What are your thoughts with calorie counting?

[Anonymous]

Personally I wish more people realized how much age/sex/height/activity plays into how many calories you can eat in a day and that not everyone is going to burn 500+ calories at the gym a day. If you’re a petite woman 1500 can be perfectly reasonable to maintain (excluding weight loss) but if you’re a 6ft man you can eat at least 2500 and still be fine at same weight. If you’re small you get comments that you’re eating like a toddler but if you ate like the average person you’d gain. How do you feel about counting as a weight-loss tool?

[TipsyFr]

I count my calorie and general intake. It helps me keep my weight steady while still feeling energized I don’t struggle with losing or gaining weight but if I don’t eat properly I’m not as quick and energized. At home I have a meal plan, I also have my usual spots where I know what I’m ordering. If I’m out somewhere new or what not however I’ll just have whatever I want and deal with any consequences as they come.

[Sonorous]

I like to be lean so I always count my calories. I've always been the type to gain weight very easily.

But I do way more than that. I also use cronometer to track how much nutrients I'm getting as well. And also what my macro ratios are. It really does help for when I want to eat unhealthy foods. I'll know how much to eat without it interrupting any other goals.

[whereismyjohnny]

It's a double-edged sword really. I think it can be beneficial for weight loss or maintenance, but it's important to not get obsessed with it, as it can lead to an eating disorder.

[TruthBeTold77]

I can't count calories it sounds like an headache. Infact people who are stricted on calorie counting kind of annoy me. Like loosen up and live a little. 🤦

[ArrowheadSW]

There are some good calorie calculators on the internet. You plug in your height, weight, gender, and approximately the amount of exercise you get. With my amount of exercise, I can eat 2400 calories and "break even". I exercise a lot.

[Lokiion]

lucky you. You don’t need to eat very much.

[Guido]

If I donpay attention to what I eat, I always est too much and gain weight. I just love food.

I need to watch what I eat for not only quantity but also nutrition. I use the app MyFitnessPal and if I pay attention and use it faithfully on a regular basis, I lose the weight I need to and maintain healthy nutrition.

I have tried many things over the years and this is the only thing that works for me.

[caitycat21]

Calorie counting is bs in my opinion and promotes disordered eating. As long as you’re filling your body with the necessary nutrients you’re fine.

[Sonorous]

What do you mean "It promotes disordered eating?"

[RoοstеrBrеаst]

It's impossible to calculate your caloric food intake needs anyway. Are we also gonna count the amount of joules or calories you absorb through photons? Or how many watts of heat you generate when the temperature is lower in the environment?

If you are gaining fat then you should probably eat less, or workout more, you don't need a calculator when you can snap a photo a week later and compare the results.

[MiddleAgedClimbee]

I have always preferred to gauge my intake by how my body reacts to my activity level each day. A high activity day requires more intake than a low intake day.
Ingesting quality calories is important. No highly processed goods.

[jshm2]

There is no scientific basis to it.

1000 calories of carbs isn't the same as a 1000 calories of proteins, for example.

Also, 99% of the nutritional information is inaccurate anyway.

[Fireguy17]

Nope, bad idea. You can eat bad foods such as bad carbs or eat healthier foods but end up with the same calories.
So the trick is to eat less, eat healthier and move more.
Easiest diet on the planet.

[Kaamraj]

Instead of calorie counting you should be aware how much, what, and when you are eating. There is a great Japanese proverb that goes, you should eat until you're 80% full.

[genericname85]

it's the perfect tool for weight loss. obviously you gotta figure out your personal calory demand and not count calories for a 200 pound gorilla. if you're doing it appropriately, it works 100% of the time.

[AviatorTom]

Paying attention to what you eat, making sure it's balanced, including salt and sugar content, is more important than counting calories.

[Smashingdoozy]

Calorie counting (actually counting every single thing you eat) is a quick one way ticket to eating disorder town.

[Lokiion]

I count but I don’t really have a need to since gaining weight kinda hard rn (eating 3.25k kinda hard) I’m almost always on a very slight calorie deficit

[more_than_a_guy]

Unnecessary for regular folks and ones that take sports as a hobby, but necessary for competitive athletes like in weight class or aesthetic like bodybuilding.

[Nifrayu]

I've never counted calories. It seems like a lot of work.

[Iron_Man]

Not necessary you can get too carried away and end up starving yourself

[BarryLiverstone]

My thoughts are work with your doctor to establish a healthy daily plan for you.

[shortster]

Calories in less than calories out means you are losing weight.

[BLP11520]

Stay away from obviously bad food for starters

[Anonymous]

I hate doing it. So as long as I'm not putting on weight I don't do it.

[Vendela_]

Calorie counting? Never heard of it

[LiamJHayden]

I think it is a great idea for most people.