Calorie Deficit Made Simple

cparter

I am always researching and ran across an article that explains calorie deficit in simple terms.

What I liked about the article is as follows:

1. It discourages the quick fix ideas (pills, HCG, etc.)

2. Highlights the value of myfitnesspal app/website

3. Explain the importance of the individual putting in the work by explaining myfitnesspal provides an estimate but you must adjust accordingly (if you are losing slow - eat less and if you are losing too fast (more than 1 to 2 lbs per week) eat more)

4. Explains that the person who is losing weight have to make difficult choices (in other words if you want to lose you have to change your habits (butter, sodas, etc. as example of things you can cut back on).

http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/caloriedeficit.html <=== enjoy - because some of you have been asking a lot about this lately and I did the research for you.

Phrick

I am always researching and ran across an article that explains calorie deficit in simple terms.

What I liked about the article is as follows:

1. It discourages the quick fix ideas (pills, HCG, etc.)

2. Highlights the value of myfitnesspal app/website

3. Explain the importance of the individual putting in the work by explaining myfitnesspal provides an estimate but you must adjust accordingly (if you are losing slow - eat less and if you are losing to fast (more than 1 to 2 lbs per week) eat more)

4. Explains that the person who is losing weight have to make difficult choices (in other words if you want to lose you have to give up something (butter, sodas, etc.).

http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/caloriedeficit.html <=== enjoy - because some of you have been asking a lot about this lately and I did the research for you.

No.. You don't actually have to give anything up. In fact from the article, Dieting simply requires you eat less. It really is that simple.

kommodevaran

I had to give up mindless eating and overeating. Don't know if that is a true sacrifice.

cparter

I guess I should be more direct in my thoughts based on the response.

If you want to lose you must choose.

Is that better?

I also edited the original post to attempt to avoid distracters as much as possible.

cparter

I had to give up mindless eating and overeating. Don't know if that is a true sacrifice.

That is a wonderful sacrifice/choice. You made a decision you knew carried a big impact on you moving forward.

SezxyStef

I guess I should be more direct in my thoughts based on the response.

If you want to lose you must choose.

Is that better?

I also edited the original post to attempt to avoid distracters as much as possible.

choose what? I haven't given one food up to lose weight...I have eaten less of them.

The only choice you have to make is if you are going to do it or not.

Phrick

I guess I should be more direct in my thoughts based on the response.

If you want to lose you must choose.

Is that better?

I also edited the original post to attempt to avoid distracters as much as possible.

choose what? I haven't given one food up to lose weight...I have eaten less of them.

The only choice you have to make is if you are going to do it or not.

cparter

I guess I should be more direct in my thoughts based on the response.

If you want to lose you must choose.

Is that better?

I also edited the original post to attempt to avoid distracters as much as possible.

choose what? I haven't given one food up to lose weight...I have eaten less of them.

The only choice you have to make is if you are going to do it or not.

choose to eat less or exercise to create a deficit.

Iknowsaur

I had to give up mindless eating and overeating. Don't know if that is a true sacrifice.

Oooh.
Preach!

cparter

As we continue.
Yes and no.

Yes you don't have to give up everything you are eating as long as you eat it in moderation to help you create a deficit.

However, another point is, we have to make the choice to eat better. This goes further than giving advice for creating the necessary deficit. It goes beyond cutting back. If your deficit is created by eating more empty calories while negating the nutrients, what have you accomplished? If we want to be healthier we have to make sensible choices, create a deficit to lose and move our bodies. This is not saying you have to avoid anything but bad food should not be the norm. Heck I love cheese and veggie delight pizzas. I will not be giving them up but they will not be my norm. And people who work with me know how much I love (I MEAN LOVE!) Kit Kats and Twix. I keep them in my cabinet for when I do have that moment where I have done well enough that I deserve a reward.

All I am offering is a simple note on how to create a deficit and offered to share something positive that included myfitnesspal as a useful alternative; based on the article.

For some of you there is great value in the post and it will be received well and others - it is what it is.

I hope the majority will weed through the folage and get the same value I got from the url provided in the initial post.

SezxyStef

I have read the article. I agree with some of it...not all of it.

Dieting simply requires you eat less. This is a great opportunity to eliminate unhealthy foods such as empty calories. Empty calories are foods are high in energy (calories) but low in nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber): candy, soda, cookies, muffins, potato chips and most junk/fast foods. Instead, fill your diet with nutrient dense foods which are low in calories but very high in nutrients: 100% whole wheat products (bread and pasta), brown rice, fruits and vegetables.

This I don't agree with...at all. You do not have to eliminate these foods just eat them in reasonable portions while staying in a deficet.

The next step is to track your calorie intake and ensure you eat 500-1,000 calories less than you burn each day.

This is not something I agree with either...that is good for someone who should lose 1-2lb a week..I eat a 300 calorie deficet which is great for me..and I have been doing that for 6months and losing my weight in a healthy slow paced way.

If you only have 10lbs to lose 1lb a week is pretty fast and not necessary.

Burning body fat and losing weight are two ways of describing the same process. A calorie deficit forces the body to burn fat causing weight loss. A calorie deficit simultaneously decreases body fat percentage and causes weight loss.

And this is not true. Losing weight is not just fat...if you do it too fast you are losing muscle as well. Maintaining muscle mass requires watching protien macros and resistence training.

Creating a calorie deficit (through moderate calorie restriction and increase in physical activity) is the only way to lose weight. Any plan that does not require sacrifice is unrealistic and leads to failure.

and then there is this...I agree exercise is important for health but not weight loss and the two combined do not guarantee that the weight wont come back.

And the last line..is totally bogus.

What you fail to realize (based on your comment on the link) is that you don't have to give up foods (treats, junk, bad food, unhealthy foods) or whatever you want to call them to lose weight.

Any plan that requires sacrifice above and beyond what you are comfortable with and want to do is a recipe for failure.

If I had to give up diet coke, pizza, chocolate, fruit loops, BK, beer, wine, Taco bell, DQ this would not be sustainable for me, nor is it sustainable for a lot of other people.

We all understand this post was to help but we are not all going to agree with all of it. Yes the article makes some good points but it also displays the typical "diet mantra"...you have to punish yourself for getting overweight by giving up the foods you love to eat...

That I don't agree with.

ETA: some people just don't care about anything but the scale weight and will create the deficet anyway they can...some people care about body comp but still eat treats (bad food).

kommodevaran

As we continue.
Yes and no.

Yes you don't have to give up everything you are eating as long as you eat it in moderation to help you create a deficit.

However, another point is, we have to make the choice to eat better. This goes further than giving advice for creating the necessary deficit. It goes beyond cutting back. If your deficit is created by eating more empty calories while negating the nutrients, what have you accomplished? If we want to be healthier we have to make sensible choices, create a deficit to lose and move our bodies. This is not saying you have to avoid anything but bad food should not be the norm. Heck I love cheese and veggie delight pizzas. I will not be giving them up but they will not be my norm. And people who work with me know how much I love (I MEAN LOVE!) Kit Kats and Twix. I keep them in my cabinet for when I do have that moment where I have done well enough that I deserve a reward.

All I am offering is a simple note on how to create a deficit and offered to share something positive that included myfitnesspal as a useful alternative; based on the article.

For some of you there is great value in the post and it will be received well and others - it is what it is.

I hope the majority will weed through the folage and get the same value I got from the url provided in the initial post.

I really liked the link you provided. There is no magic to dieting, just math. Thank you!

As always, people like to misunderstand each other

But I have to comment on some of the things you are saying here... You are using the term "bad food"... One of the things I've learned on the MFP forums, is that there is no such thing as bad food. Food is food and nourish us, and it offers us different amounts of stuff that we need. Pizza can be a reasonably good source of protein, for example. I try to eat only things that I enjoy, and never, never use food as reward or punishment. But I can eat more energy dense food when I have room for it and I can eat food that contain less vitamins when I know that I've reached my goals for the day. I've learned to listen to my body and it usually tells me what it really wants to feel good. It makes choosing so much easier.

I_Will_End_You

choose to eat less or exercise to create a deficit.

Yes. I still eat whatever I want, but it sucks when I really want to eat a whole pizza and can't! Whole pizzas > two slices.

tech_kitten

Yes. I still eat whatever I want, but it sucks when I really want to eat a whole pizza and can't! Whole pizzas > two slices.

mmm pizza

kommodevaran

Should be followed up with this:
http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/eat-favorite-food-while-dieting.html

cparter

Should be followed up with this:
http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/eat-favorite-food-while-dieting.html

I did and love the following quote:
"Cheat Days

Having a slice of pizza every few days won't kill your diet. Having a few slices every day of the week will. The same goes for chocolate. Having a few pieces today won't throw your diet off track, but having a few bars will. You need to learn to satisfy yourself with smaller portions. You can also build cheat days into your diet which will allow you to have one day each week (or every other week) in which you can eat whatever you want. These days can help you better cope with a strict diet. "

deksgrl

Should be followed up with this:
http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/eat-favorite-food-while-dieting.html

I did and love the following quote:
"Cheat Days

Having a slice of pizza every few days won't kill your diet. Having a few slices every day of the week will. The same goes for chocolate. Having a few pieces today won't throw your diet off track, but having a few bars will. You need to learn to satisfy yourself with smaller portions. You can also build cheat days into your diet which will allow you to have one day each week (or every other week) in which you can eat whatever you want. These days can help you better cope with a strict diet. "

It depends on whether the chocolate and pizza fits into your calories and macros for the day. Some people have enough calories where they could eat that and still lose weight.