A Matter of Strategy?

Equus5374

I am trying to help a friend get started with MFP and she's a bit intimidated by the thought of eating at a deficit. So I thought of suggesting she just eat at maintenance at first, to get used to the whole calorie tracking thing, and then after a week or two, start with a small deficit and gradually increase it. My thinking is, she's probably been eating above maintenance anyway, because she's gained weight and has never tracked her caloric intake. I thought that eating at maintenance might be a good way to ease into calorie tracking. Does this make sense to anyone else? Perhaps it would eliminate some of the newbie mistakes/frustrations relating to too large a deficit too soon (such as plugging in 2 lbs/week from the get-go).

queenliz99

I like the idea of babysteps. If she starts with maintenance calories she will probably lose a little anyway. When people start restricting too many calories they get discouraged and want to give up.

jemhh

Equus5374 wrote: »

I am trying to help a friend get started with MFP and she's a bit intimidated by the thought of eating at a deficit. So I thought of suggesting she just eat at maintenance at first, to get used to the whole calorie tracking thing, and then after a week or two, start with a small deficit and gradually increase it. My thinking is, she's probably been eating above maintenance anyway, because she's gained weight and has never tracked her caloric intake. I thought that eating at maintenance might be a good way to ease into calorie tracking. Does this make sense to anyone else? Perhaps it would eliminate some of the newbie mistakes/frustrations relating to too large a deficit too soon (such as plugging in 2 lbs/week from the get-go).

Makes sense to me. For somebody who is highly overweight to obese and who is willing to take a hard look at what they are eating, I'm a fan of logging food without measuring or calorie counting and instead following the idea of "eat less crap and more healthy stuff and eat in moderation overall." But eating at maintenance while counting calories is good too. I would even go as far as to say eat the way you are right now for a week but measure/count everything so you have an idea of how much you're currently eating before you attempt to find maintenance.

CollieFit

Perhaps even to start logging what is a "normal" day for her rather than what should be her maintenance. If she is honest with her logging, she can then see how many calories she is eating above maintenance, helping her to project where she'll end up weight wise if she carries on like that.

middlehaitch

Wholly agree with the above posters.
Set her up with a scale and measuring cups. Show her how to log, USDA entries, cross checking, recipe building, then have her just log a regular week or two. It is very good information to have.
Slowly lower her calories to a rate that she can stick with. .5, 1 lbs a week.
Hopefully while doing this she will learn how to make nutritious, filling choices.

Cheers, h.

tulips_and_tea

I like this method as well. If you start accurately logging what you're currently eating then you can see where your trouble spots are and that you may not need to give up things you thought you would.

It's the same method for exercise beginners: first evaluate where you are fitness-wise and then start from that point.

dr_soda

Has your friend actually approached you for advice? Sought your help on this matter? Whose idea was this? If she's not ready to eat at a caloric deficit then it doesn't sound like she's really motivated to do the work this takes.

As to the specific question, I think that most people who would prefer to lose but instead are directed to eat at maintenance will be frustrated at seeing the scale not move (or even climb at some points) while still being "restricted." That seems like the fastest way to reinforce any notion that "counting calories doesn't work."

TR0berts

Your idea sounds really good.

That said, I like the below better.

CollieFit wrote: »

Perhaps even to start logging what is a "normal" day for her rather than what should be her maintenance. If she is honest with her logging, she can then see how many calories she is eating above maintenance, helping her to project where she'll end up weight wise if she carries on like that.

Either way should, IMHO, be a good place to start.

Equus5374

dr_soda wrote: »

Has your friend actually approached you for advice? Sought your help on this matter? Whose idea was this? If she's not ready to eat at a caloric deficit then it doesn't sound like she's really motivated to do the work this takes.

As to the specific question, I think that most people who would prefer to lose but instead are directed to eat at maintenance will be frustrated at seeing the scale not move (or even climb at some points) while still being "restricted." That seems like the fastest way to reinforce any notion that "counting calories doesn't work."

To answer this question, she has put out some random cries for help via social media. Now I fully understand that some people who do this are merely attention-seeking, and this may be the case, but I'm trying to present weight loss to her in a non-scary, non-you-have-to-give-up-everything manner. She is confused about all the info. out there and has been talking about Shakeology and Fit Bit, so I thought I'd present a free method that would not require her to change her life overnight. I completely understand that she may not even go through with this. I hope she does, though.