Thread: Calorie counters amongst us

Wanted to reply to something Barb said, but didn't want to highjack the thread. I hope you don't mind me beaming a bit of your reply over here Barb.

I have been cal counting and TBH I am bored with it now, so I am going to devise a plan that is essentially cal counting but planned in advance so that I am not froever weighing everything.

I think the fantastic thing about calorie counting is that you get to eat anything you want. Not many diets can offer that choice.

Not only that, but you can use other diets as a part of it. Using SW, WW or even a VLCD and add things. Nothing is off limits.

Of course, you still need to watch the quality of what you're eating, but otherwise your free to pick and chose as you go.

After all virtually (if not all) diets are based around calorie counting. Even diets with free foods are generally low enough in cals to mean that you never eat enough to go over.

The only thing, like all other diets, boredom can set in. We need to turn over the page....reinvent it again.

This is probably easier to do with a cal counting diet than any other, because of the vast amount of different foods you can eat.

I've found the best way to do a diet like this is to plan as Barb has suggested. I can't imagine doing it any other way.

I know exactly what I have to eat today, tomorrow, next week. Okay, I might swap the odd thing, but everything is there ready and waiting. My daily snack box, my lunches, breakfasts, dinner. All pretty much prepared and definitely written down. Not daily as it's all be counted before and I just reuse.

I can't remember whether you use WLR Barb, but if you do, I highly recommend making full use of the food plans. I have all the meals down there. My breakfasts are named breakfast...then whatever it is, so that it's easy to find. Likewise with snacks and other meals. My breakfasts also include my milk for the day, so that I can just 'click' once for each thing.

Another thing is the weighing. I guess this can be tiresome if you weigh everything, but to be honest, my scales don't get used that often.

I have a set of measuring cups and I know that 30g of oats is that cup, pasta is this cup.

I also make meals in advance. If I have curry without the rest of the family, I make 4. My food plan tells me how much in a portion. Only need to weigh the once.

Another thing is to change things around. Try new foods or combinations. I even have 21 breakfasts, lunches, dinners sorted. A different one each day for 3 weeks. Even then I swap over bits, adding and taking away as I find new things, or go off items.

It's difficult to get bored...even for scatty me with my low boredom threshold.

The exercise bit is harder I think. If you start getting fed up with that, you do need to consider changing it, or supplementing it with something else.

Anyway....long post Hope there's something helpful there.

As usual there is loads of useful stuff there and it inspires me to go shopping(steady now) and buy the ingredients to invent some of my own ready meals. I love making curry and tasty stuff like that so why not give myself the time and permission to get organised. Also at Waitrose they are now doing indivudual pots of houmous - brilliant all cal counted and healthy and tasty. I had one at lunch with 6 ritz crackers and lots of chopped carrots and cucumber. Took ages to eat so felt totally satisfied and yet didn't need to weigh anything. It is all about what suits you isn't it? What works for one will not necessarily for another. I know I am on the right road, I am definately going the super luxury scenic route but I will get there. Thanks for your help Karion, much appreciated as always. Lots of Love

I'm pleased you found something useful there. Always paranoid that people are going to think I'm preaching

I know that I can go off diets. I can start them, do well, and then go off plan....all of a sudden I've forgotten that I'm supposed to be on it Fortunately, these days we have these forums that remind us what we're supposed to be doing

It really is a case of what suits us isn't it, but whatever it is, I find it really helps to completely change the plan...start a new diet (even if it's the same one!) with different foods, different times of eating. I fool myself into thinking that I'm starting a new diet and have all that new motivation again Always was easily fooled

You've done so well with this way of eating Barb. Bet you can't wait until Christmas