Is it a myth? Or real?

Lildarlinz

Is it a myth that you find it harder to lose weight if you eat less calories? Or is it true?

I guess my body is feeding off yesterdays dinner?

Before anybody shouts…I’ve had 850 calories again today…only because…I have been out all day sitting in a park in 24 degree heat…and I’ve put on 3lb in a day 😬


I weighed 11 stone 11 this morning…I’m now 12 stone 🙈

I will try to eat my calories tommorow and for the foreseeable I promise x

csplatt

Weight fluctuates. It depends on hydration, time of the month, what we ate yesterday, how much of a bowel movement we had recently, all the things. weight gain (scale goes up) doesn’t necessarily mean we are having fat gain. I am still curious as to whether you are eating as little as you think you are though. It’s odd to not be hungry and not be losing weight with the numbers you post. But I also don’t know how many weeks you have been at it.

Lildarlinz

csplatt wrote: »

Weight fluctuates. It depends on hydration, time of the month, what we ate yesterday, how much of a bowel movement we had recently, all the things. weight gain (scale goes up) doesn’t necessarily mean we are having fat gain. I am still curious as to whether you are eating as little as you think you are though. It’s odd to not be hungry and not be losing weight with the numbers you post. But I also don’t know how many weeks you have been at it.

Hi cs xx I’ve charted everything today…
I woke up at 7….I didn’t eat until 4pm…apart from my 4 polos and my diet coke…

I had 2 skinny burgers (240 calories)
Potatoes say 100 grams (not sure on calories)
Steam veg bag (70 calories)
Burger buns (240 calories for 2)
And a fibre bar (70 calories)
And a packet of crisps (72 calories)

Hope that helps it’s about 800-900 calories probably not even that and I’m not hungry now
I’m too hot
I got sunburnt at the park…so feeling a bit rough round the edges
I started about a week or two ago…I’m going to Ireland in 4 days so I’m gunna start properly when I come back 😁 as I have an all inclusive breakfast waiting for me 😁

briscogun

Lildarlinz wrote: »

Is it a myth that you find it harder to lose weight if you eat less calories? Or is it true?

I guess my body is feeding off yesterdays dinner?

Before anybody shouts…I’ve had 850 calories again today…only because…I have been out all day sitting in a park in 24 degree heat…and I’ve put on 3lb in a day 😬


I weighed 11 stone 11 this morning…I’m now 12 stone 🙈

I will try to eat my calories tomorrow and for the foreseeable I promise x

It is a myth. You lose weight if you eat less. You don't eat more to weigh less.

850 is pretty low, but I've had days where I have had really low calorie counts, usually just due to circumstances. If you do it consistently that's where it becomes problematic.

Good luck!

pony4us

Also if you in a hot climate heat and humidity adds pounds of water weight, unless you are in AC all the time.

sollyn23l2

Lildarlinz wrote: »

Is it a myth that you find it harder to lose weight if you eat less calories? Or is it true?

I guess my body is feeding off yesterdays dinner?

Before anybody shouts…I’ve had 850 calories again today…only because…I have been out all day sitting in a park in 24 degree heat…and I’ve put on 3lb in a day 😬


I weighed 11 stone 11 this morning…I’m now 12 stone 🙈

I will try to eat my calories tommorow and for the foreseeable I promise x

It's a really bad idea to base how many calories you can eat on a given day based based off what the scale said that morning. It can lead to really disordered eating, as you've already described. I would really suggest you stop the 850 calorie days. I would say no big deal, but you seem to do this regularly. As you've even posted about it before. You easily could have eaten before going to the park. I think, logically, you know that. And then again after you went home and cooled off. There's also cold food you can eat.

Lildarlinz

destineymosley wrote: »

im a traveller before in 2021 im 105kg but now im 85kg. i change my diet and i do trek alot after 6 month i acchived 95kg and after 1 year now im 85kg. and also Health Zylo help me alot

Wow! That’s brilliant destiney I love walking I don’t think I could do like kilamanjoro or anything though haha! xx

Lildarlinz

sollyn23l2 wrote: »

Lildarlinz wrote: »

Is it a myth that you find it harder to lose weight if you eat less calories? Or is it true?

I guess my body is feeding off yesterdays dinner?

Before anybody shouts…I’ve had 850 calories again today…only because…I have been out all day sitting in a park in 24 degree heat…and I’ve put on 3lb in a day 😬


I weighed 11 stone 11 this morning…I’m now 12 stone 🙈

I will try to eat my calories tommorow and for the foreseeable I promise x

It's a really bad idea to base how many calories you can eat on a given day based based off what the scale said that morning. It can lead to really disordered eating, as you've already described. I would really suggest you stop the 850 calorie days. I would say no big deal, but you seem to do this regularly. As you've even posted about it before. You easily could have eaten before going to the park. I think, logically, you know that. And then again after you went home and cooled off. There's also cold food you can eat.

I totally agree! I know I went out at 10…I wasn’t hungry before I went…but I was only hoping to be our for an hour…but my son was just having a blast…so I ended up staying for like 5 hours…I sunburnt now (whoops)
When I got back I didn’t even want to cook as I was so hot…but I did
I will try to eat more I promise x

sollyn23l2

Lildarlinz wrote: »

sollyn23l2 wrote: »

Lildarlinz wrote: »

Is it a myth that you find it harder to lose weight if you eat less calories? Or is it true?

I guess my body is feeding off yesterdays dinner?

Before anybody shouts…I’ve had 850 calories again today…only because…I have been out all day sitting in a park in 24 degree heat…and I’ve put on 3lb in a day 😬


I weighed 11 stone 11 this morning…I’m now 12 stone 🙈

I will try to eat my calories tommorow and for the foreseeable I promise x

It's a really bad idea to base how many calories you can eat on a given day based based off what the scale said that morning. It can lead to really disordered eating, as you've already described. I would really suggest you stop the 850 calorie days. I would say no big deal, but you seem to do this regularly. As you've even posted about it before. You easily could have eaten before going to the park. I think, logically, you know that. And then again after you went home and cooled off. There's also cold food you can eat.

I totally agree! I know I went out at 10…I wasn’t hungry before I went…but I was only hoping to be our for an hour…but my son was just having a blast…so I ended up staying for like 5 hours…I sunburnt now (whoops)
When I got back I didn’t even want to cook as I was so hot…but I did
I will try to eat more I promise x

I get it. It can be hard for sure. I work as a pre-k teacher... so I basically have, like, 15 minutes to try to cram some food in during my workday. Which ends up being, like, 10 hours. I'm not trying to be mean, I promise. I just know it's easy to let it happen.

musicfan68

pony4us wrote: »

Also if you in a hot climate heat and humidity adds pounds of water weight, unless you are in AC all the time.

I'm sorry, but 75 degrees Fahrenheit is not hot. It is going to be 100 degrees here in Iowa all next week. THAT is extreme heat. Get a fan. (That's 38 degrees Celsius.) Sorry, but I think you have disordered thinking and you are using "heat" as an excuse to massively under eat. You have several threads where you have under eaten, so this isn't a one off day.

lynn_glenmont

Sunburn, like any damage to body tissue, will cause water retention.

neanderthin

Are you saying you put on a stone (14lbs) during the day from eating 850 cals and now your promising to eat more.....Maybe talk to your PCP about your thinking process and dietary needs or get referred to someone with that expertise.

herringboxes

She didn’t say a stone, it was 3 pounds.

3 pounds of water, of course.

Lildarlinz

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Sunburn, like any damage to body tissue, will cause water retention.

Didn’t realise it was going to be so hot…I thought it was going to be like a cool day where it was going to be shady xx

AnnPT77

Lildarlinz wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Sunburn, like any damage to body tissue, will cause water retention.

Didn’t realise it was going to be so hot…I thought it was going to be like a cool day where it was going to be shady xx

The point is that sunburn will increase water retention in your body (it's part of healing), and increased water retention will increase your scale weight (but without regaining fat). That's probably why the scale went up.

Rockymountainflyer

I wonder if you are underestimating calories a bit? Skinny burgers might be higher calories than 480 (burger and bun for 2) you calculated. Maybe more like 600 calories? Mints are another 24 calories which makes me wonder if you thought about anything on the burgers like mayo, ketchup, pickles etc? Also, are the chips really that low of calories? Sometimes a bag is 2 servings, not one. Just doublecheck.

Lildarlinz

sherrilynn1985 wrote: »

I wonder if you are underestimating calories a bit? Skinny burgers might be higher calories than 480 (burger and bun for 2) you calculated. Maybe more like 600 calories? Mints are another 24 calories which makes me wonder if you thought about anything on the burgers like mayo, ketchup, pickles etc? Also, are the chips really that low of calories? Sometimes a bag is 2 servings, not one. Just doublecheck.

I had sugar free polos which is 10 calories for 3 polo mints
The burgers were 120 calories each burger (it said on the pack)
And so did the burger buns 125 it says on the pack so 495 altogether
They were plain burgers…I don’t eat pickles or anything like that just a splodge of brown sauce I’m pretty much a plain Jane..unless it’s chilli powder on some meatballs YUM!

As for chips…I usually buy the slimming world ones until I found out that they were just potatoes cut up into chips…so I buy bags of potatoes now fresh and cut them into chips and use fry light

Rockymountainflyer

If you eat a lot one day, the next day you'll weigh heavier because of the food still digesting. You look like a grab and eat on the go person. So maybe throw some nuts or an extra granola bar in your bag for busy/hot days to get your calories up a bit. Going that low consistently won't help with permanent weight loss. If you have a desk or Fridge at work, hard boiled eggs, bananas and avocados are great, even when hot.

clairemfw

My goodness. Forget the advice and the sunburn. You weighed yourself twice in a day, barely ate, counted the calories
In polo mints and came here to post in a panic. You definitely shouldn’t be eating and thinking this way. This is unhealthy and though I know it’s a triggering term - it is disordered eating. No one can truly gain 3lbs in a day. It’s normal fluctuation. You have a child and you need to be healthy for them - whatever you think about your weight, this eating and behaviour is unhealthy. i hope you have the help you need and you can make your next step to go and speak to a professional for support.

peggy_polenta

for over 3 years you have been repeatedly telling us you work a physically demanding job and have been eating a vlcd ... often less than 1000 cal per day and unable to lose weight. if that was true you would not be at a place where you need to lose weight. time to start being honest with yourself. what you are eating, drinking and what your disordered behaviors are and get yourself sorted.

PAV8888

TBH the OP has discussed in other posts that both alcohol and some ongoing health challenges are implicated in her current weight.

Weight loss (and the maintenance of such loss) is a non trivial task and for most of us success requires mental wherewithal.

I often laugh when I think about the shortest distance from A to B.

And from what I see around me, sometimes losing weight is not the answer to losing weight. Surprisingly, establishing a sufficiency of long term mental resources to successfully manage one's weight often proves a much higher percentage play. And for some of us this may require appropriate treatment(s) or medication(s) and then success becomes more likely.

Lildarlinz

peggy_polenta wrote: »

for over 3 years you have been repeatedly telling us you work a physically demanding job and have been eating a vlcd ... often less than 1000 cal per day and unable to lose weight. if that was true you would not be at a place where you need to lose weight. time to start being honest with yourself. what you are eating, drinking and what your disordered behaviors are and get yourself sorted.

Just to let you know…I went through psychosis and was put on medication that made me balloon…I went down to 9 stone starving myself due to mental health reasons…I ballooned up to 11 stone 12…my medication was making me hungry and wanted to snack away…

I have large breasts and I’m awaiting breast reduction surgery too…which also plays a massive part with my mental health…I probably am not fat per se, just I feel fat due to the weight and look of my boobs…
You’re right I probably don’t need to lose weight, but I want to for me and to feel good about myself

No need to be judgemental…everybody has their reasons…
Hopefully this helps clear up any issues you think I have

benhmorris63

Too few calories can prevent you from losing weight. When we take in too few calories, our body goes into self-preservation mode because it needs X amount calories (depending on the individual) in order to survive. If it's not getting that it works to retain all that it is getting to protect itself, and you. As others have pointed, I think you need to re-evaluate where your body TRULY NEEDS to be versus where you THINK it needs to be. What or whose standard are you judging yourself by? DO NOT judge your own body by someone else's standard. You were beautifully created to be YOU and only YOU.

Our bodies are amazing gifts, designed to naturally gravitate towards their desired weight when we take care of them properly. That means eating healthy, quality foods with good nutrients and getting regular exercise. Even going for a walk every day is huge. I actually lost weight by eating MORE quality calories and exercising regularly than I ever did focusing just on calories alone and my body was healthier for it.

Do not be a slave to the scale! It's just a number. Do not give it more power than that. Numbers and measures can be great tools when used in their proper place. I use them myself. BUT they should NOT run your life. Put the scale away for a while and listen to your body. Eat when your body tells you to. If you're hungry, your body is telling you it needs sustenance. Eat healthy, quality food. Don't just sit at the park, get up and walk around. Look around and enjoy the beauty of the creation that surrounds you. Feed your soul while you be kind to your body and enjoy the journey!

ddsb1111

@benhmorris63

Hi Ben, although you mean well, the information regarding starvation mode you provided her was scientifically inaccurate and disproven. Many years ago companies twisted the scientifically supported phenomena called Adaptive Thermogenesis to sell diet plans. Starvation Mode, as it has come to be known, is a myth. However, Adaptive Thermogenesis is loosely explained like this-

Adaptive Thermogenesis is a reduction in energy needs beyond the standard calculated needs from the amount of lean body mass. The person that lost weight needs less energy than the lean person at that same weight.

“Adaptive thermogenesis in humans” by Michael Rosenbaum and Rudolph L. Leibel
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20935667/

But if you want to skip the research and jump right to this insightful post where it is debated at great length, check this out-

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss

AND, this one (it’s been debated a lot 😆)

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/761810/the-starvation-mode-myth-again

I fully agree she shouldn’t give more power to the scale than it deserves and that it’s just a tool. However, advice to “listen to your body” when it comes to hunger cues is literally impossible for many, if not most, overweight people.

“Increasing BMI is also associated with more frequent subjective food cravings, which are associated with an increased intake of the specific foods craved and eating in the absence of hunger because of increased cue reactivity”

“Food Cue Reactivity, Obesity, and Impulsivity: Are They Associated?”by Karolien van den Akker

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-014-0038-3#:~:text=Increasing BMI is also associated,increased cue reactivity [39].

I didn’t mean to come here to attack you or belittle you in anyway, I hope it doesn’t come across that way. I found this information insightful at one point, and hopefully you feel the same way and can adapt your support for others to reflect these science based facts while keeping that good natured encouragement just like you were giving the poster.

Lildarlinz

benhmorris63 wrote: »

Too few calories can prevent you from losing weight. When we take in too few calories, our body goes into self-preservation mode because it needs X amount calories (depending on the individual) in order to survive. If it's not getting that it works to retain all that it is getting to protect itself, and you. As others have pointed, I think you need to re-evaluate where your body TRULY NEEDS to be versus where you THINK it needs to be. What or whose standard are you judging yourself by? DO NOT judge your own body by someone else's standard. You were beautifully created to be YOU and only YOU.

Our bodies are amazing gifts, designed to naturally gravitate towards their desired weight when we take care of them properly. That means eating healthy, quality foods with good nutrients and getting regular exercise. Even going for a walk every day is huge. I actually lost weight by eating MORE quality calories and exercising regularly than I ever did focusing just on calories alone and my body was healthier for it.

Do not be a slave to the scale! It's just a number. Do not give it more power than that. Numbers and measures can be great tools when used in their proper place. I use them myself. BUT they should NOT run your life. Put the scale away for a while and listen to your body. Eat when your body tells you to. If you're hungry, your body is telling you it needs sustenance. Eat healthy, quality food. Don't just sit at the park, get up and walk around. Look around and enjoy the beauty of the creation that surrounds you. Feed your soul while you be kind to your body and enjoy the journey!

Awww thank you for the nice comments Ben I really will try to eat better xx