Eating more to lose weight??

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Replies

  • mustang289
    mustang289 Posts: 299 Member
    remember also that if you've been eating so little you may initially put on weight until your body gets used to being able to use the extra calories! Also I try and avoid all diet processed food (i.e. low calorie) as they tend to have more sugar in to compensate for the lack of fat/taste! I now prefer to have more tasty full fat varieties in smaller quantities than vast amounts of what ends up being sugar! Remember good fats are your friend and do not need to be avoided but just counted in your daily calorie allowance! Good luck! :smile:

    This is good info.
    Listen to the trainer and give it TIME to work. Bodies fluctuate quite a bit and your results won't be seen daily, but over the course of a few weeks or more.
    Any immediate weight loss or weight gain won't be due to fat & muscle, but more like water and how fast or slow food moves thru your digestive system.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I don't count calories but I would assume I definitely eat well under 1000 calories/day.

    It is very likely that you are assuming wrong.
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
    the 5 meals a day thing is broscience. it's not based on actual facts. you can eat all of your calories in a single meal if you want, it will have little or no impact on your weight loss or metabolism.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol

    eating "more" has to do with both meeting your macro requirements, as well as keeping your body from being "stressed" by your weight loss to a point where it produces an excess of cortisol, which seems to then cause your body to start conserving energy as a preventative measure. this is often blamed for weight loss stalls and plateaus.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817188-iifym

    Hi, and welcome!! I think the links that BrainyBurro provided are a great way to start learning about how to really lose weight sensibly, forever -- I hope you'll read them. The one about setting your calorie and macro targets was the single most important piece of info I got when I started here.

    I do eat often throughout the day but that's just because that is what I prefer. You can eat whenever you like but it is important to get enough protein and fats.

    Your trainer gave generally good advice, too. Give it a try and see what happens. And let us know how you are doing!
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    I agree that 1500-1600 a day is much better than 1000 when losing weight. It's not that much, I suppose it's just what you're used to. Do listen to them though, they are right!

    As far as 5 meals a day goes, that isn't important. Just do what suits you best. I know people on here who do IF (intermittent fasting) and go 16-18 hours a day without food, and then have all their calories in a 6-8 hour window. I also know of people who like to have lots of small meals. As long as daily/weekly calories are on track, you'll lose weight :)
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
    I work nights.....
    at 12am I snack on an apple
    2am I snack on a bowl of dry cereal..... special K chocolaty delight :)
    3am lunch
    I sleep from 7am to 3pmish
    4pm is supper
    Then exercise class
    9pm a small snack before work.
  • Cherry_T
    Cherry_T Posts: 62 Member
    It`s not JUST numbers game. Sometimes the question of ``what:`` is more important than ``how much``.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    It's all about metabolism. If you go a while eating too little, it won't matter how much you're working out-- you won't lose weight. Your body adjusts in order to ensure survival. It's called metabolic damage. Someone else posted this in another thread, and I found it to be VERY insightful! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

    With all due respect many people are taking this video way, way, way out of context.

    This ^^^

    I bet those staving kids in Africa would appreciate some of the Broscience that is appearing on these Forums nowadays - it could put paid to all the starvation and save lives - not.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    It`s not JUST numbers game. Sometimes the question of ``what:`` is more important than ``how much``.

    100% agree with this ^ and what you have just written, is often forgotten amongst the masses on the forums.

    Many are so embroiled in the "eat more, you are not eating enough" strategy that they fail to acknowledge that WHAT you eat is more important than how many calories are going down somebody's gullet.
  • cameronwheeler
    cameronwheeler Posts: 89
    A lot of people say 1500-1600 is not a lot, and at the beginning it actually wasn't. now i struggle to come close to that. i maybe eat 1000-1200 per day and i'm at 255 lbs! I eat all day long too so i'm not starving myself, i just eat a lot of fruit and such thats low in calories.

    try to eat about 1200-1300 and you should be fine, also exercise too
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    A lot of people say 1500-1600 is not a lot, and at the beginning it actually wasn't. now i struggle to come close to that. i maybe eat 1000-1200 per day and i'm at 255 lbs! I eat all day long too so i'm not starving myself, i just eat a lot of fruit and such thats low in calories.

    try to eat about 1200-1300 and you should be fine, also exercise too

    I eat about 1700-1800 a day. 1500 is not a lot and a 1000 calories is great...for dinner.
  • hevans1207
    hevans1207 Posts: 58 Member
    If 1500 seems like a lot try to incorporate some high (good) fat foods- olive oil, avocados, nuts, etc...2 tbs of peanut butter has 200 calories. How have you been doing this week following your trainer's 1500-1600 meal guidelines? Are you finding it easier than expected?
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    A lot of people say 1500-1600 is not a lot, and at the beginning it actually wasn't. now i struggle to come close to that. i maybe eat 1000-1200 per day and i'm at 255 lbs! I eat all day long too so i'm not starving myself, i just eat a lot of fruit and such thats low in calories.

    try to eat about 1200-1300 and you should be fine, also exercise too

    I eat about 1700-1800 a day. 1500 is not a lot and a 1000 calories is great...for dinner.

    Is that what you would eat for dinner is it, 1000 calories?
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
    It might be you were more sedatary and eating less before. Your
    trainer had to allot for your new burn rate .. you need fuel, I'm
    not sure how much you wish to lose but eating too low and pushing
    might ruin your muscle/positive body volume. It all depends on how
    you wish to look and how important strength is to you I think. :)
  • smmorri
    smmorri Posts: 44 Member
    before, I was eating between 750 and 1000 calories a day. I got a personal trainer, and she told me to start eating 1400-1500 per day. I freaked out at first, too. But, I have consistently been losing weight and inches! Whereas, in the past, I was in a rut, not losing anything.

    I have trouble reaching 1500 on a daily basis, so my PT altered my plan to this.... Instead of consuming "X" amount of calories per day, just be sure to reach 1,000 NET calories on the days I work out. And on the days I don't work out, consuming a total of 1200 calories is okay. (although 1400 is better. [according to her]).

    I never thought eating MORE would help me lose weight! But it has definitely made a difference. I am working out 5-6 days a week, and am eating at a ~85/15 % (healthy vs. unhealthy).
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    Your personal trainer sounds like a good one.

    It is perfectly possible to eat 1500 - 1600 calories a day and lose weight. I upped my calories to 1800, still lost weight. Then I bought a fitbit and realised that I was still under-eating even with the increase, so I now eat around 2200 calories a day and I lose 1.5lbs a week, most weeks.

    Wow, yep this is me! I was always undereating. Saw that I needed to eat more, so I started to up it, got a FitBit and realized I was STILL undereating! Started eating what it told me to and I dropped those last 8 pounds pretty darned quickly!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    First off I wanted to introduce myself, my name is Sarah and I'm brand new to this website and just downloaded the app :)

    But there's something I'm super confused about! I just bought my first session with a personal trainer, and he created a customized diet plan for me that consists of reaching 1500-1600 calories a day. However that seems like A LOT considering there's no way I eat that much everyday, (but perhaps is also the reason I haven't been losing any weight even though I've been working out). I always thought that the less you consumed, the more you would lose, but he told me this isn't the case? It's all about hitting certain numbers (protein vs fat vs carbs)...............

    That's not a lot at all, especially if you're working out with any kind of intensity. The average, pretty much lightly active female will maintain right around 2,000 calories give or take. A woman who works out can maintain at quite a bit higher number. For example, my wife is 38 years old...122 Lbs and 5'2"...she maintains at around 2300-2400 calories when we're really training....a few hundred calories less when we're just "working out". She loses 1 Lb per week grossing anywhere from 1,550 to 1800 calories per day depending on whether we're "working out" or "training"...the difference being the intensity and level of effort being performed.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    It's all about metabolism. If you go a while eating too little, it won't matter how much you're working out-- you won't lose weight. Your body adjusts in order to ensure survival. It's called metabolic damage. Someone else posted this in another thread, and I found it to be VERY insightful! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

    With all due respect many people are taking this video way, way, way out of context.

    I started listening to him, for about 4 minutes, and he didn't say anything but a lot of ummmm and uhhhhhh. Then I looked and saw the video was 26 minutes long and said "ain't nobody got time for that". And since I'm eating 1800 cals a day I don't think I need to make time for that.
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    I don't count calories but I would assume I definitely eat well under 1000 calories/day.

    It is very likely that you are assuming wrong.
    lol! yep!
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    I may be living in the stone age, but what is this "FitBit" everyone is talking about?
  • Tropical_Turtle
    Tropical_Turtle Posts: 2,236 Member
    You are very fortunate to have a trainer who actually sounds like he knows what he is doing. I had a personal trainer tell me I needed to eat under 1200 cals a day, only run on a treadmill, and stop all weight training.

    But your trainer is right - as odd as it may sound.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I may be living in the stone age, but what is this "FitBit" everyone is talking about?

    Basically a fancy pedometer that estimates your total daily burn, including resting calories and your day to day...not sure how accurate it is for actual training though. It's my understanding that it's pretty decent if you're primary exercise is a lot of walking around and getting your steps in and what not.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Smart trainer. I'm up to 1800-2000 cals a day. Enjoy it! :)
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
    Bump
  • ckone4me
    ckone4me Posts: 108 Member
    It`s not JUST numbers game. Sometimes the question of ``what:`` is more important than ``how much``.

    100% agree with this ^ and what you have just written, is often forgotten amongst the masses on the forums.

    Many are so embroiled in the "eat more, you are not eating enough" strategy that they fail to acknowledge that WHAT you eat is more important than how many calories are going down somebody's gullet.

    I also agree 100%. We have to look at the overall health needs of our bodies. Fat, carbs, sugar and foods that are not really food. IE: Processed foods. Not all calories are created equal! Think healthy!
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
    My trainer says the same thing. I don't know if she's right but the 1200 calories a day + whatever calories I get from exercise works for me.

    It also depends WHAT you eat.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    1500-1600 calories is not a 'lot'.... Why have a trainer if you dong want to listen to them? Seems a waste of money to me!

    This! I would be pretty hungry is that's all I ate! I maintain on 2550 and lose on about 2000-2300. When I first started, I tried to do 1600 and after the second day, I passed out. Never again!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    . Fat, carbs, sugar and foods that are not really food. IE: Processed foods. Not all calories are created equal! Think healthy!

    What a contradictory thought process....nutrients and foods that isn't really food. WTF?

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