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

Wen37

Bump. Good info in here.

missy_1975

"OK, this will be long. Please read it if you are confused. Disclaimer: I am not a dietician or a doctor, just a successful loser and maintainer, who has consulted both doctors and dieticians.

Question #1:

Should I eat all my calories?

Yes. MFP is already figuring a deficit for you to lose weight. This deficit is based on what you need to eat based on your everyday activity, not counting exercise. In the end, it's all about "net calories" (you can view yours under reports)

Example: you need to eat 2,000 calories to maintain your current weight (random number)
MFP will tell you to eat 1,500 to lose one pound per week (500x7=3500=one pound loss).

Let's say you exercise, and burn 500 additional calories.
UH-OH, now you are at a 1,000 calorie a day deficit. You need 2,000 calories to maintian, are already restricted to 1500, so now your net calories are a 1,000 a day. This is starvation central. Your body, which is very good at keeping you alive, will store and save calories. You WILL stop losing weight. You WILL want to throw your scale out the window.

Eat your exercise calories. At least eat most of them.

Question #2:
I'm eating 1200 calories, I feel like crap and I'm not losing weight. What gives?

Answer:
Run, don't walk, to "tools" and use the BMR calculator. Please, please, please, eat at least your BMR calories every day. You might lose weight more slowly, but you will still lose, and you will not longer feel a sudden urge to fall over every time you do, well, anything.

Question #3:
I'm doing "everything right" and the scale won't move.

Answer #1: The scale is the devil. Step away from the scale. Buy a tape measure, notice how your clothes are (probably) fitting better. Muscle is more dense than fat, and takes up less space on your body. More muscle on your body will make the scale freeze or (gasp) move upward.

Answer #2: You're not being honest. In order for this to work, you must record every morsel of food that goes in your body. Also, if you ride a stationary bike for 30 minutes and barely break a sweat and can still chatter on your cell phone (OK, that's my personal gym pet peeve) then you're probably not working "vigorously". Don't overestimate your exercise calories. (this was a big mistake I made in the past.)

Answer #3: Your body might be re-adjusting. How you feel is the most important mark of progress. It's very easy to fixate on numbers, but feeling better really should be its own reward.

Question #4:
So, if I'm eating my exercise calories, what's the point of exercise?

Answer: (warning: extremely opinionated answer ahead)
You don't. You can lose weight through diet alone. But, then you will be skinny and flabby. Is a model skinnier than me? OH, YES! Is she healthier than me? probably NOT. She couldn't survive the hour-long spin class that I take three times a week. Trust me. Her skin is a mess, she smokes, and she looks like crap in person. (this is a generalization. I don't hate models, but this is their lifestyle. . .I used to be a "dresser" at shows, and I saw a lot of "behind the scenes" stuff.
"

Love it. Yay for being sensible!

psuLemon

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?

Sorry, I missed that point. Sorry about that.

psuLemon

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!!

Instead of tracking your weight, track your body fat. Weight can make you look good in clothes, but body fat is what make you look good naked. Below is examples of women who gained weight and look better and skinnier. Unfortunately, women take too much weight loss advice and stock in hollywood and less in science.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat&page=2#posts-5441852


http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

psuLemon

BTW, here is the results of what happens when you break that mental barrier and start training and eating smart. Stephanie is 36 years old and eats 1800+ calories a day. She lost 4% body fat in a month! That equates to being a lot skinnier despite the 1 pound of 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"

aiwich

bump

70davis

bump

malmaimez

How come this site is telling me to eat only 1270 net cal per day then?

ImRadical4Jesus

Bump

mikaabad

I started with MFP on Feb. 9 and after a month I lost 5 lbs. However, I haven't lost any more weight since then. My goal set by MFP was 1200 kcal/day but most of the time I eat less than that amount. I tried getting my BMR and TDEE and found out I should be eating between 1226 - 1400 kcal/day.

I initially thought eating less would help me lose more but I guess that was wrong. I'll try eating more starting now