Awesome post on calorie counting by Kath at Gather.com, called “Crunching Numbers.”
As someone who genuinely enjoys journaling and counting, keeping a spreadsheet of my finances and tracking my spending (though I’m much better about the former than the latter!) I definitely fall into the category of benefiting from it.
But I also know it can become obsessive for some — even myself, at times. Still, I agree with all of Kath’s points here. For me, counting keeps me …well, accountable! When I’m not journaling accurately, I gain weight or maintain.
The key is using it as a tool, but not abusing it. That’s when counting becomes disordered and compulsive. And I don’t want to go back down that path.
How about you? Where do you stand? Is calorie counting a positive tool for you, or does it lead to obsessive behaviors?
Let There Be Light 
For me, calorie counting is tricky. I’m in recovery from anorexia and need to gain weight. I find that if I don’t count calories, I don’t eat enough. Counting keeps me in the ballpark I need to be in. However, I can get extremely obsessive about it, to the point that I’m ignoring body signals and eating according to a number. I’ve decided that once I reach my goal weight, I’d like to stop counting and be more intuitive with what I eat. My hunger signals vary from day to day, so it makes sense that my intake may vary a bit day to day. Right now, with gaining weight, I can’t afford to have it vary too much. I eat whether I’m hungry or not. But, I think my ideal would be to trust my body and not need to track my eating so diligently.
calorie counting is a very positive tool for me, especially when in weight loss mode. I find I am less obsessive about food when I count calories. I view it simply as data, no emotions tied to it. I do practice intuitive eating along with it and don’t eat just because I have calories “left” adn conversely if I am extra hungry some days then I will eat more. I just use my range as a guide.
its a love-hate relationship i guess with me. journaling started as a helpful tool, turned into a massive part of ED, and now i continue to journal food to make sure i get enough. my body signals are so damaged from anorexia that i wouldnt be able to “listen to my body” to tell me to eat enough.
i just read kims post above, guess we are in the same boat. variation can be dangerous too. one “low” day can lead to more and more. a small amount of calories dropped can have a strong physical and mental affect.
so right now, writing it down is saving.
I loved this article. I agree with Lara–counting actually brings me closer to moderation than not.