Weight loss-calorie counting only?

Moxiemama5678

Hey! So I’m wondering how many of you have lost a large amount of weight (50+ lbs) while only counting calories? No WW, keto, low carb, heavy lifting, marathon runners...just CICO. I feel like there are so many things to choose from but I just want to count calories, and I’d like to know if it can be done. Thanks!

concordancia

That is exactly how this app is designed. All of the other stuff is just different ways of controlling calorie intake.

Panini911

of course. regardless of what and when you eat, weight loss is always acheived via a calorie deficit regularly over time. even if one ketos and/or fasts. some people just find these methods or timing of eating helps them achieve that deficit more easily.

i lost 55lbd and more slender than i’ve ever been on a no name way of eating.

phoebe112476

I am down 65 pounds in almost 12 months. I started doing yoga. Otherwise all I did was count calories and stay in my range. No doubt it works, it is just math. If you are just starting out - make small changes to start with and don’t try for a large calorie deficit at first. It isn’t a race. It is a lifestyle change. Take the time to make it one that works for you. Best of luck. Come back here often as these forums are full of wisdom.

estherdragonbat

Dropped 108lbs since October 30th 2016. Counting calories, no "named" diets.

missysippy930

Over half my body weight.
Just saying, all diets for losing weight are about calorie counting. If you’re not doing it, some one else did it and tells you what and how much to eat on their program.🤷🏻‍♀️

Moxiemama5678

Thank you all for your posts-Congratulations to you all!

gallicinvasion

Lost 98 lbs with no other rule besides “adhere to my weekly calorie goal”

InsanityFan1

yep, close to 40 pounds lost now. I do not do any special diet fads, I still eat big foods sometimes. I just control the calories in and out with what the app tells me and I do workouts but I do my best to not go over the gained/net calories from the workouts either. But I have to too take in extra to keep energy up after running, etc. If I have enough calories left at the end of the day or so I will still eat a fast food burger and fries.

netitheyeti

In lbs, my heaviest (known) weight was about 205.. I didn't really touch exercise apart from going for an occasional walk until I hit maybe 160lbs - everything else was purely just calorie counting

EnriqueShockwave1911

Hello,

Yes it is absolutely possible, I am living proof. In the past year I went from 250lbs to 175lbs. All I did was count calories, I didn't follow any routine at all, I eat the same things I always have, just less of it. I drink diet soda like a mother F'er and eat chocolate, or some type of dessert every single day.

RelCanonical

I am down 52lbs just calorie counting, didn't watch my macros at all, and just walked for exercise (30min a day, maybe 1hr on the weekends if I was up for it).

LivingtheLeanDream

I 'only' lost 30lbs by just calorie counting, didn't even worry about macros really until I was in maintenance.. (and officially passed the 6 year mark of maintenance this month)

amy19355

I only count calories.

If I want my entire daily allotment of 1400 calories to be a large slice of baklava, then, so be it.

I’ll eat plenty of green food the next day when I feel like ka-ka from eating 1400 calories worth of baklava, but, in the big scheme of things, the pleasure of indulging in a big slabosugar is worth it.

I feel and function much more effectively when I feed myself well, so, I generally eat balanced macros, but, in the end, calories are calories and a deficit is the only way to lose weight. Anything else is gravy; not bad but not the main source of the resulting weight loss.

MFP makes it so flipping easy to log food and I can’t recommend it enough.

Calories in, calories out.

ConfidentRaven

My first 50 or so was all calorie counting only. I shifted to a lower carb (not keto low) plan while still calorie counting only because of a short stall and trouble with being hungry all the time. Many people do just the calorie counting and lose successfully without exercise or any special attention to macros or fad diets. At the end of the day it has to be something that works for you.

mw43230

If your vet told you that your pet was overweight you'd lower the calories, cut out the treats (junk) and walk him a bit more because you know that will work. No Keto, no Whole 30, no WW, no Atkins. Marinate on that for a while. Quality food. Limited calories. Focus more on movement.

JoDavo66

When I was in 20s that's all I did. Back then you bought calorie books! I have always gained weight easily but that's how I controlled my weight. I then piled it on with work stress & went to local class with a neighbour (Slimming World) after having my kids I've done WW. Worked but I've gained with age & struggling to get it off. Using MFP, on advice of PT at gym, to compare calories & nutrients to WW points & see if I can tweek choices for my age. I suspect I'm eating too much sugar in my food.

kimny72

I lost 20 lbs and have kept it off for two years just calorie counting. I mostly walked for exercise, randomly added strength training but just recently committed, because vanity . I did eventually start trying to get more protein and fiber, because I realized through logging that they helped me feel full.

AnnPT77

I lost around 50 pounds in less than a year (at age 59-60, while hypothyroid, but treated) without materially changing my activity/exercise level, or general way of eating. (Clearly, I ate smaller portions, and I did change the proportions or frequency of certain foods, but that's it.)

Calorie management works.

lgfrie

45 lbs lost in 4 months. Got my calorie target from MFP after telling it I wanted to lose 2 lbs per week. I eat to the calorie target every day, do my 1/2 hour of cardio, and voila, the weight is falling off. I pretty much eat whatever I want, but with "healthy meals" in mind and with the portion sizes carefully adjusted on a food scale to make them fit into the caloric quota. The caloric quota is my dieting North Star and is sacrosanct. I have been known to shave 1/10th off a 40 calorie piece of chocolate in order not to exceed my calorie quota for the day.

I pay no attention to macros, other than that over time I've adjusted MFP's goal macros to 35/35/30 so I wouldn't have to stare at red numbers every night. It seems like my natural food preferences lead me to that 35/35/30 on most days. It's probably a little heavy on the fat, but so what. I'm losing weight. Maybe someday I'll address it, but not until I'm fitting back into my college jeans and am free to worry about piddly stuff.

I think people who try to "boil the ocean" by simultaneously worrying about calories, carbs, protein, fat, keto, etc., are setting themselves up for eventual diet fatigue and perhaps non compliance and then failure. Just nailing down the basics -- eat less, exercise more - is plenty to work with and plenty challenging after the first month or two, and anything beyond that is introducing additional variables into the equation that just make things more complex, difficult to comply with, and tiresome. Plus, there is not, has never been, and will never be a shred of evidence that anything other than counting calories makes a difference for burning fat. Sure, eating low carb may give you a temporary water drain, but why would that matter?

mw43230 wrote: »

If your vet told you that your pet was overweight you'd lower the calories, cut out the treats (junk) and walk him a bit more because you know that will work. No Keto, no Whole 30, no WW, no Atkins. Marinate on that for a while. Quality food. Limited calories. Focus more on movement.

I never looked at it this way, but I find this both insightful and amusing. I do have an old obese cat and it was time to address that. So we started feeding her less and trying to engage her in some activity, and presto, thinner cat. It's so intuitively obvious and sensible that this would apply equally to humans that it's hard to see why people don't get it.

Jackie9003

Add me to the list, I'm down 60lb through eating whatever I like within the MFP allowance - well mostly. I eat out and socialise fairly often but I make different choices now and am slowly educating myself about portion sizes so when I get to maintenance I won't put it all back on.

Moxiemama5678

Thanks so much for all of your responses! I’ve lost 4 lbs so far since tracking faithfully. I’m excited to get to lose the next 65 lbs!

nighthawk584

I do eat much healthier now and exercise 6/wk, but yep..CICO is the ticket. Before getting on MFP a week ago, I logged everything by writing it in a notebook. I have never believed in fad diets. 60 lbs dropped so far.

TheRealSlim_Shelly

joannadavison wrote: »

When I was in 20s that's all I did. Back then you bought calorie books! I have always gained weight easily but that's how I controlled my weight. I then piled it on with work stress & went to local class with a neighbour (Slimming World) after having my kids I've done WW. Worked but I've gained with age & struggling to get it off. Using MFP, on advice of PT at gym, to compare calories & nutrients to WW points & see if I can tweek choices for my age. I suspect I'm eating too much sugar in my food.

Yes!! The calorie books!!!!!!! The OG of MFP. My math skills were so much better then! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

bemyyfriend0918

138lbs with calorie counting! I love the variety it gives me. Some days you just NEED a chocolate chip cookie and calorie counting lets me have that flexibility.