So where I fall now, which seems to be the same as you, is somewhere right in the middle. If I truly engaged in “mindful eating” without paying attention to calories, I’d probably eat 2500 calories a day, and given my height/build I would gain weight. That’s just how it is. So having a general idea of the calories I consume is something that I will probably always practice. But I will never go back to tracking everything I eat because no good came from it.

I will say that I am most successful with calorie counting when I plan how I’m going to spread out my calories for the day ahead of time. My meals each have a general calorie count (i.e. 350 for breakfast, 400 for lunch, and so on) and that way I am keeping track of my intake without having to disect every single element of my meal. Does that make sense?

Loved this post. And you’re right – calorie counting seems to have gotten an unwarranted bad rap. But the facts don’t lie, and the way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume. So counting calories shouldn’t be written off completely. The important thing is to do it the *right* way, because unfortunately there is a fine line between counting calories and getting obsessive with it.

Best of luck with your weight loss goals, I’m cheering you for!! xoxo Gracie

and love the cookies…need to make some now; i have a crack ton of oats too!