How many calories do I need?

[Klide]

Sonner I fully respect your opinion... and I stand by everything I said in my previous post.

Congrats on your weight loss.

[sooner_ed]

Klide, fair enough.

However, it's one thing to disagree with a process or procedure, but to call people lazy makes it personal.

I, for instance, couldn't count one single calorie even if I wanted to. You see, I'm serving my country in Iraq. I have no control over my food choices or how they're prepared. Would you still call me lazy?

If you're not in someone else's shoes, sometimes our words should be chosen more carefully. We may have to agree to disagree on this one.

[westside24]

Originally Posted by sooner_ed

Klide, fair enough.

However, it's one thing to disagree with a process or procedure, but to call people lazy makes it personal.

I, for instance, couldn't count one single calorie even if I wanted to. You see, I'm serving my country in Iraq. I have no control over my food choices or how they're prepared. Would you still call me lazy?

If you're not in someone else's shoes, sometimes our words should be chosen more carefully. We may have to agree to disagree on this one.

Preach it brother! I was gonna say the same thing, (not word for word) but you covered it well! Ive gained 25 lbs, in 3 months with a little fat, and NO cardio. And I can lose the fat no problem in probabl a few months, all without counting calories... I just use a general idea of how low or high to go. and what particular days to do so.

[Klide]

What I would say is everyone is different, and some people do not need to be as strict as others (genetics, metabolism etc). So there are exceptions to every rule. I think though you would have to at the very least have an idea what your body requires and then adjust accordingly to your specific needs.

Sooner I recant the word lazy. I am pretty passionate about this subject and sometimes it gets the best of me.

More important than any of this, God Bless you for serving our country!

Be well.

[minime]

I agree, while there are exceptions to the rule (as with everything) counting calories is often necessary. Most people are quite content to delude themselves about their consumption until a food scale, a cup measure and a calorie calculator is thrown into the mix... ("wow I had NO idea I was eating that many calories..")

While not strictly necessary for weightloss, counting keeps you honest and makes you accountable.

You could of course just eat less, but this can be hard to measure... also making sure you are getting enough grams of protein, fats etc. is important too and a calorie counter helps with this also.

[Klide]

Very good point Minime.

It is not always eating too much that is the problem... in fact there are plenty of people who do not eat enough.

[westside24]

that was me 2 years ago, well my whole life up until 2 yrs ago. then I decided to eat triple, force it down, and finally I tracked it al and it was around4500+, so I then went down to 3000-3500 and watched it for a few days, and now I just wing it, I know Im not going way over, everytime I check im in that figure 3000+, then on weeekends I eat a little less, since I do not much work.

[SNPiccolo5]

I haven't been around here for a while -- but there are a lot of good points in this thread. To maximize results, of course you have to count calories, but not everyone is interested in maximizing, and people also have different goals. Decreasing your mile time will have different dietary needs than losing weight.

I've found that there is also a very sufficient (of course, sufficient for me, but sufficiency depends on the individual) method that involves a kind of "middle way" for counting calories. I do not write everything down, but I know roughly how much I want for each meal, and get as close as possible. I, just like Ed, do not have the liberty to create all my own food because I'm at college and eat at a dining hall most of the time. However, I can guesstimate and weight myself once a week to see if I'm on track. I'll adjust depending on my goals. In my way, I don't ignore calories, but I definitely don't count them, either.

Tim

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by Klide

What I would say is everyone is different, and some people do not need to be as strict as others (genetics, metabolism etc). So there are exceptions to every rule. I think though you would have to at the very least have an idea what your body requires and then adjust accordingly to your specific needs.

Sooner I recant the word lazy. I am pretty passionate about this subject and sometimes it gets the best of me.

More important than any of this, God Bless you for serving our country!

Be well.

Klide, this was a very well written post. You said everything I was hoping you understood.

"Everyone is different."
"Some people do not need to be as strict as others."
"Exceptions to every rule."

I appreciate your passion concerning this. Passion is a strong emotion that helps us reach our goals.

But as you said, everyone is different and not everyone will have the same goals or passion. That doesn't mean they're lazy though so I appreciate your recanting the word lazy. Some people just don't have the inclination, time, desire, or means to count calories. That doesn't mean they're right or wrong.

You're right about needing to know what our body requires. For some people, they should write it down and keep track. Others know how to listen to their body. Your body will always let you know what it needs.

And thank you for your kind words about serving our country.

[westside24]

Originally Posted by SNPiccolo5

I do not write everything down, but I know roughly how much I want for each meal, and get as close as possible.

Thats perfect, this actually how Dr. Barry sears tells you how to count your calories in THE ZONE, and MASTERING THE ZONE... good books.

[Klide]

Originally Posted by westside24

Thats perfect, this actually how Dr. Barry sears tells you how to count your calories in THE ZONE, and MASTERING THE ZONE... good books.

I have done the zone in the past. Although I do not follow it to a "T" anymore... I have kept the basic structure of proportions for protein, carbs and fat.

They are indeed very good books. I refer to them regularly when I am making adjustments.

[westside24]

Originally Posted by Klide

I have done the zone in the past. Although I do not follow it to a "T" anymore... I have kept the basic structure of proportions for protein, carbs and fat.

They are indeed very good books. I refer to them regularly when I am making adjustments.

well.. I didnt realize they were just a fad diet book... I pretty much thought that is the ideal way to eat, at maintenance or just belowe maintenance level. obviously you would need adjustments if you planned on serious bulking or big time weight loss.

Definately like those books too... everything he says is consistent with everything people here say, or people who I know personally would say, or what Carlon Colker says in his book also.

[minime]

The zone diet is great as it teaches you the importance of portion control, good food choices and meal timing. I don't see it as a fad diet. I too follow the zone principles often, though i no longer religously count 'blocks' The zone diet is pretty low calorie, especially for those of us with high activity levels.

[westside24]

perfect... yea I dont count blocks either, but its just a way to teach you how to eyeball your portions, instead of having to count every calorie.. especially when you are on the run or living life, eating out at restaurants n stuff.. kinda hard to count calories at the buffet.. Eyeballing it can give me a range of what I think I ate in protien carbs and cals.

[Klide]

Originally Posted by westside24

perfect... yea I dont count blocks either, but its just a way to teach you how to eyeball your portions, instead of having to count every calorie.. especially when you are on the run or living life, eating out at restaurants n stuff.. kinda hard to count calories at the buffet.. Eyeballing it can give me a range of what I think I ate in protien carbs and cals.

You are assuming that people who count calories do not have busy lives or a zest for life ("especially when you are on the run or living life").

I am quite often on the run and I frequently "live life". I also have accepted the fact that for me to look and feel the way I want, I need to do certain things ie: count my calories.

I eat out often... and when I do I "eyeball" as well. Since I know that the vast majority of my diet is clean and adjusted to what my body requires... I tend not to worry too much about those times when I can not count.

What counting calories does for me is keep me honest with myself about what is going into my body. So when the results are not exactly the ones I am looking for, I have a means to go over what I have been doing and make any needed adjustments.