Have you ever counted calories to lose weight?

Question

HighlyVolatile · Accepted Answer

I did after about three years into marriage. I was starting to develop one of those "dad bods" as they call it in spite of formerly being a very serious athlete. I was happy though. It was from having so much fun dining out with my wife and ceasing all my athletic training for years that I started to develop a belly. She called it "happy fat" and she didn't seem to mind it at all.

Yet I came across a pull-up bar one time while I was with my wife and friends. And I was like, "Look what I can do!" In high school, I had set the record for pull-ups there. Yet I found myself struggling just to do even four sloppy reps. Then I had to admit to them that I'm not as strong as I thought I was anymore and even complained about a forearm cramp (although I legit had one).

But after that, I went all obsessive with calorie counting. I aimed for 1500 a day and was measuring everything at home on a food scale and looking up nutritional info in the few times I ate out. Yet I found it too antisocial after a while.

Yet I did it for the first few weeks of my biggest weight loss. The last 3 of the 6 weeks or so I stopped and just worked on training as a competitive athlete again while eating whatever, but my whatever was mostly chicken breasts and broccoli and things like that. I lost ~35lbs in 6 weeks then and I've mostly kept it off but I no longer needed to count calories after.

I see counting calories as sort of my training wheels. It adapted my taste to the leanest and most satiating of foods, but I no longer saw it as necessary to hit precise targets. I was too focused on being able to do more pull-ups than I could before.

noohair · Accepted Answer

I count carbs. Lost so much weight I had to get new pants.

sunflower00 · Accepted Answer

Yes a few times. The first time I was eating way too little and it was becoming a bit obsessive so I stopped, the second time I wasn’t in enough of a deficit, and now I’m in the right deficit and I’m losing weight steadily and almost at my goal!

Wonderer89 · Accepted Answer

Yep, often. I’ve always struggled with my weight and have to actively try and maintain it which for me means calorie counting. It’s kind of second nature now though

dustybiker · Answer

Losing weight it easy for me. Gaining it back is hard. Once lost 19 lbs in five days, took three months to put that 19 lbs back on.

DizzyDesii · Answer

Yes. It worked each time. But always for 2 weeks then i’d fck up week 3 and it all went to shit

SurströmmingLover · Answer

I've always wanted to do this, but I'm either bored, or calories are strangely written on the packages so that it's not easy to understand what the manufacturer means.

Andro36 · Answer

Yes to lose fat specially trying to keep the most muscles. There are good apps to help with that however it must be very subtle otherwise you might get sick

Bricealan · Answer

I have never "counted calories" per se, but I have looked at content in some foods and determined how much of it to eat at a time. Otherwise no, I don't 'count'.

bjandreassen · Answer

I have when trying to gain weight, but the math should work just the same to loose weight. Allthough I find that low-carb works wonders for me when making bodyfat adjustments.

pizzalovershouse · Answer

No my way of eating is only eat half as much to stuff me an dont snack

hhadeshatesme · Answer

I watch what I eat and portions but counting calories lead to starving myself so I don’t do that anymore

DarkCarousel · Answer

I used to, obsessively. Wasn’t healthy for me. I do count carbs though and manage my health that way.

PeterCharlie1991 · Answer

Not really, but i try to eat just lunch and dinner and banana for a snack most days

DeeDeeDeVour · Answer

I did and I got fed up doing so.  My simple solution was to cut my sugar intake.

Lori11 · Answer

Yeah, I didn't even need to lose weight, I was a stupid underweight teenager.

NathanDavis · Answer

never counted calories... never had to try to lose weight

Evan64 · Answer

Yes. That's honestly why I started getting the zero/low calorie Monsters over the ones with 200+ calories. I kinda miss being a skinny/slender built guy and am trying to go back to that.

getttingbetterr · Answer

I never try to lose weight because I am not overweight

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

What I do is cut back on how much I eat and been drinking lots of water

lovedejj_xo · Answer

Yea I use to have an eating disorder so counting calories consumed me. I’ve learned not to do that anymore.

douride2 · Answer

I never count calories. I simply eat less & be more active if I want to lose weight.

jahaims · Answer

No, I know roughly how many calories are in what I consume so I don't need to count or keep track.

Iron_Man · Answer

Yes but that’s a bad habit you become obsessed and end up starving yourself and those diets never work out

Jouth · Answer

Ukrainians are dying and you're counting Calories? Europe is burning and you are worried about your wasteline.

RebeccaBI2000 · Answer

It drove me crazy trying to keep track

tom_the_dating_snob · Answer

I am trying to lose weight by counting calories

Agape93 · Answer

No, that's how you get an eating disorder

IveGotNoName · Answer

Yes, I had an eating disorder.

DaveToo · Answer

Every day. I also count carbs. I'm diabetic.

Twalli · Answer

I'm more focused on gaining weight

Kelly6 · Answer

I did count calories and keto together

RedStiletto88 · Answer

Ugh yes.

Jmmmfi4 · Answer

Ohhhhhhhh yes

Have you ever counted calories to lose weight?

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