The BASIC weight loss strategy. No gimmicks.

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    Please no eye rolls or sighs :/ haha...

    But, let's say my TDEE minus 20% is 1870ish...Do I eat this amount no matter what? Example, if I don't work out one day or if I burn 900-1100 calories?

    Thanks!!
    If you want to rely on consistency, stick with eating 20% less than your TDEE on a DAILY basis. So yes on the days you do less activity, you'll eat less. And one days you burn much more than usual, you'll eat more.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Unfortunately, there is a billion dollar diet industry with much more marketing power than you. As long as there is the internet, and people who like to pray on other's checkbooks and people gullible enough to fall for gimmicks, it will never be as simple as the OP. We can all hope though.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    Question - what if you've already met your calories for the day and you still feel hungry?? Drinking tons of water and still hungry? Then what?

    Yep. OR, grab a healthy snack that won't put you too far over for the day and the next day try to make choices that won't leave you hungry. :) (look at my diary for Tuesday. I was hungry ALL day, because of the poor choices that I made.)
  • ARNJMN
    ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
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    One more question!
    (I lost a substantial amount of weight about 1 1/2 years ago, and put, literally, a chunk back on this winter while healing a broken foot. Not a huge amount but enough to effect my fitness level. And, to lose it this time, I want to be as strong and smart about it as possible)...

    I have heard that the smaller the amount of weight you need to lose the lower percentage you should subtract from your TDEE...is this true? I am not claiming an opinion on this right now, just purely asking.

    I really appreciate ya'll letting me pick your brain :)
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    Question - what if you've already met your calories for the day and you still feel hungry?? Drinking tons of water and still hungry? Then what?

    I think that's where what you eat makes a difference. I know on these boards people are big proponents of not eliminating foods, but I've found that when I stick to whole, unprocessed foods (like meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, potatoes), with full fat (olives and avocados, chicken skin, etc.), I have a MUCH easier time sticking within (and often under) my 1200 calories/day without feeling hungry. I think that for weight loss, it's helpful to eliminate treats and include them on maintenance days (or one day/week of slightly higher calories) instead. 1200 calories of frozen meals, granola bars, bread, etc. leaves me ready to stab and eat anyone who comes too close to me! lol The difficult thing is that it's much easier to eat processed/ready made foods. Good luck!
  • Nachise
    Nachise Posts: 395 Member
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    Would someone please explain how to calculate TDEE please?
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
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    Would someone please explain how to calculate TDEE please?

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    www.iifym.com
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Great post. A question, though. If we can choose our macro ratios, are they really all that important?

    Ensure that one is consuming their daily essentials (macro/micro nutrient values) regardless of what macro ratio they decide to do.

    I'm a firm believer (as you know) in eating a nutritious diet, but do wonder about including macros in a "basic" strategy.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Question - what if you've already met your calories for the day and you still feel hungry?? Drinking tons of water and still hungry? Then what?
    Deal with it, no one said it was supposed to be easy
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    Unfortunately, there is a billion dollar diet industry with much more marketing power than you. As long as there is the internet, and people who like to pray on other's checkbooks and people gullible enough to fall for gimmicks, it will never be as simple as the OP. We can all hope though.
    Yep. My thought also is that this puts the responsibility in the hands of the person trying to achieve weight loss on the simple method. And some don't handle that responsibility well.
    Sometimes when it's FREE, people don't think it's really going to work. But as you stated, we can hope to reach the few that read it.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Protein is important, and there are essential fatty acids. Those things are the most basic of all. With those two taken care of you have flexibility in the rest of your food.
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
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    Please no eye rolls or sighs :/ haha...

    But, let's say my TDEE minus 20% is 1870ish...Do I eat this amount no matter what? Example, if I don't work out one day or if I burn 900-1100 calories?

    Thanks!!
    If you want to rely on consistency, stick with eating 20% less than your TDEE on a DAILY basis. So yes on the days you do less activity, you'll eat less. And one days you burn much more than usual, you'll eat more.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    OK so this is a perfect example of why weight loss isn't "simple." Conflicting advice. You ask one person and they say, "Go to IIFYM and get your TDEE. Eat that every day." You ask another person and they say the exact opposite like you just did. Eat less when you don't work out and eat more when you do based on your daily needs. If it was really so "simple" wouldn't the advice at least be consistent?

    Most TDEE calculators I've seen use a modifier that's measured in weekly activity (e.g. you workout X numbers of days in the week). If someone sticks with that pattern, then I would assume no change is necessary. If someone breaks consistency by skipping 2 workouts in the week, for example, then sure. The energy needs of the week will be altered compared to other weeks. Though, to be honest, unless the change in energy expenditure is both extreme and longer-term, the impact on weight loss over time shouldn't be that significant.

    I don't see how this is any less simple. Set up the baseline and stick to it. Adjust as necessary if the constraints that established the original needs change.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    Please no eye rolls or sighs :/ haha...

    But, let's say my TDEE minus 20% is 1870ish...Do I eat this amount no matter what? Example, if I don't work out one day or if I burn 900-1100 calories?

    Thanks!!
    If you want to rely on consistency, stick with eating 20% less than your TDEE on a DAILY basis. So yes on the days you do less activity, you'll eat less. And one days you burn much more than usual, you'll eat more.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    OK so this is a perfect example of why weight loss isn't "simple." Conflicting advice. You ask one person and they say, "Go to IIFYM and get your TDEE. Eat that every day." You ask another person and they say the exact opposite like you just did. Eat less when you don't work out and eat more when you do based on your daily needs. If it was really so "simple" wouldn't the advice at least be consistent?
    My advice is consistent. Doubt that many will disagree with what I've stated above since mathematically, it's correct. Whomever others listen to is their option.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
    Options
    One more question!
    (I lost a substantial amount of weight about 1 1/2 years ago, and put, literally, a chunk back on this winter while healing a broken foot. Not a huge amount but enough to effect my fitness level. And, to lose it this time, I want to be as strong and smart about it as possible)...

    I have heard that the smaller the amount of weight you need to lose the lower percentage you should subtract from your TDEE...is this true? I am not claiming an opinion on this right now, just purely asking.

    I really appreciate ya'll letting me pick your brain :)
    Because the body is very good at adaptivity to stimulus around it and from experience I've had with those that had little to lose (10-15lbs), a lower percentage seemed to make it easier to reach their goal overall vs one that was higher. When the body gets close to what it senses is near optimal body fat percentage for itself, it becomes pretty efficient at using energy.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
    Options
    Question - what if you've already met your calories for the day and you still feel hungry?? Drinking tons of water and still hungry? Then what?
    Then you MAKE THE CHOICE to stick with staying with calorie restriction or go over.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ARNJMN
    ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    One more question!
    (I lost a substantial amount of weight about 1 1/2 years ago, and put, literally, a chunk back on this winter while healing a broken foot. Not a huge amount but enough to effect my fitness level. And, to lose it this time, I want to be as strong and smart about it as possible)...

    I have heard that the smaller the amount of weight you need to lose the lower percentage you should subtract from your TDEE...is this true? I am not claiming an opinion on this right now, just purely asking.

    I really appreciate ya'll letting me pick your brain :)
    Because the body is very good at adaptivity to stimulus around it and from experience I've had with those that had little to lose (10-15lbs), a lower percentage seemed to make it easier to reach their goal overall vs one that was higher. When the body gets close to what it senses is near optimal body fat percentage for itself, it becomes pretty efficient at using energy.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    Thanks so much, I appreciate it!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Options
    Unfortunately, there is a billion dollar diet industry with much more marketing power than you. As long as there is the internet, and people who like to pray on other's checkbooks and people gullible enough to fall for gimmicks, it will never be as simple as the OP. We can all hope though.
    Yep. My thought also is that this puts the responsibility in the hands of the person trying to achieve weight loss on the simple method. And some don't handle that responsibility well.
    Sometimes when it's FREE, people don't think it's really going to work. But as you stated, we can hope to reach the few that read it.

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    Well put.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
    Options
    Unfortunately, there is a billion dollar diet industry with much more marketing power than you. As long as there is the internet, and people who like to pray on other's checkbooks and people gullible enough to fall for gimmicks, it will never be as simple as the OP. We can all hope though.

    Yep. And every day here we have to fight against that.

    "What do you know?! Dr. Oz said buy ____ and he's a doctor with a tv show!"

    "That may be true, but my friend lost ___ by doing ____."

    "That only works for you. Everyone has a completely different body."

    First you convince them that diet and exercise doesn't work, then you sell them something (which in the fine print always states to be sure to diet and exercise while you take it)
    It's easy to blame a commercialized program/product if it didn't work for someone. It's much much harder for many to admit that if results aren't happening, it's because of them. Some people just can't objectively look at themselves and accept that if progress isn't happening, that they are the actual cause (again this is with the exception of any health/hormonal issues).

    A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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