Tired of all the "real dieters"

Options
11213151718

Replies

  • maddiec1989
    maddiec1989 Posts: 144 Member
    Options
    Why should someone force themselves to eat if they're not hungry? I gained a ton of weight because I was eating for the sake of eating, and continuing long after I was full. I typically eat between 1000-1400 calories now and feel completely satisfied, even with exercising every day. I talked to my doctor about it, asked if I should force myself to eat more and she said that while I should aim to have atleast 1200 calories, a net of 1000 is fine as long as I'm eating sensibly and getting all of the nutrients I need. I take a multi-vitamin to make sure I'm getting everything I need. I feel healthy, I have tons of energy and any blood work I have had done has only confirmed I'm perfectly healthy. I trust my doctor over someone online telling me I NEED to force myself to eat more calories than my body feels like eating. When I've reached my goal weight, I'll increase my caloric intake accordingly.

    Just because something did or did not work for you, doesn't mean that, that's what is and isn't right for everyone else.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    Options
    I'm over this thread and people stepping in and making comments related to things I've already addressed. The title wasn't literal--last time--it was a parody of another thread. anyway--I don't think anything I said was hurtful or judgmental and if it was that wasn't my intent. /thread (at least for me)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    You know what REALLY sux? As we age, if we don't make it our business (or when lack of health insurance precludes us) to seek out a competent endocrinologist to get bio-identical HRT, we may not gain weight per say. But our fat distribution and BMI changes dramatically slowly, but surely. It SUX! But that doesn't mean that we can't combat these issues. Proper nutrition IMHO is more important than ever before in a woman's life as she ages. Eating less is NOT THE WAY to achieve this paramount goal.

    I both agree and disagree. As we get older our metabolism naturally slows. Even more so for women once they hit menopause. And while nutrition is very important, eating less is also important. Whether you exercise more so you can eat the same, or you lower total calories, an older person will need to eat less net calories to maintain weight.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Options
    MFP set me at 1200 cals a day. I upped it to 1400, some days 1200 leaves me tired and hungry. But other days I am full at 1200.
    But, then again, I am.not complaining about my loss or eating.
  • bikinibeliever
    bikinibeliever Posts: 832 Member
    Options
    I think a lot of people missed the "fake dieters" post......so they aren't going to get it. :flowerforyou:
  • _KatieKat
    _KatieKat Posts: 224
    Options
    Well I do mostly 1200 cals with a few cheats here and there ,sometimes I up it a little and I work out intensely and I dont consider it a "diet" its my life style and go look at my pictures. It works for me!!!!
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    Options
    I would love to see one of you guys post a success story showing what you really eat and do. It would be very inspirational for someone like me whose just starting out. I'm doing my best to not starve myself and eat right and it does make a big difference. I can't imagine going hungry if my body needs it. Either way, would love to see a success story by someone who eats lots and exercises too. :happy:

    Okie dokie ! Here goes !

    You can also read my blog if you wanna.

    But .. I EAT. I fuel my body, I never feel deprived, never feel that I'm on a "DIET". Because . I'm not. I've changed how I eat, how I move - for LIFE. I'm not wiling to do anything to lose FAT (not weight) that I'm not willing to do for life. I've gained and lost , gained and lost since I was 16. I'm done with that.

    My eating and exercise has morphed a bit over the past year - always tweaking a bit here and there. What I"m doing now .. and I just posted losses this month (pounds and inches) again after plateauting a bit.

    I eat 1700-1900ish calories every day. My average TDEE is 2200ish. Once in a while - maybe once every 2 weeks (no more than 2 weeks) - I have a TDEE day. I eat 2200ish. I take a rest week from deficit eating for a week every couple of months. My workouts, I"ve recently decreased them. I've tweaked for intensity/quality vs. quantity. I primarily lift weights, but also incorporate HIIT cardio with my weights. I work out 3 x per week. Weights and my new HIIT is going to be kettlebells (that is strength and cardio) and heavy bag. Previously, my HIIT was primarily spinning.

    In summary, I eat well, I'm satisifed and I move in a way that I love. I'm competitive so my exercise of choice fits me. Strength training does great things for your body - it has been THE difference maker for me. Muscles burn calories. More you have - more calories you need. Muscles make your body LEAN. Muscles make your bones strong/dense. Muscles make you strong.

    So .. Eat, Move, LIVE, Enjoy !

    Jen
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Options
    That is right it is a lifestyle. Although I can have have a cookie treat or desert now and then, it is the exception. I am short so my "low cal" every day food is my life and if I want to keep my success I have to eat less I did before I started my weight loss journey, for life.

    However, in order to lose weight I did have to eat less than I do now, for two years. Since I had to eat at a calorie defect for two years would that be considered a "diet"? It was sustainable because I did it for two years, it was sustainable because I was still strong at the gym for even the most intense workout days.

    I'm like KatieKat, if people see my low cal diet they think I'm "dieting" and I ate even less when I had body fat to lose. I think I will look at KatieKat's pictures. Like me, the proof is in the pudding.
  • wendybrat75
    wendybrat75 Posts: 52 Member
    Options
    I could not survive on 1200 calories or less, but everyone is different.
  • Losing2Live69
    Losing2Live69 Posts: 743 Member
    Options
    You are powerless over anyone else's diary but your own. Who made you the diet police? How others eat may bother you, but there is nothing you can do about it. Take the energy that you are spending worrying about what others eat and focus on yourself. I have learned in recovery the only person I have power over is myself. Worrying about how others conduct themselves is none of my business.
  • petiteLady89
    petiteLady89 Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    Some of us are a work in progress.. I started out eating 1200 calories a day and then burning 200-300. I was tired, run down and grouchy all the time. After being here for 50 days I've joined many groups, have met many super healthy and inspiring people and did more research of my own. Even though I am still only eating about 1500 calories average I am working on raising my calories every day! It's not going to just happen over night. I am losing weight slowly and toning at the same time. I am also petite 4'10 105lbs.. So things might be different for someone who is average height. I am working on figuring out what is right for ME. We're not all built the same way. All I can say for my self personally is that I am trying to do what is right.
  • OnWisconsin84
    OnWisconsin84 Posts: 409 Member
    Options
    People on here seem to pride themselves on eating as few of calories as possible, while exercising 3 hours a day and somehow that makes them the real deal....How long is that going to be sustainable?! How long until you're yoyo dieting again?? I hate the word "diet"...I do not diet. I choose to live a healthy lifestyle, meaning that this is not temporary for me and I'm not going to make myself miserable for the rest of my life fighting hunger and cravings. FOOD = FUEL, not the enemy. It is completely possible to live healthy, generally eating healthy and taking care of your body while STILL enjoying the foods you love.

    I hope these "real dieters" that you speak of realize that they are just setting themselves up for a lifetime battle against food....and a healthy, sustainable lifestyle does NOT have to be that way!

    PREACH.
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    You know what REALLY sux? As we age, if we don't make it our business (or when lack of health insurance precludes us) to seek out a competent endocrinologist to get bio-identical HRT, we may not gain weight per say. But our fat distribution and BMI changes dramatically slowly, but surely. It SUX! But that doesn't mean that we can't combat these issues. Proper nutrition IMHO is more important than ever before in a woman's life as she ages. Eating less is NOT THE WAY to achieve this paramount goal.

    I both agree and disagree. As we get older our metabolism naturally slows. Even more so for women once they hit menopause. And while nutrition is very important, eating less is also important. Whether you exercise more so you can eat the same, or you lower total calories, an older person will need to eat less net calories to maintain weight.

    The metabolic slow down is due to loss of muscle mass. Please educate yourself. If you don't lose your muscle mass, then guess what? Your metabolism won't slow. I know way too many real-life examples of women who are much older than me who KNOW this not only because it has been their life's work (educationally and professionally speaking) but because they also walk the walk.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    Options
    I am saying that metabolism at 23 is way different than it is at 39 - where I am now - and yes, muscle mass certainly helps with metabolism - but hormones completely screw with what you have always done and known. I have never been overweight (other than when pregnant) and have always generally been able to maintain a sensible weight. I've always excercised and done strength training. But at my age, what I've always done isn't working and that means eating fewer calories than I used to. I assume the older I get, the more true this is going to become. So for a 23-year-old to tell me and anyone else that eating 1200 calories is not enough regardless of where those calories come from is very presumptuous. Even Lou Schuler in NROLFW says that older women should eat fewer calories than a younger woman with the same BMI. So taking a broad brush and saying "eating less than X calories" is ridiculous.
    [/quote]

    ****************** redacted Quote from previous poster Above **************************

    Howdy. Admittedly, I haven't read the entire thread, but I get the gist.

    I just posted my experiences - so I will let that stand.

    WHAT I do want to take issue with is the statement of AGE.

    Every single person is different. Age is just one component. Everyone's BMR / TDEE is diff and AGE is just one component.

    I'm 48 years, 11 months. Perimenopausal. I REFUSE to let age, my replaced knee, or my blue eye color be a reason not to GET WITH IT and get it done. I eat and lose at eating on average 1800 calories. Some days I'm 1900ish. Some days 1700ish. My TDEE is 2200. I workout, but not obsessively. When I workout - I work intensely. Quality v. Quantity. For the obesity epidemic to cease - a vital thing that we must do is : we must get out of the mindset that we must lower our calories excessively and workout excessively. Eat Less. Absolutely ! Eat less than what you need to maintain your weight. 10% less is a good start. Move a bit more. Be consistent. Make those changes for life. Slow and Steady. Winning = Losing FAT and keeping it off.
  • Maddalen101
    Maddalen101 Posts: 307 Member
    Options
    Great post - totally get what you're saying. You can't starve and lose - hunger will always get the best of you.

    I am using the tools on this website to help me change my entire plan for eating and get over a HUGE sugar addiction.
    Neither goal is easy.
    Ironically, MFP gave me a calorie total that resulted in my GAINING weight! and I have 140 lbs to lose
    So ... I dropped it down to a total that once was doable ... but no longer seems to be.

    So I am tracking my food honestly, undertaking small to mid-sized edits as I can, and doing my best to just be easy on myself as the process unfolds and I learn how to be good to my body and its needs.
    I'm one month into this process, and the real tough emotional stuff that I have long used food to bury is certainly coming down.
    One thing I know for sure, however: being a kook about food is NOT the answer
    Onward!
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    You are powerless over anyone else's diary but your own. Who made you the diet police? How others eat may bother you, but there is nothing you can do about it. Take the energy that you are spending worrying about what others eat and focus on yourself. I have learned in recovery the only person I have power over is myself. Worrying about how others conduct themselves is none of my business.

    I am truly sorry that they don't "teach you in recovery" that this is NOT ABOUT CONTROL. It is about passing on useful information (as in education because WE CARE). Knowledge is power. Some of care enough to share. But many of us eventually throw up our hands when our words fall on deaf ears. At this point, if they don't care about themselves, then we also stop caring.

    We are well aware that we can lead many horses to the water. But we've ZERO INTEREST in drowning them if they choose to die of thirst.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    You know what REALLY sux? As we age, if we don't make it our business (or when lack of health insurance precludes us) to seek out a competent endocrinologist to get bio-identical HRT, we may not gain weight per say. But our fat distribution and BMI changes dramatically slowly, but surely. It SUX! But that doesn't mean that we can't combat these issues. Proper nutrition IMHO is more important than ever before in a woman's life as she ages. Eating less is NOT THE WAY to achieve this paramount goal.

    I both agree and disagree. As we get older our metabolism naturally slows. Even more so for women once they hit menopause. And while nutrition is very important, eating less is also important. Whether you exercise more so you can eat the same, or you lower total calories, an older person will need to eat less net calories to maintain weight.

    The metabolic slow down is due to loss of muscle mass. Please educate yourself. If you don't lose your muscle mass, then guess what? Your metabolism won't slow. I know way too many real-life examples of women who are much older than me who KNOW this not only because it has been their life's work (educationally and professionally speaking) but because they also walk the walk.

    No, it is not solely due to loss of muscle mass. You can combat it by gaining muscle mass, but with the same exact muscle mass your metabolic rate will still slow as you age.
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    I am saying that metabolism at 23 is way different than it is at 39 - where I am now - and yes, muscle mass certainly helps with metabolism - but hormones completely screw with what you have always done and known. I have never been overweight (other than when pregnant) and have always generally been able to maintain a sensible weight. I've always excercised and done strength training. But at my age, what I've always done isn't working and that means eating fewer calories than I used to. I assume the older I get, the more true this is going to become. So for a 23-year-old to tell me and anyone else that eating 1200 calories is not enough regardless of where those calories come from is very presumptuous. Even Lou Schuler in NROLFW says that older women should eat fewer calories than a younger woman with the same BMI. So taking a broad brush and saying "eating less than X calories" is ridiculous.

    ****************** redacted Quote from previous poster Above **************************

    Howdy. Admittedly, I haven't read the entire thread, but I get the gist.

    I just posted my experiences - so I will let that stand.

    WHAT I do want to take issue with is the statement of AGE.

    Every single person is different. Age is just one component. Everyone's BMR / TDEE is diff and AGE is just one component.

    I'm 48 years, 11 months. Perimenopausal. I REFUSE to let age, my replaced knee, or my blue eye color be a reason not to GET WITH IT and get it done. I eat and lose at eating on average 1800 calories. Some days I'm 1900ish. Some days 1700ish. My TDEE is 2200. I workout, but not obsessively. When I workout - I work intensely. Quality v. Quantity. For the obesity epidemic to cease - we must get out of the mindset that we must lower our calories excessively and workout excessively. Eat Less. Absolutely ! Eat less than what you need to maintain your weight. 10% less is a good start. Move a bit more. Be consistent. Make those changes for life. Slow and Steady. Winning = Losing FAT and keeping it off.
    [/quote]

    Woo hoo!!! I'm in love. LOL :heart:
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    Do hormones play a role? YES, THEY DO. So my suggestion is to seek out the advice of a competent endocrinologist and get yourself some bio-identical HRT. Starving yourself is counterproductive and will set you up for thyroid and a host of other issues.

    You can keep your hormone replacements! I would say to stick them where the sun don't shine, but that might be considered rude, so I'll just say, "Each to her own!"

    I also took fertility drugs when I was in my 20's for without them I could never have conceived a single child, let alone given birth to four. So according to you, "I should stick it where the sun don't shine" because my body had hormonal issues that would have precluded conception?

    Are you also saying that diabetics should "stick it where the sun don't shine" because one of their vital organs doesn't function properly so they need science in order to have a better quality of life (which = not dying sooner than "nature dictates"?)

    What about people with thyroid issues? Should also "stick it where the sun don't shine" because their bodies will malfunction and degenerate more quickly due to systematic disturbances brought on by hormonal imbalance?

    What about all the women who take hormonal birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancies?

    Look, if YOU don't want to take advantage of the advances that medicine offers us then be my guest. But please educate yourself accordingly before you make rude, asinine comments. Good day to you.
  • Shara126
    Shara126 Posts: 144 Member
    Options
    Exactly why I increased my calories to 1400 from 1200.

    I came here after losing 18 pounds on WW and a 4 month plateau. Then I discovered weight training. I started focusing on toning and increasing my lean muscle mass. I know I need to eat a little more to do this and I felt that after 2 plus months of weight training, I wasn't making any progress as far as strength goes. From what I have read on the subject, you can't build muscle when you have too high a calorie deficit. Maybe those extra 200 will make all the difference....maybe I need more. I just plan on adjusting slowly to see what works for me. I also hope that a gradual increase will help combat some inevitable regain.

    It must be working since I have started losing again since I added weights- 8 pounds. Wooohoooo!!! 6 to go baby:)