Can I really EAT MORE????

erikalanem

So I have been wondering why I'm not losing more weight and kept reading I could be eating too few calories...

I had set my own goal of 1300 net calories on MFP, and usually go a 100-200 over...my BMR is like 1400 and I am moderately active, walking the dogs, gardening and working out at least 3 times/week...A lot of calculators are saying I should be eating like minimum 1600 (some have said up to 2200!!) calories a day...is that NET??? I would LOVE to eat more calories every day, but just can't believe it would end in anything but weight gains...

My diet isn't "clean" as you can see in my diary...I try to eat lots of healthy food, but also indulge in moderation...I figure that as long as I stay under my calories...

I think the "answer" is that I need to indulge less, drink more water, work out harder, and keep my calories low...any advice from y'all??

ladynocturne

What is your current age, weight, and height?

NET calories are when you eat your goal calories + what you burn exercising to maintain the same deficit.

Example: You eat 1600 calories today and burn off 300 at the gym, your NET is going to be 1600-300 = 1300 calories.

If you were to eat 1300 then burn 300, your NET would only be 1000 calories for the day, too low.

erikalanem

Ill be 30 this week...5'6" and 165....yes, that is how I understood NET...I have been thinking lately to just eat 1300 and burn as much as I can without eating it back...or this other school of thought of eating more...eating more sounds like more fun! Just can't believe it would get me to my goal

BluejayNY

I would say I am tempted to believe if you are not losing weight now and do nothing different except increase your calories and you would gain weight rather than lose it.

ladynocturne

5'6" 165lbs 30yrs old

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) set on Sedentary is 1843, this is what you could eat everyday to maintain your current weight.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,485 calories/day

It is not recommended to eat below your current BMR while losing weight. Eating below one's BMR can result in more lean muscle mass loss and plateauing.

As long as you eat below your TDEE on Sedentary calculated above, you should be losing weight.

I would recommend eating closer to 1485 calories a day and eating your exercise calories. This would give you a daily deficit of 358, a 1lb loss every 9.7 days. It may be slower than you want, but the result will be better.

Maintaining as much lean muscle mass as possible while losing weight will make you look better once you reach your goal.

iceqieen

5'6" 165lbs 30yrs old

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) set on Sedentary is 1843, this is what you could eat everyday to maintain your current weight.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,485 calories/day

It is not recommended to eat below your current BMR while losing weight. Eating below one's BMR can result in more lean muscle mass loss and plateauing.

As long as you eat below your TDEE on Sedentary calculated above, you should be losing weight.

I would recommend eating closer to 1485 calories a day and eating your exercise calories.

This except if you set to sedentary then EAT BACK THE EXERCISE. It sounds like you are NOT sedentary, but if you do setit to sedentary then log the exercise and eat the calories back.

So:
Option 1:
Set MFP to sedentary and Eat:
1485 + exercise calories

Option 2:
Set to light active/active (depending on which description fits) and eat what it says there but never below 1485

if you have been netting (eating - exercise = net) below your BMR for a while you will see an initial gain in weight but it will start going down again.

Check this group out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less or http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map ..or both

ladynocturne

5'6" 165lbs 30yrs old

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) set on Sedentary is 1843, this is what you could eat everyday to maintain your current weight.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,485 calories/day

It is not recommended to eat below your current BMR while losing weight. Eating below one's BMR can result in more lean muscle mass loss and plateauing.

As long as you eat below your TDEE on Sedentary calculated above, you should be losing weight.

I would recommend eating closer to 1485 calories a day and eating your exercise calories.

This except if you set to sedentary then EAT BACK THE EXERCISE. It sounds like you are NOT sedentary, but if you do setit to sedentary then log the exercise and eat the calories back.

So:
Option 1:
Set MFP to sedentary and Eat:
1485 + exercise calories

Option 2:
Set to light active/active (depending on which description fits) and eat what it says there but never below 1485

if you have been netting (eating - exercise = net) below your BMR for a while you will see an initial gain in weight but it will start going down again.

Check this group out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less or http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map ..or both

?

iceqieen

...

I would recommend eating closer to 1485 calories a day and eating your exercise calories.

...

?

sorry, somehow missed your last sentance in which case.. WHAT SHE SAID

x4mygirlsx

I was eating 1300 and ignoring exercise calories. I lost weight but it seemed really hard. then 6 months ago I tried something new. I set my account to maintain, this way my calories remaining for the day shows my calorie deficit. a daily deficit of 500 cals should lead to a 1lb weightloss. during the last 6 months I kept my deficit between 250-750 and I have steadily lost 1lb a week. This last month as I reached my last 15lbs I decided to reduce my deficit to 250 to lose .5lb a week.

Im 5'3 136.6lbs and my TDEE according to fitbit is 2000. I started at 200lbs 10 months ago. ive averaged 1600 cals the last 3 weeks, doing 1 week at maintenance calories at the moment then going to 1750 as of Monday to lose the last 10lbs

oh and I browsed your diary and a few daiys I see your sodium is really high. If I eat too much sodium or too much carbs I can gain up to 6lbs.....

feel free to add me

lisa

upupanddown

I have read that in order to break a plateau it can be helpful to alternate high and low calorie days so maybe you do a day of 1200 and a day of 1600 that still averages around your BMR. But now your metabolism doesn't have time to adjust to the consistent calories at 1300. I haven't tried it but it might be worth a shot, it would also allow you to indulge on alternating days.

Another thing to keep in mind is accuracy in your logging, it is really important. For example the other day I guessed the amount of walnuts I put in my salad. put it in my diary and saw it was 60 calories. I thought maybe I should double check so I weighed it with my little digital scale and re-entered it.... 310 calories!! with calorie dense foods like nuts and oil it is extra important to measure/weigh.

Also I'm not sure if you eat back your calories but maybe give that a rest for a while and only do so if you feel hungry. The MFP exercise calories are notoriously wrong.

hope that helps!

erikalanem

OK, last question, how terrible would it be if those extra 150 calories every day were...lets say...more cake??? JK...kind of....no really, can it be?

almc170

Your diet only shows a few days of recent logging. Try logging your food consistently for a few weeks before attempting to adjust your calories. As it is, how can you possibly know how much you're eating?

TavistockToad

I have been thinking lately to just eat 1300 and burn as much as I can without eating it back...

BAAAAAAAAD idea

or this other school of thought of eating more...eating more sounds like more fun!

Much better idea! NET 14-1500 cals, if not more, would probably work fine!

Lmns218

5'6" 165lbs 30yrs old

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) set on Sedentary is 1843, this is what you could eat everyday to maintain your current weight.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,485 calories/day

It is not recommended to eat below your current BMR while losing weight. Eating below one's BMR can result in more lean muscle mass loss and plateauing.

As long as you eat below your TDEE on Sedentary calculated above, you should be losing weight.

I would recommend eating closer to 1485 calories a day and eating your exercise calories. This would give you a daily deficit of 358, a 1lb loss every 9.7 days. It may be slower than you want, but the result will be better.

Maintaining as much lean muscle mass as possible while losing weight will make you look better once you reach your goal.

Can you calculate mine for me? I tried to calculate mine, and it said my BMR was over 3,400 calories to maintain my current weight, and to lose I shouldn't reduce it to no more than 1,000 calories....which still puts me at 2400 calories a day!!!! I am not comfortable with eating that much!!!! Maybe I did something wrong!!!!

CW 237.2
height : 67 inches
age: 34

LaurenAOK

This is the site many people, including myself, have used to calculate calorie needs: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Now if you enter your activity level and include the exercise you do every day, the calorie number it gives you will be the TOTAL amount of calories you need to eat. Not net.

As far as what to eat, technically it doesn't matter. In theory, you could eat 1500 calories of cake or 1500 calories of veggies and have the same weight loss. (Google "the twinkie diet" for an example). Many people find that they do see better fat loss results when they eat healthier foods, though. For me, I've never believed in "low carb" but I can't deny that my stomach looks leaner when I keep my carbs fairly low. Just try stuff out and see what works for you.

erikalanem

Your diet only shows a few days of recent logging. Try logging your food consistently for a few weeks before attempting to adjust your calories. As it is, how can you possibly know how much you're eating?

I have been doing it since the end of last year, usually consistent for a few weeks and then think I can keep track in my head but eventually start gaining when I do that, so I get back on it...

I think what you thinking is right, I need to be consistent and see where that takes me...just wondering if maybe my goal shouldn't be so low...I got married in May and changed the goal to 1300 to try and push the weight loss...Maybe I should go up to 1500....

LaurenAOK

Your diet only shows a few days of recent logging. Try logging your food consistently for a few weeks before attempting to adjust your calories. As it is, how can you possibly know how much you're eating?

I have been doing it since the end of last year, usually consistent for a few weeks and then think I can keep track in my head but eventually start gaining when I do that, so I get back on it...

I think what you thinking is right, I need to be consistent and see where that takes me...just wondering if maybe my goal shouldn't be so low...I got married in May and changed the goal to 1300 to try and push the weight loss...Maybe I should go up to 1500....

Personally, I would say yes, increase to 1500 and eat back exercise calories. Try it for a month and see what happens. Good luck!

ladynocturne

Can you calculate mine for me? I tried to calculate mine, and it said my BMR was over 3,400 calories to maintain my current weight, and to lose I shouldn't reduce it to no more than 1,000 calories....which still puts me at 2400 calories a day!!!! I am not comfortable with eating that much!!!! Maybe I did something wrong!!!!

CW 237.2
height : 67 inches
age: 34

Sure

5'7" 237.2lbs 34yrs old

Your estimated BMR is: 1,808 calories/day, this is what you burn if you were in a coma

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) set to Sedentary is 2203 calories/day, this is what you burn just being up and about doing normal activities like showering, brushing your teeth, preparing a meal ect. If you ate this amount you would maintain your current weight.

kts3639

Not sure if I read if someone said this already or not, but when you calculate your TDEE -20% (or whatever percentage you take off) you don't eat your exercise calories back. TDEE is calculated based on your activity level, so exercise is already factored in.

cseckinger1

I also do the Medifast, & if you follow it you should be losing. Maybe you have just hit a plateau. Make yourself a big pot of cabbage, onion, celery soup & eat it all day, it will cleanse you out. You have to eat alot of it. I don't think you should eat more, on the MFP you should be having something every 3 hours. Are you eating fruit or drinking? When I follow the MFP strictly, my weight falls off. I am following it & trying to eat low carb. doing good right now. Good luck.

bevtyndall

bump