You guys really like to over complicate things.

Picking up on my previous post, it seems to me there are only 2 reasons to post on the forums (3 if you want to count trolling. I choose not to):

1.You are looking for some answers/help from others.

2. You are looking to provide answers/help to others.

Given this, my question to the OP is, why are you posting in the weight loss and weight gain forums at all if you already know all the answers, and you are annoyed with the (wrong in your opinion) questions and answers posted by others?

I think your answer to this question is in the 3rd option, which you chose not to include.

Anyone else notice the same 3-4 20 something yr old guys with large muscles and no heads, who have ganged up to troll the threads in the past couple of weeks?
They must have gotten really bored with the BB forums and came here to have a little fun.
Maybe if we don't feed them, they will go away.

I noticed this too. Fortunately, the 'ignore button' is just as effective. Use it with impunity. You'll weed out all the unhelpful stuff, easy peasy!

I bet you ignore anyone who disagrees with your opinion. Age isn't a good measure of intelligence or knowledge, which is obvious if you read the forums enough. Of course you can use age as an excuse not to take advice from someone whether the advice is good or bad.

Since you don't know me, I'll thank you not to judge me.
Like I said, my journey, my MFP. I'll ignore who I want as it's my perrogotive.
Thanks anyway, but I didn't ask for anyone's advice. I don't care what anyone'es age is, just noticing a trend.
Continuing to weed out all the unhelpful white noise. :drinker:
*Click*

This is an interesting approach to ignoring people.

Soon enough her posts will be the only ones she will be able to read on MFP.

I'm guessing she'll end up with about 10 people on ignore. No biggie. The information presented in the OP is provided by hundreds of people every day, generally without aggression or condescension.

Picking up on my previous post, it seems to me there are only 2 reasons to post on the forums (3 if you want to count trolling. I choose not to):

1.You are looking for some answers/help from others.

2. You are looking to provide answers/help to others.

Given this, my question to the OP is, why are you posting in the weight loss and weight gain forums at all if you already know all the answers, and you are annoyed with the (wrong in your opinion) questions and answers posted by others?

I think your answer to this question is in the 3rd option, which you chose not to include.

Anyone else notice the same 3-4 20 something yr old guys with large muscles and no heads, who have ganged up to troll the threads in the past couple of weeks?
They must have gotten really bored with the BB forums and came here to have a little fun.
Maybe if we don't feed them, they will go away.

I noticed this too. Fortunately, the 'ignore button' is just as effective. Use it with impunity. You'll weed out all the unhelpful stuff, easy peasy!

I bet you ignore anyone who disagrees with your opinion. Age isn't a good measure of intelligence or knowledge, which is obvious if you read the forums enough. Of course you can use age as an excuse not to take advice from someone whether the advice is good or bad.

Since you don't know me, I'll thank you not to judge me.
Like I said, my journey, my MFP. I'll ignore who I want as it's my perrogotive.
Thanks anyway, but I didn't ask for anyone's advice. I don't care what anyone'es age is, just noticing a trend.
Continuing to weed out all the unhelpful white noise. :drinker:
*Click*

This is an interesting approach to ignoring people.

I don't think ignore means what someone here thinks it means.

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

I'm sorry to tell you, but you're doing something wrong, you may be under calcing food, over calcing workouts?

I never said it was easy, just that it's simple, calories in vs calories out.

edit: plateauing is normal with weight loss, you just need to recalculate your maintenance again and drop cals.

^^This.

Rolled.

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

I'm sorry to tell you, but you're doing something wrong, you may be under calcing food, over calcing workouts?

I never said it was easy, just that it's simple, calories in vs calories out.

edit: plateauing is normal with weight loss, you just need to recalculate your maintenance again and drop cals.

^^This.

Rolled.

I have done that 3 times giving each time about 8 weeks adjustment, wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and weigh and measure my food. I have calculated TDEE and subtracted, adjusted macros, switched up my exercise. Maybe since you know EXACTLY how to do it, you should figure out what I should eat and how much exercise - since its so simple, I must be an idiot.

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

I'm sorry to tell you, but you're doing something wrong, you may be under calcing food, over calcing workouts?

I never said it was easy, just that it's simple, calories in vs calories out.

edit: plateauing is normal with weight loss, you just need to recalculate your maintenance again and drop cals.

^^This.

Rolled.

I have done that 3 times giving each time about 8 weeks adjustment, wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and weigh and measure my food. I have calculated TDEE and subtracted, adjusted macros, switched up my exercise. Maybe since you know EXACTLY how to do it, you should figure out what I should eat and how much exercise - since its so simple, I must be an idiot.

Last part seems a bit uncalled for, but I'll try to help anyway.

Is it possible that your calories expended via exercise isn't correct and that you may be eating closer to maintenance than you think? You're also doing all cardio, what about adding strength training.

And, even though the scale isn't moving have you been tracking measurements. It is possible to lose size, but not lose weight.

^this. have you lost measurement wise?

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

I'm sorry to tell you, but you're doing something wrong, you may be under calcing food, over calcing workouts?

I never said it was easy, just that it's simple, calories in vs calories out.

edit: plateauing is normal with weight loss, you just need to recalculate your maintenance again and drop cals.

^^This.

Rolled.

I have done that 3 times giving each time about 8 weeks adjustment, wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and weigh and measure my food. I have calculated TDEE and subtracted, adjusted macros, switched up my exercise. Maybe since you know EXACTLY how to do it, you should figure out what I should eat and how much exercise - since its so simple, I must be an idiot.

Last part seems a bit uncalled for, but I'll try to help anyway.

Is it possible that your calories expended via exercise isn't correct and that you may be eating closer to maintenance than you think? You're also doing all cardio, what about adding strength training.

And, even though the scale isn't moving have you been tracking measurements. It is possible to lose size, but not lose weight.

I apologize if it was uncalled for... I am offended by the whole threads "it is so simple" attitude. I am working on my doctorate - its not simple for me. I am wearing a bodymedia fit to try to find exactly how much I am burning. My bmr is 1534, my tdee is 2378. I have been eating at 1900 calories for over two months with no loss after coming to the conclusion that I may have been in a plateau because I wasn't eating enough again. I started eating at 1200 calories in the beginning (out of ignorance) and plateaued. Upped to 1600 and plateaued after 6 weeks. Gradually increased to 1900 and didn't lose. I am trying NOW to eat at bmr plus exercise calories which range from 600-700 calories doing insanity. No weight loss so far, but its only been two weeks.

I have not lost inches in months and my pictures look relatively the same as they did in april. Clothes are no looser. I am not lifting eights, as I am doing Insanity and its not advised to do additional exercise. What am I doing wrong!?

I think there is a possibility you are overestimating the calories for Insanity. Have you tried logging it under circuit training? Are the calorie burns the same?

Also...I do weight training and that has more helped with body composition than anything else. I lost 60lbs and went from 22/24 to 18 doing only cardio. Started weight training and fluctuated between another 1-10lb loss and 3-5 months, went from 18 to 14. I've continued to fluctuate between the 10lb loss, but my body is definitely re-shaping itself. If you want, I'll PM you so you can see for yourself.

But ...back to your calories...I do think you are overestimating the burn.

I apologize if it was uncalled for... I am offended by the whole threads "it is so simple" attitude. I am working on my doctorate - its not simple for me. I am wearing a bodymedia fit to try to find exactly how much I am burning. My bmr is 1534, my tdee is 2378. I have been eating at 1900 calories for over two months with no loss after coming to the conclusion that I may have been in a plateau because I wasn't eating enough again. I started eating at 1200 calories in the beginning (out of ignorance) and plateaued. Upped to 1600 and plateaued after 6 weeks. Gradually increased to 1900 and didn't lose. I am trying NOW to eat at bmr plus exercise calories which range from 600-700 calories doing insanity. No weight loss so far, but its only been two weeks.

I have not lost inches in months and my pictures look relatively the same as they did in april. Clothes are no looser. I am not lifting eights, as I am doing Insanity and its not advised to do additional exercise. What am I doing wrong!?

If you are frustrated with this you should start a thread of your own.


There are days you don't log anything...first issue as a casual observer

I saw a lot of tbsp and cup measurments and "servings"..which leads me to believe you don't have a scale??? I suspect you are eating more then you think...and rarely saw any drinks except coffee? 2nd issue

And as for exercise I saw some days you recorded over 1k calories burned...even insanity wont do that...

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

I'm sorry to tell you, but you're doing something wrong, you may be under calcing food, over calcing workouts?

I never said it was easy, just that it's simple, calories in vs calories out.

edit: plateauing is normal with weight loss, you just need to recalculate your maintenance again and drop cals.

^^This.

Rolled.

I have done that 3 times giving each time about 8 weeks adjustment, wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and weigh and measure my food. I have calculated TDEE and subtracted, adjusted macros, switched up my exercise. Maybe since you know EXACTLY how to do it, you should figure out what I should eat and how much exercise - since its so simple, I must be an idiot.

Last part seems a bit uncalled for, but I'll try to help anyway.

Is it possible that your calories expended via exercise isn't correct and that you may be eating closer to maintenance than you think? You're also doing all cardio, what about adding strength training.

And, even though the scale isn't moving have you been tracking measurements. It is possible to lose size, but not lose weight.

I apologize if it was uncalled for... I am offended by the whole threads "it is so simple" attitude. I am working on my doctorate - its not simple for me. I am wearing a bodymedia fit to try to find exactly how much I am burning. My bmr is 1534, my tdee is 2378. I have been eating at 1900 calories for over two months with no loss after coming to the conclusion that I may have been in a plateau because I wasn't eating enough again. I started eating at 1200 calories in the beginning (out of ignorance) and plateaued. Upped to 1600 and plateaued after 6 weeks. Gradually increased to 1900 and didn't lose. I am trying NOW to eat at bmr plus exercise calories which range from 600-700 calories doing insanity. No weight loss so far, but its only been two weeks.

I have not lost inches in months and my pictures look relatively the same as they did in april. Clothes are no looser. I am not lifting eights, as I am doing Insanity and its not advised to do additional exercise. What am I doing wrong!?

I'm not super familiar with Insanity, but how long is a session? 6-700 calories sounds kind of high IMHO.

I've found several posts on other websites for Insanity and other Beach Body programs in where people think they are burning a really high #.

Even with hrms, realize that because Insanity does incorporate strength training exercises that HRMs become very unreliable. You'd have go do -40% or -50% to maybe get a better idea on burns.

I've worn my HRM while strength training and have gotten my HRM to give me burns up to 700-800 for a hour....and the burn is actually more 200-400.

This post contradicts my whole last 4 months of plateauing at 1200, 1600 and 1900 calories while doing cardio. I'm eating under maintenance, I'm burning a bunch of calories doing insanity and I'm not losing weight. How do I fit into your simplistic "this is all you have to do" theory?

I'm sorry to tell you, but you're doing something wrong, you may be under calcing food, over calcing workouts?

I never said it was easy, just that it's simple, calories in vs calories out.

edit: plateauing is normal with weight loss, you just need to recalculate your maintenance again and drop cals.

^^This.

Rolled.

I have done that 3 times giving each time about 8 weeks adjustment, wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and weigh and measure my food. I have calculated TDEE and subtracted, adjusted macros, switched up my exercise. Maybe since you know EXACTLY how to do it, you should figure out what I should eat and how much exercise - since its so simple, I must be an idiot.

Last part seems a bit uncalled for, but I'll try to help anyway.

Is it possible that your calories expended via exercise isn't correct and that you may be eating closer to maintenance than you think? You're also doing all cardio, what about adding strength training.

And, even though the scale isn't moving have you been tracking measurements. It is possible to lose size, but not lose weight.

I apologize if it was uncalled for... I am offended by the whole threads "it is so simple" attitude. I am working on my doctorate - its not simple for me. I am wearing a bodymedia fit to try to find exactly how much I am burning. My bmr is 1534, my tdee is 2378. I have been eating at 1900 calories for over two months with no loss after coming to the conclusion that I may have been in a plateau because I wasn't eating enough again. I started eating at 1200 calories in the beginning (out of ignorance) and plateaued. Upped to 1600 and plateaued after 6 weeks. Gradually increased to 1900 and didn't lose. I am trying NOW to eat at bmr plus exercise calories which range from 600-700 calories doing insanity. No weight loss so far, but its only been two weeks.

I have not lost inches in months and my pictures look relatively the same as they did in april. Clothes are no looser. I am not lifting eights, as I am doing Insanity and its not advised to do additional exercise. What am I doing wrong!?

I think there is a possibility you are overestimating the calories for Insanity. Have you tried logging it under circuit training? Are the calorie burns the same?

Also...I do weight training and that has more helped with body composition than anything else. I lost 60lbs and went from 22/24 to 18 doing only cardio. Started weight training and fluctuated between another 1-10lb loss and 3-5 months, went from 18 to 14. I've continued to fluctuate between the 10lb loss, but my body is definitely re-shaping itself. If you want, I'll PM you so you can see for yourself.

But ...back to your calories...I do think you are overestimating the burn.

I also did insanity and had the same issue. It is a great cardio workout but if you have a lower lbm, like me, it doesn't do you too many favors in body comp. I think it caused me to lose even more muscle than I had before making me, in a sense, even fatter. Too much cardio and not eating enough just makes things worse. Of course, while I was doing this I had no idea it was wrong. What has helped me the most is heavy lifting. In the ten weeks I've been doing it I've seen more changes to my body than in the last year and a half doing butt loads of cardio.

Now with the tdee issue I'm still trying to figure that out myself. I just recently dropped my calories by about one to two hundred because I did a spreadsheet that had me about a hundred calories lower than the calculators you find online. Not a lot of extra calories but they might have been enough to slow me down. My main concern now is I have to try to find a way to raise my bmr. I would really like to someday be able to eat 2000 calories a day without putting on weight.

I may start my own thread, thanks for the advice. I have done that before but find that I get too much conflicting advice. My weekend of not logging was a fluke - bachelorette party and bridal shower. I log pretty consistently. I wear a hrm with chest strap, and have never heard of Insanity cals being overestimated on hrm - but might try to adjust based on hrm - 40-50%, but it would again put me at around 1900 calories which is where I have been and not losing for over two months. The 1000 calorie burn was a double workout day of 60 minutes of turbofire and 40 minutes of Insanity. I find with my Polar F4, I burn an average of 10 cals/minute doing high intensity workouts like TurboFire and Insanity - is this too high? Could my hrm be defective? So my max cardio burns are around 500 or 600 calories. I weigh 171 pounds at 5'6" and my body fat is around 31%. My plan is to start NROL4W after Insanity, but it was my desperate workout plan to lose weight before my wedding and to see results doing an "insane" workout.

I drink coffee, yes, but that is all except water - which I drink 15-20 glasses of a day usually - some days as little as 8 but its infrequent (should be logged). I recently started using my food scale but measured everything with spoons and cups before that.

I didn't mean to derail the thread, you don't have to answer my questions and I will leave it at this...I agree with you that you need to eat at a deficit to lose and a surplus to gain. But I have followed all the reasonable advice that I have read (although weighing is new) calculated my deficits and worked out and I am not seeing losses. I have tweaked and recalculated many times following the advice of lots of different people. It's just not as simple as eating at a deficit for everyone - there are lots and lots of factors at play and sometimes even calculated, recalculated, weighed and measured deficits don't show losses for me.

It is amazing how upset people get when someone post what is on their mind....... Do you not realize you are responding with your own opinion?

Lol oh the power of Freedom of speach


BTW I agree with OP as a female...... Ladies check out "Lady Beast" It is all about lifting heavy and still looking like a lady. Some amazing women on that site.

It's also amazing how people can post something without realizing how judgey they sound. Starting things off with "You guys" is not the best way to sound like a helper. It's too bad that people got offended, but I can see how it happened.

This thread isn't judgmental at all, I said "you guys" meaning this section. I did not mean a type of person. It's a shame some people are offended by it, and also my age lol.

As for everyone else who disagrees with my OP, read the thread or at least the first 10 pages, hopefully it changes your mind.

The information in it was absolutely correct. It was the presentation that ran afoul. Read Sarauk2sf's OP on not complicating things and check it against yours. ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it )

You are saying the same thing basically, but she went about it in a manner that was clearly helpful, and many people have been grateful for it. No one complained even once. She is, in fact, one of the nicest people on MFP with well over 15k posts. She has even called me out once for wording things in such a way that would cause someone to take offense, even when none was intended.

Your OP could have come across a lot better if it had been worded in such a way as to be helpful. Better communication from the start would have avoided all the negative posts. At the same time, it made this thread interesting, did it not? :laugh:

There is no avoiding negative posts.

You've missed an enormous number of forum posts attacking Sara if you think the sentence in bold is correct, unless you truly are solely talking about the post in the ETA group.

There is a regular group on here of posters who attack any message that pushes a simple and practical approach to weight loss and body recomposition. Quite a few of them are present in this thread.

Edit: fix bold quote