Is counting calories and exercising enough?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It seems to be working for me.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.