Estimating Calories Every Day Helps Me

Discussion in 'Health & Wellness' started by Frank Sanoica, Mar 1, 2016.

  1. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    Do any of you "count calories"? I understand that folks' metabolism rates vary, and are subject to a variety of different things, so, yes, I believe some people do not respond to the classical situation: those folks use calories in ways not totally predicted by theory. Most everyone else, though, I feel use the caloric values of foods pretty similarly, which supports my thinking, and the Physicists' pronouncements, that, in the long run, to maintain constant body weight, calories IN must equal calories OUT.

    Consider a person sitting in a chair, for a whole day, doing nothing physical. That person is "burning" calories: heart beating, diaphragm dragging down on the lungs, expulsing breath, the occasional twitch and scratch, the innumerable processes going on which replace old and worn-out cells, the skin shedding off cells, the brain and endocrine system (thyroid gland directing "traffic"), immune system killing off invading bacteria, all these processes are burning calories. But not many, compared to those expended by physical exercise, which brings added muscle activity into play; exercise is important for several reasons: it maintains muscle "tone", uses up those added calories you knew were not good for you: the desserts, cake and ice cream. I, personally LOVE those desserts. So, what am I driving at?

    The guy in the chair, may burn 1000 calories each day. If he is prudent in his eating habits, and consumes 1000 calories daily, he will neither gain, nor lose, body weight.

    Here's what I've done for a few years. I estimate day by day, the approximate "calorie load" I dump into my body. It's easy to find info on calories per amount of foods, you learn after awhile that an ounce of FAT is about 100 calories, any fat. Meats, milk, cream, cheese, veggies, you get a "handle" on all of them after awhile.

    Check out some sites listing "daily sustenance calories", which enable you to place your own circumstance, body weight, activity level, age, health condition, into an estimated daily sustenance calorie number. Mine is about 2000 calories. Sometimes the buffets my wife and I frequent dump 5000 on me! That, in addition to others during the 24 hour period. Just "guesstimate" your caloric intake, just pay attention to every single thing you stick in your mouth and eat, over the "long run", perhaps 6 weeks or more, if you have ON THE OVERALL AVERAGE, consumed less than your predicted daily sustenance calories, YOU WILL HAVE LOST WEIGHT. GUARANTEED! Frank
     
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  2. Terry Page

    Terry Page Supreme Member
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    Yes I agree with the basic calories in calories out principle, though as you say our individual metabolism will alter how we deal with any excess. I don't actually count calories, but I do limit the food I eat and try to eat as healthily as possible, I do the 5/2 fasting diet on and off, where on the two fasting days, you eat three small meals amounting to about 500 calories a day.

    I am on one main meal a day at the moment and my weight has dropped to 152 lbs which is too low for me really, so will top it up with extra healthy food now. The problem is I love cheese so it's not the healthiest of foods to top up with, plus of course our alcohol intake if any is often overlooked.
     
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  3. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    I have a sedentary job in the office where I work on the computer when I am not in a meeting. Expect very little physical activity that's why I try to walk up the stairs up to the 3rd floor before taking the elevator to my office on the 7th floor. And after dinner, my husband and I have that nightly walk to aid in the digestion. So I guess I'm on the gaining side when it comes to calories. But in fairness to me, I sometimes have vegetable salad for lunch or a tuna sandwich. And not I am trying to learn not to each much especially when I am not very hungry.
     
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  4. Sheldon Scott

    Sheldon Scott Supreme Member
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    No counting calories for me Or eliminating food because they are high in calories. When I need to shed a few pounds I eat small portions and eat often enough to keep from getting hungry. Getting more exercise helps too.
     
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  5. Mari North

    Mari North Veteran Member
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    @Frank Sanoica .. yes, I count calories, but it's more than in vs. out kcals. The burning calories through exercise offers additional benefits... so while it's right in theory, the exercise is important, too. I have tried for 1200 kcals a day for nearly two years now... metabolism is totally screwed up, but I'm dealing. :)

    @Terry Page , we need to talk! I've had so many questions about 5/2 and the literature and even professional opinions are maddening in the way they contradict each other. I'll try to start a thread about it in the health section so we don't hijack Frank's topic here.
     
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  6. Terry Page

    Terry Page Supreme Member
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    I agree but on the 5/2 diet and the way I eat now anyway I am never hungry, and I simply forget to eat some days when I am on my own, the only sign I get is faintness when my blood sugar falls too low.
     
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  7. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    I do a rough estimate of my calories, not a conscience effort. It all is just natural to me as breathing. I've watched my weight for so long that I probably know the calories in just about everything without even looking.

    It works for me as I've maintained my weight for years now give or take a few lbs.
     
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  8. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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