I need help.

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  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
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    ETA: My daily calorie deficit varies depending on the day, but it's anywhere from 100 - 800 calories a day.

    How did you figure out your maintenance calorie goal?
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
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    I think things like proper macros and sufficient fiber matter, which are easier to get from "healthy" foods. And some things make you bloat (that's not fat, that's air) like soda pop.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
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    I have had a similar experience in the past. I find that I lose weight more consistently when I track "officially" with MFP or something similar. The reasons?

    1. No rounding cheats and no measurement cheats. Using a scratch pad, I was both more likely to round down numbers and more likely to "eyeball" a serving size than I am entering into MFP.
    2. It's more motivating to keep a long term record.
    3. (Your mileage may vary) tracking officially does encourage me to track nutrients other than calories and that makes me more aware of the effects of what I'm doing. I find that motivates me to eat better, which is (surprisingly) MORE DELICIOUS than packaged foods, at least after a week or so adjusting. Weird, right?

    Seriously though, rounding cheats and measurement cheats were killing me. And you have to ask yourself, WHY are you resistant to tracking on MFP? You may have a different reason that what I suspect, but is it possible that you're doing this on some level because you want the freedom to cheat? It won't work if you're not really accountable to yourself.

    A calorie is a calorie and I'm not a believer in magic science. That being said, really, it is better to eat some healthy foods for so many reasons. Healthy foods make you feel more full, for one thing; packaged foods tend to make you want to keep eating (by design; it's not just an unfortunate coincidence). But also, it shouldn't matter in the long run but the high sodium in packaged food will make you retain water and that will really hide progress on the scale.
  • LoganAnthony6
    LoganAnthony6 Posts: 164
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    ETA: My daily calorie deficit varies depending on the day, but it's anywhere from 100 - 800 calories a day.

    How did you figure out your maintenance calorie goal?

    I figured it out through the scooby website and this one.. They both varied quite a bit, so I went somewhere in the middle, thinking that would yield the best results.
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 338 Member
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    You are here, on MFP, posting for help.

    So here it is, log everything here, on MFP, its an eye opener. a lot of foods I thought were "healthy" turned out to be "whoa" moments
    What is it going to hurt? what is it going to cost you?

    Quit procrastinating, start logging :p
  • LoganAnthony6
    LoganAnthony6 Posts: 164
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    I have had a similar experience in the past. I find that I lose weight more consistently when I track "officially" with MFP or something similar. The reasons?

    1. No rounding cheats and no measurement cheats. Using a scratch pad, I was both more likely to round down numbers and more likely to "eyeball" a serving size than I am entering into MFP.
    2. It's more motivating to keep a long term record.
    3. (Your mileage may vary) tracking officially does encourage me to track nutrients other than calories and that makes me more aware of the effects of what I'm doing. I find that motivates me to eat better, which is (surprisingly) MORE DELICIOUS than packaged foods, at least after a week or so adjusting. Weird, right?

    Seriously though, rounding cheats and measurement cheats were killing me. And you have to ask yourself, WHY are you resistant to tracking on MFP? You may have a different reason that what I suspect, but is it possible that you're doing this on some level because you want the freedom to cheat? It won't work if you're not really accountable to yourself.

    A calorie is a calorie and I'm not a believer in magic science. That being said, really, it is better to eat some healthy foods for so many reasons. Healthy foods make you feel more full, for one thing; packaged foods tend to make you want to keep eating (by design; it's not just an unfortunate coincidence). But also, it shouldn't matter in the long run but the high sodium in packaged food will make you retain water and that will really hide progress on the scale.

    I understand where you're coming from. The only real reason why I stopped tracking on MFP was mostly because it was just too redundant for me and I wanted a break from it. But as I believe I stated before, even when I was tracking on MFP, the weight wasn't really coming off. If it was, it was coming off at a snails pace. We're talking about 1lb of weight loss per month.

    I'll try a few different things as mentioned above and see what happens. Let's hope I see some results.
  • DearJuliaG
    DearJuliaG Posts: 20 Member
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    Hi. I know everyone loses weight differently, but I feel your pain. I have found that a calorie is NOT a calorie and nutrition is important. I can eat more food when I eat vegetables, fruits and beans, and end up eating less and feeling hungrier when I consume grains. I cut way back on grains and dairy, and it has made such a difference, and mostly in my midsection. Also, plant nutrients will help rev your metabolism. Also, eating 5 times per day is what is working for me. Each main meal (breakfast lunch dinner) is smaller and I add in 2 snacks in between. Each time I eat, I drink a glass of water,not just to help me feel like I am eating enough but being hydrated also keeps the body working more efficiently.

    Good luck :)
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
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    I think for most people it varies. I eat mostly healthy because I think it works better for me to lose weight. Some people can eat whatever they want as long as they are at a deficit. Best thing to do is experiment with it, try eating clean and healthy (at least 70% clean) for at least 4 weeks and see how it works out.
  • LoganAnthony6
    LoganAnthony6 Posts: 164
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    Hi. I know everyone loses weight differently, but I feel your pain. I have found that a calorie is NOT a calorie and nutrition is important. I can eat more food when I eat vegetables, fruits and beans, and end up eating less and feeling hungrier when I consume grains. I cut way back on grains and dairy, and it has made such a difference, and mostly in my midsection. Also, plant nutrients will help rev your metabolism. Also, eating 5 times per day is what is working for me. Each main meal (breakfast lunch dinner) is smaller and I add in 2 snacks in between. Each time I eat, I drink a glass of water,not just to help me feel like I am eating enough but being hydrated also keeps the body working more efficiently.

    Good luck :)

    Really helpful post! Thank you for this.
  • chubbiebunny4444
    chubbiebunny4444 Posts: 9
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    a calorie IS just a calorie buuuuuut, calories arent the only things that makes up a food... the'res also fat and carbohydrate components
    that could effect how it is absorbed and processed into your body and to be honest nobody really wants to count their fat and carbs intake (or at least my lazy bum doesnt want to) counting calories is already enough work ahah jus try to stick with natural foods like straight off the tree or ground :) thats obviously not always going to be possible but most things you find that the local produce stores are wayyy better than microwavable meals! Good luck :]
  • LoganAnthony6
    LoganAnthony6 Posts: 164
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    a calorie IS just a calorie buuuuuut, calories arent the only things that makes up a food... the'res also fat and carbohydrate components
    that could effect how it is absorbed and processed into your body and to be honest nobody really wants to count their fat and carbs intake (or at least my lazy bum doesnt want to) counting calories is already enough work ahah jus try to stick with natural foods like straight off the tree or ground :) thats obviously not always going to be possible but most things you find that the local produce stores are wayyy better than microwavable meals! Good luck :]

    Hahaha. Yeah. Gonna try eating a bit more healthy foods, not eat back exercise calories and begin tracking on the site again for a little while.
  • Andrea8985
    Andrea8985 Posts: 107
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    Speaking as someone that lived on processed foods for most of her life, I'm not about to judge you there. I will say since starting to eat healthier I feel way better and I think it has made a difference in my weight loss. A calorie is not a calorie. You're right in that it is "a calorie is a calorie" for calories in vs calories out, but some calories are empty and some are not. The ones from processed foods are not as good for you as ones from healthy, whole foods. I still eat junk and processed foods, but I try to find a balance. Eating nothing but processed foods was how I got overweight in the first place.

    As far as further recommendations, perhaps try not eating exercise calories back. If you find it doesn't make a difference you can go back to eating them all. If you're too hungry not eating exercise calories back, maybe try eating back half of them. I'm always tempted to eat them back for the sake of eating them back when I see them on MFP, but I lose more when I don't eat them back.

    Switching up your workouts I've found out is quite important, otherwise it's way too easy to plateau. I'm a huge fan of HIIT for switching up workouts. :)

    Also, make sure you're drinking enough water. Water helps you lose weight. You can also try eating 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than three larger ones. That's how I eat, because if I eat larger meals it's quite hard on me.

    Hope that helps!
  • jaecamp1
    jaecamp1 Posts: 120 Member
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    I generally try to stay in my calorie range regardless of what the food is. I have been consistently losing, however I have noticed that the weeks where my calories were made up of primarily healthy foods I lose much more. On unhealthy food weeks I'm at around 1 pound where healthy weeks I'm losing up to 4 pounds. Same total calories. Between that and being able to eat more since it has fewer calories I tend to just eat healthier.
  • Lili0817
    Lili0817 Posts: 109 Member
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    Abs are made in the kitchen. It's true! As long as you're eating junk, bad food... your midsection will stay the same.

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