Tracking calories?

[NedoCTB]

How do you properly track calories? I've never really focused on counting calories but I'm starting to think that's very important to lose this last chunk of weight! I don't think I can eye ball any longer.

What kind of tools do I need to do this?

[almeeker]

Measuring cups and a digital kitchen scale work really well, that's about it. I purchased a really nice scale at Wal-Mart, it was under $20 about a year ago.

[mecompco]

Originally Posted by almeeker

Measuring cups and a digital kitchen scale work really well, that's about it. I purchased a really nice scale at Wal-Mart, it was under $20 about a year ago.

That's the ticket. After a while "portion creep" seems to set in for me if I don't measure for a while. If your weight loss stalls, a few days or a week of using the cup/scale may help you get back on track--at least it does me.

[sjcarlon]

My schedule just wont let me measure foods out (and I am not very good at pre-making lunches, etc. One thing I have done is to surround myself with protein at the office and home. Bars, shakes, etc. purchased in bulk from Sams. I can get satisfied fast, and I know exactly how much I am taking in. None of those products taste so great that I really want to eat extra. My biggest thing has been trying to keep myself from getting Doritoes out of the machine (I was practically living out of vending machines before my protein strategy.) out of boredom while working late. At restaurants, I have this big happiness thing with getting a big full plate of food. That's still a problem area for me. And measurement is impossible. The only strategy I can seem to get to work for me is to only order things I can tolerate which are not too bad but give you a larger portion size. For example, getting the lettuce wraps at PF changs along with a bowl of hot and sour soup. Not quite as bad as some of my favorite entrees (which exceed 1500 calories!). Good luck

[RichardBuckner]

Originally Posted by NedoCTB

How do you properly track calories? I've never really focused on counting calories but I'm starting to think that's very important to lose this last chunk of weight! I don't think I can eye ball any longer.

What kind of tools do I need to do this?

I have a little scale that measures oz and grams. I put a paper plate on it and read the tare then put the food on it. It has a little box on top and I can put fruit and things like that in it. It does not take long. Then the foods in fit day and the nutrition information on packaged foods give you what you have to enter, the latter for custom foods if they are not in it. I am using New Atkins and I find that if I keep net carbs low the calories are also low. You want to figure your maintenance calorie intake using the fitday resources and for every 500 calories below that per day you will lose a pound a week.