Is it really as simple as counting?

[floss]

Hi everyone, I 'd really appreciate your input even though this seems a bit of an obvious question!

I was active on this section of the website at the beginning of the year but fell off the plan. Iv also tried ww, sw, exante and recently lost weight due to a very painful breakup (first love) but due to stress and starting my nursing placement I have gained it back and feel awful for it.

So im asking...is weight loss really as simple as counting? Setting a limit (1200 for me i would guess) and just sticking to it? Iv always throught you have to use products, or give up carbs, or eat extra protein or just eat salads etc....so if i exercised and ate 1200 a day of anything (carbs, fats, veg, fruit, dairy...just anything) will i still lose. or do you have to do the whole clean eating low carb thing to get decent results? I feel like im constantly losing the battle, looking for a weight loss solution everyday but never getting one. Im 21 I just want to enjoy my life and I cant with this extra weight!

Id really appreciate your comments on this x

 

[Raspberry]

Hiya,
I sympathise with you as I feel like I've tried everything too, and I started a nursing course in 2010 which didn't help my waistline!
I can't be hugely useful here, but I found when I started CC (I've had about a month off due to other commitments) that it really was that simple. I found that if I ate healthy food I'd lose weight better, but I still had acceptable losses even if I ate my calorie goal in chocolate and bread! I think it's just working out if anything truly scuppers your weight loss and avoiding it x

 

[linski24]

Hi everyone, I 'd really appreciate your input even though this seems a bit of an obvious question!

I was active on this section of the website at the beginning of the year but fell off the plan. Iv also tried ww, sw, exante and recently lost weight due to a very painful breakup (first love) but due to stress and starting my nursing placement I have gained it back and feel awful for it.

So im asking...is weight loss really as simple as counting? Setting a limit (1200 for me i would guess) and just sticking to it? Iv always throught you have to use products, or give up carbs, or eat extra protein or just eat salads etc....so if i exercised and ate 1200 a day of anything (carbs, fats, veg, fruit, dairy...just anything) will i still lose. or do you have to do the whole clean eating low carb thing to get decent results? I feel like im constantly losing the battle, looking for a weight loss solution everyday but never getting one. Im 21 I just want to enjoy my life and I cant with this extra weight!

Id really appreciate your comments on this x

Really really is that simple ... I was doing weight watchers for a year lost 7lbs and stalled for 6 months ... I was so unhappy ..!!!
I turned to calorie counting and if you join my fitness planner online it tells you how many calories you need per day .. Based on height weight and lifestyle x
I follow the GI diet too incorporating it into calorie counting but that's coz I think I'm very sensitive to refined carbs etc .... But for a lot of people merely calorie counting will do the trick ...
Try to eat healthy tho as you will feel better and have more energy x

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[toofatkat]

Hi
It really is that simple although I look at fat content as well as I believe it's actually more important that just plain calories . But that's your choice.
Depending in your weight though you don't necessarily want to start off at 1200.
1200 is the lowest you should go without starving your body or going on a vlcd.
So if you start a bit higher say at 1400 then you've got somewhere to go down to when you plateau which we all do occasionally
Good luck. Believing you can do it is the first step x

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[linski24]

Hi
It really is that simple although I look at fat content as well as I believe it's actually more important that just plain calories . But that's your choice.
Depending in your weight though you don't necessarily want to start off at 1200.
1200 is the lowest you should go without starving your body or going on a vlcd.
So if you start a bit higher say at 1400 then you've got somewhere to go down to when you plateau which we all do occasionally
Good luck. Believing you can do it is the first step x

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Agreed .... I was going to update my last comment saying 1200 cals is the MINIMUM you should be eating altho my fitness planner tells you 1200..!!! I actually change my cals in the settings to 1388 which is the figure I got when I googled another BMR calculator .!! No way I can survive on 1200 x
And when I exercise it takes my net calories tight down obv ... And I always eat back my exercise cals until I at least reach 1200 cals again x

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[PurpleBobKat]

Yes!! Calorie counting really is that simple, eat less than you expend and you have to loose weight.

However what you eat impacts how you feel & whether you can stick to the calories. I find if I don't eat enough protein then I over eat (especially if I've eaten a carb heavy meal), as protein keeps you fuller for longer & eating carbs makes me crave more carbs.

Good Luck with the CC, keep us all posted!!

 

[toofatkat]

I agree . For some reason most of them take you to 1200 straight away.

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[Blueway]

I usually eat about 1200 - 1400 through the week and a bit more on weekends when i'm out eating and drinking.
I eat loads of veg with each meal and try to stay away from processed ready meals or any other "junk" most of the time.
I think it depends on how much you have to lose too as your goal weight is quite low so the weight come off quite slowly.

 

[linski24]

I usually eat about 1200 - 1400 through the week and a bit more on weekends when i'm out eating and drinking.
I eat loads of veg with each meal and try to stay away from processed ready meals or any other "junk" most of the time.
I think it depends on how much you have to lose too as your goal weight is quite low so the weight come off quite slowly.

Protein is a great filler ... You should eat half your body weight (in lbs) convert to grams eg: 140lbs = 70g protein per day

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[TracyGWill]

Yes, it's definitely that simple! I've lost 5.5 stone in the last year through calorie counting, and it's only recently that I've started to think more about the kind of food I eat rather than simply the calories. I eat ready meals exclusively, lots of carbs, and don't exercise at all due to health and mobility problems, there's probably not a single diet "rule" I haven't broken, lol. But it works.

I'd also reiterate what others have said - think hard about the calorie level you start on, as you could seriously scupper yourself if it's too low.

All the best. xx

 

[Blueway]

Protein is a great filler ... You should eat half your body weight (in lbs) convert to grams eg: 140lbs = 70g protein per day

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Yeah I don't only eat veg ha
On mfp my protein usually comes out at about 60 - 65. For some reason this is too much for mfp though??

 

[linski24]

Yeah I don't only eat veg ha
On mfp my protein usually comes out at about 60 - 65. For some reason this is too much for mfp though??

Yes it mfp tells you a certain amount but the guy who does the biggest loser .. In one if his books tells you the way I suggested ..
I also try and stick to 100-150 net carbs per day .. No less than 100 as that's not good x

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[Blueway]

My carbs are often over 150 but I haven't had any ill effects from it so don't mind!

 

[linski24]

My carbs are often over 150 but I haven't had any ill effects from it so don't mind!

Eating over is ok and if you still lose weight .... I'm just sensitive to the insulin spikes ... Diabetic father I have to thank for this lol
But consistently under 100g puts your body into ketosis which isn't good .. The Atkins diet does this .!!

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[stef2009]

Hi all sorry to butt in on the thread, but I need some advice

I have tried loads of diets and nothing seemed to be working, I went to a vlcd and lost around 3.5 stone this year, since I've come off it I can't seem to shift the weight, I tried ww, lost 4lb in the first 2 weeks then it stopped, went to juddd, again lost 4lb the first 2 weeks and it stopped again, I've moved over to CC, been doing it a week tomorrow, I went for 1200-1400 cals per day. So far this week I've lost 0.6lb, not much
I don't know what to do anymore I just don't seem to be shifting the weight, any advice on cc what I can try??? Many thanks xxx

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[Blueway]

Eating over is ok and if you still lose weight .... I'm just sensitive to the insulin spikes ... Diabetic father I have to thank for this lol
But consistently under 100g puts your body into ketosis which isn't good .. The Atkins diet does this .!!

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Aw yeah I know it can have a bad effect on some people.
Can't imagine consistently being under 100....but I don't eat any meat and only rarely eat fish so I would really struggle on Atkins!

 

[Blueway]

Hi all sorry to butt in on the thread, but I need some advice

I have tried loads of diets and nothing seemed to be working, I went to a vlcd and lost around 3.5 stone this year, since I've come off it I can't seem to shift the weight, I tried ww, lost 4lb in the first 2 weeks then it stopped, went to juddd, again lost 4lb the first 2 weeks and it stopped again, I've moved over to CC, been doing it a week tomorrow, I went for 1200-1400 cals per day. So far this week I've lost 0.6lb, not much
I don't know what to do anymore I just don't seem to be shifting the weight, any advice on cc what I can try??? Many thanks xxx

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Hi
Sorry your struggling, I know how demotivating it is when you're trying hard but getting no results.
Maybe if you try something for a couple of weeks without weighing and take measurements as well as weight?
Also, do you have a food diary maybe we could look at? I'm certainly no expert but someone might be able to help x

 

[stef2009]

Thanks, I dont know what to try anymore
I do measurements and they arnt really moving either. Its like my body's jut refusing to comply with any diet lol

I'm stef2009 on mfp, anyone who my be able to help are welcome to have a look what I've been having this past week on cc, find out if I'm going wrong anywhere?

Xxx

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[Blueway]

Your diary is set to private so i can't see it but if you're only eating 1200 you should be losing.
How long did you do weight watchers? 4lb in 2 weeks is a pretty good loss so not losing for a week or afterwards isn't too bad.
I would just suggest trying it for a couple more weeks, make sure you're drinking plenty of water and see what happens.
x

 

[stef2009]

Sorry changed it now, I did ww for 4 weeks, lost 2lb first week, 2lb second then nothing 3 and 4th week. Did juddd for same 5 weeks lost first 2 weeks lost nothing after.

Hmmm maybe I should give ww another go

Thanks. Xx

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