2,000 Calories per MFP and not losing weight
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I agree with Michael Matthews. Think in terms of "cheat MEAL" and not "cheat DAYS".2
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Correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like a lot of your logging is just estimation based on things that are on mfb database just because they have similar names to what you are eating. For example, I see entries in a single dinner from 3 different restaurants which does not sound very likely, or homemade recipes that actually not homemade by you, so you have no clue how they correspond to what you are eating.
To give a simple example, I might have a homemade chocolate cake recipe which has no oil and no sugar and my serving is paper thin, so I can call this something like "L's homemade, chocolate cake, 90calories per slice". Then someone else might have a rich cake, complete with butter, syrup and frosting and cut 1 inch thick slices. This person's slice might again be called "M's homemade, chocolate cake, 500calories per slice". If you eat a slice of homemade chocolate cake your friend offered you, how are you going to log it? If you pick the first homemade entry, while your friend made something that is more like the second one, you risk underestimating a lot.
Try using entries by weighing single ingredients, using packaged things and again weighing, and if you eat out, it might be a good idea to intentionally overestimate a bit, since restaurant portions are not going to be that accurate in calories, and what you think is 1 portion might easily be e.g. 1.5.
This is exactly what I am doing. A lot of my entries that look like eating out or processed foods is because I assume those would give me higher estimates and it's easier to do. In actuality processed foods and eating out is a very small percentage of my diet.
Example: Chocolate chip cookie from Starbucks is really an all-natural chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie from my co-op. I just figure that the Starbucks cookie is going to be higher in calories/fat/sugar so it's an easy way for me to over estimate. .....and no I don't drink the coffee (blech) or the lattes or the ridiculously sweet drinks. I am a french roast coffee drinker.
I eat out 1-2 times a week and if I do eat processed food it's peanut butter, macadamia nuts, organic wheat crackers etc. No hydrogenated oils, no HFCS, no nitrites (unless naturally occurring), no nitrates. Except for a few indulgences I am low sugar/no sugar or low glycemic sugar (coconut).
......again this is great input. I will stay below 2,000 calories for 30 days and try to move more.
Long-term, I think it will be more useful to log what you're actually eating instead of trying to log things that you think may be "worse" in the hopes it balances out.
Your co-op probably doesn't have lower calorie cookies than Starbucks. The basis of a cookie -- sugar, fat, flour -- is going to be the same most places. Using "fancier" ingredients, as your co-op may do, isn't going to change the calorie count in any meaningful way. So instead of choosing processed entries to account for the unprocessed food you're eating, I recommend just logging more accurately. Your body doesn't really process calories differently because the cracker is organic wheat as opposed to conventional wheat.
You're regularly eating things like licorice candies and gummies. These are processed. Now there isn't anything wrong with that -- it isn't going to stop you from losing weight if you're in a deficit.18 -
Correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like a lot of your logging is just estimation based on things that are on mfb database just because they have similar names to what you are eating. For example, I see entries in a single dinner from 3 different restaurants which does not sound very likely, or homemade recipes that actually not homemade by you, so you have no clue how they correspond to what you are eating.
To give a simple example, I might have a homemade chocolate cake recipe which has no oil and no sugar and my serving is paper thin, so I can call this something like "L's homemade, chocolate cake, 90calories per slice". Then someone else might have a rich cake, complete with butter, syrup and frosting and cut 1 inch thick slices. This person's slice might again be called "M's homemade, chocolate cake, 500calories per slice". If you eat a slice of homemade chocolate cake your friend offered you, how are you going to log it? If you pick the first homemade entry, while your friend made something that is more like the second one, you risk underestimating a lot.
Try using entries by weighing single ingredients, using packaged things and again weighing, and if you eat out, it might be a good idea to intentionally overestimate a bit, since restaurant portions are not going to be that accurate in calories, and what you think is 1 portion might easily be e.g. 1.5.
This is exactly what I am doing. A lot of my entries that look like eating out or processed foods is because I assume those would give me higher estimates and it's easier to do. In actuality processed foods and eating out is a very small percentage of my diet.
Example: Chocolate chip cookie from Starbucks is really an all-natural chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie from my co-op. I just figure that the Starbucks cookie is going to be higher in calories/fat/sugar so it's an easy way for me to over estimate. .....and no I don't drink the coffee (blech) or the lattes or the ridiculously sweet drinks. I am a french roast coffee drinker.
I eat out 1-2 times a week and if I do eat processed food it's peanut butter, macadamia nuts, organic wheat crackers etc. No hydrogenated oils, no HFCS, no nitrites (unless naturally occurring), no nitrates. Except for a few indulgences I am low sugar/no sugar or low glycemic sugar (coconut).
......again this is great input. I will stay below 2,000 calories for 30 days and try to move more.
The Starbucks chocolate chunk cookies are actually pretty low for a bakery style cookie.
I wouldn't be surprised if your co-op cookie was more caloric.
If you're eating out some place that doesn't have nutritional info, I highly recommend searching for the item along with the word Sodexo or Aramark. Sodexo and Aramark are the two major food distributors in the United States, so it'll give you a better idea of what you're actually eating.
Are you weighing your peanut butter and nuts? Macadamias are delicious, but you get deceptively few for 200 calories...7 -
Correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like a lot of your logging is just estimation based on things that are on mfb database just because they have similar names to what you are eating. For example, I see entries in a single dinner from 3 different restaurants which does not sound very likely, or homemade recipes that actually not homemade by you, so you have no clue how they correspond to what you are eating.
To give a simple example, I might have a homemade chocolate cake recipe which has no oil and no sugar and my serving is paper thin, so I can call this something like "L's homemade, chocolate cake, 90calories per slice". Then someone else might have a rich cake, complete with butter, syrup and frosting and cut 1 inch thick slices. This person's slice might again be called "M's homemade, chocolate cake, 500calories per slice". If you eat a slice of homemade chocolate cake your friend offered you, how are you going to log it? If you pick the first homemade entry, while your friend made something that is more like the second one, you risk underestimating a lot.
Try using entries by weighing single ingredients, using packaged things and again weighing, and if you eat out, it might be a good idea to intentionally overestimate a bit, since restaurant portions are not going to be that accurate in calories, and what you think is 1 portion might easily be e.g. 1.5.
This is exactly what I am doing. A lot of my entries that look like eating out or processed foods is because I assume those would give me higher estimates and it's easier to do. In actuality processed foods and eating out is a very small percentage of my diet.
Example: Chocolate chip cookie from Starbucks is really an all-natural chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie from my co-op. I just figure that the Starbucks cookie is going to be higher in calories/fat/sugar so it's an easy way for me to over estimate. .....and no I don't drink the coffee (blech) or the lattes or the ridiculously sweet drinks. I am a french roast coffee drinker.
I eat out 1-2 times a week and if I do eat processed food it's peanut butter, macadamia nuts, organic wheat crackers etc. No hydrogenated oils, no HFCS, no nitrites (unless naturally occurring), no nitrates. Except for a few indulgences I am low sugar/no sugar or low glycemic sugar (coconut).
......again this is great input. I will stay below 2,000 calories for 30 days and try to move more.
You've been at this awhile. Your results indicate that you are likely eating more than you think. Think of this as troubleshooting.
Instead of starting with the assumption that you are doing everything right and eating 2000 calories now, you should pay attention to your results and realize that it probably isn't the case. If it's not the case, then adjusting activity is not going to help you get the process correct. Question some of the assumptions you are making above. (Bolded). Nuts and peanut butter, for example are very calorie dense. If you are not weighing these, you could be off by a lot.
Doing the process correctly is the most important part of this. The process is guaranteed to work - if it's done right. It's what allows you to make correct adjustments as things change.
Instead of adjusting to errors you don't wish to correct, measure meticulously with a food scale. When you do, you'll find your answers. You'll get to the point where you really know what your intake is. If you try to counterbalance your intake errors by resorting to more movement (for that purpose), you are likely only going to introduce more error. You might get lucky, but it won't be because you are doing the process correctly. There is no way this process will not work. So weigh your food first and foremost. Whether something is "processed" or not is not relevant. It may be important to you, but it has no bearing on how much fat you'll lose. I would really work on getting your intake measured right before you introduce or change the movement variable.12 -
I'm 58, weigh 270, height 5-11. I've been below the 2,000 calories now on most days: In 90 days, I've been over 2,00 calories 35 times. I don't get enough exercise on most days, like maybe 5 out of 7 days.
My plan has been to reduce my calorie intake until my weight starts dropping then get more active. But my weight has not budged. Should I reduce my calories, and if so, how far?
One more thing, for reference. I started my process at 54, 5'11" and 240 pounds. I averaged about 2250-2400 calories per day and lost 50 pounds over about 7 months. If you weigh your intake correctly, it'll work.
It's important to measure intake not just for weight loss, but for maintenance. I've been in maintenance for about 11 months and the process is just as important now as it was then. I weigh almost everything.10 -
Op - the biggest issue i saw with your diary were all the entries for .5 service; 1/4 of a loaf etc....recommend finding entries that are weight based and then weighing food4
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Stephen_Lyons wrote: »Stephen_Lyons wrote: »At 58 years/270 lbs/5'11" your BMR is approximately 2100 calories. I would not recommend going too much under 2000.
I might recommend you focus on 2 things...
1. Focus on the quality of the calories that you are eating. Not all calories are equal. Cut back on the processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup)
2. Don't wait, start exercising low-intensity now. Even just walking for 30 minutes a day just to get your body moving. Later work in 1-2 minute burst of speed walking/jogging. Even small decisions like taking the stairs everywhere you can. Every decision you make now can make a difference later.
Later you can focus on things like macro nutrients and gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts.
Good luck!
While the "quality" of calories may affect his satiety and health, it will not keep him from losing weight if he is at the right calorie level.
Hi kimny - I think we are both correct. You are absolutely correct that tightening up the logging will help, but if you look at the user's diary the types of foods/drinks that currently make up the calorie level are not setting the user up for long-term success. I think it is important that we provide our bodies the best fuel possible for energy, recovery, even just basic functioning. Especially important when eating to a caloric deficit.
it might be worth you reading the twinkie diet thread....9 -
Stephen_Lyons wrote: »Stephen_Lyons wrote: »At 58 years/270 lbs/5'11" your BMR is approximately 2100 calories. I would not recommend going too much under 2000.
I might recommend you focus on 2 things...
1. Focus on the quality of the calories that you are eating. Not all calories are equal. Cut back on the processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup)
2. Don't wait, start exercising low-intensity now. Even just walking for 30 minutes a day just to get your body moving. Later work in 1-2 minute burst of speed walking/jogging. Even small decisions like taking the stairs everywhere you can. Every decision you make now can make a difference later.
Later you can focus on things like macro nutrients and gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts.
Good luck!
While the "quality" of calories may affect his satiety and health, it will not keep him from losing weight if he is at the right calorie level.
Hi kimny - I think we are both correct. You are absolutely correct that tightening up the logging will help, but if you look at the user's diary the types of foods/drinks that currently make up the calorie level are not setting the user up for long-term success. I think it is important that we provide our bodies the best fuel possible for energy, recovery, even just basic functioning. Especially important when eating to a caloric deficit.
OP hasn't indicated he has any concerns about his energy, recovery, or basic functioning. OP's concern is that he's not losing weight.12 -
Stephen_Lyons wrote: »Stephen_Lyons wrote: »At 58 years/270 lbs/5'11" your BMR is approximately 2100 calories. I would not recommend going too much under 2000.
I might recommend you focus on 2 things...
1. Focus on the quality of the calories that you are eating. Not all calories are equal. Cut back on the processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup)
2. Don't wait, start exercising low-intensity now. Even just walking for 30 minutes a day just to get your body moving. Later work in 1-2 minute burst of speed walking/jogging. Even small decisions like taking the stairs everywhere you can. Every decision you make now can make a difference later.
Later you can focus on things like macro nutrients and gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts.
Good luck!
While the "quality" of calories may affect his satiety and health, it will not keep him from losing weight if he is at the right calorie level.
Hi kimny - I think we are both correct. You are absolutely correct that tightening up the logging will help, but if you look at the user's diary the types of foods/drinks that currently make up the calorie level are not setting the user up for long-term success. I think it is important that we provide our bodies the best fuel possible for energy, recovery, even just basic functioning. Especially important when eating to a caloric deficit.
Yeah... she said that:
While the "quality" of calories may affect his satiety and health, it will not keep him from losing weight if he is at the right calorie level.
Not all calories are equal when it comes to satiety and overall health, but they are totally equal in terms of weight loss, and that's the first place to look when a person is failing to lose weight as predicted. Generally over time, a person will learn which choices leave them more satisfied (and this varies somewhat from person to person) and in a better position to meet their goals, and sort of naturally gravitate to a more balanced diet. In these forums, we tend to see more success with people who approach it this way as opposed to trying to enforce specific dietary rules.12 -
I'm 58, weigh 270, height 5-11. I've been below the 2,000 calories now on most days: In 90 days, I've been over 2,00 calories 35 times. I don't get enough exercise on most days, like maybe 5 out of 7 days.
My plan has been to reduce my calorie intake until my weight starts dropping then get more active. But my weight has not budged. Should I reduce my calories, and if so, how far?
You're eating more than you think you are. You are eating more than 2k calories if you're not losing weight (assuming that the 2k calories target is based on your TDEE minus 20ish percent).
Get more precise at counting calories. Win.6 -
OK, update: I decided to lower my daily calorie count on the MFP app to just about 2,000 a day (previously it was 2,100+ a day). I did this to compensate for the times when my estimating is off. I have tried to stay below this mark and it has been successful. I was down 1 lb the first week and 2 lbs this last week.
Again, thanks for all the input, it appears that my estimating and accepting the amounts listed in the database was where I was off.10 -
OP, I feel you have missed the big message behind what the MFP community is trying to offer you here. Adjusting your calorie goal isn't going to help you. It's perfectly sound to think that you could lose weight eating 2100 calories a day if you actually eat that amount each day. Based on your logging entries and the fact that you aren't losing weight, you are eating MORE than 2100 calories a day because you are eating more than you think.
Stop estimating. At least think of estimating as an every once in a while thing rather than how you manage your daily intake.
Get a food scale and weigh your food in grams and accurately log what you eat so you know much more precisely what your calorie intake is.6 -
I have a food scale, I use the food scale, it measures in grams, even.....but when I can't use the food scale I use the database. The database isn't very accurate so I tweaked the calories per day. It is working for me. So, in this case, adjusting my calorie goal is working and it can work for others in this same situation.
This is why I took a moment to post this, so that others might benefit from it.
Thanks for your concern, I am sure it was well placed.3 -
I have a food scale, I use the food scale, it measures in grams, even.....but when I can't use the food scale I use the database. The database isn't very accurate so I tweaked the calories per day. It is working for me. So, in this case, adjusting my calorie goal is working and it can work for others in this same situation.
This is why I took a moment to post this, so that others might benefit from it.
Thanks for your concern, I am sure it was well placed.
But you only adjusted your calorie goal by 100 calories a day which would work out to 1/5 of a pound a week difference. That in itself wouldn't account for the fact that you are now losing weight, and that doesn't fix your problem. Its not that the database isn't very accurate, it is that you aren't being very accurate and that is what people are trying to tell you. Your estimates may have been a bit more accurate in the last couple of weeks, but that is not always going to be the case.4 -
I'm sure there will be some who disagree, but I think age is also a factor. Personally, my metabolism has slowed. (Yes, I know - not true for everyone but very true for me.)
At 58 I have to be super tight and accurate in weighing and logging to stay in a deficit. One restaurant "blow-out" meal can ruin a whole week for me of eating in a deficit. Basically, pushing me over for the week and I'll stay the same or even have a slight gain. When I was younger I could have cheat days or meals fairly often and still lose or at least maintain. Those days are gone.
Exercise has been the game changer for me. Bottom line, working out allows me to eat more, got out to restaurants, have drinks and enjoy life while still staying in the weight loss game.
Good luck!3
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