I'm getting annoyed with constantly being told this

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  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
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    People make that generalization because the science is based off of fairly healthy test subjects...It doesn't take in to account thyroid problems or anything like that. So...technically the science for "normal" [Im not saying your abnormal! Lol] people IS correct. There are probably studies out there that include thyroid issues & whatnot...See if you can find some research...Until then do what works best for YOU...which is pretty much the best piece of advice for every single person since were all different..
  • SithChicky
    SithChicky Posts: 74
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    it bothers me because it really isn't that simple. I must just use like no calories throughout the day. I guess I'm weird like that, lol. I accept reality, don't judge.
  • SithChicky
    SithChicky Posts: 74
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    People make that generalization because the science is based off of fairly healthy test subjects...It doesn't take in to account thyroid problems or anything like that. So...technically the science for "normal" [Im not saying your abnormal! Lol] people IS correct. There are probably studies out there that include thyroid issues & whatnot...See if you can find some research...Until then do what works best for YOU...which is pretty much the best piece of advice for every single person since were all different..

    I've said before, I know the science is correct and I understand and accept it. What I have a problem with, is the people who keep saying that's how it is and that's all there is to it, when it simply is not the case for a lot of people.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    quote
    Soooo... you ARE eating less than you are burning AND you are losing weight... so it is the same for you?!?!?! What's the problem?
    quote

    Being Snarky is not necessary here. If she is having a rough time, then she is simply having a rough time. Maybe try being supportive? Just saying.....
  • TLC1975
    TLC1975 Posts: 146 Member
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    I agree with some statements about weight loss works different for different ppl, the key is to try different things. I have a story.
    My mother has suffered from thyroid disease for over 25yrs, and her doctor at the time told her that because she would have to work twice as hard and eat half as much to lose weight as the average person, she took as the gospel. He told her she would only be able to eat 800 calories a day. Now...it is a fact that ppl with certain health issues have to take slightly different approaches to the standard calories in calories out deficit by 500 a day kinda thing. So, my mother stuck to the 800 calories a day two meals tops for nearly all that time..at first she was walking 8miles a day so initially she lost weight. However over time, she started to gain weight, and is now 60+ lbs over weight(I'm guessing as she won't tell me exactly what she weighs). I have insisted for the last 6 years she needs to change her eating, increase her calories and frequency etc...she fought be the whole time until recently. She finally got sick of gaining and asked me for help, I increased her calorie intake to 1500, she about lost her mind...BUT she followed my plan for 5 weeks and lost 9 lbs...of course this wasnt fast enough for her, but heck it was finally moving....
    There is no EXACT formula, but there are guidelines, and ppl have to experiment and others need to relax when giving advice.
    I understand your frustration...went thru similar issues trying to figure out why I couldn't lose....eventually I figured it out.
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
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    If one eats less than what one burns, one will lose weight.

    It's not always the case, in my opinion. I get the science of it, I do. But it's not the same for every single person.



    The science really is that simple. The laws of physics don't change no matter what condition anyone has.

    What is NOT that simple are the following:

    a) Our understanding of all the biomechanical/chemical mechanisms involved in processing/burning calories
    b) Our ability to measure same
    c) Our ability to monitor input with consistent measurement error

    Other than eating more than you're burning, the rest of it is in the noise. It's the noise (error) we don't account for.
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
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    And of course, all those things vary from person to person.

    Chalk the rest of it up to ignorance and press on!
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    it bothers me because it really isn't that simple. I must just use like no calories throughout the day. I guess I'm weird like that, lol. I accept reality, don't judge.
    Whatever the issues, finding a way that creates a calorie deficit is the ONLY way to ever lose weight.
    Maybe you have medical issues.
    Address them.
    Maybe your body is stubbornly fighting the process. Oh well!
    It's simple but hard and harder for some than others, but nature doesn't change.
    Good Luck!
  • SithChicky
    SithChicky Posts: 74
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    it bothers me because it really isn't that simple. I must just use like no calories throughout the day. I guess I'm weird like that, lol. I accept reality, don't judge.
    Whatever the issues, finding a way that creates a calorie deficit is the ONLY way to ever lose weight.
    Maybe you have medical issues.
    Address them.
    Maybe your body is stubbornly fighting the process. Oh well!
    It's simple but hard and harder for some than others, but nature doesn't change.
    Good Luck!

    easy to say oh well when it's not you. It's a lot to deal with when it is you. Do everything you can do to better yourself, just to keep failing.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    If one eats less than what one burns, one will lose weight.

    It's not always the case, in my opinion. I get the science of it, I do. But it's not the same for every single person.

    Just normal daily living burns about 2,000 calories. On a diet for nearly 3 months, I was eating 1200-1500 and in that 3 months, lost 3 lbs. I have hypothyroid, it's hard for me to lose weight. Why do people seem so hellbent on the theory of weight loss, isn't it different for everyone? Because I know it is for me. Maybe I'm the only one, like ever... but I know for a fact it's different for people with thyroid issues, and diabetes in some cases too.

    Soooo... you ARE eating less than you are burning AND you are losing weight... so it is the same for you?!?!?! What's the problem?

    3 months of busting my butt and 3 lbs? No it's not the same for me. I should be losing way more than that if you look into the science I'm talking about. It's not the same for everyone.
    No, it is what it is.
    You are heading in the right direction. Just keep punching and stay the course. Others may have an easier time of it. Bully for them. That won't help you. I feel you - really!
    Life is never fair, but we play the hand we're dealt. Buck up!
    You can do this :flowerforyou:
  • MFPBONNIE
    MFPBONNIE Posts: 94 Member
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    ONE OF YOU SAID THIS:
    For people with health related issues like this, the weight loss routine has to be different. HOWEVER for people without these health issues, it does work. You are right in a sense, but in the end it comes down to people who has health issues like yours, and people who doesn't have health issues that affect weight loss. For those people who have the health issues, no, the science is not going to work like it does in the other people. :/ Not being mean, trying to clear this up for you!

    I have no health issues except my age. My matabolism is gone it seems. I've been on MFP since June of 2011 (this is a different account) and I have lost 14 pounds - IN ONE YEAR!!!. I work out hard so age is no problem there, and I work out 5 to 7 times a week, changing my routines. It made no difference how I changed my eating habits - if I did 1,000 a day or 1500 a day, I still lost about a pound a month if I was lucky. So the science doesnt always work the same way for everyone either. But here I am 14 pounds lighter and thats better than being what I was a year ago. SithChicky, keep up the good work, believe me it will pay off eventually.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    are you sure you burn 2000 calories a day for maintenance? when i started at 224, my TDEE was around 2700 and my BMR was around 2000..

    is it possible you arent enough enough? your metabolism needs fuel to work properly. people are different but I've found I get great results by eating at an amount that's above my BMR but lower than my TDEE and I lose an average of 1 pound a week without starving myself or my hair falling out in the process


    ETA: I just read that you said that you had issues with your thyroid. Maybe you should focus first on getting that to where it needs to be before trying to throw weight loss n the mix. I mean if my stove isn't working correctly and I'm in the process of fixing it, it's probably not the best time to try making a bunch of new recipes where I need the oven
  • Blackthorne99
    Blackthorne99 Posts: 250 Member
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    If one eats less than what one burns, one will lose weight.

    It's not always the case, in my opinion. I get the science of it, I do. But it's not the same for every single person.

    Just normal daily living burns about 2,000 calories. On a diet for nearly 3 months, I was eating 1200-1500 and in that 3 months, lost 3 lbs. I have hypothyroid, it's hard for me to lose weight. Why do people seem so hellbent on the theory of weight loss, isn't it different for everyone? Because I know it is for me. Maybe I'm the only one, like ever... but I know for a fact it's different for people with thyroid issues, and diabetes in some cases too.

    Yes, it is calories in vs. calories out. The key is - we're not measuring the right things.

    If an item has 300 calories according to a package, that does NOT mean that YOUR body is going to absorb 300 calories out of it. Some of us are super absorbers and actually break down food better than others. And some of us DON'T absorb as much as others. A perfect example of this is kids with Cystic Fibrosis. Because they end up with a mucus lining in their intestines that blocks their ability to absorb food, they HAVE to eat a ton of calories just to stay alive because they aren't getting 100% of what they eat. In fact, they actual prescribe bile salts & pancreatic enzymes to BOOST absorption for people who aren't absorbing as much as others. This means someone who produces an excess naturally would absorb more than a normal person.

    And just because someone SAYS we burn XXX calories per hour being alive does NOT mean that YOUR body burns that. Bodies are designed to take care of certain functions before others. For example - if your body temperature is 97.6 instead of 98.6, you require less energy for a day than someone who is exactly the same height, weight & gender but who's body temperature is 1 degree higher. The very definition of a calorie is how much energy it takes to heat a liter of water 1 degree,

    There are other functions which may not be working at 100% (especially for people who are hypothyroid or insulin resistant) that require less to function. This is what metabolism is all about. Just like when your bank account is low, suddenly you skip the name brand and buy generic. You decide maybe you DON'T need to see the dentist this month, or maybe you'll just patch that tire instead of replacing it. You find ways to get by on less - it doesn't mean you're getting the same quality of life (physically or financially), but you're taking care of the essentials.

    So while it is true, calories in vs calories out, you have to take into account ALL of the ways in and out. If you're not absorbing something, it's going "out" via pooping, not via sweat or calorie burning.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    it bothers me because it really isn't that simple. I must just use like no calories throughout the day. I guess I'm weird like that, lol. I accept reality, don't judge.
    Whatever the issues, finding a way that creates a calorie deficit is the ONLY way to ever lose weight.
    Maybe you have medical issues.
    Address them.
    Maybe your body is stubbornly fighting the process. Oh well!
    It's simple but hard and harder for some than others, but nature doesn't change.
    Good Luck!

    easy to say oh well when it's not you. It's a lot to deal with when it is you. Do everything you can do to better yourself, just to keep failing.
    You are NOT failing!
    The fight is not over until you stop punching, so don't quit.
    Go look at yourself in the mirror, smile and say "I CAN DO THIS"
    You don't have to settle for defeat; rise above those routines. Listen to the little voice inside saying "we will not go down"
    And FIGHT!
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    I have hypothyroid too, but I feel like even if I didn't, I don't think the "in-vs.-out" concept would work. I know many, many people who say they have succeeded at calorie counting, but I also know that a majority of them had to change WHAT they were eating to fall underneath those goals, and I think that's where most of the difference lies. I just can't wrap my head around the idea that you can eat 5 twinkies a day and lose weight as long as your output exceeds your intake. I know many people will disagree with me, but I haven't seen anyone maintain a "little debbie" diet, staying within their calorie goals, and be successful.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
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    If one eats less than what one burns, one will lose weight.

    It's not always the case, in my opinion. I get the science of it, I do. But it's not the same for every single person.

    Just normal daily living burns about 2,000 calories. On a diet for nearly 3 months, I was eating 1200-1500 and in that 3 months, lost 3 lbs. I have hypothyroid, it's hard for me to lose weight. Why do people seem so hellbent on the theory of weight loss, isn't it different for everyone? Because I know it is for me. Maybe I'm the only one, like ever... but I know for a fact it's different for people with thyroid issues, and diabetes in some cases too.

    Soooo... you ARE eating less than you are burning AND you are losing weight... so it is the same for you?!?!?! What's the problem?

    3 months of busting my butt and 3 lbs? No it's not the same for me. I should be losing way more than that if you look into the science I'm talking about. It's not the same for everyone.
  • Twiztedbeing
    Twiztedbeing Posts: 389
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    The biggest question that might argue with calories in vs calories out is, why when you get down in weight does it get harder to lose weight? If you are still losing 3500 a week, should you not lose a pound? People say they reach plateau's and cant lose any more weight, but if you are saying it works no matter what, then 3500 deficit a week should be a pound regardless? The only thing I can say that would account for the plateau would be your body is not burning the same amount of calories.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Have you tried eating smaller meals more often through the day? And building muscle? Since the hypothyroidism is slowing down your weight loss, doing everything you can to boost your metabolism may help. Muscle burns more calories than fat. Maybe that would help...
  • SithChicky
    SithChicky Posts: 74
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    are you sure you burn 2000 calories a day for maintenance? when i started at 224, my TDEE was around 2700 and my BMR was around 2000..

    is it possible you arent enough enough? your metabolism needs fuel to work properly. people are different but I've found I get great results by eating at an amount that's above my BMR but lower than my TDEE and I lose an average of 1 pound a week without starving myself or my hair falling out in the process


    ETA: I just read that you said that you had issues with your thyroid. Maybe you should focus first on getting that to where it needs to be before trying to throw weight loss n the mix. I mean if my stove isn't working correctly and I'm in the process of fixing it, it's probably not the best time to try making a bunch of new recipes where I need the oven

    I was on my medication for my thyroid for 4 months before I started trying, before that 3 months of trying and 3 lbs down. That was my plan, to get the meds in my system fully, and used to them, then add the burden of weight loss as well. And trust me, I burn plenty, I'm a stay-at-home mom to my 2 and 3-year-olds, they keep me busy. We go for 20 minute walks every day when it's nice out, me pulling them in their wagon. So that's 20 minutes at least of me lugging around about 70 lbs.

    I'm not starving myself with the 1200 calories. I was aiming for 1200, no more than 1500 for those 3 months. I ate small amounts every couple of hours, drank a lot of water, exercised.
  • wyofarmgirl
    wyofarmgirl Posts: 4 Member
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    My luck was eating foods low on the Glycemic Index. When I watched the foods I ate according to the GI, it really seemed to get somewhere. As soon as I tossed it away, the weight would come back. I am trying again, and its working again. You just have to keep working to find your solution. Dieting is like divorce...everyone has an opinion on whats best for you, but only you know what really is best. Good luck.

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