I have found that most ppl who claim to “eat and eat and eat” and never gain a lb don’t in fact eat as much as they think, or claim. And conversely, I have found that most ppl who claim to “eat like a rabbit” and get fat anyway actually eat quite a bit more than they think, or claim. When it comes down to it, some basic truths are unavoidable.
Thanks for sharing.
Joe
I look forward to seeing your research published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Not surprising. Back in college we had to keep a food diary for one project, and all the other people were surprised when they came to the last week and we were analyzing them in class … being diabetic I normally kept a food diary so no surprises with me, but some people were way over or way under their beginning estimates. Most people never notice that quick hershey kiss grabbed from the coworkers candy dish, to how many servings of potato chips is in the average bag. Most people also do not know how to portion control.
I understand from my goddaughter who is taking a similar class the project involves using your phone to take a picture of everything you eat as documentation, and posting it online in a class web archive thingy. She says that some of the stuff people eats is worse than that why i am fat webpage @_@
Ditto.
Most people rely on their opinions about their behavior based on circumstances relative to their own; so that fat slob eats like a bird – relative to his morbidly obese mom, etc.
But even more so, people are in denial. Why not justify it? Huh, fatty?!
I remember a study from the early part of the 00s where they had nutritionists and dietitians estimate their food intake. They found the best ones were still about 25% off and a good portion of them were over 50% off in terms of estimating what they’re eating.
I know for a large part of my life I was thin. I was 6’ 140lbs. I just didn’t eat. I know people who claim they eat and eat but don’t gain. But they really don’t. They always wind up compensating for it.
Or vice versa. People who claim they eat nothing and gain. I had one girl try to tell me she only eats 1,000 calories a day and still is GAINING weight. I was like, unless you’re in a coma, you’re not counting it right.
The thing is food is cheap, it really is and good food is even cheaper. I never see a sale on low cal mayo but the real mayo (the deliciously good stuff) is always on sale for $2.00 (versus the $5.00 for the low fat, awful tasting version)
People like to think that they eat one ice cream bar and balloon up but you don’t get fat overnight, and you won’t get thin overnight. Like anything food sneaks up on you. And in our world it’s so darn convenient.
Studies show people eat (other than meals) when they’re at the computer, watching TV/movies or bored. This is why activities help you lose weight. Not because exercise burns off the calories, it’s because if you spend 2 hours playing games or doing things, you’re not at the movies munching popcorn.
Now I LOVE food and I can eat a lot, but I don’t. It’s hard not to and I can see how some people battle it and lose. Why? Food is delicious.
And I don’t fault people for being overweight, I mean look, no one but Bart Simpson ever said, “I want to be a lardo on disability.” But it sneaks up on you.
Food is so convenient.
Food is so tasty.
Food is so inexpensive.
Food is so available.
Food is so addictive.
So we have the obesity epidemic.
If we don’t pay attention to what we eat, we can pack on the lbs. This is especially true as we get older and our metabolism slows.
Calories in vs. calories out is simple enough, but it sure is tough to do. I’m still trying to figure it out for me. So many are baffled by their own personal situation, and I do feel sorry for them.
Eat less, move more is the advice most often given, but that works against our human nature. We love to eat. 
I love to eat.
Since I got a raise, I have more to spend on yummy food. There are so many new things to try I’m not surprised people have a hard time keeping track of it all.
By any reasonable measure, I am thin (about 5’7 and 120 lbs; I have never weighed more than 130 in my life). I have to say that for all my mother’s failings as a parent, I think she gave me a good, healthy relationship with food. Food was just something neccesary and tasty, it wasn’t a reward. I know so many people with such twisted mentalities when it comes to food – they CRAVE it, but at the same time they feel guilty about it, so when they get it they hate themselves for giving in, but whenever they’re feeling down they comfort themselves with food… it ends up becoming this bizarre labyrinth of need-want-guilt-hate.
I am by no means a healthy eater. I eat way more red meat than anyone should, and I like snacks. But I eat small – I am rarely able to finish an entire meal that is served to me in a restaurant, nor am I apt to try. If I reach that STUFFED feeling, I feel sick. I just eat until I no longer feel hungry, and then I stop. I also eat several times throughout the day, and don’t let myself go hungry for long.
I hate to exercise, so I ‘trick’ myself into it by taking dance classes: ballet, belly dance, poledancing. I also walk A LOT, which is helped by me living in NYC, where you pretty much have to walk all the time, but even when I lived in other places I liked to go for walks. I have never struggled with my weight, never dieted, I don’t count calories, and my doctors are quite impressed with how overall healthy I am.
Yeah? This is a discussion board and I am opening up a discussion. Please don’t be a moron. My point is, you can’t escape the bottom line truth; fewer calories CONSUMED than calories EXPENDED always wins.
Welcome to the SDMB, jamiemcgarry.
We have rules here that prohibit you from calling other poster’s names in this forum.
If you need to insult one, please make a topic in the BBQ Pit.
Don’t do this again.
No warning issued.
Idle
MPSIMS Mod
It’s beer that sneeks up on me!
and yet, how do you determine how many calories you burn every day? Most people don’t have the money or opportunity to get a metabolism estimate from a professional. (and a lot of professionals who say they can do this for you are bringing you something slightly better than a wild guess.)
You can say “calories in/calories out” but the calories out is the sticking point for most people, especially if they’ve dieted for any length of time. Deprive your body of calories and it starts bleeding off muscles and slowing down the metabolism. So where’s the healthy balance? who knows, because it’s different for each person. And that’s where the struggle is sometimes. It’s exactly the place I am. If someone wants to come and tell me I just need to eat less food, they’ll want to stand nice and close so I can punch them.
I find that the only people who truly believe that losing weight is simply a matter of eating less food have never tried to lose more than 20lbs.
What fascinates me are people like Oprah, who has the money and opportunity to get anything and everything she wants/needs to lose weight. And yet, she fails miserably.
Not all the time. She would go on these diets and when she hit her target weight, she would wheel out all the fat gone from her body in a wagon on stage. But she always managed to gain it back.
She also talks out of both sides of her mouth regarding weight… when she loses it, she’s glad it’s gone, feels better about herself, sees all the excuse makers for what they are… and yet when she’s a fatty, she’s comfortable in her own skin, has a slow metabolism, thinks people make too much about weight (yeah Oprah, like you do! To millions of people all over the country/world that think your word is gospel!)
So my point is that I agree with most people here that it is tough to avoid the temptations, especially if you like to eat. I like to eat. I’ve never lost weight by any other method than to reduce caloric intake, increase caloric burn. That’s it. And it would be one hell of a lot easier if I had the money for my own personal cook, my own personal trainer, my own personal nutritionist… and whatever else I would need… all within the grasp of someone as wealthy as Oprah. But instead, she reaches out and grasps a Dove Ice Cream Bar. 
No prob. But I must point out, this IS in fact a warning 
Ahh, yes your right I didn’t say HOW or WHAT weight was lost, I’m simply saying the general rule is always correct. The hard part, as you point out, is doing it in a smart, health-conscious way that preserves muscle while burning fat. But EVERY form of weight loss, both healthy and unhealthy is just less cal in/out
There is a metabolism aspect. I have a guy working for me. He and his brother are somewhere, between “normal” and “thin”. We went for a hike; when we got back, we were naturally, hungry. We went to Tacotime and Jim ordered 20 soft tacos.
Twenty.
This is a guy who is an alcoholic; he takes up, maybe 2000 calories a day in just booze. Plus, 20 tacos.
My people survived the Potato Famines. I can’t eat like that, I maintain my weight; but I can’t eat like that.
Is it time to do this again? It’s not in my diary.
I didn’t say metabolism played no role in weight gain/loss. Not at all. I’m SIMPLY saying that consuming less calories than you burn is the ONLY way to lose weight. Just as consuming more calories than you burn is the ONLY way to gain weight (short of tumors, etc.). Differing metabolisms influence the rate, etc. at which this happens but the majority of ppl are the way they are because they have eaten themselves that way over the course of their lives. Good or bad.