so i'm reading lots of info which of course is making me more confused. I wanted to know if you think that weight loss is all about cals in vs. out or if you think the types of foods eaten make a difference (i'm not talking about eating junk food, i'm talking like carbs vs. protein vs. fat intake). i just feel so confused anymore about all the info out there.
is it all about the cals?
- Thread starter kariev
- Start date
I think they're tied together, actually. Ultimately, it's all about in vs. out. But WHAT you eat helps you stay full longer so that you don't eat more calories than you need. Thus the balance of protein and carbs, etc....
But at the end of that, if you're eating more calories than you body needs, you're not going to lose weight, no matter what you're eating.
But at the end of that, if you're eating more calories than you body needs, you're not going to lose weight, no matter what you're eating.
serene_46
Cathlete
I have been tweaking my diet over the last year and have hit on a formula that has been working well for me. I eat 5 times a day ( each meal between 300-400 calories) , spreading the meals out to about every 3 hours. I eat lots of low glycemic vegetables, 2 servings of whole grain carbs, protein such as seafood, chicken or soyburgers, a couple of servings of deeply colored fruit such as mango, papaya, apricots, red grapefruit and about 20 nuts- almonds, pistachios. I occasionally throw some avocado into a salad. My daily caloric total runs anywhere from 1500-2000 calories, depending on where I am in my cardio/ strength workout schedule.
For me, putting really good quality food into my body reaps plenty of energy, a "full feeling" that prevents mindless snacking and an increased mental acuity. I seem to be very carb sensitive as I go through perimenapausal changes so the increased veggie intak was crucial for me.
For me, putting really good quality food into my body reaps plenty of energy, a "full feeling" that prevents mindless snacking and an increased mental acuity. I seem to be very carb sensitive as I go through perimenapausal changes so the increased veggie intak was crucial for me.
syzygy314
Cathlete
How full I stay until my next meal depends entirely on what type of calories I'm combining. I try not to over-think it, but lately I've been out of my nuts and have only been eating fruit for my snacks at mid-morning and mid-afternoon and have been starving one hour before my next meal! So, I'm a firm believer of getting a protein source in with each mini-meal!
That said, it is calories in v. calories out as far as straight weight loss is concerned.
JMHO!
That said, it is calories in v. calories out as far as straight weight loss is concerned.
JMHO!
Another person here trying not to overthink things too much! 
I have been able to lose and keep weight off by staying away from refined carbs (sugar, white flour, etc) and keeping to a kind of blueprint I designed for myself. I have three meals and two snacks allotted to myself each day. I have a variety of different meals and snacks to choose from (these are vegan and consist of lots of veggies, legumes, tempeh, nuts, fruits, whole grains, etc.). The calories probably range from 1400-1900 per day, but I know that as long as I stick to my plan, keep an eye on portions, and don't wander too far, I'll be OK without counting - but of course, I pretty much know how many calories the foods I eat have.
I find that I simply DO NOT LOSE if I eat high-sugar foods, like cake. I also have a little bit of an impulse-control issue with cake.
When I did my low-intensity experiment a few months ago, I was able to keep my diet on the straight'n narrow really easily, and although I've been doing higher-intensity stuff lately (because I like it), I have made this enough of a habit that I'm still doing pretty well.
I have been able to lose and keep weight off by staying away from refined carbs (sugar, white flour, etc) and keeping to a kind of blueprint I designed for myself. I have three meals and two snacks allotted to myself each day. I have a variety of different meals and snacks to choose from (these are vegan and consist of lots of veggies, legumes, tempeh, nuts, fruits, whole grains, etc.). The calories probably range from 1400-1900 per day, but I know that as long as I stick to my plan, keep an eye on portions, and don't wander too far, I'll be OK without counting - but of course, I pretty much know how many calories the foods I eat have.
I find that I simply DO NOT LOSE if I eat high-sugar foods, like cake. I also have a little bit of an impulse-control issue with cake.
When I did my low-intensity experiment a few months ago, I was able to keep my diet on the straight'n narrow really easily, and although I've been doing higher-intensity stuff lately (because I like it), I have made this enough of a habit that I'm still doing pretty well.
Dela
Cathlete
I would think by now, I would know how to lose weight, but I too have read too much, and am now just lost in what to believe, what to do, and more importantly how to apply anything to my life and make it work. My head is spinning. I want to believe that just eating all the healthy stuff will do the trick, but at least for me, that is not the answer for weight loss.
I recently gained 10 pounds, I'm very upset, it's almost all around my middle, and I seemingly just popped out one day, my clothes don't fit, and I feel pretty terrible about myself. It was not the holidays for me, it was all the moving and changing of my schedules and living arrangements over the last 6 months that built up to this 10 pound gain.
Soooo, for this past month I followed the "Perfect 10 Diet" seemingly quite well, although I probably ate a little more dairy than he prescribed. I felt good, because the food is all VERY healthy, it certainly allows for fats, but of course everything in moderation. I was counting out the amount of nuts to eat, measuring oils, keeping portions smaller (I thought), trying to keep dairy to a minimum, I followed the suggestion to cut out all grains and starches for the first 3 weeks, I got back to the gym 5 days/week. I added back grains in the 4th week, and after 4 whole weeks of super healthy eating, I lost exactly zero pounds! I did not have a measuring tape when I started, so I think some of the blubber around my middle is gone, but my jeans are still WAY too tight.
My only thought here, is that despite all of the super healthy eating, and cutting out all the crap, I must have been taking in too many calories, I just don't see any other reason for NO weight loss over a 4 week period. I really had to fight to follow this for the first couple weeks, I had some serious cravings for some bread/pasta/sugar/etc that I had to fight through, but still nothing. I like eating like this for the most part, I feel good and healthy, and know for maintaining, this is pretty good, but I NEED to lose weight now!
It wasn't in my game plan, but I think I need to go to a Weight Watchers style of plan to keep my calories in check.
Wow that was long and wordy, sorry!
I recently gained 10 pounds, I'm very upset, it's almost all around my middle, and I seemingly just popped out one day, my clothes don't fit, and I feel pretty terrible about myself. It was not the holidays for me, it was all the moving and changing of my schedules and living arrangements over the last 6 months that built up to this 10 pound gain.
Soooo, for this past month I followed the "Perfect 10 Diet" seemingly quite well, although I probably ate a little more dairy than he prescribed. I felt good, because the food is all VERY healthy, it certainly allows for fats, but of course everything in moderation. I was counting out the amount of nuts to eat, measuring oils, keeping portions smaller (I thought), trying to keep dairy to a minimum, I followed the suggestion to cut out all grains and starches for the first 3 weeks, I got back to the gym 5 days/week. I added back grains in the 4th week, and after 4 whole weeks of super healthy eating, I lost exactly zero pounds! I did not have a measuring tape when I started, so I think some of the blubber around my middle is gone, but my jeans are still WAY too tight.
My only thought here, is that despite all of the super healthy eating, and cutting out all the crap, I must have been taking in too many calories, I just don't see any other reason for NO weight loss over a 4 week period. I really had to fight to follow this for the first couple weeks, I had some serious cravings for some bread/pasta/sugar/etc that I had to fight through, but still nothing. I like eating like this for the most part, I feel good and healthy, and know for maintaining, this is pretty good, but I NEED to lose weight now!
It wasn't in my game plan, but I think I need to go to a Weight Watchers style of plan to keep my calories in check.
Wow that was long and wordy, sorry!
RapidBreath
Cathlete
High Dela,
I hear you. Last year I went on a super clean eating streak for two weeks and put on two pounds. I was watching calories and carbs and I put on. Whats worse is that I shortly after that got sick was put on antibiotics and put on more which I have not yet gotten off. Its been over a year now. Seriously, any second fats cels
Sometimes calorie cycling helps. I started with just counting calories. That worked for 30 pounds. Avoiding soy seems to help. Avoiding junk food seems to help. But, anymore, I just don't know. I used to be a smart person and then I tried dieting.
I hear you. Last year I went on a super clean eating streak for two weeks and put on two pounds. I was watching calories and carbs and I put on. Whats worse is that I shortly after that got sick was put on antibiotics and put on more which I have not yet gotten off. Its been over a year now. Seriously, any second fats cels
Sometimes calorie cycling helps. I started with just counting calories. That worked for 30 pounds. Avoiding soy seems to help. Avoiding junk food seems to help. But, anymore, I just don't know. I used to be a smart person and then I tried dieting.
Autumn68
Cathlete
for me it's cal's. I thought if I workout hard enough and long enough I can eat what I want. Maybe that's the case if I'm an Olyimpian or when I'm at my goal weight, but the past 7 months or so I've workouted out and stared to loose weight until the summer or the end of it...it stopped. I didn't gain but didn't loose anything but my body is looking better anyway, but not loosing size, but getting defined. I have a lot to go @ 30 #, so I have to count cal's and changing my diet now for health reasons which should help. Anyway, that's what I found to be true for me. - Autumn
thanks guys again for all your advice. i think i'm overthinking things and because i love reading about nutrition, i'm getting information overload. more then 10 years ago, i lost 35# by simply not eating junk food (desert each night, BK, etc) and doing 30-45 min of exercise 6 days a week. I NEVER once counted a single calorie. I ate when i was hungry, stopped when i was full, and if I was at a b-day party i would eat a piece of cake with no worries. As the years went on i guess dieting became an obsession and manesfested itself into all sorts of diet rules. So now i find myself struggling trying to maintain my weight. I'm about 5lbs heavier then where i used to be. It seems like the more rules and the more diets i read about, the more confused i got and i started to gain. I'm rereading the intuitive eating book trying to get back to my natural hunger/fullness cues. Its REALLY hard. Sometimes i wish i could just wipe my brain out with all the diet bs i have going on in there LOL. I need to go back to simple math and keep it simple by doing cals in vs. out.