It's NOT always as simple as a deficit

mandikaye

I just wanted to post a note of support, encouragement, and motivation for those who are eating at a deficit and aren't seeing results. I did that for a long time with no weight loss.

For me, it really isn't as simple as calories in vs. calories out. That means it may not be that simple for you either.

But you CAN find what does work (for me, it means I need to make sure that the calories I do eat include more vegetables and less carbs/processed foods) and then you won't feel so discouraged.

Find what works for YOU instead of beating yourself up when what works for "everyone else" doesn't work. When you find that groove, it's a great feeling.

Cindyinpg

But... when you hear hoofbeats, you should think horses, not zebras. For most, it IS as simple as calorie deficit. Usually if a person is not seeing results it is because they are overestimating their exercise calories or underestimating their intake, or both.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

korpinator99

Totally agree. Fat cannot come from nowhere and if your body is using more calories than you give it, it will have to tap into fat stores to compensate. Cars cannot move without fuel and neither can your body..

But... when you hear hoofbeats, you should think horses, not zebras. For most, it IS as simple as calorie deficit. Usually if a person is not seeing results it is because they are overestimating their exercise calories or underestimating their intake, or both.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

quixoteQ

There is no trick to calorie deficits. If you have one, you'll lose weight. For most people it's not a huge chore to guesstimate a TDEE. But if you're having a problem with the equation, that's probably it.

kgeyser

It really is as simple as deficit (exception: unless you have some kind of medical condition diagnosed by a physician). Look at any of the eating plans people talk about on here, and the one constant is that it creates a deficit. How you choose to get to that deficit varies, but it really is about the numbers. No one on any kind of eating plan can eat at or above maintenance and lose weight.

Muddy_Yogi

But... when you hear hoofbeats, you should think horses, not zebras. For most, it IS as simple as calorie deficit. Usually if a person is not seeing results it is because they are overestimating their exercise calories or underestimating their intake, or both.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

^^^This...most of the time, people THINK they are eating at a deficit but they are actually just over estimating how much they are expending and underestimating how much their intake is. Deficit WILL create a loss...unless of course you have some condition that causes otherwise but that is rare. If that is the case, you should seek medical professional advise.

mandikaye

And every single one of you has missed the point of the post.

There ARE people where this isn't the case. Medical issues? Maybe! Other issues, perhaps. EITHER WAY, they (we) need support and motivation too.

quixoteQ

The point wasn't missed. The issue is energy expenditure. And you do have our support . . . or mine, anyway.

Sabine_Stroehm

I just wanted to post a note of support, encouragement, and motivation for those who are eating at a deficit and aren't seeing results. I did that for a long time with no weight loss.

For me, it really isn't as simple as calories in vs. calories out. That means it may not be that simple for you either.

But you CAN find what does work (for me, it means I need to make sure that the calories I do eat include more vegetables and less carbs/processed foods) and then you won't feel so discouraged.

Find what works for YOU instead of beating yourself up when what works for "everyone else" doesn't work. When you find that groove, it's a great feeling.

I hear you OP.

Muddy_Yogi

The point wasn't missed. The issue is energy expenditure. And you do have our support . . . or mine, anyway.

And mine. We are not saying you are not having struggles.

Cindyinpg

And every single one of you has missed the point of the post.

There ARE people where this isn't the case. Medical issues? Maybe! Other issues, perhaps. EITHER WAY, they (we) need support and motivation too.

The best support is to suggest the most logical course of action, such weighing your food, logging accurately etc, as that is most often where the issues lie. To flirt around the edges of the problem, will often only make the problem worse.

MrGonzo05

And every single one of you has missed the point of the post.

There ARE people where this isn't the case. Medical issues? Maybe! Other issues, perhaps. EITHER WAY, they (we) need support and motivation too.

You are not an exception to the second law of thermodynamics. That's what "law" means.

cafeaulait7

I think the folks who find that lower carb works when other things don't are probably insulin resistant (I am). You don't have to be diabetic to have problems in that area, and it's not very uncommon, particularly in people with extra weight. A lot of doctors don't check for those problems until your BG numbers actually flag you as diabetic, so it really is often undiagnosed.

The fix for it, mainly, is to watch carbs So there ya go.

Mr_Bad_Example

And every single one of you has missed the point of the post.

There ARE people where this isn't the case. Medical issues? Maybe! Other issues, perhaps. EITHER WAY, they (we) need support and motivation too.

You're right, OP. They need support and motivation to weigh and measure their food, barring some sort of medical malady.

And maybe this... http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

RaggedyPond

I just wanted to post a note of support, encouragement, and motivation for those who are eating at a deficit and aren't seeing results. I did that for a long time with no weight loss.

For me, it really isn't as simple as calories in vs. calories out. That means it may not be that simple for you either.

But you CAN find what does work (for me, it means I need to make sure that the calories I do eat include more vegetables and less carbs/processed foods) and then you won't feel so discouraged.

Find what works for YOU instead of beating yourself up when what works for "everyone else" doesn't work. When you find that groove, it's a great feeling.

I'm sure you were eating more than you thought you were.

neandermagnon

And every single one of you has missed the point of the post.

There ARE people where this isn't the case. Medical issues? Maybe! Other issues, perhaps. EITHER WAY, they (we) need support and motivation too.

you need to rephrase what you're saying.

it is more difficult for some people to create a deficit than others. That's what you're trying to say. If you eat at a deficit, you lose weight, even with medical issues and everything else, because of the laws of physics. What medical issues (e.g. thyroid issues, PCOS) and similar do is make it more difficult for some people to create a deficit, because the calories out side of the equation isn't where it should be, so they (you) eat the calories the calculators say, but it doesn't work for you because you're burning less than average for your height, weight,a body fat percentage and activity levels. The numbers the calculator gives you are wrong *for you* but calories in v calories out is still true.

thing is, if you say you're eating at a deficit and not losing weight, people are going to come along and tell you that you're wrong.... because if you're not losing you're not at a deficit. Whether the reason is due to a medical/hormonal issue or due to you miscalculating something somewhere along the line is a different question, and it may very well be something medical or hormonal. But no weight loss = not eating at a deficit.

ETA: if the issue is hormonal, then you need to fix that problem before trying to create a deficit, as eating too little can make these problems worse. In these situations you need to get your body to burn more, rather than eating less.

cafeaulait7

And every single one of you has missed the point of the post.

There ARE people where this isn't the case. Medical issues? Maybe! Other issues, perhaps. EITHER WAY, they (we) need support and motivation too.

you need to rephrase what you're saying.

it is more difficult for some people to create a deficit than others. That's what you're trying to say. If you eat at a deficit, you lose weight, even with medical issues and everything else, because of the laws of physics. What medical issues (e.g. thyroid issues, PCOS) and similar do is make it more difficult for some people to create a deficit, because the calories out side of the equation isn't where it should be, so they (you) eat the calories the calculators say, but it doesn't work for you because you're burning less than average for your height, weight,a body fat percentage and activity levels. The numbers the calculator gives you are wrong *for you* but calories in v calories out is still true.

thing is, if you say you're eating at a deficit and not losing weight, people are going to come along and tell you that you're wrong.... because if you're not losing you're not at a deficit. Whether the reason is due to a medical/hormonal issue or due to you miscalculating something somewhere along the line is a different question, and it may very well be something medical or hormonal. But no weight loss = not eating at a deficit.

I agree with this overall. But carbs and hormonal issues that involve insulin really might be about the insulin (or BG). Just taking Metformin made my weight start dropping off with no other change. (Then it made me sick and my deficit got really high )

But before that I lost several lbs for no other reason except a med to sensitize my insulin. The same effect is probably had by not eating many carbs in my body. Same calories, though. But that is a medical thing, so I completely agree with folks who add medical caveats.

jonnythan

Tagging.

RaggedyPond

Some people do have legit health reasons inhibiting any weight loss. The majority do not and are looking for an excuse other than their own inaccuracies in logging or calorie expenditure.

Sabine_Stroehm

I think the folks who find that lower carb works when other things don't are probably insulin resistant (I am). You don't have to be diabetic to have problems in that area, and it's not very uncommon, particularly in people with extra weight. A lot of doctors don't check for those problems until your BG numbers actually flag you as diabetic, so it really is often undiagnosed.

The fix for it, mainly, is to watch carbs So there ya go.

I firmly believe we (especially women) can cycle in and out of insulin resistance as we age.

Muddy_Yogi

I think the folks who find that lower carb works when other things don't are probably insulin resistant (I am). You don't have to be diabetic to have problems in that area, and it's not very uncommon, particularly in people with extra weight. A lot of doctors don't check for those problems until your BG numbers actually flag you as diabetic, so it really is often undiagnosed.

The fix for it, mainly, is to watch carbs So there ya go.

I firmly believe we (especially women) can cycle in and out of insulin resistance as we age.

That is a great belief...do you have scientific studies to show this?

jeffpettis

It IS always as simple as a deficit. It may not always be simple to create that deficit, but a deficit is still the only thing required for weight loss.

kaylagaston13

Ya, I guess it's different for everyone. I mean, I've seen weight loss eating junk, but I'm sure I didn't go over my calorie range and I have a very physically active job. In fact, this was before I was even trying to lose weight. Now, I realize how many calories I burn a day at work, and I've changed my diet a bit to make it healthier and the weight loss is just happening faster because now I know how many calories are going in vs going out.

zyxst

In for later

kuger4119

Everyone is unique and there are certainly people that do have medical issues that create problems.

On the other hand, the point about people eating more than they think is valid more often than not. For instance, I know that when I pour a bowl of cereal in the morning, the serving size is 3/4 of cereal and 1 cup of milk. The reality is that is often closer to 1 cup of cereal and 1 1/4 cups of milk. By doing that, my breakfast is now 330 calories instead of 260. When I eat a banana for a snack in the morning, do I select the wrong one and end up with an extra 30 calories? When I'm eating dinner, do I write down 1 1/2 cups instead of the 2 cups of whatever I'm eating and underestimate by 100 calories? At that point, even though it's only minor differences, I'm off by half of my deficit for the day. Eat a snack because I was good all day and than I'm at such a small deficit that it will take months to notice much of a difference. Some people throw in a cheat day once a week and by doing that, they will never lose weight and they will say that they don't know why.

The honest truth is that someone who is significantly overweight is that they have demonstrated a history of lacking discipline when it comes to food. It is incredibly difficult to break that cycle and they do need support, but it's important that they really look at what they are eating. Again, I say that knowing that some people are screwed by medical conditions that change the math completely.

lexbubbles

Some people do have legit health reasons inhibiting any weight loss. The majority do not and are looking for an excuse other than their own inaccuracies in logging or calorie expenditure.

This.

I'm on hormone medication (which is really strong, usually used in the treatment of prostate cancer and shouldn't really be given to women but that's a WHOLE other story) that makes me gain weight like cray cray. Eat at around 1600-1800 cals with minimal exercise was making me gain about 5lb a month (I gained roughly a stone every 3 months I was on it). Occasionally they take me off of it because the weight thing and other side effects get out of control, but it's not long before they put me back on again. During those 'off' periods I could lose a fair bit of weight, but not everything I'd gained and the steady increase in my weight now puts me borderline obese and is creating new problems of its own. So. Kickin' it in the butt, or something.

Anyway, weight gain is one of the main side effects of said medication although it seems to affect me more than the average (maybe related to the fact it's not meant for women???) . Presumably it's lowering my body's normal cal burn rate so I'm not burning as much as I should just by existing.

Eating 1200 a day + eating back .5 or .75 my exercise calories (sometimes all of them) and working out for a half hour or so 6 days a week I'm losing about .75lb a week (rather than the MFP estimated 1.5lb)

So yes, as other people have said, it is still a deficit but maybe not the deficit you think

MaggieLoo79

I hear you OP. I eat healthy, log, and get PLENTY of exercise every day. I've talked to my doctor about my sudden weight gain and how slow losing has been and he keeps talking to me about STRESS. High cortisol levels makes weight loss difficult. I've worked to manage stress better. I truly believe that it isn't as simple as calorie deficits.

jonnythan

Anyone ever notice all these people not losing on 700 calories a day have closed diaries?

piersonj

I think the folks who find that lower carb works when other things don't are probably insulin resistant (I am). You don't have to be diabetic to have problems in that area, and it's not very uncommon, particularly in people with extra weight. A lot of doctors don't check for those problems until your BG numbers actually flag you as diabetic, so it really is often undiagnosed.

The fix for it, mainly, is to watch carbs So there ya go.

I firmly believe we (especially women) can cycle in and out of insulin resistance as we age.

That is a great belief...do you have scientific studies to show this?

Do you have a scientific study to show that it doesn't? If not, all that means is there is no published study, either way, not that we do or don't cycle in and out of insulin resistance.

Personally I tend toward agreeing on the insulin resistance cycling as the body has been proven to cycle in and out of many different things as we age. Allergies are the first thing that comes to mind. It has been proven that what you are allergic to and how strongly you react to it CAN change from childhood to young adult to middle age to elderly.

kgeyser

I think the folks who find that lower carb works when other things don't are probably insulin resistant (I am). You don't have to be diabetic to have problems in that area, and it's not very uncommon, particularly in people with extra weight. A lot of doctors don't check for those problems until your BG numbers actually flag you as diabetic, so it really is often undiagnosed.

The fix for it, mainly, is to watch carbs So there ya go.

I firmly believe we (especially women) can cycle in and out of insulin resistance as we age.

That is a great belief...do you have scientific studies to show this?

Do you have a scientific study to show that it doesn't? If not, all that means is there is no published study, either way, not that we do or don't cycle in and out of insulin resistance.

Personally I tend toward agreeing on the insulin resistance cycling as the body has been proven to cycle in and out of many different things as we age. Allergies are the first thing that comes to mind. It has been proven that what you are allergic to and how strongly you react to it CAN change from childhood to young adult to middle age to elderly.

Here ya go, first result on the google search: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/16/5/728

CONCLUSIONS Our data suggested that insulin sensitivity in men until around 60–70 yr of age appears to be determined more by body fat than by age.

edwardkim85

For EVERYBODY it's as simple as a calorie deficit.

Calories out > calories in.

There is NO exception let it be a morbidly obese person, body builder, crossfitter, martial artist, navy seal, wtv.

Sorry OP but you haven't been counting calories properly with a scale or over estimating the calories burned from exercises...