Why consistency matters more than accuracy (to me)
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Lillymoo01 wrote: »Thanks for that. I just did my maths for the last 12 weeks and worked out I have gained an average of 0.24 pounds a week (I am slowly trying to gain) eating around 1628 net calories and maintenance would be 1508 net calories. Not bad when MFP gives me 1205 maintenance calories instead.
MFP only gives you 1205 for maintenance
Is that for the sedentary setting? 2 -
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Can I ask a really embarrassing question - how did you calculate the daily deficit?1
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Can I ask a really embarrassing question - how did you calculate the daily deficit?
Not embarassing! I'm assuming 1 pound loss = 3500 calorie deficit (generally accepted around here). So if I lost 0.6 pounds per week the calculation is 0.6 x 3500 calories / 7 days = 300 calorie deficit per day
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Great post 2
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Lillymoo01 wrote: »Thanks for that. I just did my maths for the last 12 weeks and worked out I have gained an average of 0.24 pounds a week (I am slowly trying to gain) eating around 1628 net calories and maintenance would be 1508 net calories. Not bad when MFP gives me 1205 maintenance calories instead.
MFP only gives you 1205 for maintenance Is that for the sedentary setting?
Yep. I am a wee little thing. Lucky I can eat more and I fit in the very active range when you take my exercise into account so actually eat over 2000 calories.
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But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
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quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
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quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.6 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
^This. We often see posts from people who swear to their consistency but say they aren't losing weight as expected, so likely they are lacking in accuracy to a degree that negates their consistency. A food scale will usually clear that up pretty quickly. Or they can use trial and error and "eat less" until the data matches their expected results. The food scale route route may not be necessary, but is much more efficient.8 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
^This. We often see posts from people who swear to their consistency but say they aren't losing weight as expected, so likely they are lacking in accuracy to a degree that negates their consistency. A food scale will usually clear that up pretty quickly. Or they can use trial and error and "eat less" until the data matches their expected results. The food scale route route may not be necessary, but is much more efficient.
I think many people can do it without a scale, but for those who are struggling (or a numbers nerd like me) the scale adds a level of accuracy that is needed. Otherwise we end up with people who swear they can't lose a single ounce unless they eating sub 1000 cals/day. For those who are seeing the results (or only off a little bit), the OP is absolutely correct.5 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
This is how I use my food scale as well. You'd better believe I'm weighing my peanut butter and cheese every time! Spinach and tomatoes? Ehhh, depends what kind of mood I'm in. But when it's time to have a meal out, I'm not going to obsess over whether the chicken I ordered is 6 ounces or 8. It's all a wash in the end.
Results tell the tale, regardless of how lax or stringent you are with your logging. I just want to be consistent enough to stay on the track I've chosen and not feel like my life is on hold (i.e. OMG I can't go out, how will I measure my foodz?! ) 11 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
This is how I use my food scale as well. You'd better believe I'm weighing my peanut butter and cheese every time! Spinach and tomatoes? Ehhh, depends what kind of mood I'm in. But when it's time to have a meal out, I'm not going to obsess over whether the chicken I ordered is 6 ounces or 8. It's all a wash in the end.
Results tell the tale, regardless of how lax or stringent you are with your logging. I just want to be consistent enough to stay on the track I've chosen and not feel like my life is on hold (i.e. OMG I can't go out, how will I measure my foodz?! )
Agreed. I've never worried about eating out either. I just log to the best of my abilities and move on. I'm accurate enough the rest of the time. No need to drive myself batty on those occassions.9 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
This is how I use my food scale as well. You'd better believe I'm weighing my peanut butter and cheese every time! Spinach and tomatoes? Ehhh, depends what kind of mood I'm in. But when it's time to have a meal out, I'm not going to obsess over whether the chicken I ordered is 6 ounces or 8. It's all a wash in the end.
Results tell the tale, regardless of how lax or stringent you are with your logging. I just want to be consistent enough to stay on the track I've chosen and not feel like my life is on hold (i.e. OMG I can't go out, how will I measure my foodz?! )
Agreed. I've never worried about eating out either. I just log to the best of my abilities and move on. I'm accurate enough the rest of the time. No need to drive myself batty on those occassions.
You mean battier, right?9 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
This is how I use my food scale as well. You'd better believe I'm weighing my peanut butter and cheese every time! Spinach and tomatoes? Ehhh, depends what kind of mood I'm in. But when it's time to have a meal out, I'm not going to obsess over whether the chicken I ordered is 6 ounces or 8. It's all a wash in the end.
Results tell the tale, regardless of how lax or stringent you are with your logging. I just want to be consistent enough to stay on the track I've chosen and not feel like my life is on hold (i.e. OMG I can't go out, how will I measure my foodz?! )
Agreed. I've never worried about eating out either. I just log to the best of my abilities and move on. I'm accurate enough the rest of the time. No need to drive myself batty on those occassions.
You mean battier, right?
Hey!!! It's too early in the morning to be poking the Nutty :grumble:it may also be too early for truthiness7 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »But, but, but...FOOD SCALE!!!
Great post.
You mean one of these? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Mine still gets plenty of use!
I use the food scale because it is one of the ways I'm as accurate as possible in controlling the few factors I can control. The numbers over time do tell the tale though and to do that, be persistent and consistent.
This is how I use my food scale as well. You'd better believe I'm weighing my peanut butter and cheese every time! Spinach and tomatoes? Ehhh, depends what kind of mood I'm in. But when it's time to have a meal out, I'm not going to obsess over whether the chicken I ordered is 6 ounces or 8. It's all a wash in the end.
Results tell the tale, regardless of how lax or stringent you are with your logging. I just want to be consistent enough to stay on the track I've chosen and not feel like my life is on hold (i.e. OMG I can't go out, how will I measure my foodz?! )
Agreed. I've never worried about eating out either. I just log to the best of my abilities and move on. I'm accurate enough the rest of the time. No need to drive myself batty on those occassions.
You mean battier, right?
Hey!!! It's too early in the morning to be poking the Nutty :grumble:it may also be too early for truthiness
But I'm off work for the rest of the week so free to harass people (uhhh I mean drop some knowledge) all day!6 -
I did something similar in my 98,000 Calorie Diet. Over the course of 8 weeks, I planned on eating 1,750 calories per day (on average). Based on my beginning TDEE of around 2,850, I figured I should lose (on average) around 2 pounds per week (or a total of 16lbs).
My results: I actually ate right at 98,000 calories and lost 15.7 pounds. Obviously, the calories could be off a little, but I did track everything and figure I'm +\- maybe 5% either way. Bottom line, counting calories works. My current calculated TDEE has decrease to around 2,700.14 -
@patrickaa5 That's a great result! I'd say 15.7 vs 16 is really spot-on 2
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It's really so weird how it works if you work it.
And I hate that little ditty.
But truthiness.6
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