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Level Obstacles: Lose Weight, Target Fat! (EASY!!)

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Replies

  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,483 Member
    I'm a big fan of keeping it simple, so this is great! I think that sometimes all the talk of BMR throws people. You really only need your BMR if you're using it to calculate your TDEE. It really is as simple as finding out how many calories you burn day to day and eating a bit less than that.

    Just a couple of things, though. The TDEE calculator seems to overestimate for me (I prefer the ones at Scooby's Workshop). And also, I've been led to believe that some of the weight you lose is NOT fat (you say that a deficit of 3500 calories results in a pound of fat lost). Maybe I've got that wrong, but if not just saying it's a pound, rather than a pound of fat, would be clearer.
  • SheilaMc1958
    SheilaMc1958 Posts: 9
    Just what a needed this morning....good advice.
  • Boomer_44
    Boomer_44 Posts: 10
    Bump...
  • cristina3980
    cristina3980 Posts: 44 Member
    Thank you for this post!!!! I've been struggling to get the scale to drop for the last month & can't figure out what I'm doing wrong! So thank you so much!!!
  • VeronicaanddMatt0605
    VeronicaanddMatt0605 Posts: 122 Member
    Thank you so much for posting this your info is great
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I'm a big fan of keeping it simple, so this is great! I think that sometimes all the talk of BMR throws people. You really only need your BMR if you're using it to calculate your TDEE. It really is as simple as finding out how many calories you burn day to day and eating a bit less than that.

    Just a couple of things, though. The TDEE calculator seems to overestimate for me (I prefer the ones at Scooby's Workshop). And also, I've been led to believe that some of the weight you lose is NOT fat (you say that a deficit of 3500 calories results in a pound of fat lost). Maybe I've got that wrong, but if not just saying it's a pound, rather than a pound of fat, would be clearer.

    The post is an over-simplification so as to keep it easy for people and it's good for people starting out to get a gauge for the starting point. However, online TDEE calculators will generally overestimate your numbers if you have been dieting for a while as they do not take into account any adaptive thermogenics that happen when you diet. In addition, they use a slew of variables based on average populations. If you are different to that average population (e.g. different LBM, have thyroid issues etc), then they will not be accurate for you. They will also not be accurate in any evet as the activity levels are broad estimates. As I say, it's a starting point.

    The best gauge to use is your own results. If you are not seeing the results you expect after a few weeks, then you need to tweak your intake levels, or change up your activity.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    And also, I've been led to believe that some of the weight you lose is NOT fat (you say that a deficit of 3500 calories results in a pound of fat lost). Maybe I've got that wrong, but if not just saying it's a pound, rather than a pound of fat, would be clearer.
    You're both correct. For the simplicity, 1lb fat = 3500 calories, that is fact. And as we shrink most people shrink in LBM and fat. That being said if you include progressive weight training the amount of fat you lose goes up and the rest goes down, leaving the 3500 to be a more accurate number in those cases.

    Edit: And then I saw Sara's response...which is much simpler lol. I think I over complicated everything for everyone :p All the info is there in the OP. Eat a cut below TDEE, resistance training for composition and a higher resting metabolic rate.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    The best gauge to use is your own results. If you are not seeing the results you expect after a few weeks, then you need to tweak your intake levels, or change up your activity.

    This is something I tend to preach here, because I firmly believe it is the single most important thing to achieving good results. Whatever it is you decide to do...(and the advice by OP in this thread is a wonderful place to start)...whatever your approach, track diligently and consistently. It isn't nearly as important that the numbers you're using are exactly correct (which is good since that's essentially impossible or at least improbable) but that you use a consistent approach in your tracking. Then, after an appropriate period of time, you can make the necessary tweaks to those number, *track consistently again with this tweaked approach*, and evaluate your results. This loop continues until (and even after) you achieve your goal(s). However, without consistent tracking, the "tweaks" you make are more "wild guesses" than they are intentional and guided adjustments.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    The best gauge to use is your own results. If you are not seeing the results you expect after a few weeks, then you need to tweak your intake levels, or change up your activity.

    This is something I tend to preach here, because I firmly believe it is the single most important thing to achieving good results. Whatever it is you decide to do...(and the advice by OP in this thread is a wonderful place to start)...whatever your approach, track diligently and consistently. It isn't nearly as important that the numbers you're using are exactly correct (which is good since that's essentially impossible or at least improbable) but that you use a consistent approach in your tracking. Then, after an appropriate period of time, you can make the necessary tweaks to those number, *track consistently again with this tweaked approach*, and evaluate your results. This loop continues until (and even after) you achieve your goal(s). However, without consistent tracking, the "tweaks" you make are more "wild guesses" than they are intentional and guided adjustments.
    essentially impossible accuracy improbable? Unpossible.
  • SheriKCourtney
    SheriKCourtney Posts: 77
    bump
  • Dottyb1940
    Dottyb1940 Posts: 188 Member
    bumpv
  • Allison128
    Allison128 Posts: 116 Member
    bump
  • alexisdc
    alexisdc Posts: 117 Member
    bump
  • Bejede
    Bejede Posts: 191 Member
    Bump--need to reread!
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    The post is an over-simplification so as to keep it easy for people and it's good for people starting out to get a gauge for the starting point.

    For sure - it's just designed as a way to simply explain the mechanism and concepts. If I could eliminate even more information I would!! I think that for most folks, they just need to understand where between 1,000 and 3,000 calories they should aim, and how they can expect their body to respond in that range...
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,493 Member
    I like the idea of keeping it simple.

    Weight loss is not an exact science. It takes some individual experimentation.

    The good news is it isn't a difficult puzzle to solve.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    I like the idea of keeping it simple.

    Weight loss is not an exact science. It takes some individual experimentation.

    The good news is it isn't a difficult puzzle to solve.
    Exactly!
  • c2111
    c2111 Posts: 693 Member
    yes clowns are evil :) thanks for info
  • Linbo93
    Linbo93 Posts: 229 Member
    I feel like I'm doing pretty ok, because I read this and already knew and was doing everything mentioned! Woot! Bumping this because its a handy reference for TDEE and such. Thanks for this post!
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Bump
  • sszbarber
    sszbarber Posts: 45 Member
    Great thoughts!
  • HeatherDominik
    HeatherDominik Posts: 34
    bump =)
  • cld111
    cld111 Posts: 300 Member
    yes clowns are evil :) thanks for info

    Yes they are.

    Great post!!
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    I feel like I'm doing pretty ok, because I read this and already knew and was doing everything mentioned! Woot! Bumping this because its a handy reference for TDEE and such. Thanks for this post!

    Hmm . . . knew this stuff already . . . lost 54 pounds . . . looks fantastic . . .

    Yup :-) Sounds right ;-)
  • pet1127
    pet1127 Posts: 572 Member
    bump
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I feel like I'm doing pretty ok, because I read this and already knew and was doing everything mentioned! Woot! Bumping this because its a handy reference for TDEE and such. Thanks for this post!

    Hmm . . . knew this stuff already . . . lost 54 pounds . . . looks fantastic . . .

    Yup :-) Sounds right ;-)

    The whole point of Burthuttz making this thread was purely to create hot chicks.
  • tialynn1
    tialynn1 Posts: 884 Member
    Great post! It is very clearly and easy to understand.
  • eskiadas
    eskiadas Posts: 45 Member
    bump
  • Maudy16
    Maudy16 Posts: 36
    bump - sounds complicated but im sure with a bit of time ill understand.
    Thanks for pulling all this info together and posting it :)
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    I feel like I'm doing pretty ok, because I read this and already knew and was doing everything mentioned! Woot! Bumping this because its a handy reference for TDEE and such. Thanks for this post!

    Hmm . . . knew this stuff already . . . lost 54 pounds . . . looks fantastic . . .

    Yup :-) Sounds right ;-)

    The whole point of Burthuttz making this thread was purely to create hot chicks.

    Everyone wins!
This discussion has been closed.

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