Counting calories... How do you do it?

[GodsPromises]

How do your ladies count calories. I'm not on a certain diet but I know I need to watch how much I am eating but I don't have time for measuring everything and I find it so hard to count my calories. What should I do? I know that I should be eating around 1600 calories a day but how do I know how much I am eating.

Can someone help with this as I know that this is an important part of weight loss.

[kbragg]

I use the Calorie King Software: http://www.calorieking.com
There's also www.thedailyplate.com and www.myfitnesspal.com both of which are free. It really does not take that much extra work to measure out a cup of rice versus just scooping in on your plate, or eating the actual serving size on a package etc. I started out just simply writing down what I ate and the calories in it on a little notepad I carry in my purse (I still use that when I'm out and about). I'd look it up on the calorieking site when I got home if the calories weren't listed somewhere. you just have to dicipline yourself to do it.

[GodsPromises]

You are right about the discipline which is what I am working on which is why I posted. When you work full time then go to school full time time plus have a teenager it takes work to do what you are suppose to do and I am working on it. Thanks for the websites. I will look into them.

[Bronxcutie]

I have the Calorie King's Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate counter. It's small enough to fit in a medium sized purse. I carry it with me every day to work along with a small journal. Calorie counting has been soooo helpful!

[ChocalateDiva]

They have given some good software to track your calories. The old fashioned pen and paper works too.

Just a thought, you said that you should be eating about 1600 calories a day.... that kinda sounds like a maintanence calorie amount.. are you sure about that amount? How did you come to that amount?

Most ppl have to cut 250-500 calories a day to lose weight. I hope this makes since to you.

Example: I need 1450 per day to maintain my current weight. But if I want to lose weight thru diet, I will have to cut 250 calories a day to lose 1 lb a week.- and cut 500 calories to lose 2 lbs a week.

[Supergirl]

I've been counting so long that I can guesstimate pretty well on the number of calories in what I am eating. When I first started, I would read the labels and I bought calorie counter books (before the internet). Now there are tons of websites that will give you calorie counts. Even many restaurants have their nutrition information on their websites now.

Once you do it long enough, you won't have to look up everything.

[Chromia]

When I counted calories I usually wrote down what I ate as the day went on. Later in the day, around late afternoon/early evening I started adding up what I had eaten to see how many calories I had left for the day. If I ate something without a nutrition label I looked it up on calorieking.com.

I used sparkpeople.com for a while too. Their Nutrition Tracker is helpful.

[BKbeauty]

I've used Calorie Counter before but my question is what about foods, or meals that are not listed? For example if I make curry chicken for dinner one night how many calories is that? There are so many ingredients that you use to make that. How do you get an accurate calorie count?

Thanks for your answers in advance.

[GodsPromises]

Accounding to SparksPeople website that is what they recommend for me. I am still kinda new to this watching calories things so I am still learning. I know that I eat more than that a day when I am not watching what I am eating and I have been at the same weight for the last 2 years without gaining. So I figure that I will cut down to around 1600 and with exerice I should be able to reach my goal which is 40 lbs by next August.

They have given some good software to track your calories. The old fashioned pen and paper works too.

Just a thought, you said that you should be eating about 1600 calories a day.... that kinda sounds like a maintanence calorie amount.. are you sure about that amount? How did you come to that amount?

Most ppl have to cut 250-500 calories a day to lose weight. I hope this makes since to you.

Example: I need 1450 per day to maintain my current weight. But if I want to lose weight thru diet, I will have to cut 250 calories a day to lose 1 lb a week.- and cut 500 calories to lose 2 lbs a week.

[GodsPromises]

Thanks for asking this. I believe that this is my problem right here. I go onto Sparkspeople which is a free site similar to weight watchers but they don't have all foods listed. Like today I had a taco supreme but it wasn't listed. I hope someone can answer the question.

I've used Calorie Counter before but my question is what about foods, or meals that are not listed? For example if I make curry chicken for dinner one night how many calories is that? There are so many ingredients that you use to make that. How do you get an accurate calorie count?

Thanks for your answers in advance.

[kbragg]

Thanks for asking this. I believe that this is my problem right here. I go onto Sparkspeople which is a free site similar to weight watchers but they don't have all foods listed. Like today I had a taco supreme but it wasn't listed. I hope someone can answer the question.

both myfitnesspal and thedailyplate have HUGE databases that have just about every food listed:yep:

[Everything Zen]

www.livestrong.com

use the daily plate :yep: