Confused! New to MFP. Caloric deficit or low sugar?

brendacando

I've struggled with calorie counting in the past, but my weight keeps creeping up so I'm trying again. I understand that I want to create a caloric deficit but certain aspects concern me. I'm 45 yrs old, 5'7 and 175lbs. I want to lose 1.5- 2 lbs a week. My profile has me at 1,200 calories a day. Here is an example of my confusion. A serving of plain greek yogurt is 90 calories and has 4 grams of sugar. A serving of vanilla greek yogurt is 120 calories and 13 grams of sugar. I like the vanilla yogurt much better than the plain (I like any flavor better than the plain). For 30 calories it would seem that I should just eat what I like, but the sugar grams add up pretty quick. I've noticed the same issues with oatmeal, protein bars/shakes and lots more. I'm wondering if my lack of success in the past had to do with eating too much sugar as a percentage of my daily calorie allotment. How important is it to stay within the parameters for sugar, protein, carbs vs. just watching the total calories. I understand that all calories are not created equal, but some posters on this website seem to have success by simply creating a caloric deficit. I work so hard at this and just don't seem to get good results.

brianpperkins

Weight loss is primarily a function of eating fewer calories than you burn. Some people swear by low carb but it is not necessary for weight loss.

leggup

A calorie is a calorie. It doesn't matter what % of calories come from sugar; if you're eating at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. The percentage of your diet that comes from sugar/carbs, fat, and protein will impact your energy levels, stamina, hair-skin-nails, and all other bodily functions... but not weight!

SueInAz

Unless you have a medical issue, the amount of sugar you're eating will have little bearing on your weight loss. The same with the ratio of carbs/protein/fat. So if you like the flavored yogurt eat the flavored yogurt. (I personally buy the big tubs of non-fat, plain and flavor and sweeten it myself). The secrets to calorie counting are brutal honesty and accuracy. I don't know you or your eating habits so I'm about to make generalizations, not accusations.

There are no "free" foods when you count calories because nearly everything has calories including fruits and vegetables. You have to log everything you eat, bad days, good days and everything in between. You have to enter the right foods, no choosing entries with the lowest calories or picking someone else's "homemade" entry. You should weigh as much of your food as you can, even the prepackaged stuff because it can be way off. If you don't own a kitchen scale, invest in one. Measuring cups are good for liquids but everything else that has grams listed for the serving size, including peanut butter and salad dressing, should be weighed. The bonus to weighing is you don't dirty the measuring cups and spoons!

If you're exercising and plan to eat back your exercise calories underestimate rather than overestimate. MFP's entries are notoriously over-inflated so beware of using them. It doesn't take much to erase a calorie deficit.

If MFP has you at 1200 calories, you're probably being too aggressive with your goal. Set it for .5 to 1 pound per week and have patience. I'm sure you don't plan to go back to eating the way you were before (and regaining the weight you've lost) so plan to lose weight in a way that will give you lasting results. Most of all, I wish you success this time. Stick to the plan and you can do it.

sjaplo

For a start at 175lbs 5'7" 1.5 to 2lbs per week is unrealistic - which is why MFP is giving you 1200 cal. Reset to 1/2 lb per week and have patience.

jgnatca

Calorie counting is way easier with tools like MFP. Just work on hitting a deficit.

erickirb

OP with only 33 lbs to lose your goal should be about 1 lb/week rate of loss. that will give you extra calories, plus you get to eat back what you burn from exercise.

echofm1

Sugar is probably one of the least important things for you to focus on, assuming you don't have a medical reason for doing so. It's a micronutrient. In the general importance level for paying attention, it goes Calories --> Macronutrients (aka carbs, protein, and fat) --> Micronutrients (Iron, sugar, dietary fiber, etc).

For now, focus on the calories. But know how the macronutrients affect your body. Carbs are good for quick energy, but they won't keep you full for very long. If you're hungry all the time, there's a good chance you're not eating enough fat and protein. Those are the ones that keep you full longer. If you need to feel the difference, just see how long it takes you to get hungry in the morning when you start your day off with a bagel and some fruit vs. some eggs.

Once you feel like you can manage calories and macronutrients pretty well and are hitting your goals regularly, then start working on those micronutrients. Keeping sugar down won't magically make you lose weight though.

AmyRhubarb

I don't even track sugar anymore - eat a couple pieces of raw fruit and it will show you over goal for the day. As others have said, if there's no medical reason to watch your sugar, don't worry about it.

I would also agree with those who say you should change your loss goal from 2 lbs a week to 1 lb, or even 1/2 lb per week. You may still lose more than that in some weeks, less in others - weight loss is not linear, but it is easier to stick to and you'll be more likely to stick with this with a more reasonable calorie goal.

Good luck!

Lissa_Kaye

Hi Brenda, after kind of crunching you numbers I came up with 1500-1700 for your stats. Assuming you do light to moderate work. Try at this calorie goal for a few weeks and the weight should come off easily. You should lose a lb to 2 lbs a week. Its not exact. The sugar amount mfp gives you is very hard to stay under as well. I cut out added sugar from my diet and am almost always still over. I have little treats everyday. I am losing a little bit faster than I would like and may have to start eating at 2000-2100.

cwolfman13

Low carb isn't necessary for weightloss....it works because it generally tends to put people into a calorie deficit whether they know or even understand that as a concept. People cut out calorie dense carbohydrates like pasta and rice and sugary stuff and voila...magical calorie deficit. To boot, people get all happy the first couple of weeks when they dump a ton of water weight as their glycogen stores deplete...this is the weight that comes right back on when they start eating carbs again...it's not fat...it's fluid (namely glycogen). I would add that there are benefits to low carb for people with medical conditions and for individuals who may have insulin sensitivities (which many very overweight and obese individuals do)

That is all any diet does because where weight loss is concerned it is all about the calories. A calorie is simply a unit of energy...your body requires XXXX amount of energy to function optimally and maintain the status quot. When you consistently consume more energy than your body requires, that energy is stored for later use as body fat. When you consume less energy than your body requires you dip into your energy reserves (body fat) to compensate and thus you burn fat and lose weight.