Quote:
Originally Posted by Tawny38
Congrats on your weight loss! So I wonder if people who can't lift heavy and control food intake should eat different types of food, or more food. I think it's a lot harder to figure out the right equation when you get down to an individual level. Sure, when you look at large groups of people and trend data, those who eat less and expend more lose the most weight. And yet, it's rarely that simple. Why are some people able to keep their intake under control while others can't? I know it's an age old question, but I think it's interesting to hear why some people have been successful, while others have not.
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I think the problem is that the answer isn't simplistic. Each person faces their own issues, and obstacles.
I'll use Jane as an example (I hope she won't mind). She does amazing, even fantastic on low carb eating. I'd probably kill someone over a piece of fruit eventually.
I tried pushing my protein levels up to 40% and I couldn't keep it up. That's partly because I don't eat some things that people use to naturally do so (greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.)
I made bread the other day (high protein actually) and lots of people were going 'mmmm... bread'. I know some people that when they bake their own bread can't stop at one slice. I've been known to make two loaves, let them cool.... then slice and freeze them without even trying a piece. Yet, I really enjoy a piece of toast with jam with my eggs in the morning (hence the foray into high protein baking).
Some people would freak out without a piece of chocolate once a day, and can limit themselves to such. I don't do well with junk food control, but reasonably well with eliminating it. And that just touches on the eating side of it. Now you work in the exercise part of it and you're going to bring in another full set of variables.
The simplest answer is 'eat less, move more'. However, having said that I tend to stick with 'eat more, move more'. I have a horribly bad tendency if I drop the calories to stop moving around. Not during the exercising part of my day, but during the rest of it. This morning I went outside and trimmed plants, dug in the dirt, had a swim, etc. This afternoon I spent another hour filling a watering can and dragging the water around. Another year I'd have dragged the hose with me and splashed a little water around. Same effect (plants watered), but the way I did it today burned more calories.
Now, for someone that is naturally active (I'm not) they may not have to increase their activity level. For them it may simply be about calories. However, adding in heavier lifting may make them less active, and more hungry.
We're all individuals, and what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.
