So you want to be successful?

Just1forMe · April 2011

Right on the money, as usual! :happy:

Newfiedan · April 2011

Okay, I agree with everything, except I'm REALLY confused about eating all my calories back. I'm pregnant, so I'm not really using the calorie counter, but I certainly plan to once the baby is here.

So, if I were eating 1200 calories a day, and ate back 500 calories that I burned, making a total of 1700 calories, and left a ZERO amount left, wouldn't that mean I would lose nothing? I haven't tried it, but I would guess that MFP would tell me "in 5 weeks, you'll be the same weight." Correct me if I'm wrong, just trying to figure this out.

that would depend on what your weight loss goal is set up for. If you are set at say 1 pound a week when mfp gives you your caloric intake goal the deficit is already built in, so even if you were to eat back every single calorie that you are given including the exercise calories you will still have a deficit, you just do not see it on the daily log. So you will still lose that weight or more depending on your metabolic rate, and if you are pregnant you need more than 1200 calories a day unless you are under 4 foot tall.

irishkiss · April 2011

Agree!!!!:bigsmile:

ecp2698 · April 2011

Thanks for this!

suzieqdiva · April 2011

Thank you for this.... It is such useful information & truly the foundation for this journey & you have laid it out is such a simple way. Appreciate it much:)

BTW... all of them are golden nuggets.. but what spoke to me the most (I believe what I need to work on the most) is 8) Developing inner strength.... I think it is a personal & spiritual journey that will help us in many ways through out our lives... & if you can develop a strong inner strength you can achieve anything:) So thank you for sharing:)

fteale · April 2011

Sorry, still don't agree with the eating exercise cals thing. MFP does not calculate your deficit for you if your BMR is low, like most small women's is. For me, it is only giving me a 150 cal deficit, because of that dreaded arbitrary 1200 limit, so if I ate back all my exercise cals I would not lose weight. And I am not super small. I am average height and weight for a woman in the UK.

Atlantique · April 2011

Sorry, still don't agree with the eating exercise cals thing. MFP does not calculate your deficit for you if your BMR is low, like most small women's is. For me, it is only giving me a 150 cal deficit, because of that dreaded arbitrary 1200 limit, so if I ate back all my exercise cals I would not lose weight. And I am not super small. I am average height and weight for a woman in the UK.

You would still lose weight, just more slowly. A 150 calorie per day deficit would put you at 1/3 lb per week weight loss.

Mike523 · April 2011

Sorry, still don't agree with the eating exercise cals thing. MFP does not calculate your deficit for you if your BMR is low, like most small women's is. For me, it is only giving me a 150 cal deficit, because of that dreaded arbitrary 1200 limit, so if I ate back all my exercise cals I would not lose weight. And I am not super small. I am average height and weight for a woman in the UK.

I have a hard time believing your daily burn number is only 1350. Are you sure about that? I would be more inclined to believe that's your BMR, but unless you're lying in bed all day, you burn more calories than your BMR. Even if you live a sedentary lifestyle (desk job, sitting most of the day), your daily burn before exercise is about 1.2 X BMR.

Newfiedan · April 2011

yes bmr is a resting rate, its what you burn by just staying still resting, as soon as you move, workout, or do anything it is higher, case in point me. BMR 1669, daily intake 1940, working out 3-4 times a week and steadily losing 1-1.6 pounds a week never fail and I eat back almost all if not all exercise cals. I am not a freak of nature by any means, 99% of those whom do what I do have had similar success if they log accurately and use a hrm for accurate burns while working out.

fteale · April 2011

I have been losing 1/2 a lb a week fairly steadily since Christmas, aiming for eating back all but about 200 of my exercise cals (400-700 4 times a week plus walking on the other days, which I don't usually log). If I ate them all back, I'd be losing less.

Newfiedan · April 2011

not entirely, I have seen time and again fat loss accelerate when you eat them all back the only time I have not seen it work is when the caloric input is off or the caloric burn is off. Logging accurately and getting accurate burns works every time without fail if applied correctly. I am living proof of that.

meagalayne · April 2011

bump^^ Just b/c I can!

run4yourlife · April 2011

Bump - This one's a keeper ( :
Great post!

StevLL · April 2011

MFP is a great tool for fat loss, there is a fantastic community here with lots of support. We have all come here for the same reason, to shed fat or for some to gain some weight. I have learned a lot on this site and wanted to share some things that I have learned along the way to maybe help you along your path. I know that some of this may not make total sense to you but take it from someone who has never hit a plateau, never had a hitch for fat loss to this current day and am well on the way to getting all the goals I have set. I am living proof that this works and I am not a freak of nature lol, nor am I genetically gifted with a high metabolic rate, I am an ordinary run of the mill guy who has a drive that has made me successful on here and these are my tips for you to do the same.

1) Log EVERYTHING, good or bad, if you want to see the complete picture then you are only cheating yourself of results if you do not log it all. It is as simple as calories in vs calories out, and if you are not paying attention to that then you are not going to get the goals as fast as those whom do.

2) Eat your exercise calories. I know some of you are going to disagree, well good for you, but it works. MFP has already set you up for fat loss regardless of what you think if you eat every single daily caloric goal including exercise cals you will still lose exactly or more than what mfp says. I have helped many overcome plateaus by simply getting them to eat the cals back from exercise and I do mean all of them. You are not benefiting you body by cheating it of the cals needed for recovery from workouts.

3) Eat clean, yep that junk you are cramming down your pie hole is not going to get you on the best path for health, so if it does not benefit the body then why eat it? Eating healthy can taste just as good as the junk it is just a matter of finding what you like and working from that. A flat belly starts in your own kitchen, not from those premade quickie meals that you get from wal-mart.

4) Small changes, I can not stress that enough, make small changes every week, it is easy to stick to, and over a month 4 small changes make a massive difference.

5) Make you a priority, your health should not be optional, it should be mandatory to you. You deserve to be happy, healthy and enjoy life. Love yourself as corny as that sounds, you are doing this for you, not for that cute guy/girl you want to impress. Stop pretending that it is shallow for you to love yourself. You can look in the mirror and like what you see, you are responsible for your own results.

6) You know better than to buy into those stupid quick fix diet pills, detoxs and all that other commercial crap they try to sell. Invest in what will get you real results like a gym membership and some good running shoes or workout clothes. You can get in shape wearing sweats as well as you can in those lulu lemons. If you are on a tight budget that is no excuse, running is free, as is your own body weight. We can all benefit from working out without all the expensive workout gear.

7) Use your brain and common sense. You know that there are no quick fixes, you are smarter than that. If you want to be the best you that you can be it is going to take work and you are worth putting that effort into. Want to make an excuse for not working out? Look in the mirror and ask yourself do you really need that twinkie or bottle of pepsi/coke? Diet is 80% of this, all the workouts in the world will not get you thin without proper diet you know this, so quit the excuses and moaning about it, get it done.

8) Last but not least, gather support around you. If there is not enough support at home or in your relationship then you need to get that from somewhere else. In some cases it may mean taking a second look at your current relationship and making some changes there. In the end though learn to make yourself stronger on an emotional level, that inner strength will serve you well and get you to that goal both personally and professionally. Strength endures, and you are stronger than you think you just need to prove it to yourself.

So I hope that this benefits you on some level, and it motivates you to get off your butt, quit making excuses and get yourself on a better path.

Wow this has to be the best post I've seen to date. Thank you for sharing. Well said.

toots99 · April 2011

Love it!

Pebble321 · April 2011

Great info, thanks!

carmenstop1 · April 2011

I love your posts, I am trying to follow all your advice, I even stopped weighing myself every day and bought a measuring tape! Keep the good posts coming!