As long as some sort of deficit, you will lose! Right?
BarbaraCarr1981
Posts: 903 Member
No such thing as too little food as long as not under 1200, right??? How can it be true that if Im eating at a 25% deficit that I won't lose weight but if I eat at a 15% then I will lose. I don't believe and it makes no sense to me. Please only reply if u agree with me because u are either doing it or you've done it and got results. My TDEE is 2048 and I was eating 1700 for the past 3 months - no results....So for June I switch up to under 100g of carbs and 1500cals and meeting macros of 35/35/30 carbs/protein/fat. Im 5'9 and 155lb approx. Lift heavy 3 times a week. Stronglifts 5*5 and cardio 2-3 times. Badminton, biking, walking with baby stroller....
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Not all calories are created equal, unfortunately. It is a really, really complicated process to determine how each person's body burns the various types of macronutrients.
You pretty much just have to go with trial and error to figure out what works for you. If what you are doing now isn't working, then do something different.0 -
Yep, that's why i started doing something different on June 1st0
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Posting because I have a feeling this will get interesting.0
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When I was attending WW meeting a few years back, they explained that you need X number of calories to maintain your weight and X number to loose....if you went below that number, your body went into starvation mode and started storing the calories for future use. Your body works the same as it did in caveman days, so if it senses starvation and doesn't know when the next meal will come, it stores the calories as fat and you don't loose weight. Best to constantly fuel it with the right mix of carbs, protein & (healthy) fats and stay close to your daily calorie alottment. Hope this helps.0
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Unless you eat a lot of salt, then you will hold on to water, thus 'gain weight....' but that wouldn't be true weight FAT gain...0
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Oh dear, here we go. The starvation myth and the not all calories are equal nonsense. Read up on the First law of thermodynamics, and note a calorie is a measurement, like an inch. Yes OP, any excess of calories expended over calories ingested will result in weight loss.0
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I thought this was an interesting find. The quote below is from the conclusion.
Thermodynamics of Biological Processes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3264492/Thermodynamics is unreasonably effective in the biological setting, but effective it is. As noted by Einstein in his autobiography, “A theory is the more impressive the greater the simplicity of its premises is, the more different kinds of things it relates, and the more extended its area of applicability. Therefore the deep impression which classical thermodynamics made upon me. It is the only physical theory of universal content concerning which I am convinced that, within the framework of the applicability of its basic concepts, it will never be overthrown.”0 -
Its more a process of having your body burn that weight through it wanting to, and having the body force that weight. The later produces an effect where your body then wants to reserve as many calories as possible, because it 'feels' (light term for a complicated way the body processes signals) that it MUST retain as much weight as possible.
Think of it in a survival situation... when you've gone without food for a day or two, the moment you consume food the energy goes to immediate and essential body functions. After the that, the body says, "Well *kitten*, I have to retain as MUCH of this excess as possible." And so it tries to do.
Where as, if you feed your body properly and workout regularly, your body perceives that your in an environment which has plenty of substance, and that you need to burn that substance for whatever reason. It more 'readily' releases stored calories as opposed to storing it.
That's just how I understand it.0 -
Oh dear, here we go. The starvation myth and the not all calories are equal nonsense. Read up on the First law of thermodynamics, and note a calorie is a measurement, like an inch. Yes OP, any excess of calories expended over calories ingested will result in weight loss.
Bravo once again my "brilliant" friend! There are countless books, seminars on tape, lectures etc.....that try to confuse the hell out people, making it seem like there is some complicated theory to losing weight. Aside from those with medical issues that can stall or halt weight loss......the bottom line has always been, and continues to be..........less in, more out = weight loss. Nothing fancy or confusing.0 -
so hormones genetics body types i guess have no bearing on the matter.. thats interesting since there are so many ppl that are in a deficit and cant lose weight.. easy math huh.
also so many ppl i guess that believe calories are just calories.. guess thats why those ppl that lose weight that are fortunate enough are just skinny fat and have very little muscle tissue. sounds like good trade off (sarcasm implied).
to op check this they are also on FB metaboliceffect.com0 -
Oh dear, here we go. The starvation myth and the not all calories are equal nonsense. Read up on the First law of thermodynamics, and note a calorie is a measurement, like an inch. Yes OP, any excess of calories expended over calories ingested will result in weight loss.
Bravo once again my "brilliant" friend! There are countless books, seminars on tape, lectures etc.....that try to confuse the hell out people, making it seem like there is some complicated theory to losing weight. Aside from those with medical issues that can stall or halt weight loss......the bottom line has always been, and continues to be..........less in, more out = weight loss. Nothing fancy or confusing.
While the simple answer is less calories in vs out and you have weight loss, there are things that do complicate it, such as hormones like cortisol and your body had the ability to adapt it's RMR to burn less calories. This is why many people don't lose at 1200 calories but can lose more effectively at 1700. While this will be more prevalent in those with lower body fat, below is a good read on why big calorie deficits aren't good. '
On a side note, you then might want to discuss the difference between weight loss and fat loss because a lot of people assume more weight loss means a leaner and tighter body, which in reality isn't true.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html0 -
Oh dear, here we go. The starvation myth and the not all calories are equal nonsense. Read up on the First law of thermodynamics, and note a calorie is a measurement, like an inch. Yes OP, any excess of calories expended over calories ingested will result in weight loss.
Bravo once again my "brilliant" friend! There are countless books, seminars on tape, lectures etc.....that try to confuse the hell out people, making it seem like there is some complicated theory to losing weight. Aside from those with medical issues that can stall or halt weight loss......the bottom line has always been, and continues to be..........less in, more out = weight loss. Nothing fancy or confusing.
While the simple answer is less calories in vs out and you have weight loss, there are things that do complicate it, such as hormones like cortisol and your body had the ability to adapt it's RMR to burn less calories. This is why many people don't lose at 1200 calories but can lose more effectively at 1700. While this will be more prevalent in those with lower body fat, below is a good read on why big calorie deficits aren't good. '
On a side note, you then might want to discuss the difference between weight loss and fat loss because a lot of people assume more weight loss means a leaner and tighter body, which in reality isn't true.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
now theres someone that understands the difference!0 -
No such thing as too little food as long as not under 1200, right??? How can it be true that if Im eating at a 25% deficit that I won't lose weight but if I eat at a 15% then I will lose. I don't believe and it makes no sense to me. Please only reply if u agree with me because u are either doing it or you've done it and got results. My TDEE is 2048 and I was eating 1700 for the past 3 months - no results....So for June I switch up to under 100g of carbs and 1500cals and meeting macros of 35/35/30 carbs/protein/fat. Im 5'9 and 155lb approx. Lift heavy 3 times a week. Stronglifts 5*5 and cardio 2-3 times. Badminton, biking, walking with baby stroller....
If you are still struggling to see weight loss, you should do a few things:
1. Blood work to see if everything is balanced sine you had a child
2. If you can, get your RMR tested. It's possible you are under estimating your RMR. The majority of tall women I know are eating around 2100 calories and most of them don't have children.
3. Consider trying even more calories for a month.
Also, do you have anything medical issues?0 -
I have Diabetes type 1 and hypothyroid. both are controled! AND I've lost weight before - 15lbs in 3 months. Just by eating around 1200cals (didn't log) and light weights and cardio 3 times a week. I was 29 years old and now im 31. SOOooooo it should work again, shouldn't it?0
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I have found the calculators to be a bit off for people who have an under active thyroid even on medication. I have a 500 calorie deficit but am only losing about 1/2 a pound a week. Also that slows down when I don't meet my exercise goals. Good luck.0
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Yep, the only difference is now is that im lifting heavy instead of light!0
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And eating a little more than 1200 cals AND making sure i meet macros!0
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Yes, if you are at a deficit you will lose.
The problem is that it is very hard to determine what exactly your body is burning on a daily basis. So, you might think you are at a deficit, but reality might be different. This is basically the law of thermodynamics quoted earlier. The amount of energy/mass remains the same, so if there's more energy outgoing there will be less energy inside.
Yes, a calorie is a calorie
A calorie is just a way to measure energy. So like a kilo of milk and a kilo of cheese are different substances, they're still both a kilo.
not all calories do the same thing in your body
The amount of energy in a calorie is always the same, but the effect the actual molecule has on your body is different. Sugar for example spikes your bloodsugar, which spikes your insulin levels. Insulin stops fat from fatcells to be used as fuel partially, because there's excess sugar, so that is used first. But if you're constantly spiking your insuline levels it's very hard for your body to use the fat in your fat cells. It still needs energy to work, so it makes you feel hungry, because it wants more energy. If you're not eating any and it can't at that time get fat from your fat cells it will use up some of your muscles. So, it still uses the same amount of energy, but you end up with less muscles. And since muscles are the things that use energy in the first place the amount of energy your body needs goes down. Also, you've probably noticed that you get sluggish if you don't eat for some time? This is when your body says 'not enough fuel, I'll use less for a bit'. The tricky thing is that if you have high insuline levels you can have a lot of fuel stored as fat that aren't being used at that time, eventough your muscles want energy. Sugar and simple carbs have a strong effect on insuline, so it's best not to eat too many of those, especially at one time.
This makes it hard to determine how many calories your body is actually using, it's not a fixed number.0 -
Its more a process of having your body burn that weight through it wanting to, and having the body force that weight. The later produces an effect where your body then wants to reserve as many calories as possible, because it 'feels' (light term for a complicated way the body processes signals) that it MUST retain as much weight as possible.
Think of it in a survival situation... when you've gone without food for a day or two, the moment you consume food the energy goes to immediate and essential body functions. After the that, the body says, "Well *kitten*, I have to retain as MUCH of this excess as possible." And so it tries to do.
Where as, if you feed your body properly and workout regularly, your body perceives that your in an environment which has plenty of substance, and that you need to burn that substance for whatever reason. It more 'readily' releases stored calories as opposed to storing it.
That's just how I understand it.
^^^^THIS^^^^ is exactly why you have to fuel your workouts. Now, if you are not working out, then yes, eating at a deficit may work for weight loss. But if you are excercising you NEED those calories. Also important to note, your body burns carbs first before digging into your fat. So low carb, high protein and moderate fat is the best ratio of calories to get your body to burn those calories and dig into the fat which results in weightloss.0 -
I agree that a deficit must be made in order to lose weight...a calorie is a calorie. I also agree that different foods have different effects on the body...yes you can lose weight eating nothing but Big Macs if you have a deficit...but it might have other undesirable results...yes you can lose weight eating nothing but sugary junk and lose weight...but you are probably going to cause un-necessary suffering.
When I read people who say they are eating a deficit and not losing, the first thing that I ask myself is "how do they know for sure they are eating at a deficit?"
For many months/years I was stuck ...I was using all the calorie counters and calculators and nada. Come to find out I was overestimating how active I really was and how much I was burning during exercise! I thought I was being honest at saying I was "lightly active" with a desk job and basic walking around during the day, I mean I parked at the very back of the parking lot and walked to my car 3x a day! I finally broke down and bought a BodyMedia and was horrified when I actually fell in the "sedentary" catagory and on "normal" days of no concious exercise I barely burned 1700 cals a day
That coupled with the +/- error margin in calculating calories in...I was barely maintaining.
So now I always take the statement of "I am eating at a deficit" with a grain of salt. I highly recommend investing in some sort of testing and remove a lot of the guess work.0 -
OP, I would imagine that even though your medical conditions are well controlled with meds, they may still have an effect on your weight loss - or the meds you're taking might. It's bad enough that the same rules don't necessarily apply person to person but throw in some more prominent biological differences and the calculations may just not work right for you. If I was you, I'd seek out advice from a specialist to find out for sure how you can better reach your goals. Or at the very least from a group of individuals who have the same medical conditions in order to get more specific advice. See if there's already a group or form your own.
Getting advice on this message board will likely just confuse things further for you...0 -
<i>not all calories do the same thing in your body </i>
Indeed. If anyone is interested, there is fascinating lecture on youtube called 'sugar the bitter truth' about how sugar is metabolized versus glucose with a comparison to alcohol.
I hesitate to give you advice because I am not as familiar with T1 Diabetes, although I know insulin can have an effect on weight.0 -
If Calories out > Calories in, you should lose body mass of some sort. You might not lose weight if you retain additional water or food mass in your digestive tract, at least at first.
While the above statement is simple, figuring Calories out is especially difficult. The calculators for things like BMR and TDEE are merely estimates, or even worse, guesses. In addition, if you're not weighing your food, your Calories In might be inaccurate.
Also, the food you eat contributes to both calories in and calories out. Simple sugars and saturated fats contribute less to calories out than complex carbs, protein, and unsaturated fats. Also, certain chemicals in food can change your gut bacteria which affects your food absorption and can also contribute directly to other problems like heart disease. For example, red meat contributes negatively to your gut flora while real yogurt should contribute positively.0 -
Bump for later0
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No such thing as too little food as long as not under 1200, right??? How can it be true that if Im eating at a 25% deficit that I won't lose weight but if I eat at a 15% then I will lose. I don't believe and it makes no sense to me. Please only reply if u agree with me because u are either doing it or you've done it and got results. My TDEE is 2048 and I was eating 1700 for the past 3 months - no results....So for June I switch up to under 100g of carbs and 1500cals and meeting macros of 35/35/30 carbs/protein/fat. Im 5'9 and 155lb approx. Lift heavy 3 times a week. Stronglifts 5*5 and cardio 2-3 times. Badminton, biking, walking with baby stroller....
You admitted yesterday that you just started consistently logging on June 1st. You will not get results if you do not log everything (somewhere!) and hit your goals. The 1700s for 3 months, that doesn't include May right?
Consistently log for 3 months. Whatever your goals are, hit them. If you are going to manually change your macros, make sure you change your calories too. 35% of 1500 is different than 35% of 1700.0 -
OP states she has hypothyroidsim and type 1 diabetes.
Both of these conditions have effects on hormones and weight:
Reduced thyroid function may be the result of the thyroid’s impaired ability to produce hormones, or the body may have difficulty using the thyroid hormones. Either way, problems with your thyroid hormones may cause the rate at which you use nutrients (your metabolic rate) to slow down.
Woman are especially prone to thyroid issues and weight gain because the thyroid is linked to other systems that affect weight — including the proper functioning of our neurotransmitters, reproductive hormones, and adrenal glands.
When you take insulin, glucose is able to enter your cells, and glucose levels in your blood drop. This is the desired therapeutic goal. However, if the number of calories you take in and your activity level result in more calories than you need to maintain a healthy weight, your cells will get more glucose than they need. Glucose that your cells don't use accumulates as fat.
Weight gain may also be related to other complex functions of insulin in the body related to how cells use fats and proteins.0
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