It's not that difficult people!!!

PatientBear

This is my second time around on MFP and I can see we are still having many of the same issues. So, here's how the MFP system works...

When you signed up, MFP asked how quickly you want to lose weight. If you are trying to lose two pounds a week (and you should only be doing that if you have A LOT to lose), then the computer program builds in a 1000 calorie daily deficit for you when figuring out your target goal for your NET calories (calories consumed - calories burned = NET calories). 1000 x 7 = 7000 calorie deficit for the week. Since it takes burning 3500 calories to lose a pound, that is a two pound weight loss. If you are trying to lose one pound a week, then you have a 500 calorie daily deficit and half a pound a week is a 250 calorie daily deficit.

Creating the program in that manner allows us to feed our bodies as they need to be fed/fueled and still lose the weight we need and/or want to lose. Creating an even larger caloric deficit by not eating your exercise calories can lead to problems and counteract all the work and healthy eating we are doing.

Now, if someone has a lot of weight to lose, they are going to lose weight regardless of whether or not they eat their exercise calories. Their body has a lot of excess fat to burn so the body has reserves to call upon if it isn't getting enough fuel. But, if that same someone is getting close to their goal weight, their weight loss will slow/stop/plateau if they continue that same pattern. When your body doesn't have excess fat to burn, it needs a certain amount of energy/nourishment every day which is why MFP gives us all a target number to shoot for. If it doesn't get it, it will start burning muscle instead. Your fat/weight loss will stop and you will get flabbier as your body breaks down muscle tissue for energy. Give your body the proper amount of calories and nutrients and you will still lose weight, although it will naturally be at a slower rate when you have less to lose.

EAT YOUR FREAKIN' CALORIES FOLKS!!! Jeez....I'm a freakin BEAR and I get it.

poisongirl6485

PatientBear is not patient.

schroje83

PatientBear is not patient.

My thoughts exactly!

jeffsgal105

Or hungry. I get cranky when I'm hungry.

carpediem3

Or hungry. I get cranky when I'm hungry.

My Hubs does too! I kept telling him to chill out, calm down, quit stressing today while school shopping. He turns to me and says, "You gotta feed the bear before you pet the bear.." Lol.

1smemae94

and breathe...

DRJJ2004

Guess he shouldn't be reading the boards. If you don't like what people have to say or ask..don't read them. Sheesh!

makemetinyplz

Yeah I agree. I don't eat much but I always eat my excersize calories.

lstnlondry

Guess he shouldn't be reading the boards. If you don't like what people have to say or ask..don't read them. Sheesh!

I don't want to see him IMpatient.

SkateboardFi

PatientBear is not patient.

"You gotta feed the bear before you pet the bear.."

LMAO classic

Heather75

HelpfulBear

birdlover97111

Guess he shouldn't be reading the boards. If you don't like what people have to say or ask..don't read them. Sheesh!

My thoughts exactly....

And I will say to patientbear, and I quote, "IF YOU WANT TO BE MY FRIEND AND KNOW THINGS ABOUT ME, IT'S ONLY FAIR FOR ME TO KNOW THINGS ABOUT YOU TOO."....How about a little honesty on your profile..????...There, I vented, I'm done now... :flowerforyou:

HopefulLeigh

Yes, I've always found taking advice from trolls to be the best method of weight loss.

DedicatedHooper

You Broke It Down Perfectly. very simple.

amymeenieminymo

PatientBear is not patient.

My thoughts exactly!

It's hard to be patient when people don't listen. Patient Bear said it's their second time around, so I'm not sure how long they've been on MFP, but I've been here since April of 2008. I totally understand that new people may not understand the idea of exercise calories, I questioned eating them too when I first came here because I wanted to make sure I was doing it right. But it does get a little irritating to see the same question day in and day out and people have made wonderful newbie links all about it if they would just take the time to read them.

I also have no patients for people that are spreading bad information like "no you don't have to eat them, they're optional". They may be optional for you because you choose to do it that way, but they are required for the way this site is set up and if you don't want to do it that way it's fine, but don't tell people the wrong thing just because that's what you choose to do.

BTW Patient Bear, I thought it was a great post. Maybe keep that somewhere so you can just copy and paste it every time there is a question about them

sassylilmama

And if you understand so perfectly how it works why is this your 2nd time here??

MrsCon40

PatientBear is wise. And this deserves to be a sticky.

poisongirl6485

I like how PatientBear has this huge disclaimer about how he'll only accept people with public profiles or those who message him first, as he deserves to know who you are...yet his entire profile is fakey fake fake.

amymeenieminymo

And if you understand so perfectly how it works why is this your 2nd time here??

Wow, kinda harsh. I'm assuming that was directed at Patient Bear, but my ticker says I've been here for over 3 years and I've only lost 10 pounds. That's because I lost 50, life got stressful and I gained most of it back. So I am back full time to do it again. This site works great, and I understand it very well, but sometimes humans lack the willpower to stick to even the best laid plans, but failing, dusting yourself off and trying again is far from actually failing.

CakeFit21

I like how PatientBear has this huge disclaimer about how he'll only accept people with public profiles or those who message him first, as he deserves to know who you are...yet his entire profile is fakey fake fake.

You can only know the PatientBear when he wants you know him.

sassylilmama

And if you understand so perfectly how it works why is this your 2nd time here??

Wow, kinda harsh. I'm assuming that was directed at Patient Bear, but my ticker says I've been here for over 3 years and I've only lost 10 pounds. That's because I lost 50, life got stressful and I gained most of it back. So I am back full time to do it again. This site works great, and I understand it very well, but sometimes humans lack the willpower to stick to even the best laid plans, but failing, dusting yourself off and trying again is far from actually failing.

Was not meant to be harsh. Only saying that for someone saying they know exactly how this should be done the whole 2nd time thing seems ironic. I know that everyone can fall off due to life, my week has been that way. Ok so you are back on and you understand. Great. But you are not out there posting topics basically attacking people for their confusion.

Devilbat

Was not meant to be harsh. Only saying that for someone saying they know exactly how this should be done the whole 2nd time thing seems ironic. I know that everyone can fall off due to life, my week has been that way. Ok so you are back on and you understand. Great. But you are not out there posting topics basically attacking people for their confusion.

And if people are confused, it's incredibly easy to read sticky topics and all the 'New to MFP? Here's lots of things to read about how the site works!' topics. This is what annoys me the most, personally. There's TONS of information already here in the forums if people would bother taking the time to read the sticky and important topics before making ANOTHER post asking the SAME question that someone asked 5 minutes ago.

amymeenieminymo

And if you understand so perfectly how it works why is this your 2nd time here??

Wow, kinda harsh. I'm assuming that was directed at Patient Bear, but my ticker says I've been here for over 3 years and I've only lost 10 pounds. That's because I lost 50, life got stressful and I gained most of it back. So I am back full time to do it again. This site works great, and I understand it very well, but sometimes humans lack the willpower to stick to even the best laid plans, but failing, dusting yourself off and trying again is far from actually failing.

Was not meant to be harsh. Only saying that for someone saying they know exactly how this should be done the whole 2nd time thing seems ironic. I know that everyone can fall off due to life, my week has been that way. Ok so you are back on and you understand. Great. But you are not out there posting topics basically attacking people for their confusion.

I don't think he's attacking people for their confusion, he's "attacking" (I would say only the title of his post was really all that attacking, his post was actually a helpful explanation) the fact that people don't take the time to read the newbie links. And there are also people out there spreading bad information as if it is gospel. That would be like reading a message board about cars, and having a bunch of people spreading news that it's perfectly fine to never change your oil, that it's optional.

Izable2011

We need more love in this thread!

TheOddOne

And if you understand so perfectly how it works why is this your 2nd time here??

Wow, kinda harsh. I'm assuming that was directed at Patient Bear, but my ticker says I've been here for over 3 years and I've only lost 10 pounds. That's because I lost 50, life got stressful and I gained most of it back. So I am back full time to do it again. This site works great, and I understand it very well, but sometimes humans lack the willpower to stick to even the best laid plans, but failing, dusting yourself off and trying again is far from actually failing.
[/quote
Was not meant to be harsh. Only saying that for someone saying they know exactly how this should be done the whole 2nd time thing seems ironic. I know that everyone can fall off due to life, my week has been that way. Ok so you are back on and you understand. Great. But you are not out there posting topics basically attacking people for their confusion.

I don't think he's attacking people for their confusion, he's "attacking" (I would say only the title of his post was really all that attacking, his post was actually a helpful explanation) the fact that people don't take the time to read the newbie links. And there are also people out there spreading bad information as if it is gospel. That would be like reading a message board about cars, and having a bunch of people spreading news that it's perfectly fine to never change your oil, that it's optional.

Whaaaa??? Oil needs to be CHANGED???

JennsLosing

i dont even bother opening the posts about eating back exercise calories anymore, but good explanation. But in about 8 minutes somebody will post about whether or not they should eat them

TheOddOne

And apparently ... adding a reply with quotes is proving too difficult on my phone. Lol

muitobem

Bump!!!!!

LisaKyle11

PatientBear is not patient.

lol good observation!

PatientBear

Now that I have returned from my workout, I will address the questions/criticisms y'all have of me:

1. "PatientBear is not patient" - True story. And I apologize for nothing.

2. "Or hungry. I get cranky when I'm hungry" - I'm always hungry. I like salmon but the little boogers are slippery and hard to catch.

3. "Guess he shouldn't be reading the boards. If you don't like what people have to say or ask..don't read them. Sheesh!" - Or, I can post my opinion/response just like you can post yours. Ironic that you choose to respond to a thread you disagree with. Hypocritical much?

4. "And I will say to patientbear, and I quote, "IF YOU WANT TO BE MY FRIEND AND KNOW THINGS ABOUT ME, IT'S ONLY FAIR FOR ME TO KNOW THINGS ABOUT YOU TOO."....How about a little honesty on your profile..????" - Then don't be my friend. Like karincakes said, I reveal myself to those I choose. Other than that, I enjoy being anonymous. Hypocritical? Sure, but I'm honest too. And when I make a friend request, I always tell the person why. That's all I'm asking for.

5. "Yes, I've always found taking advice from trolls to be the best method of weight loss" - Please tell me exactly what in my post makes me a troll???

6. "And if you understand so perfectly how it works why is this your 2nd time here??" - It's my second time here because I missed the friendships and the people, not because I gained a bunch of weight back. I gave up MFP the first time because I got a new job and had much less time than I did previously. I initally joined MFP in October 2010 and dropped 25 pounds. I have maintained that weight loss, run a 5K, three sprint triathlons and am currently training for a 10K.

And for those who are attacking me because of this post, have at it. Attack me all you want. My skin is thick and you aren't going to hurt my feelings. Then, when you're done attacking me, go eat your exercise calories.

Hugs and Kisses,
PatientBear

jetscreaminagain

Patient bear's profile is hilarious and his post is erudite. If you don't like it, ok fine, don't read his stuff either (as in take your own advice ) at any rate it clearly and succinctly explains how to do this in a healthy way.

Personally I like that because there's enough people here with thinly disguised eating disorders asking questions to justify their decision to eat 900 cals a day whether or not they exercise. That particular example was from today. I'm personally not even gonna pretend I have the patience to wade into that psychodrama and play saviour or bad guy to her helpless princess. ick. It really is not that difficult and Miss Princess and other damsels in distress would do well to read his post and others like it and save their own selves.