What's the point of counting calories if I always go over?
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Anonymous
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I use the Lose It app to count calories. I have a reasonable daily goals (1800 cals) and understand what kinds of foods to eat to properly fuel myself, meet my macros, and still fall below my calorie limit.
I always do great until dinner time. I eat light during the day because I need that big meal at the end of the day to feel sated (and I usually eat dinner after an intense workout). But then I might want seconds. Or dessert. Or a snack during Breaking Bad... I just lose control by the end of the day. I'm tired, I'm bored, the kitchen is right there... How do you stay on track? |
Anonymous
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I don't count calories. Instead of focusing on the quantitative, I focus on qualitative. That is, eat better, wholesome, real food with minimal processing. I eat a fair a amount, but it's nutritious food that still satiates me.
Also, just not keeping junk in the house helps. |
Anonymous
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I always had a hard time staying on track. I felt good. I looked good. I am tall so I can carry an extra 15-20 lbs no problem.
Then I got sick and my doctor told me I needed to lose weight. So I had a motivation to lose weight. I also told my family I need to lose weight and not to offer me unhealthy food. I hate the urge I get at night and at parties (cookouts, etc) but it seems that it was more a habit and once I stopped it went away, but not all the time. It is still hard. |
Anonymous
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OP, you simply need more discipline. If you are trying not to eat more than 1800 calories/day, don't do it. You eat your dinner, and then don't get seconds. Don't eat dessert. Don't have a snack while watching Breaking Bad. If you really feel that you can't avoid those things, eat less at another time of day to compensate.
You don't "need" to eat a big meal at the end of the day, even after working out. You need to eat strategically at that time and drink a bunch of water. Eat slowly. I would be willing to bet that if you just avoided immediately going for seconds, you'd notice that 20 minutes after finishing your dinner, you will feel full. If you don't feel full, drink more water. I also agree with the poster who suggests not keeping junk in the house. If you are prone to snacking, don't keep easy snacks around. Make your snacks slightly more work intensive, something that you have to prepare or chop up or whatever. Personally I am lazy, and if I have to cut up some cheese to eat with crackers, or cut up fruit, or whatever, I am more likely to just forego the snack at the end of the day than I would be if it was a matter of opening a bag of chips or a tub of ice cream. |
Anonymous
| ^^ 2nd pp. You don't go over your calories by simply NOT GOING OVER YOUR CALORIES. It sucks and it's hard, but that's how you do it. Other pps have offered great tips on how to stop eating--don't keep junk in the house, drink water after dinner, etc. I also brush teeth immediately after I finish eating because the thought of having to brush them again if I eat something is usually enough to deter me from having dessert or a snack. |
Anonymous
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8:30 poster here. OP, by how many calories are you going over? Approximately how many calories were you eating before?
Honestly, it sounds to me like your goal is not realistic for you. It would be totally realistic for ME. It might be totally realistic for the other posters on this thread. But if you were previously eating 2500 calories a day, yeah, you're going to be starving if you essentially drop an entire meal from your diet. That sort of reduction in fuel takes time to adjust to, which is why you're having such a hard time sticking to your goal. |
Anonymous
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The only time I was successful losing weight (dropped 40lbs) I had to go to bed VERY early. I was hungry and had to sleep so I wouldn't eat. It was hard because that meant I didn't get a lot done. I often dreamed of warm chocolate chip cookies!
Good luck! |
Anonymous
| OP, I hear ya, I do the same. The only thing that helps me is to plan ahead. Know how many calories you have left after lunch and plan accordingly and focus on it. Once you have eaten dinner, brush your teeth or chew gum or something to busy your mouth and get dinner or sweets off your tastebuds. It takes a lot of mental work, and I rarely can do it, but can be done. |
Anonymous
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OP, eat a large salad before the entree and eat it slowly. It takes about 20 minutes after eating for the brain to signal the stomach that you are full. Thereafter you will not feel that hungry when it comes to the entree and dessert.
But as another PP said, discipline is also important. |
Anonymous
| Do you need more good fats in your diet? Fat = full. Try reducing some carbs, even whole grains, and upping healthy fats. Add more evoo to your veggies/salads. hard boiled eggs. avocado. |
Anonymous
It's that damn Franch dipping sauce that does it 
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Anonymous
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OP, it is definitely not easy. My goal is generally around 1500-1600 calories, so not far off yours.
I find that planning ahead is really key. In fact, I frequently enter my meals before I actually eat them. That way I can see how many calories I still have for snacks, etc. I plan my snacks, too. You can keep snacks in the house but, if you are like me, there are certain foods that are difficult to resist. I could never keep chocolate chips cookies in the house, for example. However, I can make a small bowl of plain greek yogurt, and mix in some fruit, and not gorge myself. You really have to measure and weigh your food to be accurate.
I also set a deadline of approximately 2 hours before I go to bed, and do not eat anything after that time. In order for me to lose weight, I really need to go to bed a little hungry. Good luck to you! |
Anonymous
| My downfall has always been sugar - dessert every night, sugar in my tea, etc. But I needed to drop more calories than just sugar calories. Since I don't have the discipline, it seems, to eat things in moderation I simply went cold turkey on sugar and desserts. No sugar, and no sugar replacers/fake sweeteners. So now when I think, at night, Hmmm, I'd really, really like a cookie there is something in my brain that just says "Nice try, lady. But no. Not allowed." If a LITTLE were allowed I'd overeat. My since it is simply verboten I somehow deal with it. Good luck! |
Anonymous
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You don't have to be 100% full when you go to bed. Eat 75% full, drink plenty of water, leave a bit space for a small dessert if you choose, then drink more water. Brush teeth and no food taste will be in your mouth. If you do, it would make you want to eat more stuff.
And how soon do you eat after your workout? 15 min? 30 min? You need time so the extreme hunger doesn't make you eat so much. I used to run, go home, and cook half box of spaghetti. Then i realized, if I just shower first, take my time, THEN, eat....I don't eat as much but still full. Reduce your sugar intake. It just takes some getting used to. If you don't have it available at home, you won't reach for it. |
Anonymous
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I agree with the PP who said she went to bed early to avoid further eating.
I have the same problem as you, PP. I am usually very good all day long and then fall apart at night. What helps me is to eat my dinner, then have a cup of tea (I love Rooibos). Tea is an appetite suppressant. Also, a lot of snack foods just don't taste good/right when you eat them at the same time as (or after) drinking tea. Then, if I still have the urge to eat more, I go upstairs (remove myself from the vicinity of the kitchen). I don't necessarily go to sleep like the PP but I watch TV from my bedroom, read a book, get online in our upstairs office. That makes it a lot of effort to go back downstairs and get a snack. I also don't keep a lot of convenience snacks in the house, and what we do have, try to keep in the basement pantry so that it's out of sight, out of mind. Finally - I don't count calories every day. I'm doing the 5:2 fasting diet. Eat like normal (no counting) 5 days per week, and then eat 500-600 calories on fast day (then I do count). |