What the.....

kq1981
kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
edited February 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
Very new to mfp. Trying to lose weight for both physical and mental health issues. Have browsed comments and forums, read actively and find so much info, but at times so contradictory that I want to throw my phone out my window. Keep calories down and eat "whole" foods, eat cake and chips as long as it's within yr calorie count, cardio doesn't help, make sure u excersise, starvation mode isn't a thing (which I was informed about quite strenuously, so embarrassed) but don't skip meals because yr metabolism slows down unless you're doing IF so then it's ok to not eat.
So, my question is, what works for YOU, that keeps u feeling satiated and under calorie count for the day so I can TRY new things to establish what's right for me. It's a process I no and that's why I'm here. Thanks guys
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Replies

  • razzapool
    razzapool Posts: 89 Member
    i do cardio 4 times a week and try to make sure i stay within my calorie goal most days i do spend a long time at gym so get quite a few exercise calories i could eat back but i try to only use about 20-30% of them
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    Lol it really does sound like that doesn't it!? Bottom line to all of MFP weight loss is deficit in calories. If you eat less than your body burns, you will lose weight. It's ultimately your choice what you put in your mouth. If you want to eat "healthier more nutritious food" or don't. I'm pretty sure you know that exercise is good for the body and it does help with weight loss but it is NOT the primary factor
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    edited February 2017
    Thanks guys. I'll try the two smaller meals, one larger as I tend to get more hungry at night.
  • razzapool
    razzapool Posts: 89 Member
    the best advice I was given was to get a little kitchen scale, I haven't got much left to lose and I was stuck even though I was eating healthy and going gym four times a week I wasn't losing anymore weight but I wasn't weighting my meals and even though I was eating chicken and rice and stuff like that I was eating way to much of it
  • barbarafr
    barbarafr Posts: 19 Member
    I think the secret is to find what works for you and for your body. Every single one of us is different and i believe we all have a way that's perfect for us. I've tried most diets over my life and the one that is making a big difference for me is LCHF. Low Carb High Fat. It is certainly a change in perspective! And it works!!! It's like magic. I've lost 14lbs since the 5th of January plus I've got loads of energy and I feel great.
    You can read about how it works here:
    https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/
    and here is my favourite: www.dietdoctor.com
    When you shift your body into fat-burning mode it all seems SO much easier
    (I agree with lemonychild - exercise is not the primary factor, though I have added in an extra walk most days, pilates twice a week and a 7 minutes HIIT exercise set most mornings)
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    Yea I've never weighed my meals. Definitely something I'll look into because I know my eyes are much bigger than my stomache:-/
  • razzapool
    razzapool Posts: 89 Member
    haha mine too I would just fill the plate with rice and chicken and think it was healthy but really it was more then I needed
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    barbarafr wrote: »
    I think the secret is to find what works for you and for your body. Every single one of us is different and i believe we all have a way that's perfect for us. I've tried most diets over my life and the one that is making a big difference for me is LCHF. Low Carb High Fat. It is certainly a change in perspective! And it works!!! It's like magic. I've lost 14lbs since the 5th of January plus I've got loads of energy and I feel great.
    You can read about how it works here:
    https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/
    and here is my favourite: www.dietdoctor.com
    When you shift your body into fat-burning mode it all seems SO much easier
    (I agree with lemonychild - exercise is not the primary factor, though I have added in an extra walk most days, pilates twice a week and a 7 minutes HIIT exercise set most mornings)

    I've done lchf, for me it was unsustainable as a lifestyle (no diets here). Lots of factors involved with me being able to stick to it. Much research on my part went into it. But if it works for u that's fantastic! Well done.
    I'm trying just to monitor my calorie intake for now and not be hungry, because I'm a pig lol
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    What works for me is to not overcomplicate things.

    Weight loss, in itself, is a matter of calories. Anything else you have read is just opinions about what different things work for different people to optimize their calorie intake and health. If clean eating makes dieting easier for you, eat clean. If eating cake within calories is easier, eat cake. if eating 15 meals a day makes dieting easier for you, eat 15 meals a day. If eating 1 meal a day is what fits your preference better, do that. Physical activity is great for physical and mental health, it also gives you extra calories to make dieting easier. If you don't want to do it (or can't), don't do it. Nutrient rich foods support your health, but if you have a couple of days here and there where your diet is not nutrient rich, you're not gonna die.

    Cut through the noise and experiment to find out what works for you and makes dieting less stressful and more sustainable.


    Thank u!!!
  • razzapool
    razzapool Posts: 89 Member
    I dunno if it true for everyone but I have found that stacking the proteins keep me full, I eat a lot of chicken breast and tuna and stuff like that and I keep fridge full of the 10 calorie jellys if I get sweet cravings
  • EmmaCaz4
    EmmaCaz4 Posts: 113 Member
    I have to eat more often, I have 5 meals a day all weighed and prepped on a morning, drink plenty of water with my infuser and a few cups of peppermint tea which help to stop cravings. I also do have little snacks here and there. I exercise 6 days a week so I do need to eat back some of my calories otherwise i'd be passing out but I make sure I eat plenty of carbs, protein and fats. I have gone to more of a high fat low carb for the summer to try and lower my body fat percentage but overall my habits are a lifestyle change and something I can permanently stick to with minor tweaks here and there. For me it's about variety in meals aswell, If I get bored i'll throw the meal away and go and buy something from the shop so I have to make sure everything is very varied and flavoursome :smile:
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    For weight loss, maintain a sustainable calorie deficit (burn more than you eat, at a pace you can maintain long enough to accomplish your goals). Eat things you enjoy.

    For nutrition, hit reasonable macronutrient and micronutrient targets and eat a well-rounded range of foods.

    For happiness about your eating, balance nutrition, satiation, tastiness, and the social dimensions of eating.

    For fitness, to preserve muscle while in a calorie deficit, to earn a few more calories to eat while losing weight, and for the best chance of an energetic older age, exercise.

    For the best shot at general good health, achieve and maintain a healthy weight, get solid nutrition, and strive for fitness.

    Those are the basics. In every category, there are details, and people will debate them. ;)

    Personally, I find accurate logging (food & activity) very helpful, followed by diary review.

    Early on in losing, I'd review my diary, and think. If I had trouble sticking to my goals, or felt less than optimal, what was the cause: Lack of sleep? Stress? Not enough of some macronutrient or category of food? Too much of some trigger food? Not enough exercise? Too much exercise for my fuel level? Too little exercise? Too little fuel to maintain energy, consistency, or activity level? Boredom? Social pressure?

    For some problems, I needed to tweak my eating. If a food "cost" too many calories for its tastiness, nutrition or satiation, I'd replace it with something else I liked eating that better accomplished my goals. (Life is too short for food I don't enjoy.)

    For other problems, I needed to change my behavior - more sleep, new hobby, new mental "script" for handling difficult situations (potlucks and buffets - yikes! ;) ), stress management techniques, etc.

    Assess, adjust, evaluate . . . repeat.

    Accuracy in logging made this into a fun science fair project for grown ups: Simple (but not always easy ;) ). Not losing? Add exercise, or reduce eating. Fatigued/weak/losing unhealthily fast? The reverse. Over-ate goal calories? Calculate the impact in days of delay to goal, and go on, without drama.

    On the exercise front, finding something you think is fun enough that you want to do it - that's magic. It may take some persistent trial and error. Give any new activity several sessions of trial (unless it's injuring you in some way!) because it's less often fun to do something when you're really new and thus pretty bad at it. Give it a chance to be fun, before giving up.

    Personally, I like variety in my activities, and some strength-building and some cardiovascular-health-building activities. But that's secondary to doing things that I find fun.

    I could rattle on forever, but that's a start. :)

    tl; dr: Relax. Take some manageable, positive steps. Evaluate. Improve. Keep going.

    Great advice!!!! Thanks so much for yr time and effort. I'm sincerely trying my hardest to learn and change my eating habits.
    Buffets...... urgh lol My nonnas weekly dinner is my kryptonite. Italian grandmothers get so sad if u say no more lol
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    kq1981 wrote: »
    Buffets...... urgh lol My nonnas weekly dinner is my kryptonite. Italian grandmothers get so sad if u say no more lol

    You'll get the look. Best bet is to grab a small plate and have a small portion (used to do about half a serving spoon) of everything lol. She'll never believe you already ate or aren't that hungry. Italian grandmother's think everyone's starving all the time. Miss mine :)
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    Eat until 80% full at every meal, cheat sometimes within reason, good exercise 4-6 x's a week, sleep plenty, get a good routine, hold yourself accountable, drink water and then more water, eat foods that help you perform, get your yearly checkups, trust yourself in that if you think you're going off track you probably are.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    So props to you for reading and asking questions. I've been here 8 months and I'm still learning!

    For weight loss CICO. How you get there is what you will figure out over time. Cut out foods, moderate, meal frequency/timing, macros and exercise was just something I had to play around with to help me adhere. I started with one method (zig zagging) moved to more fixed daily calorie goal and I'm sure I will tweak things as I go. Small baby steps to help me form new habits.

    I also have an exit plan for vacations and stressful times, I eat at maintenance or I bank calories.

    Most importantly I'm finding a sustainable way of eating so transition to maintenance is easier.
  • It does get so confusing! Psuedo-science, magic tricks and pure lies abound.

    Personally, I'll stand behind CICO all day, every day. It just plain works. As to food, I try to keep a good balance between healthier items (since they're usually, but not always, lower calorie) and foods that I know will keep me satisfied and on-track. For me, that's HUGE - finding a way to be satisfied with my calorie count for the day. If that comes at a piece of bacon rather than a cup of pineapple, then so be it.