When did we become smarter?

fallenangelloves
fallenangelloves Posts: 601 Member
edited October 6 in Motivation and Support
This may upset alot of you but I just have to say this...

Why did you join MFP? Did you hear about the success a friend was having? Did you read an article about it? Come across it in your app store? Whatever the reason, I'll bet when you started and did the MFP recommended numbers, it worked for you. That's what got you excited and motivated.

It was simple... 500 calorie a day deficit for a 1 pound a week loss... Not a MFP secret, it's public medical fact. Yes that includes eating back your exercise calories.... It was a 500 calorie deficit! Exercise more and you should eat more, now of course I know there are some out there that have issues with gluten, sugar, whatever... But nowhere did MFP say to stop enjoying food! 500 calorie deficit!

So my question is when did you get smarter? Why would you eat an extremely low number in calories and burn an obscene amount and NOT be at just a 500 calorie deficit? I read every day how "The scale won't budge so I guess that means I just have to eat less and work out more!" Have you ever thought that a day of eating more and resting might do the same thing?

I have been doing this for 48 weeks now... Low and behold I have lost just about that in weight... Did I lose a pound a week? NO! I lost an AVERAGE of a pound a week! I have stuck to what the original plan was.... 500 calorie a day deficit...

I have learned to eat cleaner and exercise more. THAT is what I have learned from the forums! I have taken suggestions on videos, recipes and received an amazing amount of support!

Oh I'm sure the hate comments will start now, and to be honest I'm not interested in those... Just ask yourself how many time you complain about the scale not budging and then take a look at your diary. Do plateaus happen? Of course! I've had them too.... But I pushed past them. Not by starving myself and working out til I had no other time left for my family. I have to live and i am a firm believer of all things in moderation!

I hope this reminds some of you how successful you were at the beginning when you followed MFP's simple little rule... 500 calorie deficit!

Replies

  • BobbyClerici
    BobbyClerici Posts: 813 Member
    My wife raved over the community and tools; I had to check it out, got hooked and all is well.

    LOVE IT!
  • andreabball
    andreabball Posts: 90 Member
    Well said. I love this post. That's what I keep telling people! You don't have to stop eating what you love, but you have to make better decisions for yourself. Better decisions about what you put in your body and better decisions about how you move your body. Slow, steady weight loss has more lasting results. Everyone wants that quick fix, but as we've all heard before, it's a lifestyle change that you make when you want to get healthy. Thank you for your honesty. I'm sure there are others out there that feel the same way.
    -Andi
  • teeley
    teeley Posts: 477 Member
    when the scale doesn't move, I know exactly why. I don't cry over the message boards, I just look within and figure out why I am not eating the way I should...
    Can't see why anyone would get upset with the post, well said.
  • pixlamarque
    pixlamarque Posts: 312 Member
    I know why my scale doesn't move lately, and it has nothing to do with eating too few calories, but I do know what you mean. If you do it as intended it works great. For some reason people want instant results and think that if they net 500 calories they will lose faster. Maybe that works the first little bit, but it will taper off and they will be tired and have no energy. And it isn't sustainable. My cookie eating binges lately are also not the way to go, but I always get myself back on track and lose some. I may be slow, but I will get there and I will be able to sustain it because I ate regular, normal, good food--nothing "diet" about it.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I completely agree, and I was just thinking, "Why is it when someone asks for advice, do they always gravitate towards the most painful, extreme and outlandish answer, rather than the simple, effective, and moderate one?"
  • myfriendamy
    myfriendamy Posts: 131 Member
    I came across it in the app store :)

    and I have to agree with everything you've said. I try hard to get as close to my calorie target without going over - like the price is right! LOL I didn't have to give up eating everything I like... I've lost 50lbs and I still have ice cream (skinny cow!) and tacos... and just about everything else I love :)

    it's about being realistic and honest with yourself. and for the first time in 30+ years, that's what I'm doing. I've lost an average of 2lbs a week (but the first two weeks I dropped 8 then 6! but I started at 300)

    it's slow moving, sometimes, but this is the healthiest way to do it. and it's absolutely sustainable!
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    I joined because of peer pressure from my girls online (we've known each other for several years, and have met up and stuff). Honestly, I did it 'cause I thought it was cool how it synced to my Facebook and informed the whole world every time I exercised. Made me seem like a badass for a minute. :bigsmile:
  • Amy911Gray
    Amy911Gray Posts: 685 Member
    Here's what I've learned about me...

    My mind feels clearer when I exercise.
    Popcorn makes me feel just as good as chocolate and cake.
    Fruit is sweeter than candy.
    I'm eating more food more times a day than I used to, and it's better for me.

    Everyone is different. I watch the scale every day, knowing that daily fluctuation occur. I know that pizza night will spike my weight, salad night lowers it. The average of the highs and lows are my actual weight and I'm satisfied with that.

    500 calorie deficit....that's all it really takes. I've motivated my husband over these last 4 months...he's lost 6 pounds without really trying.

    Peace!!! :flowerforyou:
  • nerdyandilikeit
    nerdyandilikeit Posts: 2,185 Member
    I joined because of peer pressure from my girls online (we've known each other for several years, and have met up and stuff). Honestly, I did it 'cause I thought it was cool how it synced to my Facebook and informed the whole world every time I exercised. Made me seem like a badass for a minute. :bigsmile:

    You ARE a badass. Also, so am I.
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    I joined because of peer pressure from my girls online (we've known each other for several years, and have met up and stuff). Honestly, I did it 'cause I thought it was cool how it synced to my Facebook and informed the whole world every time I exercised. Made me seem like a badass for a minute. :bigsmile:

    You ARE a badass. Also, so am I.
    This is true.
  • alabughosh
    alabughosh Posts: 132 Member
    I sort of agree with you and I'm not an expert on the subject at all. But I don't completely agree with the "eat whatever you want as long as it is in your calorie limit" idea--at least not at the beginning. Its so hard to meet all your nutritional needs at 1200-1800 calories, and even exercising shouldn't be an excuse to eat cookies and greasy food regularly because exercising strains your body and after putting your body through that kind of stress, it deserves to get good, high quality fuel to replenish it. I think that a piece of cake, a cookie, or some pizza once or even twice a week is great....but my mentality is that those types of foods are sort of like cheating and should not be viewed as acceptable to eat every day (even if I stay under my calories).
  • redheadc2
    redheadc2 Posts: 29 Member
    a friend mentioned it to me. I had been keeping a journal of food but wasn't doing the nutrition part. the tool for Food really helped me. I can see exactly where I over indulge and stop it. I have also learned that the amount of sugar in my diet was an alarming number. I started to cut back in little ways and I am feeling so much better now.

    I Agree it's not a secret for weight loss but as one of my diet/fitness books says... it would only be a 2 page book to say "Eat Less, Move More"

    I also have really enjoyed the community.
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