Do you track calories? How many calories do you eat per day?

[Deleted User]

I was lifting weights for several months and ate like a pig to gain muscle, and I gained some muscle but more fat. I weigh 214 still doing strength training every other day but I've added cardio every single day 50 minutes (yes that's a lot) and I just started counting calories on myfitnesspal. I'm right around 2000 calories per day, but minus about 400-600 for cardio. I would love to eat only 1500 a day but I just don't have the energy then for the cardio. Hoping to get down to 165 lbs how ever long it takes I'm hoping within about 6 months but if it takes longer so be it.

I can bet most people that count calories are actually watching their weight though. When I was just lifting and overeating I have no idea how many calories I was eating. Probably over 3000 a day I would guess.

 

[Deleted User]

Since I was exhausted from cardio and eating pretty healthy overall I just rewarded myself with a 4 piece chicken mcnugget with a little bit of barbecue sauce. Sounds really bad and no it's not great but only 170 calories 12 grams of carbs 9 grams of protein and 360 mg of sodium.

 

[JuanMena]

I've never cared for such things.
I just like to eat and I do eat a lot, but if I have to be honest, I'm someone whom regardless of how much I eat I can't gain weight easily.

It's also hard for me to gain muscle, but I try to have a protein based diet.

For instance, I eat lots of chicken, eggs, rice, beans, milk and cheese. And I'd rather eat peanuts/almonds/pecans/oats instead of cookies, chocolate (to which I'm allergic to) and candy in general, but I do admit having a problem with Coca-Cola and anything that happens to be Grape or Apple flavoured.

As for exercising, I used to do basketball in my teens, and I use that as cardio nowadays.
I do weight lifting but it's more on the calisthenics side.

On my prime (weighting about 80-75 kilos at 6'0") I would do about 50ish squats while carrying a completely filled water carboy of 28liters.
I also would lift an entire fridge, my 27" Trinitron, and lift relatively easily my parents.
Nowadays I can't bend down without groaning

I'm just over weight for 8 pounds, and I still believe that counting calories is not worth it. At least not considering that is hard for me to get fat.

 

[Deleted User]

Yeah in your case I probably wouldn't either. I made the mistake of lifting and eating too much to gain muscle and gained more fat than muscle. If I eat what I really want to eat, I will just get fatter. But if I discipline myself plus all the cardio I'm doing I will lose. That's why it makes sense for me.

 

[JuanMena]

Yeah in your case I probably wouldn't either. I made the mistake of lifting and eating too much to gain muscle and gained more fat than muscle. If I eat what I really want to eat, I will just get fatter. But if I discipline myself plus all the cardio I'm doing I will lose. That's why it makes sense for me.

That makes little sense to me. Bow you gained fat from exercising? You ate properly?
I've read that a high protein diet will help tou get rid of fat.

 

[Deleted User]

That makes little sense to me. Bow you gained fat from exercising? You ate properly?
I've read that a high protein diet will help tou get rid of fat.

I didn't eat properly I was getting massive amounts of food from buffets just to get muscle gains, but mostly just got fat despite lifting consistently for 4 months. I was way overeating.

I've been on a high protein diet and still got fat.

I'm probably older than you I assume by quite a lot, and my metabolism is not as good plus I've had health problems. So overeating was stupid.

 

[JuanMena]

I didn't eat properly I was getting massive amounts of food from buffets just to get muscle gains, but mostly just got fat despite lifting consistently for 4 months. I was way overeating.

I've been on a high protein diet and still got fat.

I'm probably older than you I assume by quite a lot, and my metabolism is not as good plus I've had health problems. So overeating was stupid.

Just checked your age. I'm 27 and I've been exercising since I got 21.
But I stopped at 2018 and this 1st of January I started once again to exercise.

I see your problem. It's not like your metabolism isn't the same. It might be, but it's not your metabolism's fault.

The thing is that you must've eaten lots of calories without realizing. For instance, while you ate protein, I'm assuming, meat like chicken, beef, pork, etc... It was probably fried meat, instead of steamed or other than fried.
I don't think Buffets are heatlhy in a daily basis.
I've been into Chinese buffets before, and when I do go to it I try to stik with Rice, Steamed Veggies and Potatos. Maybe a bit of those Fish balls or Ribs, but nothing more.

Last month I tried to do a diet, but I ended up eating, way, way WAY more than if I wasn't trying to do it. Go figure, I was planning to do a full rice and beans with meat and eggs diet, and I did made me 2 cups of rice "For two days" and I ate it in less than 12 hours, because I couldn't get satisfied with the ammount I was serving into my dish. While this isn't bad, it's not healthy neither.
And nowadays I'm eating regularly but I've increased my exercises.
Now, instead of doing just 1 hour I try to do 3 to 4. In fact, I just returned from it.

Try to change your animal protein into "vegetal" protein. You can find lots of protein in Rice, Beans, Peanuts, Pecans and Cheese/Milk.
70% of a peanut's content is plain protein. Besides, you'll get fat from them, and it's not the bad kind. As a matter of fact you'll ad lots of good fat into your diet.

I'd suggest you to drink a "Protein shake" made out of Banana, Milk and Peanutbutter.
Just read the label to know it's fat content and always make sure that it has more protein than fat.
Also, if feeling hungry, a handfull of seeds is enough to keep you satisfied for hours (but still try to eat normally)

 

[godreborn]

I don't count calories. I just eat what I eat. I do exercise though. I was supposed to tomorrow, but it had to be postponed to Friday. after injuring my leg, we avoided leg exercises yesterday. it wasn't too bad. I go to the doctor in a few hours, so maybe I'll mention it there. I almost cancelled, but my doctor called me and convinced me to come in. I don't drive, so I have to use their transportation people. I've been doing that for years though, and the slot was still free.

 

[bazamuffin]

I'm going to die anyway and doing this kind of shit won't change that. Its all too much of a hassle so I eat what I want, when I want. Currently eating last nights leftover Birria Tacos and eyeing up a choccy bar or two for after it

 

[spiralstaircase]

I try to eat ~1500 calories per day. I don't really count the calories I eat (I'm too lazy to do that! And it's hard to do that for cooked meals.), but I do make, I suppose, a mental note of how caloric something I'm eating is. For snacks (trying to cut short on those!) I try anything below... 150 calories, I'd say? So mostly those fruit-flavoured jellies (or Jello, if you're American) that you get in those little containers, they're only 15 calories. For breakfast I usually eat a piece of fruit, the aforementioned jelly, or some yogurt. Sometimes cereal on the weekends.

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

I never count calories and to be honest, my life is too busy to be constantly monitoring exactly what I eat. I take food where I can get it even if it's unhealthy. That being said, I always try to eat fruits and ESPECIALLY vegetables as often as I can. I just don't want to have a heart attack or some other health issues. (Doesn't help that my favorite food is hamburgers).

 

[J-Machine]

when i counted caories i ended up with an eating disorder. i don't reccomend it when it's easier, and healthier, to introduce better foods and cut back on snacks/liquid calories like soda.

 

[x65943]

I used to count when I was really poor and couldn't afford a lot of food - just to make sure I was buying food with the most calories possible

once I could afford to eat what I wanted I just eat til I'm full - I'm not fat yet

I think as long as you don't snack between meals and keep a little bit of exercise you'll regulate your own weight pretty well

 

[Veho]

I don't count my calories but based on my weight, age, height and lifestyle, calorie calculators claim I eat 2500 calories per day, which seems very little to me, considering the kind of food I eat and how much of it I eat.

 

[Chary]

I've tried to count calories and track stuff, mostly because I have a habit of forgetting to eat, sometimes, and I was feeling constantly tired because I wasn't getting any nutrition. It felt a little easy to get lost in the numbers though, and obsess over them. These days I don't bother with that, and just remind myself to cook meals and just eat what I want.

According to a calculator though, it's about ~1500 calories per day.

 

[smf]

I've never counted calories. I cook everything from scratch and I'm not going to try to work it out for everything I cook.

I'm not sure how accurate the calories on packets are either.

I cut out processed sugar and wheat from my diet a long time ago and that helps me a lot.

 

[b17bomber]

I eat 1500 a day

 

[AncientBoi]

I'm going to die anyway and doing this kind of shit won't change that. Birria Tacos and eyeing up a choccy bar or two for after it

[steals those tacos n eats them]

 

[Marc_LFD]

Nah, screw that.

I'll tell you what I've eaten so far today:

Lunch: Rice, grilled beef, and natural orange juice from oranges from our farm. And a coffee afterwards.

Later: Slice of pizza with bacon, natural orange juice again, and a hot tea as it's healthy.

Water is essential so that's something I drink throughout the day and night.

 

[GeekyGuy]

Never have, though I have tried to be mindful of my food intake each day. But having been on medical leave again since last June, it seems that might be a good tact to take. I've become overweight and out of shape. Not happy. I don't think it would be quite an issue, but with my wife's behavior over the past six months, it's just compounded my poor food-eating habits.