifical than knowing how many tenths of a gram of protein you recieve at each meal."
THe bold/underlined comments are contradictory to everything you've said in THIS post. Overeating or "eating what I want in insane amounts" can cause weight gain. (duh)
"look i'm 18, and at a normal weight, and probably would still look a whole lot skinnier than you even on my "fattest" day."
This comment in bold/underline was uncalled for. there is no reason for you to insult anyone. Just because this works for us doesn't mean you need to insult us.
"so really, calorie counting is what triggers overeating/unhealthy choices--which are the things that lead to heart attacks. which i am probably more likely NOT to get by dropping all this sorry counting."
So far, by counting my calories - I've been able to avoide binging or overeating and have lost 15lbs in one month (4 weeks - 28 days) this doesn't mean I'm going to keel over from a heart attack just because I'm making myself aware of what /when I'm eating. I started this because due to family history, I'm more prone to heart diseases!
"I feel sorry for you.
your response was...
yeah me too since like 6 months of my life went down the drain for the sake of nothing."
If this is wasting your time and life then please find something more productive to do with your time.
"Maybe it's time you concentrated on the exercise part of the equation, to build and tone muscle, and not so much about the calories?
Your response was...
well thats the thing. i've started exercising since the beginning of this month and have gained 5 pds. so its really not fair at all."
Could it be that the 5lb gain you experienced was MUSCLE WEIGHT since muscle weighs more than fat - I would tend to believe this is what you saw.
Honey - you're 18 - your thin and you think your perfect so go live your life and do whatever you want. But for me - who's 25 and has been fighting my weight since puberty hit 12 years ago - I personally don't want to hear you whine about a 5lb gain!
then why are you here at all. This post is for people who like CC. This is not a thread for you.
I love CC. I find it useful to track what I am eating, what triggers binges and what I can do to control them. Sometime I don't lose every week, sometimes I might even gain back a time or too but I am not discouraged and I know I will continue to get into better shape and better health and I am thankful that CC is here to help...along with all the GREAT people for support. you guys are awesome.
I love CC. I find it useful to track what I am eating, what triggers binges and what I can do to control them. Sometime I don't lose every week, sometimes I might even gain back a time or too but I am not discouraged and I know I will continue to get into better shape and better health and I am thankful that CC is here to help...along with all the GREAT people for support. you guys are awesome.
"i'm just not holding calorie counting as bible anymore like other people."
The only Bible I'm aware of has the word HOLY before it and can be found at any book store, or church.
This site is not a Bible - I hope others know this too. It's a tool to help people like me learn how to eat correctly and how to lead healthful lives.
The only Bible I'm aware of has the word HOLY before it and can be found at any book store, or church.
This site is not a Bible - I hope others know this too. It's a tool to help people like me learn how to eat correctly and how to lead healthful lives.
THe bold/underlined comments are contradictory to everything you've said in THIS post. Overeating or "eating what I want in insane amounts" can cause weight gain.
i wish you'd read fully and stop taking things out of context. the point i was making was after being able to eat whatever amount of calories i wanted, i didn't hae any urges to overeat anymore, like i did while calorie restricting. and im not the only one who goes through this, sine there are plenty of posts with ppl complaining about cravings.
Honey - you're 18 - your thin and you think your perfect so go live your life and do whatever you want. But for me - who's 25 and has been fighting my weight since puberty hit 12 years ago - I personally don't want to hear you whine about a 5lb gain!
never said i thought i was perfect, especially since i'm trying to lose weight. but its unfair for you to belittle my 5 pound gain when you're not in my situation. when you're heavier, you can pee 5 pds, so yeah it's no big deal to you. but the smaller you get, the harder it gets to lose 5 pds, and to gain them back can be very distressing. a person doesn't just become overweight overnight either, it starts with little gains, and by dismissing it like you are, thats when obesity problems start taking seed. and for the 5th time, it was not muscle gain.
i wish you'd read fully and stop taking things out of context. the point i was making was after being able to eat whatever amount of calories i wanted, i didn't hae any urges to overeat anymore, like i did while calorie restricting. and im not the only one who goes through this, sine there are plenty of posts with ppl complaining about cravings.
Honey - you're 18 - your thin and you think your perfect so go live your life and do whatever you want. But for me - who's 25 and has been fighting my weight since puberty hit 12 years ago - I personally don't want to hear you whine about a 5lb gain!
never said i thought i was perfect, especially since i'm trying to lose weight. but its unfair for you to belittle my 5 pound gain when you're not in my situation. when you're heavier, you can pee 5 pds, so yeah it's no big deal to you. but the smaller you get, the harder it gets to lose 5 pds, and to gain them back can be very distressing. a person doesn't just become overweight overnight either, it starts with little gains, and by dismissing it like you are, thats when obesity problems start taking seed. and for the 5th time, it was not muscle gain.
I am thankful that CC is here to help...along with all the GREAT people for support. you guys are awesome.
thats the thing, why can't everyone recieve support? cause i don't, the little times i ask of it.
thats the thing, why can't everyone recieve support? cause i don't, the little times i ask of it.
Pinthin, I think it might be because you often present things in an inflamatory way. It's just your style. We don't mean not to support your efforts in getting healthy, but get lost in disagreeing with your statements.
Calorie-count is, in essence, just a collection of useful tools. It doesn't have a particular philosophy of weight loss. It doesn't lay down engraved-in-stone rules. It's just here for you to use any way that will help you best. The mission will always be the same - Healthy Weight Management - for free.
Let's just call a truce on this, ok?
What kind of support do you need at this stage of weight management, for yourself?
Do you need tips about maintenance? Other ways to plan your diet? Tell me!!
Calorie-count is, in essence, just a collection of useful tools. It doesn't have a particular philosophy of weight loss. It doesn't lay down engraved-in-stone rules. It's just here for you to use any way that will help you best. The mission will always be the same - Healthy Weight Management - for free.
Let's just call a truce on this, ok?
What kind of support do you need at this stage of weight management, for yourself?
Do you need tips about maintenance? Other ways to plan your diet? Tell me!!
"never said i thought i was perfect,"
You sure are acting like it. COming in here anouncing that this is a waste of time.
"the point i was making was after being able to eat whatever amount of calories i wanted, i didn't hae any urges to overeat anymore"
The issue is - after "eating whatever you wanted" how many calories was in that. remember that 3500 cals = 1 lb
You sure are acting like it. COming in here anouncing that this is a waste of time.
"the point i was making was after being able to eat whatever amount of calories i wanted, i didn't hae any urges to overeat anymore"
The issue is - after "eating whatever you wanted" how many calories was in that. remember that 3500 cals = 1 lb
Wow, looks like some chaos went in this thread... nicely i can't see any of it since I have certain users blocked :) .   It's good to hear though that those threads are getting locked now.  It get's so frustrating to see people try to encourage unhealthy weightloss or put down all of us here that are doing calorie counting.
cjeka,
This is a public forum and while some people do come here for the wrong reasons, I think most are here for the right ones.   Two (three in my block list) bad eggs don't ruin theà ‚ whole bunch.
It seems like you could benefit as well from the block user feature.  Simply click anyone's nsmr who really gets you down with their posts... and select "[block]" next to their name in their profile.   It doesn't take too many to really avoid some of the stuff that bothers you the most.  And it makes the forums a nicer place for all.
cjeka,
This is a public forum and while some people do come here for the wrong reasons, I think most are here for the right ones.   Two (three in my block list) bad eggs don't ruin theà ‚ whole bunch.
It seems like you could benefit as well from the block user feature.  Simply click anyone's nsmr who really gets you down with their posts... and select "[block]" next to their name in their profile.   It doesn't take too many to really avoid some of the stuff that bothers you the most.  And it makes the forums a nicer place for all.
Hello all! I think that perhaps pinthin deserves a bit of a break this time. I'm going to explain why I think this shortly, but I wanted to also remind everyone to please be respectful in your posts. This isn an *incredibly* diverse community, and there are hundreds/thousands of us here each day for our own very unique reasons.
As for pinthin's posts this morning - I have to agree with her, to a point. For many people who are at a healthy weight, obsessing over calories may not be a productive use of time! Yes, if you are overweight and *need* to lose for health, then you should monitor your calorie intake carefully. If you are at a healthy weight but are trying to better your nutrional intake, you should monitor your food carefully.
BUT - if you are at a healthy weight it can often be counter productive and sometimes very frustrating to watch every calorie, log every bite, and watch the scale fluctuate as much as it does.
I've been on both ends - I've had a lot of weight to lose and needed to relearn how to eat properly. And now I don't really need to lose, but I still need to be healthier and fitter. My daily weight fluctuates SO MUCH MORE now than it ever used to, and it is frustrating.
Pinthin - I think what you posted earlier is actually a postive step for you. I hope that you will keep trying to find healthy foods to fuel your body, but I also hope that you might take a bit of a break from calorie counting. Not from this site, because it is open for all who need support. But from obsessing over food, which can be very unhealthy for some people.
I think perhaps we all need to take a step back and remember how unique everyone is here, and how their situations may differ from our own. And please respect each other enough to appreciate the differences.
As for pinthin's posts this morning - I have to agree with her, to a point. For many people who are at a healthy weight, obsessing over calories may not be a productive use of time! Yes, if you are overweight and *need* to lose for health, then you should monitor your calorie intake carefully. If you are at a healthy weight but are trying to better your nutrional intake, you should monitor your food carefully.
BUT - if you are at a healthy weight it can often be counter productive and sometimes very frustrating to watch every calorie, log every bite, and watch the scale fluctuate as much as it does.
I've been on both ends - I've had a lot of weight to lose and needed to relearn how to eat properly. And now I don't really need to lose, but I still need to be healthier and fitter. My daily weight fluctuates SO MUCH MORE now than it ever used to, and it is frustrating.
Pinthin - I think what you posted earlier is actually a postive step for you. I hope that you will keep trying to find healthy foods to fuel your body, but I also hope that you might take a bit of a break from calorie counting. Not from this site, because it is open for all who need support. But from obsessing over food, which can be very unhealthy for some people.
I think perhaps we all need to take a step back and remember how unique everyone is here, and how their situations may differ from our own. And please respect each other enough to appreciate the differences.
I'm just asking that you think carefully about how to word something and refrain from saying things like " I don't care anymore. and i think you people shouldn't either. this is all dum"
Because statements like this are what upset us. State your opinions because you are entitled to your opinions but don't force them on everyone else.
As clairelaine said, - if you need additional support and help, that's what we're here for.
If your original post had said something along the lines of "Gosh i'm so frustrated. I'm doing everything right and just started working out in the past month and have gained 5 lbs!!!" perhaps everyone wouldn't have gotten so upset with you.
Because statements like this are what upset us. State your opinions because you are entitled to your opinions but don't force them on everyone else.
As clairelaine said, - if you need additional support and help, that's what we're here for.
If your original post had said something along the lines of "Gosh i'm so frustrated. I'm doing everything right and just started working out in the past month and have gained 5 lbs!!!" perhaps everyone wouldn't have gotten so upset with you.
Nightc1 - thanks for pointing out that tool, may come in handy. :)
Pinthin - I'm sorry if we've gotten off on the wrong foot so I'll appologize for any inflamatory statements I may have made.
I do wish you the best.
Pinthin - I'm sorry if we've gotten off on the wrong foot so I'll appologize for any inflamatory statements I may have made.
I do wish you the best.
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