How mfp works

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  • fpueblo
    fpueblo Posts: 241 Member
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    I agree fully with Newfiedan. I may not eat all my exercise calories back but I do try. I am an example of not eating the calories needed everyday I was a one meal person and would splurge occasionally and had gotten up to 185 because of it. Now that I am trying to eat my net cals I am actually losing weight.
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
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    Be my guest, I was about to issue you such a challenge, to go on a vlcd and log everything accurately. I know what I preach works as I have done it myself and continue to do so for many on here by getting them off plateaus and eating better. You have much to learn about how real fat loss works and you are sorely uneducated about proper fat loss, so I absolutely will be in for this. Do it your way for 3 weeks to get some consistent results via not just the scale but by measurements as well so we get a bodyfat analysis. Then give it 3 weeks via my way and see the difference.

    She will lose significant amounts of weight. I'm a chronic ED sufferer (not acute) and have had many experiences of VLCDs leading to weight and size loss NOT plateaus.

    eg -
    4 months at circa 500 calories a day resulted in weight loss from 113 pounds to 80 and a size UK10 to way below size UK6
    2 months of fasting every other day and eating around 800 cals on the between days led to weight loss from 120 pounds to 105 pounds and a UK10 to a UK8.

    The reason why your method is better (I think) is that the weight loss is healthy, you are not depriving your body of nutrients and you are less likely to gain the weight back.

    I am pretty much exactly the same weight as I was 10 years ago but I have probably lost and gained 200+ pounds in that time - the same 30-40 pounds over and over again. NOT healthy or good.

    But you do lose the weight. You can't exist on 700 calories for any length of time and not lose weight.

    So, while I fully accept that MFP has the RIGHT approach it does not have the ONLY approach. 'Starvation mode' is called far too much for what would be very temporary plateaus if the individual continued to not eat.
  • Tissues
    Tissues Posts: 361 Member
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    okay, this is where I get the most confused on this site (so thanks for clarifying). As long as my NET is around 1200 I should start seeing loss? My calories are goaled at 1330/day.. I eat some of my exercise cals back, but not all.. my net is usually between 900-1100/day and I only lost 1/2lb last week... I burn anywhere between 300-600 calories through exercise. i'm going to test it for myself though and work really hard to net myself at 1200 the rest of the week and see where I go.

    thanks :)
  • RadicalCharlie
    RadicalCharlie Posts: 123 Member
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    My scale measures body fat, but everyone tells me not to go by that because it's not accurate. Says I have 44% body fat.

    I can get my doctor in on this. He was supposed to order calipers, but I don't know if he has them in yet or not. But I will do this under the supervision of my doctor.
  • peytjalmom
    peytjalmom Posts: 76
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    If you want to be slim like a concentration camp victim, don't eat back your calories. If you want to be slim like a well conditioned athlete, eat back your exercise calories. Get the picture?
  • therobinator
    therobinator Posts: 832 Member
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    I can get my doctor in on this. He was supposed to order calipers, but I don't know if he has them in yet or not. But I will do this under the supervision of my doctor.
    Hopefully, your doctor isn't the kind that will truly recommend what you are suggesting.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
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    bump
  • LauraAkaTigger
    LauraAkaTigger Posts: 145 Member
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    this would be very interesting to see.. im curious.. are you going to update here?
  • scmcgee
    scmcgee Posts: 165
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    Bump - I want to read the results of this challenge!
  • Soooze
    Soooze Posts: 122 Member
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    Bump - I want to read the results of this challenge!

    Me 2!!
  • RadicalCharlie
    RadicalCharlie Posts: 123 Member
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    I will either post back here or make a vlog about it and link it somewhere to let everyone know what I am doing. I have an appointment to see the doctor at another hospital on Friday, but I don't know if they have calipers so I'm going to call around and see who does have them.

    Last resort would be to have my body fat measured at the university.
  • froglegjack
    froglegjack Posts: 388 Member
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    I agree fully with Newfiedan. I may not eat all my exercise calories back but I do try. I am an example of not eating the calories needed everyday I was a one meal person and would splurge occasionally and had gotten up to 185 because of it. Now that I am trying to eat my net cals I am actually losing weight.

    I am the exact same as you. PROOF. I have been telling people for years I don't know why I am fat, I don't eat much. I knew it was counter intuitive but I did not educate myself until I got here. I struggle to eat all of my calories. Even on days when I don't exercise. But I know that since I have been here and have ate at least 1200 net calories I have been losing weight. If I go under the 1200 net I do not lose.. It is still hard for me to understand "WHY" but for now I will just accept it and let it work.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Newfiedan, thank you for a succinct and rational explanation of how MFP is set up.
    I agree wholeheartedly that people who are just starting out should try using the system as recommended - I see so many people who report eating 1200 cals (or a whole lot less) and wonder exactly why they feel they have to punish themselves this way.

    For the record, I think I'm a textbook case of how MFP can work:
    I've been using MFP for about 3 months, eating around 1550 - 1650 net calories a day and have lost 11 kg, about 25 pounds.
    I eat real food and plenty of it, exercise moderately (about 30 mins 5 or 6 times a week) and plan to keep doing the same thing until I'm a healthier weight, then will change to maintenance calories.

    Thanks again for this post, please continue to encourage people to be healthy!

    (edited for spelling)
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    I agree fully with Newfiedan. I may not eat all my exercise calories back but I do try. I am an example of not eating the calories needed everyday I was a one meal person and would splurge occasionally and had gotten up to 185 because of it. Now that I am trying to eat my net cals I am actually losing weight.

    I am the exact same as you. PROOF. I have been telling people for years I don't know why I am fat, I don't eat much. I knew it was counter intuitive but I did not educate myself until I got here. I struggle to eat all of my calories. Even on days when I don't exercise. But I know that since I have been here and have ate at least 1200 net calories I have been losing weight. If I go under the 1200 net I do not lose.. It is still hard for me to understand "WHY" but for now I will just accept it and let it work.

    . nevermind im sick of this topic lol
  • ahartery9891
    ahartery9891 Posts: 139 Member
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    Great article! I am so happy this site has worked for me. I find it much easier to log food here, and it has definitely got me to realize my portions were SO out of whack before! I am trying to be as close as possible to what mfp says I should eat, but I often go over the 1200 caloric intake if I don't work out. by 300 calories. It has pushed me to get to the gym on a regular schedule, and I am very happy with the result! It has got me over a plateau, and now I feel if I give myself a buttkick and ramp up my strength training, I will be able to achieve more results!
  • DJmom44
    DJmom44 Posts: 91
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    bump
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    She will lose significant amounts of weight. I'm a chronic ED sufferer (not acute) and have had many experiences of VLCDs leading to weight and size loss NOT plateaus.

    eg -
    4 months at circa 500 calories a day resulted in weight loss from 113 pounds to 80 and a size UK10 to way below size UK6
    2 months of fasting every other day and eating around 800 cals on the between days led to weight loss from 120 pounds to 105 pounds and a UK10 to a UK8.

    The reason why your method is better (I think) is that the weight loss is healthy, you are not depriving your body of nutrients and you are less likely to gain the weight back.

    I am pretty much exactly the same weight as I was 10 years ago but I have probably lost and gained 200+ pounds in that time - the same 30-40 pounds over and over again. NOT healthy or good.

    But you do lose the weight. You can't exist on 700 calories for any length of time and not lose weight.

    So, while I fully accept that MFP has the RIGHT approach it does not have the ONLY approach. 'Starvation mode' is called far too much for what would be very temporary plateaus if the individual continued to not eat.
    VLCD does work for obese ppl because the body will work with you to shed fat as it has tons of energy in fat stores to help with the daily needs, someone whom has 40 or less pounds to shed is a different matter all together. The rules can be bent for OBESE PPL not for those whom are in a lower bodyfat range with 40 or less to shed. Congrats on the loss but a long term VLCD will fail in the end whereas the way I am advocating will not bottom out like a VLCD does, not to mention the damage that a VLCD does to the body during that fat loss, you are losing mass amounts of muscle leaving you skinny fat by the end and weak. I have steadily lost without fail, have gotten consistently stronger every week and feel fantastic, can you say the same for a VLCD diet?
  • RadicalCharlie
    RadicalCharlie Posts: 123 Member
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    Is it okay that I want to be skinny fat?

    I don't like having a firm body. I want something on my body to jiggle other than my breasts lol.

    Japanese women have more body fat, but they seem pretty skinny and jolly.
  • nomex
    nomex Posts: 142 Member
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    okay, this is where I get the most confused on this site (so thanks for clarifying). As long as my NET is around 1200 I should start seeing loss? My calories are goaled at 1330/day.. I eat some of my exercise cals back, but not all.. my net is usually between 900-1100/day and I only lost 1/2lb last week... I burn anywhere between 300-600 calories through exercise. i'm going to test it for myself though and work really hard to net myself at 1200 the rest of the week and see where I go.

    thanks :)

    In MY experience you will have to continue on the 1200 calorie path for longer than a part of a week.... to see a difference. You might actually go UP slightly initially and start to lose again. I would say maybe a month...
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    lets stick to the challenge space lol.

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