CICO, It's a math formula
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This is so beautiful
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This is such a fundamentally easy concept to see and understand- yet it is blown up all over the place in the discussion boards. I just shake my head when I see someone asking for help because they are not losing weight and have someone reply that they have to eat more.9
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Sticky this!
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Sticky this!
You can add it to the nomination thread if you want: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260479/nominate-posts-for-announcement-status-stickies#latest12 -
No further words necessary!1 -
VioletRojo wrote: »Just want to put this out there for some of the newbies, and others that may be a bit confused about the whole concept of "CICO"- Calories in VS Calories Out.
First, CICO is a math formula that will tell you one of three things.
If you want to lose weight, then you need to make your Calories In less than Out = calorie deficit to lose weight.
Second, if you want to maintain then you need of make your calories in = calories out = maintenance to maintain current weight.
Finally, if you want to gain, then you need to make your calories in greater than your calories out = caloric surplus.
CICO is not a way of eating, I repeat CICO is not a way of eating. If you are doing Keto, low carb, moderate protein/moderate carbs, IIFYM, etc and you are gaining, maintaining, or losing weight then you are using the fundamental principle of CICO.
CICO is not eating a diet of 100% "junk," or ignoring nutrition, or not caring about body composition, it is just a math formula that tells you to reach a goal. The formula is not perfect and it requires trial and error, but in the end it works for everyone, period.
If your goal is straight weight loss then you can just apply CICO, and eat less than you burn.
If your goal is to be more lean, or have advanced body composition goals, then you are going to need macro/micro adherence + a structured exercise regimen.
Finally, all calories are equal in that they provide the same measure of energy; however, they do not all contain the same nutritional profile.
I'm thinking you're going to have to re-post this about once a month. 50 times a day
Fixed it for you.
Great post OP. Bookmarked for ease of finding every 5 minutes
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »VioletRojo wrote: »Just want to put this out there for some of the newbies, and others that may be a bit confused about the whole concept of "CICO"- Calories in VS Calories Out.
First, CICO is a math formula that will tell you one of three things.
If you want to lose weight, then you need to make your Calories In less than Out = calorie deficit to lose weight.
Second, if you want to maintain then you need of make your calories in = calories out = maintenance to maintain current weight.
Finally, if you want to gain, then you need to make your calories in greater than your calories out = caloric surplus.
CICO is not a way of eating, I repeat CICO is not a way of eating. If you are doing Keto, low carb, moderate protein/moderate carbs, IIFYM, etc and you are gaining, maintaining, or losing weight then you are using the fundamental principle of CICO.
CICO is not eating a diet of 100% "junk," or ignoring nutrition, or not caring about body composition, it is just a math formula that tells you to reach a goal. The formula is not perfect and it requires trial and error, but in the end it works for everyone, period.
If your goal is straight weight loss then you can just apply CICO, and eat less than you burn.
If your goal is to be more lean, or have advanced body composition goals, then you are going to need macro/micro adherence + a structured exercise regimen.
Finally, all calories are equal in that they provide the same measure of energy; however, they do not all contain the same nutritional profile.
I'm thinking you're going to have to re-post this about once a month. 50 times a day
Fixed it for you.
Great post OP. Bookmarked for ease of finding every 5 minutes
LOL2 -
adipace815 wrote: »This is such a fundamentally easy concept to see and understand- yet it is blown up all over the place in the discussion boards. I just shake my head when I see someone asking for help because they are not losing weight and have someone reply that they have to eat more.
seriously ...it is like nail over chalkboards when I hear someone say "the CICO way of eating is eating pizza all day and losing weight which is not healthy" or some variant of that...which is the genesis for my post...15 -
I also want to mention that there are lots of variables that make up both sides of that equation (particularly CO). Just because someone isn't getting the results some online calculator predicts they should be getting doesn't mean that the CICO formula is invalid.22
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I also want to mention that there are lots of variables that make up both sides of that equation (particularly CO). Just because someone isn't getting the results some online calculator predicts they should be getting doesn't mean that the CICO formula is invalid.
agree, it is still trial and error...1 -
I also want to mention that there are lots of variables that make up both sides of that equation (particularly CO). Just because someone isn't getting the results some online calculator predicts they should be getting doesn't mean that the CICO formula is invalid.
agree, it is still trial and error...
I think this is one of the things that leads to people going batshit crazy over the CICO idea in the forums. It's not that CICO is an incorrect equation, it's that you're not accurately calculating one of the many variables on either side.14 -
I also want to mention that there are lots of variables that make up both sides of that equation (particularly CO). Just because someone isn't getting the results some online calculator predicts they should be getting doesn't mean that the CICO formula is invalid.
agree, it is still trial and error...
I think this is one of the things that leads to people going batshit crazy over the CICO idea in the forums. It's not that CICO is an incorrect equation, it's that you're not accurately calculating one of the many variables on either side.
true...however, once you peg it down it really does work well...2 -
The issue for many people IMO, is that some just don't math well or as mentioned are just inaccurate in their calories eaten and burned. But it works PERIOD. Without it weight gain/loss/maintenance doesn't happen.
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And I'm the exact opposite. I math well, so figuring this out and learning to count calories has made weight loss very simple for me. If I go over, I don't lose what I want. It's a math problem for me. I find this way easier than cutting out foods.The issue for many people IMO, is that some just don't math well or as mentioned are just inaccurate in their calories eaten and burned. But it works PERIOD. Without it weight gain/loss/maintenance doesn't happen.
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Can't argue with math! I appreciate that clarity. I must confess that when I first happened upon this community, I thought CICO meant "Salads are for suckers! Lose weight eating frozen pizza and beer that you've carefully measured on your food scale!"
I get it now, thanks. :-)11 -
I also want to mention that there are lots of variables that make up both sides of that equation (particularly CO). Just because someone isn't getting the results some online calculator predicts they should be getting doesn't mean that the CICO formula is invalid.
agree, it is still trial and error...
I think this is one of the things that leads to people going batshit crazy over the CICO idea in the forums. It's not that CICO is an incorrect equation, it's that you're not accurately calculating one of the many variables on either side.
true...however, once you peg it down it really does work well...
Oh, I'm totally agreeing with you! It's the difference between adjusting your inputs based on real-world results (which is what we all should be doing) vs. not getting the results you expect and then screaming at people about how the equation sucks. It's impossible to quantify every individual variable, so if you accept that the equation is valid, you just observe the results and make changes accordingly.6 -
Great post, especially with the influx of disputes lately.
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THANK YOU!
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I also want to mention that there are lots of variables that make up both sides of that equation (particularly CO). Just because someone isn't getting the results some online calculator predicts they should be getting doesn't mean that the CICO formula is invalid.
agree, it is still trial and error...
I think this is one of the things that leads to people going batshit crazy over the CICO idea in the forums. It's not that CICO is an incorrect equation, it's that you're not accurately calculating one of the many variables on either side.
The other thing that I see frequently, especially lately, is this idea that there are these subtleties like Thermic Effect of Food that contribute significantly to, or even invalidate the basic principle of CICO. People also get hung up on this idea that if they can't calculate it to the tenth of a calorie, then the whole equation must be bunk. They don't get the idea of "majoring in the minors" and that ALL of it is an estimate. There are ways to improve precision and accuracy, but the basic estimates are reliable enough for virtually all weight management goals. Like you said, that there are some variables that might need to be dialed in doesn't invalidate the f your concept.18 -
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