14 random and unrelated questions from a curious PINK

pinksultana

In no particular order....

1. What does ‘maintenance calories’ mean?
2. When you go on holidays how do you manage your calories? Especially abroad when most things aren’t written in English and you cannot tell how many calories are in them ect ect?
3. For those who have reached their goal weight, how have you managed to maintain without putting on weight?
4. How much caffeine can I have a day without adversely affecting weight loss? Ie coffee, teas ect ect
5. How much water should I drink? I have heard your supposed to drink a litre for every 25kg, that would mean I have to drink at least 5 litres a day….hmmm I feel I may drown drinking that much!!!
6. I know this would be different for everyone with different body shapes, but is there an estimate of how many kilos I would need to lose to lose a dress size? Ie. If im a size 22 now and I lost 10 kilos would I then be a size 20 do you think? I do kilos and measurements not correlate???
7. ive heard that diet drinks like diet cokes are horrendously unhealthy because of artificial sweeteners, is this also true for ‘zero’ drinks like coke zero and sprite zero?? I don’t drink a lot, maybe 2 cans a week to for a sweet fix if im craving sugar ect….
8. Exercise before, or after eating? Exercise in morning or night? Ultimately I know that exercising is better than not exercising so it needs to work in with my lifestyle, but are there benefits to exercising immediately after waking up, or in the evening before bed ect ect ??
9. is it better to exercise harder, for less time, or softer but for longer??
10. Has anyone found that they didn’t need their anti-depressants after losing a significant amount of weight? Sort of like the brain chemicals were sorted out though the process?? (I only ask as ive been on antidepressants for years and would love to think I could come off them at some point)
11. Will I have heaps of loose skin after loosing weight do you think? How can I encourage my skin to shrink, stay healthy and minimise droopage??
2 girly questions
12. Will my boobs shrink along with my body, or will they just droop like an old grandmas??
13. When should my periods return do you think?
14. alcohol – how does it affect weight loss? I know it is calorie laden depending on what type, and dehydrating …but if I consume for instance 5 vodka shots and they were within my calorie limit for the day, would it slow down my weight loss? (hypothetically, don’t worry im not going to go out and have 5 straight shots of vodka)

For anyone who wishes to shed some light on one or more of these questions, i would be eternally grateful
PINK

toots99

In no particular order....

1. What does ‘maintenance calories’ mean?

8. Exercise before, or after eating? Exercise in morning or night? Ultimately I know that exercising is better than not exercising so it needs to work in with my lifestyle, but are there benefits to exercising immediately after waking up, or in the evening before bed ect ect ??

9. is it better to exercise harder, for less time, or softer but for longer??

Maintenance calories are calories your body needs to stay at the same weight, not to gain weight and not to lose weight, but to stay the same once you reach your goal.

I've heard several times that exercising in the morning is best, after eating something light, like a piece of toast. Supposedly, by exercising in the morning, your body will use stored sugar and fats as fuel, as opposed to if you work out later in the day your body will use the sugar and fats that you've consumed throughout the day. I've also heard that it's best to do short bursts when exercising. For instance, if you walk or run steadily for 5 minutes, do 2 or 3 minutes as fast or at the highest intensity as you can, then go for 5 minutes at a steady pace, then back to 2 or 3 high intensity. Alternate through that your routine.

Good luck!

I look forward to hearing the answers to the other questions.

SarahNicole317

2. When you go on holidays how do you manage your calories? Especially abroad when most things aren’t written in English and you cannot tell how many calories are in them ect ect?

Try to keep all of your meals balanced. Have a palm sized amount of protein and fibrous veggies. Carry a calorie counter book if you are really concerned. Also, if you plan ahead where you are going to eat you can check out a lot of menus online.

4. How much caffeine can I have a day without adversely affecting weight loss? Ie coffee, teas ect ect

Caffeine is probably not going to adversely affect your weight loss bc coffee has about 4 calories/cup and tea has just as few if none at all. Caffeine has been shown in some studies to aid in weight loss.

6. I know this would be different for everyone with different body shapes, but is there an estimate of how many kilos I would need to lose to lose a dress size? Ie. If im a size 22 now and I lost 10 kilos would I then be a size 20 do you think? I do kilos and measurements not correlate???

It does depend on how tall a person is and where they carry their weight. Also, you can't spot reduce body fat, however, I've found that on my 5'2 frame 5-7 lbs=1 size. in other words about 3 kilos.... as you said though it depends on the person.

7. ive heard that diet drinks like diet cokes are horrendously unhealthy because of artificial sweeteners, is this also true for ‘zero’ drinks like coke zero and sprite zero?? I don’t drink a lot, maybe 2 cans a week to for a sweet fix if im craving sugar ect….

I don't know a lot about this, however, I do know that some believe artificial sweeteners don't turn off the 'craving signal' in your brain because it isn't real sugar and that can lead to overeating to try an satisfy the craving.

10. Has anyone found that they didn’t need their anti-depressants after losing a significant amount of weight? Sort of like the brain chemicals were sorted out though the process?? (I only ask as ive been on antidepressants for years and would love to think I could come off them at some point)

It is possible, but many times a persons weight is a symptom of another problem, so make sure as you go on this journey of weight loss you look at all aspects of your life and work on anything you may be unhappy with. Some find that once the weight is gone they are still not happy because they didn't look at the big picture (career, relationships, etc..)

11. Will I have heaps of loose skin after loosing weight do you think? How can I encourage my skin to shrink, stay healthy and minimise droopage??

Drinking lots of water helps with the skin tone. In addition weight training is very important to improve muscular definition and tighten up the skin.

2 girly questions
12. Will my boobs shrink along with my body, or will they just droop like an old grandmas??

They will probably just shrink and they are typically one of the first areas women lose weight.

14. alcohol – how does it affect weight loss? I know it is calorie laden depending on what type, and dehydrating …but if I consume for instance 5 vodka shots and they were within my calorie limit for the day, would it slow down my weight loss? (hypothetically, don’t worry im not going to go out and have 5 straight shots of vodka)

Although calories in<calories out is true for weight loss, alcohol is sugar so it turns into fat more quickly. Also, consider the lack of inhibition which leads to the drive thru.

Hope this helps!

lotusfromthemud

6. I know this would be different for everyone with different body shapes, but is there an estimate of how many kilos I would need to lose to lose a dress size? Ie. If im a size 22 now and I lost 10 kilos would I then be a size 20 do you think? I do kilos and measurements not correlate???

I've heard that 10 lbs = a size, but I don't know if that's really true. Weight and size starts to not correlate at all once you reach a certain body fat/ muscle weight ratio. I know I have a good friend who is twenty pounds lighter than me, but I'm two sizes smaller. I work out, and she doesn't. After a point in your weight loss, the scale won't be a valuable tool anymore. I've actually gained weight and lost size over the past two years.

7. ive heard that diet drinks like diet cokes are horrendously unhealthy because of artificial sweeteners, is this also true for ‘zero’ drinks like coke zero and sprite zero?? I don’t drink a lot, maybe 2 cans a week to for a sweet fix if im craving sugar ect….

This is a subject of enormous controversy, with some saying that all diet soda is "liquid satan" (that's an actual quote). IMHO, anything in moderation is not too bad for you. That being said, I find that diet soda makes me crave sweets. The theory behind this is that sweet stuff without calories messes with your appetite sensors. So, I very rarely indulge in a diet soda. The "zero" drinks are still sweetened with artificial sweeteners, just a different kind.

10. Has anyone found that they didn’t need their anti-depressants after losing a significant amount of weight? Sort of like the brain chemicals were sorted out though the process?? (I only ask as ive been on antidepressants for years and would love to think I could come off them at some point)

Yes. But, I don't contribute it to the weight loss per se, but to the exercise endorphins, and the fact that better food = feeling better overall, including my moods. I find when my diet slips up, and I indulge in junk food, I start to feel a downslide. Also, throughout the weight loss, I've worked through a lot of the issues that put me on the anti-depressants in the first place.

hope those help.:flowerforyou:

kerrilucko

I did the best I could

1. What does ‘maintenance calories’ mean?- the calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight

2. When you go on holidays how do you manage your calories? Especially abroad when most things aren’t written in English and you cannot tell how many calories are in them ect ect?
If it's a holiday you relax and enjoy yourself. Try to make healthy choices- like fruits and vegetables but on the whole, a few days of poor eating aren't going to matter when the rest of the year is spent being healthy.

3. For those who have reached their goal weight, how have you managed to maintain without putting on weight?
I havn't begun maintaining yet. But I do know that it's all about continueing the lifestyle. You'll be eating a little more to maintain instead of lose, but the TYPES of food stay the same and your exercise will continue as well.

4. How much caffeine can I have a day without adversely affecting weight loss? Caffeine shouldn't affect your weight loss. I have never heard that. But keep in mind too much of anything is not GOOD for you.

5. How much water should I drink? I have heard your supposed to drink a litre for every 25kg, that would mean I have to drink at least 5 litres a day….hmmm I feel I may drown drinking that much!!! At least 8 8oz glasses of water a day, if you can. build up to it slowly if you have to.

6. I know this would be different for everyone with different body shapes, but is there an estimate of how many kilos I would need to lose to lose a dress size? Ie. If im a size 22 now and I lost 10 kilos would I then be a size 20 do you think? I do kilos and measurements not correlate??? no, there isn't. Every body shape is different, so it will be wildly different for everyone.

7. ive heard that diet drinks like diet cokes are horrendously unhealthy because of artificial sweeteners, is this also true for ‘zero’ drinks like coke zero and sprite zero?? I don’t drink a lot, maybe 2 cans a week to for a sweet fix if im craving sugar ect…. coke zero is the same as diet coke. artificial sweeteners (aspartame) is still in there. However, an occaisional can isn't going to hurt you.


8. Exercise before, or after eating? Exercise in morning or night? Ultimately I know that exercising is better than not exercising so it needs to work in with my lifestyle, but are there benefits to exercising immediately after waking up, or in the evening before bed ect ect ?? Wait a bit if you've just eaten, I tend to cramp up if I don't. Other than that, any time of day is fine.

9. is it better to exercise harder, for less time, or softer but for longer?? Harder. Push yourself as hard as you can for as long as you can, even if you have to break your exercise into several small increments.

10. Has anyone found that they didn’t need their anti-depressants after losing a significant amount of weight? Sort of like the brain chemicals were sorted out though the process?? (I only ask as ive been on antidepressants for years and would love to think I could come off them at some point) This one I recommend speaking to your doctor about. Do not stop taking medications unless a doctor tells you to.

11. Will I have heaps of loose skin after loosing weight do you think? How can I encourage my skin to shrink, stay healthy and minimise droopage?? That depends on how elastic your skin is and how much you plan to lose. Drink lots of water, and get your daily fats, they help to maintain elasticity. I have some loose skin, but a very small amount. Others have none, others have a lot. it depends on you.

2 girly questions
12. Will my boobs shrink along with my body, or will they just droop like an old grandmas?? They will shrink (boobs are fat, fat loss will result in smaller breasts usually) They may droop, for the same reasons the rest of your skin may droop (see above)

13. When should my periods return do you think? that depends? why have your periods stopped? You may want to discuss this with your doctor as well.

14. alcohol – how does it affect weight loss? I know it is calorie laden depending on what type, and dehydrating …but if I consume for instance 5 vodka shots and they were within my calorie limit for the day, would it slow down my weight loss? (hypothetically, don’t worry im not going to go out and have 5 straight shots of vodka) Alcohol and weight loss do not go very well together. Alcohol actually alters the way your body uses energy. There are some in depth posts on this, if you search for them. Avoid alcohol if you can. An occaisional drink is fine. more than 2 shots or drinks of anything at one time is considered binge drinking. that is never ok.

paddlemom

6. I know this would be different for everyone with different body shapes, but is there an estimate of how many kilos I would need to lose to lose a dress size? Ie. If im a size 22 now and I lost 10 kilos would I then be a size 20 do you think? I do kilos and measurements not correlate???

It depends on your size and shape to begin with. It's all about percentages - if you weigh 50 kg (110lbs) , then a 5 kg loss is 10% of yourself and will show big time, but if you weigh 150 kg, then 5kg is only a 3% loss, so it's not going to has big an impact on your dress size.

I had a friend describe it to me like unrolling paper towels, the first few sheets don't seem to shrink the roll at all, but as you get near the end each sheet makes a difference. Basically, inches lost is a better indicator of changing sizes. I think you probably go down a size for every two inches lost (think jeans sizes - a 22 is a 42"waist and a 20 is a 40" waist)

I think that is what can make losing weight more discouraging for us larger folks, the actual amount of pounds lost needs to be more before we can actually see it in the fit of our clothes. To give you a large size example, I am 5'7" and I have lost 35 lbs and gone down one to two dress sizes, depending on the fit, from a 26 to a 22/24.

Hang in there, though, cause I am noticing it in so many other ways.

sonjavon

Pink - It seems that you've gotten some answers to all of your questions, except perhaps number 13.

Assuming that your periods have become sparse or non-existent due to Insulin Resistance - your periods COULD begin to improve pretty quickly. Once you have your carbs and proteins balanced properly, then your body won't have quite as much extra insulin and hormones running around and it can begin to use them more efficiently.

I had not had 3 successive periods in years until I started MFP. I've now had 4 periods in a row. I don't remember off hand how much exactly you have to lose - but you should start to see some improvements within 6 months or so - as long as you are eating the right things and exercising.

JoyousMaximus

9. is it better to exercise harder, for less time, or softer but for longer?? Harder. Push yourself as hard as you can for as long as you can, even if you have to break your exercise into several small increments.

I'm going to disagree with this. In regards to Cardio, I believe that it is better to do both. Interval training tends to have the better results. Interval training involves a period of intense workout followed by a slightly longer period of low intesity workout and repeat. An example would be walk for 5 minutes to warm up then sprint as fast as you can for 30 seconds then fast walk for two minutes and repeat for 30 minutes. The exercise done and the length of the interval varies by person and preference. Also, generally I find if you work out really hard one day the next day you should do a lighter work out to give your body time to recouperate as well as taking one day off a week from working out. For strength training, you should work different muscle groups on different days if you are going to strength train every day (upper body even days of the week, lower body on odd) or take a day off between strength training. The weight/reps ratio is dependant on the result you want. If you want the most strength, you would do a higher weight for 6-8 reps till muscle fatigue. If you want more endurance, you do a lower weight for 12-15 reps till muscle fatigue.

This is all just based on my experience and various articles/websites I've read but every one is different. And the most important thing when it comes to exercise is whether you will be able to continue doing it. If you are more likely to work out really hard for a half hour 3 times/a week, do that. if you would rather do a slower paced workout for longer, do that. Because no matter how great the plan, if you don't do it, isn't going to work.

Good luck!

MacMadame

2. When you go on holidays how do you manage your calories? Especially abroad when most things aren’t written in English and you cannot tell how many calories are in them ect ect?

It depends. One weekend I went camping and didn't track anything or limit anything. I knew I was going to burn 2000 calories on Sunday (doing a triathlon) and figured it would all come out in the wash. This past weekend I went camping and I wrote everything down in a notebook and tried to consciously limit myself. I put it all into MFP when I got home and found I'd still managed to have a calorie deficit. I think after a while you get to know what is in certain foods and how big servings are by eyeballing.

3. For those who have reached their goal weight, how have you managed to maintain without putting on weight?

I haven't been there long enough to say. Ask me again in 6 months.

4. How much caffeine can I have a day without adversely affecting weight loss? Ie coffee, teas ect ect
5. How much water should I drink? I have heard your supposed to drink a litre for every 25kg, that would mean I have to drink at least 5 litres a day….hmmm I feel I may drown drinking that much!!!

Caffeine is supposedly a diuretic but, if you consume a lot of it, your body gets used to it and the effects lessen. But this why we are told to only count non-caffeinated fluids in our daily consumption. The general recommendation in the US is to drink 64 oz. a day of fluid and this can include anything that doesn't have caffeine in it including soup! (I think 64 oz. is about 2-3 litres?)

Caffeine can also be an appetite stimulant. So, if you are having issue with hunger, you can try cutting it out and see if that helps.

6. I know this would be different for everyone with different body shapes, but is there an estimate of how many kilos I would need to lose to lose a dress size? Ie. If im a size 22 now and I lost 10 kilos would I then be a size 20 do you think? I do kilos and measurements not correlate???

This can be very variable. At my highest weight, it took anywhere from 25-50 pounds to go down a dress size but now it's more like 10 lb. and sometimes less because muscle takes up less space than fat so you can lose inches if you work out but not lose as many pounds.

7. ive heard that diet drinks like diet cokes are horrendously unhealthy because of artificial sweeteners, is this also true for ‘zero’ drinks like coke zero and sprite zero?? I don’t drink a lot, maybe 2 cans a week to for a sweet fix if im craving sugar ect….

Yes, it's true for any drink with artificial sweeteners in it. Though I'm not sure I'd say they are "horrendously unhealthy". But they aren't good for you and they are associated with weight gain.

8. Exercise before, or after eating? Exercise in morning or night? Ultimately I know that exercising is better than not exercising so it needs to work in with my lifestyle, but are there benefits to exercising immediately after waking up, or in the evening before bed ect ect ??

The best time to exercise is when you will actually do it. For most people, the difference isn't great enough to matter.

9. is it better to exercise harder, for less time, or softer but for longer??

Both. You have to mix it up. Interval training is the best thing to make fast progress in fitness, but you also need to do some longer, less hard workouts if you want to build endurance. Most importantly, your fitness gains all happen during REST. You have to give yourself days off to allow your muscles time to build themselves back up and get stronger.

Also, the whole exercising in the "fat burning zone" is a big misunderstanding of the science. Yes, you burn a higher percentage of fat when you are in that zone. BUT, if you work in a higher zone, you burn more CALORIES. That leads to just as much fat loss, sometimes more, in the long run than working at lower intensities all the time.

11. Will I have heaps of loose skin after loosing weight do you think? How can I encourage my skin to shrink, stay healthy and minimise droopage??

No idea. It depends on your age, your genes, where you carry your weight and how long you've been overweight. I have good genes and I expect most of my skin to bounce back and the rest to be controlled by strong under-garments.

12. Will my boobs shrink along with my body, or will they just droop like an old grandmas??

Both. If your skin has a lot of elasticity, they'll firm up a bit though. I found the last time I lost a significant amount of weight that my skin continued to tighten up even after I stopped losing, btw.

14. alcohol – how does it affect weight loss? I know it is calorie laden depending on what type, and dehydrating …but if I consume for instance 5 vodka shots and they were within my calorie limit for the day, would it slow down my weight loss? (hypothetically, don’t worry im not going to go out and have 5 straight shots of vodka)

Alcohol slows down your body's ability to burn fat even over and above the amount of calories it has. OTOH, it's also a diuretic so some people lose a lot of water the next day and is *seems* like binge drinking is helping their weight loss. But, in the long run, it isn't.

How much you can drink and not sabotage your weight loss is very individual but I'm pretty sure 5 vodka shots is too much for 99.9% of dieters. :laugh: