Is counting calories and exercising enough?

yggdrasill2005

I follow the blog for 344pounds.com religiously. I like that he lost weight by counting calories--nothing else. I find that when I totally deprive myself of let's say bread, I will have a bad week and binge on bread. Yet so many people on MFP give up stuff. What's your take on it? I know we're all different. I just feel that if I want a cookie on a given day and am willing to go for a longer walk for it, that's more realistic than saying "no cookies ever." Who out there has lost weight by just counting calories on MFP and exercising? I have 130 lbs to lose.

Please friend me if this has worked for you and you're willing to share some tips. I need all the support I can help and will support you as well!

tracypk

I feel like a cookie is no big deal if you can keep it at one cookie. You don't have to cut anything out. Especially if it causes you to binge.

ukgirly01

Lost the bulk of my weight just counting calories, not depriving myself of anything specifically. How ever as I continue on the journey I have more or less given up certain things that are calorie dense so I'd just rather eat more of other thing. As it turns out I now drink very very little alcohol and eat very few grain products.

fun_b

Yep I am in agreement with you. I tried to cut out food before but I end up craving it more. The best thing about MFP is that you have the cookie as long as you have enough calories.

Christine1110

I think it makes a difference how fast you want to lose it. I wanted the weight off ...so I gave up sugar, potatoes, pasta, bread and also diet soda. That doesn't mean I will never have them again...but it will be a treat once in a while. I have found now that I am 50 my body just can't take all the carbs I usued to eat.

yggdrasill2005

Christine1110, how long did it take you to lose 120 lbs by giving some items up?

maricash

I've lost about 65 pounds (of a total 110 I'd like to lose) through portion control, calorie logging, and exercise. This works for a lot of people and I think it should be the first thing you try.

I think that, even when people give up whole food groups, or severely limit them, that the weight they lose often comes from the calories they then miss, not the food group. For example, if you get your sandwich place to wrap your sandwich in lettuce, it will be lower in carbs, but it will also be lower in calories. You might think you lost weight because you went low carb, but it might just be that you lowered your overall calories.

To me the key has been to focus on habits I can keep for a lifetime. And that means eating out on occasion, having birthday cake, cookies, or whatever. I just try to do it in moderation. And MFP plus a good food scale has been key for the moderation part. Maybe when I get close to goal weight it will stop working and I will re-assess, but so far so good.

elizak87

MFP has worked for me. I tried so many fads and trends and tried to take short cuts but the foods got boring and the pills did more damage than good. I usually fall off the wagon at the 3 month stage. It has been two and I am really enjoying it. In general I eat a thousand times better but since on my journey I have had chocolate, cake, fried chips and icecream but no where near the portion size I had before. I didn't have a heap to lose but I have lost most of what I came her to lose. Best health decision I have made is coming here.

JesterMFP

Counting calories and exercising has worked for me. I do pay attention to nutrition too (I like the "if it fits your macros" philosophy). Cutting out specific foods or food groups isn't for me though. If I want chocolate, I'll have it. If I want a bacon sandwich, I'll have it. I just have to plan better, and fit things in so that I meet my calorie goal, and so I'm getting a good nutritional balance overall.

collectingblues

I have a goal of losing .4 pounds a week (no, that decimal isn't a typo!). I've been doing nothing but counting calories and exercising in my first month of tracking -- a little less than a month, actually -- and I've been hitting that goal consistently.

That said -- I don't believe in quick weight loss, and I only have 20 pounds to lose to be at goal weight. I've set a target of having it gone by Oct. 1, 2013. I'd rather eat and exercise in a way that's sustainable *after* I lose the weight, then do some sort of restriction or group cutting, and then feel like I have to do that permanently. For me, the only changes I see happening after I lose the weight, is upping the calories to maintenance level. That's how I want to lose, and I think it's going to work.

yggdrasill2005

I appreciate these responses. You see, I think some people can cut out food groups and not miss them. I consider myself a food addict so I behave totally different, crave and binge during stressful times and obsess over what I CANNOT have. I once did Medifast for 4 months and lost about 50 lbs. I had to stop because eating the same thing over and over again (plus the disgusting smell of their products) was making me gag. Yet one of my friends has been doing it for a year with fabulous results. I've since gained all the weight back and hate the idea of never having some items (and find it unrealistic with my lifestyle). My belief is that all diets work--but some are just not sustainable. As a food addict, I will battle this until he day I die so I need to try something that sticks. When you're obese, it's so easy to second guess your decisions.

PattyC64

Most plans cut out foods for a certain period, then slowly add them back. This helps to jump start your program and get rid of cravings. I do like to pay attention to balancing calories, protein, carbs, and sugar. I also want to make sure I get enough calcium and iron. By paying attention, I make better choices and avoid empty calories. I only buy whole wheat bread and always drink water with my meals. If I can keep my meals within reason, then I can give myself a treat.

SideSteel

I follow the blog for 344pounds.com religiously. I like that he lost weight by counting calories--nothing else. I find that when I totally deprive myself of let's say bread, I will have a bad week and binge on bread. Yet so many people on MFP give up stuff. What's your take on it? I know we're all different. I just feel that if I want a cookie on a given day and am willing to go for a longer walk for it, that's more realistic than saying "no cookies ever." Who out there has lost weight by just counting calories on MFP and exercising? I have 130 lbs to lose.

Please friend me if this has worked for you and you're willing to share some tips. I need all the support I can help and will support you as well!

You are required to create an energy deficit over time in order to lose non-water weight.

How you choose to do that is up for some debate insofar as personal preference is concerned. Suffice it to say though, that if you manage to continually eat less than you burn, you are going to lose weight.

As far as food elimination goes: If you do not have an intolerance to a specific food item, and if you are able to manage quantities such that you don't binge on specific foods, then I don't see a reason to completely avoid specific foods. You may find it beneficial to reduce your intake of certain things simply because the calories would be better spent elsewhere.

Ex: I love a big double cheeseburger from 5-Guys. But, it's something like 1100 calories (edit: Looks like it's a bit under that, but I'm not the type to eat 1 burger. LOL). I can still fit this into my macros, but 1100 calories would go much further in terms of food volume and satiety if I choose to spend these calories on several other things. As such, even though I don't eliminate double cheeseburgers from my diet, I don't eat them often.

I'm of the belief that the majority of people would do well by creating an energy deficit, paying attention to macronutrient intake, eating mostly nutrient dense foods, and get some exercise. And I also believe that complicating it beyond that isn't usually a good idea.

mem50

It worked quite well for me. I am a recovering foodaholic. I got a good kitchen scale and stuck to it. It took 3 years total to lose the weight. I had set-backs. Injurys, new meds w/steriods (not good) wrong info from a dietician. I have low blood sugar and she put me on the wrong diet.

As I got more into the journey to healthy I started using new recipes, trying different foods, eating "cleaner", keeping the "trigger" foods out of the house and finding out why I would do the dumb things I did. That was the compulsive eating.

I also learned that I am missing a chemical in my brain that triggers the I'm full and stop eating. I am ALWAYS hungry but have learned to control it. I still mess up at times but the next day am back at it.

If you would like you can PM me anytime you like.

cappri

It seems to be working for me.

laineybz

I've not cut anything out that i used to eat, have just cut down and introduced more exercise and fruit/veg with it. I've lost around 60lbs by doing it.

I haven't had a chocolate bar since i began in Feb, but i have things with chocolate on that do the job. My skin is clearer for it too!

Good luck and feel free to add me if you ever wanna talk about it x

onyxgirl17

I have cut some stuff completely such as starbucks but have substituted it for regular coffee. Other than that, just watching calories.

love22step

I believe counting calories and exercising is enough, as long as you count fairly accurately. I only had to lose 40 lbs, but it worked great for me. I ate mostly healthy foods before I started, plus some sweets, and I had to work on portion control. I love cookies, but learned to eat one or two cookies instead of six cookies. Some days, I would be a little over on calories, and would do more exercise after dinner to work off the excess calories. God bless and good luck!

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I count calories and walk and that's it. I seem to be doing fine. I don't do well with diet plans or cutting out food groups. I'm a lot more likely to stick to my calories if I know I can have some chocolate or bread or whatever I'm craving.

dg09

It worked for me!

ClementineGeorg

Counting calories and exercising is enough, as long as you are healthy in general.

Gland problems (like tyroid problems or adrenal problems) may influence weight loss.
Again, if you count calories but you nutrition is bad you may still end up with stomach problems, liver problems, gut problems. And that will eventually lend to nutrients absortion problems that may influence weight loss.

seriouslypinkchick

I try to have most things i really enjoy just not all the time i have the odd day where i go over my daily allowance but there are days when i have food i love and count in my allowance also exercise 5/6 times aweek, i think it be really silly to give up everything totally as longs as you eat in moderation and your still losing weight then fine - things i really miss is cereal and bread as when i eat these i tend not to lose weight but i eat the odd slice of bread and rather than have a full bowl of cereal i have 3/4 mouthfuls but count in my calorie allowance but i have this occasionally dont cut everything out we got to have some rewards sometimes xxx i have lost 76lb in 6 mths so just proves we can lose weight and still have treats

bulbadoof

I still eat ice cream, cookies, and the occasional candy. The only things I really cut out are bread and pasta, because they're not very nutritious and I'd rather spend the calories on ice cream, cookies, and the occasional candy.

cad39too

I haven't cut out anything - that would be an immediate recipe for failure for me. I just have what I want in moderation.

vytamindi

My problem is that I couldn't stop at one cookie or just a few potato chips. I had to cut all of that out and "reset" my awareness of food using a food scale and a low carb diet.

After a while, I don't really crave the stuff anymore. I'd like to say I don't ever touch it, but I'll be honest: I'll have a bite once in a while.

It's all about, for me at least, relearning all of the stuff I didn't learn about nutrition growing up.

ETA: Diabetes runs on my dad's side of the family and I've already inherited his hypothyroidism. It's working for me, and I RARELY feel deprived.

I also use MFP's calorie recommendations, I just set my macros up differently.

dancingj2

There are diets that will restrict or eliminate certain foods and some of them do work. But long term I know I am not willing to give anything up.

So for me I do not restrict myself from anything. However I do track my calories every day - even on bad days. If I want a couple of cookies I know that I will needs lots of exercise to make up for extra calories.

Simone_King

For me, to give up on something won't work. For me, moderation works.

Yes, I can have that cheesecake, but its THE ONLY snack I may have.

I can have that huny bun, but why? That's most of my calories for the day.

Yet, I find if I can control myself than I do fine but like Dancingj2 said. That's how I do it too. If I am really bad day, than its to the gym with me. So I can work off calories...

if only to eat dinner. It's working for me. Slow but it's working.

gil_u

I'm a big believer in earning your treats. For example, yesterday, I knew I was going to have a couple of slices of pizza at night. So I made sure I completed some workouts earlier in the day to offset the damage the pizza would do. So far, I'm four weeks in, and down 15 lbs. So i guess it's safe to say that it works for me.

VanessaHeartsMasr

I have lost over 21 pounds since August and I haven't cut out a single thing from my diet. If I want to eat a cookie, I'll eat a damn cookie. If I want to screw up one day, I will screw up one day, and then exercise a little extra or pick myself up the next day, or the next meal even. I used to go into diets feeling like I was walking into a funeral or some kind of death sentence. Then I started here and, *lightbulb*, it can't be a "diet," it has to be a relationship with food. A HEALTHY relationship with food. If we are constantly telling ourselves that certain foods are "evil," it will make them forbidden, and it will make you want to stuff your face with even more of them. And you crash and burn and give up because you feel like a failure. If you even the playing field and put all foods equally, then a piece of broccoli is equal to a cookie is equal to a cheeseburger is equal to an apple, the "evil" foods lose their appeal. You start WANTING to eat a more balanced diet and more fruits and veggies because you realize you FEEL better when you stay within your calories!! You also start LIKING exercise, and LIKING to drink water instead of soda because of the same reason. I haven't felt this great since I was a kid!! I feel free!! And I feel happy! And I also feel like I'm worth it!! I feel like I NEVER want to go back to eating the way I used to. And I'm confident I never, ever will!! Take a peek at my diary. Some days are really crappy, some days are brilliant. And it's working for me. I never thought I could do it. But I am!! And you can too!!

VanessaHeartsMasr

So for me I do not restrict myself from anything. However I do track my calories every day - even on bad days. If I want a couple of cookies I know that I will needs lots of exercise to make up for extra calories.

This too. LOG, LOG, LOG, EVERYTHING!!! Don't lie about ANYTHING in your food diary. I've even logged cough drops before. One time I logged 3 M&M's. Lol.

Josette89

The majority of the food that I eat is healthy meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Sometimes I eat ice cream or other sweet treats. I stay within my calorie range and I make sure that I burn a good amount of calories throughout the day by wearing an HRM. If I find myself at a plateau I change my goals accordingly and I try not to snack as much. I drink a ton of water throughout the day. I'm not finding it hard to lose weight with the system that I'm following. My diet is kinda what I call Neo- Paleo I am Paleo for most of my week, but then I have snacks every so often. I keep an eye on my weight to see what foods affect my weight. I would love to go 100% Paleo, but I work in the Culinary Field, I taste different foods frequently and I work in a great place that gives us food somedays, I'm not going to deny a FREE meal. hahaha. I'm doing great though. I've lost 35 pounds in less than five months.