Losing weight quicker by eating more+exercise, than less/noexercise.

hiyomi

For about two months, from February through most of March, I was losing weight extremely slowly. I was eating about 1250-1300 calories a day, with no exercise. Come April/May, I have been eating a significant amount more (about 1500-1800 calories) and added 30 minutes of exercise and have been losing weight a lot quicker this way. On the weekends I'm even eating up to 2,500 calories as well. Why would this be occurring? I don't feel like I'm at extreme/full intensity on my workouts (maybe some days), but most of the time I just get a normal/good workout, some days just resistance training only. I'm 5'7 and weigh 267 lbs currently. Could it be I just hit a small plateau and changing my calories and adding exercise jump started my weight loss again and it looks as though eating more now is helping me lose quicker? I'm not complaining about it, but I'm interested to know why this may have changed :0

12Sarah2015

Excercise is important for heart reducing cancer risk so do it

godlikepoetyes

I know some folks on MFP will jump on me for this, but I think there is something to eating too little when trying to lose weight. I don't know if it's the "starvation mode theory" or "you-just-can't-be-happy-with-so-few-calories" or something else, but I see so many people who, for whatever reason, cut their calories WAY below what MFP recommends. Why? Even if you're trying to lose 2 pounds a week, MFP wouldn't give you only 1,300 calories. Follow MFP and you will lose weight, unless you are a special case and it sounds like you aren't. Exercise and eat those calories back! Eat! Be happy!

Gamliela

hiyomi wrote: »

For about two months, from February through most of March, I was losing weight extremely slowly. I was eating about 1250-1300 calories a day, with no exercise. Come April/May, I have been eating a significant amount more (about 1500-1800 calories) and added 30 minutes of exercise and have been losing weight a lot quicker this way. On the weekends I'm even eating up to 2,500 calories as well. Why would this be occurring? I don't feel like I'm at extreme/full intensity on my workouts (maybe some days), but most of the time I just get a normal/good workout, some days just resistance training only. I'm 5'7 and weigh 267 lbs currently. Could it be I just hit a small plateau and changing my calories and adding exercise jump started my weight loss again and it looks as though eating more now is helping me lose quicker? I'm not complaining about it, but I'm interested to know why this may have changed :0

I'm not clear what you are asking. Did you mean " is it true eaing more calories will make me lose weight faster?" Answer would be NO. Or did you mean " if I excersize and raise my calories could I lose more weight easier?" Depends on whether you are burning more calories than when you were more sedentary eating fewer cals.

There are such things as whooshes, where bodies don't shift the weight for several days, then seemingly there is a sveral pound drop. So daily weighing can be a mind kitten.

I hope you will make your query clearer.

Best wishes on your weight loss btw and congrats on your already won loses, wtg.

bioklutz

Are you more active now? Are you spending more time on your feet, walking around, fidgeting?

I know if I was eating 1250-1300 a day I would not be moving around much because I would not have any energy. I would feel drained and tired all the time.

I have heard a few people say this and it has always struck me as kinda simple but profound...The best way to lose weight is eating as much as you can while still losing weight. It is much easier to stick to a weight loss goal if you are satisfied with the amount you are eating and have the energy to get through the day.

Gamliela

So maybe thats the real question. "Can I lose more if I'm eating to satisfaction and able to stick with this rather than feeling deprived on 1300 more or less cals a day?" Good question.

DebSozo

hiyomi wrote: »

For about two months, from February through most of March, I was losing weight extremely slowly. I was eating about 1250-1300 calories a day, with no exercise. Come April/May, I have been eating a significant amount more (about 1500-1800 calories) and added 30 minutes of exercise and have been losing weight a lot quicker this way. On the weekends I'm even eating up to 2,500 calories as well. Why would this be occurring? I don't feel like I'm at extreme/full intensity on my workouts (maybe some days), but most of the time I just get a normal/good workout, some days just resistance training only. I'm 5'7 and weigh 267 lbs currently. Could it be I just hit a small plateau and changing my calories and adding exercise jump started my weight loss again and it looks as though eating more now is helping me lose quicker? I'm not complaining about it, but I'm interested to know why this may have changed :0

I usually start losing more quickly in the spring and summer months and slow down in the winter. I think I respond to daylight which "wakes" my system up. I am much happier and active in the warmer months, so I'm sure CICO is the main reason in my case. I burn more calories when I am happy and active. I think I might have seasonal affective disorder (S.A.D.) in the winter when days are shortest. I take advantage of this and usually shed a bit of weight between May and August.

FitPhillygirl

vixtris

You are heavy (no offense) so this means you are burning quite a bit of calories during your workouts, even if theyre only 30 minutes. depending on your effort, I would just guestimate you probably burn about 400-500 calories in a 30 minute cardio workout, if you are giving it good effort. you only increased your intake by about 300, so, this would in turn have you burn an extra 200 calories each day you exercise than when you were eating less and not exercising. Also, (don't quote me on this) I've read that strength training continues to burn calories outside of your workout period (a low amount, but it's still something), so thats another factor that could be working towards speeding up your weight loss, as well, and other factors such as simply moving around more often throughout the day. All I can say is, exercise is good for you, makes you feel awesome, and I 100% recommend an exercise regimen for weight loss. Keep up the great work!