Are you really losing weight by counting calories?

I'm just curious....OTHER THAN watching calories, how do you think one would lose weight?

I dont count calories, i dont log food, i eat primal/paleo, lots of protien from fish, meat, eggs, bacon, lots of veggies, nuts and fruits for snacks. The protien keeps me full so I dont have those constant hunger cravings, because i stay full, i nautrally control portions becasue i dont have to eat as much (which limits calories) and I dont haev any blood sugar spikes and crashes which REALLY used to make me hungry. I maintain an 80/20 paleo lifestyle since Jan 1 this year and I've lost 12 lbs so far.

I did a no calorie counting plan called somersize. it took me 6 months to lose 51 lbs that way. there is a new version now which I don't know anything about so I refer to the old version circa 2001. I stayed thin for a few years that way before a couple surgeries put my weight back on, I know that doesn't happen to everyone, but it happened to me.

I lost about 50 pounds by counting calories. It's the only thing that worked for me.

nah it's just a gimmick

Yes thanks

So, I have a similar question... for you who lost using only the calorie counting method. Did you use the calculator here on MFP to arrive at your "goal calorie" Intake? Do they differ at different sites?

They differ because MFP puts you at a base level of calories based upon your normal daily activity level (minus exercise), then expects you to eat back the calories you burn exercising. Many other sites factor exercise into your daily base calorie level.

A different method that some use here is detailed in Helloitsdan's "In Place of a Roadmap" post:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

In this method, you calculate your total daily calorie burn (with exercise and activity included), then take a straight cut from it. The catch is that you need to be honest about your daily activity levels (and stick to them), or you could be consuming too many (or too few) calories.

Thanks for the help. I read this nice man's post and am shocked at the much higher number of calories the website he suggests I look into tells me to use. I have been STARVING TO DEATH using the calorie guidelines MFP suggested...and not losing weight . This website he suggestes gives me about 500 calories more per day. I am kind of confused but will up my calorie intake and see if that helps. I appreciate your kind feedback. Thank You.

I sooo want to back up that starving yourself is not the way to go. I lost 31 pounds eating an average of 2000 calories per day. I set myself at maintenance levels for a sedentary lifestyle (which would allow me about about 1600 calories), I got myself a fitbit to measure my activity, so it was pretty accurate, and then just ate about 250 calories fewer per day than I burned. However, as 1600 was never enough for me, I exercised for the extra calories I needed. So I did an average of around 400-600 calories of exercise a day, 6 days per week, to give me the deficit I needed (much of which was built into my day like walking, climbing stairs etc that Fitbit records but people often ignore unless it's 'formal' exercise in the gym). So I'd eat 2000 but burn around 2200-2300.

I have seen lots of diaries where people set themselves up with a goal of 1200, which would already give them a big deficit, and then leave lots of calories over. I can understand - people like to see the green and not the red at the end of the day - so they eat under goal. But if the goal already has a big built in deficit then it makes your deficit too big. So working back from maintenance level, so I could see my actual deficit, made sense to me.

It meant a slow but steady loss of about half a pound a week. I started in November 2011 and reached target in April 2012 and I have maintained my weight to within a pound if that since last April, as I have now reached a balance at 145lbs. Doing it slowly is far better than losing it quickly - you learn better habits and how to balance your intake with your output. Lose it fast - like in a 'diet' and you tend to pile it all back on again when you 'stop dieting'. Learning how to handle foods sensibly and how to build exercise into your day, is a more likely recipe for long term success.

Good luck to both you and the OP on your journey.

yes :happy: its as easy as that

The general consensus is YES here, but be mindful of the quality of foods.

Yes, Calories In < Calories out = weight loss, but if you're aiming for a healthy, long term resullt and maybe eventually tone up, it's much more than the number.

I've just met with a nutritionist last night. She was explaining to me that we can often get too caught up with the caloric numbers and that it's better to have a 300 calorie meal/snack that is balanced between protein and carbs vs having that 90-calories cereal bar. She says, with nutritious foods, we feel fuller longer, and at the end of the day, you end up consuming the same amount of calories within your MFP budget because you are eating smaller portions of these nutritious, more satisfying foods. Makes sense, every time I have one of my "low-calorie snacks," Im hungry and hour and a half later.

I'm also a HUGE fan of never depriving yourself, like LoraF83 says. Enjoy the things you love, but in moderation. It's all about balance. I may have an extra glass of wine (or two), but that just means I have to work out harder the next day, or balance out my meal choices across the rest of the day.

Hope this helps...

Yep, exactly this. Staying in calorie defecit and getting some exercise will result in weight loss, but some foods will help you feel more satisfied.

I grabbed one of the kids yoghurts this morning as I fancied one, when I logged it after I was shocked to find it was 200 calories. It didn't fill me up in the slightest. If I'd logged it before eating I would have chosen something more filling.

Things like 90 cal special K cereal bars are nice, but I could eat like 5 without feeling full lol. But if I had some of my home made flap jack with oats and raisins and nuts in, might be 350 calories but much more satisfying treat than special k bar (or 5 lol)

I don't count calories. I lose weight by a strict diet of HCG, Rasberry keytones, green tean, and Green coffee grounded up and mixed into my body by vi/ herbalife / shakeology shake. IT....IS...MAGIC!

I totally agree, becuase I lost a lot of weight almost 10 years ago and I didn't exercise. This time around I weigh more, but I'm in smaller size and exercise. So I'm with you it's all about size to me.

YES!! I've lost almost 35lbs (as of this am) from counting cals, watching what I eat, increasing my water, and making my portions smaller...

I have YET to walk into a gym... its possible... Im not saying don't workout... I'm saying you can lose weight on MFP if YOU do the work by just watching what you consume!