Diet breaks and loosening the reigns

mmapags · October 2012

It is both a great post and an awesome picture of the steel boys!

isunn7 · October 2012

Remember it is always good to have a break once a week where you eat a meal that you have been craving. It really helps and to not feel guilty about it you focus on the fact that you deserve it!! Also if you increase your cardio and burn more calories during the week (even just 10 more cal. at each work out) those extra calories from that one yummy meal will not matter. :0 ) Enjoy we all have a bad week or day.

islandgirl3333 · October 2012

Bump

caseydimples · October 2012

Bump - so far great read. Saving for later!

stroutman81 · October 2012

Remember it is always good to have a break once a week where you eat a meal that you have been craving. It really helps and to not feel guilty about it you focus on the fact that you deserve it!! Also if you increase your cardio and burn more calories during the week (even just 10 more cal. at each work out) those extra calories from that one yummy meal will not matter. :0 ) Enjoy we all have a bad week or day.

Things can't be so simply applied to everyone. In some cases a weekly break is fine. In others it's a terrible idea.

And in some cases increasing cardio will help. In others, it'll raise hunger through the roof.

We can't provide blanket advice like this.

mmapags · October 2012

Remember it is always good to have a break once a week where you eat a meal that you have been craving. It really helps and to not feel guilty about it you focus on the fact that you deserve it!! Also if you increase your cardio and burn more calories during the week (even just 10 more cal. at each work out) those extra calories from that one yummy meal will not matter. :0 ) Enjoy we all have a bad week or day.

Things can't be so simply applied to everyone. In some cases a weekly break is fine. In others it's a terrible idea.

And in some cases increasing cardio will help. In others, it'll raise hunger through the roof.

We can't provide blanket advice like this.

Totally agree.

mmapags · October 2012

Time for another boink!

slimtrimgoody · October 2012

First of all, don't think about a diet because diets fail. Think about a lifestyle change. Eat whatever you want only limit your calorie intake by following the guidelines indicated for your height and weight and gender. In time -- slowly but surely -- day by day, ease into making wiser food choices. Work your way up to eating 5 fruits and veggies daily. Eat a variety of foods so that you do not get bored. Reward yourself when you reach established mini goals that you set for yourself. For example, I will lose 1 pound this week and when that happens give yourself a treat --- something that you enjoy that is not edible. Also, surround yourself with like minded people who can support and motivate you. Start doing activities that you enjoy. For example if you like to bowl, go bowling with friends, have fun and burn calories at the same time. Be creative! Remember that you did not gain the weight overnight and you will not lose the weight overnight --- neither will you stop all of the bad eating habits you have overnight. Have patience with yourself. Trust that you can do this --- because you can. Learn to use a variety of self help tips for keeping yourself motivated. There are many good books that you can find on amazon.com that can keep you motivated as you continue this journey on a lifestyle change. Don't ever give up on yourself! Good-luck and keep us posted on your success!!

mmapags · October 2012

Thanks for the pep talk coach. Did you read through the thread? It was started by a well respected fitness and nutrition proffesional. I don't think he is discouraged about his progress. Or giving up on himself.

geekyjock76 · October 2012

When I sit down with a client, one of the first things I establish is their eating trends - specifically, how many calories have they been eating over the passed 6 months or year. Although many people likely won't know the calories, they can state staple foods they eat daily over the course of that questioned period of time.

There was one particular lady who handed me a food journal which consisted of foods she chronically ate for over a year that totaled 700 calories. When asked to list foods she typically ate during college, in comparison, it came to approximately 2000 calories. Naturally, she insisted that she was meeting the energy needs of her body by consuming a meager 700 calories because she didn't feel hungry...

I find that many people, mainly women like the one I just recalled, end up engaging in calorie restriction even when they are not actively trying to lose weight. This is no surprise since a person's maintenance range will decrease as long as they continue at a deficit indefinitely thanks to certain endocrinological changes I'll mention later.

You have two general approaches of weight loss: a) cyclical periods of calorie/energy restriction vs near or at maintenance levels and b) persistence of chronic calorie/energy restriction.

Many posters here follow the latter strategy which explains their endocrinological and psychological alterations - ie depressed RMR and leptin concentration levels, perhaps coupled with a sharp rise in cortisol, and paranoia over weight regain when thinking about upping calories to levels which are still well below one's natural TDEE. Once the paranoia manifests, they are genuinely at risk of disordered eating if they continue this weight loss strategy.

For these individuals, the only way for them to continue reducing body weight - if they insist on sustaining calorie restriction indefinitely until they reach their goal weight - is to drop calories even lower which was demonstrated in the infamous Minnesota Semi-starvation Experiment. That is to say, each time they stall, they'll need to eat less than before to illicit further weight loss. The major downside to this, aside from greater degrees of the above mentioned alterations, is the loss of substantially more lean body mass vs fat mass as one continues to lower intake.

For these reasons, it's important for many people to take periodic breaks and return to at or near maintenance so [physically and psychologically] they can stay within normal parameters which will be adaptive to sustainable weight loss and favorable body composition.

tigs728 · October 2012

bump :bigsmile:

stroutman81 · October 2012

First of all, don't think about a diet because diets fail. Think about a lifestyle change. Eat whatever you want only limit your calorie intake by following the guidelines indicated for your height and weight and gender. In time -- slowly but surely -- day by day, ease into making wiser food choices. Work your way up to eating 5 fruits and veggies daily. Eat a variety of foods so that you do not get bored. Reward yourself when you reach established mini goals that you set for yourself. For example, I will lose 1 pound this week and when that happens give yourself a treat --- something that you enjoy that is not edible. Also, surround yourself with like minded people who can support and motivate you. Start doing activities that you enjoy. For example if you like to bowl, go bowling with friends, have fun and burn calories at the same time. Be creative! Remember that you did not gain the weight overnight and you will not lose the weight overnight --- neither will you stop all of the bad eating habits you have overnight. Have patience with yourself. Trust that you can do this --- because you can. Learn to use a variety of self help tips for keeping yourself motivated. There are many good books that you can find on amazon.com that can keep you motivated as you continue this journey on a lifestyle change. Don't ever give up on yourself! Good-luck and keep us posted on your success!!

While I appreciate the dieting 101 advice that may or may not apply in certain situations, can I ask why you posted it here in my thread? Of course it's a public thread... I don't own it. Nor do I care that you posted it here. I'm just trying to figure out how this advice is relevant here.

stroutman81 · October 2012

When I sit down with a client, one of the first things I establish is their eating trends - specifically, how many calories have they been eating over the passed 6 months or year. Although many people likely won't know the calories, they can state staple foods they eat daily over the course of that questioned period of time.

There was one particular lady who handed me a food journal which consisted of foods she chronically ate for over a year that totaled 700 calories. When asked to list foods she typically ate during college, in comparison, it came to approximately 2000 calories. Naturally, she insisted that she was meeting the energy needs of her body by consuming a meager 700 calories because she didn't feel hungry...

I find that many people, mainly women like the one I just recalled, end up engaging in calorie restriction even when they are not actively trying to lose weight. This is no surprise since a person's maintenance range will decrease as long as they continue at a deficit indefinitely thanks to certain endocrinological changes I'll mention later.

You have two general approaches of weight loss: a) cyclical periods of calorie/energy restriction vs near or at maintenance levels and b) persistence of chronic calorie/energy restriction.

Many posters here follow the latter strategy which explains their endocrinological and psychological alterations - ie depressed RMR and leptin concentration levels, perhaps coupled with a sharp rise in cortisol, and paranoia over weight regain when thinking about upping calories to levels which are still well below one's natural TDEE. Once the paranoia manifests, they are genuinely at risk of disordered eating if they continue this weight loss strategy.

For these individuals, the only way for them to continue reducing body weight - if they insist on sustaining calorie restriction indefinitely until they reach their goal weight - is to drop calories even lower which was demonstrated in the infamous Minnesota Semi-starvation Experiment. That is to say, each time they stall, they'll need to eat less than before to illicit further weight loss. The major downside to this, aside from greater degrees of the above mentioned alterations, is the loss of substantially more lean body mass vs fat mass as one continues to lower intake.

For these reasons, it's important for many people to take periodic breaks and return to at or near maintenance so [physically and psychologically] they can stay within normal parameters which will be adaptive to sustainable weight loss and favorable body composition.

I agree for the most part that people shouldn't chronically diet. However, the adaptations you've mentioned are going to happen regardless of the length or size of the deficit. Mileage may vary from person to person. In fact, some people might lose a ton of weight and not skip a beat... with or without breaks. Others, though, will struggle with adaptive thermogenesis, and this can be the case with or without breaks as well.

Why?

Because adaptive thermogenesis is tied most heavily to levels of fat and the various hormones directly or indirectly associated with it.

And yeah, muscle loss becomes more of a concern the further down the rabbit hole of leanness you go... but it can be staved off relatively easily with the right nutritional and exercise interventions.

Generally speaking, I'm not an advocate of rigid and prolonged dieting. But again, I did want to point out some points of contention.