300 kcals a day

[Notanightbird]

300 kcals extra a day is apparently all that is causing most people to be overweight. The weight goes on gradually and means a stone and a half or so of weight is gained over a year or two. Very sobering! It's so easy to eat 300 kcals extra, just a banana and large coffee on top of your daily calorie allowance pretty much, or a piece of toast and a piece of cheese etc. I found this a really helpful stat because it means that if you just don't give into temptation a couple of times a day and start jogging or having a 45 minute walk every day and also decrease portion sizes bringing your daily calories to 200-300 under the allowance instead you would probably lose a couple of stone over a year or so. I definitely underestimate what I eat in a day unless I log it. Hope that might be helpful to someone else too!

The problem is, running 6 miles (for example), which is a fairly vigorous burst of activity by most yardsticks, will burn 700 calories.

Most people could eat 700 calories without even noticing it, I know I could.

Exercise doesn't really buy you that much leeway.

Yeah of course. But what I mean is that by making sure I'm as active as possible all day, my TDEE is 2500 cals. If I do nothing all day it's only about 1800 cals. I'd rather take the active route and be able to eat 2500 cals than drop my daily cals to 1800. This still involves being mindful of the calories I'm consuming though... for example if we're having a take away and will make sure that fits within my 2500 cals a day and adjust the rest of the day accordingly. If I wasn't mindful of my TDEE and the calories I'm consuming I'm sure I'd put on weight.

It is incredibly sobering.

I am 5'10" and have to exercise constant restraint and self-denial, or I put on weight. My TDEE is probably around 1700. I try to stay under that, at least during the week.

I don't understand these people who say on threads (or RL), 'oh, I can eat whatever I like and never put on weight'.

How is that possible? If you chow down on pizza and full fat coke and crisps flat whites and cake and crap all day, you will put on weight.

I suspect these people say that, because actually they don't have huge appetites, and in reality they don't actually eat huge amounts. In other words 'whatever they like' is a far cry from the sort of diet someone who's overweight consumes.

Like a PP, I have to weigh myself daily, or things quickly slip away from me.

TheDowagerCuntess I think you're right. In my 20's I would have said I could eat whatever I wanted and wouldn't put on weight (I was 9 stone). However I realised that my 'whatever I wanted' at the time was a lot less than a lot of people ate.

I think it's a combination of things - some people are effortlessly slim, and genuinely seem to be unable to put weight on.

But I tend to think they also do naturally eat less, and probably move around a lot more (even if it's not actual exercise).

I don't understand these people who say on threads (or RL), 'oh, I can eat whatever I like and never put on weight'

Age. I was eating probably 3,000 calories a day through my 20s and 30s and remaining reasonably slim, i.e. UK size 10. Then my 40s hit and I gained, I think, maybe 15 pounds over 4 years? All around my waist. Ugh.

Yeah of course. But what I mean is that by making sure I'm as active as possible all day, my TDEE is 2500 cals. If I do nothing all day it's only about 1800 cals. I'd rather take the active route and be able to eat 2500 cals than drop my daily cals to 1800. This still involves being mindful of the calories I'm consuming though... for example if we're having a take away and will make sure that fits within my 2500 cals a day and adjust the rest of the day accordingly. If I wasn't mindful of my TDEE and the calories I'm consuming I'm sure I'd put on weight.

Sure, you're a calorie-aware person, but I think most people aren't. My pilates teacher told me I should eat whatever I want, so long as it's healthy? WTF? Mind you, she's 25.

I think it is untrue and quite harmful to.say exercise makes no difference.

It does, imo. Exercise releases endorphins, it makes you feel good, and less likely to crave sugary crap.

It also makes you sleep better (fresh air and exercise does that) , and sleeping well means....fewer cravings for sugary crap.

Exercise is so much more than " a few calories burned.

Lots of exercise also helps you gain muscle, thus increasing your metabolic rate.

I think diets are overrated, and getting a move on (any kind of activity will do, just move) does much more for your health and weight!

I need around the same calories as three year old DS.

Quite sobering really.

He moves much more than me though!

I think it is untrue and quite harmful to.say exercise makes no difference.

Who said this?