Thank god for calories in vs calories out

K_Train450
K_Train450 Posts: 122 Member
in Food and Nutrition
After years of yo yo dieting and failing long term (eating only "clean" foods) I've found what works best for me and for other people increasingly. Using a simple "calorie deficit cals in vs cals out" approach I'm dropping 4-5 lbs a week. Granted I'm creating large deficits due to the fact I'm a pretty big guy and I exercise a lot, but it feels great consuming whatever food I want as long as I'm in a deficit. Sugary drinks, fast food, candy, and "junk" on a daily basis. Feels amazing. I just recommend eating enough protein to help maintain lean mass if you're dropping weight

Replies

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Have you thought about your metabolism? Also depending on your nutrition not only protein your body will burn muscle due to that deficit.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    4-5 lbs is alright for the first couple of weeks but if thats consistent for longer than a month then you need to eat more. weight loss is good but you could end up doing some damage eating at that much of a deficit
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    After years of yo yo dieting and failing long term (eating only "clean" foods) I've found what works best for me and for other people increasingly. Using a simple "calorie deficit cals in vs cals out" approach I'm dropping 4-5 lbs a week. Granted I'm creating large deficits due to the fact I'm a pretty big guy and I exercise a lot, but it feels great consuming whatever food I want as long as I'm in a deficit. Sugary drinks, fast food, candy, and "junk" on a daily basis. Feels amazing. I just recommend eating enough protein to help maintain lean mass if you're dropping weight

    Hope you are lifting weights during this time, or your muscle will be a big part of your weight loss....and you don't want that.
    Cause then you will be skinny-fat
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I see you are 19.

    Be smart on this mate, don't be stupid.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Weight training is a good way to up calories burned at rest. If you do not keep your metabolism in check your yo yo dieting will never stop.

    I've been there done that. Everything I do on a daily base is to up metabolism so the weight just melts off when I am doing absolutely nothing.
  • VeganCappy
    VeganCappy Posts: 122
    If you are eating processed crap, eventually your body will get low on nutrients not found in those foods and you will suffer health issues.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    If you are eating processed crap, eventually your body will get low on nutrients not found in those foods and you will suffer health issues.

    Maybe if that's all he eats. There's nothing wrong with having "processed crap" if he's also filling up on protein, fruits and vegetables. If he's hitting his macros and micros he can eat whatever else he wants.

    ETA: Just looked through your diary. Eat McDonalds or pizza or whatever, but start adding some fruits and vegetables. It's not a game to see how much candy and fast food you can eat. You do need foods from all the food groups.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    If you are eating processed crap, eventually your body will get low on nutrients not found in those foods and you will suffer health issues.

    +1 you can only eat whatever you want for so long. "We are what we eat." have you heard that saying?
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    http://iifym.com/what-is-iifym/
    http://iifym.com/eating-clean-vs-knowing-wtf-you-are-doing/
  • K_Train450
    K_Train450 Posts: 122 Member
    No worries I lift full body 2 times a week and hit all bodypartd hard. I get sufficient protein as well (160-200 a day). Haven't loss substantial lean mass yet from what I can tell looks wise and strength wise.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    No worries I lift full body 2 times a week and hit all bodypartd hard. I get sufficient protein as well (160-200 a day). Haven't loss substantial lean mass yet from what I can tell looks wise and strength wise.

    You are not getting adequate micronutrients. A multivitamin, orange juice and gatorade aren't going to cut it in the long run. You need real fruits and vegetables. Your fiber on some days is as low as 3g and you average 10g (you should be hitting 25g).

    http://iifym.com/what-is-iifym/
    http://iifym.com/eating-clean-vs-knowing-wtf-you-are-doing/
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    No worries I lift full body 2 times a week and hit all bodypartd hard. I get sufficient protein as well (160-200 a day). Haven't loss substantial lean mass yet from what I can tell looks wise and strength wise.

    its not all about protein. Your appearance will not really show lean mass loss if your losing weight also.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    No worries I lift full body 2 times a week and hit all bodypartd hard. I get sufficient protein as well (160-200 a day). Haven't loss substantial lean mass yet from what I can tell looks wise and strength wise.

    its not all about protein. Your appearance will not really show lean mass loss if your losing weight also.
    this.

    it'll catch up to you if you dont smarten up man. you could legit get crap like scurvy from eating like its
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    To keep muscle mass you eat around maintenance calories. Then on rest days is low calorie day My case very low calorie day but still near micronutrients. People just do not understand how to do body recomp although it is common sense. How do you gain muscle, maintain weight, lost fat. Put them all together in the same week= body recomp
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    If you are eating processed crap, eventually your body will get low on nutrients not found in those foods and you will suffer health issues.

    that is way to broad of a statement to be accurate or valid.

    eating pizza and bugers covers a great deal of nutrients and many people consider it "processed crap"

    both of those contain protein carbs and fats- and can meet minimal nutrient needs.

    Honestly it's just too vague to be valid. this is why "processed crap" isn't a good expression. at all.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    the issues not the food itself. It is the micronutrients and satiety of the foods. They are energy dense foods not nutrient dense foods like fruit and veggies.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    That's not my biggest complaint. And I agree with you- to a point- if the food wasn't the issue- than it wouldn't be "processed crap"

    I CAN eat a whole entire pizza- usually has to be a double training day- and push comes to shove- I'm full- but I'm still hungry- because it doesn't satisfy me and I'm hungry quickly. So I am well aware the nutritional value and satiary index of a food seriously matter.

    I'm a firm believer in calories in and calories out- and I eat ice cream every night- but the bulk of my food is made of chicken and veggies because I like it- and it fits my needs. I can listen to my body and know when it's not getting enough of something- I'm at this point pretty adept at pin pointing when I'm super low on veggies and when I'm super low on protein. I mostly have a balanced diet- but sht gets wack sometimes and I get off balance and I can tell and I know when it needs fixing- my body craves certain things when I'm low.

    But I stand by my original words: the statement was to vague to be valid
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    I was going to allow myself to be offended by the thread title, but it was in lower case so we're cool.
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
    Glad to hear it Jared, i'm the same. I'll eat whatever I want as long as its within my calories. Like today for my tea I had a sausage and fried egg sandwich with ketchup and it was bloody beautiful!!! I've tried to go for the "healthier" options of fruit, salad and cleaner foods but it just doesn't satisfy me long enough and I genuinely don't enjoy it. Wish I did but I don't therefore if I want chocolate or crisps ect then I'll have it but in my daily allowance.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    It looks like you've got a good start on CICO. You've made the first change (tracking calories and eating less than you use).

    But I do agree with other posters that it's time to look at the next change for health. Start adding in some nutrient dense foods like fruits and vegetables. A multivitamin can help, but there are a lot of nutrients in the actual foods that scientists are still working on even understanding, let alone knowing how to put them in a pill. Salads with lots of vegetables. Raw carrots, sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, etc. (Feel free to eat them with some dressing :wink:). Strawberries are in season right now. Other berries are delicious. Apples, bananas, oranges, grapes ... go for a big variety in colors with fruit and veggies.

    And it is fine to add in some more calories. With 40 pounds to lose (as per your ticker) it's ideal to be losing 1 to 1.5 pounds a week. It's good that you are already usually eating 2500 calories most days, and I see that a lot of your leftover calories are from exercise. There's a good chance some of that is overestimated, but your results show that you certainly can eat some more and still lose. That means you can add in those healthy foods without having to sacrifice the other stuff that you like. CICO at it's best! :bigsmile:
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    calories in< calories out is the way to lose weight but I am a firm believer in keeping my metabolism as high as I can so that the calorie deficit does not get damage so that when I am smaller i cannot eat anything because body burns calories at a snail pace. would you like to be able to get to your weight goal and eat like you are 50 pounds heavier from a high metabolism?

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