Does Anybody Calorie Count Anymore?

[Andy M.]

StirBlue:

Your numbers may be accurate for a man or woman of a certain weight, age and activity level but not all people burn calories at the same rate for the same activities. The rate at which you burn calories is related to your weight.

For example, a person is considered obese if he is 20% over his proper weight. So your example of 40 pounds is only accurate for a 200 pound individual. A 120 pound individual would be considered obese with an added 24 pounds.

In my earlier post, I gave a formula to estimate your basal metabolic rate, the number of calories needed to maintain bodily function. The formula is based on the person's weight. So a 250 pound person requires 2750 calories to maintain bodily functions, while a 120 pound person requires only 1320 calories. Add to that the calories you burn for your daily activities and you have an idea of what you're up against.

There are 3500 calories in a pound. If you could burn 500 calories more than you take in every day, you would lose a pound a week.

 

[StirBlue]

The print out from the pediatric cardiologist still list 3200 calories as a pound.
That's good enough for me.

You can play the numbers any way you want to justify anything that you want to eat.

America has a weight gain problem that is leading to many health issues. An obese person does not get a common cold; they get pneumonia or bronchitis.
All this obesity is leading to early diabetes. Medical insurance is on the rise.

People need to get out of their cocoons, build relationships (friends), and have fun.

 

[redkitty]

It's not just the US either, you should see the obesity rates here in the UK. Especially in Scotland, where they love to deep fry EVERYTHING!

It's very sad but I don't see many people here doing anything to change their lives for the better.

 

[bethzaring]

The print out from the pediatric cardiologist still list 3200 calories as a pound.
That's good enough for me.

Well, I'm a numbers person, and if someone goes to the trouble to count calories, I feel the correct information should be available.

there are 3500 calories in each pound of fat, pretty much a scientific fact. To lose one pound of body fat, you must expend 3500 calories of energy more than what you are taking in.

 

[PytnPlace]

I don't obsess but I'm always aware of what I'm eating. If I know I'm going to have a burger and fries one day, I eat healthy low calorie meals the rest of the day to sort of bank my calories. I've been able to maintain my weight (in my 40's) my whole life with this system. I don't eat whatever I want - if I did I would feel gross! I see people eating 3 high fat meals a day and then complain that they feel too lethargic to consider physical activity. No wonder!

Hey, I love junk food! Sometimes I think I could live on Potato chip and baloney sandwiches. I love fried food too! Sometimes I crave McDonalds! But the reality is that it's all about moderation. It works for me.

 

[YT2095]

Check this out: What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

I particularly like the way you get a Visual representation as opposed to just charts and numbers.

 

[urmaniac13]

Perhaps because I have been blessed with ultra high metabolism and high activity level, I realised long ago I consumed way more calories than I was supposed to yet I had never suffered any weight / health problems, so I decided not to pay any attention to the numbers, to this day, I am still lean and mean and as healthy as ever. To me, common sense works much better than counting numbers.

 

[Andy M.]

Spoken like a young person. Just you wait, missy.

When you get old and your metabolism slows down and you begin to wonder why you are gaining so much weight when you aren't eating any differently!

 

[foodstorm]

!a

Several years ago I worked closely with a fitness professional for three months to help me lose some weight. I was active and went to the gym regularly--couldn't figure out why I had packed on so many, and could only lose a few, pounds. Turns out the biggest part of my problem was portion control--prior to learning how to weigh and measure my food, and count the calories, I was serving myself double, even TRIPLE servings of breakfast cereal (if it's just one bowl, it can't be too much, right? ) double servings of a LOT of things. That was a valuable lesson learned, and it got me back into clothing sizes I hadn't worn since college 20 years before. Today I still weigh and measure everything. It has kept me from turning back into a !

 

[IronSides]

Interesting stories from everyone it’s good to hear that I'm no the only one trying to be careful about calories now a days. Anyways here is an example from bhg.com regarding nutritional information from their recipes. They have a basic Chicken Quesadillas recipe, which is a meal that I would typically make at home. And below is the nutritional info...It's nice to be armed with this information because in the past I wasn't accounting for any of it.

• Calories 472
• Total Fat (g) 28
• Saturated Fat (g) 15
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) 9
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 3
• Cholesterol (mg) 120
• Sodium (mg) 513
• Carbohydrate (g) 18
• Total Sugar (g) 2
• Fiber (g) 2
• Protein (g) 37

 

[liz.622]

hello

hey guys! I am new to this forum and would like to make some cooking friends. Exchange receipe and tips so that I can broaden my "cooking" horizon. Back to the forum, I think calorie counting is not necessary to actually count the calories you are consuming as long as you know what ball park you are in. Because if you do not know a calorie value of some main dish that could put up up higher on the scale. And what woman wants that, esp with our metabolism slowing down.

-Liz

 

[mudbug]

Well, I have just always hated math.

 

[jpmcgrew]

Counting calories is the easiest method for weight loss I hate when people count fat grams ,carbohydrates,sugar etc its ridiculous a calorie is a calorie wether its fat or bread or what ever.The more healthy you eat the more you can eat as its less calories than fast food or processed foods etc.

 

[gastronomicus]

Instead of counting my daily intake of calories, I prefer to excercise and eat healthy

 

[foodstorm]

Instead of counting my daily intake of calories, I prefer to excercise and eat healthy

I do those things, too. For me, part of eating healthy includes keeping an eye on my calorie count.

 

[Tartine]

I'm trying to quit. I've been so obsessed by dieting and counting calories that it finally turned into an eating disorder... Now I try to eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full and eat what I feel like eating!

 

[legend_018]

I like to calorie count when I'm trying to watch my weight or lose weight.
I'm not doing that right now since I'm pregnant and due in August 'lol'.

Here is a calculator. Calorie Needs - Women

and also some good information about how one pound of weight is equal to 3,500 calories and how that equals into losing weight.

I also used to really like using this site for finding out how many calories in a certain type of food. You can save them on a daily basis and look at charts and everything. Of courses some times you had to go with estimates.

FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal

Of course exercise helps too.

My mom is on weight watchers right now and would rather not calorie count. Everyone has there preference.

 

[Mylegsbig]

I absolutely calorie count..There is no reason not to.

It's really easy once you get the hang of it, especially if you prepare your own food. I don't use many charts now that i've gotten the hang of it, i just use measures i keep in my head, and i round up, in case i am leaving something out.

It's a great tool to use especially if you work out.

 

[VIDEODROME]

Counting calories is the easiest method for weight loss I hate when people count fat grams ,carbohydrates,sugar etc its ridiculous a calorie is a calorie wether its fat or bread or what ever.The more healthy you eat the more you can eat as its less calories than fast food or processed foods etc.

I came into this thread wondering about that. So could one say that looking that the whole list of Fat grams, Carbs, Sugar, Sodium, etc... is actually just over complicating everything?

I'm mean sure you can glance at the Vitamins or Iron or Potassium and so on to see if you're getting nutrition, but for dieting can one get by with relying on the Calorie count?


I recently have gotten really off-track with trying to lose weight. I'd made some progress, but then on a business trip I was at a convention banquet that had this awesome gourmet buffet style catering and I indulged to much and my diet kind of got derailed.

So I've decided to finally actually see if I can work on calorie counting and figuring out what my daily calorie intake ought to be.

 

[rbmccleary]

I do count calories, but I think it's important to look at the whole nutriention label and get a sense if it's good for you overall. And I try to be in a postive mood when I go to the grocery store. If I don't buy the bad stuff shen I'm at the store I can't eat it.