Should I be counting calories?

I have been tracking my protein and ounces of water, but should I be counting my calories too?
I can only eat about a 1/4c at a time right now and using my protein supplements.
I have lost 28 pounds since july 29.
Thanks!
Maria

 Well,I suspect most people here will disagree with me about this but  I do not think all calories are created equal ..at all.  

I find i can eat far more calories in fruit, lightly cooked vegetables ,  whole grains  and lean protein without gaining ...and conversely far LESS  from fat , sugary foods and highly processed foods combining the two .  

I do think its informative though to see how few calories U really should  be eating to maintain Ur target weight ....  my total was shockingly low , something like 1200 a day !!

No WONDER i have  a problem with regain  when i routinely ate twice that much ....

Thanks Ava!
I see what you are saying.
That's what I am wondering, because right now it is just protein, with maybe a bite of veggies or a spoon of applesauce with my citrical and iron.
So when I start adding in other foods, is it more important to count calories?

It all kind of depends on what makes you the most comfortable. I have been counting calories since day 1 -- not necessarily to control them -- just so that I'm aware. Being unaware of how much I ate was how I got obese in the first place. I use FitDay.Com to record my food, exercise, and weight. Along with logging my food to get the protein count, I automatically get the calorie count too. My doctor asked me the approx. # of calories and grams of protein I was taking in at my 6 month post-op the other day too. I was happy to have that information for her.

I track calories because I think it will be helpful when I get to maintenence.

I track my calories, protein, and water. I also keep an eye on measuring size (1/4 cup, etc)

I also agree that all calories are not equal and that one should allow the 'flexibility' to allow the fruits and veggies to be part of the equation. I tend to be visual with my pouch and the stuff I put in it. Calories is equal to $ in the bank. I only want the best bang for my buck so to speak going in. If I overshoot caloric goals...and I do it with fruits/veggies...then I am not stressed out about it. If I overshoot because of simple carbs, snacking on popcorn, and poor choices in food...then I worry and reset my brain for the next meal. Notice not the next day...the next meal. 

Over this past week, I have barely reached 1000 calories as my goal. Last week?? Um, wasn't keeping track AT ALL and making poor choices allowed me to creep up 3-4 lbs. I have lost 1/2 of what creeped back on so I must be right back on track. 

 I have tracked on Myfitnesspal.com since before surgery.  I track calories, protein and carbs.  I don't think I get enough fat to worry about.  I also track water intake and weight all on the same website.  Oh, and I definitely track my exercise.  That program tells me to eat more when I earn lots of exercise calories, but I still stick to my targets, regardless.
I keep calories around 800 a day.  It I'm tracking, I can go back and see what worked and what didn't.  Some days I'm at 600 and there have been a few 850 calorie days in the last month or so.

You're doing great Maria!  You'll find what works best for you.  :)

Thanks guys!
I guess I will start tracking calories and exercise too!
Maria

You're doing great, Maria. Minus 28 pounds since the end of July is right on target. I should probably start to track my carbs and calories too. In maintenance, it is way too easy to let thing get away from you. If you can start the good habits now, you'll be way ahead of the game in the future.

--g

Yeah tracking really helped me,Maria . I was one of these food- obsessed constantly cooking people and i thought eating 3x more than i should was Ok because i ran ....NOT

Youd think i would have LEARNED this with my weight creeping up to 240 lbs ... over the years ..but i attributed it to diabetes and metabolic resistance .. rather than ( maybe ) blaming the diabetes on the daily stream of " dietetic " cakes, candy and pies LOL ( not to mention the biweekly all u can eat BUFFETS)

Yeah , it takes a while to get real .... ( for SOME of us anyway )

Sure Hope Ure not as Hard - headed as I am LOL !

I learned a LOT here on the LW board ( when i was teachable enough to LISTEN that is ) - watching people eat like hobbits as Gina so eloquently puts it ....

for a long time i thought I would DIE if I had to live like that .

Well Im coming around to the radical idea that maybe i dont have a God- given right to binge on everything and anything and expect to be a size 00 .

That my size is a CHOICE ..or the result a series of choices i make every day ...and that my tool may just have given me enough control to BE that size 00 if I eat wisely ....

Just for today Im not binging or overeating ...Im maintaining my weight without exercise , and finding i dont have to eat for entertainment or emotional solace ....Thank God !!