So confusing

myrahonbarrier
myrahonbarrier Posts: 191 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok....I just have to rant this morning. I'm so confused about the numbers game.....first you hear it's all about calories in vs calories out, and as long as you have a deficit you will lose. Then you hear, you must eat high protein, low carbs, low sugar, high fiber, low sodium.

I have only gone over my calories maybe 4-5 times in almost 3 months, I walk every day 2-5 miles. I have lost 20 lbs in those 3 months and I am grateful for that. But man why does it have to be SOOOO stinking confusing.

Seriously how can you eat high protein and low carbs and low sugar and high fiber and low sodium all at the same time? Somebody please tell me this.

I don't want to be a body builder, I just want to lose 40 more lbs. Thanks for any help/guidance you can give.

Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Stick with what's working for you!

    Calories in, calories out has led to a 20lb loss - that's great!! Congrats :)


    As you get closer to your goal (within 5-10lbs), you may want to watch your macros (carbs, protein, sugar, etc) because it's always harder to lose those last few pounds.

    And you can't follow every plan out there all at once - that would be impossible and take a lot of time to plan. I don't know about you, but I have a life to live! :laugh:
    Just try to eat healthy most of the time, and allow yourself some treats now and then. You're doing great!!
  • Baselkharsa
    Baselkharsa Posts: 3
    It is all about calories in versus calories out. Regarding macronutrients, try to get in 0.8 g of protein per pound of body weight and try to get 0.4 g of fat. Fill the rest of your calorie needs with carbohydrates.
  • workoutgirl23
    workoutgirl23 Posts: 267
    Just try to eat healthy. It really is about calories in vs. calories out. so as long as your under your calorie goal every day, you should still be losing weight, no matter what your eating. if your looking for foods to eat that are higher in protein and nutrients, you could google a list of good foods to eat. I eat a lot of yogurt to get my protein in every day.

    good luck. keep up the good work.

    i've also lost 22 pounds since joining this site, and i don't do no fancy diet, i just count my calories.
  • Baselkharsa
    Baselkharsa Posts: 3
    Increasing sodium will cause your body to retain water. It is fine because you will keep losing fat with the same rate but the numbers on the scale will not be very satisfying.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
    Stick with what's working for you!

    Calories in, calories out has led to a 20lb loss - that's great!! Congrats :)


    As you get closer to your goal (within 5-10lbs), you may want to watch your macros (carbs, protein, sugar, etc) because it's always harder to lose those last few pounds.

    And you can't follow every plan out there all at once - that would be impossible and take a lot of time to plan. I don't know about you, but I have a life to live! :laugh:
    Just try to eat healthy most of the time, and allow yourself some treats now and then. You're doing great!!

    I agree with this comment! The part about getting closer to goal is dead on :wink:
  • KaidaKantri
    KaidaKantri Posts: 401
    Increasing sodium will cause your body to retain water. It is fine because you will keep losing fat with the same rate but the numbers on the scale will not be very satisfying.

    This is good to know. I've been craving salt lately. O.O
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    low cal won't work for everyone, just like low carb won't work for others.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,131 Member
    The only things I pay attention to are calories and sodium.
  • feast4thebeast
    feast4thebeast Posts: 210 Member
    Stick with calories in vs calories out. You don't need to worry too much until you get to low bodyfat percentages eg bringing in your six pack after you have a flat tummy. Stay with it and be consistent
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    i think it all goes together...keeping track of your calories, eating healthy and burning calories. you have to come to your own conclusions about which diet works best for you. i believe in the high protein/paleo (ok MOSTLY paleo) diet, others have success with diets that dont require them to cut out carbs...just do what works for you. you may have to try a few different things before you find the food lifestyle you can live with, after all its not a diet, its your new way of life.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    Stick with what's working for you!

    Calories in, calories out has led to a 20lb loss - that's great!! Congrats :)

    ^^^THIS^^^

    As for the "why"... Our obesity is a multi-billion dollar industry. In order to make it in the industry everybody has to have a "HOOK" -- that is something to catch fish... and you are the fish. If Calories in vs calories out is working for you........ Keep doing it and save your MONEY....
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
    The weight loss is about calories in, calories out. Nutrition & healthy living is about what's in those calories. I don't worry too much about the sugar because 2 pieces of fruit will set me over MFP's "limit," but I do watch the other nutrients.
    The low-carb thing is definitely a matter of opinion. Some people are adamant that all carbs are evil; others think carbs don't matter at all as long as you're eating the right number of calories. I say carbs are fuel, and it matters what kind of fuel you put in your body. Overly-proceessed carbs don't give you the nutrients your body needs to work, so you have to eat more of them to get the fuel you need. Eat the healthy carbs (think whole grains, high-fiber, real food) and you get a lot more nutritional bang for your buck (bang for your calorie? :-)).
    High-protein is also about fuel. The body needs protein to operate effectively, and muscles need protein to get stronger. I noticed a HUGE difference in my overall energy levels and motivation once I started eating more protein (my breakfast alone is 30g). I work out more, because I'm not completely drained at the end of the day.
    I don't worry about sodium, but I also don't eat a lot of proceessed foods (which are usually high in sodium), and I don't have any medical conditions that necessitate keeping sodium down.
    Great job on losing what you've lost so far. You can keep doing the same thing and lose more. If your nutrition isn't complete, though, I think you could be feeling SO much better than you are. What would you do with more energy? In addition to giving you the extra oomph to stick to your workout plan, it makes LIFE so much more fun!
  • HVoyager
    HVoyager Posts: 13
    Everyone is different. I guess that's why there are SO many ways to lose. You've heard it before and will hear it again, do what you find works for you, but do it within the confines of what is right for you. When I say "right" I mean according to what your health care professional suggests based on your needs. For instance, I lost a kidney to cancer about 18 months ago. I should NOT ever follow a low carb diet. High protein would be a very bad thing for my remaining kidney. So, I count my calories, exercise consistently and work to balance my diet with lots of good quality complex carbohydrates. It's simple and this is working for me at the moment and I'm ready to change if it stops working or my doctor recommends something different. Best of luck to you!
  • steinmak1
    steinmak1 Posts: 5
    Please go gluten free, and you will see health results immediately.
  • myrahonbarrier
    myrahonbarrier Posts: 191 Member
    Thank you ALL for the comments.... I am eating 100 times healthier than I was before my "epiphany" that I was SICK and TIRED of being fat and unhealthy. I guess, like a LOT of people, patience is not one of my virtues. And I do feel so much better and not tired and sluggish, sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in the number on the scale and forget about all the other things that really matter: how you feel, how your clothes are fitting, etc.

    I am so thankful for MFP and the encouragement and helpfulness!
  • nae714
    nae714 Posts: 6 Member
    I felt the same way when I started. Obviously we are doing something right to lose 20lbs! But if you would like your questions really answered make an appointment with a diatition, or your Dr, who can get you in contact with a diatition. That would give you the answers you seek and hopefully give you some extra confidence to see what you are doing right. Just an idea! Good lukc and happy losing! :D
  • starcatcher248
    starcatcher248 Posts: 11
    I've found that it's totally possible to create low carb and high protein meals esp. if you plan ahead. This is a great book: http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Blueprint-Quick-Easy-Meals/dp/0982207743/ref=cm_lmf_tit_4 that I found where it's actually high protein and low carb. The carbs all come from veg. It has all of the macronutrients by serving broken out too. I'd suggest cutting back a little on the oils to drop the calorie count; most of the time you can get away with 1/2 or less of what is suggested without sacrificing the food consistency or taste. The 'lunch' section has some pretty solid meals that can be leveraged for dinner too. Also, www.paleomg.com has some pretty speedy stuff. I'd also suggest that you keep an eye on the quality of calories that you're eating, to really make sure that you're getting your highest nutritional value for your intake.
  • myrahonbarrier
    myrahonbarrier Posts: 191 Member
    I had an appointment with a nutritionist....was NOT pleased with her at all. Although the one good thing she did is pointed me to MFP. She pretty much spent 30 min looking at her clock without really giving me much info.

    Maybe I will try again with a different one...I'm sure they are not all the same :)
  • CajunNino
    CajunNino Posts: 269
    How do we know ANYTHING? Absurd question, sure. We learn in school from textbooks written by other people passed down to us.... research done by other people passed down to us.... studies, both scientific and unscientific passed down to us.... universities and labs researching information ...yada yada yada.... and STILL there are tons of misinformation. People who put things out there on TV and radio (cough - Dr. Oz / John Tesh) and millions believe it as absolute truth! For every 100 health and fitness websites, you might get reasonable, logical information from maybe 5 of them.

    Sounds pretty cynical? Not trying to be. I'm just pointing out that no one has it all figured out. What they have is something that works for some people or even most people. There is no "one size fits all" formula for health. Let the argument begin.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
    Good nutrition always trumps calories in vs. calories out. I wouldn't think we want to get to our weight goal and eat like a junkie. I think when we are running a calorie deficit we are in many ways more vulnerable and need to make every calorie we take in as nutrient rich as possible. We want to feel good and get healthier and more energetic during the process.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Please go gluten free, and you will see health results immediately.

    Why does she need to do this to lose weight?
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
    I had an appointment with a nutritionist....was NOT pleased with her at all. Although the one good thing she did is pointed me to MFP. She pretty much spent 30 min looking at her clock without really giving me much info.

    Maybe I will try again with a different one...I'm sure they are not all the same :)

    I haven't been impressed, either. I've only seen one nutritionist and one dietician, but both were pretty useless for me. The first was a mandatory appointment b/c I developed gestational diabetes -- I was the only person in the class who wasn't obese, and the class focused on teaching us how to read the nutrition label, and what a serving size was, and how to tell if a food had sugar. Very basic knowledge that WAS important for some of the people attending -- but kind of a waste of my time. The second time was out of curiosity for me; I went in for an individual appointment (different place, about a year and a half later), but the results weren't much better. No personalized plan, just the same, tired advice of eat healthy and exercise. Yes, that's the answer -- but we ALL know that; I'd expect something more from a nutritionist.
    I can't condemn the entire career field based off of two bad experiences, but I have to say that's probably not something I'll ever try again.

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