Weight Loss Strategies

michellekicks · May 2012

I just read a post on another thread that suggested eating at a level that will become your maintenance intake level once you're at your goal weight. So basically you go to http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ or something similar and plug in your goal weight, height, age (at a reasonable time to achieve your goal I suppose; I put my next birthday) and it will tell you how many calories you'll need at goal to sustain.

When I started MFP (and I came from Weight Watchers), I decided I wanted to be able to eat enough to fuel my running and still lose weight. So I set a very modest goal of .5 lbs per week and decided right away to trust that I could eat my exercise calories and still lose. So I started doing exactly that - eating my NET that MFP told me to for only a half pound weight loss. I never feel like I can't get enough to eat (except on rest days haha... but then I'll go over a little on occasion); I can run farther and faster over time; I don't feel like I want to binge anymore. It feels effortless.

Oddly enough, my average caloric intake is only about 100 cal/day lower than my maintenance calories will be at goal. So, presumably, if I just keep eating the way I am now, my weight loss will eventually just plateau off until I'm at goal and maintaining... and I'd never have to change anything.

What weight loss "strategy" are you using?

TDEE - 15%? = 20%
Eat at goal-weight maintenance calories
Eat at what MFP tells you for 2 lbs/week loss? 1 lb/week loss?
Eat exercise calories back? No?

AmandaSSowle · May 2012

I go in several diffrent ways with this topic. I have always weighed more than I had looked like. I am pretty tall so its easier to hide weight than shorter people. I was always in sports and athletic as well, so I have a lot of muscle underneath. Before if I felt fat, it had nothing to do with weight, just needed to sculpt. That was fine, until I gained a ton weight after I tore my ACL. Now, paying attention to my weight, the whole getting in shape thing is totally different for me. Its kind of hard to "lose weight". So I started MFP and of course went straight to the lose 2 lbs per week. I dropped 15 lbs fairly quick, but now cant seem to lose any! I just started running. I want to run my first 5k in about a month. Yesterday I upped my calories to 1.5 pounds per week, and when I dont eat just to eat, I do fine with it. I haven't lost any weight, for almost 3 weeks now, but have also been binging quite a bit too. I think there really is something to the plateau you are describing. Maybe gaining and losing is all about keeping your body confused? As soon as your body gets comfortable with a reasonable diet/work out plan it will just stay? I am not real experienced with the whole weight loss goals/strategies yet.

Dagoth · May 2012

Scooby is the man.

carmelamturner · May 2012

Losing weight is often a common subject amongst people these days, but why bother? Not everybody wants to lose weight, but a lot of people do and for various reasons:

For some people their weight is a serious health issue. Although mortality rates related to obesity have been steadily declining over the past two decades, it is important to remember that it remains an issue. Now, obviously being overweight does not have fatal implications for everyone, but there are still non-fatal health risks as well.

For some people, they want to lose weight because of confidence and self-esteem issues. It is well known that when people are comfortable in their own bodies they are much more comfortable outside of them, suddenly the world becomes a place of opportunity and you lose your pessimism. Finally, some people do it to set an example. There is no finer mantra than “practice what you preach” and sometimes it is a necessary move to convince others to take the plunge. Perhaps you have an overweight friend or children struggling with obesity? There is nothing more demotivating than a hypocrite, telling them to lose weight, whilst you eat everything in the kitchen. Leading by example can be one of the best ways to help those around you.

michellekicks · May 2012

Losing weight is often a common subject amongst people these days, but why bother? Not everybody wants to lose weight, but a lot of people do and for various reasons:

For some people their weight is a serious health issue. Although mortality rates related to obesity have been steadily declining over the past two decades, it is important to remember that it remains an issue. Now, obviously being overweight does not have fatal implications for everyone, but there are still non-fatal health risks as well.

For some people, they want to lose weight because of confidence and self-esteem issues. It is well known that when people are comfortable in their own bodies they are much more comfortable outside of them, suddenly the world becomes a place of opportunity and you lose your pessimism. Finally, some people do it to set an example. There is no finer mantra than “practice what you preach” and sometimes it is a necessary move to convince others to take the plunge. Perhaps you have an overweight friend or children struggling with obesity? There is nothing more demotivating than a hypocrite, telling them to lose weight, whilst you eat everything in the kitchen. Leading by example can be one of the best ways to help those around you.

Why bother? Because many of us desire to be healthy.

Not everyone with weight to lose is a pessimist. Many overweight people have excellent self-esteem so that's not it either. In fact, lol, my self esteem might even be too good! Even people with only a few pounds to lose (or none to lose for that matter) can find themselves with inactivity-related illness as they age, though. Health and fitness as a lifestyle has more to offer than just weight loss. Perhaps weight-normalization or weight-improvement should be the term we use. Really it's just physical fitness.

I don't think anyone should be losing weight just for the sake of it, or to get a thigh gap or to look like someone else they've decided is the ideal, but for some of us hauling around a good 20+ lbs more than we should be, it would improve our health and wellbeing to lose it.

I'm a big believer in doing so sensibly, however.

Given some of what you posted, I will assume you have a bit of an axe to grind with someone who has been hypocritical towards you. I'm sorry if you've been hurt. No one should dictate what anyone else should do with their bodies. Despite the outcome, though, the intention could have been from a place of love... hard to say.

joejccva71 · May 2012

Weight-loss strategy:

Eat a 20% deficit under TDEE. Consume 1.25g of protein per lb of my LBM. As I get leaner I need the additional protein intake to ensure my LBM is retained as much as possible. Consume .35-.75g of dietary fat per lb of my BW. Continue to do my sound weight training program that is a 2 day on / 1 day off schedule doing a major muscle group per week. Do cardio twice a day for 20 min sessions, and do HIIT cardio twice a week. One full day at rest.

Duck_Puddle · May 2012

My strategy is to find a balance of eating & exercising that I feel I can maintain forever and is reasonably healthy. I've tried aiming for several different calorie levels and seem to have settled comfortably into one that roughly approximates the calorie needs at my goal weight & activity level (give or take a hundred of two depending on which calculator I use). I feel comfortable that I can maintain this current level if eating & exercise. Presumably, if I do continue this level, I'll eventually end up near the corresponding weight or thereabouts. So if/when I level off on the weight loss, I'll see where I landed and if I'm happy with that I'll just keep on doing what I've been doing. If not, I'll reassess then. But my approach has been to find whatever "maintenance" level I am comfortable "maintaining" and assume that eventually my body will end up at the corresponding weight. So "maintenance" will simply be continuing along as I have been. I'm still losing with this theory - so if/when I level off - my theory may change dramatically.

Weight Loss Strategies

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