The BASIC weight loss strategy. No gimmicks.

245

Replies

  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    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: 48,984 Member
    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
    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
    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: 48,984 Member
    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: 48,984 Member
    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: 48,984 Member
    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
    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
    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: 48,984 Member
    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
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    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?

    That's when you either

    1) figure out how to get full on the calories you have available (fiber and protein are two tips)
    2) suck it up
    3) reduce your deficit to an amount where you can steadily lose without starving all the time
  • BeautifulScars
    BeautifulScars Posts: 11 Member
    bump
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    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

    I came to MFP because Consumer Reports rated it as the most outstanding diet plan in terms of user satisfaction and ability to maintain loss over time. And it's free.
  • BeautifulScars
    BeautifulScars Posts: 11 Member
    How do I know what my macros should be set at? I went to Scooby's workshop, and it's giving me a choice regarding my macros. Do I just leave them where they're defaulted? I'm trying to lose the last 30 lbs, and I've started running again so I do mostly cardio.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    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

    I came to MFP because Consumer Reports rated it as the most outstanding diet plan in terms of user satisfaction and ability to maintain loss over time. And it's free.

    The only reason I'm here at all. Tool works well and costs nothing - what could be better?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    How do I know what my macros should be set at? I went to Scooby's workshop, and it's giving me a choice regarding my macros. Do I just leave them where they're defaulted? I'm trying to lose the last 30 lbs, and I've started running again so I do mostly cardio.
    Trial and error. Even with clients, I have to do it with them till we find the ratio that they feel works best with what they are doing.

    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
  • radmack
    radmack Posts: 272 Member
    I used the calculator the other day and the calorie amount ended up being pretty darn close to the MFP calorie recommendation plus eating back about half my exercise calories - which is a recommendation I also see rather frequently. I have a desk job and use a fitbit to track walking and then manually enter other workouts.
  • anacepeda
    anacepeda Posts: 15 Member
    I'm still a newbie and don't know as much as you guys on these matters but something I found very important (I know its stating the obvious to many experienced users here but maybe not so much for newbies) is not to lose motivation when results stop showing up for a while.

    On a steady and committed plan, where I didn't cheat at all, I found myself stalled sometimes and wondering if there was a need to change my plan but I sticked with it only to find out 1-2 weeks later that I lost weight again :)
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
    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?

    I think the whole idea of TDEE minus 20% is to simplify the process and flatline the diet. June 2nd I switched from recording exercise in mfp to a straight 2300 cal per day. I find it much easier than trying to "eat back" my exercise calories and I don't bother looking at calories burned. The key though is that you must do the exercise you've programmed in.

    From Jan 1 to Jun 1 (5 months) I lost 7lbs - from Jun 2 to today(2+ mths) I have lost 7lbs. TDEE minus 20% works much better for me.
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member

    "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).

    [/quote]

    This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."

    The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.

    What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    I'm still a newbie and don't know as much as you guys on these matters but something I found very important (I know its stating the obvious to many experienced users here but maybe not so much for newbies) is not to lose motivation when results stop showing up for a while.

    On a steady and committed plan, where I didn't cheat at all, I found myself stalled sometimes and wondering if there was a need to change my plan but I sticked with it only to find out 1-2 weeks later that I lost weight again :)
    But it would also depend on the plan at hand. Lots of people assume that to lose weight, they go with the 1200 calorie a day plan. For the a lot of people out there, this ISN'T a feasible plan to lose weight without repercussion.
    I don't disagree with your first statement though.

    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: 48,984 Member
    This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."

    The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.

    What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
    Lol, people are going to believe what they want. I would hope that they would consider advice from people who are trained and well versed on the actual subject though. Of course, lots of "gurus" who sell product make claims that they are experts in the field. Personally I stick to good old peer reviewed scientific study for evidence and learning.

    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
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    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?

    I think the whole idea of TDEE minus 20% is to simplify the process and flatline the diet. June 2nd I switched from recording exercise in mfp to a straight 2300 cal per day. I find it much easier than trying to "eat back" my exercise calories and I don't bother looking at calories burned. The key though is that you must do the exercise you've programmed in.

    From Jan 1 to Jun 1 (5 months) I lost 7lbs - from Jun 2 to today(2+ mths) I have lost 7lbs. TDEE minus 20% works much better for me.

    A lot of people kind of cobble the two systems together.

    You do the MFP plan for a bit.
    You figure out the average amount of calories you are burning per week.
    You take some portion of them (like half) and informally add them to your daily MFP calories (I renamed my meals to include calorie targets).
    On days you don't exercise, you go over a bit. On days you do exercise, you eat a little bit under that day's calories. You end up averaging out to meet your calorie target for the week.

    This works especially well for endurance athletes who frequently find their appetites are suppressed on heavy activity days.

    But that's over-complicating the very simple first post. Let's call this "Stage 2" or even "Stage 3"
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member

    "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).

    This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."

    The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.

    What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
    [/quote]


    I felt that way until I hit goal :) Luckily there are tons of options once you get to that point. I DO NOT understand people letting worries about the future limit their healthy choices for today.
  • banuet
    banuet Posts: 1
    Nice statement. Thanks ;)
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
    I have a question and forgive me if it's a stupid one but i have such a hard time understanding all these TDEE and BMR calculations. I just went on line and found a free TDEE calculator... based on what it is telling me i would need to consume 1775 per day... right now I hit around 1200-1350 so basically it's telling me I need to eat more to lose the weight? Of course it's hard to wrap my head around that concept but do understand i need to fuel the fire sorta speak. On a whole I am eating pretty clean and my thought with as big as i am and what little i am eating compared to the 2536 a day it says for maintenance (although i will say I am never hungry) I should be dropping the pounds like no mans business LOL... :bigsmile: I don't expect to lose the 100lbs overnight but I feel like I get such mixed messages on how much I should and shouldn't eat.... too many differences of opinions.
  • haberbabe
    haberbabe Posts: 2 Member
    Help please! I just began using MFP about 2 weeks ago and I can do the calorie thing without too much difficulty: as long as I am exercising enough to offset additional calories. (If i don't do anything and stick to exactly the recommended number I am starving...the little extra I earn from upping my daily walks helps me to stay satiated.) What I can't seem to do is get anywhere near my recommended potassium (iron is also a problem). When I research foods on high potassium and iron I can't seem to find any that don't make my calories skyrocket. Any suggestions?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    I have a question and forgive me if it's a stupid one but i have such a hard time understanding all these TDEE and BMR calculations. I just went on line and found a free TDEE calculator... based on what it is telling me i would need to consume 1775 per day... right now I hit around 1200-1350 so basically it's telling me I need to eat more to lose the weight? Of course it's hard to wrap my head around that concept but do understand i need to fuel the fire sorta speak. On a whole I am eating pretty clean and my thought with as big as i am and what little i am eating compared to the 2536 a day it says for maintenance (although i will say I am never hungry) I should be dropping the pounds like no mans business LOL... :bigsmile: I don't expect to lose the 100lbs overnight but I feel like I get such mixed messages on how much I should and shouldn't eat.... too many differences of opinions.
    Stick to the basics I mentioned in the OP. People try to "beat" the system every time and it usually turns out opposite of what they envisioned.

    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: 48,984 Member
    Help please! I just began using MFP about 2 weeks ago and I can do the calorie thing without too much difficulty: as long as I am exercising enough to offset additional calories. (If i don't do anything and stick to exactly the recommended number I am starving...the little extra I earn from upping my daily walks helps me to stay satiated.) What I can't seem to do is get anywhere near my recommended potassium (iron is also a problem). When I research foods on high potassium and iron I can't seem to find any that don't make my calories skyrocket. Any suggestions?
    If you DON'T want worry about getting them through foods and making adjustments for them, then get them through supplementation. There are decent companies out there that provide supplements (Beverly International and Optimum Nutrition are a couple).

    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
  • dpodrazil
    dpodrazil Posts: 7 Member
    I had a few days like that this week too! It drives me crazy,but sometimes those days just show up....:noway: :smile:
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