Do men really log & count calories?

I have known very few men who really put any sorta attention towards health and weight management.  But logging food?  Counting Calories?  Never!

I see a few men here & there in the forums.  But off it up, guys... Are you really counting calories or is it more of a social support system you have here in your quest for a healthier you? 

What tools on the CalorieCount community do you use? 

I have counted every calorie I have eaten since December 15 2008 except for one big bag of Smartfood Popcorn, one can of Pringles, and one large tub of onion dip...all of which were consumed in December.

So, yeah, some men do count calories. I log my work outs, use the weight log thingy, and have actually come to appreciate and rely upon the trend line to keep things in perspective.  I have learned that the calories burned estimates in the activity database are pretty acurate, too, and I use that to keep track of my excersise.

But that's just me. Whatever works for the individual is what really matters here.

Why do you ask?

Yeah, I do.

I use the food and activity log.  I already ate a wide variety of food before I found this site and I am a skilled cook so I'm not worried about nutritional guidance.

I'm guessing here, but I suspect men (in general) tend to make it a more solitary activity, and don't seek as much emotional support. 

So while you see them here and there on the boards, perhaps they are present in far bigger numbers than their posts would suggest?  Interesting thought...

I wonder if CC keeps any statistics about how many men vs women have accounts, and how many posts/journal entries they average.

When i want to see fast results or trying to get the last few pounds off, I track things closely. But, now that I am about where I want...I dont. I know how much I am eating and know when I am eating too much (just from having counted them for so long before).

I kind of find this question one sided. Just cause  we are men doesn't mean we don't worry about our weight. I have suffered from an eating disorder for a couple years now and I constantly worry about my weight and what I eat.  I use this site and count every calorie just to make sure I am getting the right amount of nutrients and calories every day. I understand that you probably did not mean for this post to be  one sided but I am just tired of hearing people talk about how only women have eating disorders and most men don't so no one really considers it.

Original Post by twhitt24:

I am just tired of hearing people talk about how only women have eating disorders and most men don't so no one really considers it.

No one mentioned that here but I agree with you. I see alot of skinny (and I mean skeleton-skinny) guys and wonder if they have an ED.

Original Post by cptbunny:

Original Post by twhitt24:

I am just tired of hearing people talk about how only women have eating disorders and most men don't so no one really considers it.

No one mentioned that here but I agree with you. I see alot of skinny (and I mean skeleton-skinny) guys and wonder if they have an ED.

 Its not an eating disorder for men. We are men! We make the decision to eat that way! Which makes it an eating dis-order !

Its nice being a guy :D

Hooray for order!  :P

Now lets go wrestle bears in the woods.  Bare chested, of course.  Huzzah!

I use the Weight log on this site, I count every calorie in and count my calories burned thro' exercise.  I don't use the activity or food log, I don't have the time or patience to log all that ( or the need ) . I use the forums extensively for support, mainly as a lurker and occasional contributor

Original Post by frokusblakah:

Hooray for order!  :P

Now lets go wrestle bears in the woods.  Bare chested, of course.  Huzzah!

*waits poised with camera in hand* 

Ok here is my 2 cents...I was counting/logging my food, calories, fat, sugar, protein etc....in fact I did it religously for over 2 years then because someone (wont say whom) accused me of being a little obsessed with it I decided to prove that person WRONG and I stopped counting & logging...I havent counted or logged a calorie in a year now...I dont need too...it isnt necessary.

so short answer I did...and now I dont.

I count everything; I was in CC back in early 2008 and lost about 10 lbs.  After that I lost interest and moved on until I went to the mall and used the scale that gives you the lotto numbers at the end. 200 lbs+ came back to CC and have been counting everything from breakfast to a bread crumb. 

I'm a 55yo guy who has been tracking calories and exercise since 2007. Check my journal and profile. I noticed when I track diligently the pounds came off. I have lost 50lbs and became very healthy through exercise. BP and Cholesterol came down. I think more guys watch what they eat than people think...they just don't talk about it. People at work have no idea I use CC for tracking. They just think I'm good at watching what I eat. Without tracking I would be WAY over my daily limits.

I use the Food Log only pretty much. I throw my weight in the weight log occasionnaly as well but I do not use the activity log or any of the other tools.

Well I just joined and plan on using it daily. The only time I may not is if I end up eating the exact same thing as the day before. My problem is accountability for the things I eat, so this helps.

Just cause you're a guy doesnt mean you cant care lol

  I use the food log and the weight log except on weekends when I'm too busy around home to mess with the putor. I look at recipes for ideas and find a lot of good stuff there as well. There are some very good, inovative cooks on this site!

I have used the calorie and weight logs nearly every day for 7 months.  I have used many of the recipes (mainly as inspiration, since I bastardize them in the kitchen to the point of being unrecognizable!).  My work is my exercise, so I have no need for the activity log- I set myself at the "Light" activity level, though I'm probably underestimating.  I have lost 45 pounds in these 7 months, eating around 2000 calories a day, but going over often.  I still have 45 pounds to lose, and I intend to continue logging daily calories until I reach my goal.  I am my own motivation and need no additional "support" from the CC community, but I do participate in interesting forum issues.   

I came to this site in the Spring of '07 looking for the calorie count of some random food item.  I began using all the tools.  I would log my weight, activities, and food daily.  I began using the food log as a daily menu planner and I found it very helpful for learning appropriate proportions of the foods I like.  But after about a month I stopped logging food and activities but I keep coming to the site every day to log my weight, I think the trend line is a very helpful tool.  I became involved in the forums and I continue to visit the site regularly but I will often go months without logging anything.

P.S. I don't count calories but I continue to eat they way I learned to eat when I was counting.

"I don't count calories but I continue to eat they I learned to eat when I was counting."

That's my next goal...to not count but to log my weight every day and then slowely stop doing that over time. Counting for this long has become second nature, and I have learned a lot about portion sizes and ways to cut calories when need be, and how to spurlge when called for.

I do count mine, but not to lose weight.