Diet or Smaller food portions?

trigden1991

Machka9 wrote: »

ClaudiaKho13 wrote: »

Okay, thanks for replying. Won't cut out completely food that i like but instead reduce portion sizes. But what about calories burned after a workout. Do you guys eat them back? Like my daily cal is 1200 and i burn 250 do i eat back the 250 cals?

If I just burn a little bit, like 250, I would eat about 50% of that back.

If I burned maybe 750 cal, I might eat about 75% of that back.

If I burned up around 1500 cal, I might eat most of it back.

Can you explain your logic behind this? I would argue that as the calorie burns increase, you should eat a smaller percentage as the percentage inaccuracy will be a much larger calorie value and more likely to impact on a calorie deficit if miscalculated.

Machka9

trigden1991 wrote: »

Machka9 wrote: »

ClaudiaKho13 wrote: »

Okay, thanks for replying. Won't cut out completely food that i like but instead reduce portion sizes. But what about calories burned after a workout. Do you guys eat them back? Like my daily cal is 1200 and i burn 250 do i eat back the 250 cals?

If I just burn a little bit, like 250, I would eat about 50% of that back.

If I burned maybe 750 cal, I might eat about 75% of that back.

If I burned up around 1500 cal, I might eat most of it back.

Can you explain your logic behind this? I would argue that as the calorie burns increase, you should eat a smaller percentage as the percentage inaccuracy will be a much larger calorie value and more likely to impact on a calorie deficit if miscalculated.

I find when I put in a decent effort on the bicycle (which is when I would burn a larger number of calories), if I don't eat most of them back on the day, then the next day I am incredibly ravenous to the point of being shaky, dizzy and very irritable. But if I do eat all/most of my exercise calories back, then I'm OK. I discovered this through trial and error.

I will also add that I use the calculation 100 cals/5 km cycled, so a 1500 cal burn would be a 75 km bicycle ride ... a decent ride. Some would suggest that calculation is a bit on the low side for that distance of a ride anyway, so my percentage of inaccuracy is probably not too bad.

That said, when I get up to 200 km rides and longer it is harder to eat all my calories back so I'll just eat till I don't want to eat anymore ... I don't actually count on those days, or for the day before or day after.



However, if I only burn a few calories (250 would be just over an hour's walk), I haven't exerted myself all that much so I don't feel I need to eat all that much - I don't have that incredibly ravenous feeling, and really, what's 125 calories anyway. It's not like I can go get a pizza or something. Plus it is on the shorter/lighter things like this where I figure I have a great percentage of inaccuracy. Did I really walk that fast or that far? What about those times where I stopped to take photos or slowed up to look at something.


Anyway, it seems to have worked for me. I lost the weight and have maintained the loss for a year now.

Tacklewasher

I figure that I need to learn how to eat as if I was skinny, so that's what I'm trying to do now. Not purposefully cutting anything out, but overall eating less and eating better. Once I am thin, I will be used to eating like this and won't need to change how I eat. Dropped 35 lbs so far.

trigden1991

Machka9 wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

Machka9 wrote: »

ClaudiaKho13 wrote: »

Okay, thanks for replying. Won't cut out completely food that i like but instead reduce portion sizes. But what about calories burned after a workout. Do you guys eat them back? Like my daily cal is 1200 and i burn 250 do i eat back the 250 cals?

If I just burn a little bit, like 250, I would eat about 50% of that back.

If I burned maybe 750 cal, I might eat about 75% of that back.

If I burned up around 1500 cal, I might eat most of it back.

Can you explain your logic behind this? I would argue that as the calorie burns increase, you should eat a smaller percentage as the percentage inaccuracy will be a much larger calorie value and more likely to impact on a calorie deficit if miscalculated.

I find when I put in a decent effort on the bicycle (which is when I would burn a larger number of calories), if I don't eat most of them back on the day, then the next day I am incredibly ravenous to the point of being shaky, dizzy and very irritable. But if I do eat all/most of my exercise calories back, then I'm OK. I discovered this through trial and error.

I will also add that I use the calculation 100 cals/5 km cycled, so a 1500 cal burn would be a 75 km bicycle ride ... a decent ride. Some would suggest that calculation is a bit on the low side for that distance of a ride anyway, so my percentage of inaccuracy is probably not too bad.

That said, when I get up to 200 km rides and longer it is harder to eat all my calories back so I'll just eat till I don't want to eat anymore ... I don't actually count on those days, or for the day before or day after.



However, if I only burn a few calories (250 would be just over an hour's walk), I haven't exerted myself all that much so I don't feel I need to eat all that much - I don't have that incredibly ravenous feeling, and really, what's 125 calories anyway. It's not like I can go get a pizza or something. Plus it is on the shorter/lighter things like this where I figure I have a great percentage of inaccuracy. Did I really walk that fast or that far? What about those times where I stopped to take photos or slowed up to look at something.


Anyway, it seems to have worked for me. I lost the weight and have maintained the loss for a year now.

Thanks for the in depth response. I was being a bit narrow minded and thinking of people doing "cardio" for fat loss rather than sport (if that makes sense). If you are racking up the miles day on day, then you will definitely need to be eating the calories back. Sounds like you found what works for you.

I would say to people that are burning calories and going by the MFP or machine calorie burns from the gym equipment to exercise some caution as they tend to overestimate significantly.

kshama2001

ClaudiaKho13 wrote: »

Okay, thanks for replying. Won't cut out completely food that i like but instead reduce portion sizes. But what about calories burned after a workout. Do you guys eat them back? Like my daily cal is 1200 and i burn 250 do i eat back the 250 cals?

MFP uses the NEAT method, and as such the system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back.

My FitBit One is far less generous with calories than the MFP database and I comfortably eat 100% of the calories I earn from it back.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1

Francl27

It depends on your diet, OP. If you eat mostly high calorie foods, you'll probably have to cut some out and replace them with more nutritious foods or you'll just be hungry.

In the end it's about finding the right balance for you.

GottaBurnEmAll

I do a bit of both like many posters in this thread. I've learned over time to make better choices, but I generally tend to like what people consider "healthy" food anyway.

I haven't really cut anything out, but I do tend to eat high calorie/low nutrient foods with less frequency than I used to and in smaller portions.

This way, I still feel satisfied with being able to have foods I enjoy in my life (no sense of deprivation or "I'll never have that again" syndrome) while continuing to pursue my goals.

Win-win.

stealthq

Meghanebk wrote: »

Do what works for you. Keep in mind that the best way to KEEP weight off is to permanently change some habits. The more stuff you "cut out" for a "diet" the more likely you are to regain wait when the "diet" ends. It's also a lot easier to stick to a plan that doesn't have you stressed and starving.

That's why people recommend learning proper portion sizes (a food scale is important for that), a reasonable calorie deficit, not cutting out the foods you like, and maybe making some more nutritious/less calorie dense substitutions. I tinkered with my preferred foods - once I started logging what I ate, I saw I was way low on protein. Happily, increasing my protein also made me less hungry between meals.

For example, I love peanut butter, but I no longer eat buckeyes by the handful - I satisfy my peanut butter candy craving with a few Trader Joe mini milk chocolate peanut butter cups (not a hardship, they're delicious and a serving is 26 pieces!). Something like that is easy, but saves me 400 calories, and is still satisfying.

This is why my family makes them only once a year - and gives away most of what we make. Between the making and the giving away, we eat more than enough of them.

OP, the advice to check your current diet to find places to make reasonable cuts/substitutions is good. Try that for a while and see how you do. You'll probably want to make adjustments, and that's when you'll have the knowledge to make more directed choices because you'll know what you need to fix other than 'reduce calories'.

Need2Exerc1se

I don't understand the question. If you are reducing calories in order to lose weight then you are on a diet. The food content of the diet does not change that. It's basic vocabulary.

barni71

I did cut out certain things when I did lchf but I could not keep that type of diet going for ever. I now just do smaller portions of the things I like and used to eat and could keep this up indefinitely.

LAWoman72

I like to eat in quantity, so rather than cut back portions, usually I like to eat way more of (by volume) lower-calorie foods.

Mixed in with there I will have my higher-calorie treats; for those, definitely, significant portion control is involved.

I eat all sorts of different foods. But I just can't go over my calorie goals...I can't, or I gain (or don't lose), period. I have to have the max calorie goal in place, and I have to stick to it, and I have to carefully count everything. This is how I, personally, lose.

cerise_noir

Diet/low calorie versions/low calorie foods: if you're a volume eater. You can fit in more for the same amount of calories as those who eat

Non diet foods/smaller portions: for those who like to eat smaller amounts of food to reach their calorie goal.

WinoGelato

OP I am in the "eat a variety of foods at a reasonable calorie deficit in order to lose weight" camp.

My approach was to focus on adding things to my overall habits, not cut anything out (other than excess calories). More protein, more vegetables, more whole grains, more exercise, more sleep. I found that by doing that, and having a solid understanding of my maintenance calorie needs and as such, setting a reasonable calorie deficit; I was able to fill my day with a variety of appropriate sized portions of different foods and still have room for things like a glass of wine, a serving of ice cream, a couple of Oreos, etc.

I agree with the suggestions above of just logging your normal foods for a while to see where you think you might be able to make changes that won't leave you hungry, deficient on nutrients, or miserable.

WinoGelato

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

I don't understand the question. If you are reducing calories in order to lose weight then you are on a diet. The food content of the diet does not change that. It's basic vocabulary.

While it is a bit of a semantics discussion, I assume that what the OP meant was whether people focus exclusively on calories by reducing portion sizes only, or embarking on a specific named diet/way of eating - Low Carb or Atkins or Paleo, etc in order to create that calorie deficit.

neldabg

+1 for mixing it up with substitutions and smaller portions. Here's what I do now in maintenance:

neldabg wrote: »

I use substitutes/alternatives when I don't think taste will be compromised and then just exercise portion control for everything else.
For example, I don't hate Shirataki noodles, but they just don't do it for me. Instead, I just use regular noodles and portion out around 3/4 of the recommended serving size and add a lot of veggies and some meat.
Generally, in stores, I take the time to compare nutrition labels and opt for the product that offers the lowest calories PER GRAM/PORTION (labels can be tricky) and the best protein and fat ratio per serving. To break a tie, I examine vitamins and minerals provided, and the winning product is the one that's the cheapest.
For ice cream, I *did* like Halo Top as a substitution, so much that after reading reviews here on MFP and trying them out myself, I went through nearly a pint a day for a few consecutive days. Well, as the saying goes, too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing, and after those fews days, I got sick of Halo Top. I get a little nauseous whenever I think of the ice cream. Haha. Now I stick to regular ice cream.
I second the bagel thins, however I sometimes just buy regular bagels if there's a good sale and just eat half a bagel.
I love sweets and still do eat them, but I also love protein bars just as much, so I'll often eat a protein bar as my sweet treat. I get the sweetness of candy bars while also hitting protein goals.
As for cookies, I've been spoiled by Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookies. They're very dense and provide slightly more protein per serving than bakery/packaged cookies. Even though I have to eat only half a cookie at a time, I honestly find them much more tasty and satisfying than regular cookies.
I don't miss regular milk at all. I use coconut/soy milk in place of regular milk, and recently, I've been using protein powder for my cereal.
Protein pancakes in place of regular pancakes.
Burrito/tortilla wraps, flat breads, and/or mushroom caps instead of regular prepackaged crust for homemade pizza.
Turkey/chicken versions of sausages, bacon, pepperoni, and hamburgers.
Jennie O's ground turkey.

For weight loss, I did the same thing, but cut back on calories.

the_new_mark_2017

grmckenzie wrote: »

I figure that I need to learn how to eat as if I was skinny, so that's what I'm trying to do now. Not purposefully cutting anything out, but overall eating less and eating better. Once I am thin, I will be used to eating like this and won't need to change how I eat. Dropped 35 lbs so far.

I like this... a lot!