diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 82fa06e..8b0e60c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,18 +33,31 @@ Optionally, set the mode.  The default is `UILabelCountingMethodEaseInOut`, whic
 
 When you want the label to start counting, just call:
 
-    [myLabel countFrom:0 to:100];
+    [myLabel countFrom:50 to:100];
 
 You can also specify the duration.  The default is 2.0 seconds.
 
-    [myLabel countFrom:0 to:100 withDuration:5.0f];
+    [myLabel countFrom:50 to:100 withDuration:5.0f];
+
+Additionally, there is `animationDuration` property which you can use to override the default animation duration.
+
+    myLabel.animationDuration = 1.0;
+
+You can use common convinient methods for counting, such as:
+
+    [myLabel countFromCurrentValueTo:100];
+    [myLabel countFromZeroTo:100];
     
-The full signature is:
+Behind the scenes, these convinient methods use one base method, which has the following full signature:
     
     [myLabel     countFrom:(float)startValue 
                         to:(float)endValue 
               withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration];
 
+You can get current value of your label using `-currentValue` method (works correctly in the process of animation too):
+
+    CGFloat currentValue = [myLabel currentValue];
+
 ## Formats #####
 
 When you set the `format` property, the label will look for the presence of `%(.*)d` or `%(.*)i`, and if found, will cast the value to `int` before formatting the string.  Otherwise, it will format it using a `float`.  
diff --git a/UICountingLabel.h b/UICountingLabel.h
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 6814800..c840454
--- a/UICountingLabel.h
+++ b/UICountingLabel.h
@@ -15,14 +15,22 @@ typedef NSAttributedString* (^UICountingLabelAttributedFormatBlock)(float value)
 
 @property (nonatomic, strong) NSString *format;
 @property (nonatomic, assign) UILabelCountingMethod method;
+@property (nonatomic, assign) NSTimeInterval animationDuration;
 
 @property (nonatomic, copy) UICountingLabelFormatBlock formatBlock;
 @property (nonatomic, copy) UICountingLabelAttributedFormatBlock attributedFormatBlock;
 @property (nonatomic, copy) void (^completionBlock)();
 
-
 -(void)countFrom:(float)startValue to:(float)endValue;
 -(void)countFrom:(float)startValue to:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration;
 
+-(void)countFromCurrentValueTo:(float)endValue;
+-(void)countFromCurrentValueTo:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration;
+
+-(void)countFromZeroTo:(float)endValue;
+-(void)countFromZeroTo:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration;
+
+- (CGFloat)currentValue;
+
 @end
 
diff --git a/UICountingLabel.m b/UICountingLabel.m
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 163e53d..6cf3b7c
--- a/UICountingLabel.m
+++ b/UICountingLabel.m
@@ -94,20 +94,32 @@ @interface UICountingLabel ()
 @property NSTimeInterval totalTime;
 @property float easingRate;
 
-@property (nonatomic, strong) UILabelCounter* counter;
+@property (nonatomic, weak) NSTimer *timer;
+@property (nonatomic, strong) UILabelCounter *counter;
 
 @end
 
 @implementation UICountingLabel
 
--(void)countFrom:(float)value to:(float)endValue
-{
-    [self countFrom:value to:endValue withDuration:2.0f];
+-(void)countFrom:(float)value to:(float)endValue {
+    
+    if (self.animationDuration == 0.0f) {
+        self.animationDuration = 2.0f;
+    }
+    
+    [self countFrom:value to:endValue withDuration:self.animationDuration];
 }
 
--(void)countFrom:(float)startValue to:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration
-{
-    if(duration == 0.0){
+-(void)countFrom:(float)startValue to:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration {
+    
+    self.startingValue = startValue;
+    self.destinationValue = endValue;
+    
+    // remove any (possible) old timers
+    [self.timer invalidate];
+    self.timer = nil;
+    
+    if (duration == 0.0) {
         // No animation
         [self setTextValue:endValue];
         [self runCompletionBlock];
@@ -115,8 +127,6 @@ -(void)countFrom:(float)startValue to:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterv
     }
 
     self.easingRate = 3.0f;
-    self.startingValue = startValue;
-    self.destinationValue = endValue;
     self.progress = 0;
     self.totalTime = duration;
     self.lastUpdate = [NSDate timeIntervalSinceReferenceDate];
@@ -142,33 +152,44 @@ -(void)countFrom:(float)startValue to:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterv
 
     self.counter.rate = 3.0f;
 
-    NSTimer* timer = [NSTimer timerWithTimeInterval:(1.0f/30.0f) target:self selector:@selector(updateValue:) userInfo:nil repeats:YES];
+    NSTimer *timer = [NSTimer timerWithTimeInterval:(1.0f/30.0f) target:self selector:@selector(updateValue:) userInfo:nil repeats:YES];
     [[NSRunLoop mainRunLoop] addTimer:timer forMode:NSRunLoopCommonModes];
     [[NSRunLoop mainRunLoop] addTimer:timer forMode:UITrackingRunLoopMode];
+    self.timer = timer;
 }
 
--(void)updateValue:(NSTimer*)timer
-{
+- (void)countFromCurrentValueTo:(float)endValue {
+    [self countFrom:[self currentValue] to:endValue];
+}
+
+- (void)countFromCurrentValueTo:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration {
+    [self countFrom:[self currentValue] to:endValue withDuration:duration];
+}
+
+- (void)countFromZeroTo:(float)endValue {
+    [self countFrom:0.0f to:endValue];
+}
+
+- (void)countFromZeroTo:(float)endValue withDuration:(NSTimeInterval)duration {
+    [self countFrom:0.0f to:endValue withDuration:duration];
+}
+
+- (void)updateValue:(NSTimer *)timer {
+    
     // update progress
     NSTimeInterval now = [NSDate timeIntervalSinceReferenceDate];
     self.progress += now - self.lastUpdate;
     self.lastUpdate = now;
-
-    if(self.progress >= self.totalTime)
-    {
-        [timer invalidate];
+    
+    if (self.progress >= self.totalTime) {
+        [self.timer invalidate];
+        self.timer = nil;
         self.progress = self.totalTime;
     }
-
-    float percent = self.progress / self.totalTime;
-    float updateVal =[self.counter update:percent];
-    float value =  self.startingValue +  (updateVal * (self.destinationValue - self.startingValue));
-
-
-    [self setTextValue:value];
-
-    if(self.progress == self.totalTime)
-    {
+    
+    [self setTextValue:[self currentValue]];
+    
+    if (self.progress == self.totalTime) {
         [self runCompletionBlock];
     }
 }
@@ -196,13 +217,29 @@ - (void)setTextValue:(float)value
     }
 }
 
-- (void)runCompletionBlock
-{
-    if(self.completionBlock != nil)
-    {
-	self.completionBlock();
-	self.completionBlock = nil;
+- (void)setFormat:(NSString *)format {
+    _format = format;
+    // update label with new format
+    [self setTextValue:self.currentValue];
+}
+
+- (void)runCompletionBlock {
+    
+    if (self.completionBlock) {
+        self.completionBlock();
+        self.completionBlock = nil;
+    }
+}
+
+- (CGFloat)currentValue {
+    
+    if (self.progress >= self.totalTime) {
+        return self.destinationValue;
     }
+    
+    CGFloat percent = self.progress / self.totalTime;
+    CGFloat updateVal = [self.counter update:percent];
+    return self.startingValue + (updateVal * (self.destinationValue - self.startingValue));
 }
 
 @end