has anybody gotten gains or lost weight by just tracking what they eat?

7kn7dtr79g

just trying to figure out what i should be doing!!

AnnPT77

Not sure how to vote, but I voted yes.

I was already quite active for a dozen years while obese, training pretty hard 6 days most weeks, even competing (not always unsuccessfully in age-group terms). I stayed fat - about the same weight - that whole time, but did get a little smaller in spots (less fat, more muscle).

I didn't significantly increase exercise in order to lose weight.

An hour's pretty hard workout might have burned 400ish or so calories for my obese self. I can eat 400ish calories in about 5 minutes, easily. For me, managing the eating calories was much more productive than increasing exercise. I like my exercise activities, but doing massive amounts more of them would interfere with having a happy, balanced life. That might not be true for everyone. But I think sustainable choices ARE important for everyone.

Hobartlemagne

Tracking without changing anything wont yield any results.

claireychn074

Well, yes, but by tracking what I eat so that i can reduce my calorie intake. Exercise can help by giving me a few more calories burnt, but it’s not an effective way to lose weight (appetite naturally corrects so most people end up eating more UNLESS you track and stick to a calorific deficit).

I get that it seems complicated as there is tonnes of conflicting advice out there, often from people who have something to sell. But it’s actually simple: if your body needs 2,000 calories each day to maintain your bodyweight, and you eat 1750 each day, you will lose weight.

Now, tracking accurately and not eating over your calorie allowance is not always easy. But you don’t need special diets, horrendous exercise, restrictions, intermittent fasting or apple cider vinegar. (Exercise is good for you by the way, but find something you enjoy!)