2 weeks in and not losing weight - disheartened

Stop counting calories. Google "A calorie is not a calorie." If you are eating garbage, you will not lose weight, even if you are restricting calories.

Avoid most "no-fat" and "low fat" foods. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs and sugar make you fat. You and most American have been misinformed by our government.

Burn the USDA's "My Plate." The USDA is the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Nutrition. It represents grain growers, not you.

So don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta, breakfast cereals (pay no attention to the "heart healthy" and "good source of vitamins" labels), and rice.

Don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices and fruit yogurt. Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy. Repeat - Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy.

Have an egg and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or plain Greek yogurt (the 2% tastes better than the 0%) and add berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables (except corn and potatoes). Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. However, exercise is great for your mind, body and sprit.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Try it for two weeks and see what happens. It can't hurt you.

Good luck.

This is bull. Weight loss is calories in/calories out.

Really?

So say you take 100 people who need to lose weight. Divide them into two groups of 50. Both groups eat 2,000 calories a day.

The first group eats donuts and bagels and orange juice for breakfast, and pasta for lunch and dinner, washed down with Coke and complimented with nacho chips.

The second group has an egg and cheese or Greek Yogurt for breakfast, eats grilled chicken for lunch with avocado and lots of veggies for lunch, and fish with salad for dinner. No Coke. Snacks are almonds and cashews.

So you would have to be a complete idiot to think that the bagel/donut group is going to have the same results as the fish/chicken group after a couple of weeks, wouldn't you? It's called common sense.

GOOGLE "A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE!"

Google "Moon landing a hoax." Just cause you can google it doesn't mean it's true. A K-state professor made the twinkie diet famous by eating only candy and twinkies and loss a considerable amount of weight. Now it harmed is health but that's not the question. He still lost weight by eating at a calorie deficit.

Dude, you are living in the stone ages. I lost 20 pounds in four months doing what I recommend.

I just got onto this site today, and it is a shame that is advocating such BS as calorie counting.

And who the hell has the time and patience to count calories? And what happens if you reach your calorie limit for the day, and you are very hungry?

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that eating two 200-calorie sugar-laded, carb-laden donuts is not the same as eating 400 calories of grilled fish.

Acutally, I'm living in 2014. I lost 16 lbs in less than 2 months. My rate of fat loss is greater than your rate of fat loss so I must be right, right? :laugh: You are very confused with the difference between health and weight loss. You can eat literally nothing and lose weight. You won't be healthy, but it's possible. You keep on preaching the crazy talk though.

Stop counting calories. Google "A calorie is not a calorie." If you are eating garbage, you will not lose weight, even if you are restricting calories.

Avoid most "no-fat" and "low fat" foods. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs and sugar make you fat. You and most American have been misinformed by our government.

Burn the USDA's "My Plate." The USDA is the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Nutrition. It represents grain growers, not you.

So don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta, breakfast cereals (pay no attention to the "heart healthy" and "good source of vitamins" labels), and rice.

Don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices and fruit yogurt. Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy. Repeat - Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy.

Have an egg and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or plain Greek yogurt (the 2% tastes better than the 0%) and add berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables (except corn and potatoes). Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. However, exercise is great for your mind, body and sprit.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Try it for two weeks and see what happens. It can't hurt you.

Good luck.

This is bull. Weight loss is calories in/calories out.

Really?

So say you take 100 people who need to lose weight. Divide them into two groups of 50. Both groups eat 2,000 calories a day.

The first group eats donuts and bagels and orange juice for breakfast, and pasta for lunch and dinner, washed down with Coke and complimented with nacho chips.

The second group has an egg and cheese or Greek Yogurt for breakfast, eats grilled chicken for lunch with avocado and lots of veggies for lunch, and fish with salad for dinner. No Coke. Snacks are almonds and cashews.

So you would have to be a complete idiot to think that the bagel/donut group is going to have the same results as the fish/chicken group after a couple of weeks, wouldn't you? It's called common sense.

GOOGLE "A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE!"

Google "Moon landing a hoax." Just cause you can google it doesn't mean it's true. A K-state professor made the twinkie diet famous by eating only candy and twinkies and loss a considerable amount of weight. Now it harmed is health but that's not the question. He still lost weight by eating at a calorie deficit.

Dude, you are living in the stone ages. I lost 20 pounds in four months doing what I recommend.

I just got onto this site today, and it is a shame that is advocating such BS as calorie counting.

And who the hell has the time and patience to count calories? And what happens if you reach your calorie limit for the day, and you are very hungry?

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that eating two 200-calorie sugar-laded, carb-laden donuts is not the same as eating 400 calories of grilled fish.

From a health perspective they are not the same. From a strictly weightloss calorie perspective the person eating a larger calorie deficit will lose more weight.

Stop counting calories. Google "A calorie is not a calorie." If you are eating garbage, you will not lose weight, even if you are restricting calories.

Avoid most "no-fat" and "low fat" foods. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs and sugar make you fat. You and most American have been misinformed by our government.

Burn the USDA's "My Plate." The USDA is the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Nutrition. It represents grain growers, not you.

So don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta, breakfast cereals (pay no attention to the "heart healthy" and "good source of vitamins" labels), and rice.

Don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices and fruit yogurt. Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy. Repeat - Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy.

Have an egg and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or plain Greek yogurt (the 2% tastes better than the 0%) and add berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables (except corn and potatoes). Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. However, exercise is great for your mind, body and sprit.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Try it for two weeks and see what happens. It can't hurt you.

Good luck.

This is bull. Weight loss is calories in/calories out.

Really?

So say you take 100 people who need to lose weight. Divide them into two groups of 50. Both groups eat 2,000 calories a day.

The first group eats donuts and bagels and orange juice for breakfast, and pasta for lunch and dinner, washed down with Coke and complimented with nacho chips.

The second group has an egg and cheese or Greek Yogurt for breakfast, eats grilled chicken for lunch with avocado and lots of veggies for lunch, and fish with salad for dinner. No Coke. Snacks are almonds and cashews.

So you would have to be a complete idiot to think that the bagel/donut group is going to have the same results as the fish/chicken group after a couple of weeks, wouldn't you? It's called common sense.

GOOGLE "A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE!"

The problem with the 100 people scenario is that you will not be able to eat that food and stay under your calorie goal. If I eat Nachos, I can only have a couple of bits and I have eaten 200 calories, but if I start eating the Nachos, I will eat more. If you want to be healthy, and not be hungry all the time, the best way to stay under your calorie goal is to eat the way he is suggesting. If you eat the way he is suggesting, you won't go over your calorie goal, even if you don't count calories. If you NEED to splurge, like many of us do, you must log every calorie in order to prevent yourself from going over your goal. If I am hungry in the afternoon, and can stuff myself on cucumbers and tomatoes and have it be under 100 calories, if I eat nuts or chips, I will easily go over 500 calories. That is where the food makes the difference.

Stop counting calories. Google "A calorie is not a calorie." If you are eating garbage, you will not lose weight, even if you are restricting calories.

Avoid most "no-fat" and "low fat" foods. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs and sugar make you fat. You and most American have been misinformed by our government.

Burn the USDA's "My Plate." The USDA is the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Nutrition. It represents grain growers, not you.

So don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta, breakfast cereals (pay no attention to the "heart healthy" and "good source of vitamins" labels), and rice.

Don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices and fruit yogurt. Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy. Repeat - Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy.

Have an egg and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or plain Greek yogurt (the 2% tastes better than the 0%) and add berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables (except corn and potatoes). Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. However, exercise is great for your mind, body and sprit.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Try it for two weeks and see what happens. It can't hurt you.

Good luck.

This is bull. Weight loss is calories in/calories out.

Really?

So say you take 100 people who need to lose weight. Divide them into two groups of 50. Both groups eat 2,000 calories a day.

The first group eats donuts and bagels and orange juice for breakfast, and pasta for lunch and dinner, washed down with Coke and complimented with nacho chips.

The second group has an egg and cheese or Greek Yogurt for breakfast, eats grilled chicken for lunch with avocado and lots of veggies for lunch, and fish with salad for dinner. No Coke. Snacks are almonds and cashews.

So you would have to be a complete idiot to think that the bagel/donut group is going to have the same results as the fish/chicken group after a couple of weeks, wouldn't you? It's called common sense.

GOOGLE "A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE!"

Google "Moon landing a hoax." Just cause you can google it doesn't mean it's true. A K-state professor made the twinkie diet famous by eating only candy and twinkies and loss a considerable amount of weight. Now it harmed is health but that's not the question. He still lost weight by eating at a calorie deficit.

Dude, you are living in the stone ages. I lost 20 pounds in four months doing what I recommend.

I just got onto this site today, and it is a shame that is advocating such BS as calorie counting.

And who the hell has the time and patience to count calories? And what happens if you reach your calorie limit for the day, and you are very hungry?

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that eating two 200-calorie sugar-laded, carb-laden donuts is not the same as eating 400 calories of grilled fish.

Dude!

You lost weight because you ate less calories than you burned. Period. Good for you for doing it without consciously counting your calories.

However, to think that 400 calories of anything will lead to weight loss as opposed to 200 calories of anything else is silly. Unless, of course, you are a special snowflake to whom calories in/calories out does not apply. Yes, that could be it after all.

Let me put it this way - I exercise for 3-4 hours a week (half of it weightlifting) and I lose weight at 2000 calories a day doing that. I'm 28 years old and I weigh 133. You gotta fuel. I stalled at around 160 for a bit 'cause I was eating too little.
Take measurements too though, that's a better indicator of fat loss.

Edit - as the poster above me says, you've not a lot to lose, so it's a slow burn. Very slow.

Stop counting calories. Google "A calorie is not a calorie." If you are eating garbage, you will not lose weight, even if you are restricting calories.

Avoid most "no-fat" and "low fat" foods. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs and sugar make you fat. You and most American have been misinformed by our government.

Burn the USDA's "My Plate." The USDA is the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Nutrition. It represents grain growers, not you.

So don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta, breakfast cereals (pay no attention to the "heart healthy" and "good source of vitamins" labels), and rice.

Don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices and fruit yogurt. Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy. Repeat - Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy.

Have an egg and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or plain Greek yogurt (the 2% tastes better than the 0%) and add berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables (except corn and potatoes). Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. However, exercise is great for your mind, body and sprit.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Try it for two weeks and see what happens. It can't hurt you.

Good luck.

This is bull. Weight loss is calories in/calories out.

Really?

So say you take 100 people who need to lose weight. Divide them into two groups of 50. Both groups eat 2,000 calories a day.

The first group eats donuts and bagels and orange juice for breakfast, and pasta for lunch and dinner, washed down with Coke and complimented with nacho chips.

The second group has an egg and cheese or Greek Yogurt for breakfast, eats grilled chicken for lunch with avocado and lots of veggies for lunch, and fish with salad for dinner. No Coke. Snacks are almonds and cashews.

So you would have to be a complete idiot to think that the bagel/donut group is going to have the same results as the fish/chicken group after a couple of weeks, wouldn't you? It's called common sense.

GOOGLE "A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE!"

I have lost almost 15 pounds in the last 5 weeks or so. In that time I've had pizza. I've had pasta. I've had chips. I've had French fries. I've even had Chinese takeout and "gasp" donuts! I worked them into my calorie allowance by weighing/logging pretty consistently so I knew with relative accuracy how much was left in my "bank" to create a deficit.

The majority of the time I do aim for healthier choices, but the fact that I've allowed myself pretty much everything on your "bad" list, in moderation, does not negate the fact that I've been successful thus far by doing everything you've said NOT to do.

Just sayin'.

If you are disheartened now then you might as well give up. The truth is, if you want to lose weight, you have to fight for it. Calories in and out is the answer.

Either fight for 6 months and keep with the low calories, no sugar diet, or give up. If I ever feel tired or I want to eat something, I ask myself, "DO YOU GIVE UP YET?" My reply is, NOOO. Fight harder than you ever have. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

Honey, you can do this. Be patient and continue to exercise and log your caloric intake. Do make sure you are weighing your food too. It takes burning approximately 3500 calories to lose one 1 lb of fat so work from that. Play around with your options and make the best one work for you.

I KNOW that counting/watching calories work and many people on this site can also attest to that. There are also extremists on this site so be careful and weigh the information you pick up here.

What worked and is working for ME:
>>I am "allowed" NET 1200 calories per day by MFP (also confirmed by my GP). Most days I eat 1400-1500 and with exercise net 1200 or less.
>>I don't eat back all of my exercise calories but I do eat some back. My reason for not doing so is that I tested three apps while exercising (several times) and all three returned different calories burned. I stuck with the one bringing back the lowest burn rate but still don't trust that it is recording properly.
>>However, on any day that I feel extra hungry, I eat even if I have already exceeded my net 1200 calories.
>>I am not too concerned if I go over my caloric limit one or two days because it evens out over a week.
>>I am very concerned if I go over EVERY day.
>>I have not changed my diet significantly because these changes I am making are lifelong and I don't want to do anything drastic that I can't sustain. The major change I made was paying attention to portion sizes and not eating until I am stuffed.
>>I am not a fast food person nor am I tempted by sweets but I have a hair trigger for sauces and cheeses so I try not to be around those things when I am stressed or really hungry.

Good luck. :flowerforyou:

Hi there,

I'm fairly new to all this - I'm 20, and currently at 140lb and wanting to get down to 126lb. For the past two weeks I've been eating around 1400-1500, thought I think quite a few of the days I don't eat back my exercise calories.
(snipped)
There is just so much conflicting information that I feel overwhelmed and don't know what to do. In the past, only eating 1200 has got me to lose weight and I know that's just unsustainable. I would really appreciate some pointers as I'm feeling pretty useless Thanks!

PK;
If you haven't figured it out by now (based on the various posts above) there are two, distinct, "camps" here (actually many more than two but let's focus on the two "main" ones).

Low Cal/Low Fats, and,
High Fats/Low Carbs
(both oversimplifications and numerous *shades* of each exist but focus on the general)

I think it's fair to say that not only is MFP philosophically based on the LCLF approach, but so too are the majority (at least the most vocal majority) of forum posters.

Some would argue that either (or both) camps go far beyond fact and philosophy to dogma and "religion" but in almost every case it's only the "other camp" that they believe to be religious in their convictions - never their own camp.

So the first thing you have to decide is which camp (approach to dieting) do you believe is best for you.
It is possible (in some circumstances) to blend the two, but in general it's an either/or decision - although there's nothing that says one can't try one approach and if not satisfied with the results, switch and try the other.

Generally speaking though, the middle ground won't work because either you follow the programs designed around low cals (or carbs) or around low fats (or higher levels of fats). It's not a *pick one from column A and one from column B, deal.

Each camp will argue that theirs is the "best" (or the only) choice, based on nutritional and physical fitness concerns.
While these are (obviously) important considerations, each side has valid arguments, some of which apply to specific segments of their group (body builders, marathon runners, or those facing heart or T2D "issues"), so, for the sake of this discussion, let's set them aside for the moment.

Focusing strictly on weight loss, take your pick and decide on one "method" or the other.

If Low Cal/Low Fats (which I'm guessing it probably will be in your case due to your level of cardio and strength training expressed), tracking (especially Cals In) really is essential, at least in the beginning, as others have indicated. Believe what you like as far as being "good at guessing" and maybe you are the exception, but for most it's almost a guarantee that you're underestimating cals IN and overestimating cals OUT.

Those that argue that the only way to know for sure is to count (and log) every single morsel, are right (IMO). Numerous studies have confirmed it and regardless of whether you are over or under, the simple fact is that you just don't know.

Keep in mind that EVERYTHING about CalsIN/CalsOUT (CICO) is a guesstimate at best and you can only do what you can do to get as close to accurate as possible but it's still a bunch of guesses, multiplied by another bunch of guesses and by algorithms over which you have no control.

It's for this reason that I'm a believer in NOT getting hung up counting Cals OUT (exercise calories). I recognize that this position is heresy to the "believers" but it's my position and I'm sticking to it - take it or reject it as you see fit.

Focusing on cals in and daily weight logging will not only significantly reduce the record keeping requirements but as long as your average cals out (exercise beyond the norm) remain relatively the same each week, they can be accounted for by selecting the appropriate level of "average daily activity" which will be applied when determining TDEE (from which you will subtract the appropriate number of cals in/day to achieve the average loss/wk rate.

Run the numbers and decide on a starting point for total daily cal intake.
Track every morsel and log weight daily but DO NOT obsess over daily fluctuations (they are perfectly normal).
Give it 2 -3 weeks and observe the trends.

If your starting point number of cals in is close you should have seen the appropriate loss rate beginning to establish itself after a couple weeks (it will be usually be higher initially and then taper off).
If not (you gained, or lost a LOT more than your estimate) - ADJUST the total cals IN number up or down by 250/day or so and give it another 2-3 weeks to stabilize then reevaluate again.

Once you've nailed it down, remember that as you lose the numbers will change (go down), so continue to log and adjust as needed.
Down the road, when you are totally comfortable with logging and what the numbers are telling you, if you really want to "fine tune" it by including the "fitness" numbers (cals OUT), have at it but IMO it's an exercise not worth the effort (the logging, not the treadmill).

The LCLF approach is based on the premise of CICO and as such you accept the maxim that as long as Cals Out exceed Cals In you will lose weight. It's not one that is universally accepted (although it is based on pretty solid science), but it is one that proponents of the approach accept and base their decisions upon.

OR,

If the HFLC (High Fat, Low Carbs) approach is your bag,
much of the above (especially the tracking part) is (again, IMO) similar (but different).

The numbers change, most importantly the % of carbs, fats, and proteins, so at least initially it's important to track to ensure you are hitting those targets.

One of the major advantages of HFLC that proponents proclaim is that counting calories (IN) becomes unnecessary once the diet is established and the body has adjusted.
Assuming that is true, it's still a good idea to establish the initial target and track the actual number of cals IN (and daily body weight) in order to establish the data base upon which you can determine the need for future adjustments.

It is important though that the primary focus is on the percentages (cals, carbs, fats) but without accurately tracking food intake how would one know if they are or are not meeting the goals.

With time, the HFLC advocates argue, your body will determine the appropriate number of calories by controlling its built in satiety mechanisms (and assuming that your %'s are achieved).

Proponents of HFLC don't, necessarily, disagree with the CICO principals but their focus is more on the ratios than the specific cal numbers and that daily cal intake will basically take care of itself as long as the ratios are correct (or adjusted as necessary).

One can agree (or disagree) with the premise but for those that adhere to the principals (and macro goals), no longer having to track every single cal IN (totals), is a benefit, but one far down on the list of those obtained according to adherents to the approach.

Sorry about the wordiness and, as always, take whatever anyone posts on any forum (including me) with the appropriately sized grain of salt.

Question everything, do your own research and decide for yourself what's best for you.
Keeping in mind that nothing need be cast in stone and you can always (at least as long as you keep an open mind and reject the dogma and ideology), switch and try another method.

Best of luck on achieving success.

edited to correct for fat fingers affliction

IGNORE EVERY EXCUSE POSTED BY THE TROLL BELOW:

Stop counting calories. Google "A calorie is not a calorie."

If you are eating garbage, you will not lose weight, even if you are restricting calories.

Avoid most "no-fat" and "low fat" foods. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs and sugar make you fat. You and most American have been misinformed by our government.

Burn the USDA's "My Plate." The USDA is the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Nutrition. It represents grain growers, not you.

So don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta, breakfast cereals (pay no attention to the "heart healthy" and "good source of vitamins" labels), and rice.

Don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices and fruit yogurt. Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy. Repeat - Yoplait yogurt is unhealthy.

Have an egg and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or plain Greek yogurt (the 2% tastes better than the 0%) and add berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables (except corn and potatoes). Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. However, exercise is great for your mind, body and sprit.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Try it for two weeks and see what happens. It can't hurt you.

Good luck.