Let’s do the calorie count agaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!
Rocky Horror Picture Show? Anyone?
Ok, it’s a stretch.
Yesterday I took pictures of everything I ate. I haven’t done that it a while (and I hope it doesn’t bore you), but I decided to tally my eats up from yesterday just check in and see how I’m doing.
Emily at the Daily Garnish wrote a great post on the bad reputation calorie counting has gotten recently. I was actually working on a similar post when I read hers, and our outlooks were so similar, that I decided to forego writing a whole post on it. However, here’s the summary of my thoughts:
- It seems like people try to brag that they don’t count calories
- Calorie counting actually is a fantastic way to build awareness about the foods you choose to put in your body and your overall health
- If you want to lose weight, knowing how many calories you should eat and adhering to your limit is a guaranteed way to lose weight
I will say that becoming obsessive about calorie counting is unhealthy (mentally), but there is nothing wrong with keeping track of calories, dietary exchanges, points or whatever method you use to track your weight.
Typical breakfast lately… whole wheat toast, 1 egg, topped with hot sauce (mmm!). To drink, soda water with a few splashes of POM Wonderful juice.
Total Breakfast Calories: 217
Mid-morning snack was brought to me compliments of Uncle Kerry, who visited us last night from California. The orange was picked from the tree in his back yard (& it was DeeeeeLish!) and the dark chocolate came from the emergency kit he gave 😉 He said that every nutritionist should have a little emergency chocolate!
Snack Calorie Total: 192
Lunch consisted of 2 bowls of leftover vegetable soup. It doesn’t look very soupy because most of the broth ended up in my first bowl 🙂 In the mix… vegetable stock, carrots, sweet potato, onions, tomatoes, black eyed peas and collards. An odd, but tasty, mix. I threw in a Chobani yogurt for a little protein.
Total Lunch Calories: 327
I was snacky again by the afternoon and munched on leftover Christmas crackers and hummus. mmm…
Total Snack Calories: 190
I had good intentions of making it to the store to pick up something for dinner, but I didn’t finish working until 6:30 and I was hungry. Not the best planning ahead, but oh well. Hubbs and I decided to try out the new pizza place in town… The Salty Caper.
I ordered the veggie pizza, which came topped with a pile of spinach. Nothing like getting your salad and pizza in one meal 😉
The pizza was super thin crust and tasty! I ate 3 slices at the restaurant… and one more once we got home!
Total (somewhat estimated) Dinner Calories: 480
This brings my grand total intake for the day:
1407 calories, 195 g carbs, 44 g fat, 61 g protein.
My analysis? OK… A little high in fat and a little low in protein. Also, slightly low in total number of calories (although the pizza was an estimate so who knows?)
Knowing that my resting metabolic rate is 1570, and the fact that I got a 4 mile walk in yesterday, I should be eating closer to 1800-2000 for weight maintenance.
But overall, interesting stuff! (to me at least…) 😉 And information I wouldn’t know if I wasn’t counting calories.
So what is your thought on calorie counting?
Personally, I don’t count calories EVERY day, but I do think it’s good to check in every once in a while and see how I’m doing with meeting my body’s needs.
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen says
I do count calories, I do…but it really started when I had lost a lot of weight and had to gain some…so I tried to hit a target every day. Now, I tend to eat the same thing most days up until dinner, so I usually stop counting at dinner time…I am a night eater though, so this probably ends up backfiring. I also commit a sin (?) of weighing myself most days, just to see if I need to cut back on some of those nighttime snacks. 🙂
I don’t think I’m obsessive, and I do it a lot less than I used to…but I sort of just like having a general idea of what’s going into my body.
Carly says
I think calorie counting can be great if used properly. I read Emily’s post too and think she (and you) take a great approach to it. It’s good to know what you’re consuming and if you’re getting enough of the essentials.
Also, that veggie pizza looks great! 🙂
Natalie O says
I think it’s a great way to help you with your goals! People definitely underestimate what they eat…including me. I have a much easier time losing & maintaining when I’m counting.
Samantha @ Health, Happiness & Skinny Jeans says
I agree that calorie counting can keep people accountable as the average person grossly underestimates their intake when they aren’t tracking closely. I think someone with a pattern of disordered eating may have to avoid this method but otherwise getting a betterunderstanding of what 200cal, 400cal and 600cal looks like on a plate will really help a person plan their meals and maintain a healthy weight in the long run without having to track all the time.
Thanks for bringing this up!
Alyssa @ Life of bLyss says
omgosh, I went to college at Catawba in Salisbury, NC and just graduated this past May. I miss that Salty Caper!
I spent many weekends at that place… their pizza is the BEST, and you must try their “Red Sin” brew. simply the best!
I just stumbled on your blog from Julie’s, and see you live in Mooresville. What a small, small world!
Caree @ Fit-Mama says
I have been counting calories since July…on mynetdiary app… and it is a good way to really be aware of what you are taking in each day…and to know what you could be eating if you eat out (I find most everything on the internet and it amazes me how many calories some things are)! Buuut, I would like to really start consuming healthier things like fruits and veggies so I don’t techinically have to count them every day unless I am eating something I am not sure how many calories is in it and then I will check…
Sara @ Nourish and Flourish says
I used to be an obsessive calorie counter (I mean every itty bitty calorie…gum included!), but now I only count occasionally. Over the past few months I’ve been trying to gain muscle weight, so I’ve been intentionally eating MORE than I’m burning. However, I’ve reached my goal weight, so it’s time to slow things down. I’m trying to be a bit more conscious of the number, until I find my happy, stable place.
christina says
calorie counting makes me a little crazy. i try not to focus on it bc i will definitely get obsessed, but from time to time i do it to keep in check. i can’t handle it. i feel like i eat less when i count, and i should be eating more..
Maria @ Oh Healthy Day says
Great post! I used to count calories and I found it to be FASCINATING, so much in fact, that I grew a little obsessed. It kind of consumed my thinking and being a perfectionist was to blame: I wanted to make sure I tracked everything precisely (I wanted to start weight everything). While it was a great tool to lose weight and see where I was missing nutrients, it’s just something that I grew to hate, because I couldn’t do it in a casual manner. In fact, just writing this gives me the urge to start counting again – yikes! I won’t though 🙂
That being said, I fully believe in the Weight Watchers Points Program and know of others who had success with this. I think that’s awesome and for those who know little about nutrition, counting calories and nutrients is a great way to learn. I fully support those who want to count and can do it in a respectable manner.
p.s. I like how you posted what you eat! Its makes me hungry in fact 🙂
Roz says
Great post. Love the food pics and love the idea of “checking in” every now and then with the calorie count! I’m on weight watchers, so right now I feel a bit obsessive with point counting, but once I hit maintenance, I’m hoping to do the “check in” every few days to make sure I’m on track. (that is a way away though!) And sooo envious of an orange just picked from the tree!!!! I bet they taste amazing! Have a great day.
Melissa says
I have counted everything in the past when I was trying to lose weight and kept a daily diary online and it is all that matters when truly trying to lose or gain weight–perhaps not eating the healthiest foods while doing so, but still weight can be lost or gained. Now that the weight is off I sometimes do a general estimate of calorie consumption, so that I maintain the weightloss but have not gotten a specific count in many months. I do see that it can contribute to obsessiveness in those with eating disorders, but for me estimating allows me to enjoy an abundance of healthy foods and the not so healthy snacks/treats from time to time without putting weight back on.
Paige @ The Gravy Boat says
Though I see the possible value of calorie counting, I definitely see all too many people who turn it into an obsessive practice. If you were an individual who consistently was overeating (or, on the other end of that, UNDEReating), I can see how there would be value in using the information. The same if you were an athlete taking on a high-intensity program and you wanted to ensure that you were meeting your body’s needs.
At the same time, though, I don’t think it’s practical and I don’t think it teaches good weight loss habits. Sure, you can adjust your caloric intake and likely lose weight as a result. Does that mean getting a medium milkshake instead of a large? Possibly. Or maybe selecting Diet Coke instead of regular? This is where the issue comes up for me.
I’m confident that there are absolutely many people who eat a balanced, healthy, whole foods diet and still opt to use calorie counting as a tool, and that’s great if it works for them. Unfortunately, I think the other side of it is much more common–people who use calorie counting as an exclusive means to lose weight, instead of also developing healthy lifestyle habits. Additionally, particularly for people who are new to eating healthfully, the idea of having to track calories seems like a challenging practice to keep up!
I think this is a great topic for discussion, particularly since healthy calorie counting isn’t something that is often recognized. I see that there are a number of sides to it, but I don’t it’s something that would really work for me. I don’t have the patience!
Jess @atasteofconfidence says
I estimate every day, but I try to trust my body a little, too and just go with the flow- I think I eat the right amount when I don’t really think about it, either. But counting definitely makes me feel like I have a little bit more control (in a healthy way) and helps me track exactly what I’m eating.
Alexa @ The Girl In Chucks says
I don’t see anything wrong with calorie counting, as long as it isn’t used in a negative way…like by someone struggling with disordered eating where they severely deprive themselves of calories.
I calorie counted to lose weight, and I couldn’t have lost it without doing it. I had NO IDEA how many calories I should be eating a day or how much I should be aiming to burn. Without learning about caloric intake and expenditure and my body, I would’ve never had the correct tools to take charge of my situation.
I did stop counting calories after about 18 months…mostly just because I was sick of logging in every single bite I put in my mouth…it was draining.
But now since I seem to have put on some of my weight again, I’m going back to it. Not in an obsessive, starving myself way, but in a, “Whoa, you totally don’t need to eat 2,500 calories, Alexa, chill out on the See’s Candy and chips” kind of a way.
And I don’t see anything wrong with that at all.
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin says
I count Points since I follow Weight Watchers, and since I’ve been doing it for so long its kind of ingrained in my head so even when I wasn’t technically following WW I would still think of meals in terms of points. I think for someone like me who’s prone to overeating, it’s important for me to keep track or else I eat too much and go to far!
ashley says
Brittany, I love that you wrote this post because I was just saying last night that I need to start counting my calories, just for a little while, to re-evaluate exactly what I’m putting into my body. I completely agree that no one should count calories every single day, but everyone should be aware of what all is going into their mouths. Your post has officially motivated me! I will be counting my calories and paying attention to labels for the next couple of days to ensure I’m giving my body what it needs! Really, even if you just count calories for a little while it helps put your healthy diet back into perspective for months to come.
Thanks for the great post!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
I used to count calories before I ate anything which was very mentally daunting and led to a very unhealthy relationship with food, but now I track my calories for another reason- the make sure I’m getting enough. It really helped me when I was gaining weight and now it’s helping me maintain because I burn so much off through exercise, that I know I wouldn’t take in enough food to make up for it if I didn’t track my calories. I don’t want to slip back into losing weight, so counting calories helps me. 🙂
maya @ finding balance in tokyo says
I have done a lot of calorie counting in the past, and have gone through several different phases with it. When I first started calorie counting around 3-4 years ago I did get a little obsessive and let the number dictate many of my choices, but since then I like to think that my knowledge of and relationship to nutrition has evolved somewhat.
For the last 2-3 years I have used calorie counting more as a means to balance my overall nutrition plan and keep tabs on where my nutrients are coming from. I track overall calories and fat/protein/carb breakdown, as well as calcium and fiber intake online. I have come to see it as a guide to use in conjunction with my natural cravings rather than as a rule to be adhered to.
I also really enjoy trying out different ratios of F/P/C and seeing the results it has on my body. Being aware of my carb and protein intake is of particular importance, since I don’t really eat much meat and need to keep an eye on those.
Pudding Pie Lane says
Thanks for such a great post 🙂 I used to obsessively count my calories, to the point where I started calculating my friends too. That was pretty unhealthy. But I gradually grew out of it, and started to obsess less about what I ate. I think it’s definitely good to keep track of what you’re eating (and if you’re going to blog about then you’ll definitely eat more healthy in my opinion! That’s really great) but not to an extent when it gets in the way of your day.
I totally agree that we should a little though, keeps us on the right track 🙂