Over worried about calorie counting

[PheonixJo]

I find myself worrying and feeling bad if ive gone over my calories a bit and worry that I'll have put wait on

[Hidden]

From my experience I put wait on easier from watching calories to much. I still count calories but writing them down in a food diary is better for me. That way I can see yes I had more calories but it was because I had a filling healthy tea.

I think the best thing is if you go over make sure you do something to combat it. Maybe drink more water or swap a naughty snack for some fruit or go for a longer walk the next day.

We may be dieting but the main aim is to get healthy. Sadly we can't do either if we are hungry.

[MrNiceGuy]

Provided you continue to maintain a deficit from your recommended maximum, the odd day of slight excess isn’t going to make a huge difference to your overall level of loss for the week.

Take into consideration that if a deficit of 500Kcal was maintained for 6 days out 7, for example, that’d be a reduction of 3000Kcal on food alone, without even contemplating the calories expended through activity.

As such, even if you happened to overeat by 500Kcal on one day, it’d simply mean that calorie reduction through food for that week would end at 2500Kcal, instead of 3500Kcal.

Again, what you eat throughout the week, even on days that a deficit is maintained, has a bearing, since a diet that remains high in refined/processed carbohydrate, for example, impacts severely upon blood sugar levels and level of insulin sensitivity.

However, provided that intake has largely consisted of lean protein, complex carbohydrate and healthy fat, the odd day of indulgence won’t upset the balance too greatly. If anything, it’ll hopefully allow you to appreciate that a life of restriction doesn’t need to be lived, something that’s most welcome at this time of year.

[Jenever]

Counting caloies and weighing food to calculate calorific value can really get you down, I'm more concerned with fat content these days.

[JiminyCricket 7lbs]

I add up my calories over the week as well, so I can see what my average has been. It smooths out the days when I've had more and helps you see the bigger picture.

[ElaineElizabeth]

You might be better off focussing on healthy eating rather than obsessing over calories. Have a look at the Eatwell Guide or Feed Yourself Fuller which help you to cut calories by choosing healthier foods. Because you are not actively calorie counting you don't need to feel guilty because you haven't stuck to a precise number of calories. When I used to count calories many years ago I would feel so guily if I had a slip up that I ended up bingeing which was totally counter productive and left me feeling awful.