the 3,500 cal = 1 lb rule

happysquidmuffin

I just went alll OCD on analyzing statistics for my past 30 days on MFP...
I consumed 45,403 calories in 30 days. That's an average of 1513 cal/day.

My goal is 1350 per day, which means 40,500 was my target, but I was 4,903 over.
In the past 30 days I have lost 3 lb. Which mean I ate an estimated deficit of 10,500 or 350 cal/day.

MFP says my maintenance is 1750 cal, but if I truly ate at a defict of 350/day, my actual maintenance calorie # is 1863.
According to the 1750 goal, I was at a deficit of 237 cal per day which means I should have only lost 2 lb, not 3.

So, if my projected maintenance calories are truly 1750, then a lb for me is only 2370. Which doesn't sound right....

Therefore, I must come to the conclusion that:
A) My maintenance calories are 1860-ish, not 1750 (only about 100 cal difference - not a big deal, very much possible)
I'm overestimating calories eaten, underestimating exercise, or both (very possible, very probable - likelihood of innacuracies in measurement, in MFP entries, it's kind of a guesstimation game anyways)
C) There are a million other factors that come in to play, such as water retention, plus normal fluctuation of weight since it doesn't melt off in a perfectly linear, logical fashion. Tomorrow I could go up or down 2lb, who knows?

I have decided (well, I kinda knew this already) that weight loss is an art, not a science, and there's no point in being all OCD over the numbers if you are eating healthy, getting enough calories, fitting your macros, and SEEING RESULTS WITHIN A REALISTIC TIMEFRAME. (sorry, don't know how to bold)


TL/DR: I lost 3 lb in 30 days, calorie counting is an estimation game, but it works.

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Kitship

I have decided (well, I kinda knew this already) that weight loss is an art, not a science, and there's no point in being all OCD over the numbers if you are eating healthy, getting enough calories, fitting your macros, and SEEING RESULTS WITHIN A REALISTIC TIMEFRAME. (sorry, don't know how to bold)

QFT. The most reasonable piece of advise I have read on here is "Start, and don't stop". The little details don't matter as much as the big picture.

amberj32

I'm getting to the point where I think I just need to move awaaaay from the keyboard :laugh:

Have to keep reminding myself to trust in the process.

Or the scale for now, perhaps? Maybe a tape measure would be a better way to track your progress with your new routine.

I started walking, WALKING, on my treadmill and the scale wouldn't budge for 2 weeks! :grumble:

Indeed :laugh: I can feel the obsession building:blushing: add to that a tendency to put too fine a point on things and, well, yeah. It's a train wreck waiting to happen :laugh:

I'm T2D so all I DO is live by numbers. I'm anxious to see what my BG's would be like if I get down to ~110#'s. The lower I go, it the easier it has been to control it.

Yes, as T2D we do live by the numbers!! That's good it gets easier to control it. What are your numbers running now?

hookilau

I'm getting to the point where I think I just need to move awaaaay from the keyboard :laugh:

Have to keep reminding myself to trust in the process.

Or the scale for now, perhaps? Maybe a tape measure would be a better way to track your progress with your new routine.

I started walking, WALKING, on my treadmill and the scale wouldn't budge for 2 weeks! :grumble:

Indeed :laugh: I can feel the obsession building:blushing: add to that a tendency to put too fine a point on things and, well, yeah. It's a train wreck waiting to happen :laugh:

I'm T2D so all I DO is live by numbers. I'm anxious to see what my BG's would be like if I get down to ~110#'s. The lower I go, it the easier it has been to control it.

Yes, as T2D we do live by the numbers!! That's good it gets easier to control it. What are your numbers running now?

FBG: 90-95 mg/dl
2 Hr PP: 100-110 mg/dl
CW: 125#
GW: 108~110#

Carbs are fewer than 25 g per day, I do weight lifting & regular daily walks.

I added chia seeds in the form of hot cereal (I miss oatmeal -__- ) a couple of days ago & despite it having 12g of carb per serving, it does -0 to my blood sugar :bigsmile: I tested every 15 minutes for 3 hours post & it only went up 10-14 mg/dl on average

The last couple of days my numbers are creeping down, I'm hoping it's re-comp as my legs are getting smoother & everything seems to be tightening up :drinker:

Not sure if it's the fiber or the fat in the chia seeds, but eating that many carbs at one sitting, I normally get 140 mg/dl 1 hr PP & about 125 mg/dl 2 hr PP. Then it just used to hang around at 110-115 mg/dl all day long.

I like what's happening now though. :bigsmile:

hookilau

Woah. That was really interesting you guys

I guess the thing that got me was that I'd never heard of anyone refuting the 3500 cal rule and the article just stunned me. To hear that it's just a starting place with plenty of wiggle room +/- helps a great deal.

Now that I know, I can really get down to business & figure out what my personal estimation is for fat loss (hopefully) and then maintenance.

Thank you for helping me to understand & adding your points of view :drinker:

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yarwell

The importance in understanding this distinction is knowing how to manipulate the variables for weight loss because really we're not concerned with how much calories we're getting from our food we're concerned with how much calories our body is taking from our fat.

So the only thing that matters is the fat balance, rendering calories approximately useless ?

hookilau

I guess the thing that got me was that I'd never heard of anyone refuting the 3500 cal rule and the article just stunned me. To hear that it's just a starting place with plenty of wiggle room +/- helps a great deal.

That's great! What is so valuable about that is instead of feeling clueless about why you might not have seen the results you expect you can now do something about it. It just means adjust and keep going.

Sooo very
Reading through this thread, was *much* more effective at driving home this point, than the usual knee-jerk MFP reply. Which often just ends up making me feel dumb :blushing: and I end up just *NOT* getting it.

This was one of the MOST helpful threads I've ever read on here.

Honest & lacking in drama Thanks again everyone!

edited for derr..quotes

jennifer_417

Weight loss is as much art as it science. At some point we have to realize that no measurement is perfect or exact and shrug and move on.

vquibell2013

keep up the good work!!!!

stevencloser

Not sure if this turned into a "calorie counting doesn't work, guys" thread or just people arguing semantics.

hookilau

Not sure if this turned into a "calorie counting doesn't work, guys" thread or just people arguing semantics.

nah...at least what I got from the discussion was that 3500/cal=1# fat is a starting point.
Variables abound but still a reasonable starting point.

That I shouldn't feel like a total failure because I *AM* doing it right & have been all along. The weight loss I've already seen has proven that. However, one liners like

*calories in vs calories out
*3500 cal=1# fat
*you're doing it wrong, you must be eating more than you say you are
*you're doing it wrong, you're not eating enough
*you're doing it wrong cause...science.
*weight loss is not linear

Are not hard & fast rules that apply to everyone across the board, though it's a good STARTING place.

That truthfully, give or take a hundred cal or so (respectively), give or take a marco or so, one can only put so much of a fine point on things.

I'm paraphrasing of course & applying what I've read in this thread to my own personal experience.
Your miles WILL vary...or not :laugh:

hookilau

I guess the thing that got me was that I'd never heard of anyone refuting the 3500 cal rule and the article just stunned me. To hear that it's just a starting place with plenty of wiggle room +/- helps a great deal.

That's great! What is so valuable about that is instead of feeling clueless about why you might not have seen the results you expect you can now do something about it. It just means adjust and keep going.

^ THIS...this sums it up completely!