Does calorie counting actually work?

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  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Mizzlarabee - it's always a bit suspicious because there are a ton of people out to make money off the weight loss. Don't take it personally.

    I would agree that this community is not uniformly warm and fuzzy and the naive who are following some ridiculous plan or not actually logging are often jumped on in ways that are not always going to be helpful. However, the general thrust of the advice is useful and the clarification about what actually works is important. Some people respond to blunt feedback while others may not be able to hear it, but hopefully in the end people who are open to learning are able to do so and have a greater chance at success.
  • mizzlarabee
    mizzlarabee Posts: 134 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    Kruggeri wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Oh gosh, this is like being back at school. Think I'm out

    Try to ignore the immaturity and flippant comments. There are helpful people here :)

    If you want help with anything feel free to message me.

    Is that an offer to promote your services? Because you can offer help in an open forum. Especially considering since we don't even know your accomplishments.

    Promote my "services" - as in, exchange for money? No. Forums can get cluttered and clearly insulting. I wasn't offering anything to a group so I didn't know that I had to prove my accomplishments to the "we" you are alluding to.

    I think MrM's point is that it's better to keep advice on the forums rather than doing it in private. That way a) others can vet what you (generic) are saying (I'm sure you've witnessed some of the atrocious advice given around here, imagine if no one was countering that?), and b) others can learn from your (generic) experiences.

    Yes but also I thought the post might have been a solicitation, maybe this poster was selling a product or service, offering to consult via PM is a common tactic.

    I don't think that's the case here but it initially seemed possible.

    As far as I can tell, anybody can message anybody at any time, whether they post about it or not, but that's what the moderators are for - to moderate. I'm sure they can see my messages and I have no interest in soliciting anybody for profit, I'm actually just a nice person that cares.

    As are most of the people here answering questions day after day :)

    Yup, sorry, wasn't saying that there weren't already plenty here :) Just haven't really had a good introduction to that.
    Mizzlarabee - it's always a bit suspicious because there are a ton of people out to make money off the weight loss. Don't take it personally.

    I would agree that this community is not uniformly warm and fuzzy and the naive who are following some ridiculous plan or not actually logging are often jumped on in ways that are not always going to be helpful. However, the general thrust of the advice is useful and the clarification about what actually works is important. Some people respond to blunt feedback while others may not be able to hear it, but hopefully in the end people who are open to learning are able to do so and have a greater chance at success.

    Yeah, I get that now; I guess I'm just not shady enough for it to have even occurred to me haha

    It's a bit of a shame really about the community. I understand that it can be frustrating when people are being ridiculous but I just try to remember that there's an actual person reading my words, and I don't know their story. I agree with you that people respond differently to different approaches, and sometimes it does take a very blunt delivery to make a difference.

  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Oh gosh, this is like being back at school. Think I'm out

    Try to ignore the immaturity and flippant comments. There are helpful people here :)

    If you want help with anything feel free to message me.

    Is that an offer to promote your services? Because you can offer help in an open forum. Especially considering since we don't even know your accomplishments.

    Promote my "services" - as in, exchange for money? No. Forums can get cluttered and clearly insulting. I wasn't offering anything to a group so I didn't know that I had to prove my accomplishments to the "we" you are alluding to.

    I think MrM's point is that it's better to keep advice on the forums rather than doing it in private. That way a) others can vet what you (generic) are saying (I'm sure you've witnessed some of the atrocious advice given around here, imagine if no one was countering that?), and b) others can learn from your (generic) experiences.

    Fair enough but that wasn't really the vibe that I got from his post. The OP can decide for herself what advice she wants to take and I know that, even as a professional, there will be some person from the peanut gallery dismissing my advice. She said that she didn't feel comfortable with the responses she was getting, and frankly I've found this "community" pretty unwelcoming as well, which is why I offered to help her outside of this forum. This is my first day using these forums and offer help where needed, because I truly enjoy it, but this isn't the community I was expecting.

    You can't get a vibe from a post because words don't have vibes.

    You can say the community is unwelcoming all you want but I have been here long enough to know that there are very smart and very helpful people around. So to have someone that isn't around, a blank profile, with information on their page of their profession and that's all, criticizing the members and offering help but through PM, it's shady and will be called out.

    It's like when someone pops up and says they are a trainer and so and so and they are hear to answer everyone's questions. Then they get mad when people ask them vetting questions. Well, don't put yourself out their as a "reliable source" because you might get more than the generic "how many calories should I eat questions".

    Ooh, you just reminded me of that thread in Food and Nutrition! Off to see how that's going :p.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Kruggeri wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Oh gosh, this is like being back at school. Think I'm out

    Try to ignore the immaturity and flippant comments. There are helpful people here :)

    If you want help with anything feel free to message me.

    Is that an offer to promote your services? Because you can offer help in an open forum. Especially considering since we don't even know your accomplishments.

    Promote my "services" - as in, exchange for money? No. Forums can get cluttered and clearly insulting. I wasn't offering anything to a group so I didn't know that I had to prove my accomplishments to the "we" you are alluding to.

    I think MrM's point is that it's better to keep advice on the forums rather than doing it in private. That way a) others can vet what you (generic) are saying (I'm sure you've witnessed some of the atrocious advice given around here, imagine if no one was countering that?), and b) others can learn from your (generic) experiences.

    Yes but also I thought the post might have been a solicitation, maybe this poster was selling a product or service, offering to consult via PM is a common tactic.

    I don't think that's the case here but it initially seemed possible.

    As far as I can tell, anybody can message anybody at any time, whether they post about it or not, but that's what the moderators are for - to moderate. I'm sure they can see my messages and I have no interest in soliciting anybody for profit, I'm actually just a nice person that cares.

    I'm quoting this because I don't know the answer to that, I don't actually think the mods can see private messages but even if they can I don't know that that is their role or that they have time for it.

    I think your intentions are good, I think most people on here have good intentions as well. Don't mistake bluntness and sarcasm for rudeness and snark.

    Every so often we even get a "thank you mean people of MFP" thread from someone who was initially offended but then realized the blunt delivery was what they really needed to change a mindset. Doesn't happen often, so I cherish it when it does...
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited May 2015
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Oh gosh, this is like being back at school. Think I'm out

    Try to ignore the immaturity and flippant comments. There are helpful people here :)

    If you want help with anything feel free to message me.

    Is that an offer to promote your services? Because you can offer help in an open forum. Especially considering since we don't even know your accomplishments.

    Promote my "services" - as in, exchange for money? No. Forums can get cluttered and clearly insulting. I wasn't offering anything to a group so I didn't know that I had to prove my accomplishments to the "we" you are alluding to.

    I think MrM's point is that it's better to keep advice on the forums rather than doing it in private. That way a) others can vet what you (generic) are saying (I'm sure you've witnessed some of the atrocious advice given around here, imagine if no one was countering that?), and b) others can learn from your (generic) experiences.

    Fair enough but that wasn't really the vibe that I got from his post. The OP can decide for herself what advice she wants to take and I know that, even as a professional, there will be some person from the peanut gallery dismissing my advice. She said that she didn't feel comfortable with the responses she was getting, and frankly I've found this "community" pretty unwelcoming as well, which is why I offered to help her outside of this forum. This is my first day using these forums and offer help where needed, because I truly enjoy it, but this isn't the community I was expecting.

    You can't get a vibe from a post because words don't have vibes.

    You can say the community is unwelcoming all you want but I have been here long enough to know that there are very smart and very helpful people around. So to have someone that isn't around, a blank profile, with information on their page of their profession and that's all, criticizing the members and offering help but through PM, it's shady and will be called out.

    It's like when someone pops up and says they are a trainer and so and so and they are hear to answer everyone's questions. Then they get mad when people ask them vetting questions. Well, don't put yourself out their as a "reliable source" because you might get more than the generic "how many calories should I eat questions".

    @mizzlarabee
    He's right

    And there's also the undeniable fact that an awful lot of rot is spouted by "personal trainers" and "nutritionists" ...many in the vanguard of woo

    We have a number of highly experienced professionals and amateurs, start posting your advice, have the knowledge and science to back it up and join the throng of people who are generally respected as being helpful...the majority of whom are delightfully straight-talking

    No woo zone
  • lwebsmfp
    lwebsmfp Posts: 297 Member
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    It absolutely works! I personally don't believe I could do it any other way. Not only does it help me lose weight, but I am also more conscious about what I am eating and am able to improve in areas where I need to. Exercising is a bonus because it conditions my body and makes me stronger.
  • sunman00
    sunman00 Posts: 872 Member
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    yes, I think calorie counting works, i was overweight for 30 years +, started on here 2 1/2 years ago, ate a 500 calorie deficit, lost 51lb in 51 weeks.
    only 2 thoughts,
    - you gotta be honest about intake, & weigh Everything
    - this is a life change, not something you do for a little while to lose weight.

    good luck to everybody here on your journey :smile:
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,170 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Does calorie counting actually work?

    Yes, absolutely ... beyond my expectations.


    13 kg (29 lb) in 13 weeks.

    All CI<CO.
    Lots of exercise.
    No cheating.

    And that includes two mini-plateaus. One when I started ... took me 10 days before I lost anything. And a 2-week one which ended about 3 days ago.
  • megomerrett
    megomerrett Posts: 442 Member
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    It works. (Not just the counting but consuming fewer calories than you burn). I'm on 1200 per day too (I am short) and doing well. You can check my diary if you want. I walk the dog and use my indoor bike. I "eat back" what I burn. Sometimes I'm over (not often) but I balance it out during the week.

    Here's the downward trend on my progress since February. q9vi03uc6bas.jpg

  • deniztuzu2
    deniztuzu2 Posts: 77 Member
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    Works like a charm.
  • AlciaMode
    AlciaMode Posts: 421 Member
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    Oh gosh, this is like being back at school. Think I'm out

    Don't let them discourage you. The app is great and so are most people on it. Most importantly it works!

    Browse around a bunch. Read some stuff. Join a group for more specific info and make some friends to help support you. You will do great. Starting out is always a little rough.
  • greaseswabber
    greaseswabber Posts: 238 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Works for me.

    7co4f6i5wmef.jpg

  • zeba27
    zeba27 Posts: 1 Member
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    Definitely. It made me so much more self-aware of the crap I was mindlessly scoffing with no thought to their effects on my body. I still scoff on my cheat days but now within reason. I've finally learnt what it means to indulge in moderation and I feel so much better. I can run a mile with ease, my skins improved so much and I've managed to shed a few pounds!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited May 2015
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    cool visual
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Works for me.

    7co4f6i5wmef.jpg

    That is an amazing visual.

  • greaseswabber
    greaseswabber Posts: 238 Member
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    Works for me.

    7co4f6i5wmef.jpg

    That is an amazing visual.

    Thanks.
    To drive the point home even further, the graph shows a 15 lb increase in 2014. Using the 1 lb = 3500 calorie convention means that my average daily intake was only 140 calories above maintenance. In 2015 I have been steadily losing 1 lb per week, or 500 calories below maintenance.

    640 calories per day is the difference between gaining and losing. I could not accomplish that without counting calories.
  • forgtmenot
    forgtmenot Posts: 860 Member
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    Works for me.

    7co4f6i5wmef.jpg

    This is great. Well done!