so the conversation went like this:
hollyrayburn
Posts: 905 Member
A friend of mine started her journey to a healthier life shortly after I did.
Her: Why haven't I lost any weight? You've lost a great amount. I've gained!"
Me: Are you eating at a calorie deficit?
Her: huh?
me: *explains CICO, and calulating TDEE*
Her: Oh, too much trouble...
me: No, it's really simple, you can go online and find a calculator to determine all this
*couple days later*
Her: Why do I only have X calories left for dinner? I've barely eaten!
me: you're logging your food right? Are you doing it accurately?
Her: I guess. I mean, when I put "tuna sandwich" into this app, how can I know it's just like mine?
me: You can't be sure. Log each componet separately. The tuna, the mayo, the bread, etc
Her: Weigh it? how the H*** do I do that? Step on the scale with a spoon of mayo?
me: *explains food scales, weighing accurately to make sure you are eating the right amount of calories. mentions meal prep, and whatnot"
Her: oh, that's too much work. I'll just follow a weight watchers diet. You can eat all the fruits and veggies you want because they're free"
me: really, it's no work. I take a few minutes at night deciding what I am going to have the following day, then spend 15 minutes weighing and packing it. In the morning, I grab my lunch bag and go.
Her: that's still a lot of work. I'm just gonna start eating a lot of special K. The TV said you will lose weight or your money back!
me: at this point, I can't even, and I quit. lol
Is it going to be hard? Absolutely. If it going to suck for a while. You guessed it. Are you going to feel angry at the folks on these threads, for saying "if you aint weighing your food, there's no way you can know how many calories you have."? Bet your bottom dollar.
(Majority) of these folks on here? They know what they're talking about, boys and girls. Listen to them.
1. maintain a calorie deficit
2. weigh your food
3. we weigh food because 1 cup does not equal 1 cup (if that makes sense)
4. fad diets don't work. don't think you will lose weight because you are carb-gluten-white-bread-sugar-low fat free and only eat clean. so for the love of all that is holy, don't buy stock in special K. Eat it only if you like it.
Thank you to the members of MFP for helping me find my way. Although still a daily struggle, I'm facing it HAPPILY...now that I know I don't have to eat 1100 calories of only cabbage soup for a week!
Her: Why haven't I lost any weight? You've lost a great amount. I've gained!"
Me: Are you eating at a calorie deficit?
Her: huh?
me: *explains CICO, and calulating TDEE*
Her: Oh, too much trouble...
me: No, it's really simple, you can go online and find a calculator to determine all this
*couple days later*
Her: Why do I only have X calories left for dinner? I've barely eaten!
me: you're logging your food right? Are you doing it accurately?
Her: I guess. I mean, when I put "tuna sandwich" into this app, how can I know it's just like mine?
me: You can't be sure. Log each componet separately. The tuna, the mayo, the bread, etc
Her: Weigh it? how the H*** do I do that? Step on the scale with a spoon of mayo?
me: *explains food scales, weighing accurately to make sure you are eating the right amount of calories. mentions meal prep, and whatnot"
Her: oh, that's too much work. I'll just follow a weight watchers diet. You can eat all the fruits and veggies you want because they're free"
me: really, it's no work. I take a few minutes at night deciding what I am going to have the following day, then spend 15 minutes weighing and packing it. In the morning, I grab my lunch bag and go.
Her: that's still a lot of work. I'm just gonna start eating a lot of special K. The TV said you will lose weight or your money back!
me: at this point, I can't even, and I quit. lol
Is it going to be hard? Absolutely. If it going to suck for a while. You guessed it. Are you going to feel angry at the folks on these threads, for saying "if you aint weighing your food, there's no way you can know how many calories you have."? Bet your bottom dollar.
(Majority) of these folks on here? They know what they're talking about, boys and girls. Listen to them.
1. maintain a calorie deficit
2. weigh your food
3. we weigh food because 1 cup does not equal 1 cup (if that makes sense)
4. fad diets don't work. don't think you will lose weight because you are carb-gluten-white-bread-sugar-low fat free and only eat clean. so for the love of all that is holy, don't buy stock in special K. Eat it only if you like it.
Thank you to the members of MFP for helping me find my way. Although still a daily struggle, I'm facing it HAPPILY...now that I know I don't have to eat 1100 calories of only cabbage soup for a week!
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Replies
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I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.0 -
Your friend sounds like an idiot.
Unfortunately I have similar friends. I feel if I've at least tried once when they come to me asking for help but chose to ignore it, well then it's on them. Noooooooooooooooooooooo effs given.
But don't come back complaining to me when you're still stuck because you won't listen. Then I get grumpy.
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Agreed with above. I was guessing and estimating a lot for the first few months and because I had a lot to lose it was still in a deficit. When my weight loss slowed down quite a bit I invested in a food scale and now it's back to 1 to 1.5 per week.0
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TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
How can you know you're eating less than you burn without some sort of accuracy? Sorry that statement is totally redundant.
Obviously you're doing well at estimating, so you are being at least partially accurate or you wouldn't be losing.
For some people, that means weighing/logging. For other people, it doesn't. But that doesn't void the importance of accuracy to a degree.0 -
There are a few at work who mention this site but I think they only use it for the calorie information, they still continue to 'diet'.0
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TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
We will see when you get closer to your goal.
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I have 2 colleagues who lost weight over the past year (a male and female). The girl is starting to put it back on, but the dude is really doing well. However, this morning we were discussing our weight loss plan and he says "counting calories doesn't work" and they only way to lose weight is "high protein, low carb" and that he never ever has a treat like a cookie or potato chips. I told him I've lost 60+ pounds calorie counting and have also been able to enjoy cookies, cake and chips.
Oh and the girl that lost weight who's putting it back on? Once she got to her goal weight so started to eat and eat and eat. She's says "it's ok because I do cardio" and I'm thinking "ummm no..."
People just don't seem to grasp the CICO concept0 -
TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
I agree on principle that you can achieve a deficit without weighing and logging anything. At the same time, I think loads of folks find it easier to achieve it with logging and weighing, and for quite a few, they're practically not going to achieve it without at least logging. I know quite a few of those IRL.
For me personally, the great thing about keeping an accurate food diary in MFP has been learning what portions look like. It doesn't gave to be that way for everyone, of course.
If I get the frustration in the OP correctly, it's about people who say "I can't lose weight, nothing works for me" but refuse to try food journalling with preferably weighing or at least another means to assure a minimum of accuracy.0 -
OP you can tell your friend. "You ain't ready yet. When I'm beach ready you will still be wasting time not making gains towards the goal."0
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People don't want to do the work. Just want a quick fix.tracyannk28 wrote: »I have 2 colleagues who lost weight over the past year (a male and female). The girl is starting to put it back on, but the dude is really doing well. However, this morning we were discussing our weight loss plan and he says "counting calories doesn't work" and they only way to lose weight is "high protein, low carb" and that he never ever has a treat like a cookie or potato chips. I told him I've lost 60+ pounds calorie counting and have also been able to enjoy cookies, cake and chips.
Oh and the girl that lost weight who's putting it back on? Once she got to her goal weight so started to eat and eat and eat. She's says "it's ok because I do cardio" and I'm thinking "ummm no..."
People just don't seem to grasp the CICO concept
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TheVirgoddess wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
How can you know you're eating less than you burn without some sort of accuracy? Sorry that statement is totally redundant.
Obviously you're doing well at estimating, so you are being at least partially accurate or you wouldn't be losing.
For some people, that means weighing/logging. For other people, it doesn't. But that doesn't void the importance of accuracy to a degree.
Suppose there is a bucket with water in it. Could you not tell from looking at it whether it was about to overflow or not? Would you have to know what size the bucket was or how many gallons of water were in it to know that? Likewise, we don't have to have an accurate measure of how many calories we've burned or how many calories we've eaten to know whether we're eating less than we burn. A fairly good estimate is good enough.
The interesting thing is that people stress over making sure that they weigh their food, but they don't have an accurate measure of the number of calories per ounce and they don't have an accurate measure of how many calories they burn. Accuracy is only as good as the least accurate thing.0 -
At one time, many of us were in the same boat as your friend. When she's ready to stop with finding the easiest route and instead learn the skill of logging/weighing/measuring and practicing it, she will. That doesn't make her an idiot. Seems sometimes people easily forget where they came from when they know it all now.0
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The main thing I've learned from MFP is how much people enjoy lifting themselves up by putting other people down. Is there no way to discuss what you've learned or accomplished without contrasting it to the failure you gleefully anticipate for others?0
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TimothyFish wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
How can you know you're eating less than you burn without some sort of accuracy? Sorry that statement is totally redundant.
Obviously you're doing well at estimating, so you are being at least partially accurate or you wouldn't be losing.
For some people, that means weighing/logging. For other people, it doesn't. But that doesn't void the importance of accuracy to a degree.
Suppose there is a bucket with water in it. Could you not tell from looking at it whether it was about to overflow or not? Would you have to know what size the bucket was or how many gallons of water were in it to know that? Likewise, we don't have to have an accurate measure of how many calories we've burned or how many calories we've eaten to know whether we're eating less than we burn. A fairly good estimate is good enough.
The interesting thing is that people stress over making sure that they weigh their food, but they don't have an accurate measure of the number of calories per ounce and they don't have an accurate measure of how many calories they burn. Accuracy is only as good as the least accurate thing.
Here we go with this nonsense again.
Bold maybe for mediocrity goals. Sorry not interested. I will keep counting calories until I go to maintenance. A bulk phase does come after this fat loss phase.
Also with what you said people are more likely to start decreasing calories and increasing exercise as they keep stalling out because that would be the thing to do right. So with that what would stop that person from netting too low on calories?0 -
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We're all at a different point in the weight loss journey. When she really wants to lose weight she will do what she needs to. (It sounds harsh, I know. But the truth is that not everyone is ready to lose weight.)0
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TimothyFish wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
How can you know you're eating less than you burn without some sort of accuracy? Sorry that statement is totally redundant.
Obviously you're doing well at estimating, so you are being at least partially accurate or you wouldn't be losing.
For some people, that means weighing/logging. For other people, it doesn't. But that doesn't void the importance of accuracy to a degree.
Suppose there is a bucket with water in it. Could you not tell from looking at it whether it was about to overflow or not? Would you have to know what size the bucket was or how many gallons of water were in it to know that? Likewise, we don't have to have an accurate measure of how many calories we've burned or how many calories we've eaten to know whether we're eating less than we burn. A fairly good estimate is good enough.
The interesting thing is that people stress over making sure that they weigh their food, but they don't have an accurate measure of the number of calories per ounce and they don't have an accurate measure of how many calories they burn. Accuracy is only as good as the least accurate thing.
Where do you see people stressing? I enjoy logging and weighing my food. If it stresses you out, or you just don't get it, that's okay.
My goal is to be as accurate as possible, so I can be as successful as possible. Does that mean I'm always right on my logging? No, but it means I did my best. And so far my best has put me at a 72 pound loss. So, I'm okay with that.0 -
Step on a scale with a spoon of mayo? classic.
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I've actually found using the food scale to be fun! I'm a very analytical person so measuring out things and doing calculations doesn't seem like work to me
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yopeeps025 wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
How can you know you're eating less than you burn without some sort of accuracy? Sorry that statement is totally redundant.
Obviously you're doing well at estimating, so you are being at least partially accurate or you wouldn't be losing.
For some people, that means weighing/logging. For other people, it doesn't. But that doesn't void the importance of accuracy to a degree.
Suppose there is a bucket with water in it. Could you not tell from looking at it whether it was about to overflow or not? Would you have to know what size the bucket was or how many gallons of water were in it to know that? Likewise, we don't have to have an accurate measure of how many calories we've burned or how many calories we've eaten to know whether we're eating less than we burn. A fairly good estimate is good enough.
The interesting thing is that people stress over making sure that they weigh their food, but they don't have an accurate measure of the number of calories per ounce and they don't have an accurate measure of how many calories they burn. Accuracy is only as good as the least accurate thing.
Here we go with this nonsense again.
Bold maybe for mediocrity goals. Sorry not interested. I will keep counting calories until I go to maintenance. A bulk phase does come after this fat loss phase.
Also with what you said people are more likely to start decreasing calories and increasing exercise as they keep stalling out because that would be the thing to do right. So with that what would stop that person from netting too low on calories?
I hit my goal weight with fairly good estimates. Is hitting your goal weight a mediocrity goal? What would be a superamazingawesomesauce goal? Being twenty pounds underweight? Forty? Being able to count my ribs from 50 paces?
Sometimes good enough is in fact good enough. If you can get to your goal weight without weighing and measuring, you're no less at your goal weight than someone who got to theirs the hard way.0 -
Your friend sounds like an idiot.
Yeah - I used to be that idiot. I was that idiot for several years. Thing is.....I'm not dumb. I'm actually very smart...raised two great kids....have a great paying job.....a Master's degree, etc...etc..etc. I used to beat myself up.....thinking I'm a smart person, why can't I do this?
Now I know..... I didn't want it bad enough.0 -
TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
Maybe not but... I love food. I want to eat as much as I can. Logging properly helps with that. Sure, I could overestimate everything and have a lower goal to make sure I still lose weight (or maintain), but why would I do that if I can eat more, be happy, and still lose/maintain?
Sure, there's no way to measure my calorie burns accurately, but it's easy to adjust from one month to the other when your activity is pretty much the same. I would never have been able to figure out how much I can eat to maintain if I didn't log properly... it would be a total guessing game. After 7 months of maintenance, I know how much to eat to lose or to maintain, because I have the data for it.0 -
Eh that's not the worst I've heard. Dude I know thought he could lose weight by cutting back in coffee....0
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I've been doing pretty well so far, only a month in, but the early stages are the easiest...generally speaking.
Anyway, I got myself a food scale last night *YAY!!!!!* and for dinner, measured out exactly one serving of my meal. I was shocked ...*shocked* I tell ya at the difference between what Ive been estimating as one serving of rice, and what an actual serving is. SHOCKED! lmfao
I figured I woudl just add and log more if I was still hungry, but interestingly enough, I was just fine and totally satisfied with what I ate! And also, got some sort of strange thrill out of knowing what I logged, is actually what I ate. Looking forward to my continued progress with this now that I have a scale
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Yep. Been there. My BF thinks it's hilarious that I weigh fruit. And cereal. But it works. In 87 days I'm done more than 13lbs (and it was the last 15). Being accurate is the only way I'm going to be 150 by May 1st.0
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I don't weigh my food but I measure and log it in. If I have a jumbo egg then it's a jumbo egg I just shoot to stay under 1300 a day and comit to logging anything I eat. I have been losing weight, but I don't even have an accurate scale so I don't believe I've lost 10 lbs like it allegedly says. I know I have lost something and that makes me happy 0
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Larissa_NY wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
How can you know you're eating less than you burn without some sort of accuracy? Sorry that statement is totally redundant.
Obviously you're doing well at estimating, so you are being at least partially accurate or you wouldn't be losing.
For some people, that means weighing/logging. For other people, it doesn't. But that doesn't void the importance of accuracy to a degree.
Suppose there is a bucket with water in it. Could you not tell from looking at it whether it was about to overflow or not? Would you have to know what size the bucket was or how many gallons of water were in it to know that? Likewise, we don't have to have an accurate measure of how many calories we've burned or how many calories we've eaten to know whether we're eating less than we burn. A fairly good estimate is good enough.
The interesting thing is that people stress over making sure that they weigh their food, but they don't have an accurate measure of the number of calories per ounce and they don't have an accurate measure of how many calories they burn. Accuracy is only as good as the least accurate thing.
Here we go with this nonsense again.
Bold maybe for mediocrity goals. Sorry not interested. I will keep counting calories until I go to maintenance. A bulk phase does come after this fat loss phase.
Also with what you said people are more likely to start decreasing calories and increasing exercise as they keep stalling out because that would be the thing to do right. So with that what would stop that person from netting too low on calories?
I hit my goal weight with fairly good estimates. Is hitting your goal weight a mediocrity goal? What would be a superamazingawesomesauce goal? Being twenty pounds underweight? Forty? Being able to count my ribs from 50 paces?
Sometimes good enough is in fact good enough. If you can get to your goal weight without weighing and measuring, you're no less at your goal weight than someone who got to theirs the hard way.
MY goals are not only weight. Matter of fact my goals are more of body fat% and muscle mass more than weight. Since I have breast tissue I want to rule out fat being the issue. I'm prepare for single digit body fat% to see if it is hormonal imbalance. Would you call single digit body fat% an average goal? Would you call visible abs an average goal. Would you call having your three big lift being well over BW? My goals are almost twice my body weight on the three lifts. I'm actually almost 2 times body weight on deadlift. These are not average goals so I cannot do the average just eat less move more comment. Unless I want to spend years and years getting these goal.
I have a range of what I want to weigh but the above goals matter to me more than what some scale says.0 -
TimothyFish wrote: »I don't weigh my food. I don't log everything. I'm still losing weight.
Accuracy is not required for weight loss, you just need to eat less than you burn.
Some people are good at estimating, most are not.
I was able to maintain significant losses for about 5 months without a food scale, but then I stalled. My weight didn't budge until about three months later when I started to use a food scale.
There will come a time for most people that the extra effort of accurately monitoring intake will need to be made. If you're not one of them, count yourself fortunate.
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This discussion has been closed.
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