Can't get on board with eating MORE calories...

russellma

YES! It worked for me! I've battled hormone imbalances and insulin resistance ever since having my daughters, so I lost and gained the same 5 lbs. over and over prior to joining MFP.

After joining, I stalled after a few lbs. again and a friend suggested upping my calories. I lowered my weekly weight loss goal from 1 lb. to 1/2 lb. (which sounded safe, since it was still projecting a loss) and actually started eating back part of my calories to get my net calories over 1200 on most days.

I also lowered my carbs to 35%, instead of the recommended 45%. (This helps with the insulin resistance that is related to PCOS)

I also exercise 5-6 times every week for 25-45 minutes, making sure I keep my heart rate up and break a good sweat.

Between those three things, miracles started happening! I've surpassed my goal and am still losing (as of last week). I get to eat way more than a "dieting" person should and I feel great!

It can be done!

jsapninz

If you are calculating your daily intake properly in the first place, the eating more to lose more thing should NOT work. But if you are a stupid person who "wants to lose alot fast" and you just set your cal goal for the minimum 1,200, your body might fight you a bit and it is going to be hard to maintain.
Listen to MFP and just eat what it tells you.
Starvation mode it largely a myth!!

LemonBurns

From what I understand, smaller meals and snacks every 2 hours will keep your metabolism up and will keep burning. Like adding wood to a fire while camping. The flames are bigger and the heat is more intense when wood is added for fuel - no fuel, no burn.

slim422

Personally, on my second week of doing MFP faithfully and working out, I was coming in way under my calorie count, and lost no weight. I upped my calories (by adding healthy stuff of course) and ate smaller meals and more snacks throughout the day and I lost 3 pounds that week. It seems as though it worked for me.

Absolutely! You owe it to yourself to try. Give is 2- 3 weeks and see. I tried it and now wouldn't even dream of looking back. There are two choices, keep doing what your doing and perhaps not lose as much, become discouraged or commit to a trial period and see what happens. My bet is you'll be very glad you did. Not to mention with a bit more calories you're likely to make the longer term life style change. It's not just overall count, quality of food and meals with snacks are key.

MFP is a guide, a learning tool and an ESTIMATE not an exact science.

Best of luck!

BrienJD

It's working for me as well (crosses fingers) So far I have been eating to my limit and have been steadily losing (Knocks on wood)

HoosierMomma1

Yes, it is working for me. I lost 8 pounds and stalled for 2.5 months. I saw a nutritionist and she said inwas eating too little and I should be at 1800 and not 1200. I am losing again and , feel great. I was scared to increase too but I was seriously working my butt off and sticking ton1200-1300 calories and couldn't lose an ounce to save my life.

It really is working for me.
Theresa

kyt1206

1200 is a *minimum to keep functioning* diet. You don't have to exercise, but your body will go into starvation mode after a while because you're always keeping it just above starving.

Your goal is to burn off more calories than you put in. In other words, your *net* must be that you get rid of more than you take in.

This does *not* say your intake should be 1200. This says, your intake should be lower than your output.

So in other words, to maintain a good healthy calorie intake, you should be at 1600-1800 generally depending on your body shape/age/metabolism.

However, you should make sure that you always burn it off, so that everyday your *net* calorie difference is 1200.

Which then if you want to eat 1600, and you have a net intake of 1200, it means you have to burn off 400 calories.

Why do that? Well, when you exercise, you enlarge your muscle fibers. Larger muscle fibers requires more ATP to function and the more ATP it takes up, the more energy you burn, thus, increases your overall metabolism.

This way, it's a 1-2 punch to weight loss. Diet AND Exercise is better than Diet OR Exercise.

psuLemon

From what I understand, smaller meals and snacks every 2 hours will keep your metabolism up and will keep burning. Like adding wood to a fire while camping. The flames are bigger and the heat is more intense when wood is added for fuel - no fuel, no burn.

There is no metabolic advantage of eating smaller more frequent meals. It may help reduce cravings but the NIH has already proven this wrong. In all actuality, there are some studies that suggest interim fast (where you fast for 16 hours or more and eat within the smaller windows) may increase body fat reductions.

If you are calculating your daily intake properly in the first place, the eating more to lose more thing should NOT work. But if you are a stupid person who "wants to lose alot fast" and you just set your cal goal for the minimum 1,200, your body might fight you a bit and it is going to be hard to maintain.
Listen to MFP and just eat what it tells you.
Starvation mode it largely a myth!!

Unfortunately, MFP is only as smart as the person that inputs the data. Not everyone is as knowledgeable as others. Case in point at my work. i recently had a discussion about programs like MFP. The girl wanted to lose 2 lbs per week so she could meet her goal for her vacation. Not knowing any better, she set it that way. I told her it's way too aggressive and why.

Also, many people don't put exercise into the TDEE calculations and don't want to under why they should. It's also why there are so many fights on eating back exercise calories.

gin_gin

I had stuck with the 1200 calorie thing and everyone told me to up it and i did to 1300 and somehow I've gained two of the 6 pounds i lost last week back so Idk how it works by adding calories something is way off balance I'm going back to my 1200 calorie intake today.

psuLemon

I had stuck with the 1200 calorie thing and everyone told me to up it and i did to 1300 and somehow I've gained two of the 6 pounds i lost last week back so Idk how it works by adding calories something is way off balance I'm going back to my 1200 calorie intake today.

Weight loss isn't linear. It's water weight. For you to gain 2 lbs of fat, you need to eat 7000 calories above your TDEE. And judging by your ticker, you should be aiming for 1/2 lb per week. And more than likely, if you are exercising, you should be around 1800 calories as you are probably burning 2400. The only thing 1200 calories a day is doing for you is slowing down your metabolism and maintaining your body fat.

Below is proven results of eating more. This is what I got from one of the ladies I ran calories for. She eats between 1800-2000 calories and does heavy weight lifting. She is 36 years old and cut 4% body fat in a month. Cutting body fat is what makes you skinny, not the weight loss.

"I just wanted to thank you for your help. You helped me a few months back and I just wanted to give you an update on my progress. 12 weeks ago I started at 154 and 28% bf. I got my bf remeasured last Friday and it was 24%. But I only lost 1 pound. It is crazy to me but I have learned to ignore the scale. You were right that keeping consistent and not giving up my body would finally adjust.

Thanks again for your help!

Stephanie"

Lozze

^^ A pound of fat is 3500 calories. (give or take) You CANNOT put on 2lb of fat from 700 extra calories while still being in a defect. It's something else, usually just your body adapting.

I was 301lbs when I started. MFP put me on 1800 (as Jenny Craig did) I've since dropped to 1600 but have no plans of going any lower. Since July 21st 2011 I've lost 33kg (72lbs) I haven't restricted my carbs but I have made sure to eat lower GI. I'm a bit under 1kg a week lost. That includes over Xmas and New Year, a week away with a teenage team where I had no control over my food (and did gain 1kg that week) The first five months I did no formal exercise just walking. My weight loss has slowed down since starting gym (combination of natural slow down because I have less to lose and starting weights)

I could go to 1200 calories. I might even lose faster (doubt it) but I'd be starving, miserable and hating life. Or I could continue eating what I want and continue losing at the rate I am.

LorinaLynn

Just don't think of it as "eating more." Think of it as eating the RIGHT amount. Think of MFP and the way you eat as a tool. You need to use the right tool for the right job. You don't use a bulldozer to plant a tulip. You don't use a sledgehammer to swat a fly. You don't use a roller to paint the Mona Lisa.

If it was a simple matter of "eat less and you'll lose faster," we'd all just stop eating until we got to the right weight. It doesn't work that way. We need to find the right amount to eat, and it's usually more than the 1200 bare minimum.

psuLemon

^^ A pound of fat is 3500 calories. (give or take) You CANNOT put on 2lb of fat from 700 extra calories while still being in a defect. It's something else, usually just your body adapting.

I was 301lbs when I started. MFP put me on 1800 (as Jenny Craig did) I've since dropped to 1600 but have no plans of going any lower. Since July 21st 2011 I've lost 33kg (72lbs) I haven't restricted my carbs but I have made sure to eat lower GI. I'm a bit under 1kg a week lost. That includes over Xmas and New Year, a week away with a teenage team where I had no control over my food (and did gain 1kg that week) The first five months I did no formal exercise just walking. My weight loss has slowed down since starting gym (combination of natural slow down because I have less to lose and starting weights)

I could go to 1200 calories. I might even lose faster (doubt it) but I'd be starving, miserable and hating life. Or I could continue eating what I want and continue losing at the rate I am.

Low GI foods, have no advantage over high GI foods. Below is a thread you may want to read.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/532247-let

seniorfaye

bump for later...

gin_gin

Well I indeed hope its water I know i didnt eat that many calories and even at 1300 calories i know that's not going to make me gain 2 lbs.. some are saying its what i ate over the weekend but i watched carefully and had under my cals then also, so who knows where the 2 lbs came from will be interesting to see how the rest of my week goes.

patricia909

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harlanJEN

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less

Check out the Eat More / Weigh Less Community Group

Femtec74

Worked for me - I gained a couple pounds in the first two weeks, but then I dropped it all - it got mae over my plateau.

aprilgicker

DId your doctor give you a list of food to stay away from? they should have. My Friend suffered from this, one of her ovaries was so big they had to remove it, Softball size.

But he had her on low fat, because it helps with controlling the hormones(it is what they are made from)
Also, no white starchy foods because they are broken down faster than her body could burn it. and it "Right to her hips"

You could see week to week if she followed her diet.

Do not be fooled into an excuse that because you have this you can't lose. it is not true. you need to ask your Doctor for a dietician that specializes in hormone recovery dieting.

psuLemon

Well I indeed hope its water I know i didnt eat that many calories and even at 1300 calories i know that's not going to make me gain 2 lbs.. some are saying its what i ate over the weekend but i watched carefully and had under my cals then also, so who knows where the 2 lbs came from will be interesting to see how the rest of my week goes.

Well if you are under your calories, then you didn't really up your calories to 1300 now did you, lol.

start121

I have had personal experience of this. When losing weight we are constantly told to just cut down, so when someone tells you to increase your intake to lose weight it just goes against everything we know - right? Well, I worked with a dietician and a nutritionalist a while back to get proper information about diet and nutrition for weight loss. For 3 months I recorded everything I ate, was uber healthy - not a drop of sugar in any form passed my lips and trained 4-5 times a week. What was my amazing achievement?? 2lb loss!!! We went through my diary and the dietician increased my calorie intake by 400 cals a day... mainly through carbs and dairy. I had to have brekkie, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and snack. I felt like all I did was eat!!! 3 months later... 22lbs off!!!!

It works. I've recently gone back to a dietician to get more information about weightloss with PCOS and there was no mention of restricting carbs (although I do find it helps my energy levels) but more focus on increasing activity levels for it. Also the calorie limit she suggested was pretty much the same as suggested by MFP so I would definitely be trying to get close to it.

I think with all the info from everyone else here you have probably all the bases covered now. Good luck with it.

JodiHop

Bump...

starcatcher1975

I'm loving the way you guys are explaining this. I think when I have more time (I'm supposed to be working right now, lol) I will look back over this. It's FINALLY laid out in a way I can understand! I know it's simple and basic to understand but for some reason I could couldn't seem to figure it out and now it's all starting to make sense. Thank you to all who took the time to explain it

nickyfm

Me too.

Thinking about eating back exercise cals/eating more than 1300 gives me anxiety, which then leads to binges (Though I've only binged once in the past 6 weeks, which is a HUGE improvement for me)

I do have an eating disorder, so just try to eat the minimum of what your body actually needs before you get into a routine. And make sure to fuel your body properly so that it can recover after workouts!!

k2quiere

I see there's been a lot of responses already, but I just wanted to say that my initial question is "Are you EATING 1200 calories or are you NETTING 1200 calories." Therein lies the difference for me. I have PCOS and I eat around 2000 calories a day, but my net is usually around 1500 after exercise, sometimes lower on a good exercise day. I've lost 70lbs so far, and maintained over the past month without strict counting and exercise. With PCOS is more a matter of WHAT you eat and now so much a HOW MUCH you eat rather than just saying it's harder to lose. If you check out the PCOS threads and groups, you'll see that many (not all) have more success by lowering carbs and raising protein levels. Trust me that macros are just as important as calories in the weightloss equation.

Good luck to you.

lovinbeinold

I have found that if I go up and down in calories I lose best. I did best with weight loss (which was not my main goal btw) when eating between 1300 and 1700 calories a day.

Also, I do not believe it is a simple matter of calories in/calories out. I also seem to do best if I eat nutrition packed foods. I can eat 1800 calories of whole grain foods, fruits, veggies, a bit of meat (not much), and lose weight, but if I eat 1500 of fast foods and dessert, I don't do as well.

I have wondered why. I think it could be that the human body works more efficiently on nutrition packed foods and a balanced diet.

Another thing I am doing is I stopped pursuing weight loss over a year ago. I decided that I was tired of the roller coaster and was going to find a way to work on my health and feel good. I went on a low glycemic food plan and lost a bit of weight. Then I went on an anti inflammatory eating plan and lost even more.

But I am treating weight loss as a side effect. The weeks I lose, that's a real happy side effect. The weeks I don't register a loss, I don't get upset or worry or fuss about it, because I am feeling better than I did a year ago. I figure that weight loss should be a side effect to the pursuit of health, not the end in itself. That way I feel better while working on my health and am much less likely to have the roller coaster thing of gain and loss over time, because this pusuit of health is a commitment for the rest of my life, not just a weight loss thing.

Lozze

Low GI foods, have no advantage over high GI foods. Below is a thread you may want to read.

Those studies weren't referencing people with diseases that are affected by insulin (diabetics/women with PCOS) Have studies been done on that?

autumnk921

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/524791-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518533-major-sucess-with-higher-calories

StrongGwen

Reading thru this post reminded me that I have not re-calculated my BMR since losing 14 lbs on MFP. Now that I am a bit smaller, I don't need quite as many calories for my BMR. Thank goodness for exercise, because I really like to EAT!

soehlerking

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