Whats it REALLY about ?!?!?!

meggersd

So I find myself having this struggle CONSTANTLY and it is usually over three things:
1) Is it really about a number? Should the scale determine everything you feel? For example I weigh twenty pounds more than my sister yet we can wear the same clothes so obvioulsy muscle weighs more.. BUT why is it whenever I step on the scale that number automatically determines how I feel?

2) Is it about what we are eating or is it really about the calories we eat? Does it matter if we are below our calories if it it with whatever gets us there? So should we care that havent gone over with a burger and fry than with a million vegetables?

3) Finally it is a struggle to eat what I have burned off! If I burn 400 calories in a spin class and come home and realize I "should" be eating them I feel like I have just defeated the entire purpose.

So what should we do focus on pants sizes and nothing else?

Am I alone?

Hmmmm

ThePhatMan

You're not alone. I don't count anything other than calories. I also don't count my exercise as calories I should eat. I don't know if it's right, but that's what I do. Good Luck with your goals.

tiffsNEWlife

OMG NO!!!! You are not alone. I struggle with these same things everyday. I mean everyday! I work out everyday, and think why am I supposed to eat these extra calories, it makes me feel like I didn't do anything. Then I jump on the scale and see the number and want to jump right back to my work out routine. Then, I look at the veggies i have for myself and the burger my husband has and I wonder "if i go over on veggies isn't the same as going over on a burger" But I put on a pair of jeans that I haven't worn in a while and they fit and I'm happy all over again.

I'm sorry I wasn't much help, but if you find the answers.... please enlighten me as well :huh:

theatr3geek

You're not alone at all! I completely get it. I have trouble eating my 1200 calories a day. I try to blame it on the fact that I'm petite, but... if you think about it, 1200 calories is ALOT if you're getting it the right way. A cup of carrot sticks is 60 calories, a banana is 100, 4 ounces of chicken breast is 150 calories.

If you are not hungry, don't worry about eating! Just listen to your body and drink plenty of water.

GabrielMaestas

You're not alone )

1) Body weight is probably the poorest indicator of a persons over all level of health and fitness. Pant size is a much better gauge.

2) Balance in the key with calories and food sources. A burger is a decent start: the beef is in the meat group, the bun is a grain, and I'd add a salad to complete the journey )

3) It healthful to make sure you're eating at least 1200 - 1300 calories a day and exercise for weight lose is like icing on the cake. It usually doesn't help to excessevly obsess over the relationship between calories in versus calories out. If you find yourself hitting at least a 200 calorie daily deficit you're doing pretty good )

johnporcaro

Remember the way MFP works is that when you enter the amount you're working out in the week, it calculates the calories you'll burn, and removes them from your daily goal. You'll still make the weekly goal (i.e., lose 1 lb. a week) if you don't work out at all.

You get your exercise calories back when you work out. So if you work out and aren't counting those calories, you'll lose more than your goal weight, or worst, end up starving yourself... At least that's the way i understand it.

Regardless, if you feel healthy, and are exercising and eating well, it's all going to work out for the best!

jane77

Its really about balance and feeling good if the number drive you crazy dont work with them We really know whats best. listen to your body. It loves to move so move it everyday.... It proforms much better on fresh health light food than it does on heavy fat foods. If all the numbers are driving you crazy dont use them..... And let me through this at you to muddy the pot even more. Muscle does not weight more than fat!!! a pound of anything weights a pound!!! but a pound of muscle is like a brick where a pound of fat is say like a pound of feathers
muscle just takes up a lot less room

canoo

HI NO YOUR NOT ALONE I AM READING DAILY I AM UNDER MY CALORIE USE,I MYSEELF THOUGHT THE EXERCISE WILL HELP SHIFT THE WEIGHT.THERES HECK OF A LOT OF LETTUCE IN 44O CALORIES.I AM NOT GETTING THIS EITHER,I AM JUST DESPERATE I GUESS.

SweetCharity

You're not alone! Unfortunately, we've been conditioned to believe that that number on the scale somehow determines how we look, no matter how silly that sounds. It may take a while, but just start trying to de-condition yourself from that thinking. I have literally been at two completely different pant sizes - 2 sizes apart and the number on the scale was the same for both sizes. It took me some time, but things like that have taught me that the scale isn't important. It just isn't. Think of it this way: are you more concerned with what size jeans you can fit in OR are you concerned with how heavy you'd feel if someone tried to pick you up? Personally, I don't have a lot of people picking me up frequently AND unless I give them a number, they don't know how much I weight. What I DO have is people telling me how much smaller I look - and for me, that's what's more important. My actual size and not a stupid number that doesn't really mean much.

As far as what you eat, here's why it's matters. It's what fuels your body. Yeah - you could fuel your body with the bad stuff and it won't kill you. But it's like putting watered down fuel in your car. Yeah - it'll still run, but how much more efficient would it run if you filled it with premium? How much longer could you drive? You eat the good stuff to give your body the nutrients it's supposed to have to function, not all of this processed-not-actually-food crap that we have in abundance these days. Eating actual whole foods is what your body was meant to do. It's better for your overall health - not just weight loss.

I think too many of us don't think of eating better as being better for us. It's not all about losing weight. It has to be about treating your body better, so you feel better, don't get sick as often and live longer. So having "the bad stuff" every once in a while as a treat is ok. Nothing to beat yourself up over. But on a day to day basis - you do wanna stick with your whole foods and veggies no matter how good that burger looks. Just know that you're doing better for your body and overall well being that way

meggersd

I think I am just freaked out if I eat my 1320 calories a day and burn 500 er something out then my body will think its starving and then I wont lose any..*kitten* you can probably see its really a viscious circle for me LOL :blushing:

LorinaLynn

Toss out the scale! Go by how your clothes fit and how fit and healthy you are.

What "it's all about" is feeling good. Being healthy. Physically and emotionally. If the scale makes you feel crappy, toss it! If comparing yourself to your sister makes you feel bad, toss her... :noway: Uh... I mean, stop comparing yourself to her. And anyone else.

The only person you should be competing with is YOU. Be the best YOU you can be. The healthiest and the happiest.

TrainerRobin

1) Is it really about a number?

2) Is it about what we are eating or is it really about the calories we eat?

3) Finally it is a struggle to eat what I have burned off!

So what should we do focus on pants sizes and nothing else?

Am I alone?

You're not alone. To the contrary, you have plenty of company.

It IS about numbers, but not your weight on the scale. Of course, that's relevant but the more important numbers of those that matter to your health: your body composition (body fat percentage), your cholesterol numbers, your blood pressure, etc. For me, and for my clients, I focus on body composition and work towards improving that. And when that happens, the rest of the important numbers fall into place, including pant size and the number on the scale. Consider buying a bathroom scale that shows your body fat number, or buy a hand held body fat calculator. (Note: these aren't perfect, but if you read the fine details and use them according to directions, they'll provide you a handy tool and a new objective (focus on your body fat percentage instead of your weight).

It matters very much what you eat -- for your health. Sure folks can lose a lot of weight if they control their calories and yet still live on junk, but I've yet to see it not come back to haunt them in some form. Good nutrition is essential, alongside exercise, to maintain your lean body mass. So yes, focus on quality food. Plus it's delicious!

If you have considerable weight to lose, don't sweat eating back your exercise calories. And if you're close to your goal, play it by ear. If you are eating all of your daily (non exercise) calories and you're still losing at the appropriate (safe) rate, then don't sweat it. If you start hitting a plateau, tinker with your diet, adding all of them back, some of them back, etc. and you'll find a sweet spot.

You're on the right track. Wishing you the best of luck and remember that you have plenty of company on here ... and support!

Good luck!