Why I love Calorie Counting....

[littlemiss]

Hey!!

I was just thinking, CC'ing doesn't get enough credit. And I thought we could post what we like about CC'ing, why it works for you, fits into your life ect. It can be difficult on this forum, especially with the VLCD's and the big losses. It can be hard to stay motivated when you're only losing 1/2lbs a week.

I love CC'ing because to me it isn't a diet, its my way of life, I lost weight before and CC'd for ages, once i'd lost a good bit, I stopped CC'ing as such, didn't do a diary or anything, but I was suprised how easy it was to count things up in my head and go through my days CC'ing without even realising it. It is something that you can do forever basically provided you're on the right cals for your weight/height ect. I love the fact that I can eat anywhere and just eat a bit less of the nice things, I dont have to say - oh I cant eat that, i'm on a diet. I want CC'ing to be my new way of life......

 

[ndz]

I love that I can eat anything I like too; there's nothing I have to say 'no' too. For me, Slimming world didn't teach me about eating in moderation or portion control - things I needed to learn in order to lose weight and keep it off!

 

[hotsue67]

Do you know I totally agree.. It's truly liberating. I am sitting here in McDonald's enjoying without guilt a cherry custard pie and a coffee, (360 cals)
I've lost 5and half stone with cc and kept it off since last June, I have decided to go for another 7lb, but I'm in no rush. I'm living, enjoying food and no one would guess I'm on a diet! I had a life time of crashing and gaining, I properly decided to stop the madness in 2011 and I'm not going back... Cheers to us!! Xx hugs susie

 

[littlemiss]

Yay to random McDonalds & still losing weight

ndz - totally agree about portion control ect. I remember years ago when CC'ing, I had been eating cereal, I love special K red berry its my fave. See at the side of the box it says 35g is 100 cals or something, well I thought, that must be a bowlfull, so I kept having my bowlfull until it dawned on me weeks down the line, what if 30g is alot less, I got my scales and measured it, was shocked to see I had been eating double & counting the cals as half lool

 

[LadyJo]

Do you know I totally agree.. It's truly liberating. I am sitting here in McDonald's enjoying without guilt a cherry custard pie and a coffee, (360 cals)
I've lost 5and half stone with cc and kept it off since last June, I have decided to go for another 7lb, but I'm in no rush. I'm living, enjoying food and no one would guess I'm on a diet! I had a life time of crashing and gaining, I properly decided to stop the madness in 2011 and I'm not going back... Cheers to us!! Xx hugs susie

That's amazing well done!

 

[LadyJo]

I have to agree! Cc is amazing!! Ive never done this well on any other diet and ive done ALOT! It's the best diet because it is that simple! No points calculators, red and green days... Just cals and they are on every packet! And nothing is off the menu! I've lost every week and even stayed the same over Xmas. And in that time I've had take aways alcohol KFC McDonald's pub lunches. You just adjust the rest of the day and stay within cals and u lose weight!
I <3 calorie counting!! I would recommend it to anyone!!

 

[azzy129]

Hi, I'm a fella and swear by CC. I totally love it. I have to say it's the one main contributor to my weight loss. I do it on a daily basis for every meal (infact anything that goes in my mouth) and keep a written log. At home I've got my notebook and a calculator with me close to hand. When I'm out I keep a mental note (or take a picture with my smart phone) and jot it down when I get home. I do it so often now that my own kids think I'm annoying when I reel off calorie amounts for the treats they eat! I think when a person trying to lose weight understands the calorie information of what they're about to eat and reads food packaging properly then they are concious of not going over their daily allowance. The best part is as many have mentioned, you can eat what the beep you like.... you just have to control your portion and not go crazy with your calorie intake. This is the process I intend to continue with when I'm maintaining my newly lost weight (15 Lbs to go). I currently stick to 1400 cals per day which is 1100 less than the RDA for a man and I also run about 3 miles 3 times a week. A winning combination for me!

 

[ndz]

I wish with calorie counting there was a group I could attend with a weekly weigh in, I feel like I would be do much more motivated!

Oh yeah we've all been there with the cereal! I might even invest in some (food) scales soon!

I love reading all if your stories of how much weight you've lost through CC its inspirational!

 

[Clanger72]

I love CC'ing! I'd been overweight for longer than i care to remember & tried loads of fast loss/faddy diets & managed to lose a few pounds but they always went back on. Since July '12 I've lost just over 2st through cal counting & I'm almost at goal & the best thing?.....i haven't had to deprive myself of anything! As others have said you can eat what you want BUT you have to be sensible with portion sizes & be honest about how much you're eating.

Followed correctly it really does work

 

[Sugarloaf85]

Cc'ing defo the thing that works for me. Right now I wouldn't even consider any other diet. I'm hoping to cc even at target to keep me on track xx

Currently 15st 1.75lbs

 

[Agent Shagwell]

ndz - Could you join in some of the goal threads in here in lieu of a weekly weigh in person? The monthly goals are pretty good, I love going and updating my stuff each week

I love calorie counting because of the freedom to have whatever I want. I also love the mental and emotional freedom of 'not being on a diet'. Some diets are CLEARLY diets but calorie counting is really just eating well and eating less energy than you expend. So I don't feel like 'I'm on a diet' and that makes me feel more 'normal'. If I was on a set diet I think I would feel more aware of being overweight but now I feel just like I'm taking care of myself, which I am. Yet still achieving my goals, which I am also!

I love being able to have treats and factor them into my calorie allowance. I don't have to say 'no' to anything. It's absolutely fantastic Plus it's SOOOO simple - the calories for pretty much any food in existence are found on the packet, label or internet. Even a food where it's been made up, such as if you go out for a meal - it's easy to look up 'well, I think I had 100grams of beef...plus gravy...plus this much veg'. I also love not having to take lunch to places where it's provided. For example, I am going to four, consecutive days worth of meetings at the end of January where lunch is provided. I know I'll be able to calculate lunch based on whatever they give us (e.g. if it's a salad roll, just the roll, plus spread, plus salad...etc) and then just have a light breakfast and dinner and still stay within my calories for those four days. When I tried a VLCD last year for a little bit, I had to miss out on the tasty lunches provided at such things and I felt a bit odd, plus it was too hard to stick to.

Calorie counting is easy to stick to! It doesn't matter if the weight comes off 'more slowly', if the diet where it comes off quickly is too hard to stick to then you're going to quit and come back here anyway! I mean, how many people do we get here who start their threads by saying 'I tried a VLCD (or some other diet) but it was just too hard to stick to' OR 'I tried *fad diet* and lost heaps of weight BUT THEN PUT IT ALL BACK ON, so now I'm here to do this PROPERLY and PERMANENTLY this time!' Calorie counting is not a diet, it's a lifestyle choice - and the results, which is the weight loss AND the learned healthy eating, stay!!!

 

[azzy129]

As an added note... CC is pointless if you don't weigh your food on some accurate kitchen scales. Escpecially in the case of loose foods such as cereal, cheese, pasta etc. The only negative side of CC is that it can make you constantly think of food all the time. I'm always planning my next meal/snack in my mind and calculating how many calories it's going to come upto. One carefull and important bit of advice... try not to eat foods (or too much of) that contain empty calories. Foods that have no nutrition value. Best thing is to load yourself up with fibre and protein for breakfast that will keep you fuller for longer. Overall it's an excellent way to guage and control your calorie intake inline with your recommended daily intake. EAT MORE>BURN LESS = GET FAT & LAZY.