Calorie Counting compared to other eating plans

[vanilla_cupcake]

I'm getting a bit fed up of SW and would like to try something different, i've no interest in doing WW so was thinking of calorie counting! Is it easy/easier/difficult compared to other eating plans, how have you found it? I've just over 2st to shift and in serious need of a kick up the backside!!!

Thanks

 

[Dan8317]

Hi cupcake and well done on your weightloss so far. I've recently switched to cc after tryin both ww and sw and find it so much easier but obviously it is down to personal preference. When switching from sw there are a few things that you might struggle with at the start like portion sizes and having to count everything you eat but it soon becomes second nature. Plus you don't need special books etc to work out syns as the cals are on the back of packets and you don't have to worry about what day your on if needed to grab something on the run. If you go over your cals you can also work them back through exercise which helped me stop completely blowing it if i go off track and nothin is forbidden. I know with sw this is also the case but i found the syns of somethings impossible to work into the plan. I hope you have found this a little helpful in makin your decision and good luck with what ever you decide, however if you do decide to cc then you may find mfp a useful tool x.

 

[BerryBerry]

Agree with all Dan has said above. My Fitness Pal is invaluable!

I haven't tried any other weight loss approaches bar healthy eating but CC makes sense and I think it teaches a sensible approach to food as you soon learn what things fill you up/ give you energy within your calorie allowance. Also it means you can carry on with your social life without facing awkward situations and do not even need to let others around you know that you are calorie counting - it can be quite private which I like or if you like the team camaderie there is the forum here so you can amass friends on MFP if that helps motivate!

Give it a go

 

[Lexie2005]

I've done both WW & SW in the past & this is by far the easiest, most convenient thing I've done. I found with other plans I struggled to eat out whereas now all restaurants generally have an online menu with nutritional values so you can pick before you go out & plan the day around it. I don't even see cc as a diet now, it's a way of life. Give it a go & I hope it works for you x

 

[vanilla_cupcake]

I'm feeling very positive about it, I didn't have time today but tomorrow (hopefully) i'll get a chance to sit down and work out the cals of all my favourite foods etc, MFP has worked out I need 1200 cals a day for a -2lb weekly weight loss so I'm hoping that won't be too hard to stick to!! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Thisismytime]

I've done slimming world in the past, which I did enjoy, but I find I eat the same foods over and over and then got bored, which then I fell of the plan. Although I'm new to this site (joined today) I'm not new to calorie counting (just been over counting recently lol) but at least with calorie counting you can eat exactly what you want, when you want, no restrictions, apart from when you run out of calories. If you plan well, it works well ... (I really need to start following my own advice! lol)

 

[vanilla_cupcake]

I've done slimming world in the past, which I did enjoy, but I find I eat the same foods over and over and then got bored, which then I fell of the plan. Although I'm new to this site (joined today) I'm not new to calorie counting (just been over counting recently lol) but at least with calorie counting you can eat exactly what you want, when you want, no restrictions, apart from when you run out of calories. If you plan well, it works well ... (I really need to start following my own advice! lol)

We'll always give the best advice but always seem to have a problem following it lol

 

[Plums]

I find calorie counting much easier than SW. When I entered my food diaries from SW into MFP I was always under my calorie limit anyway so I thought I'd rather choose what I want to eat rather than being restricted. I still go to SW to get weighed and do like the way they promote healthy eating but I think MFP is brilliant, especially the phone app!

 

[vanilla_cupcake]

I find calorie counting much easier than SW. When I entered my food diaries from SW into MFP I was always under my calorie limit anyway so I thought I'd rather choose what I want to eat rather than being restricted. I still go to SW to get weighed and do like the way they promote healthy eating but I think MFP is brilliant, especially the phone app!

I really enjoyed my food today because I wasn't restricted! I could never have had a tortilla wrap (the one I wanted) on SW because it was too high in syns, I was able to have it today and still be within my calorie allowance so I'm hoping with the freedom of food I'll be able to stick to it better than SW! The MFP app is brilliant!

 

[Deekabout]

So long as i'm able to control what I eat and my family do not suddenly present a mystery dish I haven't been able to weigh or check the packaging of, then I find calorie counting an excellent way to not only control my diet but really think about what i'm putting into my body. I know that if I were restricted on the type of food I could eat, rather than just the quantity, I would not stick to a diet. If I were on a diet plan that meant I couldn't have my preferred tortilla wrap i'd fall of the wagon rather quickly i'm afraid.

 

[BerryBerry]

So long as i'm able to control what I eat and my family do not suddenly present a mystery dish I haven't been able to weigh or check the packaging of, then I find calorie counting an excellent way to not only control my diet but really think about what i'm putting into my body. I know that if I were restricted on the type of food I could eat, rather than just the quantity, I would not stick to a diet. If I were on a diet plan that meant I couldn't have my preferred tortilla wrap i'd fall of the wagon rather quickly i'm afraid.

It is interesting you mention that Deekabout- I do sometimes have to fight against the irrational part of my brain that freaks out when I don't know the exact calorie count of something- it was almost getting to the point where I would rather eat something from the supermarket with the exact amount on than cook something tastier (and MUCH healthier) myself just because I was so scared I would underestimate the cals. I am getting better and MFP is such a useful tool that the more you use it the better your estimates get I believe (and if in doubt I always stick an extra 100 or so on just to be safe).

 

[LisaC]

Hello old friend

As you know I'm a SW girl but the last few months have been tough & I was about to throw in the towel. Week after week I was either STS or gaining even though I stuck to plan. Anyway a few I know on here were combining SW with CC & that's what I've been doing & in the last 5 weeks I've lost 6lbs! Chuffed

Like everyone else I use MFP & I track everyday. With my hormone problems (inc PCOS) I know carbs can be my enemy so for me the main part has been totally cutting back on carbs. On SW most carbs are Free, potatoes, pasta, rice. Now I've never eaten meals that are too big or taken advantage of the fact that these foods are "Free" but having them with every meal just wasn't giving me any results. I totally cut back & that week I lost 2lb then 3lb the week after Based on my info MFP says I should have 1350 a day & in total honesty sometimes I only eat 1200, I try not to go under but where I've cut back I've found I'm not as hungry.

I've really found that combining the principles of SW with cc has been brill. I still have my syns & HEX's so I know I'm not lacking anything. And I've made some delish veggie meals that are pretty much all veg but really filling! And low cal obviously. Butternut squash has become my absolute fav!

Hope you get on well x

 

[vanilla_cupcake]

Hello old friend

As you know I'm a SW girl but the last few months have been tough & I was about to throw in the towel. Week after week I was either STS or gaining even though I stuck to plan. Anyway a few I know on here were combining SW with CC & that's what I've been doing & in the last 5 weeks I've lost 6lbs! Chuffed

Like everyone else I use MFP & I track everyday. With my hormone problems (inc PCOS) I know carbs can be my enemy so for me the main part has been totally cutting back on carbs. On SW most carbs are Free, potatoes, pasta, rice. Now I've never eaten meals that are too big or taken advantage of the fact that these foods are "Free" but having them with every meal just wasn't giving me any results. I totally cut back & that week I lost 2lb then 3lb the week after Based on my info MFP says I should have 1350 a day & in total honesty sometimes I only eat 1200, I try not to go under but where I've cut back I've found I'm not as hungry.

I've really found that combining the principles of SW with cc has been brill. I still have my syns & HEX's so I know I'm not lacking anything. And I've made some delish veggie meals that are pretty much all veg but really filling! And low cal obviously. Butternut squash has become my absolute fav!

Hope you get on well x

Hiya hun, the only SW thing I'm carrying across are the HE's, I'm having 200ml semi skimmed milk and my wholemeal bread so that I know I'm getting enough calcium and fibre, it is a bit of a chore figuring out the calorie content of stuff that I still have in my head as free ie fruit and veg but when I get a chance I'll sit down and write out all my foods that I eat and get the cal content of them all in the hope it'll make all this alot easier for me.

I'm having 1200 cals a day, hopefully I'll be able to stick to it, I'll give it a week anyway and see how I get on, I've tried every diet going so I'm hoping this is the one for me!!!

 

[LisaC]

Hiya hun, the only SW thing I'm carrying across are the HE's, I'm having 200ml semi skimmed milk and my wholemeal bread so that I know I'm getting enough calcium and fibre, it is a bit of a chore figuring out the calorie content of stuff that I still have in my head as free ie fruit and veg but when I get a chance I'll sit down and write out all my foods that I eat and get the cal content of them all in the hope it'll make all this alot easier for me.

I'm having 1200 cals a day, hopefully I'll be able to stick to it, I'll give it a week anyway and see how I get on, I've tried every diet going so I'm hoping this is the one for me!!!

I know, it's hard especially given that Free foods on SW can be very high in calorie content!!

I know I can only speak for myself but I've tried alot, & SW is the only thing that has worked for me but I can only get so far. Since doing cc I feel more in control & I actually feel healthier, as if before I was eating more than I really needed to. I really find 1200 a day easy, I never thought I'd say that! After a couple of weeks you get used to the calorific value of things you eat regularly. Hope you get some good losses

 

[vanilla_cupcake]

I know, it's hard especially given that Free foods on SW can be very high in calorie content!!

I know I can only speak for myself but I've tried alot, & SW is the only thing that has worked for me but I can only get so far. Since doing cc I feel more in control & I actually feel healthier, as if before I was eating more than I really needed to. I really find 1200 a day easy, I never thought I'd say that! After a couple of weeks you get used to the calorific value of things you eat regularly. Hope you get some good losses

Yeah I nearly died when I saw the calorie content of the extra lean turkey mince considering its free on SW!!! I'm actually enjoying it so far, I know i'm only on day 2 but so far so good lol

 

[xj-esx]

Hey vanilla_cupcake, (great name, makes me hungry mm)

I'd say calorie counting is the only way I would be able to loose weight. I tried WW before and found it hard to stick too. I think calorie counting fits easily into any life busy or not and over time it just becomes 'normal' to count the calories, rather than it feeling like a chore.

Good luck! x