To Count or Not?

J

jansherman

Cathlete
I've been following the Eat Clean plan by Tosca Reno, and I love the portion control and not putting processed crap into my body. The one thing I'm not sure about is her strong belief in not counting calories. Just wondering how everyone else feels is the best way to lose/maintain weight. Do you keep track of calories, of macronutrients, or just watch portions?

When I don't keep track of calories, sometimes I eat way too few, other times my macronutrients are out of sync. I've also been reading alot of articles on figureathlete.com, and most of the authors advocate a certain percentage of protein, carbs, and fats depending on the goal. Would love some feedback on these things.

Jan
 
Hi, Jan! I love Tosca Reno's cookbook (I have both of her books) and her recipes are easy and delicious.

I am not, not, not a calorie counter! While I always count my reps, I despise counting calories. My nutrition philosophy more closely follows Bill Phillips (Body For Life): I try to eat six smaller meals a day, with a serving of lean protein and a complex carb at each. Maybe that is too simple (and I don't always succeed, but I try). However, I need something I can stick to and I know I won't keep up with counting calories, calculating proteins, fats, carbs, etc.

I think the best plan in the world won't work if you can't stick to it. I wish I could be more disciplined, but I find it counter-productive to focus too much on food. (Anytime I go on a "diet," I instantly crave deep-fried sticks of butter or some other monstrosity that I would normally never eat!)

By the way, I have a history of eating disorders (long since overcome), so I feel like I'm winning the battle, even if my eating isn't perfect!
 
I would drive myself crazy if I had to count calories. I pay attention to portion size and eat losts of fruits and vegetables and less grains. I really pay more attention to just how my clothes fit. I am a pretty clean eater most of the times. I don't eat much junk food except for a craving for potato chips which I will indulge and then not eat for a while. I never eat fast food mainly because I don't like it. That whole macro, micro nutrient thing also drives me crazy. I think it was Michael Polan in one of his books who said don't eat anything that your grandmother would't recognize as food.
 
I have a set weekly menu that has lots of options within a certain nutrient range for each meal. The menu includes 3 main meals, 2 snacks, 1 post-workout recovery drink, and 1/2 glass of wine. I just stay within my options and I know I will get all my nutrients and stay within my calorie targets. I focus on clean eating, with small meals every 2-3 hours that include protein and complex carbs, with my main veggie and protein meal in the evening. So I don't have to calorie count daily, but I know what I'm eating and how to stay within my targets.
 
morningstar said:
I have a set weekly menu that has lots of options within a certain nutrient range for each meal. The menu includes 3 main meals, 2 snacks, 1 post-workout recovery drink, and 1/2 glass of wine. I just stay within my options and I know I will get all my nutrients and stay within my calorie targets. I focus on clean eating, with small meals every 2-3 hours that include protein and complex carbs, with my main veggie and protein meal in the evening. So I don't have to calorie count daily, but I know what I'm eating and how to stay within my targets.
Click to expand...

Are these fairly simple meals? I cook for a family, so dinners are more challenging, but I do better with simple breakfasts and lunches. Is there any book or program that you follow, or is this your own plan?

Thanks for sharing!
 
I'm a counter

jansherman said:
I've been following the Eat Clean plan by Tosca Reno, and I love the portion control and not putting processed crap into my body. The one thing I'm not sure about is her strong belief in not counting calories. Just wondering how everyone else feels is the best way to lose/maintain weight. Do you keep track of calories, of macronutrients, or just watch portions?

When I don't keep track of calories, sometimes I eat way too few, other times my macronutrients are out of sync. I've also been reading alot of articles on figureathlete.com, and most of the authors advocate a certain percentage of protein, carbs, and fats depending on the goal. Would love some feedback on these things.

Jan
Click to expand...

I firmly believe in counting calories or points - it certainly works for me, and there are countless WW success stories directly attributable to counting and journaling. It's all about being accountable and getting real about your food intake.
 
Thanks for all of your replies! I'm stuck between two worlds - I like the freedom of not counting, and if I follow Tosca's plans closely I know I'm eating only quality food. However, I like the accountability of counting and logging - it keeps me on track with my ratios of carbs, proteins, and fats. I'm a carb lover, and if I'm not careful I tend to go too high on them.
 
I'm not a calorie counter. However, I do write down everything I eat, so I am aware of what I shove in my face. It helps to know what/how much you're eating, and you can roughly figure the calorie intake from there. Especially if you know whats high/low cal/fat/sugar/carb.

Nan
 
I lost 40 pounds 10 years ago and I did not count a single calorie. If someone had made me count calories or figure out percentages for protein, carbs, etc. I would never have lost weight. I just looked at my diet and made changes. I usually eat the same stuff over and over but it works for me. I try to stick with healthy proteins, complex carbs, veggies and lots of water.

You have to do what's best for you. Some people need to count but I knew it wouldn't work for me.
 
I don't count calories when I eat whole, real foods.
The only time I really pay much attention is when I'm suspicous that a food (usually prepared food) might be higher in calories and/or fat than I would like.

If you are following Tosca's recipes, I'd be wary of counting SODIUM GRAMS though. Some of her recipes contain over 50% (some WAY over) of the recommended daily limit of sodium. (I don't see how she can call them "clean"? )
 
kathryn said:
I don't count calories when I eat whole, real foods.
The only time I really pay much attention is when I'm suspicous that a food (usually prepared food) might be higher in calories and/or fat than I would like.

If you are following Tosca's recipes, I'd be wary of counting SODIUM GRAMS though. Some of her recipes contain over 50% (some WAY over) of the recommended daily limit of sodium. (I don't see how she can call them "clean"? )
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Kathryn, thanks for that info! What is she using that's so high-sodium? I'll have to take a second look. My guess would be broth (chicken, beef), but I usually choose reduced-sodium options.

I made chicken chili once and used regular broth...by the time it had reduced and thickened, it was so incredibly salty that we could barely eat it! :(
 
Pearlstrand said:
Are these fairly simple meals? I cook for a family, so dinners are more challenging, but I do better with simple breakfasts and lunches. Is there any book or program that you follow, or is this your own plan?

Thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...

This is my own plan, and they are very simple meals. Lots of hearty salads, omelettes, rice/tofu/veggie dishes, soups, veggie chili, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, smoothies, veggie burgers, yogurt, etc. (I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian).
 
I count everything

because I'm prone to eating too many simple carbs and not enough fat or protein. So, I count, and adjust through out the day as best I can. I don't always hit the mark. But, if I aim for the best and almost make it, I figure thats reasonable. I like to count. It is comforting because I used to be insulin resistant and now that I know what to eat, for me portion control is the difference between sickness and health. Especially where fruit is concerned. 6 dates would be 30 grams of carbohydrate, not too much calories, but that would go straight to my head and then to my thighs. Other people have different tolerance levels, but I had to figure out how much of any particular food had a good or bad influence on my body. You may not need that level of attention to detail. I see nothing wrong with saying I will eat clean and get a serving of protein and vegetable at each meal. But for me, I would naturally eat too little protein and naturally fill up on (scary but true) too much broccoli (12 grams of carbs per cup) or worse, bread and butter. If you don't have that problem and you don't have an issue with your weight fighting you (mine used to cling) let the calorie counting go. I use it to bank up carbs/calories for something I want to eat instead of spending it on something I could really do without. And, half the time I find that the thing I can really do without is the fat on my thighs.:D
 
I did the whole counting calories thing and it just got to be too big a pain in the butt. I just started Precision Nutrition and the big thing there is you have to have double servings vegetables and between 20-30 grams of protein at each "feeding opportunity." Any additional carbs have to be earned by working out first. I'm sure there's much more to it than that (I just started) but, believe me, when you eat like that you kind of self-regulate. You're actually getting what you need anyway so calorie-counting is pointless (though I keep an eye on portion sizes...). Right now I'm just trying to get down the basic plan but I've got the two cookbooks and can't wait to get into the serious cooking part of it so I can eat more fun food than egg whites and chicken breasts!

The best part? I was down 2lbs. yesterday and weighed in at my lowest weight in 18 years this morning!
 
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Stacy,

Congrats on the weight loss!
I follow PN eating guidelines(when I'm on track:eek:).
I wanted to say that I agree with you if you follow the basic plan calorie counting is really not necessary. It's a lifestyle and most people will benefit from the lifestyle as-is. However, for individualization it does require calorie and nutrient logging. JB does not say you will never have to count calories ever again. He has calorie calculators on his forum. If you have a specific goal in mind, or find yourself gaining body fat on the program(yes, you can overeat healthy food) then you need to know what your eating for problem solving. If you look at figure athletes he trains, he tracks their calories and nutrients.

I am getting ready to put on my bikini in 10 weeks:eek:. I have a goal to reach a certain body fat % in that time frame, so yes I'm counting every nutrient. Balancing/limiting the starchy carbs and dairy. That requires food logging. I could do it blindly I guess, but the logging lets me know where I need to adjust to meet my specific goal.
 
I kept a food diary for a summer and got a real feel for how much I am eating as well as the approximate calories per serving for the foods I usually eat. I haven't kept track in a while and have managed to maintain and lose when necessary. Keeping track for that period of time really helped me pace and portion my eating. Whenever I feel I have been eating more liberally I will go back to keeping a record to remind myself of portions and serving sizes.
 
I've been reading/hearing alot about PN lately. It sounds similar to the Clean Eating plan by Tosca, but I'm sure there are differences. Sometimes I question some of the recipes in Tosca's plan - like Kathryn said, high in sodium - others use ingredients that wouldn't seem "clean." I know you have to pay for PN, so I don't want you to give away all the secrets for free, but is the premise basically combining lean protein and non-starchy carbs? Does it recommend a certain number of meals per day?
 
jansherman said:
I've been reading/hearing alot about PN lately. It sounds similar to the Clean Eating plan by Tosca, but I'm sure there are differences. Sometimes I question some of the recipes in Tosca's plan - like Kathryn said, high in sodium - others use ingredients that wouldn't seem "clean." I know you have to pay for PN, so I don't want you to give away all the secrets for free, but is the premise basically combining lean protein and non-starchy carbs? Does it recommend a certain number of meals per day?
Click to expand...

Here is a mini review of PN I posted recently:

http://www.thecathenation.com/forum...281&highlight=precision+nutrition#post1828281

I don't regret that I myself bought PN because I would have always wondered what is in it. But other than the satisfaction of curiosity, it was not worth it for the reasons I explain in the review above. In particular, and especially in light of your belief that there are some "secrets" (which is also what I thought before I bought it), I emphasize that there are no secrets because his premises and more are available online freely.
 
jansherman said:
I've been reading/hearing alot about PN lately. It sounds similar to the Clean Eating plan by Tosca, but I'm sure there are differences. Sometimes I question some of the recipes in Tosca's plan - like Kathryn said, high in sodium - others use ingredients that wouldn't seem "clean." I know you have to pay for PN, so I don't want you to give away all the secrets for free, but is the premise basically combining lean protein and non-starchy carbs? Does it recommend a certain number of meals per day?
Click to expand...


No, PN is not like Tosca Reno's clean eating.
PN is a plant based diet. The only time JB recommends eating starchy carbs(breads,pasta,oats) is post workout. The rest of the day is eating a balance of protein, veggies, fruit, nuts, healthy oil.

http://johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/7habits.htm
 
I agree with Kathryn, . . Tosca's clean eating is high in sodium. As far as counting. I don't count. I sorta just taught myself to recognize when I was full. I eat slow, chew my food, . . and always eat sitting down, . . never standing up and never on the run. It is amazing how you can train the body to really know when you are full. I used to binge eat and even though I knew I was full I'd just keep eating and I'd feel horrible after. I also eat on smaller plates and small ramekin's for my snack portions and overload on the veggies because they tend to make you more full. You'll notice if you follow the 6 small meals way of eating that your body will naturally trigger your hunger pangs almost like clockwork every 2-3 hours. When you focus on eating and not rushing you'll see that you'll recoginze when your body is just starting to get satisfied, . . this is usually my cue to stop eating. I know that I don't have to eat everything in front of me just because it is in front of me. That is why we have ziplock bags and tupperware. I like to call it my Jedi mind trick of using the force to monitor what I eat. :)
 
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