Does it matter what the calories are?

[PumpkinP]

I don't want to be lectured about healthy eating as I've got a huge amount of weigh t to lose and I'm just trying what I can go get it down. I have a set calories amount of 1500 (though I try to stay abi t under so 1300-1400) does it matter what the calories are? So for example I've had a whole pizza for dinner (just a supermarket cheese one) but it's 600 calories and fits within my allowance,so my question is does it matter what the calories are? As long as it's under your allowance will I still lose weight?

Also, I do understand the draw of convenience foods when calorie counting so as to avoid having to weigh and count individual ingredients, but if you use MFP you can set things up so you can have the same thing with homemade food, using the recipes function. So for instance if you have a ham sandwich every day for lunch, so long as you know you always use 2 slices of bread, 1 scrape of butter, 2 pieces of ham, 1 sliced tomato (or whatever), you can input that once, save as a recipe and then just add to your diary each day with one click. I have most of my favourite meals set up that way (yes there may be very minor variants in portion sizes if I make a batch of curry of whatever and don't divide it into exactly equal portions, but I don't worry too much about that, life is short) so although there was a bit of effort at the start, it's no harder to do my food diary with homemade food than it is with ready meals now...

agree with BIWI

Is that 1550 to lose 2lb a week?
You'd do much better sticking with 1550 or even going up to 1700 and eating proper food with plenty of protein to keep you full

You'll lose weight doing what you're doing but it's not sustainable

Completely disagree with those saying to eat 1700 calories a day. I would put weight on if I ate that much. As I said upthread you can fuck your metabolism up by being overweight for a long time. I reckon I'm going to have to keep to an average of 1,300 calories a day to maintain my weight loss, maybe less as I get older (eight stone off)

I've got a holiday in September so I want to have lost a decent amount by then otherwise I'm just going to be miserable and covering up in a tent !

Weight loss surgery op. Not a band. A sleeve or bypass. You could lose six stone by your holiday if you have the op in six weeks. Youd have to seriously change your mentality on food though

I have lost 60 pound in a year and have completely changed my mindset about food. I was 18 stone 10 and now 14 7.
I try to avoid white carbs completely . fill up on Fruits and Veg and occassionally a kit kat is a treat. I ask myself if the food is really worth the calories and I am shocked how many are in some stuff.

I have another 2 stone to lose and I am finding it more difficult as time goes by so what worked before is not working as well now.

Breakfast bars, mini bags of popcorn, yogurts (I'm guessing Muller Light type things, or Fruit Corners?) and supermarket pizzas won't give you any of the vitamins and minerals you need to feel energetic, healthy, happy and bouncy. I'm guessing you often feel exhausted, stressed and snappy, and then have no choice but to binge on more sugar/carbs or fats to perk yourself up?

Why not follow a simple eating plan like WW (no need for meetings, you can do it all on their amazing app) and learn to change your eating once and for all?

You've got 4 kids. You all need to be eating healthy, nutritious meals.

If you were a size 12 for years then you're probably an "eat to live" type person, so you never really paid much attention to what you ate. But this now is a great opportunity to learn about healthy eating. When you eat things that your body loves you just feel AMAZING. Full of energy, calm, bouncy, unstressed, optimistic, happy... It's not just about the number on your scale or what size your jeans are. It's about your overall "zingy-ness".

I don't want weight loss surgery personally

Muller light yes, thought yoghurt was considered healthy? Is it much different from slimming world? Which people rave abo ut? That says you can eat as much pasta/potatoes as you want. Bag of popcorn as a snack which is 54 cals.

Muller Lights are "healthy" if healthy means low fat. They don't have much nutritional value.

I'm on WW and I love it. It's AWESOME if you are hectic, cooking for a family including kids, and use a smartphone. There's a really supportive online WW community section on the app too, and coaches you can ask questions.

I've lost almost 3 stone since October while eating almost constantly! There are also 3 plans to choose from these days. The Purple plan has the most carbs.

I can't recommend it enough.

Stick to your calorie goal but eat within moderation. Are you doing fitness Pal by any chance?

Completely disagree with those saying to eat 1700 calories a day. I would put weight on if I ate that much

Do you weigh the same as the OP? Are you the same age and height and activity level? No? Then don't be silly.

OP you don't seem to know a huge amount about nutrition. It would really be in your interest to join an online community (NOT one you have to pay for, or a fad like SW) to learn about how to fuel your body properly.

vilanelle we dont know how much weighs do we?

@Codenamevillinelle my point is that you can't work out what calories you need based on height and weight alone. It's not that simple. Someone 5'6" and weighing 11 stone might need 500 calories less per day than someone the exact same height and weight (likely if they've previously been overweight) It's trial and error.

I'm hoping to get my metabolism properly measured in the next few months. (Only available privately in a clinic with breath measured I believe)

So for example I've had a whole pizza for dinner(just a supermarket cheese one) but it's 600 calories

You may be deluding yourself on the calories.

The lowest calorie whole pizza I can find is 1020 cal for the whole pizza (170 per slice, 6 slices).

As others said, yes you’ll loose weight if you’re in a calorie deficit. Anyone saying other wise is confused.

However where the difference comes in is what reaction your body has to that food.

Fat and protein for example satiates, I’m astounded you were not hungry three or four hours after your pizza. Usually with carbs that’s what happens and leads to over eating. It can also lead to a significant slump in energy.

I’d also be concerned you’re not retraining your eating habits. And as such it’s not sustainable. When you stop the diet you’ll just pile it all back on. You need to try to retrain your eating habits to eat in a healthy way to stand a chance at keeping it off.

However you’ve lost twenty pounds this year and that’s a huge achievement. Right now it’s better for you to loose weight in a way that works for you, maybe supplement with vitamins then focus on changing your eating habits when you’re further down the line

Actually I was curious on the pizza too, I was thinking it must have been very small.

Which supermarket and which size of pizza op. Did you read the calorie info right and it wasn’t per portion or something and not the whole thing?

groceries.asda.com/product/boxed-pizza/asda-cheese-feast-thin-stonebaked-10-pizza/910001165183

very easily found this at 688 for the whole thing,

Is that what the op had? Are you the op?

i dont know what the op had, and no i am not the OP but it was an example of something similar to what OP had, since their is so much disbelief that such a thing should exist

You sound like intermittent fasting might suit you, OP:

www.dietdoctor.com/7-benefits-of-fasting

Eh, one poster does not equat to “so much disbelief”

it wasn't just one poster...

I don't seem to be able to lose weight healthily. When I am maintaining I do much better, but when I'm losing weight even though I know I should not use half my days calories on junk I find myself doing it. When I'm maintaining I get to have a small quota of junk and still eat all the healthy stuff I need, but when I reduce my calories I should really stop the junk, but instead I get rid of some healthy stuff. I do find that if I don't get enough satiating foods I break the diet, but I find pizza quite satiating especially if it's got some protein on top. Maybe have half the pizza, add some extra protein on to it or on the side and have a big salad with it?