Do you count calories?

[anners78]

Do you count calories? How do you do it...weight watchers, website, other?

Just wondering, because I've never really bothered...I just figured that things will work themselves out if I minimize the junk food intake. But now that I have put on a few pounds, I'm starting to wonder...
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Runner since summer 2004.
5 half marathons (PB 2:09), 1 marathon (4:54)

Next up:
Sporting Life 10k, May 07
Forest City half marathon, May 07
MDS Nordion 10k (Ottawa), May 07
Marathon #2? thinking about it...

[jwolf]

NO! I think I would go crazy trying to do that. And I tend to get obsessive about things, so it would probably not be healthy for me.

It's pretty normal to put on a few pounds during marathon training. I'm hungry all the time, and try to eat carefully, but our bodies are under a lot of stress.

[TriTrev]

I never count calories, but I try to make healthy choices, and portion control when I need to. I lost 50 lbs from Mar 04 to June 05 and since then I have maintained that weight loss....I intend to drop that another 10-15lbs as I will be doing the I.M.C. in 2007, and with 15-20 hrs training a week, I don't think it's possible to eat healthy, and not lose weight.
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If you run long enough....something is bound to happen !

Yearly totals
2009..1010km, 2010..1405km, 2011..1001km, 2012...1200km

[gottagothedista]

never

[rjh]

I count them to make sure I'm getting enough. When I started running I dropped way too much weight too fast, and paid the consequences. I also wasn't mindful of things like whole grains and 'good' fats.

Now I eat enough fiber and calories to kill a horse.
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2006 HSBC Calgary Marathon: 3:39
2006 Rocky Mountain Half: 1:40

[gwnorth]

I started couting calories when I wanted to loose weight after the birth of my second child. I did it religiously every day for about a year and a half. I started getting a little lax after that having hit my goal weight for a while. I found however that I started gaining weight again so I went back to it. I haven't been that dedicated since I started marathon training, but I think I will probably return to it once I reduce my training volume. I find monitoring my calories is more of a necessity in the winter time as I really crave comfort foods when it's cold. My appetite lightens up in the summer so it's easier for me to maintain my weight and I don't have to be as vigilant with my diet.

gwnorth
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Maria

2008

Done
Chilly 1/2
ATB 30k
Mississauga 1/2
C3 Caledon Tri
Guelph Lake Sprint Tri

[i_postwaytoomuch]

Never. But having said that I do read nutrition labels carefully and I always lean towards healthier choices. I also like cooking my own meals instead of eating out or ordering in because I have control of the ingredients.
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Jim

"Never again .... until the next time."

[nmohd]

yes, everyday

[b_clancey]

I never bother counting calories. If I gain weight then I am obviously taking in more calories than I am expending. The choices are simple. Do more and/or eat less.

However, in doing more, I find my appetite grows. This makes it very important to look for foods which are healthy and which are consumed more slowly by the body in order to provide more energy over a longer period of time, helping keep hunger at bay while still providing the energy I need.

Unfortunately, the only meal I have really got figured out is breakfast.
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We Dig Sports News

[0556]

Never. As long as I'm making healthy choices, there's no need to count calories.

[a_paling]

I count my calories everyday, I actually do it through a website called http://www.fitday.com. I like it because I can record a journal of my runs and how I was feeling that day overall.
I am a healthy eatter as well but I like being able to see what it is that I am taking in everyday, and also to be able to balance out the amounts of carbs/protein/fats etc.
Just because you count your calories doesnt make you a bad eatter, for me it helps to show me really how healthy I am already eatting. So all the power to those who want to count your calories, I am gonna keep on doin it!

[loubear]

I too use http://www.fitday.com. It has a good database of food and I like that you can add your own customized foods to the lists. I have been using the site for about a month now. It is helpful for me because it has made me more aware of what I am eating. I don't count to the exact calorie, but I find that I am reading nutrition labels more closely.
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Lou

Red Deer Half Marathon (2006) - 2:20:11
Edmonton ING Half Marathon (2006) - 2:20:02
Edmonton ING Half Marathon (2008) - ?????

Today's habits become tomorrow's destiny.

[l_williams1]

I try not too...life's too short to worry about what you eat. The only thing I try not to do is eat out.

Leanne
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Pain is temporary...Pride is forever!

20min challenge 2005
Waterfront trail 5K 2005
Canadian Breast Cancer Run 5K 2005
Hannukah Hustle 10K 2005

[lim314159]

Great to see that I'm like most who partaked in the poll -- I don't count calories. But I always look at the nutritional label -- especially the fat content. I always get a disgusted look when I see labels that have foods with say 47% fat for a serving. Yuck I could never put that in my body anymore.

Louis
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Louis

http://lim314159.blogspot.com/

[jonovision_man]

When I try to lose weight, I count.

I use a... unique? system. I print out a piece of paper that has boxes that look like this:

-1000 -900 -800 -700 -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600

I rip off a box for every 100 or so calories... from right to left. When I get to 0 in a day I stop, that's 2lbs/week loss for me (1600 calories per day - calculate this somewhere, depends on a bunch of factors!). If I get to -500 then I'm at 1lb/week... if I rip off the boxes all the way to -1000 then I'm at no weight loss and need to be flogged.

It's really simple and it worked for me. I was 212 and got down under 190 in a couple of months, and lower still since then...

jono
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