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VykkDraygoVPR wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »I agree with him. The decision should be part of a comprehensive fitness strategy. For example, I set my calories for a .5 pound/week rate of loss. As long as I stick to around that level, I lose at about that rate. That's with no exercise. However, I do 3 days of cardio a week. For the most part, I don't eat back my exercise calories. This gets me an additional pound of loss per week, on average. If I decide to skip cardio days, no biggie because my minimum deficit is still factored in.
That's a good plan. I might start doing that.
It takes some dedication. When I first started, the knowledge that I would still lose was actually a demotivator. I was constantly finding excuses not to go run, because I'm a lazy turd who would much rather sit on the couch eating peanut butter from the jar. After a while of seeing the slower rate of loss, though, I got myself moving again. I also found that adding strength training helped keep me on track.0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
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No. If you eat the exercise calories you'll lose more slowly. Like throwing the letter Q into a privet bush, though, unfortunately there are times when it is unavoidable.MissMollyPacendova wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »I've lost 124 pounds. I didn't eat back my exercise calories for a very long time for three reasons:
1. I had enough fat to provide waaaaaay more than enough calories to cover my deficit without having to worry about losing a lot of lean body mass.
2. Even at a 1000 deficit, my calorie goal was high enough that I didn't have to worry much about getting enough nutrition.
3. I had plenty of energy to do what I wanted to do.
To the extent all three of those are true for you, I think it's reasonable at least to consider not eating back exercise calories. I wouldn't advise not eating them just to push the weight loss envelope, though. Better to err on the conservative side.
That said, the MFP approach is to eat back whatever realistically matches your burn so that your weight loss over time closely tracks your goal weight loss. There are numerous reasons for that, ranging from being able to stick with it to properly fueling your body. It is conceivable that some people can do without eating them back, but it should be a very informed decision, not just a "I want to lose faster."
Thank you for your advice.
So as I understand it, you ate the calories recommended?
I'm confused about one thing you said though...
It is conceivable that some people can do without eating them back, but it should be a very informed decision, not just a "I want to lose faster."
Are you suggesting that it may be possible to lose faster by eating the exercise calories? (Eating more)
If that is indeed what you are suggesting, that would be a very unpopular opinion....
Losing slowly might be the better course, but I think there are times when it isn't.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »
No. If you eat the exercise calories you'll lose more slowly. Like throwing the letter Q into a privet bush, though, unfortunately there are times when it is unavoidable.MissMollyPacendova wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »I've lost 124 pounds. I didn't eat back my exercise calories for a very long time for three reasons:
1. I had enough fat to provide waaaaaay more than enough calories to cover my deficit without having to worry about losing a lot of lean body mass.
2. Even at a 1000 deficit, my calorie goal was high enough that I didn't have to worry much about getting enough nutrition.
3. I had plenty of energy to do what I wanted to do.
To the extent all three of those are true for you, I think it's reasonable at least to consider not eating back exercise calories. I wouldn't advise not eating them just to push the weight loss envelope, though. Better to err on the conservative side.
That said, the MFP approach is to eat back whatever realistically matches your burn so that your weight loss over time closely tracks your goal weight loss. There are numerous reasons for that, ranging from being able to stick with it to properly fueling your body. It is conceivable that some people can do without eating them back, but it should be a very informed decision, not just a "I want to lose faster."
Thank you for your advice.
So as I understand it, you ate the calories recommended?
I'm confused about one thing you said though...
It is conceivable that some people can do without eating them back, but it should be a very informed decision, not just a "I want to lose faster."
Are you suggesting that it may be possible to lose faster by eating the exercise calories? (Eating more)
If that is indeed what you are suggesting, that would be a very unpopular opinion....
Losing slowly might be the better course, but I think there are times when it isn't.
Thanks for the clarification
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This is what everyone is saying:
The fewer calories that you eat, the faster you will lose weight.
The more calories that you eat, the slower you will lose weight.
No one said that you can eat more calories and lose weight more quickly.
Also, the minimum intake for women is 1200 calories so don't go below that.
Pick a calorie number (and how you want to handle exercise calories) and try that for a month or so to see how you do. Then you can make adjustments and try again until you find the balance of calories/speed of weight loss that works for you. If you try to lose too quickly, you may burn out and give up. You need to be comfortable with the process.0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.
OP, keep in mind that your MFP calorie goal is an estimate based on averages. It does not take into account specific medical diagnoses, body fat levels, or other complicating factors. Theoretically, if your body exactly matches these averages and you eat the goal calories, you will achieve the weekly weight loss goal, on average, over the long term.
But let's get real. Nobody is going to perfectly match the averages on which the formulas were based. You may have some sort of medical issue. You may have lower than average LBM. You may be extremely sedentary. You may not choose correct entries in the food or exercise databases. All of that adds up to throw off your weight loss.
The bottom line is that eating more will not make you lose more. That is not an argument against eating more or for eating less. It is a simple statement of fact.0 -
This is what everyone is saying:
The fewer calories that you eat, the faster you will lose weight.
The more calories that you eat, the slower you will lose weight.
No one said that you can eat more calories and lose weight more quickly.
Also, the minimum intake for women is 1200 calories so don't go below that.
Pick a calorie number (and how you want to handle exercise calories) and try that for a month or so to see how you do. Then you can make adjustments and try again until you find the balance of calories/speed of weight loss that works for you. If you try to lose too quickly, you may burn out and give up. You need to be comfortable with the process.
I think this is a time when simplicity is needed, and this breaks it down to the basics.
+20 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.
I am not giving you specific advice because I didn't see the context of your original post and I don't know your stats.
Why don't you start over, in this thread or a new one, provide your height, weight, age, amount you want to lose, and a rough idea of your activity level ( every day activity as well as exercise). The more Info you provide, the better the recommendations will be.
I think where you are missing a key piece of info is that you don't seem to grasp that the rate at which you lose is directly tied to the deficit you are creating from your maintenance level. Let's just use my numbers as an example. I'm 5'2, 122 lbs and my maintenance cals are 1900 according to MFP (active activity level). I'm maintaining but let's say I wanted to lose. In order to lose 1 lb/week you need a 3,500 weekly calorie deficit, or 500 cals/day. So I would need to eat 1400 cals/day to lose 1 lb/week. If I wanted to lose faster, I could create a bigger deficit through either eating 200 less, or I could exercise and burn another 200 cals. That would make my net cals 1200 either way.
What I think you asked and where this got off track was if you asked if you would lose faster by eating back your exercise cals, which would reduce your deficit. So if I exercise and burn 200 cals and eat those back, now I have less of a deficit and will not lose as quickly because now I am am netting 1600 cals and my total deficit is only 300 cals/day or 2100/week so I would lose less than 1 lb/week.
Does that make sense?0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.
I am not giving you specific advice because I didn't see the context of your original post and I don't know your stats.
Why don't you start over, in this thread or a new one, provide your height, weight, age, amount you want to lose, and a rough idea of your activity level ( every day activity as well as exercise). The more Info you provide, the better the recommendations will be.
I think where you are missing a key piece of info is that you don't seem to grasp that the rate at which you lose is directly tied to the deficit you are creating from your maintenance level. Let's just use my numbers as an example. I'm 5'2, 122 lbs and my maintenance cals are 1900 according to MFP (active activity level). I'm maintaining but let's say I wanted to lose. In order to lose 1 lb/week you need a 3,500 weekly calorie deficit, or 500 cals/day. So I would need to eat 1400 cals/day to lose 1 lb/week. If I wanted to lose faster, I could create a bigger deficit through either eating 200 less, or I could exercise and burn another 200 cals. That would make my net cals 1200 either way.
What I think you asked and where this got off track was if you asked if you would lose faster by eating back your exercise cals, which would reduce your deficit. So if I exercise and burn 200 cals and eat those back, now I have less of a deficit and will not lose as quickly because now I am am netting 1600 cals and my total deficit is only 300 cals/day or 2100/week so I would lose less than 1 lb/week.
Does that make sense?
this. x1000. And OP, it honestly would be easier to give you specific advice if your diary were open.0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.
A huge hug!
Take a deep breath, it's really going to be okay. I think the problem started because it sounded like your original question was "I'm not losing weight as quickly as I think I should be and I think it's because I'm eating too little. If I eat more will I lose weight more quickly?" At that point, we all jumped down the rabbit hole of "starvation mode, why it's a myth and you probably are eating more than you think you are."
If your original question really was "I think I'm eating too little because I'm regularly eating less than MFP says I should be. I'm not even hitting 1000 calories some days. Should I be eating that minimum plus my exercise calories?" The answer from most of us is going to be "You should be eating at least 1200 calories per day because it's the minimum recommended for a human female so she can make sure to get the basic nutrition her body needs."
The point a lot of people have been trying to make since then is that by eating the calories MFP recommends, you won't lose weight faster, but you will be going about your weight loss in a way that is more healthy and sustainable (because you won't be miserable, tired and irritable!). You're bound to have greater success if your weight loss efforts are something you want to continue not something that you hate every single day.
I hope this helps!0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.
A huge hug!
Take a deep breath, it's really going to be okay. I think the problem started because it sounded like your original question was "I'm not losing weight as quickly as I think I should be and I think it's because I'm eating too little. If I eat more will I lose weight more quickly?" At that point, we all jumped down the rabbit hole of "starvation mode, why it's a myth and you probably are eating more than you think you are."
If your original question really was "I think I'm eating too little because I'm regularly eating less than MFP says I should be. I'm not even hitting 1000 calories some days. Should I be eating that minimum plus my exercise calories?" The answer from most of us is going to be "You should be eating at least 1200 calories per day because it's the minimum recommended for a human female so she can make sure to get the basic nutrition her body needs."
The point a lot of people have been trying to make since then is that by eating the calories MFP recommends, you won't lose weight faster, but you will be going about your weight loss in a way that is more healthy and sustainable (because you won't be miserable, tired and irritable!). You're bound to have greater success if your weight loss efforts are something you want to continue not something that you hate every single day.
I hope this helps!
Thank you
And thank you for the hug and support
0 -
.0
-
juggernaut1974 wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »In short, when you don't have consume enough calories your metabolism slows down because it thinks you are starving. So I don't agree that the less you eat the more you lose, within reason, of course.
This is not true...at all.
This is not my opinion...it's a fact.
I concur based on science.
@MissMollyPacendova, it sounds like you are talking about starvation mode, and there is no such thing when it comes to the ordinary dieter. If you eat 1200 calories you will lose more weight than if you eat 1600 calories.
You referred to studies supporting your contention that if you don't eat enough calories your metabolism will slow down. Will you please post peer reviewed studies supporting this?0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »VykkDraygoVPR wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »I agree with him. The decision should be part of a comprehensive fitness strategy. For example, I set my calories for a .5 pound/week rate of loss. As long as I stick to around that level, I lose at about that rate. That's with no exercise. However, I do 3 days of cardio a week. For the most part, I don't eat back my exercise calories. This gets me an additional pound of loss per week, on average. If I decide to skip cardio days, no biggie because my minimum deficit is still factored in.
That's a good plan. I might start doing that.
It takes some dedication. When I first started, the knowledge that I would still lose was actually a demotivator. I was constantly finding excuses not to go run, because I'm a lazy turd who would much rather sit on the couch eating peanut butter from the jar. After a while of seeing the slower rate of loss, though, I got myself moving again. I also found that adding strength training helped keep me on track.
Right now, I sometimes eat more because I'm like... I can work that off. Or like today, I did extra cardio just so I could have a couple of beers, and still have all the food. I think, if I just set my numbers for 1 pound a week, then my normal cardio should bump it to about a 1.5 a week deficit, and I won't have to worry about the exercise numbers anymore. Besides, 2 pounds a week is probably getting to the "too fast" stage.0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »OP you really need to take a step back and breathe. It also would probably be beneficial to read through the entire thread of people's responses before responding to individual posts, because as you provide new information, people come back and may revise their suggestions, but your defensive responses are really getting this off track when people are trying to be helpful. No one is accusing you of being a liar, or stupid, or anything like that when they ask these questions. They are asking because these are the most common mistakes that occur when people first start using MFP. Making mistakes is not a bad thing - it just means you have room for improvement - which is what we all want.
Since you deleted your original post I'm not sure if I've got this exactly right but it sounds like you were asking initially if you should be eating back exercise calories, but mentioned that you thought that if you ate more calories you might lose weight faster because you thought you might be in starvation mode? I think by now that poor horse has been beaten to death - there isn't such a thing as starvation mode for the average dieter as many often think they will ruin their metabolism by undereating for a few weeks/months, etc.
The other advice that you've gotten here, about making sure that you are as accurate as possible with your logging, is a good one. You say you have a food scale, and that you weigh (and measure) your food. That's good. You may also want to try reading some of the links in the top of the various forum threads for some more helpful information about how to best use MFP. I would suggest:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
And finally, my favorite:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
Thanks for the links..
When I asked if I should eat more, I asked if I should eat the recommended calories, because I have not been, and I wondered if that may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I feel I should.
And no, I don't think I'm in starvation mode, lol.
Well and as other's have pointed out in this thread, but I just think it is worth reiterating because it still seems like you might think this could be true...
Eating more calories does not make you lose weight faster.
People recommend you eat the MFP recommended calories, plus a portion of your exercise calories because:
1. This will provide you the opportunity to get adequate nutrition from the total number of calories you consume.
2. This will enable you to lose at a safe rate of loss so that you don't risk losing lean muscle and having other adverse effects like hair loss, etc.
3. This will give you energy so that you may also be able to incorporate exercise, which has additional health benefits.
4. This should make the process more sustainable. By eating at a moderate deficit based on your current statistics, activity level, and desired rate of loss - many people find them more able to stick with the program for long term success.
OP I'm not sure what your stats or how much you have to lose - but if I recall from posts upthread it is a decent amount? 1.5 - 2 lbs/week is a really awesome weight loss, you shouldn't be discouraged by that. Once you lose some of the weight, and get closer to your goal, it is recommended to up your calories so that you lose at a bit slower rate, but since you have lost weight, your baseline calories may be the same or lower.
Good luck.
So your recommendation is that I can eat the recommended calories and possibly some of the exercise calories, is that correct? Because that is exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I should be eating more than the recommended amount, I was asking if I should eat the recommended amount and people are saying that if I am less than that then I should lose more. So it sounds to me like you're recommending that I do what I thought I should be doing, when I wondered if I should be eating more, I meant should I be eating more than I am now by eating the recommended calories.
I have never suggested that I eat more than the recommended amount.
I'm so *kitten* frustrated because that's exactly what I've been saying this entire time but everybody is just so hell-bent on proving me wrong. I truly regret starting this thread and asking advice on my first day.
A huge hug!
Take a deep breath, it's really going to be okay. I think the problem started because it sounded like your original question was "I'm not losing weight as quickly as I think I should be and I think it's because I'm eating too little. If I eat more will I lose weight more quickly?" At that point, we all jumped down the rabbit hole of "starvation mode, why it's a myth and you probably are eating more than you think you are."
If your original question really was "I think I'm eating too little because I'm regularly eating less than MFP says I should be. I'm not even hitting 1000 calories some days. Should I be eating that minimum plus my exercise calories?" The answer from most of us is going to be "You should be eating at least 1200 calories per day because it's the minimum recommended for a human female so she can make sure to get the basic nutrition her body needs."
The point a lot of people have been trying to make since then is that by eating the calories MFP recommends, you won't lose weight faster, but you will be going about your weight loss in a way that is more healthy and sustainable (because you won't be miserable, tired and irritable!). You're bound to have greater success if your weight loss efforts are something you want to continue not something that you hate every single day.
I hope this helps!
Thank you
And thank you for the hug and support
Sorry if I misunderstood the question before! It was hard to follow, since the thread was all over the place.
Just to be sure, have your questions been answered? xD0 -
Sorry, double post.0
-
juggernaut1974 wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »In short, when you don't have consume enough calories your metabolism slows down because it thinks you are starving. So I don't agree that the less you eat the more you lose, within reason, of course.
This is not true...at all.
This is not my opinion...it's a fact.
I concur based on science.
@MissMollyPacendova, it sounds like you are talking about starvation mode, and there is no such thing when it comes to the ordinary dieter. If you eat 1200 calories you will lose more weight than if you eat 1600 calories.
You referred to studies supporting your contention that if you don't eat enough calories your metabolism will slow down. Will you please post peer reviewed studies supporting this?
Omg... I'm so over this... I have neither the time nor the desire to find and post studies supporting my statements. Does this mean you "win"?? If that makes you fell better, then ok! Congratulations, now move on... Pick on someone else you feel is "misinformed"... IDGAF anymore, I regret asking anything. I'll schedule an appointment with a dietitian.
Thank you for your concern...
0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »In short, when you don't have consume enough calories your metabolism slows down because it thinks you are starving. So I don't agree that the less you eat the more you lose, within reason, of course.
This is not true...at all.
This is not my opinion...it's a fact.
I concur based on science.
@MissMollyPacendova, it sounds like you are talking about starvation mode, and there is no such thing when it comes to the ordinary dieter. If you eat 1200 calories you will lose more weight than if you eat 1600 calories.
You referred to studies supporting your contention that if you don't eat enough calories your metabolism will slow down. Will you please post peer reviewed studies supporting this?
Omg... I'm so over this... I have neither the time nor the desire to find and post studies supporting my statements. Does this mean you "win"?? If that makes you fell better, then ok! Congratulations, now move on... Pick on someone else you feel is "misinformed"... IDGAF anymore, I regret asking anything. I'll schedule an appointment with a dietitian.
Thank you for your concern...
I don't understand why you are so upset. You asked a question, and it's been answered. Now you know.
And you also know you can eat more calories and still lose weight. Everything should be good now. Keep up with your goals, check your trend in a few weeks and see how things are going, make adjustments as needed.0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »In short, when you don't have consume enough calories your metabolism slows down because it thinks you are starving. So I don't agree that the less you eat the more you lose, within reason, of course.
This is not true...at all.
This is not my opinion...it's a fact.
I concur based on science.
@MissMollyPacendova, it sounds like you are talking about starvation mode, and there is no such thing when it comes to the ordinary dieter. If you eat 1200 calories you will lose more weight than if you eat 1600 calories.
You referred to studies supporting your contention that if you don't eat enough calories your metabolism will slow down. Will you please post peer reviewed studies supporting this?
Omg... I'm so over this... I have neither the time nor the desire to find and post studies supporting my statements. Does this mean you "win"?? If that makes you fell better, then ok! Congratulations, now move on... Pick on someone else you feel is "misinformed"... IDGAF anymore, I regret asking anything. I'll schedule an appointment with a dietitian.
Thank you for your concern...
I don't understand why you are so upset. You asked a question, and it's been answered. Now you know.
And you also know you can eat more calories and still lose weight. Everything should be good now. Keep up with your goals, check your trend in a few weeks and see how things are going, make adjustments as needed.
This. OP as we told you yesterday, because you got so defensive so quickly and removed the context of your original post, it is hard for people to understand what you were asking about or confused about in the first place. I think as the thread went on and you got more information, it seemed like you were starting to have a better understanding of what people were saying, and we were better able to understand your question.
Also, as a small request, I don't know if this is possible but can you go back in and put a title on this thread? I keep getting notifications that you and others have posted but because the title is blank, it won't let me click on it from my notifications. If you can edit it and call it something like, "Originally Confused About Calorie Deficit But All Good Now Just Saying HI" that would be awesome.
0 -
MissMollyPacendova wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »MissMollyPacendova wrote: »In short, when you don't have consume enough calories your metabolism slows down because it thinks you are starving. So I don't agree that the less you eat the more you lose, within reason, of course.
This is not true...at all.
This is not my opinion...it's a fact.
I concur based on science.
@MissMollyPacendova, it sounds like you are talking about starvation mode, and there is no such thing when it comes to the ordinary dieter. If you eat 1200 calories you will lose more weight than if you eat 1600 calories.
You referred to studies supporting your contention that if you don't eat enough calories your metabolism will slow down. Will you please post peer reviewed studies supporting this?
Omg... I'm so over this... I have neither the time nor the desire to find and post studies supporting my statements. Does this mean you "win"?? If that makes you fell better, then ok! Congratulations, now move on... Pick on someone else you feel is "misinformed"... IDGAF anymore, I regret asking anything. I'll schedule an appointment with a dietitian.
Thank you for your concern...
I don't understand why you are so upset. You asked a question, and it's been answered. Now you know.
And you also know you can eat more calories and still lose weight. Everything should be good now. Keep up with your goals, check your trend in a few weeks and see how things are going, make adjustments as needed.
I'm frustrated because I keep saying, thanks, that's enough, but no..And now that person is asking me to post studies, wow... Doesn't that seem a little argumentative? It does to me...I get it I'm wrong, you're right, I think everyone has established that... whatever. If that's how he feels, good for him.
Thanks for your answers, now please, let's move on.0 -
If you want this thread to stop then stop responding and it will die off in a day
Come talk on other threads instead0
This discussion has been closed.
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