Am I missing something?
peasantsong
Posts: 107 Member
I keep reading all these posts with people saying things like “I’m eating X calories a day and gaining weight/not losing weight” and I’m confused about why they’re even asking for advice about that. The answer seems obvious to me: reduce your intake by 100-200 calories a week until you start seeing the loss you’re hoping to see. I don’t think analyzing how the person is measuring their food or their TDEE is even really necessary. If the person is measuring their food or logging their workout calories incorrectly, fine. If you simply keep doing exactly what you’re doing but reduce your intake by 200 calories, it’s still a reduction relatively.
I think understanding your TDEE or how to measure your food properly is important as far as general knowledge about nutrition and weight loss and for more specific fitness related subjects. But as far as simply why am I not losing weight eating X calories a day: it’s because however you’re measuring or however you’re forgetting to log things or however you’re miscalculating your exercise calories burned, you’re overestimating your deficit and you need to reduce your intake a little bit.
Am I missing something? Why do I see so many people over-complicating this issue?
I think understanding your TDEE or how to measure your food properly is important as far as general knowledge about nutrition and weight loss and for more specific fitness related subjects. But as far as simply why am I not losing weight eating X calories a day: it’s because however you’re measuring or however you’re forgetting to log things or however you’re miscalculating your exercise calories burned, you’re overestimating your deficit and you need to reduce your intake a little bit.
Am I missing something? Why do I see so many people over-complicating this issue?
0
Replies
-
No idea why it isn't that simple but it seems that weight loss has to be complicated. Very few people will freely admit that they eat too much and do too little so there has to be a complicated process put into play that they need to adhere to then when it doesn't work they can say they tried but being a special snowflake the whole thing just didn't work for them.0
-
No, you're not missing anything. I think it turns into a ball of wax here because the MFP method encourages it through all the needless math and alarming warnings about undereating.0
-
Yes. Some people have other issues, for them simply reducing calories and increasing exercise will not work, receiving information from others sometimes helps to isolate/identify a problem. And knowing how others overcome their difficulties or stayed with it helps.
Thank you0 -
It is mostly about educating the poster about nutrition. If you oversimplify it by saying "just try this" then they will come back time and time again. It is the old Teach a Man To Fish mantra.
Plus most people are adament that they are eating x amount of calories per day and cannot figure out why they are not losing on only 1200 per day. Teaching them to measure and weigh opens up their eyes to how inaccurate eyeballing can be and that they may be consuming up to 50% more calories than they originally thought.0 -
Wait... WHAT??? Im NOT a special snowflake?0
-
Some people will say eating too high of a deficit will halt weight loss. I personally found this to be false. When i was in weight loss mode, I was always in a really high deficit and the pounds just flew off. I also excersised alot and still do, which i think is the real key to weight loss.0
-
Wait... WHAT??? Im NOT a special snowflake?
Special, yes. Flake, maybe. SNOW flake? Naw.
0 -
Yes. Some people have other issues, for them simply reducing calories and increasing exercise will not work, receiving information from others sometimes helps to isolate/identify a problem. And knowing how others overcome their difficulties or stayed with it helps.
Thank you
I don't understand this. Even someone with medical issues (such as myself - I had a thyroidectomy last year and now permanently have thyroid problems) is not immune to thermodynamics. The person may have to reduce their intake more than other people, but you can determine that through trial. For instance, I was eating 1600 calories a day and not losing weight. I discovered this through daily tracking for a month. So I reduced it to 1400 calories a day and started losing about .5 lb a week. I reduced it again to about 1300 a day and am now losing 1.5 lbs a week. I could be measuring improperly and in fact eating 1700 calories a day, but that fact is irrelevant because I am losing the weight at the rate I want to lose it now.0 -
Some people will say eating too high of a deficit will halt weight loss. I personally found this to be false. When i was in weight loss mode, I was always in a really high deficit and the pounds just flew off. I also excersised alot and still do, which i think is the real key to weight loss.
Nope, it will just make you hungry, crabby, bit*hy, cause hair to fall out and all those unpleasant things. If you are in a deficit you will lose weight. If you have too big of a deficit it is more likely to come back though. If you have a medical condition there might be other contributing factors but for 99% of people if they say they are eating x and burning y and not losing they are wrong.
Sometimes 'showing' them they are wrong takes longer than other times but because people are convinced that the advice given to the last 163498649563456 users who posted the same exact thread does not apply to them they just keep asking the same question over and over.0 -
It's not always as simple as that. I used to eat 1800 calories a day, I stopped seeing losses. I lowered it to 1500 - 1600 a day, I saw a little loss, then stopped again. I finally read the EMTLW and upped it to 2000 - 2200 and started losing again. It's not always that they eat too much.
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
Or the people that eat at a healthy deficit, yet when you look at their food diary they are eating triple the amount of recommended sodium a day?
Or the people that have started a new exercise regime recently and can't work out why they have gained weight?
You are correct, there are a lot of people that do simply eat too much or not weigh things, and weight loss IS generally simple - when you know what you are doing. And people don't always know what they are doing, which is why more experienced MFP members are kindly there to give them some advice.0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.0 -
How can you propose they reduce their intake by 100 to 200 calories a day, if we can't even assume they are measuring their calories correctly?0
-
It is mostly about educating the poster about nutrition. If you oversimplify it by saying "just try this" then they will come back time and time again. It is the old Teach a Man To Fish mantra.
Plus most people are adament that they are eating x amount of calories per day and cannot figure out why they are not losing on only 1200 per day. Teaching them to measure and weigh opens up their eyes to how inaccurate eyeballing can be and that they may be consuming up to 50% more calories than they originally thought.
yes! i used to think i was good at eye baling, then i found that my 1 serving of cereal was actually 2 and 1/2... its these things that really screw up a calorie deficit... when someone is not losing on 1200 calories a day, the first thing people say is, "you must be in starvation mode..." NO!!! YOU ARE NOT EATING 1200 CALORIES A DAY! YOU ARE EITHER NOT LOGGING ALL YOUR FOOD, OR NOT MEASURING YOUR PORTIONS! weight loss is very simple. be accurate, stay in a deficit... YOU WILL LOSE!0 -
Some people will say eating too high of a deficit will halt weight loss. I personally found this to be false. When i was in weight loss mode, I was always in a really high deficit and the pounds just flew off. I also excersised alot and still do, which i think is the real key to weight loss.
I suggest we send said people to Africa, so they can see what starvation mode REALLY looks like.0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead, rather than encourage them to eat back their exercise calories?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:
If this person was REALLY netting that little, they would be losing weight. If they're not losing weight then their deficit does not exist. I don't understand why this is so complicated.0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:
if they were IN FACT eating 1200 cals a day and burning 600... THEY WOULD BE LOSING, THUS NOT ASKING FOR HELP!0 -
It's not always as simple as that. I used to eat 1800 calories a day, I stopped seeing losses. I lowered it to 1500 - 1600 a day, I saw a little loss, then stopped again. I finally read the EMTLW and upped it to 2000 - 2200 and started losing again. It's not always that they eat too much.
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
Or the people that eat at a healthy deficit, yet when you look at their food diary they are eating triple the amount of recommended sodium a day?
Or the people that have started a new exercise regime recently and can't work out why they have gained weight?
You are correct, there are a lot of people that do simply eat too much or not weigh things, and weight loss IS generally simple - when you know what you are doing. And people don't always know what they are doing, which is why more experienced MFP members are kindly there to give them some advice.
Nope. It's pretty much calories in, calories out. If you really upped your calories by that amount and are losing weight, you must have increased your exercise. Because. You know. Physics and stuff.0 -
Some people will say eating too high of a deficit will halt weight loss. I personally found this to be false. When i was in weight loss mode, I was always in a really high deficit and the pounds just flew off. I also excersised alot and still do, which i think is the real key to weight loss.
I suggest we send said people to Africa, so they can see what starvation mode REALLY looks like.
thats why all the pictures we see of starving people in africa are obese people... DUH... EVERYONE KNOWS STARVATION MODE MAKES US / KEEPS US FAT!0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead, rather than encourage them to eat back their exercise calories?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:
If this person was REALLY netting that little, they would be losing weight. If they're not losing weight then their deficit does not exist. I don't understand why this is so complicated.
I don't understand what is so complicated about teaching people to measure their calorie intake correctly. You just want to take the lazy way out, and tell 'yep, just net 400 a day and then you'll lose weight'. :huh:0 -
I personally cannot, in good conscious, tell someone to eat less and keep cutting calories when they are insisting that they're only eating 1000 - 1200 calories.
Plus, what's so hard about trying to actually teach someone how to do **** right?0 -
It is mostly about educating the poster about nutrition. If you oversimplify it by saying "just try this" then they will come back time and time again. It is the old Teach a Man To Fish mantra.
Plus most people are adament that they are eating x amount of calories per day and cannot figure out why they are not losing on only 1200 per day. Teaching them to measure and weigh opens up their eyes to how inaccurate eyeballing can be and that they may be consuming up to 50% more calories than they originally thought.
^^This^^0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:
if they were IN FACT eating 1200 cals a day and burning 600... THEY WOULD BE LOSING, THUS NOT ASKING FOR HELP!
WERE THE CAPS NECESSARY?!
Yes, you are right, they would no doubt be losing. But what commonly happens, is that these people basically starve their bodies, and then end up binging on say 3000 calories one day a week, therefore cutting out all their deficit, and not losing weight.
So, the obvious solution would be to educate these people on eating back their exercise calories or at a percentage below their TDEE, so that they fuel their body properly and therefore stop feeling the need to binge. Not cutting another 200 calories a day!0 -
oh wait. i already know.0 -
I personally cannot, in good conscious, tell someone to eat less and keep cutting calories when they are insisting that they're only eating 1000 - 1200 calories.
^^And THIS^^^0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:
I've been to Africa, people who are starving look like people who are starving. They aren't gaining weight or staying the same because they eat too little. My cousin is anorexic, she doesn't gain or stay the same by starving herself. I guess that's why when someone says they eat 1200 a day and cannot lose I question just exactly what they really are doing. The whole EMTLW sounds wonderful and if it's working for you, great, but the large majority who profess to not eat much but not see results aren't really doing what they say they are whether it be intentional or not.0 -
I personally cannot, in good conscious, tell someone to eat less and keep cutting calories when they are insisting that they're only eating 1000 - 1200 calories.
no, but heres the thing. if they really were only eating that amount, they wouldnt be asking for help because they would be losing. instead, advise them to measure or take a better look at thier logging...0 -
It's not always as simple as that. I used to eat 1800 calories a day, I stopped seeing losses. I lowered it to 1500 - 1600 a day, I saw a little loss, then stopped again. I finally read the EMTLW and upped it to 2000 - 2200 and started losing again. It's not always that they eat too much.
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
Or the people that eat at a healthy deficit, yet when you look at their food diary they are eating triple the amount of recommended sodium a day?
Or the people that have started a new exercise regime recently and can't work out why they have gained weight?
You are correct, there are a lot of people that do simply eat too much or not weigh things, and weight loss IS generally simple - when you know what you are doing. And people don't always know what they are doing, which is why more experienced MFP members are kindly there to give them some advice.
Nope. It's pretty much calories in, calories out. If you really upped your calories by that amount and are losing weight, you must have increased your exercise. Because. You know. Physics and stuff.
Perhaps you should pop over to the EMTLW forum and speak to some of the people on there. I did not up my exercise. Too large a deficit can be detrimental to weight loss, it all depends on your bodys stress levels.0 -
I keep reading all these posts with people saying things like “I’m eating X calories a day and gaining weight/not losing weight” and I’m confused about why they’re even asking for advice about that. The answer seems obvious to me: reduce your intake by 100-200 calories a week until you start seeing the loss you’re hoping to see. I don’t think analyzing how the person is measuring their food or their TDEE is even really necessary. If the person is measuring their food or logging their workout calories incorrectly, fine. If you simply keep doing exactly what you’re doing but reduce your intake by 200 calories, it’s still a reduction relatively.
I think understanding your TDEE or how to measure your food properly is important as far as general knowledge about nutrition and weight loss and for more specific fitness related subjects. But as far as simply why am I not losing weight eating X calories a day: it’s because however you’re measuring or however you’re forgetting to log things or however you’re miscalculating your exercise calories burned, you’re overestimating your deficit and you need to reduce your intake a little bit.
Am I missing something? Why do I see so many people over-complicating this issue?
Yes, you're missing something.
Even the most unobservant individual realizes that you should eat less, in order to achieve weight loss. The media ensures this.
So, what's the problem?
We've all seen (or perhaps some of us are) those types: "I've done everything possible, but I just can't achieve <fill in the blank>." Then they've validated the "fact" that what they supposedly wanted is unobtainable, so they no longer have to worry about it.
In much the same sense, many come here and state that they're doing everything perfectly, but IT'S JUST NOT WORKING!
If they're lucky, they'll even get people to tell them to eat even more food! In any event, they feel better that their weight loss goal is as elusive as ever, and now they can forget all about it (although guilt sometimes causes them to repeat the process periodically).0 -
I also see plenty of 'I eat 1200 calories a day and exercise off 600, why am I not losing weight?' threads. Are you suggesting these people lower their calories even more?
No, I'm suggesting that those people are probably not eating 1200 a day and/or are probably not burning 600 a day. I'm suggesting that their deficit is probably not as big as they think it is and so yes, they should reduce their intake.
Oh dear. So rather than encourage them to up their calorie intake/eat back their exercise calories, you would tell them to eat 200 calories less?
So let's just pretend that this person was in fact eating 1200 calories and burning 600, you would try and convince them to actually net 400 calories instead, rather than encourage them to eat back their exercise calories?
I really hope you never offer one of these people advice. :frown:
If this person was REALLY netting that little, they would be losing weight. If they're not losing weight then their deficit does not exist. I don't understand why this is so complicated.
I don't understand what is so complicated about teaching people to measure their calorie intake correctly. You just want to take the lazy way out, and tell 'yep, just net 400 a day and then you'll lose weight'. :huh:
Yes, I get this. Someone who truly believes they are netting 600 a day would probably be unwilling to reduce further. That is a good point. In a case like mine, I am aware that I am probably logging something incorrectly so reducing my intake even though it already seems low does not bother me because I know I am probably eating more than I think I am.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 398.3K Introduce Yourself
- 44.7K Getting Started
- 261K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.4K Food and Nutrition
- 47.7K Recipes
- 233K Fitness and Exercise
- 462 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.7K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.5K Motivation and Support
- 8.4K Challenges
- 1.4K Debate Club
- 96.5K Chit-Chat
- 2.6K Fun and Games
- 4.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 17 News and Announcements
- 21 MyFitnessPal Academy
- 1.5K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions