Is it really all about calories in/calories out?

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anewrac
anewrac Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm so confused as to what plan to follow.....WeightWatchers, Atkins,Bodytrim, calories?!!!

I have 17kg to lose. I've given up alcohol. We're currently traveling around Australia in a caravan for another 10 months, so I don't have access to a gym.

Which way do I go?? I'm thinking of counting cals, but watching my protein and carb intake. What do you think?

Each time I start I think "oh I'll try another method" :(

Please help

Thanks
Rachel
«1

Replies

  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I'm so confused as to what plan to follow.....WeightWatchers, Atkins,Bodytrim, calories?!!!


    They all work the same, you lose weight due to a caloric deficit. find a diet that you can adhere to, since that's the most important part and just stay consistent with it
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I'm so confused as to what plan to follow.....WeightWatchers, Atkins,Bodytrim, calories?!!!


    They all work the same, you lose weight due to a caloric deficit. find a diet that you can adhere to, since that's the most important part and just stay consistent with it

    He said it right
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Weight is all about calories in vs calories out. Body shape is about genetics and exercise.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    You can achieve weight loss with nothing more than calorie restriction. Why not just focus on the basics while your traveling. .35g fat and .8 - 1g protein per lb of body weight. Depending on how you feel, shoot for a 20% deficit? If you still feel really hungry all the time, try decreasing it to something you can sustain. After that's set, persistence will grant success.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Can you imagine what would happen if you went to a Harley Davidson forum and started a topic asking whether you should buy Honda, Kawasaki, or Yamaha? :)
  • sandislim
    sandislim Posts: 264
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    count calories and choose where to get your protein and carbs from, choose the healthiest options rather than limiting macronutrients.
  • Colleen1980
    Colleen1980 Posts: 148 Member
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    It's to each his own for sure, however I don't follow any plan, I only use MFP to keep track of, like you said, calories in/calories out. And it's the ONLY thing that's ever worked for me. I'm sure there are benefits to doing other things, but the bottom line with this approach is you don't have to deny yourself anything. The cool thing is, once you start logging calories, you realize the foods that fill you up more with less calories, and you start eating healthier anyways! However, if I have 250 calories left at the end of a day and I really, really want a candy bar...I eat it! And I've still lost over 50 pounds!

    MFP puts you in control with information by logging your intake/outake. It's a wonderful feeling!

    Good luck :happy:
  • snailrunner
    snailrunner Posts: 215 Member
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    It's not only about calorie deficit...search 'Zoe Harcombe' and you will find out a lot about calories in/calories out and how to eat well and lose weight.
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,212 Member
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    you don't 'need' a diet method, but yes they do all work the same way of helping you identify and keep to a set amount of calories or protein etc.

    Now.. when it comes to watching carbs and calories that is tricky.

    Personally, if you're travelling why not just try logging your food on here, set your tracker up for your calories and see how you are in a few weeks? That way you won't be 'ooh i've failed because I ate x y or z'.. you just have to limit x y or z.

    Does that make sense? And up your exercise - which won't be hard if you're travelling and seeing new places (yes I'm jealous), so you'll help your losses along the way.

    Another bonus is the lifestyle change that will happen i the process rather than you being 'on' a diet then being 'off' it.. I've spent to many years eating badly off a diet and then going on one.. now I've lost throughout the last year but never dieted.

    Good luck.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Can you imagine what would happen if you went to a Harley Davidson forum and started a topic asking whether you should buy Honda, Kawasaki, or Yamaha? :)

    It's funny because it's true. :laugh:
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    It's not only about calorie deficit.

    Well, for pure weight loss, yes, it is. Assuming you have no medical conditions etc, it really is just calories in/out.

    Now, for overall health and actual Fat loss, then it can get a bit trickier.
  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 753 Member
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    Other factors affect weight loss too - sodium, amount of muscle you got/lose, level of exercise...
  • blkmale67
    blkmale67 Posts: 61 Member
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    Great Article:


    All Diets Work: The Importance of Calories.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/all-diets-work-the-importance-of-calories.html
  • floweringcurrant
    floweringcurrant Posts: 112 Member
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    The first thing I tried in dieting world was South Beach, and I actually did loose a fair amount of weight on it. But I also realized after a couple of months that it would not work for me as my long term diet. I didn't like how little variety there was, I didn't like the artificial sugars, and I hated not eating very much fruit!

    I think a lot of these diets can be helpful, but they are not really long term, for everyone, or all that flexible. When I started eating whole foods, like greens, raw fruits and vegetables, some nuts and seeds, whole grains, minimal processed sugars or white processed foods, and counting calories, I realized that's what would work for me in the long term. This way I am able to have flexibility, too. If I eat something generally out of my diet one day, I can keep under my calorie limit and know the world is not over. When I'm traveling places and don't always have control over all my own groceries and meals, it works much better for me, too.

    I think the key is really finding what works for you. Counting calories, exercising (even going on walks!), and eating whole, unprocessed foods is what I decided would work for me. This will be your process to figure out, I think it's different for everyone!
  • bexxgirl
    bexxgirl Posts: 260 Member
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    It's to each his own for sure, however I don't follow any plan, I only use MFP to keep track of, like you said, calories in/calories out. And it's the ONLY thing that's ever worked for me. I'm sure there are benefits to doing other things, but the bottom line with this approach is you don't have to deny yourself anything. The cool thing is, once you start logging calories, you realize the foods that fill you up more with less calories, and you start eating healthier anyways! However, if I have 250 calories left at the end of a day and I really, really want a candy bar...I eat it! And I've still lost over 50 pounds!

    MFP puts you in control with information by logging your intake/outake. It's a wonderful feeling!

    Good luck :happy:

    Couldn't agree more! I've tried ALL the diets (well, many of them, anyway) and this is the only thing that hasn't made me miserable!
  • KokomoJoe
    KokomoJoe Posts: 435
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    If you want to look at alternative views also google William Davis, Robert Young, Acid/alkaline balance.

    Remember man is the only animal smart enough to make his own food and stupid enough to eat it. The weight loss industry is a big business, similar to the "health" industry. Believe me the drug companies don't want to cure anything, they want to sell you drugs to control things. The same thing (unfortunately) for the cancer societies, diabetes, kidney and other associations. They are in the fund raising business not the research and cure business.

    Hippocrates said it best: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” . We need to do that more today.
  • anewrac
    anewrac Posts: 52 Member
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    Can you imagine what would happen if you went to a Harley Davidson forum and started a topic asking whether you should buy Honda, Kawasaki, or Yamaha? :)


    Funny guy !!'
  • jaabee11
    jaabee11 Posts: 322 Member
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    Can you imagine what would happen if you went to a Harley Davidson forum and started a topic asking whether you should buy Honda, Kawasaki, or Yamaha? :)

    yeh, that's what I was thinking.. well not exactly but along those lines.

    op,
    just start entering food in the diary and whala, you will see what needs to be changed in your diet. Give it a go, it's free unlike most of the others. The beauty of this site is you can design a diet for yourself around what you like to eat, no points,no bells and whistles and hidden costs, no smoking mirrors.
    The support is fantastic., much better than I ever had at any of those other places I paid a lot of cash for a diet I didn't particularly like.
    Good luck, enjoy your trip.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    It's not only about calorie deficit...search 'Zoe Harcombe' and you will find out a lot about calories in/calories out and how to eat well and lose weight.

    If all you want to do is simply lose weight - then YES, it is only about a calorie deficit. Plain and simple. Now - there are other factors like being healthy or whatever. But for pure weight loss - it is calories in/calories out. I'm not going to search someone and see what they say about it because at the end of the day - science will tell you for weight loss, you must have a calorie deficit. The rest is where the confusion starts.
  • shonasteele
    shonasteele Posts: 473
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    Make changes you can stick with long term...
    Start eating more veggies.
    Then cut back on condiments.
    Start walking.
    Then have smaller portions.
    Then switch to whole grains.
    Do some weight-bearing exercises.
    Then eat better snacks.
    Cut out deep fried foods.
    ...You get the point, just keep making small changes that you can stick with.

    Following a plan never worked for me cuz I don't like anyone telling me what I can't do. I need to feel like I'm in control and have options. I also don't respond well to drastic overnight change, so I incorporated 'baby steps' gradually and it was much easier to adapt to. I also started out eating 'maintenance' level calories for a week, then slowly lowered my calories to give my body (and brain) time to adjust. It's been working... I've lost over 35 pounds since the start of the year!

    Good Luck!

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