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Does calories in vs calories out really matter?

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  • Mary_Anastasia
    Mary_Anastasia Posts: 267 Member
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    My calories goal: 1,300 calories.
    When I stay below this with foods like: yogurt, beans, seeds, salads -> I gain weight!!

    When I stay below this with foods like: McDonald's, mashed potatoes, quesadilla, Subway -> I lose weight.

    I have no frickin' clue why.

    How do you measure the calories in your salad dressing?

    That sounds like a really nitpicky question. But you'd be shocked (at least, I was) how many calories are in a yummy dressing.

    I measure out just vinegar- I haven't bought salad dressing in years.
  • Grey_1
    Grey_1 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    bercyn1291 wrote: »
    It is agreed upon that quality of the food matters in faster weight loss but ideally calories out-calories in should determine how much weight you lose. Please share your experience.

    no, it is not agreed, but nice way to try and set up a straw man about "everyone agrees" with this ludicrous statement.

    calorie deficit for weight loss; micro/macro aderehcne for body comp and overall nutrition.

    200 calories of oreos = 200 calories of carrots from an energy standpoint; however, they do not contain the same nutritional profile.

    Um. it is actually "agreed upon" that calories in calories out matters but the quality of food part is the debate. Maybe swap the main question of this debate because a better question is do you think the quality of food matters because it is agreed upon that calories do...

    So while i largely think its important to eat foods that increase satiety and are nutrient dense, if a person has the ability to control calories to lose weight and eat a diet largely made up of high calorie items (often junk foods), you can make an argument that they would still improve metabolic markers if weight loss occured. In fact, its been done with the twinkie diet. Heck, there are countless stories of similar success stories with all starbucks diet, McDonald's and other restaurants. Hell i could easily do it with chipotle. There was even a guy on this forum that ran that long term experiment. Often the reason quality of food matters is more for compliance, satiety and maximing nutrition uptake.

    I just posted this elsewhere in the forum this morning. This is the piece that got me questioning everything I thought I knew, and am glad it did.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Grey_1 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    bercyn1291 wrote: »
    It is agreed upon that quality of the food matters in faster weight loss but ideally calories out-calories in should determine how much weight you lose. Please share your experience.

    no, it is not agreed, but nice way to try and set up a straw man about "everyone agrees" with this ludicrous statement.

    calorie deficit for weight loss; micro/macro aderehcne for body comp and overall nutrition.

    200 calories of oreos = 200 calories of carrots from an energy standpoint; however, they do not contain the same nutritional profile.

    Um. it is actually "agreed upon" that calories in calories out matters but the quality of food part is the debate. Maybe swap the main question of this debate because a better question is do you think the quality of food matters because it is agreed upon that calories do...

    So while i largely think its important to eat foods that increase satiety and are nutrient dense, if a person has the ability to control calories to lose weight and eat a diet largely made up of high calorie items (often junk foods), you can make an argument that they would still improve metabolic markers if weight loss occured. In fact, its been done with the twinkie diet. Heck, there are countless stories of similar success stories with all starbucks diet, McDonald's and other restaurants. Hell i could easily do it with chipotle. There was even a guy on this forum that ran that long term experiment. Often the reason quality of food matters is more for compliance, satiety and maximing nutrition uptake.

    I just posted this elsewhere in the forum this morning. This is the piece that got me questioning everything I thought I knew, and am glad it did.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    You might also find the below fascinating.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it/p1

    In the end, there are several other factors that dictate health such as body weight, exercise and genetics. The foods you eat may have some impact, but not as much as people would expect. My whole family has had very long life (great gmom was 103, my great uncle just died at 97) and interestingly enough, they were all over weight, and ate lots of processed foods and meat.
  • Grey_1
    Grey_1 Posts: 1,139 Member
    Options
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Grey_1 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    bercyn1291 wrote: »
    It is agreed upon that quality of the food matters in faster weight loss but ideally calories out-calories in should determine how much weight you lose. Please share your experience.

    no, it is not agreed, but nice way to try and set up a straw man about "everyone agrees" with this ludicrous statement.

    calorie deficit for weight loss; micro/macro aderehcne for body comp and overall nutrition.

    200 calories of oreos = 200 calories of carrots from an energy standpoint; however, they do not contain the same nutritional profile.

    Um. it is actually "agreed upon" that calories in calories out matters but the quality of food part is the debate. Maybe swap the main question of this debate because a better question is do you think the quality of food matters because it is agreed upon that calories do...

    So while i largely think its important to eat foods that increase satiety and are nutrient dense, if a person has the ability to control calories to lose weight and eat a diet largely made up of high calorie items (often junk foods), you can make an argument that they would still improve metabolic markers if weight loss occured. In fact, its been done with the twinkie diet. Heck, there are countless stories of similar success stories with all starbucks diet, McDonald's and other restaurants. Hell i could easily do it with chipotle. There was even a guy on this forum that ran that long term experiment. Often the reason quality of food matters is more for compliance, satiety and maximing nutrition uptake.

    I just posted this elsewhere in the forum this morning. This is the piece that got me questioning everything I thought I knew, and am glad it did.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    You might also find the below fascinating.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it/p1

    In the end, there are several other factors that dictate health such as body weight, exercise and genetics. The foods you eat may have some impact, but not as much as people would expect. My whole family has had very long life (great gmom was 103, my great uncle just died at 97) and interestingly enough, they were all over weight, and ate lots of processed foods and meat.

    wow Wow WOW! It's one thing to read an article, and something totally different to SEE it, along with all the recorded data! Excellent timing as well. As much as I've read here and picked up from you good folks, those old *Must stick with salads* tapes play now and then, when I know better. I lost my weight on butter and cheese and hamburger etc lol. This just re-motivates me all over again. I'm going through that with a fine tooth comb after work today.

    Thank you! :)
  • geneticexpectations
    Options
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    CICO is nothing more than a means of measurement. If you are successful and not monitoring then kudos to you. This had a relatively marginal impact on your energy expenditure at rest and still largely dependent on any additional muscle mass you acquired over time.

    How or if you measure this is irrelevant e.g. If I accelerate a car and don't check the speedometer it is irrelevant to speed of the car or to the officer behind the radar gun.

    You just happened to be in a caloric deficit and now are in maintenance. CI/CO didn't rearrange - you changed this through your behavior.
  • geneticexpectations
    Options
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    CICO is nothing more than a means of measurement. If you are successful and not monitoring then kudos to you. This had a relatively marginal impact on your energy expenditure at rest and still largely dependent on any additional muscle mass you acquired over time.

    How or if you measure this is irrelevant e.g. If I accelerate a car and don't check the speedometer it is irrelevant to speed of the car or to the officer behind the radar gun.

    You just happened to be in a caloric deficit and now are in maintenance. CI/CO didn't rearrange - you changed this through your behavior.

    I cannot tell you what exactly it is that happened, and truthfully, the means doesn't interest me that much. But the end does! Either way, I'm just sharing what I've done b/c I like results, but I like achieving them with the least amount of suffering and the most amount of enjoyment. For me, that's what happened.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    Scientists use really super - precise language to communicate with one another. That language includes references to error analysis, standard decisions and the like.

    In this case, the imprecise nature of measuring calories is discussed. It explains in detail many of the ways in which an individual who is counting calories can run into errors. Some you can control for (like untrustworthy calorie count information). Some you have to adjust for (like having a more-efficient - than - average metabolism). Some is minutae that may or may not pile up. Some is explanation of satiety.

    None of it actually means CICO isn't right. Our that it can't work for some. It means that individuals may have to adjust their intake or energy expenditure more than predicted (or less) to achieve weight balance at their desired range.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    J72FIT wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    Also, CICO is not an "ends" or a "means", rather it is purely a reflection of the state of energy balance in the body...

    Kind of confused why I am being quoted...
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
    edited December 2016
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    Also, CICO is not an "ends" or a "means", rather it is purely a reflection of the state of energy balance in the body...

    Kind of confused why I am being quoted...
    Yeah sorry, I was adding my thoughts to your quote of the previous poster...
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    J72FIT wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    Also, CICO is not an "ends" or a "means", rather it is purely a reflection of the state of energy balance in the body...

    Kind of confused why I am being quoted...
    Yeah sorry, I was adding my thoughts to your quote of the previous poster...

    OK cool..
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    I wish I could say the same. I once ate 9 lbs. of salad and only stopped because I ran out of salad and not because I felt full. If I had a nickel for every time someone suggested that a high volume low calorie foods in order to feel satisfied...
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    I wish I could say the same. I once ate 9 lbs. of salad and only stopped because I ran out of salad and not because I felt full. If I had a nickel for every time someone suggested that a high volume low calorie foods in order to feel satisfied...

    There are a lot of other low calorie volume foods than just salad (egg whites, chicken/turkey). And generally combining them often increase satiety.

    I've combined those with salad as well. Some of us just have a really big appetite.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
    Options
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    I wish I could say the same. I once ate 9 lbs. of salad and only stopped because I ran out of salad and not because I felt full. If I had a nickel for every time someone suggested that a high volume low calorie foods in order to feel satisfied...

    There are a lot of other low calorie volume foods than just salad (egg whites, chicken/turkey). And generally combining them often increase satiety.

    I've combined those with salad as well. Some of us just have a really big appetite.

    Fully aware of that. I am a huge eater. It's why I eat 3 large meals instead of snacking. Snacking makes me hungry.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Options
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    I wish I could say the same. I once ate 9 lbs. of salad and only stopped because I ran out of salad and not because I felt full. If I had a nickel for every time someone suggested that a high volume low calorie foods in order to feel satisfied...

    There are a lot of other low calorie volume foods than just salad (egg whites, chicken/turkey). And generally combining them often increase satiety.

    I've combined those with salad as well. Some of us just have a really big appetite.

    Fully aware of that. I am a huge eater. It's why I eat 3 large meals instead of snacking. Snacking makes me hungry.

    Interestingly I am a huge eater once I start but when doing IF, I have no trouble lasting 20+ hours.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
    Options
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Calories is the only thing that matters for weight loss. Eat the foods that agree with you, but pay attention to calories. Period.

    I'm not saying that CICO doesn't matter. Just getting that out of the way. However, I don't pay any attention to calories. I don't count them. I don't weigh my food. I just changed the types of food that I eat. But I've gone from 200 to 150 lbs with a really big increase in strength (which has nothing to do with the eating really, just highlights that the loss in weight actually underestmates the total loss in fat). 150lbs maintained for about 4 years.

    Because of my experience I treat CICO as an end rather than a means. ie, my appetite control and satiation has increased drastically, and my energy expenditure at "rest" must have really gone up, because I do eat a lot and my workouts have gone from 5 hours a week at 200 lbs to half an hour a week at 150 lbs (and during the main weight loss period my exercise was actually zero). CI and CO must have rearranged themselves to allow for a deficit based on what I was doing.

    BUT, I'm not saying CICO doesn't matter. Just that I don't pay attention to it to achieve weight loss, but obviously my body must have.

    I suspect you are conflating volume of food and calories. I can eat high volume low calories or low volume high calories. Either way, your body doesn't respond based on the number of calories, but rather the volume of foods and the maconutrients involved.

    I wish I could say the same. I once ate 9 lbs. of salad and only stopped because I ran out of salad and not because I felt full. If I had a nickel for every time someone suggested that a high volume low calorie foods in order to feel satisfied...

    There are a lot of other low calorie volume foods than just salad (egg whites, chicken/turkey). And generally combining them often increase satiety.

    I've combined those with salad as well. Some of us just have a really big appetite.

    Fully aware of that. I am a huge eater. It's why I eat 3 large meals instead of snacking. Snacking makes me hungry.

    Interestingly I am a huge eater once I start but when doing IF, I have no trouble lasting 20+ hours.

    IF and I did not get along. I tried 16:8 and I could never get pasted 14 hours and I saw no benefit. Everyone kept saying that after a few weeks hormones will adjust, but nope... never did.