My Story / Do any of you count calories?

[Gia]

I am a huge fan of the No-S diet and as much as I have gone on and fallen off the bandwagon again, I always come back to this as the most sane way of eating, a lifestyle that I love and can maintain forever!

I have to say though, since i started this diet again in February up to now, I have only lost about 2 pounds in total and no major inches. Obviously I am not doing something right.

So a little background.... I used to weigh exactly 40 pounds less than I do now. I don't look overweight, and I am decently toned with good muscle, but I still went from a size 2 to a size 12 in a matter of one year. A little depressing, but I am a problem solver and was determined to get to the root of it!

Looking at the changes in that year, I see that I had a couple of lifestyle changes - I went from leading an active life on a busy campus to a sedentary life with a 9-5. I went from being a strict vegan to being a lacto-ovo vegetarian. What shocked me the most though, was that I was STILL eating healthily the majority of the time. You would think one gains 40lbs by pigging out on potato chips, eating Haagendatz and muffins daily. Instead, I was really eating the same healthy things - yogurt, fruit, beans, salads, sandwiches etc.... I was definitely confused.

So today I did a calculation of the difference in calories between where I WAS and where I am (the number of calories to maintain my weight before vs. to maintain my weight now).

I was SHOCKED to find, the difference was 200 calories per day. THAT"S IT. Just 200 calorie difference!!! That is huge guys!! 200 calories is not a lot of food at all.
What does 200 calories look like?!

From the list, here are the things I frequently eat:

1 cup of milk
handful of nuts
1 container of yoghurt
12 dried apricots
1 cup of corn
2 big apples
handful of grapes
small handful of pasta

Those are all 200 cals. Scarily unnoticeable and scarily healthy foods. Yet over time, that made me gain 40 pounds. INCREDIBLE.

So I've come to the conclusion that as much as No-S is against calorie counting, I have to do it in order to get where I am going. I can't lose these pounds by eating and not counting how much I eat, because 200 calories can slip in in the most unsuspecting ways. That is why I am maintaining my weight, because the difference between where I am and where I am going is one glass of milk per day!!!

Now maybe calorie counting 'disqualifies' me from No-S, but I love love love the plan and will still stick to it no matter what - eating 3 meals a day on 3 plates with treats on the weekend. Only this time around, they will be MEASURED.

I don't know how long I can keep this up, but I do know that FOR ME, there is no other way for me to get down to my Goal Weight without watching what I eat. Vanilla no-s helped me stop gaining, and this modification will help me start loosing. I hope

Those are my 2 cents. I hope that this post can break the myth that you only gain weight by pigging out on unhealthy food. Nope, it's just Calories in vs. calories out. You can gain weight eating beans, avocados and organic apples. I did.

If anyone else counts calories as well, please post your tips and advice or why you started doing it!

[dmarie710]

I think smaller woman if trying to lose weight do need to pay attention to eating more nutrient dense food (fruits, vegies, lean meats, lo cal breads, cereals). It does take us longer to lose even doing that (at least in my case). I think we can do noS full platefuls with lower cal foods mixed with higher cal in smaller amounts. I agree with you, in the long run calories do matter, but I think no S is a way to to reduce calories without becoming obsessed.
I also add in Eat stop eat style fasts to help with the weight loss, but even with that loss is slow.
Hope this made sense. My thoughts are a little scattered

[wosnes]

I don't count calories, but I make sure there are lots of the less calorie dense foods (vegetables and fruits) and less of the more calorie dense foods (grains, animal products and fats).

[sophiasapientia]

Looking at the changes in that year, I see that I had a couple of lifestyle changes - I went from leading an active life on a busy campus to a sedentary life with a 9-5.

Hi Gia -- There are several No Sers who have had great success with combining calorie counting and No S. Hopefully some of them will chime in here.

I was struck by the statement about having a sedentary life. Have you increased your movement at all in correlation with restarting No S? I think that being active can make a huge difference. For me, it was enough to get the scales moving downwards again.

Like Denise & Wosnes, I don't count calories but I've adapted No S to work for me, as a petite woman, by eating lots of veggies/calorie dense foods and having a few lighter "dietary defaults" that I turn to, especially on N Days. And I make sure that I'm active everyday.

Calorie counting along with No S is definitely a viable option but it isn't the only option.

[BrightAngel]

So I've come to the conclusion that as much as No-S is against calorie counting,
I have to do it in order to get where I am going.
I can't lose these pounds by eating and not counting how much I eat,
because 200 calories can slip in in the most unsuspecting ways.
That is why I am maintaining my weight,
because the difference between where I am and where I am going
is one glass of milk per day!!!


but I love love love the plan and will still stick to it no matter what -
3 meals a day on 3 plates with treats on the weekend.
Only this time around, they will be MEASURED.

If anyone else counts calories as well,
please post your tips and advice or why you started doing it!

I am, and always have been a calorie counter.
Counting calories does not disqualify anyone from the NoS Plan.

For more than 5 years, Every Day I have entered all my food into my software journal,
DietPower, which gives me my calorie count and other nutritional values.
That is the primary reason for my weight-loss success
and for my success with maintenance.
There are some interesting Threads in the archives here on calorie counting.
You might want to look them up and read them.

[Over43]

I don't ccount calories, but if you saw my high school and college math grades you'd know there was a reason I majored in history.

I think I am fortunate, as so far the three plates a day ar working. But I have noticed I am becoming more concious of what I am eating. Not in a bad way, but just more aware.

Plus, without the snacking or the Coca Cola Classic, I can't even imagine how many calories a day I've cut out.

(I've just realized, typing on a notebook, is like trying to type on M&M's.)

[ThomsonsPier]

I don't count calories, but I am aware of them in a nebulous way. Knowing the calorific values of foods helps to make choosing them easier, and I'm very much an advocate of keeping things as simple as possible.

[wosnes]

I'm very much an advocate of keeping things as simple as possible.

Me, too!

[DaveMc]

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, Gia, but it's a really interesting illustration of how little changes can add up. I've always heard that a pound of fat is about 3500 calories worth of stored energy, so to add one pound you need to take in about that many excess calories, or to drop one pound you need to have about that much of a deficit. (With various caveats, including the big one that the human metabolism is complicated, and nobody really understands it quite as well as some people claim.)

The statistic that this implies is one I find fascinating: if you consume 100 excess calories a day, in a year you'll have gained about 10 pounds. (100*365/3500 = 10.4) As you point out, 100 calories is so little that it would barely register! Now, by this calculation, you "should" have gained a "mere" 20 pounds over the past year with a 200-calories excess, but of course things are more complicated than these simple calculations would suggest, and it's also hard to accurately measure calorie differences that are this puny.

I tend to think of these numbers as hopeful rather than scary, by inverting the spin: removing 100 calories a day from your intake should cause you to *lose* ten pounds in a year. (I don't count calories, though I am aware of them in the nebulous way ThomsonsPier mentions - nicely put!)

I rarely weigh myself, but from a recent check I've lost about ten pounds on NoS over the past ten months or so, with about another ten to go before I'm back to where I was stable for many years before my weight started drifting upwards. That's a pound a month, more or less, so I guess what I'm saying is: be patient! Maybe losing a couple pounds in the last couple months isn't so bad ...

[marygrace]

I don't count calories, but I am aware of them in a nebulous way. Knowing the calorific values of foods helps to make choosing them easier, and I'm very much an advocate of keeping things as simple as possible.

Same. I used to keep a rough calorie tally in my head throughout the day it and always did more harm than good.

[sincitylulu]

I am doing No S to help me maintain my weight without calorie counting. I did lose my 24 pounds by calorie counting and yes it does work (took 4 months) but after a while at least for me I became obsessive and then upset when unable to calculate calories in a particular food I didn't make. So I stopped and I am a much happier person. This definitely could work with calorie counting and yes calorie counting does work. Just not for me. Do what works for you and good luck!

[finallyfull]

This is my second go-round on No S and I am calorie counting, and actually lost weight this time instead of maintaining. I know many people think of counting calories as the road to obsessing, but when you're only eating three meals a day, I have found it much, much easier and non-intrusive compared to counting every bite in a mini-meal or snack-filled day. Also, just from being on a couple diets in my lifetime, I find tallying the calories in a meal is almost automatic and easy because I register in my head what's going on my plate from old habit. Everyone is different. I know eventually I'll stop counting because habit and eyeballs will take over, as long as I stay on No S.

I also think calorie counting while on No S is a way to at least temporarily get an idea of how much you are eating compared to your daily calorie needs. My first try on vanilla No S led me to think I needed much more food than I actually do. I have been amazed at how much food I can pack into a 500 calorie lunch. And I see how the dieters in my office, who are also calorie counting, eat teeny meals to save room for their teeny snacks to tide them over until their teeny dinners which lead them to wanting their teeny snacks until biology finally forces a full-scale rebellion. I know they're wondering how I can eat a nice sized sandwich, a yogurt and a big salad. And I feel sorry for them having to eat those sad little microwaved appetizers and try to think of them as a satisfying lunch. The body knows better.

To me, snacking is the true smoking gun here. Calorie counting is not a whole lot different from choosing what foods to eat. It can be a part of the educational process.

[connorcream]

Without calorie counting, weighing and following Nos I gained 12# over approximately 18 months. That is on average 78 extra calories per day my body did not need.

78 calories is about an orange, or 1/2 cup of skim milk, or 10 peanuts, or etc...

I will never stop counting calories. It is on the same level as brushing my teeth, making my bed, balancing the check book.

[clarinetgal]

I keep going back and forth on calorie counting. I have found that I can very easily maintain my weight on my own modified version of No S (3 meals on 3 plates with a small portion of sweets each day), but if I want to lose weight, I pretty much have to count calories. The only meal where I really struggle with is dinner. Since my dinners are normally salads with nuts or seeds and some sort of protein source or noodle dishes mixed with a protein source and some kind of sauce or base, I don't want to have to calculate calories for the five or so separate things in my dinner.

[connorcream]

I don't want to have to calculate calories for the five or so separate things in my dinner.

I have found in the 6 months of CC, I eat many things regularly. I use LoseIt and Nutirtion Menu Apps and have made recipes or custom foods of these regular foods and meals. It takes me less than 2 minutes to input my foods most of the time for the entire day. For me, 2 minutes out of the 1,440 minutes of the day is a very fair trade. Using my iTouch has been so helpful.

Lately, I had a very rare exception when I went out for Indian Food at a dinner buffet. I ate as I usually do, thankfully they had an online menu where I could record what I ate when I got home, and googled the calories. This took about 7 minutes and it totaled over 1700 calories, mostly vegetarian, 2 plates (1 dinner, 1 dessert) and small portions. I inputted this into my data base and now it is easy to access.

Best wishes on your journey.

[clarinetgal]

Connorcream, Thanks! I know if I decide to go that route, I could figure out the calories in my dinner with a little work. My dinners do vary, but I tend to eat the same dinner 2-3 days in a row before I switch to a different meal, so it probably wouldn't be that hard, if I put some effort into it.

[kccc]

When I first started, I was vehemently opposed to calorie counting. I'd just done Weight Watchers, and found that detailed accounting of any kind drove me into "diet-head" as nothing else did. I had a lot of baggage to let go of around that, and needed the break from calorie-counting very much. Re-learning "normal" eating took me a while.

However... from years of dieting, I have a pretty good sense of the nutritional value of most foods. And that knowledge stayed with me, whether I chose to count or not.

There are times when I do have to pay attention and moderate amounts in some way. I still tend to control through imprecise measures like "plate divisions" and choosing foods prepared in ways that don't add a lot of extra calories.

But that's my preference... I can see how calorie-counting works well for some... and I think some basic nutritional knowledge would help everyone. However, I still believe most (not all, but most) beginners would do best to let go of calorie-counting until they've done No-S for a couple of months and gotten the habits down - habits come first, and may be enough.

[sophiasapientia]

But that's my preference... I can see how calorie-counting works well for some... and I think some basic nutritional knowledge would help everyone. However, I still believe most (not all, but most) beginners would do best to let go of calorie-counting until they've done No-S for a couple of months and gotten the habits down - habits come first, and may be enough.

I agree completely. One of the wonderful things about No S is that it helps to heal our relationship with food and I suspect a fair number of us come into No S with damage from past calorie counting or food elimination diets.

My fear is that some newbies will read these posts and infer that calorie counting is the only way to make No S work and this simply isn't the case. For some, Vanilla No S combined with moderate exercise has been enough to lose weight and maintain the loss, no tweaks required. There is no point in worrying about calorie counting or tweaks if plain 'ol Vanilla No S combined with plain 'ol moderate exercise works perfectly fine ... and folks won't know that for themselves until they really give No S a chance and allow habit to kick in.

And if tweaks do end up being required traditional calorie counting is one way to create a deficit but it certainly isn't the only option out there and, in fact, it may be a less than ideal or desirable option for some of us with a lot of baggage from past calorie counting days. It may be on par with brushing one's teeth or balancing one's checkbook for some -- and I'm thrilled that those individuals have found a plan that is working for them! -- but calorie counting is not essential for losing or maintaining weight.

[connorcream]

but calorie counting is not essential for losing or maintaining weight.

No calorie counting is not essential to cause a calorie deficit. Limiting carbs is another way, eliminating entire food groups is another, eating very small protions is a third. That is why I keep repeating the how is up to the individual.

However, regardless of the path chosen, calories is what is being limited, a deficit created, and weight loss over time occurs. I measure a weight loss program's success in terms of weight loss. I have seen a number of posts from those struggling with this. I don't seek out those doing well, only those who have struggled, and in my case failed, and offer another well defined path. I empathize with their struggles and I am so glad I had time to lose weight. What if I had needed surgery or had some other health issue that really would have made losing weight difficult.

It is the individual who must decide for themselves what they will do. All I put forth is another opinion. But if someone else hadn't offered another opinion I probably would be obese by now instead of comfortably healthy with all of the perks that entails.

Best wishes on your journey.

[babyprrr]

The 200 calories thing really scared me. I've gained six pounds over six months which is quite a lot on my 5'4" frame, since going on the pill ( and going off NoS at the same time)... I was thinking I hadn't eaten THAT much more, but now I can see how that could have happened. The occasional extra dessert , the occasional biscuit, some crisps, etc.

Thanks for telling us your story. It was really eye-opening about how weight loss just creeps on

[bluebunny27]

Don't forget that to lose weight you have to create a calorie deficit either with your diet or by exercising ... so if you eat 100 calories extra one day you can burn 'em all by walking for 30 minutes or ..... jogging 5 minutes, heh. The best is when you are spot on with your diet and you exercise too, this is the fastest way to lose extra weight.

I made my basic diet plan using the fitday.com software so I know on average how many calories I have daily. I am not obsessed with counting calories although I do have a digital kitchen scale I use several times a day to weigh different things. Especially items that have more calories like plain almonds, natural peanut butter, pasta, rice, etc.

http://fitday.com/

I change my basic diet plan from time to time but all the major changes have been made already since I have been using my maintenance plan for several months now.

If you are struggling I suggest being very careful with items that have a lot of calories, high density items. Those are the ones that can make you gain weight .... usually you don't gain weight eating too many veggies, it's the cookies and ice cream that are problematic.

Article on calorie density :
http://tinyurl.com/2ej7srv

If you Google "Low calorie density" you can learn many useful tips and tricks to help you curb your hunger without adding too many calories to your diet.

I'd suggest weighing once a week and if you are gaining weight you try to eat a lil' bit less (be very careful with the high density items, cookies and whatnot !) and exercise a lil' bit more, that should solve the problem.

Good luck !

Cheers !

Marc

37 Years Old, 5'10" Tall
Nov. 1st. 2008 : 280 Pounds
Nov. 1st. 2009 : 190 Pounds
(1 Year : - 90 Pounds)

[vmsurbat]

All this talk about calories would have slid right past me 6 months ago. I lost a goodly amount of weight (35lbs) following NoS as stated, no mods, for the first year. However, I've not lost any weight the past 6 months or so, just maintained, even though I do have about 15lbs to lose to get to a healthy (not skinny) weight.

So, I did a search on "calorie counting made easy" and there is actually one blog/web with that "title." The author basically stated that we tend to eat the same foods, or same kinds of foods day in and day out, and that calorie counts don't vary all that much within the same "category". For example, 3 oz cooked roast beef vs. 3 oz cooked pork chops have nearly an identical calorie count. I found this was true with most fruits and veggies as well. Root veggies (carrots, parsnips), leafy types (lettuce, spinach), watery types (cukes and zucchinis)--each have a similar calorie count by type. Same with fruits and starches.

Because of this reality, I could easily figure out a "typical" N-day calorie count for the vast majority of our meals.... With only 3 meals a day and normal meal planning (and very little eating out) to input, it took me just a bit more than an hour to figure out that with very little variation, our breakfasts are 450 Calories, lunch (main meal here) are 650-700 calories, and supper is 500 calories. Sundays have their own routine and lunch is usually around (gasp) 950! calories (includes dessert). Add in another 500 for random S day treats (snacks, hot chocolate--the real deal, glass of wine, a cookie here or there) and I got a VERY accurate picture of my calorie intake for an entire week.

And guess what? It almost exactly equals my suggested maintenance level of calories. So now I know WHY I'm not losing weight anymore--I've lost enough to no longer have a deficit between calories in and calories out. So, I need to up the movement factor and reduce (a bit) what I put on my plate.

Anyway, I found it very freeing to see the numbers and find an easy way to adjust my 3 meals a day--merely eating one less starch or one less piece of fruit per day (not even per meal) will make a noticeable difference *in the long run* which, after all, is what I want.

One more thing: I went to fitday.com (Thanks, Marc!) because they have a very easy-to-use "how many calories in this food at this serving size" calculator.

[bluebunny27]

Hey, thanks Vicki !

They have a nice software too you can use to figure things out. There's an online version as well, I think you can even use it for free (But I prefer to have the software installed in my computer instead) I use it only once a month now to tweak things a lil' bit.
The first time it probably took me 2-3 hours to enter all the data and then I was tweaking things left and right from time to time after that ... no need to do that now or to track all the calories precisely. (It's fine if some people don't mind doing it though...)
I just make small changes once in a while...

I liked reading your message as well cos' it's so true. I basically eat the same things as well, except for the main meals so it wasn't too complicated to figure it out. It doesn't really matter to me if I have an orange, an apple or a banana ... it's a piece of fruit and that's what I'm supposed to be eatin'. Mmmmm...

I don't worry too much about the number of calories in each one. Besides it's the high calorie items that can cause problems, so it's better to worry about those cookies and donuts than the number of calories in an apple compared to the number of calories in a banana.

Cheers !

Marc

37 Years Old, 5'10" Tall
Nov. 1st. 2008 : 280 Pounds
Nov. 1st. 2009 : 190 Pounds
(1 Year : - 90 Pounds)