It's NOT always as simple as a deficit
Replies
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So anyhow...where were we?
Oh yeah, I remember:
Losing weight for 99.44% of people is and always will be as simple as a caloric deficit over time. There are numerous factors that can affect the calories out side of the equation, and accurately measuring the calories in can be tricky because of measurement error (or entire lack of measurement) and bad labeling, but it is still just a math equation.
So are we all good here now?0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:
Mystery most likely solved.0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:
Mystery most likely solved.
No the mystery is not solved, how did I lose weight without trying? Why would not weighing food make me lose weight?0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:
Mystery most likely solved.
No the mystery is not solved, how did I lose weight without trying? Why would not weighing food make me lose weight?
Because you weren't weighing/measuring/tracking your food, you have no idea how much you were eating. Obviously, it was less than you needed to maintain weight. It really isn't a mystery - it's really quite simple.0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:
Mystery most likely solved.
No the mystery is not solved, how did I lose weight without trying? Why would not weighing food make me lose weight?
you ate less than you needed to....
I eat less than I need to lots of times- i get busy so I forget to eat. It's not that hard to lose weight or gain weight without trying- it's easy- eat more or less than you need.
It's not really a mystery.0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:
Mystery most likely solved.
No the mystery is not solved, how did I lose weight without trying? Why would not weighing food make me lose weight?
Because you weren't weighing/measuring/tracking your food, you have no idea how much you were eating. Obviously, it was less than you needed to maintain weight. It really isn't a mystery - it's really quite simple.
I really can't believe people are latching onto this part of my story. I wasn't weighing my food when I lost the weight on this occasion, but I also wasn't weighing my food when I put weight on all the other times.
I have already said I don't wish to track calories all my life - the point is, why did my body naturally balance my intake for 18 months. Weighing food has nothing to do with it, I'm not saying I wasn't eating less calories, the mystery is how it happened without me trying!0 -
I really can't believe people are latching onto this part of my story. I wasn't weighing my food when I lost the weight on this occasion, but I also wasn't weighing my food when I put weight on all the other times.
I have already said I don't wish to track calories all my life - the point is, why did my body naturally balance my intake for 18 months. Weighing food has nothing to do with it, I'm not saying I wasn't eating less calories, the mystery is how it happened without me trying!
Most likely you ate at a level that got you to that weight and continued to eat that amount of food so you stayed around that weight...
All of these 'reasons' are not the point. I know it is possible to maintain a healthy weight without weighing food and tracking calories, I've done it before which was out of character and other people can do it too and have never needed to diet. If I was eating less, I didn't feel like I was. THIS IS THE POINT! This is my goal.0 -
Where do you think the rest of the calories 'went'?The reason why I know it's not just about the calories is because back in 1999-2000, during and after the birth of my second child, I inexplicably lost all the extra weight I had carried during the previous 5-plus years, which was approx 50lbs. I didn't do anything different to previous, did not exercise or eat a different diet - it just fell off me. I didn't have a medical condition, which was one of the first concerns I had. My weight stayed stable for over a year, maybe 18 months and then unfortunately slowly went back on.
Did you ever have your BMR tested in both situations?
Did you actually measure your food?
If not, could it be that post-child birth your body changed for whatever reason and was burning more calories?
Like I said it was a mystery, I wasn't on a diet so didn't weigh food. When I was pregnant they found ketones in my urine and I was tested for gestational diabetes, but it came back negative. Basically I lost weight without trying. It's like my body reset to 'normal' for a while :huh:
Mystery most likely solved.
No the mystery is not solved, how did I lose weight without trying? Why would not weighing food make me lose weight?
Oh, a bunch of reasons - post partum depression, oxytocin, prolactin and LH, breastfeeding, alcohol ketoacidosis, a variety of hidden diseases or infections can lead to ketoacidosis ... take your choice. Or watch House.0 -
Lets say it took a total of two year to lose 50lb. That would be an average deficit of 240 calories a day.
You had just had a second kid, so reasonable you might be being more active. Also, I believe some weight tends to come off anyway from straight after birth to a few months later.
If it was exactly a year, that would still only be 480.
But, working on 240 - say you ate the equivalent of two jaffa cakes less a day (not something that's that easy to notice unless you're counting) and at the same time had an extra 30 minutes walking a day (chasing up two kids). Bingo - that's a 239 calorie deficit with just that.
So with a barely noticeable change in diet and a very slightly increased activity level, 50lb CAN just disappear.
Now sure, maybe it was shorter than that - but if parents are to believed, especially those with two kids - there's probably a good bit MORE energy spent that the equivalent of 30 minutes walking in looking after them. And could you have say, not noticed you didn't have so much time to sort your own food out?0 -
Oh, a bunch of reasons - post partum depression, oxytocin, prolactin and LH, breastfeeding, alcohol ketoacidosis, a variety of hidden diseases or infections can lead to ketoacidosis ... take your choice. Or watch House.
Maybe it was lupus
So I must have had an illness or hidden abnormality to be able to lose weight without weighing and purposely restricting my food?
Is it really so bizarre to have successful weight loss without being a slave to the scale? What a negative viewpoint!0 -
Lets say it took a total of two year to lose 50lb. That would be an average deficit of 240 calories a day.
You had just had a second kid, so reasonable you might be being more active. Also, I believe some weight tends to come off anyway from straight after birth to a few months later.
If it was exactly a year, that would still only be 480.
But, working on 240 - say you ate the equivalent of two jaffa cakes less a day (not something that's that easy to notice unless you're counting) and at the same time had an extra 30 minutes walking a day (chasing up two kids). Bingo - that's a 239 calorie deficit with just that.
So with a barely noticeable change in diet and a very slightly increased activity level, 50lb CAN just disappear.
Now sure, maybe it was shorter than that - but if parents are to believed, especially those with two kids - there's probably a good bit MORE energy spent that the equivalent of 30 minutes walking in looking after them. And could you have say, not noticed you didn't have so much time to sort your own food out?
I lost the weight in around a year and a half. Surely my calorific intake would have increased, not decreased if I was exercising more.
Whatever, the point is why can dieting be such a battle if it so damned easy to lose significant weight without noticing? I'm pretty certain that many people signed up to MFP do not consider it easy to drop 50lb!0 -
What?! I've never been overweight in my life! Why should paganstar be? My FITNESS pal. Not my fat pal.0
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I guess you've never watched a single episode of House, so I'll let this oversight slide
Sorry, I've never seen it so didn't understand the context.
Edited to fix quote tags.0 -
It's never Lupis.0
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So anyhow...where were we?
Oh yeah, I remember:
Losing weight for 99.44% of people is and always will be as simple as a caloric deficit over time. There are numerous factors that can affect the calories out side of the equation, and accurately measuring the calories in can be tricky because of measurement error (or entire lack of measurement) and bad labeling, but it is still just a math equation.
So are we all good here now?
It sounds like a good guess, that 99.44%, but something like 10% of women have PCOS. I forget how many overweight/obese people are predicted to have insulin resistance, but it's not a tiny figure. Then you have the hypothyroids, folks on certain medications, etc.
I agree overall, though. Even with myself, I just figured I lost weight slowly because it was just one of those things, but it does seem that the insulin resistance mattered quite a bit (in the speed part of the equation). Still, I've always lost weight when I meant to, even if it was slow with many plateaus. I'd never have said 'I CAN'T lose weight!' like so many posts we get on MFP.0 -
What?! I've never been overweight in my life! Why should paganstar be? My FITNESS pal. Not my fat pal.
Huh? :huh:
I'm guessing she might be because of this little clue at the end of each of her posts:
But honestly, it's my starting point for every single member here...that they were overweight at one point. Sure, it isn't always entirely accurate as you've pointed out at least a few dozen times in various threads in the forums here, but it's still a decent starting assumption for the vast majority.0 -
Lets say it took a total of two year to lose 50lb. That would be an average deficit of 240 calories a day.
You had just had a second kid, so reasonable you might be being more active. Also, I believe some weight tends to come off anyway from straight after birth to a few months later.
If it was exactly a year, that would still only be 480.
But, working on 240 - say you ate the equivalent of two jaffa cakes less a day (not something that's that easy to notice unless you're counting) and at the same time had an extra 30 minutes walking a day (chasing up two kids). Bingo - that's a 239 calorie deficit with just that.
So with a barely noticeable change in diet and a very slightly increased activity level, 50lb CAN just disappear.
Now sure, maybe it was shorter than that - but if parents are to believed, especially those with two kids - there's probably a good bit MORE energy spent that the equivalent of 30 minutes walking in looking after them. And could you have say, not noticed you didn't have so much time to sort your own food out?
I lost the weight in around a year and a half. Surely my calorific intake would have increased, not decreased if I was exercising more.
Whatever, the point is why can dieting be such a battle if it so damned easy to lose significant weight without noticing? I'm pretty certain that many people signed up to MFP do not consider it easy to drop 50lb!
*raises hand* I lost it in 7 months. Because of a simple deficit0 -
Lets say it took a total of two year to lose 50lb. That would be an average deficit of 240 calories a day.
You had just had a second kid, so reasonable you might be being more active. Also, I believe some weight tends to come off anyway from straight after birth to a few months later.
If it was exactly a year, that would still only be 480.
But, working on 240 - say you ate the equivalent of two jaffa cakes less a day (not something that's that easy to notice unless you're counting) and at the same time had an extra 30 minutes walking a day (chasing up two kids). Bingo - that's a 239 calorie deficit with just that.
So with a barely noticeable change in diet and a very slightly increased activity level, 50lb CAN just disappear.
Now sure, maybe it was shorter than that - but if parents are to believed, especially those with two kids - there's probably a good bit MORE energy spent that the equivalent of 30 minutes walking in looking after them. And could you have say, not noticed you didn't have so much time to sort your own food out?
I lost the weight in around a year and a half. Surely my calorific intake would have increased, not decreased if I was exercising more.
Whatever, the point is why can dieting be such a battle if it so damned easy to lose significant weight without noticing? I'm pretty certain that many people signed up to MFP do not consider it easy to drop 50lb!
*raises hand* I lost it in 7 months. Because of a simple deficit
6 months here.0
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