Is losing weight really that difficult?
Discussion
AndStilliRise said:
Joey Ramone said:
It's food that does it. Exercise is a massively inefficient way of disposing of calories compared to not ingesting them in the first place.
Spot on.You do need to invest the time though, a gentle gym session twice a week isn't going to make a difference (in the same way as having a salad for lunch a couple of times won't)
I think many people underestimate how difficult it can be for people!
I was a little fatty who used to eat what I wanted when I wanted, I wasn't bothered about my weight, but it seemed to bother others. Family members and friends!
In order to loose weight consistently I had to change my whole lifestyle and mindset. I record everything I eat and plan out my meals for a few days at a time.
This is why people find it hard to loose weight because in order to do it successfully you have to be committed to change your comfortable lifestyle.
I was a little fatty who used to eat what I wanted when I wanted, I wasn't bothered about my weight, but it seemed to bother others. Family members and friends!
In order to loose weight consistently I had to change my whole lifestyle and mindset. I record everything I eat and plan out my meals for a few days at a time.
This is why people find it hard to loose weight because in order to do it successfully you have to be committed to change your comfortable lifestyle.
One thing you do need to know is how many calories you need to eat to gain or lose weight.
Personally I need less than 800 a day to lose weight and if I eat any more than 1,200 I put it on, this makes most diets useless for me as they recommend between 1,000 & 1,200 a day.
For example, I just had a major birthday and decided I was just going to enjoy myself and eat like a normal person (between 1500 & 2000 calories a day) for a week worth of events and managed to put on 5 pounds in that time.
But do agree with everyone here, to lose weight you need to eat less, it's the only way - exercise doesn't help as much as people think.
So for me, losing weight is difficult because 800 calories is not a lot and you really have to fight your body's demands for more. BTW before anyone accuses me of being a "fatty" I currently weigh 133lbs with a BMI of 18% (I do a lot of weight training)
Personally I need less than 800 a day to lose weight and if I eat any more than 1,200 I put it on, this makes most diets useless for me as they recommend between 1,000 & 1,200 a day.
For example, I just had a major birthday and decided I was just going to enjoy myself and eat like a normal person (between 1500 & 2000 calories a day) for a week worth of events and managed to put on 5 pounds in that time.
But do agree with everyone here, to lose weight you need to eat less, it's the only way - exercise doesn't help as much as people think.
So for me, losing weight is difficult because 800 calories is not a lot and you really have to fight your body's demands for more. BTW before anyone accuses me of being a "fatty" I currently weigh 133lbs with a BMI of 18% (I do a lot of weight training)
Mr Will said:
AndStilliRise said:
Joey Ramone said:
It's food that does it. Exercise is a massively inefficient way of disposing of calories compared to not ingesting them in the first place.
Spot on.You do need to invest the time though, a gentle gym session twice a week isn't going to make a difference (in the same way as having a salad for lunch a couple of times won't)
The theory of losing weight is simple, consume fewer calories than you burn and your weight will drop.
An issue arises when you look at people who are trying to, or should try to lose weight.
Often they are lazy, they lack discipline and look for the easy way out. They eat too much because they have little self control and can't motivate themselves to exercise and burn calories plus they are ill informed.
So, a lot of people trying to lose weight are at the extreme of the scale of say fitness and shape.
So not only are they overweight, they need to go right to the other side and get on a diet, it's a major change that most can't follow as they revert to type.
An issue arises when you look at people who are trying to, or should try to lose weight.
Often they are lazy, they lack discipline and look for the easy way out. They eat too much because they have little self control and can't motivate themselves to exercise and burn calories plus they are ill informed.
So, a lot of people trying to lose weight are at the extreme of the scale of say fitness and shape.
So not only are they overweight, they need to go right to the other side and get on a diet, it's a major change that most can't follow as they revert to type.
p1stonhead said:
2 hours per day!? Who on earth has time for that?!
When being good and not needing to do things like work on the train etc I cycle to and from the station. That's 2 hours a day three times a week. I leave home, arrive at work, leave work and arrive at home at the same time.Where there's a will...
p1stonhead said:
2 hours per day!? Who on earth has time for that?!
A surprising amount of people who don't do it I suspect. If I'm honest with myself I probably could cycle to work, but don't because we don't have showers. My Mrs cycles to work several times a week so with 2 or 3 runs a week as well she must average around a couple of hours a day.Not this again.
As others have said, output>input=loss.
I keep a food diary, calculate my RMR, multiply by 1.2 to get sedentary BMR, track my exercise using Strava and MS Health, then aim for an average 500 calorie daily deficit. I weigh myself morning and evening (now including body fat % since I got my fancy Tanita BC-1000 scales) and graph the result.
Average intake over the last 17 days since I started this programme 2,526 calories.
Average output including BMR 3,052 calories
Of which 966 average per day is from exercise (cycling, about 300km/12 hours per week).
Result - AM weight is 3.1kg lower over the period. Body fat now around 8%.
Note: my 2500-odd cals per day is all "normal" healthy eating. I don't especially watch grams of fat, I don't avoid sugar etc, I eat the occasional chocolate bar or slice of cake. I don't eat junk food or ready meals, but then I never have. I don't drink much alcohol (2 pints of bitter over that 17 day period).
You just have to be prepared to be hungry for a while. Then you get used to it.
[edited to correct average cals from exercise per day; Excel not being helpful]
As others have said, output>input=loss.
I keep a food diary, calculate my RMR, multiply by 1.2 to get sedentary BMR, track my exercise using Strava and MS Health, then aim for an average 500 calorie daily deficit. I weigh myself morning and evening (now including body fat % since I got my fancy Tanita BC-1000 scales) and graph the result.
Average intake over the last 17 days since I started this programme 2,526 calories.
Average output including BMR 3,052 calories
Of which 966 average per day is from exercise (cycling, about 300km/12 hours per week).
Result - AM weight is 3.1kg lower over the period. Body fat now around 8%.
Note: my 2500-odd cals per day is all "normal" healthy eating. I don't especially watch grams of fat, I don't avoid sugar etc, I eat the occasional chocolate bar or slice of cake. I don't eat junk food or ready meals, but then I never have. I don't drink much alcohol (2 pints of bitter over that 17 day period).
You just have to be prepared to be hungry for a while. Then you get used to it.
[edited to correct average cals from exercise per day; Excel not being helpful]
Edited by 964Cup on Friday 22 May 12:57
Thankyou4calling said:
The theory of losing weight is simple, consume fewer calories than you burn and your weight will drop.
An issue arises when you look at people who are trying to, or should try to lose weight.
Often they are lazy, they lack discipline and look for the easy way out. They eat too much because they have little self control and can't motivate themselves to exercise and burn calories plus they are ill informed.
So, a lot of people trying to lose weight are at the extreme of the scale of say fitness and shape.
So not only are they overweight, they need to go right to the other side and get on a diet, it's a major change that most can't follow as they revert to type.
Being ill informed/ unaware is the biggest problem for a lot of people. An issue arises when you look at people who are trying to, or should try to lose weight.
Often they are lazy, they lack discipline and look for the easy way out. They eat too much because they have little self control and can't motivate themselves to exercise and burn calories plus they are ill informed.
So, a lot of people trying to lose weight are at the extreme of the scale of say fitness and shape.
So not only are they overweight, they need to go right to the other side and get on a diet, it's a major change that most can't follow as they revert to type.
budgie smuggler said:
p1stonhead said:
It really is as simple as calories in vs calories out. No special formulas, no stupid diets required.
No it's not, or do you really think eating a load of Yorkie bars and a bag of Skittles for every meal would be just as good for weight loss as eating for example steak or fish with green veg, butter beans etc?joshcowin said:
Thankyou4calling said:
The theory of losing weight is simple, consume fewer calories than you burn and your weight will drop.
An issue arises when you look at people who are trying to, or should try to lose weight.
Often they are lazy, they lack discipline and look for the easy way out. They eat too much because they have little self control and can't motivate themselves to exercise and burn calories plus they are ill informed.
So, a lot of people trying to lose weight are at the extreme of the scale of say fitness and shape.
So not only are they overweight, they need to go right to the other side and get on a diet, it's a major change that most can't follow as they revert to type.
Being ill informed/ unaware is the biggest problem for a lot of people. An issue arises when you look at people who are trying to, or should try to lose weight.
Often they are lazy, they lack discipline and look for the easy way out. They eat too much because they have little self control and can't motivate themselves to exercise and burn calories plus they are ill informed.
So, a lot of people trying to lose weight are at the extreme of the scale of say fitness and shape.
So not only are they overweight, they need to go right to the other side and get on a diet, it's a major change that most can't follow as they revert to type.
Its like smoking an addiction, something that some people just dont think they can control but lots of people have gone through it, me being one of them.
I say to people its easy, yeah go for it, it wasn't f
king easy, but if id admitted that to myself at the time id have give up.It is easy because that's what you NEED to hear, its not the truth, its gonna be tough the logistics of it isn't going to be tough, eat food less than you expend, eat food that hasn't been f
k about with, the tough part is regaining control of your mind, beating the addiction, getting past the cravings, I pretty much drowned myself in glasses of water on some days to beat that. Its a mental struggle but you/anyone can do it, you just have to stick to it, their is no motivation, its a battle.
Granfondo said:
budgie smuggler said:
p1stonhead said:
It really is as simple as calories in vs calories out. No special formulas, no stupid diets required.
No it's not, or do you really think eating a load of Yorkie bars and a bag of Skittles for every meal would be just as good for weight loss as eating for example steak or fish with green veg, butter beans etc?Of course it is healthier to eat good food, but we are not talking about this here - we are talking about losing weight
Blue Cat said:
Granfondo said:
budgie smuggler said:
p1stonhead said:
It really is as simple as calories in vs calories out. No special formulas, no stupid diets required.
No it's not, or do you really think eating a load of Yorkie bars and a bag of Skittles for every meal would be just as good for weight loss as eating for example steak or fish with green veg, butter beans etc?Of course it is healthier to eat good food, but we are not talking about this here - we are talking about losing weight
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Good work, keep it up 
A scientific study last year basically said all diets work, you just have to stick with them, the key is finding the one that works for you. Its easy for me or anyone to tell you how we did it, but we are all different and have very different lives.
Interestingly 5 a day should actually be 7 a day but for the campaign they cut it back to 5. I heard in Scotland it was 1 a day but I'm not sure if that was a joke.
Edited by Foliage on Friday 22 May 13:45
I too think its simply calories in - calories burned. But there are additional nuances on top of that which basically boil down to then also avoiding foods high in certain types of fats, high in high GI carbs, high in processed sugars etc.
I think the problem comes with the sheer time it takes. Many people give up. Perhaps sensibly, many people get on a path to gradual weight reduction. This way you don't lose a boat load of weight over night and the issues that can cause.
But I think I had heard somewhere that 1 kg of fat is some 6000 to 7000 calories.
So you have a deficit of 200 cals a day, thats a good month before you've shifted around 1 kg or 2.2lbs. And then thats assuming your body played ball and didn't decided to consume your muscles instead. Think you probably need 6 months of sustained effort before you'd really notice changes.
my OH struggles with this as well. I try to keep her on the straight and narrow but she still doesn't seem to get far. And I am basically double checking what she's eating (which I feel horrible about doing because its like I dont trust her). We go for runs, we swim, she plays netball and soon we'll be cycling as well. I just need her to keep at it.
Its hard for me to do this because I have right mentality about this type of thing already. I just get my head down and get on. So its hard for me to understand why she can't just do it like I can. Similarly, I am one of those, perhaps annoying, people who will drop weight the minute I stop going to the gym. Suffice to say, my problem is keeping weight on, rather than taking it off. So my goals are diametric to hers, which at times doesn't help.
I think the problem comes with the sheer time it takes. Many people give up. Perhaps sensibly, many people get on a path to gradual weight reduction. This way you don't lose a boat load of weight over night and the issues that can cause.
But I think I had heard somewhere that 1 kg of fat is some 6000 to 7000 calories.
So you have a deficit of 200 cals a day, thats a good month before you've shifted around 1 kg or 2.2lbs. And then thats assuming your body played ball and didn't decided to consume your muscles instead. Think you probably need 6 months of sustained effort before you'd really notice changes.
my OH struggles with this as well. I try to keep her on the straight and narrow but she still doesn't seem to get far. And I am basically double checking what she's eating (which I feel horrible about doing because its like I dont trust her). We go for runs, we swim, she plays netball and soon we'll be cycling as well. I just need her to keep at it.
Its hard for me to do this because I have right mentality about this type of thing already. I just get my head down and get on. So its hard for me to understand why she can't just do it like I can. Similarly, I am one of those, perhaps annoying, people who will drop weight the minute I stop going to the gym. Suffice to say, my problem is keeping weight on, rather than taking it off. So my goals are diametric to hers, which at times doesn't help.
I think part of the problem is that you can't just "give up" food. I always give up chocolate for lent and I find that far easier than cutting back.
You can give up smoking or drinking but you have to eat. Also there is no time frame or ending - there would be far more thin people if it was a simple case of don't eat for x weeks and then the problem sorted although that's how more diet plans sell it.
If you have a problem with weight, like being an alcoholic, it is a life long issue.
You can give up smoking or drinking but you have to eat. Also there is no time frame or ending - there would be far more thin people if it was a simple case of don't eat for x weeks and then the problem sorted although that's how more diet plans sell it.
If you have a problem with weight, like being an alcoholic, it is a life long issue.
Otispunkmeyer said:
I too think its simply calories in - calories burned. But there are additional nuances on top of that which basically boil down to then also avoiding foods high in certain types of fats, high in high GI carbs, high in processed sugars etc.
I think the problem comes with the sheer time it takes. Many people give up. Perhaps sensibly, many people get on a path to gradual weight reduction. This way you don't lose a boat load of weight over night and the issues that can cause.
But I think I had heard somewhere that 1 kg of fat is some 6000 to 7000 calories.
So you have a deficit of 200 cals a day, thats a good month before you've shifted around 1 kg or 2.2lbs. And then thats assuming your body played ball and didn't decided to consume your muscles instead. Think you probably need 6 months of sustained effort before you'd really notice changes.
my OH struggles with this as well. I try to keep her on the straight and narrow but she still doesn't seem to get far. And I am basically double checking what she's eating (which I feel horrible about doing because its like I dont trust her). We go for runs, we swim, she plays netball and soon we'll be cycling as well. I just need her to keep at it.
Its hard for me to do this because I have right mentality about this type of thing already. I just get my head down and get on. So its hard for me to understand why she can't just do it like I can. Similarly, I am one of those, perhaps annoying, people who will drop weight the minute I stop going to the gym. Suffice to say, my problem is keeping weight on, rather than taking it off. So my goals are diametric to hers, which at times doesn't help.
Type of lifestyle is big too. For instance im in the office 11hrs a day. By the time im coming home around half 6 or 7, im starving and if there is nothing healthy possible to make within say 20mins max of being home i will consume whatever there bloody is no matter what. Similarly if I have to take a detour because of the M25 being shut or something and end up passing say a KFC, Deli (or the new burrito place opened close by....) its difficult when having the hunger pains, to drive past.I think the problem comes with the sheer time it takes. Many people give up. Perhaps sensibly, many people get on a path to gradual weight reduction. This way you don't lose a boat load of weight over night and the issues that can cause.
But I think I had heard somewhere that 1 kg of fat is some 6000 to 7000 calories.
So you have a deficit of 200 cals a day, thats a good month before you've shifted around 1 kg or 2.2lbs. And then thats assuming your body played ball and didn't decided to consume your muscles instead. Think you probably need 6 months of sustained effort before you'd really notice changes.
my OH struggles with this as well. I try to keep her on the straight and narrow but she still doesn't seem to get far. And I am basically double checking what she's eating (which I feel horrible about doing because its like I dont trust her). We go for runs, we swim, she plays netball and soon we'll be cycling as well. I just need her to keep at it.
Its hard for me to do this because I have right mentality about this type of thing already. I just get my head down and get on. So its hard for me to understand why she can't just do it like I can. Similarly, I am one of those, perhaps annoying, people who will drop weight the minute I stop going to the gym. Suffice to say, my problem is keeping weight on, rather than taking it off. So my goals are diametric to hers, which at times doesn't help.
I normally cave about once a month which is ok by me I just understand things will take longer because of it.
Willpower is all thats required but thats one of the hardest things to maintain.
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