Losing Weight is NOT that simple..imo..
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My advice - use MFP to the best of your ability. After a month or two look at the results. If you have been on what you think is a 1000 a day deficit and you have been losing at a rate of 750 a day (1.5 lb per week) then you know your best guess is out by 250 so just compensate. Just keep doing this monitoring/feedback and you will make sure you are always in the deficit you want to be.0
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After losing 40 pounds you have enough data that it really shouldn't be guesswork anymore. Accurately tracking your data points should all but eliminate the guesswork.0
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I'm finding it very simple. Input your stats into MFP and it gives you an ESTIMATE on how much you should eat to lose weight. Try for a few weeks. If you don't lose, adjust down. That's not complicated. It doesn't really matter if MFP's estimate was too high, or the food label was too low. You don't need to have your metabolism tested or send all your food to a lab in order to lose weight.0
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Complicated was what I was doing before: No grain-based carbs whatsoever. No dairy except for nonfat milk in my morning coffee because I could not give that up. No sweets of any sort except one square of dark chocolate for dessert. Green coffee bean extract 1 hour before breakfast and dinner. A Tbsp of apple cider vinegar mixed in 1/4 cup of low-sugar fruit juice drunk with each meal (chugged, followed by a mouth rinse to get the vinegar off my teeth followed by a quick bite of whatever I was eating because it tasted so nasty).
MFP is way easier. Now that I've upped my protein macro and slightly lowered my carb macro (30-30-40 protein-fats-carbs) I am almost never hungry, even on 1200 calories. And I can eat bread, which makes me incredibly happy.0 -
I dont eat 900 calories every day...some days I eat 2000, some days I eat 900. Please don't start this debate, lol, I've been through it enough.0
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danieltsmoke wrote: »I dont eat 900 calories every day...some days I eat 2000, some days I eat 900. Please don't start this debate, lol, I've been through it enough.
Only option for that is closing your diary
And your average is very very low for a young male.
When you post in a public form people check you out
And some recognize you from earlier threads. Nothing can be done about it
But also inconsistency in logging can make things harder. So they all try to explain and help you.
Don't always see things as critic or negatives
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danieltsmoke wrote: »I dont eat 900 calories every day...some days I eat 2000, some days I eat 900. Please don't start this debate, lol, I've been through it enough.
When was your last 2000 calorie day? The highest I found in the last month was 1715 and you still ran a deficit of 900+ calories (on top of whatever deficit you have built into MFP's calorie setting).0 -
First, you're not going to find your calorie burn in an online calculator. You'll find a starting point, but you'll have to refine it according to you and your exercise.danieltsmoke wrote: »I've lost 40lbs about, so what I'm doing is working for me, I'm not complaining. But I get frustrated when I see a forums response like "Just eat less calories than you're burning...are you sure you're weighing accurately?" This seems patronizing, and also is flawed in a couple ways.
First, it's really difficult to just know how many calories you're burning..I don't have a butt stamp indicating that number, or even an owners manual, so the best I've got is taking blood tests and running fitness experiments (which simply isn't practical for an average person), OR using an online calculator/guestimator, which let's be honest, has a HUGE margin of error. Some sites I have a 2500 TDE, some say 3500..
Secondly, its really difficult to just know how many calories you're eating..Have you googled "food label accuracy"? That stuff can often be 20%-40% wrong..not even to mention that some things just cant be calculated accurately..ie. one steak from a package could be hugely more caloric-ly dense simply due to a higher fat content.
My point is, even if you follow all the right steps, you could easily have an over estimated TDE (by no fault of your own), and eat far underestimated calories (by no fault of your own), and simply not lose weight. Thus "just eat less than you burn" is fairly useless.
If I had any advice to offer to people struggling, I'd say it's all about trial and error, which can be frustratingly slow. You gotta try something, whether its working out more, or trying to stay under a certain amount-ish of calories, and see how that goes for a few weeks. If that doesn't work, change it up, and try again. Patience has been my biggest struggle but probably my greatest ally during the last few months, and I know that once you find your groove you're gonna kick your fitness goals right in the somewhat large *kitten*. Rant over..
Second, even if the labels can be that far off, they almost never are. And stuff like steaks will even out over time.
Yes, it takes patience sometimes.
Really, I think the flaw is your premise that it takes some preternatural amount of accuracy to lose weight. Maybe if you're competing at an elite level, it does. You aren't. It doesn't.0 -
I spoke to a dietician and emailed another..both are fine with what I'm doing, especially considering my need to lose weight currently..but if I do need any further advise regarding my diet I will follow up with them again. And I'll also be closing my diary to spare others the concern.0
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i had a need to lose weight But sure enough not lower than the 1200 recommended for women
Your body need nutrition's and you wont get enough..when your doctors are saying this...well i would certainly not stay with them.
Your own gravings and that you find it difficult says enough
It dont have to be difficult and hard...not always easy..but sure enough not that hard.0 -
Actually, weight loss all comes down to a caloric deficit. It's quite simple really.0
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One chocolate covered strawberry for breakfast? What doctor or dietitian would recommend that? Calories are way too low for you op. That is why it's so hard for you.0
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I never get why everyone ignores the fact that they can be off in both directions. People assume every inaccuracy is an underestimate. So unless there is some compelling reason to believe that a significant majority of food labels are all too low, you can expect the variations to even out in the long term.DeguelloTex wrote: »Second, even if the labels can be that far off, they almost never are. And stuff like steaks will even out over time.
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LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »
I never get why everyone ignores the fact that they can be off in both directions. People assume every inaccuracy is an underestimate. So unless there is some compelling reason to believe that a significant majority of food labels are all too low, you can expect the variations to even out in the long term.DeguelloTex wrote: »Second, even if the labels can be that far off, they almost never are. And stuff like steaks will even out over time.
well not in my case
A pre-cut cake has a total amount of calories.... sure enough i get a piece that was 43 calories more than the label said...which means another piece is 43 less...but my hubby had the other piece...so it dont level out for me lol
But yes it can go both ways.
But when you have a big deficit like OP has ( and he even makes it bigger by under eating) you dont notice these inaccuracy's that much.
he should eat around the 2000 ( this is calculated by MFP so he has there a deficit of 1000 at least)
He eats 900 to at the the most..sometimes 1700 so he doubles that deficit. Then comes here and says it is hard to do this...i am not surprised at all.
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I find measuring food to be very challenging, even assuming all nutritional information is correct. Tonight I made Szechuan, that is 4 ingredients in one pan and rice made in the rice cooker.
Calories for rice are given based on dry rice. Ok weigh rice before it is cooked and after it is cooked to come up with a ratio.
Calories for meat are given uncooked. OK weigh each ingredient as it goes in to figure out a ratio, but that isn't quite right either because water is going to be lost when you cook. So compare uncooked weight to cooked, so you know how much water is gone.
OK now you know the ratios in the pot. Scoop out a serving, weigh it, and figure out your calories. Easy!0 -
I find measuring food to be very challenging, even assuming all nutritional information is correct. Tonight I made Szechuan, that is 4 ingredients in one pan and rice made in the rice cooker.
Calories for rice are given based on dry rice. Ok weigh rice before it is cooked and after it is cooked to come up with a ratio.
Calories for meat are given uncooked. OK weigh each ingredient as it goes in to figure out a ratio, but that isn't quite right either because water is going to be lost when you cook. So compare uncooked weight to cooked, so you know how much water is gone.
OK now you know the ratios in the pot. Scoop out a serving, weigh it, and figure out your calories. Easy!
nahhhh for me lol
I just weigh everything and use the recipe builder here in MFP
When the pot is done...weigh the total...divide the portions and take 1 or more servings
done!
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TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »I find measuring food to be very challenging, even assuming all nutritional information is correct. Tonight I made Szechuan, that is 4 ingredients in one pan and rice made in the rice cooker.
Calories for rice are given based on dry rice. Ok weigh rice before it is cooked and after it is cooked to come up with a ratio.
Calories for meat are given uncooked. OK weigh each ingredient as it goes in to figure out a ratio, but that isn't quite right either because water is going to be lost when you cook. So compare uncooked weight to cooked, so you know how much water is gone.
OK now you know the ratios in the pot. Scoop out a serving, weigh it, and figure out your calories. Easy!
nahhhh for me lol
I just weigh everything and use the recipe builder here in MFP
When the pot is done...weigh the total...divide the portions and take 1 or more servings
done!
Yup. You really don't need to know the total weights of the cooked ingredients. Enter them raw into the recipe builder, then enter the number of servings after you know the weight of the finished product.0 -
You'll never be 100% accurate in logging your calories, but the point is to get as close as possible. Even considering the margin of error, you can know for certain you are in a deficit and losing. The trial and error just comes in figuring out how much and what works best for you, and you're right that it all takes patience. No one became overweight overnight, no one will lose weight overnight either.0
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Right..we all know that..that's the The trial and error just comes in figuring out how much and what works best for you, and you're right that it all takes patience. No one became overweight overnight, no one will lose weight overnight either.[/quote]
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Holy *kitten* OP you only eat 900 calories? Wtf for?? My entire focus during the process was to eat as many calories as I can while still losing.
CICO is where it's at for me! People need to analyze their own data, monitor how they're feeling and how they're losing and adjust your calorie intake as necessary.
From someone who lost 120lbs eating 1900 calories a day - 5'9 female.0 -
Calories for meat are given uncooked. OK weigh each ingredient as it goes in to figure out a ratio, but that isn't quite right either because water is going to be lost when you cook. So compare uncooked weight to cooked, so you know how much water is gone.
There is no need to find out how much it weighs after it's cooked. Just enter the raw weight.0 -
A collection of small errors unless systematically inaccurate in the same direction tends to minimize not maximize the overall error.
If you weigh your food and pick USDA/original/your own entries, you will come remarkably close.
Trackers such as Fitbit also seem to come remarkably close and certainly not overestimate buy a lot.
Adjusting to your results every few weeks is necessary not because the average tables are incorrect and overestimate but because your body also adapts0 -
OP why are you eating only 900 calories??
That's is never a good ideal for a man, you should at least be eating 1600.
Yep. He's been doing that since he started. And he's had all the advice. But seems majoring in the minors is the way to go for some
The advice is always to log as accurately as you can using scales and taking care with the MFP database
Accept the 20% variables in calorie estimates
Cut MFP and machine calorie burns in half before entering them
Judge your weight loss over periods of 6-8 weeks against target and adjust calories accordingly
And if you follow a VLCD, do so under direct medical supervision with blood tests and health checks a regular feature of this short term kick start approach0 -
danieltsmoke wrote: »Right..we all know that..that's the The trial and error just comes in figuring out how much and what works best for you, and you're right that it all takes patience. No one became overweight overnight, no one will lose weight overnight either.
^^[/quote]
Most sensible thing I've ever seen you post0 -
The concept is simple. The actual act and commitment for some is hard. Also EXTREME deficits lead people the wrong direction to sustainable weight loss.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Cant believe your only eating 900-1220 ish calories per day? You can eat so much more. Please take the great advice people are giving you. There trying to help not hinder. Good luck.0
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I completely agree. I'm very happy to read your honest post, as so many people just say 'CICO', like it's the easiest thing in the world. I would also add that, since I don't live in a laboratory , I do need some social life which includes dinner parties and eating out. I'm not going to a friend's house who has been slaving in the kitchen for a nice dinner with a scale or ask about every ingredient and amount. It's not easy at all, even with the strongest will and best intentions. But they say that nothing that's worth having is easy to get.0
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After losing 40 pounds the body is completely different. What worked 40 pounds ago might not work now. Also when you start exercising, a 1 mile run might burn a lot of calories, but as you get fitter you will need to run more and faster to burn the same amount of calories.970Mikaela1 wrote: »After losing 40 pounds you have enough data that it really shouldn't be guesswork anymore. Accurately tracking your data points should all but eliminate the guesswork.
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