Advice very much needed

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ppars23
ppars23 Posts: 5 Member
in Getting Started
Close to a year ago I started to try and lose it weight, did my research. Learned about caloric deficits, BMR, TDEE etc.

I was recently turned 18, 6'3" and around 350. I was tired of being the big fat guy. I decided to join MyFitnessPal and just start counting calories only. I didn't worry a lot about carbs, fat and other things. I focused a bit on proteins and sodium. Besides a 30 minute walk a few times a week, I didn't worry about exercising.

I did this for about 6 months and lost probably at most 50 or 60 pounds. Enough for my scale to not get any error message.

Then came winter break and I fell off 100%, got into my first relationship, got lazy and ballooned right back up. I stopped any form of diet for about seven months.

Recently my girlfriend and I separated, even though It was semi neutral breakup, all I want to do is get into shape and prove something to her and myself, even though my size had nothing to do with it.

When I was dieting I ate everything I used to eat just in smaller amounts, I tried to stay under 2000 calories a day, some days I was well under that and I allowed myself one cheat day but always made sure I was at or under my weekly calorie limit.

Here are my questions:

1.) How many of you had success, at least in the first few months with a calorie only diet? Even though I personally had success I'd love to hear from others who had success with it.

2.) Diet soda, I never drank diet soda when I dieted and I recently found out that's it delicious, at 0 calories it seems perfect. I did research and it seems people are split on it. Good or bad?

3.) Low calories snacks? I never found a good low calorie snack when I was dieting, options?
Thank you so much, and I hope I get some help

Replies

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    I had much success with just counting calories at times when I'm unable to workout. Weight loss comes down to calories. Cico. . So as long as you eat less then you burn, you will lose weight. Just be super accurate , weigh everything with a food scale and log accurately because you won't have the extra calorie buffer from exercise . just be as accurate as possible.

    As far as diet soda, I treat it like any other food. Everything is fine in moderation. Would I drink 25 cans per day? No. But one or two won't hurt. That goes with anything though. Moderation is key.

    For low calorie snacks, I like raw veggies with dip. Fruit, yogurt, soup . I love food. I never gave up anything, I just ate less of it. Remember its about moderation not deprivation. Portion control is important.

  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
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    1) I lost 50 pounds in about 5 months doing exactly that. I really just focused on controlling how much I ate by hitting a calorie goal. I set myself for a 2 pound/week loss and often ate way less than what MFP was telling me to eat. I didn't eat exercise calories back ever. I went on vacation and, when I got back, I virtually stopped all calorie counting and restriction. I gained 37 pounds back over the next year. I now focus a lot more on macro/micro management while sticking to a small, manageable deficit.

    2) Neither. Food and beverage has no inherent value outside the context of one's overall diet. From a weight management perspective, it's also neutral. A 0 calorie beverage will not impact your weight. Excessive soda consumption is not recommended by dentists as it can cause enamel wear, exacerbated by our own behavior, e.g. brushing immediately after drinking soda. Based on my own reading, you can mitigate the effect on your teeth to a certain extent.

    3) What do you consider low calorie? I like to snack on fruit & veggies, but I'll also grab some pretzels (Utz Sourdough Specials - 5 pretzels, 28g, 110c), a half serving of peanut butter (Skippy Creamy - 16g, 95c), or a serving of animal crackers (Kirkland Animal Crackers - 11 pieces, 28g, 120c). Sometimes I crave salt and the pretzels don't do it, so I might eat a tin of sauerkraut (100g, 19c - really high in sodium in case you have a condition that requires you to restrict it), some pickles (Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears - 3 spears, 84g, 15c - same sodium message), or even some microwaved bacon (3 slices, 27g, 130c - same sodium message), though I'm not actually a huge bacon fan, so that only happens occasionally. Basically, though, anything can be a snack. Cut off a 100c chunk of some good cheese and eat it on a cracker, some dry cereal (yes, I might be 5 years old), a bit of chocolate and a strawberry. The possibilities are virtually endless when you think about it.
  • Chessie28804
    Chessie28804 Posts: 78 Member
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    1) I have lost weight just with counting calories and smart choices. I never worried about the other stuff. I tried to limit my carbs and eat more protein overall though. I LOVE carbs, so I knew this was something that would be difficult to limit but would work.

    2) No to diet soda. I have never really been into soda, but I have read so many articles where diet sodas actually set you back in weight loss. I don't know how accurate this is, but I don't want to risk it. I just stick to water and lemon juice ( I swear by this and weight loss) and my coffee...because I won't cut that out. I will reduce how much, but not cut it out completely. Also, diet soda contains a ton of chemicals, artificial sweeteners, etc. that just isn't good for the body. If you are trying to get healthy, why put chemicals in it. There is a ton of aspartame as well...and there is a lot of bad things associated with aspartame. But after a while, if you are craving a soda, probably best to drink one instead of relapse.

    3) Fruit and veggies of course. Nuts are great and healthy. Nuts I guess can have more calories..but they're nuts. Pickles, yes. I like to follow a paleo diet, so I guess a little higher in calories, haha. But it helped me lose 10 lbs easier. Also, drink lemon water!
  • ammo7
    ammo7 Posts: 188 Member
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    Hi there,

    1) I lost 30% of my body weight mostly through diet alone, and occasional walking. I lost that weight a few years ago just to be healthy and had been maintaining it for a while. Since January this year I've lost another 20 pounds for vanity, and don't want to lose more than 10lb now because then my BMI would be underweight. I've being doing a huge amount of hiking in the past year, but exercise isn't required for weight loss - just a calorie deficit. However, I'd like to mention that if your goals are aesthetic or health-oriented (rather than just simply focusing on a number on the scale) you might end up happier in the long-run if you do incorporate some exercise. It helps you to maintain your muscle mass so that you don't end up just kind of 'saggy' in the end. Exercising helps me to feel happy, and it makes me strong.

    2) I love diet soda, and I haven't yet found any research which conclusively says that it's problematic. I drink *a lot* of it, so I hope it's not bad!

    3) I love low calorie snacks, because I like eating often snacking while I'm studying. I'm a big fan of low calorie jello/jelly (I eat little tubs of it at 5 calories each). Also, huge chicken salads (65g chicken, 65g spinach, 50g cucumber for just 100 calories) and add sprinklings of spices to everything to make it super tasty without adding calories. I also really like munching on carrot sticks with hot sauce (0 calorie hot sauce!). And tossing some asparagus in a wok with a little bit of soy sauce is great for not many calories, and it satisfies my crunchy/salty cravings. I feel like I'm winning when I find a food that I can eat a lot of volume of, for minimal calories.

    Good luck with your weight loss journey :)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited September 2015
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    1 - Trying this now, will get back to you :) Lots of people have, though.

    2 - People will give you the same mixed opinions as the research you found, I don't think it's a settled question (like with many things). If you're concerned, be moderate about it. (Personally, I love plain water. When I want something fizzy, I have a lime Perrier. That's mostly bc I hate the taste of most fake sweeteners, though. I do have Coke Zero maybe 4-5 times a month, with burgers.)

    3 - I don't know what your calorie budget is, or what you're looking for in a snack - I like walnuts or almonds when I just want to grab something quick, they're not low-cal, though. Otherwise, cottage cheese (protein & fiber), raspberries (really low cal, lots of fiber for the portion), grapes, tomatoes (those just for taste). Late at night, maybe a bit of ham and bread. I do 3 big meals, so I don't snack a lot.
    ppars23 wrote: »
    Recently my girlfriend and I separated, even though It was semi neutral breakup, all I want to do is get into shape and prove something to her and myself, even though my size had nothing to do with it.

    This is a weight loss gift. Use that energy. (That's exactly what got me going, totally worked :) )
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    1.) Theres nothing to stop you having success with diet only as its simply a math and deficit issue. You dont need exercise to create a deficit and MFP uses its initial deficit calculations based on no exercise. In most circumstances, even at your weight i'd suggest you can do exercise, even if its gentle walking because it has health benefits. You should check with your Dr first. Fitness is just as valuable an asset as losing weight. I wouldnt let your weight put you off walking and exercise in water are good gentle starts even for people your weight.

    2.) Diet soda imo is fine. The research tends to point towards the idea that it makes people eat more because they have earned it. You just need to avoid overcompensating. I think its great and much better than the sugar sweetened regular drinks. Your taste buds adapt.

    3.) Low calories snacks?I'm not sure I found any. I eat a lot of crisp breads and fruit, but they dont have to be low calorie. I liked pickles as well. I just tended to try and eat more nutritious foods. You dont have to eat liek a rabbit, just start getting used to th idea of controlling how much you eat with portion control.

    Lose the weight for yourself. You are young and you can get rid of it in a few years, so you can avoid many of its pitfalls. If you weigh less your options will increase.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    ppars23 wrote: »
    Close to a year ago I started to try and lose it weight, did my research. Learned about caloric deficits, BMR, TDEE etc.

    I was recently turned 18, 6'3" and around 350. I was tired of being the big fat guy. I decided to join MyFitnessPal and just start counting calories only. I didn't worry a lot about carbs, fat and other things. I focused a bit on proteins and sodium. Besides a 30 minute walk a few times a week, I didn't worry about exercising.

    I did this for about 6 months and lost probably at most 50 or 60 pounds. Enough for my scale to not get any error message.

    Then came winter break and I fell off 100%, got into my first relationship, got lazy and ballooned right back up. I stopped any form of diet for about seven months.

    Recently my girlfriend and I separated, even though It was semi neutral breakup, all I want to do is get into shape and prove something to her and myself, even though my size had nothing to do with it.

    When I was dieting I ate everything I used to eat just in smaller amounts, I tried to stay under 2000 calories a day, some days I was well under that and I allowed myself one cheat day but always made sure I was at or under my weekly calorie limit.

    Here are my questions:

    1.) How many of you had success, at least in the first few months with a calorie only diet? Even though I personally had success I'd love to hear from others who had success with it.

    2.) Diet soda, I never drank diet soda when I dieted and I recently found out that's it delicious, at 0 calories it seems perfect. I did research and it seems people are split on it. Good or bad?

    3.) Low calories snacks? I never found a good low calorie snack when I was dieting, options?
    Thank you so much, and I hope I get some help

    Hi :)

    You've lost weight before so you definitely have the knowledge and the know-how, there is no reason why you can't do this again and keep it off. Commitment is key.

    To answer your questions

    1) I had success with a calorie only diet up to a certain point. Once I introduced exercise, I found things moved along at a nicer pace and I felt a lot healthier too.

    2) It doesn't matter. As long as you are sticking to your calorie deficit, eat and drink what you like.

    3) Generally, fruit! But again, a little of every thing in moderation is fine.
  • poppinfresh80
    poppinfresh80 Posts: 4 Member
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    1. Ive never been successful with a calorie only diet, I've always had to add exercise.
    2. Diet pop has artificial sweetner. artificial sweetener confuses your body which in turn triggers insulin thus sending your body into fat storage mode. Yes they are 0 calories but they STILL effect your system so I would suggest having them only as a treat versus a substitute for a can-or-more-a-day soda addiction. :)
    3. I like low cal versions of my fave foods. For example, those pita shells you can buy (the super skinny ones like the ones they use at pita pit) cut into pieces and toasted are a nice substitute for nacho chips. Dip them in a big fat bowl of yummy salsa with fat free sour cream. One of my fave snacks. ALSO, my friend just introduced me to the wonderful world of cottage cheese on buttered toast! I use a piece of weight watchers bread and 2 tablespoons of fat free cottage cheese. YUMMERS. :)

    Good luck!!!!
  • mick1988burrows
    mick1988burrows Posts: 13 Member
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    1) I lost weight counting calories but adding exercise to. Taking a picture each week seeing the visual changes made me want to carry on dieting. Every now and then I will eat/take out with my gf then jump straight back on to my calorie deficit.

    2) I drink diet soda occasionally especially at work or if I'm out with friends , family etc I always order a diet coke , lemonade with a meal. There is research saying it's bad and all this and that but in moderation I think diet coke is fine.

    3) I tend to eat rices cakes , nuts, salad fruit, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese . Believe it or not pop corn is very low in calories so that's a great treat snack option with a ' diet soda ' . Great if your at the cinema ha.
  • cindytw
    cindytw Posts: 1,027 Member
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    1) I had success with calorie only but it was limited. For me I have to look at the foods I am eating and do whole foods mostly. My body really rebels against a lot of things. I have a lot of foods I can't tolerate regardless of health or weight loss.
    2) I cannot do artificial sweeteners, they make me hungry and crave sugar.
    3) vegetables, fruits, pickles, veggie chips and veggie straws, popcorn cakes, rice cakes, pop chips, pretzels.

    I try to only buy whole foods and the others are carb heavy but they are low calorie.
  • anicole0102
    anicole0102 Posts: 48 Member
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    bump
  • Nataliegetfit
    Nataliegetfit Posts: 395 Member
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    First off, I think it's great that you are working on the weight loss at your age. It will be great to live the rest of your life healthier and more fit and feel better about yourself. Next thing, do it for you, not for a girl, or any other reason. Your health, your confidence, feeling great and looking great just for you.
    I don't love to exercise, but it's definately getting easier. I tend to eat a lot healthier if I have exercised that day, and I can eat a little more which I really like. Find something you like.
    Some healthy snacks, I like 2% cottage cheese, a few figs with maple almond nut butter is sweet and filling, banana or apples, pears grapes, low fat cheese sticks, yogurt with a little granola, nuts, rice cakes with a thin spear of peanut butter or nut butter, a bowl of oatmeal, pop chips(tiny rice cake things) the carmel corn is awesome.
    Hope you can get some good ideas. try some new things, look for healthy recipes. Make small changes and make them a habit and just continue them, make them part of your life and you will see changes. Good luck.

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