SOO....Is this really all that simple?

I am happy to say I am just about to begin my 4th week of this life style change and I am still going strong. I have had a few cheat days (nothing too major) but I have also been eating significantly less calories.

I have been trying exercise videos here and there but I can't fit that in everyday and I don't want to think about fixing my calories around it so I have just been eating less; which according to the site is still good.  This site actually told me that I could either not exercise and eat 1300 a day or exercise and eat 1500 a day but I would still lose the same amount of weight at the same time. So I chose to just eat less.

 My goal for each day is 1300 except Saturday where my limit it 1500 but I usually only go to about 1400.  I have also been keeping a food diary. I can hardly believe I have been doing this and doing it well for almost a month! According to the site I should reach my goal weight by the end of August if I keep this up.

My question is.... is that true? Can it really be that simple? I just eat that much a day and I will lose weight? Too me this seems like such a simple answer that I'm kind of mad at myself for not finding this site sooner.

I have not weighed myself since this started. My husband said after this week he would go out and buy a scale. I think I am just terrified of not having lost anything. I really feel like I've done well and learned a lot of self control. If I am still the same weight as when I started I will be very upset.

 So from personal experience...will this counting and logging calories really help me lose weight?

Yes.  Absolutely.  It really is that simple.  As long as you are diligent about keeping track of everything you put in your mouth, you should lose.  I'm not even 100% diligent, and I managed to lose all the weight I wanted.  Most of it at the beginning was by eating less only, no exercise.  I was never able to go that low, I generally ended up hitting around 16-1750 per day.

Congratulations on your hard work so far!  Don't be afraid of the scale, it can be a great motivator!  If it really isn't for you though, there are other ways to measure your success:  inches lost, changes in clothing sizes, increased energy levels.  Just keep at it, and good luck!

Yup, its that simple.  Count calories and exercise.  I made my lifestyle change in April of 06' by doing exactly that.  I started at 225 and I am now 140.  Congrats on making the decision to change.  Good Luck in your journey.

Whether it is or isn't that simple really depends on where you stand genetically... I thought it was that simple after some initial success (-30 lbs) and spent 6 months after that point on a plateau with 30 more to go, because I just kept waiting for weight loss to restart even though I wasn't changing anything. I did eventually lose (Almost all) of that second 30, but it took a lot of research and effort and changes and whatnot.

Generally it will be that simple to get moderate results... you can get rid of all the real excess weight.. that's the weight your body can easily spare...

But if we're talking about getting fit and really losing all or most of the extra fat... no, unless you're working with good genetics, it is not quite that simple. It's never that simple. I say that after a solid 2 years in a weight-control lifestyle.

1: Your body will adjust to your new calorie habits.

You'll experience a plateau. No need to panic when this happens, that means it's time to change things up. Eat a little above maintenance calories for a while, then switch up the exercise, and go back to a reduced number and try again.

2: You may or may not need to lower your carb intake and up your protein and fat intake.

If you're like me, you can not consistently lose weight while eating 55+% carbs. And then rarely, (Maybe 1 in 100), people will only be able to achieve reliable weight loss on a ketosis program, which is a bit extreme and luckily, most people will never need to go to that point (Although some muscleheads will anyway). The average person will have it much easier, though.

3: You may need to start doing strength training.

You will invariably lose muscle while losing fat, and how much of it you lose is dependent on the makeup of your diet and whether or not you're doing strength training. When you lose muscle, your BMR drops... which will provide another hurdle in weight loss.

As for weigh-ins... you need to monitor your progress somehow, or you don't know if it's happening. Weigh-ins are an option... as well as the mirror, bodyfat testing, or a tape measure.

However, judging by you picture, you don't have anywhere near the amount of weight to lose as people who would normally ask this question, so you probably have nothing to worry about... losing an extra 5 or 10 after starting a diet from a normal lifestyle is generally pretty easy.

Weight loss has never been any more complicated than eat less, move more.  Period.

i agree, it's really not rocket science.. people just make it seem complicated. good job on your progress! :)

Calories in < Calories out = weigh loss

:)

Congrats, you're doing amazingly well! I'm sure when you get the scale you'll be pleasantly surprised.

And yes, it really is that simple. People who write diet books, distribute diet pills, make diet foods and diet supplements etc. profit by making it seem more complicated than it actually is, and by telling people that there's no way they'll succeed without a massive supply of dieting weapons.

Also I think there's a kind of cultural wish for it to be more complicated that calories in/calories out, because if it was then it would be possible to lose weight without making any changes to your diet or exercise.

It is pretty simple, really.   If I was to add anything to 'eat less, move more' it would be 'eat better'...  more vegetables and other wholefoods, fewer processed foods.   That way you get better nutrition from fewer calories and I think that makes losing weight easier and more pleasant.  Also, even if you don't lose weight, better food means you're healthier in other respects.

You're doing exactly the right thing... good luck!

I know.. I had a hard time accepting it myself. I asked this same question when I joined this site -in 2007!- and I had to ask again a couple days ago.

So, after two years of trying everything else- I'm now a believer that it really is as simple as the majority here has stated. It's a lifestyle change that takes work and discipline same as any other task, but we're talking about sustainable changes that definitely work.

I have 20-30 pounds to lose and I've only been back on track for a week. I've been eating what I like which also happens to include whole grains, fruits, veggies, etc.; capping my calorie intake at 1600; and alternating cardio/sculpting 30 min. each day. And when I'm done I plan to make sure the whole world knows how eating less (or better) and moving more worked for me! Your son is soo adorable, by the way:)

Original Post by ibez:

Whether it is or isn't that simple really depends on where you stand genetically... I thought it was that simple after some initial success (-30 lbs) and spent 6 months after that point on a plateau with 30 more to go, because I just kept waiting for weight loss to restart even though I wasn't changing anything. I did eventually lose (Almost all) of that second 30, but it took a lot of research and effort and changes and whatnot.

Generally it will be that simple to get moderate results... you can get rid of all the real excess weight.. that's the weight your body can easily spare...

But if we're talking about getting fit and really losing all or most of the extra fat... no, unless you're working with good genetics, it is not quite that simple. It's never that simple. I say that after a solid 2 years in a weight-control lifestyle.

1: Your body will adjust to your new calorie habits.

You'll experience a plateau. No need to panic when this happens, that means it's time to change things up. Eat a little above maintenance calories for a while, then switch up the exercise, and go back to a reduced number and try again.

2: You may or may not need to lower your carb intake and up your protein and fat intake.

If you're like me, you can not consistently lose weight while eating 55+% carbs. And then rarely, (Maybe 1 in 100), people will only be able to achieve reliable weight loss on a ketosis program, which is a bit extreme and luckily, most people will never need to go to that point (Although some muscleheads will anyway). The average person will have it much easier, though.

3: You may need to start doing strength training.

You will invariably lose muscle while losing fat, and how much of it you lose is dependent on the makeup of your diet and whether or not you're doing strength training. When you lose muscle, your BMR drops... which will provide another hurdle in weight loss.

As for weigh-ins... you need to monitor your progress somehow, or you don't know if it's happening. Weigh-ins are an option... as well as the mirror, bodyfat testing, or a tape measure.

However, judging by you picture, you don't have anywhere near the amount of weight to lose as people who would normally ask this question, so you probably have nothing to worry about... losing an extra 5 or 10 after starting a diet from a normal lifestyle is generally pretty easy.

 Hey thanks! Yeah I guess I should have mentioned up there that I am trying to lose 20 pounds 25 pounds if I'm lucky. That should put me back to where I was in 2006 and it would make me either 125 or 120. I am 145 now.

I actually took that picture of myself when I was  almost 9 months pregnant and probably about 160 pounds. haha. But I'm glad to see that you can judge my weight well based on my picture. Hopefully that means I don't look as awful as I thought. I guess whenever I do reach my goal weight I will have to educate myself on mantaining that weight.

Original Post by tdionne:

I know.. I had a hard time accepting it myself. I asked this same question when I joined this site -in 2007!- and I had to ask again a couple days ago.

So, after two years of trying everything else- I'm now a believer that it really is as simple as the majority here has stated. It's a lifestyle change that takes work and discipline same as any other task, but we're talking about sustainable changes that definitely work.

I have 20-30 pounds to lose and I've only been back on track for a week. I've been eating what I like which also happens to include whole grains, fruits, veggies, etc.; capping my calorie intake at 1600; and alternating cardio/sculpting 30 min. each day. And when I'm done I plan to make sure the whole world knows how eating less (or better) and moving more worked for me! Your son is soo adorable, by the way

 

Thanks for the encouraging words and the compliment on my son. I think he's pretty cute too. But I am biased. :)