Things I've learned from the forums here

2) It doesn't matter what time you eat (ie. after 7pm). Calories are calories regardless of the time of day.

Your phys is a factor here, whilst from a purely weight management perspective this is fair, the quality of the workout can vary. Personally I can't do a quality long session on an empty stomach.

3) You shouldn't eat back your exercise calories (this one I don't follow however because I get hungry after exercise)

Depends on how you're planning your weight loss. If you're using the MFP model then your defecit is already planned into your goal, hence you should be eating back your expenditure, or at least a proprtion of it.

4) It doesn't matter what you eat. Calories in, calories out. Enjoy everything in moderation.

Again, it depends on your desired outcomes. Inadequate protein won't allow for muscle repair after training, inadequate carb intake won't refuel after a good quality session, insufficient fat's won't regenerate other aspects of the system. Whilst I'm not a huge proponent of IIFYM the general principles apply. One could lose on pizza and beer every day, but the surrounding results might be questionable.

Don't post anything unless the vast majority of the forum agrees with what you're saying.

Or don't post opinion on a discussion forum unless you're expecting it to be discussed...

One wonders what was expected otherwise.

3) You shouldn't eat back your exercise calories (this one I don't follow however because I get hungry after exercise)

Depends on how you'r planning your weight loss. If you're using the MFP model then your defecit is already planned into your goal, hence you should be eating back your expenditure, or at least a proprtion of it.

The MFP model only includes your deficit before your exercise if you didn't hit the 1200 floor, which I believe most of us do.

5) People will argue for the sake of arguing.

3) You shouldn't eat back your exercise calories (this one I don't follow however because I get hungry after exercise)

Depends on how you'r planning your weight loss. If you're using the MFP model then your defecit is already planned into your goal, hence you should be eating back your expenditure, or at least a proprtion of it.

The MFP model only includes your deficit before your exercise if you didn't hit the 1200 floor, which I believe most of us do.

Well it works on the basis that for sustainable healthy weight loss most medical authorities recommend a minimum intake of 1200 per day, so it doesn't build in any further deficit beyond that point.

What I find interesting in my occasional forays into the predominantly diet forums rather than the fitness forums is much more of a focus on low calorie intakes, rather than sustainability.

Lol you see what you did OP, you got peoples panties in a bunch.

Things I've learned from forums: Don't post anything unless the vast majority of the forum agrees with what you're saying.

I think it's a interesting dialogue, and I think that people's clarifications to the OP's (valid) generalizations are useful for individuals who want a fuller understanding of the subject.

yepyepyep

5) People will argue for the sake of arguing.

They will not!!!

Well played. +1 Internets for you.

I understand the 1200 minimum and am not arguing against it. I'm just saying if you put yourself in as 'moderately active' and MFP sets your calorie goal to 1200/day and it includes your entire goal deficit of 500/day, you're fine eating 1200 and being moderately active. But if you put that you're sedentary and you hit the 1200 floor and that only includes say 300 of your desired 500 deficit, you're expected to not be ok with moving around for 200 calories more per day to hit the 1200. Because some odd concept of 'net calories' applies to the second scenario but not the first. In the second scenario, you'd be expected to 'eat back' and only be able to run a 300/day deficit.

Agree with all except not eating back exercise calories. If you're using the MFP method, you do. (at least some) If you're using TDEE method, you do not.

3) You shouldn't eat back your exercise calories (this one I don't follow however because I get hungry after exercise)

Depends on how you'r planning your weight loss. If you're using the MFP model then your defecit is already planned into your goal, hence you should be eating back your expenditure, or at least a proprtion of it.

^^This. When I see this question come up in the forums I am surprised how often the OP isn't asked how they set their calorie goal before people give an answer.


The site allows for customizing, so your point does not make sense.

To be fair, since we are on MFP, one would expect that would be the way people are setting their calories unless otherwise stated. That said, I do always clarify before answering.

I will never understand why when someone asks a simple question about using the website, people suggest other methods right away. It can get pretty confusing.

3) You shouldn't eat back your exercise calories (this one I don't follow however because I get hungry after exercise)

Depends on how you'r planning your weight loss. If you're using the MFP model then your defecit is already planned into your goal, hence you should be eating back your expenditure, or at least a proprtion of it.

^^This. When I see this question come up in the forums I am surprised how often the OP isn't asked how they set their calorie goal before people give an answer.

To be fair, since we are on MFP, one would expect that would be the way people are setting their calories unless otherwise stated. That said, I do always clarify before answering.

I will never understand why when someone asks a simple question about using the website, people suggest other methods right away. It can get pretty confusing.

The site allows customizing, so I don't see your point.

I'm not sure which point you don't see so I'll mention both.

Yes, it does. But you are using a site that figures a calorie goal for you. When someone asks a question about calorie goal and doesn't mention they have customized their goal, it is perfectly understandable that someone would assume it was the MFP goal.

The second point - when someone is using MFP and they have a simple question about the site itself, I don't see why someone needs to suggest changing to TDEE or another method. Worse, if they are a little confused, throwing out explainations like TDEE make things even more confusing. In the end, if MFP and TDEE are figured correctly, they average out to the same thing.
Above that, people get into even more complicated formulas to figure calorie goals. Why make everything so confusing unless there is a reason to?

I learned that everything weighs the same, because a pound of X == a pound of Y == a pound of Z. Or something.

I learned that everything weighs the same, because a pound of X == a pound of Y == a pound of Z. Or something.

I've learned this too. I've learned that my car and goat feathers weight the same and that context in discussing the two never matters.

I learned that everything weighs the same, because a pound of X == a pound of Y == a pound of Z. Or something.

I've learned this too. I've learned that my car and goat feathers weight the same and that context in discussing the two never matters.

FLYING GOATS?!?!?!?!