What have you tried and what works for you??

arotella

I cannot believe how many different theories there are on losing weight….. many of which contradict each other. So my question for you is: What have you tried and what works for you??
I completely understand that what works for one person doesn’t work for everyone, but I am curious to see what others have tried.

Here are a few theories I’ve read/heard about. I’m not saying these are right/wrong… I’m just stating what I have heard.


1. Losing weight is simply calorie in vs. calorie out ----VS---- It’s not how much you eat, rather it’s what you eat (clean, unprocessed food is key)
2. Eat your exercise calories back

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VS---- Don’t eat your exercise calories back
3. If you lift heavy, eat higher calories ----VS---- Eat less calorie to lose more weight
4. Eating too little throws your body into starvation mode ----VS---- Starvation mode is actually REALLY hard to reach
5. Low carb is more important than low calorie
6. Long, moderate cardio burns the most fat ----VS---Short spurts of intense cardio (HIIT) burns more fat
7. Lift light weights at high reps

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VS---- Lift heavy weights at low reps
8. Fruit is good ----VS---- the sugar in fruit is bad

Got anymore???

newday332

Nope you got them all but now I'm curious to know 2hich ones mostly work.

Colbyandsage

1. Losing weight is simply calorie in vs. calorie out ----VS---- It’s not how much you eat, rather it’s what you eat (clean, unprocessed food is key)

Both of these. More clean calories and burning some to get to BMR.

entropy83

1.) I tend to focus on keeping within calories but eating less processed keeps me fuller and bathroom time easy :embarassed:
2.) I eat my exercise calories back if I can and especially if its, put my net under 1200 for the day.
3.) If I strength train I try to always eat all those calories back.
4.) Unless I am sick or something, I don't have a problem eating and I am going for slow weight loss. I do tend to lose slower on lower calories. I am set for 1 lb per week but on a weeks were I try to dip below, it doesn't lead to higher weight loss.
5.) I am lower carb but not hardcore just because I have PCOS and we tend to be insulin resistance and I am also allergic to baker's yeast:grumble:
6 & 7.) If I am moving it is a good thing. I could care less about optimal burning. I am still building up fitness. I am not an athlete, gym rat, body builder maybe one day. I have a HRM that tells me what to do.
8.) Fruit is good but in fresh forms preferably- a naturally sweet vitamin of life. Dried fruits are too concentrated and non filling for me.

jg627

Tried fish oil and cla for about two months each and what I found was if you need fish oil in your diet or you just can't hit your macros, do this: go eat a damn fish and leave the pills on the shelf at the store.
Also that raspberry ketone stuff is a scam. Dr. Oz is an idiot for endorsing that stuff. Sure a rich idiot, but still an idiot.
Don't take muscle building advice from someone who is 6' 2" and 140 lbs soaking wet. I don't care how expensive his California designer protein shakes are.
Eat the foods you like. Protein and fat satisfies me more than carbs do, so I do struggle with my carbs a bit.
coffee is not the devil. You don't have to quit coffee to lose weight. A cup of coffee about an hour or two before the gym is my pre workout supplement.
I tried eating back exercise calories. Didn't like it. When I'm eating a huge difference between two days I get gas (I'm talking like 500 or more). I just set my activity level accordingly and move on. I know people hate that, but oh well. They'll have to suffer knowing that i'm just not going to do it. A hundred calories or so for a sugary drink after a workout maybe, but that's about it, but then my daily calories are generally a lot higher than most and I don't bother with trying to be under my daily calorie goal. I'm usually about 100 over.

Mompanda4

Bump

prettygirlhoward

very interested in this bump

thelovelyLIZ

This is basically my line of thought:

Calories are important, but it's not as simple as calories in vs calories out. The quality of those foods are important. Not necessarily for weight loss but for overall health and well being. I can eat 1300 of cheeseburgers and probably lose weight just as well as if I have been eating 1300 of fruits and vegetables. But I doubt I will feel as good and as healthy. I also would bet my weight loss will be more successful with the clean eating.

I pretty much always eat calories back if I'm hungry. I was eating around 1300/day for most of my weight loss journey, and I simply can't function on 1300/day if I run three miles too. Rest days it was usually fine, but on workout days I needed extra fuel.

Lifting. I basically just lift as heavy as I feel comfortable and make sure I have enough protein to rebuild those muscles. I gravitate toward lifting heavy for low reps though.

I think starvation mode exists, but you're not going to throw your body into it from eating 500 calories two days in a row. It takes at least a few weeks most of the time, but everyone is different.

I personally think low carb is silly. Carbs aren't bad, provided you're eating the right kind. Just like fat isn't bad if you're eating the right kind. Especially if you're doing a lot of cardio, carbs are important. I don't think you should OVERDO your carbs, but if you're active and eating a balanced diet, I don't see much value in low carb.

And I think the sugar in fruit is fine. No need to avoid fruit.