This is why people gain weight, and why losing it is so hard.

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Replies

  • sunfastrose
    sunfastrose Posts: 543 Member
    jdhcm2006 wrote: »
    Very true. My friends tell me I eat like a bird b/c I rarely am able to eat 1/3rd of the food on my plate at a restaurant, but it's like I actually ate enough to feel full. I didn't just keep eating because it was there.

    I was at a business lunch, and she asked if I didn't like my food b/c more than half of the food was still there but I was full. I think people don't know what a real portion is any more or what it feels like to be full and not stuffed.

    Yeah - this happens to me all the time. Restaurant meal = meal at restaurant + leftovers for a day or two
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I dunno man. I'm 5'4F (23 years old), GW is 130. I calculate my maintenance calorie intake for being 135 lb (without exercise) to be 1700. Right now, I'm not really suffering under the calorie restriction. Some things I have to sacrifice (Like eating more than two pieces of pizza ; ; ), but it's not like I'm starving. I should be okay to follow a maintenance restriction once I get to it. Especially since I'm certain my stomach will have shrunk some. And this is taking into account that I'm not..necessarily eating clean at the moment. Last night I had a Lean Pocket and a cup of those Green Giant Steamers: Lightly Sauced Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli things. The other day I ate 4 pieces of pizza. I went a little over, but then I worked it off with some cardio.

    And I do plan to remain active. I probably won't be as active. It might end up only being 3 days a week, or when I eat a particularly big meal. At that point I'd probably just buy an elliptical for my home instead of a gym membership.

    That being said, I'm not a breakfast person. I never have been. When I eat breakfast, I don't feel any different. I stop being hungry momentarily, but then I'm hungry LONG before lunch starts. That lasts a bit, and then I'm hungry the last few hours of work, and the hour after when I get to the gym. Then I eat.

    However, I grew up in a very low income household, and I grew up hungry...so I'm kind of used to it. I never had breakfast, and I also never really brought lunch to school either (which is probably why I gained the wait in the first place. When I got a job of my own, I was eating so much more food than I would have eaten).

    Man, that pizza analogy hits me hard though, talkin about eating two pieces and four being "overboard". I can eat an entire pizza myself, and I don't mean on a dare or because someone said I couldn't. I mean like, I ate the last piece and reached for another one and said "well hell, I guess I ate it all". I hope my appetite shrinks like everyone says, but i feel like its gonna be really hard to maintain my goal weight when I get there.
    And again, this is why you're obese. (you're technically obese right, by medical standards?). You're seriously going to need a paradigm shift. Learning to cook is a good start. Learning, knowing, the calorie content of foods is a good start. You're probably one who would really benefit from using a scale to weigh foods (when you do eat at home).

    It's gotta be a life style or as you say: it will be very difficult to maintain. That lifestyle can include some pizza. But, given your height, goal weight, and sedentary lifestyle, not a lot of pizza.

    And I would add to this that there were a lot of things I could do four years ago when I started all of this that I can't do anymore simply because I'm smaller and can't fit that kind of food into my belly anymore...it just doesn't fit.

    It's different for me. I could fit the same amount of foods or even more today as I could when I was 26 lbs heavier.

    Frankly my appetite has become stronger and healthier so it's inevitable that I could eat more. But the difference now is foods are not that appealing to me, as in I have to eat or become out of control with it, when I don't need to eat!

    I want to say to the OP that, no offense, but he needs to expand his horizon and stop being short sighted with foods. Right now foods seem to be his only joy. I'll go on a limb and say that foods probably tastes worse for obese people than they do to healthy people. At least with all the worries and guilt coming along. He is abusing foods and probably his joy is mediocre and ironically never enough! Get several new healthier hobbies, habits. Set up goals, like saving $$$ for a new car, etc. When your eating behavior gets in check, food amount will look right again (and not too little). Cheers.
  • jdb3388
    jdb3388 Posts: 239 Member
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    That's what I do - I control my weight basing on weekly period and I don't even count calories. Basically I eat per requirement of activities (workout, sport), nutrition, obligation, etc, which are not the same everyday.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Maintenance is 1400 for me. Eat lots of nonstarchy vegetables to fill the hole.
  • Dano74
    Dano74 Posts: 503 Member
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    It's all about what's going to work for you. Both approaches can work. Overall consistency and the ability to make it viable for YOU and YOUR mindset is going to be the key.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    LazSommer wrote: »
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need

    I can eat a full small thin crust pizza with chicken , absolutely loaded to the gills with veg for around 600 calories from pizza pizza if it's any help.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need

    And your heath goes to *kitten*. Where are the fruits and veggies in this program?

    For the OP. As you know 4500 calories is an insane amount on a regular basis, unless your a 200+ pound competitive athlete. As you work on cutting back you will get used to a lower number of calories. As been mentioned you can always up the activity.

    Best of luck.

    really bud?
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    LazSommer wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need

    And your heath goes to *kitten*. Where are the fruits and veggies in this program?

    For the OP. As you know 4500 calories is an insane amount on a regular basis, unless your a 200+ pound competitive athlete. As you work on cutting back you will get used to a lower number of calories. As been mentioned you can always up the activity.

    Best of luck.

    really bud?

    Yes based on your suggested menu if this is suppose to be a common occurrence.

    "Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need"
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need

    And your heath goes to *kitten*. Where are the fruits and veggies in this program?

    For the OP. As you know 4500 calories is an insane amount on a regular basis, unless your a 200+ pound competitive athlete. As you work on cutting back you will get used to a lower number of calories. As been mentioned you can always up the activity.

    Best of luck.

    really bud?

    Yes based on your suggested menu if this is suppose to be a common occurrence.

    "Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need"

    Yes because my response was not flippant and was a 100% serious attempt at giving the OP a fully sustainable diet plan that he should adhere to daily; that approach and has worked well for users such as Sued0nim.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    LazSommer wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    I have always counted calories daily, but I've read that some people say weekly is the way to go. Do any of you guys kinda not really worry about daily and concentrate on weekly? Eating heavy one day and light on another day to make up for it?

    Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need

    And your heath goes to *kitten*. Where are the fruits and veggies in this program?

    For the OP. As you know 4500 calories is an insane amount on a regular basis, unless your a 200+ pound competitive athlete. As you work on cutting back you will get used to a lower number of calories. As been mentioned you can always up the activity.

    Best of luck.

    really bud?

    Yes based on your suggested menu if this is suppose to be a common occurrence.

    "Skip breakfast and eat 40g dry weight (non instant) oatmeal for lunch with peanut butter , have 3 slices of pizza for dinner. bam, full and satisfied and under cals for the day by a landslide. binge drink on Fridays. that is the plan you want and need"

    Yes because my response was not flippant and was a 100% serious attempt at giving the OP a fully sustainable diet plan that he should adhere to daily; that approach and has worked well for users such as Sued0nim.

    Talk to any dietitian about the advisability of something like that (i.e, no fruits and veggies).
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    It is expected you change your life. This means finding a way to overcome any issues with attachment/emotional eating in order to eat "normally" as well as getting new habits, namely exercise. Once I recorded a binge, over 6,000 calories!!! That is not normal for any human being, and when I can finally be fully in control of my eating habits, I will already consider my lower maintenance calories as my new normal. :)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,595 Member
    jdb3388 wrote: »
    So I just did a little experiment. I started out just trying to see how many calories I would be able to eat per day once I reach my goal weight. The number was shockingly low. My TDEE, not including any exercise, will be 1899. That number hit me hard, I don't know how I can possibly live my life eating that few calories. I mean right now It's one thing because I am working very hard to cut weight, but to look up and see that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, because maintenance is so low calorie, its very discouraging.

    So here's were the experiment comes into play. I thought, you know what, I've never just booked out a normal "non deiting" day, lets see how many calories that is. So I went into MFP and loaded up what I would eat on a normal day. Over 4500 calories!!! HOLY S**T!!!! No wonder people get so fat so quickly without even realizing whats happening!

    So my takeaway: I don't know whats worse, thinking about how easy it was to get this way without even realizing what was going on, or thinking about how miserable its going to be trying to eat at maintenance once I get to my goal weight.

    My non-exercise maintenance amount is about 1500 cal. Yay. I was not pleased when I saw that.

    My pre-MFP "normal" was about 2000 cal.

    If I returned to my pre-MFP "normal", it would indeed mean a gradual gain.

    Thank goodness for exercise.

  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    My maintenance will be around 1600 without exercise, so I know how you feel. But you WILL get less hungry. It takes me 2-4 weeks adjustment when iI get into a deficit and then I stop being hungry all thetime. My joyful foods (Chinese takeaways! Big bars of chocolate! ) become joyful treats and I enjoy them MORE than wheniI was eating them regularly. And you learn to love the other stuff, you really really do.

    At the end of the day i'd rather deal with restricted calories than with joint pain, diabetes, panniculitis, heart problems and all the limitations of obesity.

    I'm another one who looks at calories over the week, most days I eat 1200 but I'm aiming for a weekly average of 1500. Works well for me.