Calories in calories out

amother

Denim

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 10:58 am

I know this has been discussed a million times, but I still need clarification.

Are all calories really the same?

This is how I see it
Please tell me if I'm wrong.

Of course it's calories in calories out.
And there are almost 2x as much calories in fat than carbs.

BUT, when you eat carbs and sugars, you tend to want more and more. You don't stay satisfied for very long. So, you end up eating more calories. Plus, insulin goes up and down and this causes the extra calories to be stored for a later date.

When you eat fat you can stay satisfied for a longer period of time. Eventually you stop craving foods. You eat less, you lose weight, without being hungry. Also your insulin stays steady so you burn what you consume, but low calorie.

So it's a balance of both low calorie, low carb.

Where do other metabolic systems come in? Hormones, cortisol, thyroid.
How do you improve these systems NATURALLY so your body releases the weight.

I need to lose 20-25lbs. Why is it sooooo hard?

chani8

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:18 am

Correct on the low calories, low carb. That does not mean you need to go extremely low carb. Cut out the junk food and food-in-a-box and go easy on rice and grains. But eat your veggies, even starchy veggies.

If you have hormone imbalance, high (or low) cortisol, and/or thyroid issues, then you need to focus on foods that heal your body. That is a very complex ordeal. You need to be specific about your issues and do the research to figure out how to adjust your diet.

And last, exercise. It can make a difference. It definitely affects hormones and cortisol.

HopeMother

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:23 am

This is what programs like Weight Watchers base their point systems on. That yes, its "simply" calories in vs. calories out, some calories are more easily digested than others, some keep you full for longer than others... some calories are "better for you" than others. But all in all it is calories in calories out.

Even veggies have calories, but on a point system an apple is "free" while a cookie with the same calories is 4 points...
However, I am finding that if you watch your calories, have lots of the good calories and get your carbs in, because you need carbs to have energy, though corn or potatoes instead of cookies and processed bread, it is much easier on your body and your weight and keeps you full longer.

Its trial in error for what works for you, what works for me will not work for you. Eating salads with no dressing will not fill everyone up, while it does fill me up. Dairy is a big deal for me, since one slice of american cheese is roughly 100 calories, so I try to have very little cheeses, but yogurt is good...

If you want to try truly counting calories download a calorie counting app and stick to it. Play around with what you eat to make sure you stay full, and be realistic on your goals. Assuming you truly have the weight to lose, not just feel like you do, than half a pound to a pound a week is realistic. So expect to lose 25 pounds in 6 months to a year, purely counting calories.

chani8

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:24 am

You asked "why is it so hard" to lose? It really takes dropping calories significantly (and meticulously), and sometimes it takes a couple months, sometimes three, to convince the body to start losing. Once it starts, it goes smoothly, and then there are plateaus where the body stops losing for awhile.

And then, once you get a good weight loss, the brain freaks out, secretes a hormone that stimulates appetite, and tries to trick the person into overeating/binging. So when you get down that 20 pounds, beware, lest you fall for that.

amother

Denim

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:25 am

chani8 wrote:

EXERCISE, that's were I go wrong. I know I should, but I don't.

HopeMother

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:33 am

amother wrote:

EXERCISE, that's were I go wrong. I know I should, but I don't.

Actually you need to burn roughly 3500 calories to loose 1 pound. While exercise is great for your body in many many ways, it is not going to cause you to lose weight all in itself. You NEED to change your diet to lose significant weight. In 30 min of brisk walking you only burn roughly 200 calories...

chani8

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:43 am

amother wrote:

EXERCISE, that's were I go wrong. I know I should, but I don't.

You will lose even if you dont exercise, theoretically, because it's calories in calories out. But if you have hormone/cortisol issues, then eating specific foods and exercising for even 10 minutes a day, can help.

But since you are only 20-25 pounds overweight, it doesn't sound like you fit the profile of someone with those issues severe enough to affect metabolism. It could be age? Did you hit age 40 recently?

amother

Denim

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:59 am

chani8 wrote:

I wish, actually 48. Today I have 20 -25 more lbs to lose.
I lost 30 so far.
But lost only 2lbs in the last month.

I was exercising, eating low carb and lower fat under 1000 cal.
I've lost my motivation to continue exercising though.
It's hard for me I have a lot of joint issues and the 30lb weight loss hasn't helped much with the aches and pains.

HopeMother

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 12:09 pm

amother wrote:

Under 1000 Calories!!! That seems too little! Likely you need around 1200 calories to loose, 1500 to maintain... Go online and use a calorie counter to calculate how many calories you should be eating at your height, weight, age... I would bet that is a major aspect of your weight loss plateau. If you eat too few calories your body goes into "starvation mode" and retains all its fat... You need to eat a proper amount, even eating more once a week, to keep your metabolism working and to not retain its fat. Please check if this is correct for you! I strongly doubt it.

chani8

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 12:14 pm

amother wrote:

Under 1000 calories can trigger a rebound effect and cause you to binge it all back. That's not what you want to do after all your hard work. You need to figure out, now, what is the most calories you can eat and still lose. That's right, the MOST calories you can eat and still lose. That is how you jump start back into losing. Right now, the body has stalled and is getting ready to fight you. You can trick it and win it, if you start eating as many calories as you can, staying within dieting range.

chani8

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 12:18 pm

Fill out this calorie calculator and learn how many calories you should be eating now. And then, dont be afraid to eat that much. The hard part becomes, what to eat. Quality counts. Now you can start eating for healthy.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/acc.....ator/

If you dont have access to regular internet, then let me know your height and current weight and I'll figure out your calories for you. (I'm going off imamother soon, though, so not tonight.)

Bruria

Tue, Mar 01 2016, 11:05 pm

A registered dietitian would probably give you more information. Our bodies are complicated, and each person processes food differently. The same diet might work with one person and have no effect on another, what makes one person gain weight might not make the other person, and so on. Even nutrient absorption works differently with different food combinations!

amother

Denim

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 9:21 am

Raisin wrote:

You can get a fitbit or use your phone to track how many steps you take daily. A sedentary person will take about 3000, its recommended to aim for 10000. I need to walk for an hour a day to hit 10000 steps.

I was thinking of getting one of those fitness smart bands.
I don't really care for "brand name"
Is there one that gives you a small zap if you don't move😄
Which one is the "best bang for your buck"

Raisin

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 10:40 am

amother wrote:

I just use my smartphone. Maybe I'll get a band one day but my phone is good enough even if it occasionally misses some steps when its charging. I find it really motivates me - I walk everywhere now.

Look on amazon - there are tons of brands and you will find reviews.

With some of them you can link up with friends and then it gets all competitive. LOL

amother

Denim

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 10:54 am

Raisin wrote:

What's the app on your phone called
Where do you wear it

amother

Green

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 11:42 am

chani8 wrote:

Is this really accurate? I'm 29, 5"3, and about 170. The calculator is telling me that I can eat 1500 calories per day and expect a .5 lb loss per week? That sounds way too high for me! I usually try to keep my calories around 1200 and if I eat more, I gain.

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Mar 02 2016, 6:22 pm

chani8 wrote:

Do u purposely eat more if even if ur not hungry for it?

chani8

Thu, Mar 03 2016, 1:43 am

amother wrote:

Go online and try another calorie counter. You know your body.

I just want to say, though, if your weight loss ever stalls, or if you ever feel the need to binge, then go up to the 1500 for a few days. Varying cals is a trick of the trade to keep the body guessing.