Just stick to calorie deficit?!

Are you meeting your macros (carbs, fat, protein)?

I do either the 80/20 or 90/10 which means 80/90 nutrients dense foods and 10/20 snacks and booze.

Hi guys,

I wanted to ask if those of you that have been losing weight regularly are just sticking to a calorie deficit without worrying WHAT exactly you are eating? Or are you doing anything in particular that is helping (e.g cutting back in the refined carbs or fats etc etc)
I'm having trouble losing even though I'm sticking to a calorie deficit. The change in diet has upset my digestive system also somewhat and I don't feel like I'm filling up on the right things. A little point in the right direction would be amazing.

Many thanks

Leila

Creating an energy deficit is of primary importance to weight loss.

But that being said, yes it does matter what you eat. Food selection will have a profound effect on satiety, it will effect how you feel, and it will effect your ability to perform, it will effect the nutrient composition of your diet, and all of these things can collectively effect weight loss.

I wanted to ask if those of you that have been losing weight regularly are just sticking to a calorie deficit without worrying WHAT exactly you are eating?

For the most part I haven't worried about anything but the deficit. I have been trying to eat more protein since I started, but this week I decided to get a little more serious about hitting all of my macros. How long have you been logging?

Hi guys,

I wanted to ask if those of you that have been losing weight regularly are just sticking to a calorie deficit without worrying WHAT exactly you are eating? Or are you doing anything in particular that is helping (e.g cutting back in the refined carbs or fats etc etc)
I'm having trouble losing even though I'm sticking to a calorie deficit. The change in diet has upset my digestive system also somewhat and I don't feel like I'm filling up on the right things. A little point in the right direction would be amazing.

Many thanks

Leila

Creating an energy deficit is of primary importance to weight loss.

But that being said, yes it does matter what you eat. Food selection will have a profound effect on satiety, it will effect how you feel, and it will effect your ability to perform, it will effect the nutrient composition of your diet, and all of these things can collectively effect weight loss.

^^^^This^^^^^^

Yes, you can eat what ever as long as you are at a deficit, but we are all adults as another poster said and we know what a healthy diet should be. Reiterating what Sidesteel said, foods high in protein, whole grains and healthy fat will keep you satiated longer than processed foods.

Also, if you are not losing, and do not have a medical condition that hinders weight loss, it isn't because of the foods it is your caloric intake. You must not be logging accurately.

I agree with the others that are saying then you just are not at a deficit. Check if you are logging/weighint and measuring everything. If you are still not losing, you should cut back 100 calories/day and see how that goes. I dont know where your starting point is since your diary is closed.

pasta just eats up too many of my daily calories. I feel much better when I load up on the protein, though some days are just "carb" days because that is what I want. Would you open up our diary??

I agree with the other postings. For me, simply sticking to a calorie deficit didn't work. I was hungry and not seeing great results. Again, for me, I looked at what I was eating and had to make changes. healthy foods and food in it's natural state (i.e nothing processed, steam the vegetables, grill the chicken breast with no skin, etc.) worked and I was able to eat more food, because the calories are lower. Then i watched the carb, protein, fat and sugar intake carefully and the time of day i ate different things. decreased carbs, increased protein, no carbs after a certain time of day and watch the sugar. I'm amazed at how much sugar is in most foods we eat, even healthy stuff.
If you're hungry at night, eat a hard boiled egg or a healthy protein like cottage cheese (low fat) or a piece of white meat chicken. The egg is slower to digest and keeps you from feeling hungry. it also keeps your metabolism going through the night.
If something is not working, change it. I've lost 25 pounds so far and I'm going to keep going.

In terms of straight weight loss, no, eating brown rice isn't going to make you lose weight more than eating white rice would. If you're eating at a deficit, you will lose (barring any kind of medical issue obviously). However, as others have said, eating 1200 calories of Twinkies isn't going to make you feel great and you'll be hungry because your body won't be satisfied, etc. So people tend to choose healthier options, which makes sticking to the calories easier.

I've gone all over the place, eating 100% "clean," trying Paleo, etc., but finally have come to the conclusion that when I restrict my food lists, I just don't do as well. Plus, when I was thin, I pretty much just focused on calories, not worrying about if the fat-free sour cream had whatever in it. I've allowed "processed" foods back into my life and I'm finding it much easier to stay on track. But that's just me. I don't eat a lot of bread and pasta because I don't get as much satisfaction eating a small amount of pasta (I'm Italian, that could have something to do with it!). But I eat a mini bagel every morning with a Laughing Cow cheese slice and some grapes. It's like the yummiest breakfast for me and low in calories. I'm sure there are people out there who will want to destroy my comments and that's fine. To each his/her own. But bottom line is that if you stay under your calories, you should be losing.

You don't have to go all-out and cut out everything. First focus on getting your calories under your target, and then you can try to tweak your choices. Trying to do it all at once can be very daunting.

Good luck!

I agree with the other postings. For me, simply sticking to a calorie deficit didn't work. I was hungry and not seeing great results. Again, for me, I looked at what I was eating and had to make changes. healthy foods and food in it's natural state (i.e nothing processed, steam the vegetables, grill the chicken breast with no skin, etc.) worked and I was able to eat more food, because the calories are lower. Then i watched the carb, protein, fat and sugar intake carefully and the time of day i ate different things. decreased carbs, increased protein, no carbs after a certain time of day and watch the sugar. I'm amazed at how much sugar is in most foods we eat, even healthy stuff.
If you're hungry at night, eat a hard boiled egg or a healthy protein like cottage cheese (low fat) or a piece of white meat chicken. The egg is slower to digest and keeps you from feeling hungry. it also keeps your metabolism going through the night.
If something is not working, change it. I've lost 25 pounds so far and I'm going to keep going.

then basically you DID begin eating at a deficit...maybe without realizing it. Keep it going!

If you're bloated (or gassy) after upping your veggie intake, you may want to cook the veggies differently. Different veg can make you super gassy.

Can you look to your sodium levels to see if that's why you're bloated? If you're high in sodium, upping your water can help reduce the bloat.

Sometimes, when I'm bloated, a strong cup of coffee can cure what ails me (it does move things along, if you get my gist).