Do other people count calories?

[goldfinch]

For the calorie counters, how many weigh their food? I am a poor judge of portion size and found that I have to weigh a number of foods to get close to an accurate count.

[oxysback]

I'd be lost without my food scale! I also use a program called Diet Power (dietpower.com) to keep track of my calories. On weekdays my menu doesn't vary all that much and that makes things easy. I've lost 31 pounds since the end of January (lots more to go, though)!

[Veronica]

So how many calories per day do you eat?

I haven't kept track in a few months - not since I got down to race weight. Now it's more important to fuel for my activity level.

The Monday after my last race I probably ate around 2500! I was starving all day. Of course I didn't eat a whole lot on race day.

In general - breakfast comes in around 600 - 800, morning snack 200, lunch 400, dinner 400 - 500. So between 1600 - 1900, which is in line with your base. I just don't add more 'cause I worked out. Honestly my weekly workouts don't require any extra calories to fuel the workout. They are only an hour apiece. Weekends when I'm doing bricks and long runs I'll eat gels and electrolyte drinks during the workout, but I don't up my "regular" food amount.

Veronica

[abejita]

I keep track of my calories, but I have a history of not being able to regulate my weight by just 'winging' it.

I've lost 95lb since the spring of 09 and have kept it off by keeping track of my calories. Not really difficult to do. At night, I plan out what I will have the next day. I have my food logging program on my phone or web based during the day if I need to make changes 'on the fly'.

[Crankin]

I don't count calories as I don't weigh my food and I don't see how you could count calories without weighing. I suspect I eat around 2,000 calories a day. I pretty much maintain on this, but that's figuring in my exercise. I also know I probably eat more than 2000 calories on some days. Maybe I am wrong.
I've changed my eating a lot in the last 10 years. I eat a lot more protein. I eat no junk and don't have it in the house.
But, I like to eat and I like to cook. I tend to increase or change up my exercise when my weight goes up, rather than cut calories. The truth is, I am hungry all of the time unless I eat huge amounts of food, so I just try and control it by eating lots of fruits, veggies, cheese, and nuts. I could live on bread, so this is not easy for me. It's getting pretty hard to maintain my weight (107 at 5' 1"), so I am about to maybe join a gym again, although I have been successful working out at home to supplement my riding. The rain in the last two weeks has made me yearn for a class to go to, though and I think it might help me with my weight control. When I was in my early thirties I weighed about 92 and that wasn't good, either.

[grey]

I just have no interest in counting calories or weighing my food. I just look at portion size, and ask myself if my pants fit. This time of year I'm eating almost nothing but fruit and veggies, so it's harder to gain unless I really pig out - and if I do, I just eat less next time or go walk a dog.

[westtexas]

Okay, here's a question for those of you in know - I've been using myfitnesspal.com to track my calories and riding. It works on the principle of your basal metabolic rate and assigning you a caloric amount for the day (assuming no exercise). Mine is 1350 - I'm 5'6" and 130lbs (give or take a pound or two depending on hydration status). Then you can log your exercise to essentially "earn" more calories for the day.

Now, 1350 is pretty normal for me even if I'm not counting calories. But, in the past few days I've really starting riding with a new group and based on both myfitnesspal and their cycling computers, we're burning close to 1800 calories riding 37 miles (and this is not factoring in the 20mph headwinds we ride into at ~14 mph). This morning the computer said 800 calories for a 17 mile ride at an average speed of 15mph. I'm "earning" anywhere from 2000-2500 "extra" calories a day by exercising. I'm not trying to lose weight, just get fit and see what my body can do.

So, do I need to be eating those extra earned calories? I'm afraid I won't be able to eat that much and I'm either going to get really skinny or really weak because my body has no fuel. How do you manage this incredible disproportionate calories out to calories in ratio?

[Veronica]

I would not eat those "extra" calories.

How do you feel during and after those rides at your current caloric level? If you're hungry or feeling wasted, eat more. If you feel great - don't!

Veronica

[aquamoose32]

So how many calories per day do you eat?

But you can see even in this thread that a majority of people do not count calories. And that is best if they can maintain a healthy weight without doing that. I cannot.

When I was a ballet dancer, I weighed about 110 pounds at 5'7''. And I'm big-boned. Yes, I was underweight. I always tried for about 1000 calories per day, or less. And I often missed that goal. And got talked to for being overweight. It was hard. Weight was the main reason I quit. It was unhealthy.

I'm 150 lbs, and according to that formula, I need 1800 to maintain. And that's what I generally get. And I do maintain, and have for years. If I don't do much activity and don't feel like eating, I may eat 1500 per day. (And I lose very quickly, but I don't want to do that). 1850 is optimal, I've noticed. I feel very good then. Add another 500 in fuel if I go for a good bike ride, including food during and after. 2200 or so if I over-eat on a non-cycling day, so then I eat less for a couple of days, say around 1600 or so. The times I've gained weight and had to go on a real diet was because I stopped counting calories. Probably in part because I started 'dieting' at too young an age.

I have to stay on track. I literally write down everything I eat every day, calculate the calories, and make sure I get adequate amounts of protein, carbs, veggies, and fruit. I've done this for years and years. My physique isn't perfect. But I like my diet. I get to eat.

Also what about age. I have to say, that when I am not cycling I need 1800 calories to maintain my current weight of 105. I am 25. If I were 40 this would be totally different. I originally asked this question because I am having trouble figuring out how many calories I need for my cycling. It is crazy how much food I eat lately and it was all starting to mess with my head. I am riding about 150-200 miles a week and on some days I think I eat as much as 2500-3000 calories. That seems LIKE SO MUCH, and it kind of was freaking me out, but I have not really gained any weight, just more muscle. So I guess that is OK. I am also vegan. Perhaps that makes a difference. I dont know? I never weigh my food, just have pages and pages full of counted calories. It's annoying, but I cant stop counting.

[soprano]

A few years ago, I wanted to loose 10 pounds, so I started measuring/weighing everything I ate and counting calories. I was shocked to find out that many of my days were well below 1000 (I've never really had a huge appetite). I also had a lot of days when I didn't feel well. Guess what? Those were the days when I didn't eat enough.

So now I track calories to make sure that I eat enough. Riding 60 - 80 mpw and maintaining a generally active lifestyle (read: very little TV and no personal car) I've found that I need about 2200 calories/day to feel good and maintain my weight. At this point I've measured enough food that I can eyeball portions pretty well, but every so often I go back to measuring and recording everything for a week or two just to check in with myself.

FWIW I find that I feel better and have an easier time making my calorie counts if I eat the same number each day. Adding more calories on days that I took long rides just didn't work for me; I didn't have energy when I needed it, and I absolutely starved on rest days. When I've used software or online trackers like MyPlate, this means that I set my base activity level to be higher and don't record exercise at all.

At 150-200 mpw, 3000 calories sounds just about right to me, but I'm sure that a nutritionist would have a more informative opinion.

[sazza]

oh Lord I have spent my whole entire life well since the age of 12 counting calories and it has drove me pretty insane iveliterally spent hours trying to work out what I need ie how many carbs on a ride. I am meeting with a dietician in the next few weeks and going to try and do the exchange system ie portion sies 2 starch, 2 protein 1 fat etc as I am sick to death of the numbers and want to focus more on quality food rather than calories