Absolutely confused...

tabinmaine

A calorie is a calorie folks.... lots of studies to prove that, and if it's not working for someone it's because either the calories are not being recorded properly or the exercise calories are being over estimated ....

opus649

A "calorie" is just a unit of measurement. To say a calorie of sugar is different than a calorie of butter is like saying a pound of muscle weighs less than a pound of fat. A calorie is a unit of heat. When people talk about counting calories, they are talking about counting the amount of heat necessary to process the food they eat.

Studies have shown that the composition of the diet is mostly irrelevant when it comes to fat loss. If references would help (although they probably won't), here you go:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/is-a-calorie-a-calorie/

Excerpt:
Here’s what is true, she said: “The studies that have measured calorie intake, that have put people on calorie-reduced diets and measured what happened, show no difference in weight loss based on composition of the diet.” When people are essentially incarcerated, when all intake is weighed and measured, they will lose weight if the calories in their diets are reduced — regardless of the composition of the diet.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0804748

Excerpt:

Reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize.

redmapleleaf

A calorie is a calorie folks.... lots of studies to prove that, and if it's not working for someone it's because either the calories are not being recorded properly or the exercise calories are being over estimated ....

well if a calorie is a calorie then the OP wouldn't have a problem. She eats too much junk, processed food. Like others have suggested she should focus on a clean diet. No processed food, lean sources of protein, fruits, veggies, whole grains.

opus649

A calorie is a calorie folks.... lots of studies to prove that, and if it's not working for someone it's because either the calories are not being recorded properly or the exercise calories are being over estimated ....

well if a calorie is a calorie then the OP wouldn't have a problem. She eats too much junk, processed food. Like others have suggested she should focus on a clean diet. No processed food, lean sources of protein, fruits, veggies, whole grains.

Except that all of the scientific studies that have been done contradict you. It's much more likely that she's simply underestimating her caloric intake and overestimating her caloric needs.

slays1415

Except that all of the scientific studies that have been done contradict you. It's much more likely that she's simply underestimating her caloric intake and overestimating her caloric needs.

No, not all the studies. Pick up a copy of Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat and what to do about it. He cites a boatload of studies showing that it's much more complex than just calories (mostly related to insulin, but other hormones too). Many people have a low tolerance for carbohydrates, especially the processed kind. So the Twinkie Diet will work for someone with good carb tolerance but not for those who have insulin resistance or trend toward it.

As for the OP, you could go one of two directions. If you're not ready to give up your sugar/fries, etc., I'd start counting everything a lot more closely. Those types of carbs make you hungry again quickly, so if your diet is made up largely of those items, you are either starving all the time or you're eating way more calories than you think you are. However, that type of diet isn't healthy long term anyway, so why not go in direction two, and switch to a much cleaner diet with sweets in very small amounts or very infrequently? Hope that helps!

kadins_momma07

Ok I looked at the last few days of your diary and:

1) stop eating crap.

That's about it!!! Cut anything processed OUT! That oughta do it. No one gets skinny eating chocolate bars everyday. Hope that helps!!!

Also, you may want to monitor your sodium - try to keep it between 1,000 and 2,500 mg/day (you can't do that while eating processed food, btw).

ever heard of the twinkie diet ??? a calorie is a calorie..... no getting around that, it may not be "good for you" but it does not matter where your calories come from when you are talking weight loss.....

Yeah but if you are loading up on junk, you are loading up on lots of other things too, which do matter!

redmapleleaf

A calorie is a calorie folks.... lots of studies to prove that, and if it's not working for someone it's because either the calories are not being recorded properly or the exercise calories are being over estimated ....

well if a calorie is a calorie then the OP wouldn't have a problem. She eats too much junk, processed food. Like others have suggested she should focus on a clean diet. No processed food, lean sources of protein, fruits, veggies, whole grains.

Except that all of the scientific studies that have been done contradict you. It's much more likely that she's simply underestimating her caloric intake and overestimating her caloric needs.

What scientific studies? and how does it contradict me? Have you looked at her food intake? Just from the previous two weeks where I have looked she has eaten some sort of chocolate bar/candy/cookies EVERY day. You don't lose weight eating that stuff EVERY day.

glassyo

What scientific studies? and how does it contradict me? Have you looked at her food intake? Just from the previous two weeks where I have looked she has eaten some sort of chocolate bar/candy/cookies EVERY day. You don't lose weight eating that stuff EVERY day.

I don't have any scientific studies but I do have personal experience. I eat chocolate and cookies (not fried crap anymore but still crap) every day and still lose weight. It's not the healthiest way (or healthy at all) but it can be done.

I'm late to the party and can't see the OP's diary but if she only has 5-10 lbs to lose, I probably would advise eating a bit more clean and putting her calorie deficit to 250 calories.

Nikkilynn32710

What scientific studies? and how does it contradict me? Have you looked at her food intake? Just from the previous two weeks where I have looked she has eaten some sort of chocolate bar/candy/cookies EVERY day. You don't lose weight eating that stuff EVERY day.

I don't have any scientific studies but I do have personal experience. I eat chocolate and cookies (not fried crap anymore but still crap) every day and still lose weight. It's not the healthiest way (or healthy at all) but it can be done.

I'm late to the party and can't see the OP's diary but if she only has 5-10 lbs to lose, I probably would advise eating a bit more clean and putting her calorie deficit to 250 calories.

Like my end of the day remaining calories should be 250? I just started eating at 1270 Monday and bumped it back up to the middle of my BMR today. I was feeling sluggish and tired at that low set. Yes, I was able to drop 40lbs by eating what i wanted and just watching how much of it I ate. It only took me 6 months to lose the 40lbs. I have since maintained the weight for 15 months. I'm not stressing over trying to lose the last 10lbs but it would be awesome if I could. I know that I should eat better than what i do but I have a major eating disorder when it comes to food. I feed myself through my emotions no matter how I'm feeling. I have gotten better but I still eat sweets/crap if I'm depressed and I have been for a couple of weeks now. I'm trying not to make excuses I was just looking for advice on whether to up my intake or down my intake to help me off this plateau. Thanks for everyone who responded good and bad.