Lost weight while eating junk?
Clawsal
Posts: 255 Member
Hi!
So I have lost quite a bit of weight counting calories.
Then I went on vacation for 4 weeks, didn't count calories, ate restaurant food and convenient food (crisps, chocolate bars) and almost no veggies or fruit.
I thought I had gained weight, but I actually lost 3 pounds! How is that possible?
I am happy I lost weight but now have little motivation to go back to counting calories...
So I have lost quite a bit of weight counting calories.
Then I went on vacation for 4 weeks, didn't count calories, ate restaurant food and convenient food (crisps, chocolate bars) and almost no veggies or fruit.
I thought I had gained weight, but I actually lost 3 pounds! How is that possible?
I am happy I lost weight but now have little motivation to go back to counting calories...
0
Replies
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All you have to do to lose weight, is to consistently eat less than you burn. If you have lost weight, and you haven't just hit a high/low bump on the scales, you ate less than you burnt while on vacation.5
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You lost weight because you were in a calorie deficit. Most people are pretty active when they go on vacations, with walking and such. Also being out of normal routine/meal times can contribute-I eat way less when we're traveling and always lose weight.
Also, calories are calories and in terms of weight loss it doesn't matter what kinds of foods you're eating. You can lose weight eating out and eating convenience foods, just the same as if you were eating a whole foods diet focused on veggies and fruit-as long as you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.6 -
Vacation for 4 weeks? ugh I'm lucky to grab 1. Either way you were still in a calorie deficit. Doesn't matter what you ate. Probably were much more active too. Is your normal day a desk job?4
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Because food is food. Putting categories on individual food items like "clean" or "junk" are meaningless in the overall context of your diet.
If you ate less than you burned over time, you lost weight. Probably because over the time you were on vacation you were much more active than your normal routine, and the "bad" meals you had didn't amount to as much as you thought.
Counting calories doesn't make you lose weight, it helps you keep yourself accountable to how much you eat relative to your estimate of how much you burn. You can choose to use the tool or not, but your body will count the calories regardless of what you do.7 -
If I were you, what I would right now is roughly write down what I ate and what activity I did in order to see how the pattern was different from usual. If you managed to net fewer calories while awaywithout thinking about it, that's an opportunity to find out how you did it and learn something you can apply in daily life. Like the others, I think the most likely explanation is that you were moving around more.5
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I had always "feared" going away because I expect to gain, but still, I know from experience that I've always lost weight on vacation. I couldn't understand how that could be. First I atrributed it to being more active, but I'm not very active on vacation either, so that isn't the crucial part. I figured out how this worked - for me - last summer: When I'm on holiday, I'm focused on what I want to do, and that is not "sitting and eating" (that's what I preferred when I was at home alone), and to make that happen, I need to eat properly, and I know what that is, intuitively, when I don't get lost in all the "rules". Instead of focusing on "eating healthy" (which I would do, in streaks, at home), which I have no time for when I'm busy, I focus on eating to fuel my body, and choosing food I want, and eat until I don't want anymore. No worries, no guilt. When I'm busy exploring, eating would just be an annoyance, too. I would rather wait until it's time for a meal, and I would know when I'm ready beacuse I would be really hungry, and I would want some good food, sit down and enjoy it, and I would refuse to eat anything I didn't want or a place I didn't like.CattOfTheGarage wrote: »If I were you, what I would right now is roughly write down what I ate and what activity I did in order to see how the pattern was different from usual. If you managed to net fewer calories while awaywithout thinking about it, that's an opportunity to find out how you did it and learn something you can apply in daily life. Like the others, I think the most likely explanation is that you were moving around more.
This was an eating pattern - but more importantly, a set of attitudes - that I (since 2013) had implemented at home too, without realizing. No wonder losing and maintaining weight suddenly was so effortless.1 -
Could some of the weight change be attributable to the loss of water your body had been retaining due to various stresses in calorie restriction/exercise before your trip? I've had the situation where I was working aggressively at weight loss and the scale wasn't moving and then had a period of time when I relaxed and eased up considerably (maintenance or even calorie surplus), and my weight on the scales dropped.1
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Obligatory must read for the OP. Blew me away when I first saw it.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it/p13 -
I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.0
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So I wasn't clear.
I know what CICO is, and I know that you can lose weight eating "junk food". I actually like counting calories because it means I can still eat my daily chocolate and lose weight.
However, it is much easier to overeat when you are eating calorie-dense food (such as what I ate when I was on vacation). My question is rather: how is it possible that I didn't overeat while on vacation given that:
1. I have a propensity for over-eating (this is how I gained the weight)
2. I wasn't counting calories, which usually allows me to control my over-eating habits
3. I was eating calorie-dense foods which usually induces over-eating
4. I was not doing any purposeful exercise0 -
CattOfTheGarage wrote: »If I were you, what I would right now is roughly write down what I ate and what activity I did in order to see how the pattern was different from usual. If you managed to net fewer calories while awaywithout thinking about it, that's an opportunity to find out how you did it and learn something you can apply in daily life. Like the others, I think the most likely explanation is that you were moving around more.
Great advice thank you!
I was usually rather busy and had no kitchen available so I ate bread for breakfast (and made a conscious choice of buying a bread bun at the bakery instead of any of the delicious pastries!). I had a pastry only once and was hungry 2 hours later.
Usually skipped lunch and had a nice dinner.
I was not moving around that much though. I took a vacation from my fitbit too, so I don't know how many steps. I was netting 12000 steps a day before the vacation, and I don't think I was walking much more than that.0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.
I've become the same. I split a starter, have a main and no way can I have dessert.0 -
goldthistime wrote: »Could some of the weight change be attributable to the loss of water your body had been retaining due to various stresses in calorie restriction/exercise before your trip? I've had the situation where I was working aggressively at weight loss and the scale wasn't moving and then had a period of time when I relaxed and eased up considerably (maintenance or even calorie surplus), and my weight on the scales dropped.
I know when I start exercising I retain water (I actually made a post about that) and I was definitely stressed before the vacation so it may have played a role. Maybe I didn't really lose 3 pounds. But even if I didn't, still, I didn't gain any weight while on vacation for 4 weeks!!0 -
On vacations you are often active and aren't thinking about food or snacking on it constantly. You are often preoccupied with other stuff. Some people end up gaining if their vacation involves nothing but baking in the sun, or is done specifically for food, others maintain or lose if they walk more and food is just an afterthought. It's hard to recreate those circumstances at home so you need to count calories.
Another thing you may want to consider is that vacations usually reduce stress. Stress induced water weight can be quite stubborn. You may have eaten at maintenance or slightly above, but felt good and dropped the extra water weight you were carrying. If you increased the intensity of your workouts lately, the rest and no purposeful exercise may have also facilitated dealing with the water retention.
Either way, you need to go back to counting calories or some alternative method that leads to calorie reduction without counting. If you absolutely can't go back to counting calories look into things such as portion control, mindful eating, low carb, all kinds of intermittent fasting and so on. Some approaches can lead to a spontaneous reduction in calories but it's not guaranteed, so you will need to experiment. Personally, I would stick to counting calories because it allows better freedom and tighter control.3 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »You lost weight because you were in a calorie deficit. Most people are pretty active when they go on vacations, with walking and such. Also being out of normal routine/meal times can contribute-I eat way less when we're traveling and always lose weight.
Also, calories are calories and in terms of weight loss it doesn't matter what kinds of foods you're eating. You can lose weight eating out and eating convenience foods, just the same as if you were eating a whole foods diet focused on veggies and fruit-as long as you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.
This^0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.
I've become the same. I split a starter, have a main and no way can I have dessert.
I will never understand this. I'm 100 (well, ok, 102.5....damn you, see's candy!) Lbs and can still eat as much as i did when I was 225 lbs.
OP, you most likely were just moving more and/or eating less. Just be happy you didn't gain 10 lbs on vacation. 1 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.
I've become the same. I split a starter, have a main and no way can I have dessert.
I will never understand this. I'm 100 (well, ok, 102.5....damn you, see's candy!) Lbs and can still eat as much as i did when I was 225 lbs.
OP, you most likely were just moving more and/or eating less. Just be happy you didn't gain 10 lbs on vacation.
Local Greek place makes a deep dish pizza. I could scarf down a large meat lovers no problem. Tonight I'm hitting the pub with my dad and will get a thin crust pepperoni (gluten free for some reason) and I will be full with 1/2 and a beer. I can't eat what I used to. I ate maintenance last Sunday just because) and felt it was a lot of food.0 -
Worst "I lost weight on holiday" brag thread ever
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amusedmonkey wrote: »On vacations you are often active and aren't thinking about food or snacking on it constantly. You are often preoccupied with other stuff. Some people end up gaining if their vacation involves nothing but baking in the sun, or is done specifically for food, others maintain or lose if they walk more and food is just an afterthought. It's hard to recreate those circumstances at home so you need to count calories.
Another thing you may want to consider is that vacations usually reduce stress. Stress induced water weight can be quite stubborn. You may have eaten at maintenance or slightly above, but felt good and dropped the extra water weight you were carrying. If you increased the intensity of your workouts lately, the rest and no purposeful exercise may have also facilitated dealing with the water retention.
Either way, you need to go back to counting calories or some alternative method that leads to calorie reduction without counting. If you absolutely can't go back to counting calories look into things such as portion control, mindful eating, low carb, all kinds of intermittent fasting and so on. Some approaches can lead to a spontaneous reduction in calories but it's not guaranteed, so you will need to experiment. Personally, I would stick to counting calories because it allows better freedom and tighter control.
You are absolutely right, I will continue counting calories. Started again this morning actually. It's just not so easy getting back to it.
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Hi!
So I have lost quite a bit of weight counting calories.
Then I went on vacation for 4 weeks, didn't count calories, ate restaurant food and convenient food (crisps, chocolate bars) and almost no veggies or fruit.
I thought I had gained weight, but I actually lost 3 pounds! How is that possible?
I am happy I lost weight but now have little motivation to go back to counting calories...
Because it doesn't really have much to do with what you're eating but rather the calories you're taking in vs expending.
When I'm on vacation I'm a lot more generally active than I am at home where I'm stuck behind a desk five days per week...on vacation I'm up and out and about doing stuff and moving which I think is normal for most people on vacation.
I went to Colombia in May for 10 days and part of a good vacation for me is sampling the local cuisine, which I did...and I drank copious amounts of beer...but we were out and about pretty much every day, all day...lost 3.5 Lbs and I wasn't even wanting/trying to lose weight as I've been in maintenance for over 3.5 years.0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.
I've become the same. I split a starter, have a main and no way can I have dessert.
I will never understand this. I'm 100 (well, ok, 102.5....damn you, see's candy!) Lbs and can still eat as much as i did when I was 225 lbs.
OP, you most likely were just moving more and/or eating less. Just be happy you didn't gain 10 lbs on vacation.
This is what I don't understand! Assuming you are a healthy weight now, for you to be 225 lbs means you were seriously over-eating. If you can still eat that much now, how are you able to maintain such a low weight?
Are you constantly hungry? Aren't you miserable?0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.
I've become the same. I split a starter, have a main and no way can I have dessert.
I will never understand this. I'm 100 (well, ok, 102.5....damn you, see's candy!) Lbs and can still eat as much as i did when I was 225 lbs.
OP, you most likely were just moving more and/or eating less. Just be happy you didn't gain 10 lbs on vacation.
This is what I don't understand! Assuming you are a healthy weight now, for you to be 225 lbs means you were seriously over-eating. If you can still eat that much now, how are you able to maintain such a low weight?
Are you constantly hungry? Aren't you miserable?
LOL well in those days I didn't exercise. At all. And obviously didn't count calories. But now I do both.
And I try to eat every last exercise calorie I earn (and did the same when I was trying to lose weight too).
I get a little hungry during the day but I do a very loose version of intermitent fasting and eat the bulk of my calories at night.1 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »I'd guess that eating less has become a habit for you. So while you may have eaten differently, you didn't eat that much more and the increased activity compensated for it.
I hope this is true. I have noticed I can't eat as much food as before before feeling overly full. For instance, going to a restaurant planning to have a starter+main+dessert and actually skipping the dessert.
I've become the same. I split a starter, have a main and no way can I have dessert.
I will never understand this. I'm 100 (well, ok, 102.5....damn you, see's candy!) Lbs and can still eat as much as i did when I was 225 lbs.
OP, you most likely were just moving more and/or eating less. Just be happy you didn't gain 10 lbs on vacation.
This is what I don't understand! Assuming you are a healthy weight now, for you to be 225 lbs means you were seriously over-eating. If you can still eat that much now, how are you able to maintain such a low weight?
Are you constantly hungry? Aren't you miserable?
I'm still capable of eating as much as I used to eat. I'm not hungry on less, but I just don't venture into the overfull category as often. "Full" also lasts quite a bit before it turns into "overfull", in that I could be full on 1 cup of rice, and still be equally full on 3 (what I used to eat). It takes more than 4 to start feeling overfull. I'm also pretty good at eating beyond overfull. For example, even if I eat so much I could swear I can't fit in an extra spec of food, then some food I really like is presented, extra space is somehow magically conjured without ill effects. The closest comparison I could think of is that it's like comparing someone who holds their liquor well and someone who doesn't. Both can get equally buzzed, but one can take it a step further without ill effects while the other is physically incapable of it.2
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