Calorie Intake

[parvezjj]

Any advice on how to restrict calorie intake? There's apps and all but ahh so confusing -__-

 

[JediJesus95]

I use the Lose it app to count my calories. You set a weight loss goal and it tell you how many pounds you need to lose a week. Then it gives you a daily calorie intake. I'm at 1600 now and if I run or exercise then it goes up according to how many calories I burn. Staying under 1600 calories is easy as long as you leave out fast food. I've been doing it for the last 2 weeks and I've lost roughly 6 pounds.

 

[PSUGradAtl]

My Fitness Pal seems pretty good. It has many chain's menu items in their database and you can scan a bar code for a couple ways that it makes it easy to keep track of calorie intake.

 

[bdfull3r]

advice is to keep track of it as best you. even something that doesn't have calorie listings, you can find it online somewhere or at least an estimate. Cut out things you don't need, coffee, sugar, and soda is an easy way to lower calories while still be able to eat healthy

 

[MacGal01]

I also like the LoseIt! app. It's very simple to use, has lots of food options including menus from restaurants, and if it's not listed you can either scan the bar code to add it or manually type it in yourself. The same goes for the exercise portion as well. I am also using a Fitbit which also works with the LoseIt! app. I have found that with the LoseIt! app I stop and think more about what I am eating and how much I am eating. It's a real eye opener for sure.

 

[Damasterjj]

stop counting colories, eat healthy food!

 

[belniente]

stop counting colories, eat healthy food!

This would be great advice if people had better portion control. Unfortunately, you can still become overweight/unhealthy eating healthy food if you eat too much. It's not as easy a trap to fall into, but it's possible.

This is where calorie counting comes in - more than a numbers game, it's a good way to teach yourself how to control portion sizes to keep yourself comfortably fed throughout the day. My best advice for anyone looking to start counting calories is to take it slow and not focus too much on the exact number. Use the numbers to better understand what you're putting into your body compared to what your body needs, and it'll be easier to eat better. Then if you're a little more of a control freak, you can get more precise with the numbers, but if it doesn't motivate you don't do it.

 

[r3g]

the general rule for cutting is eating 500 calories less than you burn daily. that being said I agree with the stop counting calories statement. it's a pain in the ass. it's easier to educate yourself on eating healthy. then eat when you're hungry. when you have a decent understanding of proper nutrition counting is unnecessary unless you're a profession body builder.

 

[Kinglo]

Cardio trainer has a really simple calorie counting system. It tosses pure accuracy for simplicity, instead of "4 oz steamed broccoli iwth salt added" you just put in 1 small/medium/large/green. accuracy isnt all that important as long as you are in the general area of your goal giving or taking a couple hundred calories doesn't make a huge difference.

 

[imnotajedi]

stop counting colories, eat healthy food!

Agreed.

Starting January 2nd (needed hangover food for the 1st) I went on the Fat Smash Diet by Dr Ian Smith. Starting weight was 229lbs and as of March 2nd I am down to 193lbs. Besides the diet I jog about 2-3 miles 3-4 days a week and hike a Camelback Mountain 1-2 week. The diet is different than most diets as it takes you in stages from detox to introducing certain foods back into your diet. By the end of the diet (just finished it) you can eat pretty much whatever you want, again just in portions. I did not count a single calorie the whole time and besides the first 9 days(detox) I did not starve myself. I technically did not starve myself the first nine days either but that is the toughest part of the whole thing.

I don't recommend going to web pages to get the info on what foods you can and cannot eat. I did not find one site that listed it correctly. I know this because I have done this diet 4 years ago and the lists did not match up to my memory(which is not great). So I just bought the book again since I spent 3 days searching for it and could not find it.