Gluten. Dairy. Sugar.

Things to consider for those "only a calorie deficit cause weight loss" people....

1. A pound of fat isn't made up of 3500 calories exactly, it varies a hundred or so up or down. 3500 is an average.

2. If a person sees a lower number on the scale, that doesn't mean they have lost body fat. Other things that effect your actual weight are water retention, inflamation, muscle loss or gain....the contents of your bowles. Fat loss and weight loss are different things.

3. I believe the body craves nutrients, so a junk diet will cause more hunger. Just my opinion.

4. The TDEE of anyone varies day to day, it isn't a static number and most people have over or underestimated theirs.

Rarely is there singular causation to anything.

Exactly, I ate a raw vegan diet two yrs ago (I came off of it because it was so expensive) thand did not monitor calories at all and lost 34 lbs. I honestly believe the types of foods you choose make a huge difference. Processed foods make me feel sick. I feel so much better eating fresh local organic produce (belong to CSA) and making everything from scratch using whole food ingredients.

I am on a detox right now which eliminates gluten (I was already not eating gluten), sugar, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, soy. All of these foods cause inflammation and don't allow the body to heal from the inside. I have lost 8 lbs already. They say it helps prevent the accumulation of cholesterol in arteries as well. I am vegetarian (mostly vegan, still eat cage free, organic eggs from a local farm in my state) and honestly believe that a plant based diet is the healthiest and most humane way to live.

You've lost weight by eating less

Things to consider for those "only a calorie deficit cause weight loss" people....

1. A pound of fat isn't made up of 3500 calories exactly, it varies a hundred or so up or down. 3500 is an average.

2. If a person sees a lower number on the scale, that doesn't mean they have lost body fat. Other things that effect your actual weight are water retention, inflamation, muscle loss or gain....the contents of your bowles. Fat loss and weight loss are different things.

3. I believe the body craves nutrients, so a junk diet will cause more hunger. Just my opinion.

4. The TDEE of anyone varies day to day, it isn't a static number and most people have over or underestimated theirs.

Rarely is there singular causation to anything.

The things you describe are day-to-day changes, not long term.
(Besides your opinion. And if people have a nutrient deficiency, their bodies tend to let them know in various ways)

Things to consider for those "only a calorie deficit cause weight loss" people....

1. A pound of fat isn't made up of 3500 calories exactly, it varies a hundred or so up or down. 3500 is an average.

2. If a person sees a lower number on the scale, that doesn't mean they have lost body fat. Other things that effect your actual weight are water retention, inflamation, muscle loss or gain....the contents of your bowles. Fat loss and weight loss are different things.

3. I believe the body craves nutrients, so a junk diet will cause more hunger. Just my opinion.

4. The TDEE of anyone varies day to day, it isn't a static number and most people have over or underestimated theirs.

Rarely is there singular causation to anything.

The things you describe are day-to-day changes, not long term.
(Besides your opinion. And if people have a nutrient deficiency, their bodies tend to let them know in various ways)

I just love seeing your naked little baby.

Wow! I came here for a little encouragement in my journey. The first thread I look at is in the 'Success Stories' forum and what do I see? Well, if I say 'vicious attacks', many will get defensive and direct those comments toward me, whether I was referring to them or not. Anyway. I see this thread as rather sad.

To the original poster, you know your body. If those foods were hurting you, and obviously they were, you made a good choice. I, too, have eliminated gluten, dairy (mostly), and process/refined sugar/honey/etc. from my diet. I am gluten and lactose intolerant and diabetic. I haven't lost weight but am holding steady and feel better than I have in years. It's just a matter of time till I'm able to exercise more and the pounds will start dropping. Thank you to the original poster for the reminder that weight loss is possible I was beginning to doubt.

Exactly, I ate a raw vegan diet two yrs ago (I came off of it because it was so expensive) thand did not monitor calories at all and lost 34 lbs. I honestly believe the types of foods you choose make a huge difference. Processed foods make me feel sick. I feel so much better eating fresh local organic produce (belong to CSA) and making everything from scratch using whole food ingredients.

We keep putting "makes me feel" in there. I'm glad it makes you feel good but the fact is it is calories in vs out for weight loss. How you feel is completely different. In a sustainability stance, absolutely do what feels best but arguing against facts seems. .. pointless. I feel great eating ice cream, pizza and a few veggies poked in there. That's me, that's great. I lose fine on any food I put in my body, so as long as I'm eating at a deficit. Period.

Wow! I came here for a little encouragement in my journey. The first thread I look at is in the 'Success Stories' forum and what do I see? Well, if I say 'vicious attacks', many will get defensive and direct those comments toward me, whether I was referring to them or not. Anyway. I see this thread as rather sad.

To the original poster, you know your body. If those foods were hurting you, and obviously they were, you made a good choice. I, too, have eliminated gluten, dairy (mostly), and process/refined sugar/honey/etc. from my diet. I am gluten and lactose intolerant and diabetic. I haven't lost weight but am holding steady and feel better than I have in years. It's just a matter of time till I'm able to exercise more and the pounds will start dropping. Thank you to the original poster for the reminder that weight loss is possible I was beginning to doubt.

Wow! I came here for a little encouragement in my journey. The first thread I look at is in the 'Success Stories' forum and what do I see? Well, if I say 'vicious attacks', many will get defensive and direct those comments toward me, whether I was referring to them or not. Anyway. I see this thread as rather sad.

To the original poster, you know your body. If those foods were hurting you, and obviously they were, you made a good choice. I, too, have eliminated gluten, dairy (mostly), and process/refined sugar/honey/etc. from my diet. I am gluten and lactose intolerant and diabetic. I haven't lost weight but am holding steady and feel better than I have in years. It's just a matter of time till I'm able to exercise more and the pounds will start dropping. Thank you to the original poster for the reminder that weight loss is possible I was beginning to doubt.

Yeah, that's MFP, in a nutshell. This is a hot button topic for MFP'ers. There are others, as well (eating below 1200 calories/day comes to mind).

Stick around, you CAN find supportive people here, too.

That's what I was hoping for on here. I honestly think I may not bother with the boards at all as it seems you can't post your opinion without others telling you non stop that you are completely wrong. You post what worked for you and suddenly you are supposedly telling everyone they should eat the same way you do. Ugh. I thought maybe we could all share what works for us and use them as ideas to tailor our diets that work with our own tolerences. I'm going to stick to my own research and not look for ideas from people on message boards. You just end up getting bashed.

This is interesting.

My own experience thus far with Keto is that it's actually easier for me to eat a calorie deficit than when I was trying to do "all things in moderation".

I have an unhealthy relationship with carbohydrates and sugar (thanks, ancient ancestors!). The one thing that made me seriously consider Keto was the discussions with other chronic acid reflux sufferers whose symptoms completely disappeared on this diet. I have experienced this wonderful disappearance, and it has greatly improved my ability to sleep (another important component of weight loss).

I've been following this diet (and keeping within proper macros) almost religiously since the 13th, and I've lost 12 pounds.

I haven't cut out dairy, but gluten and sugar are out of the picture. I don't get ravenously hungry like I did before when eating "all things in moderation". 350 calories from sausage and the half and half in my coffee keeps me full until lunch, whereas 420 calories from Pop-Tarts had me *starving* by mid-morning. I'm not getting the blood sugar spikes that I was before, and that's a good thing considering the history of Type II diabetes in my family.

Since I started this diet, I've eaten consistently between 1200 and 1600 calories per day, and have not once expressed that I am starving. I've faced many chances to grab something sugary and full of carbs (my husband is not on Keto, and loves his bread and pastries), but I think back to when my acid reflux was keeping me up at night and it's super easy to say "nope nope nope". I don't feel deprived at all. I don't look at a piece of cheesecake and think "I can never have that, but I super want it!". I look at a piece of cheesecake and think "Man, I would be up until 3am if I ate that... I wonder if I could come up with a keto-friendly version..."

Calorie deficit is ABSOLUTELY important. But depending on how violently your body reacts to certain types of foods - certain types of diets are going to be more sustainable and successful for you in the long run. We all have our trigger points, and if eating freegan gets your moral juices flowing and keeps you eating at a calorie deficit because "I the animals and hate the capitalisms" or if you want to eat your weight in bacon each year for the rest of your life because "wouldn't that be super awesome?!", or if you have a particular food group that's causing irritation that's affecting you negatively - hold on to that and don't focus on "I can never do this again" - focus on "I'm doing this because I don't want [this bad thing] to happen"

**Meanwhile, in my fortress of evil**

I'm glad you've had success but the weight loss isn't purely because you cut those three things. It's because by eliminating those things from your diet, you created a calorie deficit.

How do you know she isn't eating the same amount of calories, just from different foods?

because OP claimed to lose weight..the only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit….its called math ...

^^^ Hmmm . . . not necessarily. When I was in my 20s and 30s, all I had to do was watch my calories. I could eat what I wanted to and still lose weight as long as I stayed within my daily calorie allotment. Not anymore! For most 40+ year old women, it DOES matter where the calories come from. I stick to roughly 1400 to 1800 calories a day (depending on how much exercise I get) and I can tell you without a doubt that if I eat processed/prepackaged/fast foods and stick to within my calorie limit, I will not lose a thing. However, if I eat whole foods (vegetables, lean proteins, good fats like avocados, raw nut butters, etc.) I will lose the weight eating the same amount of calories. How do I know this? Three years ago, I spent 7 months gaining and losing the same 4 pounds although I was exercising and keeping within my calorie limit. It wasn't until I kicked the processed carbs and sugars to the curb that I began to lose weight. I am now 60+ pounds down and have kept it off for almost two years. I went on a cruise in March of 2012 and was very strict about portion control. I didn't go hog-wild not one meal the entire 7 days, drank LOTS of water, and did LOTS of walking, swimming, etc. When I got home, I was 9.5 pounds up on the scale. I can tell you emphatically that it MATTERS where my calories come from. 1400 calories of processed food will NOT allow me to lose weight, period!

Not so much, my dear. It's because your metabolism decreases as you age and your muscle mass decreases, so you need fewer calories. You must lower your calorie intake to maintain your weight because your caloric needs decrease. Your BMR at 20 is a lot higher than your BMR at 40.

Also if you gained 9.5 pounds in one week, much of it was water weight. Not likely that you ate 33,250 extra calories in that one week.

The point I am trying to make is that one viewpoint--if you eat at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight--does NOT work for everyone. I KNOW what works for my body and what doesn't. I'm sure if the OP said she had to cut out processed carbs, sugars, gluten, etc. and that was what it took to lose the weight, then I believe her because that is EXACTLY what it took for me. BTW, yes the 9.5 pounds was water weight and it was gone by the next week. However, it was gone ONLY because I got back to my strict eating regimen the very next day after returning home. Had I begun eating the processed foods (even staying within my allotted calories), I never would have gotten it off. I MIGHT would have lost a couple pounds, but definitely would not have lost all of it. I know my body well and have learned to pay close attention to what works and what doesn't.

by your logic I could then eat in a calorie surplus and lose weight.

Please point me to studies of these magical people that eat in a TRUE calorie deficit and do not lose weight.

**Meanwhile, in my fortress of evil**

I'm glad you've had success but the weight loss isn't purely because you cut those three things. It's because by eliminating those things from your diet, you created a calorie deficit.

How do you know she isn't eating the same amount of calories, just from different foods?

because OP claimed to lose weight..the only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit….its called math ...

^^^ Hmmm . . . not necessarily. When I was in my 20s and 30s, all I had to do was watch my calories. I could eat what I wanted to and still lose weight as long as I stayed within my daily calorie allotment. Not anymore! For most 40+ year old women, it DOES matter where the calories come from. I stick to roughly 1400 to 1800 calories a day (depending on how much exercise I get) and I can tell you without a doubt that if I eat processed/prepackaged/fast foods and stick to within my calorie limit, I will not lose a thing. However, if I eat whole foods (vegetables, lean proteins, good fats like avocados, raw nut butters, etc.) I will lose the weight eating the same amount of calories. How do I know this? Three years ago, I spent 7 months gaining and losing the same 4 pounds although I was exercising and keeping within my calorie limit. It wasn't until I kicked the processed carbs and sugars to the curb that I began to lose weight. I am now 60+ pounds down and have kept it off for almost two years. I went on a cruise in March of 2012 and was very strict about portion control. I didn't go hog-wild not one meal the entire 7 days, drank LOTS of water, and did LOTS of walking, swimming, etc. When I got home, I was 9.5 pounds up on the scale. I can tell you emphatically that it MATTERS where my calories come from. 1400 calories of processed food will NOT allow me to lose weight, period!

Not so much, my dear. It's because your metabolism decreases as you age and your muscle mass decreases, so you need fewer calories. You must lower your calorie intake to maintain your weight because your caloric needs decrease. Your BMR at 20 is a lot higher than your BMR at 40.

Also if you gained 9.5 pounds in one week, much of it was water weight. Not likely that you ate 33,250 extra calories in that one week.

The point I am trying to make is that one viewpoint--if you eat at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight--does NOT work for everyone. I KNOW what works for my body and what doesn't. I'm sure if the OP said she had to cut out processed carbs, sugars, gluten, etc. and that was what it took to lose the weight, then I believe her because that is EXACTLY what it took for me. BTW, yes the 9.5 pounds was water weight and it was gone by the next week. However, it was gone ONLY because I got back to my strict eating regimen the very next day after returning home. Had I begun eating the processed foods (even staying within my allotted calories), I never would have gotten it off. I MIGHT would have lost a couple pounds, but definitely would not have lost all of it. I know my body well and have learned to pay close attention to what works and what doesn't.

by your logic I could then eat in a calorie surplus and lose weight.

Please point me to studies of these magical people that eat in a TRUE calorie deficit and do not lose weight.

what if a person can't maintain a deficit because their the fluctuation in blood sugar causes them to bing, you throw "true calorie deficit" out there like its easy to maintain. Some people have more trouble staying in deficit, and FOR ME some of the nutrients mentioned here affect my ability to maintain a deficit... If you maintain a deficit you will lose fat, but some foods may make it hard or nearly impossible to maintain deficit.

Odds are good, that you've lost that much weight in 13 days because cutting out carbs caused you to lose water weight. I just want you to be aware that you won't continue to lose weight at such a high rate for very long, it will level off. You should continue after that to lose at 1-2 lbs a week, to be healthy and not lose muscle.

Wow! I came here for a little encouragement in my journey. The first thread I look at is in the 'Success Stories' forum and what do I see? Well, if I say 'vicious attacks', many will get defensive and direct those comments toward me, whether I was referring to them or not. Anyway. I see this thread as rather sad.

To the original poster, you know your body. If those foods were hurting you, and obviously they were, you made a good choice. I, too, have eliminated gluten, dairy (mostly), and process/refined sugar/honey/etc. from my diet. I am gluten and lactose intolerant and diabetic. I haven't lost weight but am holding steady and feel better than I have in years. It's just a matter of time till I'm able to exercise more and the pounds will start dropping. Thank you to the original poster for the reminder that weight loss is possible I was beginning to doubt.

Yeah, that's MFP, in a nutshell. This is a hot button topic for MFP'ers. There are others, as well (eating below 1200 calories/day comes to mind).

Stick around, you CAN find supportive people here, too.

so whenver someone posts something that is not accurate we are all just supposed to jump on the bandwagon and say "hooray, great job OP!" even if we know the reasoning/logic behind said post is wrong?

Look people are going to come in here and think that this is a plan for long term success which it is not …so if we are not being "supportive' for blindly supporting every "sugar is the devil" post, then sure, whatever...