Losing weight just from counting calories?

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  • Phoenix_Down
    Phoenix_Down Posts: 530 Member
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    prettykitty1515 wrote: »
    dstirratt wrote: »
    It helps if you are truly honest with what you log. Log everything. EVERY. BITE. If I know I have to log it, I may choose not to eat it. I also try to log my whole day before I eat it if I can so I know if I'm within my calories or not. Then I can adjust if needed. Good luck!

    So if you get a slice of pizza, how do you know how many calories it has?

    You find the nutritional information for said slice of pizza from whatever chain and log it....obviously, there is a margin for error when it comes to fast food, pizza, etc but you're logging it. If there is no info on it, pick the highest calorie entry and cross your fingers.

    Honestly, unless you're eating it every single day as a large chunk of your calories, it shouldn't be a hindrance to weight loss.... and if it is, don't eat out and stay at the same calories for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference. Still nothing, use a food scale for solids, measuring cups for liquids. still nothing? Adjust calories depending on weight trend. Still nothing? Seek a doctor.
  • BabyWeight821
    BabyWeight821 Posts: 24 Member
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    I did, I have lost about 17 pounds in 4 months, 13 pounds of which I have lost by calorie counting and the remainder from eating well and exercising. But I must say that personally for me it's easier to work out and eat healthy rather than just eating healthy. If I'm not working out I don't feel very good so I will just eat constantly and make poor choices but if I am in the gym on a regular basis I feel good about myself and feel healthy so I make good food choices. The only reason I held off on going to the gym and are well first was because I had a cesarean so I needed time to recover.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
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    Yes, I waited 8 months before adding in exercise and I lost 25 lbs that way.
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
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    sullus wrote: »
    You cannot lose weight just by counting calories. You need to limit them as well.

    Actually, I think just counting is a great way to start out. Try to understand what you're doing. If you were able to count for 2 weeks without changing anything, you'd be able to get an excellent estimate of your maintenance level. Then you'd know exactly what your net budget was to lose.

    Example: I track calories for 2 "typical" weeks, trying not to change my diet. I see that I'm taking in an average of 2400 calories per day, and also burning an average of 100 per day through deliberate exercise. Net: 2300/day.

    But I also know that I'm not maintaining. I'm gaining, on average, 5 lbs/year. (5 lbs) * (3500 cals/lb) / (365 days/year) = 48 cals/day

    That means my maintenance level is about 2250/day. If I want to lose 1 lb/week, I should subtract 500 cals/day from that. So my target is 1750/day NET (calories taken in - burns from deliberate exercise). I don't have to worry about finding my BMR or my TDEE or whether I'm "Active" or "Lightly Active" because the numbers tell me exactly how much energy my body uses.

    Having data is fantastic :)

    But if you don't want to do all that, or the math is too hard ....

    JUST TRACKING will help you limit calories. It'll help you make better choices. Which one of these is the "better" choice for breakfast for weight loss? 2 slices bacon + 1 scrambled egg OR 6 oz light yogurt + 1 banana OR a bagel with 1 oz light cream cheese?

    If you're like me before I started, you have no idea. But I would probably have picked the yogurt and fruit first, then the bagel, and then the bacon + eggs which sounds like you'd gain 10 lbs just from looking at it.

    But when you're counting, you realize that the bacon/egg and the yogurt breakfast have the same amount of calories (210) and the bagel is the worst choice at 305.

    Counting will also help you realize where you're spending calories that you don't need to. Maybe you have some habits you can cut easily: sugar in your coffee or an extra beer every night or too much rice with dinner. I think it'd be hard to track for the first time and NOT change your habits.

    More information = better choices for your goals = more weight lost.
  • StormiLu
    StormiLu Posts: 211 Member
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    Yes it does I set mind at some what active because 1200 or less calories wasent enough for me. Have kept up measured out a d exercise at thirty mons a day and dont eat all my burnt calories back have lost eight pounds sense I been on here
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
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    And back to the original question: I lose faster when I don't exercise. Exercise makes me hungry (that is, I want to eat more than I burn) so it's very hard to stay within my calorie goal on my workout days, where it's easy when I spend the day sitting around.

    I like getting stronger and I have other fitness goals, but for weight loss, changing my diet was far more effective. I've never successfully lost before using either "work out every day" or "good foods/bad foods" methods. Only calorie counting works for me.
  • beavislong
    beavislong Posts: 46 Member
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    Yes it can be done! My wife lost over 30 pounds last year by better eating habits alone.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    I haven't been exercising much lately due to some medical issues acting up, and I'm still losing at a steady rate. Eating at a caloric deficit is all you need to lose weight; exercise (depending on the type) will help you retain muscle mass during weight loss and improve cardiovascular health.
  • KristinaAnn35
    KristinaAnn35 Posts: 7 Member
    edited January 2015
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    If you lower your intake of calories then exercising is not required in order to lose weight.
  • sharonhsieh
    sharonhsieh Posts: 1
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    kristen6350 wrote: »
    Yep. 6lbs since Dec. 10th. No exercise. I tend to hibernate in the winter so I need to get my food intake spot on...

    Hi, can you please suggest your methods for shedding down the 6 pounds? What did you eat?
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    sharonhsieh wrote: »
    kristen6350 wrote: »
    Yep. 6lbs since Dec. 10th. No exercise. I tend to hibernate in the winter so I need to get my food intake spot on...

    Hi, can you please suggest your methods for shedding down the 6 pounds? What did you eat?

    I have my diary open. You'll notice my intake last week was really low - not normal - we were on vacation in the South and I can't handle southern food. I was limited to what I would eat. But I'd say the 10th to the 31st is a good example of what I eat.

    And it's really not what you eat, it's how much. My calorie requirements might be different than yours since I'm 5'11 and 160.

  • lavendah
    lavendah Posts: 126 Member
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    Lost 38 lbs just by guesstimating calories.No exercise,no logging,no tracking macros and didn't quit eating anything.I'm not trying to brag,ofcourse this isn't the healthiest way but whatever.
    Just saying that ofcourse,you can do it.Calories in vs calories out is indeed TRUE.
  • jessicatourangeau
    jessicatourangeau Posts: 8 Member
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    THIS WORKS!!!! I have done the 800cal diet with starting waight of 240lb I lost 80lb in 5 months!!! And kept it off for three years!! I was a stay at home mom of two kids it wasn't easy not to eat the cookies:) the only exercise I done was the house cleaning and dipper changing!!
    Went back to work and fast food was convenient now 2 years later I was back to 196lb:( I started MFP Nov.22,2014 and have lost 16lb so far! Not bad for 1 1/2 months I have droped 2 pant sizes and feel great I only waigh in every 2 weeks to make sure I'm not discouraged by not losing but a pound or two when the next week it may be a 5-6lb loss... Good luck
  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
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    kristen6350 wrote: »
    Yep. 6lbs since Dec. 10th. No exercise. I tend to hibernate in the winter so I need to get my food intake spot on...

    This is me. I'll be honest. I have a hard time staying motivated to exercise in the winter. I haven't done any exercise over the past month and a half or so aside from playing outside with my daughter when the weather isn't frigidly cold, and I've still continued to lose weight. Eat at a deficit and you will lose.

  • DiChic74
    DiChic74 Posts: 15 Member
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    I am exactly like you! Just starting tracking calories 2 days ago mainly in an effort to see if I can make it on the recommended calorie limit and to help me be more aware of the food choices I am making so I can eat healthier. I have a 5 year old and work full-time so right now finding the time to exercise is challenging. I thought I would start with the calorie tracking to get into the habit of doing so, and then add in exercise when I can. I've started taking the stairs more and hope to do some more active things with my son on weekends once the weather gets warmer.

    I've been pleasantly surprised that I can have a huge salad from the salad bar in my cafeteria at work with some chicken or ham in it for protein and tons of veggies, a lower-cal packet of dressing and it fills me up nicely! Much better than the sandwich with mayo, chips and cookies I used to eat! (love them, just trying to avoid them)

    Good luck and the first step is deciding to get started! So hooray for us!!!! :)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Sure--you can lose weight by just reducing calories. In 90-95% of cases, you'll put it all back on and more within 1-2 years, but you can lose it---again and again and again.......
  • agaraffa
    agaraffa Posts: 27 Member
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    I've lost 81 pounds without doing any exercise at all.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    Losing weight is mostly about eating less calories than you burn.
    Exercise is nice, get your fit, makes you feel good and as bonus you can if you eat some of your calories back.

    I lost my first weight without any exercise simple because i couldn't do anything. Now i train and feel marvelous and satisfied and proud at myself that i do :)
    But the weight loss is because of what i eat.
  • DeeTee68
    DeeTee68 Posts: 198 Member
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    There are many, many scientific studies to back up that a calorie deficit will make you lose fat without exercise. You do not need to follow any latest fad diet just watch and monitor your calorie intake. What you do need to be aware of is that you are not also losing lean mass this where exercise and higher percentage of protein comes in to help combat lean mass loss.

    May I suggest reading The Fat Loss Bible by Anthony Colpo it has truly awoken me to the truth.

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