Extra cals not working despite patience= hmmmm!

SheGlistensasSheSings

Hi guys!

So have been eating more as recommended for weeks month plus(pretty sure under track always remember things items forgot next day and portion size never exact probably bigger than I think)
But honestly am just feeling overfull a lot. Am plateaued at 3 pounds up from my lowest weight(am overall close to goal probably 10 pounds above or less) wondering if eating more is really helpful or not!!!

Hmmmm= any and all shared experience knowledge insight thoughts would be tremendously helpful. You guys are incredibly so. Thank you Sooo much for your feedback
Cheers to you wonderstars

p4ulmiller

Not sure I understand. Why have you been eating "more?" More than what?

CyberEd312

If your not measuring and weighing and logging everything correctly then I would start there.... If you don't have a handle there then nothing else you do is going to make a difference because you will be just guessing at that point....

SheGlistensasSheSings

Thank you. Eating more cals and protein as friends suggested was needed based on my diary.
I don't have measuring equipment and eat in public with people who wouldn't understand but I do my best based on palm etc size visuals yes

Penfoldsplace

Why are you eating more? Were you eating a VLCD before? You are probably not eating at a deficit if you are not losing.

stumblinthrulife

'Eat more to lose more' is mostly bunk.

It's based on people trusting you when you say "I'm coming in under my calorie goal" and assuming you must be in "starvation mode".

Think about it. When you see famine images on TV, do those affected look like they aren't losing weight due to being in 'starvation mode'? That's right - starvation mode is bunk.

If you aren't losing weight, you aren't in a calorie deficit, period.

p4ulmiller

Thank you. Eating more cals and protein as friends suggested was needed based on my diary.
I don't have measuring equipment and eat in public with people who wouldn't understand but I do my best based on palm etc size visuals yes

So you're targetting a closer calorie limit to your maintenance level, you don't measure or weigh your foods and suspect your portion sizes are greater than you are logging.

You might just have answered your own question.

What do you think you've got to do to fix it?

Stage14

How many calories is "more"?

Oh_Allie

Thank you. Eating more cals and protein as friends suggested was needed based on my diary.
I don't have measuring equipment and eat in public with people who wouldn't understand but I do my best based on palm etc size visuals yes

If you eat out, a lot of times the restaurant website has their menu listed along with nutrition information that you can use as a guide for better tracking. Often times just guessing will be completely off.

You can still measure lots of things at home without a scale with measuring cups and measuring spoons. It won't work for everything, but it'll help.

Mokey41

What are your stats? What were you eating? What are you eating now even though you really don't know since you guess at your food calories? Eating more to weigh less only really works if you've been eating a VLCD for an extended period of time and even then I'm not sold on the whole idea.

SheGlistensasSheSings

Thanks! I might have been eating a VCLD for years but what do you guys think qualifies calorically speaking?

I'm not very big @ 10lbs from my goal. I probay have been eating 250 more or so and significantly more protein mostly fish some egg whites plain Greek yogurt less berries(sugar).

Mokey41

Thanks! I might have been eating a VCLD for years but what do you guys think qualifies calorically speaking?

I'm not very big @ 10lbs from my goal. I probay have been eating 250 more or so and significantly more protein mostly fish some egg whites plain Greek yogurt less berries(sugar).

Not really helpful information.

QuietBloom

Your going to have to open your diary if you want help.

Stage14

Thanks! I might have been eating a VCLD for years but what do you guys think qualifies calorically speaking?

I'm not very big @ 10lbs from my goal. I probay have been eating 250 more or so and significantly more protein mostly fish some egg whites plain Greek yogurt less berries(sugar).

This doesn't tell us anything, because it is simply comparative to information we don't have.

How many calories were you eating before?
How many calories are you eating now?

stumblinthrulife

The problem is that if OP isn't accurately measuring, opening her diary isn't going to help anyway. Nor is any information she can give.

The only fact we can rely on is that at current calorie consumption (whatever that may be), she is not losing weight. So the only advice is to either eat less, move more while eating the same amount, or a bit of both.

getitamb

Also the good versions of more. Like good fats, sugars and proteins. It makes a difference.

SheGlistensasSheSings

Thanks guys!
What is OP?

My goal was 800 now 1200. I've met people on this site who net -1300 frequently it's confusing.
I was probably netting like 500 before now 800 or so
Feel self conscious @ opening my diary not sure why....?

CyberEd312

Thanks guys!
What is OP?

My goal was 800 now 1200. I've met people on this site who net -1300 frequently it's confusing.
I was probably netting like 500 before now 800 or so
Feel self conscious @ opening my diary not sure why....?

OP is Original Poster..... You should NEVER net a negative caloric intake period.... Your body needs so many calories just to survive and I can tell you 500 to 800 isn't going to cut it.... How tall are you and what is your current weight?

stumblinthrulife

Thanks guys!
What is OP?

My goal was 800 now 1200. I've met people on this site who net -1300 frequently it's confusing.
I was probably netting like 500 before now 800 or so
Feel self conscious @ opening my diary not sure why....?

OP = Original Poster (sometimes Original Post, depending on context). In this case, it's you.

Since we already know it's not accurate, there is little utility to opening your diary in my opinion. It's less about what you eat, and more about how much.

My advice is to start measuring to figure out what your intake really is.

If that's not an option, then start trying to eat less until you show a loss over the period of a few weeks. The 'trial and error' method. Honestly though it's far inferior to proper logging.

runner_girl83

The problem is that if OP isn't accurately measuring, opening her diary isn't going to help anyway. Nor is any information she can give.

The only fact we can rely on is that at current calorie consumption (whatever that may be), she is not losing weight. So the only advice is to either eat less, move more while eating the same amount, or a bit of both.

Agree! Are you exercising much? And logging that at all to see roughly how many calories you are losing also? I have known a few people to try and eat healthier, though they have trouble shifting the weight.. Then I ask them if they are exercising and they honestly don't believe they need to. It kind of goes hand in hand in most cases.

Mokey41

Since you don't really track food accurately, you don't really know you used to eat 800 or that you eat 1200 now. I'd really suggest making an effort to accurately track your food intake for at least a week to get an idea of what you are actually consuming. You may be surprised.

Francl27

It's only guesswork at this point unfortunately. You could be eating way too little, or too much, it's impossible to know for sure unless you weigh your food.

suziepoo1984

Eating more than what?
Your Height?
Weight?
Previous Calorie goal?
Current goal?
How much weight to lose?
Activity level?
Macros?

ETA: How longer have you been eating at this level? When you increase your calories, it might take some time for body to adjust itself to the change and you might eventually see results. When tracking calories, try to be very accurate, otherwise as others have said, there is no way to know how many calories you are actually eating.

bob_day

I'm very suspicious of the concept of eating more to lose weight. One way or another, to lose weight you need to maintain a running average calorie deficit. If eating more will help you to avoid binge eating, then maybe eating more will help you to achieve an overall calorie deficit. Or, if you feel listless and have a lack of energy, maybe if you eat more you will go through your day doing things a little more energetically, and maybe (but I think that's very iffy) burn more calories than what is contained in the extra food you eat.

Iron_Feline

1) Buy a scale

2)Use it.

Work out how much you are really eating.

BUT if you really were netting 500 cals a day you may have screwed with your body and need to do a reset to get it back on track.

p4ulmiller

I'm very suspicious of the concept of eating more to lose weight. One way or another, to lose weight you need to maintain a running average calorie deficit.

You speak sense.

servilia

[

I'm very suspicious of the concept of eating more to lose weight. One way or another, to lose weight you need to maintain a running average calorie deficit.

This

DebbieLyn63

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I'm very suspicious of the concept of eating more to lose weight. One way or another, to lose weight you need to maintain a running average calorie deficit.

This

Triple this!

Siansonea

Ah, another victim of the "you need to eat more" chorus of saboteurs around here. :grumble:

You need to eat FEWER CALORIES to lose weight. If you aren't losing weight, you're not in "starvation mode"—whatever that is—because a symptom of starvation is LOSING WEIGHT. So, to get off your plateau, you need to eat FEWER CALORIES. In order to eat FEWER CALORIES, you have to know how many calories you're currently eating. Then eat FEWER of them. You'll know when you're eating few enough calories when you start losing weight again. Funny how that works. :glasses:

Also, if something seems to be too good to be true, it generally is. I need to eat more to lose weight! Yippee! :huh:

Iron_Feline

Ah so many people who don't actually understand the concept of "eat more to lose weight" :noway:

CyberEd312

Ah so many people who don't actually understand the concept of "eat more to lose weight" :noway:

Agreed..... :drinker: