UD calorie counting

[addict1000]

I am overwhelmed by this. DD was so easy. Today I am eating things that I have no idea how to count. Some will just require more effort..like 12 or so almonds. I will have to put them in a measuring cup

But I just ate pork rinds and love dip. Impossible to know calories in dip..I guess I have to count and watch the number of pork rinds that go in my mouth


So...

How accurately do all you successful JUDDDers count your UD?

Does anyone just guesstimate or better yet just watch themselves to make sure they don't go crazy?

[jeaniem]

I too am interested to see what others do as far as counting on UD's. I am wondering if just eating until I am full would work on UD's??

[SoHappy]

OK. Here's the thing. Up Days are important. That's from two standpoints mainly, to my way of thinking. Number One.. if they go too far over your calorie ceiling, those extra calories are going to begin the erasing of all the advantage of your really low calories from your Down Day. And then you've negated the effectiveness of your Down Day to give you any loss of FAT. So you don't want to be going too far over, too often.

And Number Two, Up Days are important to use to delight your mouth, and therefore your mind and soul, and to delight your physical body with a rich offering of varied nutrient to choose from in the repair and maintenance of your machine and the very healing of your machine.. your body! So they're not just *free-for-all* days to be enjoyed from just the food standpoint, they fill a very important need. We use UDs to heal us and to rev up our metabolisms, to return us to operating in a more normal physical way. You aren't encouraging your metabolism to rev up, if you are holding even your UD calories too low. Metabolisms seem to zero in at about the level of calories you're eating at, or lower, and you don't want to encourage yours to run slowly.

So. You also don't want UDs to be hard to do, and do reasonably accurately. You really need to get a good food scale. It is so, so, so easy to weigh foods. Measuring out nuts is so hit or miss. But toss a handful of nuts onto the scale, and you know to enter into ******, *almonds, unroasted, 1.3 oz.* and you get an instant 213 calories. You can grab up the nuts and stroll off eating them, or say to yourself, *Whoa.. I don't want to eat that many calories in almonds, I'll take off a few and see how many calories 8 oz. of them would be*.....

Weighing out your foods is so much faster, easier, and enables you to add in a bit more or take out a bit so quickly and easily.

And then there is this: It's OK to estimate some of this stuff after awhile is you're pretty honest and truthful about eyeballing quantities. If you can do that pretty well, you'll probably do pretty well. If you can't do it very well, the only person who is going to suffer for it is you.

And after awhile, if you use a site like ****** (and there are others that folks think are a whole lot better) you get stuff plugged in there and it's there forever. So when you make your recipe of Macaroni and Cheese, it's already in there, and you just plug in 1/2 cup or whatever you're serving yourself.

I remember having the same problem when I did pure very low carb. I was trying to be so careful to pack lettuce into my 1 cup measure, terrified that I'd put in too much and my carbs would go over. Worried about the extra fractions of carbs in eggs or cream, etc.

After awhile, it gets a whole lot faster, a whole lot easier, and a whole lot more casual!

But I still strongly, strongly advise getting a food scale. (Or.. I just use my postal scale that I got back when I sold on ebay. LOL)

[addict1000]

okay! Going to buy a scale today if I can get them at the grocery store.

[SoHappy]

Originally Posted by addict1000

okay! Going to buy a scale today if I can get them at the grocery store.

Well, maybe not. None of our grocery store around here carry them. And when you spend the money for one - which you will use the rest of your life, and be glad for having - get one that is digital, rather than the little cheap ones with the needle that quivers up and down. I used to have a cheapo one like that and it was almost worthless. I threw it out.

[Mommie22boys]

Yes. I do my best to keep track as accurately as possible of my UD calories. Sometimes i find i have to try to estimate the amount of a food I ate because i couldn't measure it. But i try to estimate honestly.

The beauty of the plan is the averaging of your UD and DD numbers. You want to work on a calorie level that will support weight loss. If I don't track where I'm at, I feel like I may not be maximizing the benefits of the plan. Am I always perfect at it? No. But every day I try.

I second the idea of getting a food scale.

[Cruzcrzy]

I also, weigh, measure and track on fit day. The only time it is really difficult is if I am eating out, and can not find the nutrition information online.

[pooticus]

I weigh and measure and record stuff...a bit an** that way I suppose.

I think it helps to see trends.

[1annewil]

One way I keep calories down on UD is with IFing and eating only two real meals. I don't count black coffee as a meal in the am. I do it on DD alot, too. Gives me more calories per meal on those days. However, today I will have had 2 and 1/2 meals by night time.

[SoHappy]

Originally Posted by 1annewil

One way I keep calories down on UD is with IFing and eating only two real meals. I don't count black coffee as a meal in the am. I do it on DD alot, too. Gives me more calories per meal on those days. However, today I will have had 2 and 1/2 meals by night time.

I am most often not hungry in the first hours of the day, so rarely eat before midday anyway, so that is a big help on DDs. And I'm with you about the black coffee. I'm enjoying a mug of coffee right now, and this is about the end of the pot for me.

I am one who enjoys an afternoon snack, and a nice supper, and then a yummy evening snack too even if supper was a big one, so I save a lot of calories for later in the day on both my Up and my Down days, just from knowing I need to have some calories left to satisfy myself with that evening snack.

I tried IF quite some time ago, and never lost just doing it alone, but I agree with you that it is something that is a help in doing DDs for a lot of us! Allows those two meals to be more filling and pleasing to both out eyes and our tummies.

[sophiethecat]

I do put everything into ******. If I have eaten somewhere and don't know the calories, I just estimate and go on. There may come a point when I stop logging everything in. I did get to that point when I was LC'g, probably after 2 months.

[sophiethecat]

Originally Posted by SoHappy

I am most often not hungry in the first hours of the day, so rarely eat before midday anyway, so that is a big help on DDs. And I'm with you about the black coffee. I'm enjoying a mug of coffee right now, and this is about the end of the pot for me.

This is me too. It's a big help to know I can go until afternoon without eating on DD but then I must be prepared to feel hungry again in the afternoon or at least during the evening, and to save something "sweet" like Russell Stover's Sugar Free candy for night so I don't feel hungry when I'm trying to sleep.

[jeaniem]

Guess I better get back to using ******

[SoHappy]

Originally Posted by jeaniem

Guess I better get back to using ******

Yeah, well.. there is that. Rats!

[metqa]

Fit day is just fine for me. I have a digital scale and use it regularly for anything I can.

after a while of weighing everything you will start to get a feel for foods so that it's easier to ESTIMATE when you cannot weigh.

BTW,an entire bag of pork rinds might only weigh 2 oz. so don't over estimate. Theyare mostly air.

But you can't really estimate if you have no references, so start measuring everything. I believe Mass matters more than volume, so unless it's a true liquid, the weigh most all foods. things like milk or broth can use cups and oz volumes. You'll very soon get a feel for how much something weighs just by handling it or looking at it.

then put it into ****** and let IT do the work for you.

Just yesterday I made a composite dish of chicken, cream cheese and canned Rotel. Because I weighed everything, I was able to get a calorie count for the whole batch. And because I knew what the batch weight was,I was able to use ****** to calculate portions, no matter the cup or bowl size. Now I can just scoop out how much I want and just put 200g of my Custom Homemade soup in ****** and It does the math for me. Easy Peasy.

[LuvLatte]

I weigh and count out portions portions per package instructions. When I eat out, or given food at work (cuz someone brought in tamales, for example), I look it up on the ************ app on my phone, and tend to err on the high end if there is a large range of calories given.

[addict1000]

Okay LOL no scale at the grocery store To be fair to myself, it was a really big store with lots of shelves of cookware etc.

This is going to be really new to me...all this counting....but I think it will be good for me. Part of my poor eating is because I don't want to think about what I am eating. I just want to shove it in mindlessly.

Today, I am just going to watch it and not go crazy. I will have time to shop on Monday...and I will have to hunt down my old rusty Fit day account in it. I think it only has fat fast information recorded for me

[SoHappy]

Originally Posted by addict1000

Okay LOL no scale at the grocery store To be fair to myself, it was a really big store with lots of shelves of cookware etc.

This is going to be really new to me...all this counting....but I think it will be good for me. Part of my poor eating is because I don't want to think about what I am eating. I just want to shove it in mindlessly.

Today, I am just going to watch it and not go crazy. I will have time to shop on Monday...and I will have to hunt down my old rusty Fit day account in it. I think it only has fat fast information recorded for me

You'll like having a scale once you get into using it. It really does make things easier. Hope you locate one this week at some other store.

The part of your post about poor eating and just wanting to shove it in mindlessly is something I think a lot of folks can identify with, at least on an occasion.

The thing that scared me about that was that... if I continued eating as I had been, my weight wasn't going to stabilize. I was going to keep getting fatter and fatter and fatter. That was the part that scared me. It just wasn't going to happen on its own. It wasn't, and it wasn't going to start. I had to do better. So that's when I knew I was either going to have to get used to being a fat woman, probably getting fatter forever, or I was going to have to grow up.

I wish I'd known then what I know now. It's so easy. I just do it and live my life. And I don't have to be fat if I don't want to be.

[addict1000]

This is what I have struggled with for so long.

I have been a grown up about things for awhile now. I have gone really long periods of true food sacrifice...but if I am not seeing results...I always go back to what is the point? I might as well enjoy the years I have left...being able to eat with my family at a restaurant etc...and I quit (knowing in the back of my mind that I will really try again)...hence the binge. I try to get as much of the "bad stuff" before my guilty conscience gets me back on plan

JUDDD is hopefully the "trick" that allows my strength of will to meet up with success. If so...I can do this for life.

I am willing to work hard at something as long as there is progress and the chance at success.

[SoHappy]

Originally Posted by addict1000

This is what I have struggled with for so long.

I have been a grown up about things for awhile now. I have gone really long periods of true food sacrifice...but if I am not seeing results...I always go back to what is the point? I might as well enjoy the years I have left...being able to eat with my family at a restaurant etc...and I quit (knowing in the back of my mind that I will really try again)...hence the binge. I try to get as much of the "bad stuff" before my guilty conscience gets me back on plan

JUDDD is hopefully the "trick" that allows my strength of will to meet up with success. If so...I can do this for life.

I am willing to work hard at something as long as there is progress and the chance at success.

Here's the thing JUDDD will be able to do for you. You say that if you don't see the *results* you go back to eating with your family at a restaurant, etc.

But on JUDDD, that's now a part of your life. Every other day now will be anything you want it to be. Does your family want to run by KFC while out shopping this weekend? Do that trip on an UD, and enjoy the crusty fried chicken, 'taters & gravy, and biscuit with your kids. Want to get together with your best friends at a nice restaurant and enjoy a fabulous dinner and a couple of drinks. Plan it for an UD, and pay attention... you can pull this off and remain completely on plan. Do you think I'm going to face the Holiday Season without pecan pie at Thanksgiving, decorated cookies and fudge at Christmas, and all the delicious foods that will fill my house and my tummy as these weeks lead up to the celebrations? Nope. I work things into my Up Days and enjoy the dickens out of it all. And remain truly and completely on JUDDD.

I do the Down Days, as my way to pay for it all, and in exchange for my patience, JUDDD slims me and maintains me.

I don't go off plan because I didn't like being fat and I don't want to get fat again. This plan slowly but surely takes away the fat and gives me *a life* again as far as my dining pleasure goes. I love it.

[addict1000]

JUDDD is exciting for sure.

I just had to weigh ...no self control. Down another half a pound on the evening of my UD...

A big thanks to all of you who have been faithfully and loudly singing the praises of JUDDD

[emky]

Originally Posted by SoHappy

I do the Down Days, as my way to pay for it all, and in exchange for my patience, JUDDD slims me and maintains me.

Is it weird that I'm soothed by the way you describe the benefits of this WOE?

More than once, your words have convinced me that JUDDD is the way to go for LIFE (even if I don't lose a freakin pound).

[lcklass]

Some great tips in this thread - thanks so much! I was calorie counting with Atkins, having found I needed to keep my calories below 1800 to lose, even going very low carb. ****** is an amazing tool, it was an eye opener when I first started using it, lol. I try to plan my day in advance, plug all those things into ****** so then I have a good idea of what I should eat. I don't always follow it, unfortunately So if I want to eat 1800, I plan a day for 1500 calories and know that I will easily overeat those 300 calories. Because I don't weight my food like i used to, need to get back into that habit. At the end of the day, I put in what I've eaten and if I go over, tben I adjusted my calories down the next day. Of course, this was before I learned about JUDDD ... I'll probably stick with a 500 DD if I overeat on my UD.

Bonnie

[betty301]

I'm glad this thread was posted.


There's just something about counting that make me feel agitated.

Maybe because I've lost in the past without counting. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when satisfied.
But I'm taking on JUDDD with an open mind and trying something new..tracking calories!!!

I'll eat what I want first and then track it. I still want to follow my hunger with my brain/belly, not by the computer..

Does that make sense? But what if you don't make cals? Do you then train your body to just eat more???

[Cruzcrzy]

Betty,

I totally get what you are saying. It sounds like intuitive eating. I DO think that is a very good thing. There was a time I practiced intuitive eating and I do think you are less focused on food that way. I say give it a try, eating first, and then recording and see how it goes. If it is not working, rethink things. I think if your UD calories are not high enough we can brainstorm on some ways to get your calories up. You don't want your body to go into starvation mode and not want to release the fat.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by addict1000

Okay LOL no scale at the grocery store To be fair to myself, it was a really big store with lots of shelves of cookware etc.

This is going to be really new to me...all this counting....but I think it will be good for me. Part of my poor eating is because I don't want to think about what I am eating. I just want to shove it in mindlessly.

Today, I am just going to watch it and not go crazy. I will have time to shop on Monday...and I will have to hunt down my old rusty Fit day account in it. I think it only has fat fast information recorded for me

I needed a kitchen scale for when I started doing the hcg diet. A tip someone told me: Bed Bath and Beyond. I got a Biggest Loser digital scale with a coupon and for less than $20 I got a fantastic scale!!! It really is not as bad as it seems. I weigh my protein while on my plan so I think it really helps put it in perspective what a serving really is. Thank goodness I have an account already at ******. It's a bit cumbersome at first but once you get some foods into it, smooth sailing!! Inputting just a bit every day helps in the long run. Thank goodness most of my food has a label.

[addict1000]

OOOh thanks!

I store up my BBB coupons since they take them even if they are expired. (even though the store got smart and now they reduce them to 10% off after a certain date)

Putting this on my schedule tomorrow.

Money is honestly no object to be for weight loss. I am just frugal in the sense that I want to make sure that it is going to work!

[SoHappy]

Originally Posted by betty301

I'm glad this thread was posted.


There's just something about counting that make me feel agitated.

Maybe because I've lost in the past without counting. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when satisfied.
But I'm taking on JUDDD with an open mind and trying something new..tracking calories!!!

I'll eat what I want first and then track it. I still want to follow my hunger with my brain/belly, not by the computer..

Does that make sense? But what if you don't make cals? Do you then train your body to just eat more???

You absolutely get to diet any way you wish to. Period. Like I've read it said over in the Main Lobby, ".....Your Body. Your Choice....."

And I can understand the not wanting/liking to have to weigh and measure the foods and portions, and track and log in calories. I don't think many of us have ever aspired to that! If what you try works great for you, that will be wonderful, and Boy! I'd go for that!

And if it doesn't, the scale will tell you pretty quick, so you can rethink at that time if you want.

Good luck, and let us know how you do. I'll be rooting for your great success.

Originally Posted by Cruzcrzy

Betty,

I totally get what you are saying. It sounds like intuitive eating. I DO think that is a very good thing. There was a time I practiced intuitive eating and I do think you are less focused on food that way. I say give it a try, eating first, and then recording and see how it goes. If it is not working, rethink things. I think if your UD calories are not high enough we can brainstorm on some ways to get your calories up. You don't want your body to go into starvation mode and not want to release the fat.

Yes, I think one of the reasons it's a little more important on JUDDD than on most other eating plans is that we are already eating so little on our Down Days. If you combine that with not eating much on Up Days either, it's completely possible for somebody to find themselves averaging so little that their metabolism is triggered to slow to a much lower level in order to slow body function to prevent misinterpreted starvation.

A normal person with a normal metabolism can expect their metabolism to pop back up when they start eating more food, but so many of us have such ruined metabolic workings that we can't count on that happening. Once we cause it to be lowered, it isn't always a temporary thing for us. We can find that we've slowed down and can't get back up to par again.

[betty301]

Originally Posted by SoHappy

You absolutely get to diet any way you wish to. Period. Like I've read it said over in the Main Lobby, ".....Your Body. Your Choice....."

And I can understand the not wanting/liking to have to weigh and measure the foods and portions, and track and log in calories. I don't think many of us have ever aspired to that! If what you try works great for you, that will be wonderful, and Boy! I'd go for that!

And if it doesn't, the scale will tell you pretty quick, so you can rethink at that time if you want.

Good luck, and let us know how you do. I'll be rooting for your great success.




Yes, I think one of the reasons it's a little more important on JUDDD than on most other eating plans is that we are already eating so little on our Down Days. If you combine that with not eating much on Up Days either, it's completely possible for somebody to find themselves averaging so little that their metabolism is triggered to slow to a much lower level in order to slow body function to prevent misinterpreted starvation.

A normal person with a normal metabolism can expect their metabolism to pop back up when they start eating more food, but so many of us have such ruined metabolic workings that we can't count on that happening. Once we cause it to be lowered, it isn't always a temporary thing for us. We can find that we've slowed down and can't get back up to par again.

Yes. Thanks ladies!
And I'm already running on a slow metabolism with this busted thyroid of mine. I will do my best and EAAAAT.

[Cruzcrzy]

Betty,

I can empathize with the thyroid stuff because I am hypothyroid and take Armour.