My fat loss journey - help me understand

[lotusdeva]

Same, same, same sh*t ova here I went on a first bulk, gained 20 pounds (too much, yes) and then decided to cut. I though, well, it will take me 3 months max and I will be looking hot by summer. Yeah, right. 145-141-140 and sitting there for 2 months. Then to 138 and that's it, the scale would not move. 138-137, 136 one time! And then back to 138. Eating 1700 cals, then 1600. Then f*ck this tired, then injuries, then u know what, I am gonna build my legs and screw cutting, will cut later. Well, another injury and I am faced wiht a problem - is my fat as* gonna cut or what? So I recalculated macros and started using scale for measurments instead of like cups. I quickly found out that 1/2 cup of oatmeal was 17g more then I originaly thought, well almost like 100 calories if I had 1 cup of oatmeal! Bacon was a total shocker - package says 70 cals in 2 slies (15g). I measure 1 slice and it's 37g, are you kidding me? So my 2 slices where actually 74g, thats over 200 cals. Oh, peanut butter - you can't just have a spoon here and there, that's like 190 cals in 2 spoons, and I am sure I had 15 of those, spoons So I started measuring and trickign myself a bit. Well, I know that I will mess up somewhere - have an extra of this or that. So on some day I would log more then I actually ate, like 1/2 cup more, or 50 g more, just so if I messed up, its kind of accounted for. I do IF, so half of the day I dont have to worry about any of this. Anyway, I started this cut on Oct 31 and lost 4 pounds so far. I weigh myself once a month and that's it. I understand that it is a slow process, I have to be at the deficit. So I gave myself 20 weeks. 5 weeks down. Slow and easy. 1600 calories, dont know if I will drop. The only thing I am not sure of is a refeed day. Do you have it every week, once every two weeks, when? Ughh...

[Miranda]

So I recalculated macros and started using scale for measurments instead of like cups. I quickly found out that 1/2 cup of oatmeal was 17g more then I originaly thought, well almost like 100 calories if I had 1 cup of oatmeal! Bacon was a total shocker - package says 70 cals in 2 slies (15g). I measure 1 slice and it's 37g, are you kidding me? So my 2 slices where actually 74g, thats over 200 cals. Oh, peanut butter - you can't just have a spoon here and there, that's like 190 cals in 2 spoons, and I am sure I had 15 of those, spoons So I started measuring and trickign myself a bit. Well, I know that I will mess up somewhere - have an extra of this or that. So on some day I would log more then I actually ate, like 1/2 cup more, or 50 g more, just so if I messed up, its kind of accounted for.

serving sizes can be a shocker.

the only items i use 'serving size' for - except the other stuff that doesn't matter, like a square of chocolate of course - are crumpets and sliced toast. i just look on the package. 2 slices equals yada yada calories. except the butt end slice because it looks kind of squashed. so it must be half a slice, right? wronnggg. or eggs, they all weigh the same. except that they don't.

i made moroccan beef stew the other day . . . recipe calls for '1/2 cup (70 grams)' of dried apricots. i weigh 70 grams of apricots and for shts and giggles put them in a measuring cup. half a cup my ass. half a quarter of a nothing more like.

i measure milk though. when i'm done measuring, i take a sip out of the carton. it's not tangible, and not logged. it doesn't exist. and what else? hm . . . even if you're aware of the things that don't count, you're not aware of the things that you're not aware of.

slightly OT - anyone notice that all those women who are eating 1,200 calories and not losing fat are all eating 1,200 calories? why doesn't anyone say they're eating 1,187 calories or 1,267 calories? and where do they get it from? a magazine with a '1,200 calorie' sample menu that tells them to eat something like a 'handful of nuts' or 'a medium baked potato'? it doesn't compute.

it's as bad as the [lack of] accuracy of any free smartphone calorie counting app i've come across. you can't use them for anything meaningful.

'breakfast: a serving of oatmeal with flaxseed
lunch: chicken breast with two servings of broccoli and a potato
snack: a handful of almonds or an apple with peanut butter
dinner: steamed fish with wholemeal pasta and vegetables'

1,200 calories presto. why isn't it working?

[acrawlingchaos]

Didn't know this thread was here, why no PM?. Finished reading, and wanted to confirm you are not a special snowflake. Sy, you are not counting calories, so there is absolutely no way to know if you ate more. If you lost weight, you are in a deficit period. (Laws of thermodynamics and all that).

If intuitive dieting works for you, have at at it.

[catskills]

I know exactly what you mean. I started weighing everything myself and found I was way off with a lot of my calculations. Which complicates things immensely when you are trying to figure out your maintenance. those servings they list on the package aren't accurate at all. It just takes a few calories 100-200 day if you are eating at maintenance to really be bulking. And it isn't just that, it is the exercise you are burning. I am pretty sure most of those estimates are off too. Does an elliptical really burn off 600 calories an hour? I am guessing more like 250 - 300 cal an hour. If you are factoring in cardio that can also be problematic. I've stop doing things like mindless snacking...ie. licking the spoon and just decided to take another tsp and count it. Either that or I am just going to continue spinning my wheels. In the long run it will be less pain. At my age, I can't afford that kind of time 8)

[wakechica]

i measure milk though. when i'm done measuring, i take a sip out of the carton. it's not tangible, and not logged. it doesn't exist. and what else? hm . . . even if you're aware of the things that don't count, you're not aware of the things that you're not aware of.

That is so naughty. You should go and sit on the naughty step for 10 minutes. Or do an extra 5hrs on the elliptical.

MFP is quite good for UK foods - a lot of people have converted the '2 slices' or 'quarter of a packet' into actual weight and gives you the grams option instead. If you scan bar codes, it's sometimes worth searching for the grams option.

And yes the 1200 cal diet bugs me, most popular number. And it's a rubbish number too. They've done studies, most peoples RDA for women is around 2000 cals give or take coupled with exercise. It's on all the cereal boxes

I know exactly what you mean. I started weighing everything myself and found I was way off with a lot of my calculations. Which complicates things immensely when you are trying to figure out your maintenance. those servings they list on the package aren't accurate at all. It just takes a few calories 100-200 day if you are eating at maintenance to really be bulking. And it isn't just that, it is the exercise you are burning. I am pretty sure most of those estimates are off too. Does an elliptical really burn off 600 calories an hour? I am guessing more like 250 - 300 cal an hour. If you are factoring in cardio that can also be problematic. I've stop doing things like mindless snacking...ie. licking the spoon and just decided to take another tsp and count it. Either that or I am just going to continue spinning my wheels. In the long run it will be less pain. At my age, I can't afford that kind of time 8)

NEVER EVER trust a machine. You shouldn't be eating back cals anyway.

[CathyVee]

Same, same, same sh*t ova here I went on a first bulk, gained 20 pounds (too much, yes) and then decided to cut. I though, well, it will take me 3 months max and I will be looking hot by summer. Yeah, right. 145-141-140 and sitting there for 2 months. Then to 138 and that's it, the scale would not move. 138-137, 136 one time! And then back to 138. Eating 1700 cals, then 1600. Then f*ck this tired, then injuries, then u know what, I am gonna build my legs and screw cutting, will cut later. Well, another injury and I am faced wiht a problem - is my fat as* gonna cut or what? So I recalculated macros and started using scale for measurments instead of like cups. I quickly found out that 1/2 cup of oatmeal was 17g more then I originaly thought, well almost like 100 calories if I had 1 cup of oatmeal! Bacon was a total shocker - package says 70 cals in 2 slies (15g). I measure 1 slice and it's 37g, are you kidding me? So my 2 slices where actually 74g, thats over 200 cals. Oh, peanut butter - you can't just have a spoon here and there, that's like 190 cals in 2 spoons, and I am sure I had 15 of those, spoons So I started measuring and trickign myself a bit. Well, I know that I will mess up somewhere - have an extra of this or that. So on some day I would log more then I actually ate, like 1/2 cup more, or 50 g more, just so if I messed up, its kind of accounted for. I do IF, so half of the day I dont have to worry about any of this. Anyway, I started this cut on Oct 31 and lost 4 pounds so far. I weigh myself once a month and that's it. I understand that it is a slow process, I have to be at the deficit. So I gave myself 20 weeks. 5 weeks down. Slow and easy. 1600 calories, dont know if I will drop. The only thing I am not sure of is a refeed day. Do you have it every week, once every two weeks, when? Ughh...

Re-check the label. The 15 gram serving size refers to the weight of the cooked slices. I wanted to make sure I was counting correctly so I weighed the cooked slices and they turned out to be 15 grams. Just make sure you measure the bacon grease and count those calories if you are going to add it to anything (highly recommended).

[sy2502]

Didn't know this thread was here, why no PM?.

Sorry pal, will PM you next time I start a thread

[DieselsMom]

That was my thought too sorry dude don't know who you are.

[Miranda]

NEVER EVER trust a machine.

except bodybugg/bodymedia eh?

MFP is quite good for UK foods - a lot of people have converted the '2 slices' or 'quarter of a packet' into actual weight and gives you the grams option instead. If you scan bar codes, it's sometimes worth searching for the grams option.

i don't use online databases except nutritiondata for fruits and vegetables. i believe they use the USDA database.

all my items are customised. ie i look at the actual package and what it says and add it. not pull things off the web and go by what an online database (calorieking in oz) says the package says < makes a difference, even if a small one that won't necessarily be the *actual* energy content of the product but that's as close as you can get.

customising was a bit of a pain but no big deal in the end, because i tend to eat the same foods anyway. if i switch a brand, i edit the item. for random stuff that's out of range, i just look at the wrapper and add in the macronutrient grams.

most peoples RDA for women is around 2000 cals give or take coupled with exercise. It's on all the cereal boxes

darn i should've thought of that

but yea, guesstimating/serving sizes/meal plans are a wet noodle for an icepick.

good thing there's always 'starvation mode' for loophole for them unique snowflakes . . . it's impossible to simply eat too much. that'd be, like, gluttony.

heck, i've dieted on actual count-a-piece-of-lettuce-and slices-of-cucumber 1,187-1,296 calories. dropped fat like mad, too. true 1,200 calories is NOT a lot of food. i think i was licking empty tuna cans. even 1,470 cals (+ 200 cals of noise) leaves me teary.

so yeah, when someone comes along at 170lbs or so and says she's been 'eating 1,200 calories' and has not lost anything, well, i guess the laws of thermodynamics just met their master (not).

[lotusdeva]

serving sizes can be a shocker.

the only items i use 'serving size' for - except the other stuff that doesn't matter, like a square of chocolate of course - are crumpets and sliced toast. i just look on the package. 2 slices equals yada yada calories. except the butt end slice because it looks kind of squashed. so it must be half a slice, right? wronnggg. or eggs, they all weigh the same. except that they don't.

i made moroccan beef stew the other day . . . recipe calls for '1/2 cup (70 grams)' of dried apricots. i weigh 70 grams of apricots and for shts and giggles put them in a measuring cup. half a cup my ass. half a quarter of a nothing more like.

i measure milk though. when i'm done measuring, i take a sip out of the carton. it's not tangible, and not logged. it doesn't exist. and what else? hm . . . even if you're aware of the things that don't count, you're not aware of the things that you're not aware of.

slightly OT - anyone notice that all those women who are eating 1,200 calories and not losing fat are all eating 1,200 calories? why doesn't anyone say they're eating 1,187 calories or 1,267 calories? and where do they get it from? a magazine with a '1,200 calorie' sample menu that tells them to eat something like a 'handful of nuts' or 'a medium baked potato'? it doesn't compute.

it's as bad as the [lack of] accuracy of any free smartphone calorie counting app i've come across. you can't use them for anything meaningful.

'breakfast: a serving of oatmeal with flaxseed
lunch: chicken breast with two servings of broccoli and a potato
snack: a handful of almonds or an apple with peanut butter
dinner: steamed fish with wholemeal pasta and vegetables'

1,200 calories presto. why isn't it working?

I have discovered another inconsistency in my diet today I usually make one big salad for a day and eat it at lunch and at dinner with whatever I am having. I love greens, especially during winter time. So I put lettuce, 2 tomatoes, cucumber, radish, some greens and squeez some lemon. I mean, come on, how much can this be? I don't even count it. Yeah. Today before I made this salad, and, remembering this thread, I decided to measure and track everything that goes into it and see what I come up with. Well here it is:

cucumber 1 big one - 334g, 52 calories, 12.8 g carbs
tomatoes 2 medium ones - 282g, 42 calories, 11g of carbs
radish 116g, 12 calories
lettuce - 186g, 44 calories, 7g of carbs
lemon - 98g, 28 cals, 9g of carbs

So, on top of 1600 calories I was also eating about 178 cals via salad. F, me! Count, count, weigh, weigh, weigh, that's the only way this fat is comming off

[catskills]

NEVER EVER trust a machine. You shouldn't be eating back cals anyway.

I know. I am really struggling with this. Traditionally I have been a yoyo dieter until about 7 years ago when I discovered that cardio is a great way to maintain your weight if you ignore your diet. Now I have been focusing on my diet because I don't want to do that anymore. I have learned that it is really easy for me to overeat. Which is why I have these challenges. Trying to eat at maintenance has been a real eye-opener for me. I am wondering if it is possible to be a carb addict (seriously) like I have some internal drive that causes me to seek out more carbohydrates than I need. Either that or I have some type of metabolic imbalance. I can't figure it out.

[elaina08]

I haven't posted on here in fore-eva but...have been creeping around again and read your post.

Working out and eating 'right' is like, consuming for me. I try to push it out of my mind and relax but then I relax too much and start eating junk and feeling like junk.
Last night I laid awake for like, an hour thinking about 'should I or shouldn't I count calories?...' Should I focus on weights or do tons of cardio?... Why don't I look the way I want when I work out and diet so hard .. what do I need to change .. blah blah crap crap ...

The truth is .. I am the same with calorie counting. It stresses me out SO bad and usually leads to a pretty hardcore binge when I can't count for some reason or have gone over my calories for the day. And the crazy thing is, I lost about 24lbs in the last 2 years by not counting. As soon as I would start I would go nuts..counting everything like a madwomen (3oz lettuce?) which would eventually lead to some crazy, midnight eatingfest. I realize I actually make progress by not counting.

The thing I wonder is .. maybe I don't look the way I want because I'm not hitting my protein needs for the day .. which leads me back to wondering about counting.

Maybe for you .. not counting and just being extra mindful (for fat loss) of what you put in your mouth will work for you.

I know for myself if I'm working out and being 'mindful' of what I'm eating .. I see either a scale or inch loss in 5 days. Then the 6th or 7th day I allow myself a treat meal. Without counting a thing. It has worked.

It's just we over think things. Darnnit I need more protein..darn I'm over my calories..darn I blew it might as well enjoy it now. Counting cals sucks.

[sy2502]

The thing I wonder is .. maybe I don't look the way I want because I'm not hitting my protein needs for the day .. which leads me back to wondering about counting.

Maybe for you .. not counting and just being extra mindful (for fat loss) of what you put in your mouth will work for you.

I know for myself if I'm working out and being 'mindful' of what I'm eating .. I see either a scale or inch loss in 5 days. Then the 6th or 7th day I allow myself a treat meal. Without counting a thing. It has worked.

It's just we over think things. Darnnit I need more protein..darn I'm over my calories..darn I blew it might as well enjoy it now. Counting cals sucks.

Yes I also have a bit of a problem hitting the protein mark, so I know exactly what you mean there. I am in the same exact dilemma and also keep going back and forth on the counting/not counting issue.

[DiannaPrince]

Bumping this for newcomers. What a fantastic post. (Lack of) Fat Loss is so unbelievably frustrating and borders on life-consuming if you're not/too careful.

[tara19]

Just read the entire thread, thanks for the bump!
Glad to see I'm not the only one who gets cranky counting calories and not seeing results all the time.

Hope everyones mastered it by now

[TeayotaSoupra]

I'm going to have to throw the diet ideas out the window and focus more onifting until my surgery.
It's a mind game for me too. I count calories and its hard to get 1000 calories a day and I feel like total crap! I KNOW I have plenty of call left but can't bring myself to eat more.

And I'm on these damn diet pills I got from the diet clinic. I really need to throw them away. It's making things worse. Take someone who is hardly ever hungry and put them on diet and metabolism pills and it just doesn't mesh well.

My head hurts... I'm always shaking.. And I'm insanely weak. Workouts have been pretty good up until today. But I attempted to lift after getting blood drawn and before eating.

Just going to be mindful of what I eat but stop looking at the damn numbers.

I gained weight by eating because I was bored. Or to stay awake on night shift! Now I drink water and it helps. It's just a bitch when I have to pee all the time lol you never realise how crappy it is to be a female police officer until you have to pee really bad but have to go to the station to do so AND have a massive belt to get off of you. Talk about potty dance!!

[morgantracy]

serving sizes can be a shocker.

the only items i use 'serving size' for - except the other stuff that doesn't matter, like a square of chocolate of course - are crumpets and sliced toast. i just look on the package. 2 slices equals yada yada calories. except the butt end slice because it looks kind of squashed. so it must be half a slice, right? wronnggg. or eggs, they all weigh the same. except that they don't.

i made moroccan beef stew the other day . . . recipe calls for '1/2 cup (70 grams)' of dried apricots. i weigh 70 grams of apricots and for shts and giggles put them in a measuring cup. half a cup my ass. half a quarter of a nothing more like.

i measure milk though. when i'm done measuring, i take a sip out of the carton. it's not tangible, and not logged. it doesn't exist. and what else? hm . . . even if you're aware of the things that don't count, you're not aware of the things that you're not aware of.

slightly OT - anyone notice that all those women who are eating 1,200 calories and not losing fat are all eating 1,200 calories? why doesn't anyone say they're eating 1,187 calories or 1,267 calories? and where do they get it from? a magazine with a '1,200 calorie' sample menu that tells them to eat something like a 'handful of nuts' or 'a medium baked potato'? it doesn't compute.

it's as bad as the [lack of] accuracy of any free smartphone calorie counting app i've come across. you can't use them for anything meaningful.

'breakfast: a serving of oatmeal with flaxseed
lunch: chicken breast with two servings of broccoli and a potato
snack: a handful of almonds or an apple with peanut butter
dinner: steamed fish with wholemeal pasta and vegetables'

1,200 calories presto. why isn't it working?

I think you are very right. I had this happen to me. I went with 1200 two years ago trying to lose the baby weight because I was always told it was the "magic number." I lost weight the first month and stalled out for a few weeks. I didn't know what was going on, I was totally with the plan. I decided to do something crazy, I upped my calories by 200 and immediately the weight starting coming off again. By the time I went up too 1400 calories, I had read a lot more about food and nutrition. I was defintely more educated. And it was silly to assume that 1200 calories was "it."

[DiannaPrince]

I'm going to have to throw the diet ideas out the window and focus more onifting until my surgery.
It's a mind game for me too. I count calories and its hard to get 1000 calories a day and I feel like total crap! I KNOW I have plenty of call left but can't bring myself to eat more.

And I'm on these damn diet pills I got from the diet clinic. I really need to throw them away. It's making things worse. Take someone who is hardly ever hungry and put them on diet and metabolism pills and it just doesn't mesh well.

My head hurts... I'm always shaking.. And I'm insanely weak. Workouts have been pretty good up until today. But I attempted to lift after getting blood drawn and before eating.

Ugh, 1000 calories and diet pills? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. I did a 1300 calorie week last month, just to see, and I felt hungry/grouchy all the time.

Now I'm back up to 1800 a day. No more little cheats. Thinking about adding intervals to NROLFW because I'm getting so tired of stepping on the scale once a month and seeing my weight go up a pound. I'm on a three month streak now of gaining a pound a month. I really don't know what to do next except be super vigiliant about eating and start adding HIIT twice a week on my off days.

[wakechica]

I'm going to have to throw the diet ideas out the window and focus more onifting until my surgery.
It's a mind game for me too. I count calories and its hard to get 1000 calories a day and I feel like total crap! I KNOW I have plenty of call left but can't bring myself to eat more.

And I'm on these damn diet pills I got from the diet clinic. I really need to throw them away. It's making things worse. Take someone who is hardly ever hungry and put them on diet and metabolism pills and it just doesn't mesh well.

My head hurts... I'm always shaking.. And I'm insanely weak. Workouts have been pretty good up until today. But I attempted to lift after getting blood drawn and before eating.

Just going to be mindful of what I eat but stop looking at the damn numbers.

I gained weight by eating because I was bored. Or to stay awake on night shift! Now I drink water and it helps. It's just a bitch when I have to pee all the time lol you never realise how crappy it is to be a female police officer until you have to pee really bad but have to go to the station to do so AND have a massive belt to get off of you. Talk about potty dance!!

Hey TS, what happened? How's your injury? Why are you eating 1000 cals? No wonder your feel like s***. Get some food down you and stop worrying about weight for the time being. Are you still lifting? You need to eat. If your injury is preventing you from doing lower body stuff just hit your upper body really hard.

[latebloomingmom]

fantastic thread
thank you for all the input

[sy2502]

Ok so to add to the surreal, a couple of weeks ago I dislocated my knee, so for 2 weeks the leg was immobilized and in quite a bit of pain. So the 1st week I didn't work out at all, and the 2nd week I did a couple of upper body workouts, but the rest of the time I was sitting or lying down. And sure enough... I lost 2lbs in 2 weeks! Now I am not completely stupid, I know some of it was muscle wasting away in my bummed leg, but I am also down a notch in my belt, so it can't all be leg muscle. So yeah... up is down, left is right...