Logging accuracy, consistency, and you're probably eating more than you think.
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This is a great point for sure. One way to keep yourself honest is to pick selections that include weight of food item as opposed to "1 medium", "1 cup", etc. and also try to confirm the entry if you have the package. I hate entries that are not specific. It was irritating last night when I scanned in the red potato bag bar code and it came up with 1 medium potato with no weight (but the bag had the weight of 5.3 oz so it could have been entered by whomever originated the item (I wish I could update to include it). It might also be useful to use a scale that will interact directly with myfitnesspal. If you eat at home, you can better understand portion size for what you are eating.
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Despite what everyone wants everyone else to do, a lot of people who use MFP are not going to weigh their food. The fact that they're here in the first place is great, as it means they're actually trying, maybe for the first time in their life, and it would be discouraging to find that they can't input their food because something they ate is only listed in grams. There has to be a balance between what those who are intensely committed want and what those just starting out want.
Yeah, I'm one of those who doesn't weigh things, but I am losing. Maybe not as quickly as others, but it's happening, slow and steady. Perhaps when I finally plateau, then I'll start thinking about weighing my food, but that's highly unlikely. 8 -
Despite what everyone wants everyone else to do, a lot of people who use MFP are not going to weigh their food. The fact that they're here in the first place is great, as it means they're actually trying, maybe for the first time in their life, and it would be discouraging to find that they can't input their food because something they ate is only listed in grams. There has to be a balance between what those who are intensely committed want and what those just starting out want. Yeah, I'm one of those who doesn't weigh things, but I am losing. Maybe not as quickly as others, but it's happening, slow and steady. Perhaps when I finally plateau, then I'll start thinking about weighing my food, but that's highly unlikely.
"When fat loss stalls" is literally in the first sentence of his post
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Despite what everyone wants everyone else to do, a lot of people who use MFP are not going to weigh their food. The fact that they're here in the first place is great, as it means they're actually trying, maybe for the first time in their life, and it would be discouraging to find that they can't input their food because something they ate is only listed in grams. There has to be a balance between what those who are intensely committed want and what those just starting out want. Yeah, I'm one of those who doesn't weigh things, but I am losing. Maybe not as quickly as others, but it's happening, slow and steady. Perhaps when I finally plateau, then I'll start thinking about weighing my food, but that's highly unlikely.
I didn't want to do it either, as it felt like too much work. But I bought a scale two weeks after joining and have seen just how much it helps.4 -
hello
Can anyone please tell me how much is 35 grams of bagrreys white oats or any instant oats in cups? I dont have any weighing machne.... so plz help0 -
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Despite what everyone wants everyone else to do, a lot of people who use MFP are not going to weigh their food. The fact that they're here in the first place is great, as it means they're actually trying, maybe for the first time in their life, and it would be discouraging to find that they can't input their food because something they ate is only listed in grams. There has to be a balance between what those who are intensely committed want and what those just starting out want. Yeah, I'm one of those who doesn't weigh things, but I am losing. Maybe not as quickly as others, but it's happening, slow and steady. Perhaps when I finally plateau, then I'll start thinking about weighing my food, but that's highly unlikely.
"When fat loss stalls" is literally in the first sentence of his post
I know. I read it. I was stating what I personally would do.0 -
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Thanks...very informative..I think a lot of us can benefit from these articles and info1
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Despite what everyone wants everyone else to do, a lot of people who use MFP are not going to weigh their food. The fact that they're here in the first place is great, as it means they're actually trying, maybe for the first time in their life, and it would be discouraging to find that they can't input their food because something they ate is only listed in grams. There has to be a balance between what those who are intensely committed want and what those just starting out want. Yeah, I'm one of those who doesn't weigh things, but I am losing. Maybe not as quickly as others, but it's happening, slow and steady. Perhaps when I finally plateau, then I'll start thinking about weighing my food, but that's highly unlikely.
"When fat loss stalls" is literally in the first sentence of his post
I know. I read it. I was stating what I personally would do.
And his first sentence indicates that the post would probably not apply to or be terribly useful for you. People whose Fat loss has stalled would look for answers and may likely be very interested in weighing their food to get it resolved. You're not yet in that category. You might sing a different tune when you're busting your butt in the gym and in the kitchen everyday and not seeing results on the scale. Then let me know if buying and using a $10 scale for two weeks is too much of a hassle for you
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thank u so muchWheelhouse15 wrote: »
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I agree with the importance of logging what we eat. I am much more successful this time around than I was before. I try to log everything as honestly as possible. If I go over my target for the day I don't beat myself up I just try to make better choices the next day. I am not as obsessed with the scale I as used to be but I still weigh myself every day. I only track my losses unless I go up more than 3 lbs. Then I mark it because it motivates me to be more careful. I can easily fluctuate 3 lbs on any given day due to some medications that I have to take.3
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Sidesteel,
I just noticed this thread. Great advice given. Thank you.0 -
Very helpful and motivational. I've been "on a diet" for about 15 years, and some of those years I was even really diligent about measuring...but not logging EVERYTHING, and certainly not weighing. I weighed my breakfast for the first time ever. Had I just logged what I thought was accurate, I would have been underestimating by about 300 calories. Wow.2
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I usually over estimate how much I've eaten, just in case. But I have never used a food scale, and some days just skipped logging, and I was losing weight at a good rate. My biggest issue is just sticking to it. I lose 20lbs, get too happy and feeling good, and start back with my old habits, all involuntarily. This time, I know it happens, and I can stop sabotaging myself. But point is, is it is not always important to keep exact track of what you're eating, at least for me.2
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JessicaBailey1112 wrote: »I usually over estimate how much I've eaten, just in case. But I have never used a food scale, and some days just skipped logging, and I was losing weight at a good rate. My biggest issue is just sticking to it. I lose 20lbs, get too happy and feeling good, and start back with my old habits, all involuntarily. This time, I know it happens, and I can stop sabotaging myself. But point is, is it is not always important to keep exact track of what you're eating, at least for me.
But How do you know that properly keeping track isn't what could make you stick to it? Although, ultimately, you are right. This is "a" method of being successful. There are many
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I have been weighing especially when at home. MU am frustrated as I am stuck ina plataue for the last 7 months. Even adjusted calorues up and down. I have been doing a lot more excercise especially calisthenics like pullups pushups and squats as well as aerobics. I think I have lost fat and gained muscle yet the scale does not budge which is frustrating since I had lost 40 lb pretty well over the first 6 months. Any advice would be appreciated0
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ssbmacdaddy wrote: »I have been weighing especially when at home. MU am frustrated as I am stuck ina plataue for the last 7 months. Even adjusted calorues up and down. I have been doing a lot more excercise especially calisthenics like pullups pushups and squats as well as aerobics. I think I have lost fat and gained muscle yet the scale does not budge which is frustrating since I had lost 40 lb pretty well over the first 6 months. Any advice would be appreciated
Aside from medical issues and normal body fluctuations (bowels, hormones, water retention from exercise, and high sodium) if you are not losing then you are eating too much food. Are you using a food scale or eating back your exercise calories?
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I enjoyed and found this post to be very usefull---thank you. 0
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Thanks for the post.1
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I do eat back excercise calories. Is that something u should not do? I've asked before on mfp yet people said to eat then back to be in appropriate calorie balance. I do weigh food when at home yet when out I have to eyeball. I try to overestimate as much as possible so I don't under estimate. What can I do to loose the extra pounds?0
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ssbmacdaddy wrote: »I do eat back excercise calories. Is that something u should not do? I've asked before on mfp yet people said to eat then back to be in appropriate calorie balance. I do weigh food when at home yet when out I have to eyeball. I try to overestimate as much as possible so I don't under estimate. What can I do to loose the extra pounds?
The problem with eating back exercise calories is the accuracy of the exercise calculators is not particularly accurate. Most people recommend eating back only 50% of exercise calories to be on the safe side.
ETA my strategy has always been if I seem to be plateauing then raise output and lower input until it moves. It's not always as easy as it seems on paper so you have to keep adjusting as you go.1 -
If people just spent some time reading the stickies and understanding what they were going to do and how it works, then its obvious what role logging plays and the variations in estimations. Unfortunately they rush in without understanding what they are really doing.I'd like to make an important point about this that typically gets missed in the forums when this is brought up. I don't believe that logging inaccuracies are necessarily a function of honesty. They CAN be, but what I mean by this is that you are not necessarily being accused of being dishonest or lacking integrity if it is pointed out to you that you're not actually eating 900 calories and not losing weight.
This is rubbish imo because on virtually every one of the I'm not losing weight threads it is emphasised its about the accuracy of their recording or measuring, which can be due to a variety of reasons. I havent seen people being called liars which is a red herring. I think forum answers are pretty good on this and phrased appropriately by the vast majority of posts ive seen.1 -
Thank you. I will stop eating back excercise calories and see what happens. I actually starting eating excercise calories back originally because I plateaued and people said I did not eat enough and the body stopped loosing. Maybe the body readjusted now and if I reduce calories I will start to see the scale move. I did have to say that the waist has continued to get smaller even though the weight scale did not move. I have been under the assumption that I was gaining muscle. I do 3 x 10 pullups ,pushups , squats, dips ,ab wheel every other day and weight 210 lb. between days do do insanity assylum hybrid of asylum 1 and 2. It's like crossfit for those that don't know it. Burn between 400-1000 calories per workout depending on how hard I push myself. Had to lay off doing more exercise than that as the joints hurt and I'm 40 years old- so eco very time takes a little longer. Been at this sort of excercise for 11 months. Got pretty muscular. Used to bodybuild so there is some muscle memory. I am enjoying the workout yet really want to loose more weight. Original goal was 180 and I have been stuck at 210 for 6 months now. Originally was on 1350 cal. Then plataue then upped calories to 2100 yet stuck at that level. Do you think I can decrease to 180 as I do have a larger frame?0
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ssbmacdaddy wrote: »Thank you. I will stop eating back excercise calories and see what happens. I actually starting eating excercise calories back originally because I plateaued and people said I did not eat enough and the body stopped loosing. Maybe the body readjusted now and if I reduce calories I will start to see the scale move. I did have to say that the waist has continued to get smaller even though the weight scale did not move. I have been under the assumption that I was gaining muscle. I do 3 x 10 pullups ,pushups , squats, dips ,ab wheel every other day and weight 210 lb. between days do do insanity assylum hybrid of asylum 1 and 2. It's like crossfit for those that don't know it. Burn between 400-1000 calories per workout depending on how hard I push myself. Had to lay off doing more exercise than that as the joints hurt and I'm 40 years old- so eco very time takes a little longer. Been at this sort of excercise for 11 months. Got pretty muscular. Used to bodybuild so there is some muscle memory. I am enjoying the workout yet really want to loose more weight. Original goal was 180 and I have been stuck at 210 for 6 months now. Originally was on 1350 cal. Then plataue then upped calories to 2100 yet stuck at that level. Do you think I can decrease to 180 as I do have a larger frame?
Your body doesn't stop losing because you eat "too few" calories and it's best not to get trapped into that magical thinking. As for gaining muscle it's possible, particularly if you are in a slight surplus without realizing it, but if you are standing still it's very unlikely that you are both losing fat and gaining muscle at the same rate but those who recomp can basically do this but it takes a long time. Finally, yes you can certainly get down to 180 even with a large frame but the questions should be how do you want to look. I basically look at a BF% rather than a stark weight number.
I'm a little older than you so I understand the struggles at this age and rest assured that you can do it, but it just isn't going to be as easy as when you were bodybuilding in your prime. Best of luck!
ETA not sure if 1350 is your caloric intake but if it is you should raise it considering you are a big guy and you are burning a lot of calories. This doesn't have to do with not losing weight but rather getting enough calories so that your body isn't overly stressed and start to pump out extra cortisone etc. There is such a thing as adaptive thermogenesis, which doesn't actually stop you from losing weight but will lower your BMR & RMR and makes it harder to lose weight and will have some long term consequences when you start to maintain.0 -
Just getting frustrated and feeling like I'm spinning my wheels and not going anywhere. I will adjust down in calories. If I list myself sedentary 1850 is what mpf gives. I think that being on my feet and being at a standing desk 90 % of the day 4 days a week plus my 60-90 minutes of excercise puts me into light active 2100 calorie zone . On days when I'm not at standing desk maybe I should go with 1850 cal? Also u tend to overdo the exercise sometimes- how much does cortisol from that factor into weight loss. Not to mention cortisol from life stressors? Any advice would be appreciated.0
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thank u so muchWheelhouse15 wrote: »
A serving of regular oatmeal (I don't know what bagrreys is and can't find it in the database) is 40g, or a 1/2 cup, but it's not a level half cup. That puts you closer to 50g. This is why having a digital scale is important. You don't have to get a fancy expensive one.
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ssbmacdaddy wrote: »Just getting frustrated and feeling like I'm spinning my wheels and not going anywhere. I will adjust down in calories. If I list myself sedentary 1850 is what mpf gives. I think that being on my feet and being at a standing desk 90 % of the day 4 days a week plus my 60-90 minutes of excercise puts me into light active 2100 calorie zone . On days when I'm not at standing desk maybe I should go with 1850 cal? Also u tend to overdo the exercise sometimes- how much does cortisol from that factor into weight loss. Not to mention cortisol from life stressors? Any advice would be appreciated.
I mention corticosteroids due to their role in long term stress and their catabolic effects so if you are trying to gain muscle it's counter productive (they also have an affect on metabolism). However, the longer term issues of adaptive thermogenesis are that you will need fewer calories to maintain weight and this seems to be from a variety of interrelated issues. There have been many posts on here about them so you could do a quick search and get a lot more information including links to current research.
The first thing I would do is just stop eating back all your exercise calories and use sedentary as your base calories. Give it a week and see if the scale starts to drift a bit and then reevaluate your exercise and eating habits. I know it's frustrating but if you concentrate on your fitness goals above your weight loss goals for the time being you might find it less frustrating. Whenever my weight stalls or goes up I increase my walking and just use it to clear my mind and enjoy the exercise.0 -
I've found 2 things that really help me log correctly, especially while BUSY!
1) A kitchen scale and a piece of paper. Jot everything's weight down really quick and if there aren't bar codes or if you don't have time to record it, you'll know how much it was later.
2) Make a big recipe of something and freeze it for lunches. It's a lot harder calories if you don't make the food and if you put the recipe in MFP you can pick it really quickly when you eat that food.
I suggest doing this with smoothies, put in tupperware and freeze it. By the time you get to work it'll be a nice soft icy/frozen yogurt or wait a bit and sip throughout the day.1
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