Eat more to Lose more, explained.
SiltyPigeon
Posts: 920 Member
I would just like to take a moment to correct a logistical error I regularly see. I think it confuses people more than it helps...
Most of us who have around the MFP block a few times will tell you: You need to eat more to lose more. This is absolutely true. It's the reason WHY this is true that can be confusing and is often stated wrong by well meaning fitness palls.
When you eat too few calories (not enough to fuel your body) over a long period of time your weight loss can (and eventually will) stall. You can call it "starvation mode" or whatever you want. However, it is NOT because your body "stores more fat at lower calorie levels" Your body needs all those calories and it uses all those calories. It does not and cannot afford to store them!
The reason why you will plateau is because your body thinks you are in famine. In order to "help" you through these rough times of drought and food scarcity, your body will SLOW DOWN. The natural day to day processes your body undertakes without your conscious knowledge turn down a notch so that you can survive on less.
We're not talking about exercises and such... you can continue to force yourself to do the same amount of exercise on 500 calories as you did on 2000 calories. Your body has other, tricky, ways of slowing down that you cannot control. It expends less energy on the daily functions like mucus production, digestion, hair growth, skin regeneration, and so forth. Under normal circumstances, your brain is a major energy suck (some pplz more than others, hehe). In order to conserve energy, your brain slows down. Who wants that? You might fidget less, sit more often, and sleep in a little longer. You might have less enthusiasm when exercising. All of these things add up to requiring less (AND BURNING LESS!) calories during the day. POOF! Plateau!
Now think about what would happen to your body if all these processes were to slow down for an extended (months, years?) period of time. You'd become more prone to infection and illness. Those processes are in place for reason. They keep your body healthy and running the way its supposed to. Hair loss, brittle nails, bad skin, listlessness, and so forth are very common side effects of not properly fueling your body... ask any long-term ED. You're probably not going to die... but you can become very sick.
This doesn't happen in a day, but over a long period of time, IT WILL HAPPEN. It happened to me and to a lot of others here on MFP. So what's the solution? Well DUH! EAT FOOD!
Some extra food for thought.... I ate an average of 900 calories per day for 3 months. I lost the same amount of weight per week as I have eating 1200 calories per day for the past 4 months.My skin is better, my nails are better, my mood is better, I have more energy. It wasn't worth it. But MAYBE being able to share my story and help others will make up for it.
Well, thanks everyone for reading. I love you all! NOW EAT UP, DAMMIT!
Most of us who have around the MFP block a few times will tell you: You need to eat more to lose more. This is absolutely true. It's the reason WHY this is true that can be confusing and is often stated wrong by well meaning fitness palls.
When you eat too few calories (not enough to fuel your body) over a long period of time your weight loss can (and eventually will) stall. You can call it "starvation mode" or whatever you want. However, it is NOT because your body "stores more fat at lower calorie levels" Your body needs all those calories and it uses all those calories. It does not and cannot afford to store them!
The reason why you will plateau is because your body thinks you are in famine. In order to "help" you through these rough times of drought and food scarcity, your body will SLOW DOWN. The natural day to day processes your body undertakes without your conscious knowledge turn down a notch so that you can survive on less.
We're not talking about exercises and such... you can continue to force yourself to do the same amount of exercise on 500 calories as you did on 2000 calories. Your body has other, tricky, ways of slowing down that you cannot control. It expends less energy on the daily functions like mucus production, digestion, hair growth, skin regeneration, and so forth. Under normal circumstances, your brain is a major energy suck (some pplz more than others, hehe). In order to conserve energy, your brain slows down. Who wants that? You might fidget less, sit more often, and sleep in a little longer. You might have less enthusiasm when exercising. All of these things add up to requiring less (AND BURNING LESS!) calories during the day. POOF! Plateau!
Now think about what would happen to your body if all these processes were to slow down for an extended (months, years?) period of time. You'd become more prone to infection and illness. Those processes are in place for reason. They keep your body healthy and running the way its supposed to. Hair loss, brittle nails, bad skin, listlessness, and so forth are very common side effects of not properly fueling your body... ask any long-term ED. You're probably not going to die... but you can become very sick.
This doesn't happen in a day, but over a long period of time, IT WILL HAPPEN. It happened to me and to a lot of others here on MFP. So what's the solution? Well DUH! EAT FOOD!
Some extra food for thought.... I ate an average of 900 calories per day for 3 months. I lost the same amount of weight per week as I have eating 1200 calories per day for the past 4 months.My skin is better, my nails are better, my mood is better, I have more energy. It wasn't worth it. But MAYBE being able to share my story and help others will make up for it.
Well, thanks everyone for reading. I love you all! NOW EAT UP, DAMMIT!
0
Replies
-
*L*
love it0 -
this is all true, and just confirms the fact that i enjoy eating all my exercise cals at dinner time!!0
-
Great post - I think there are MANY people on MFP that could benefit from reading this.0
-
awesome post! you should print that off and frame it.0
-
Fabulous post! I wish more people understood this!0
-
VERY well written! Thanks for the visual info. I'm going to give it to a few teenagers I know. Maybe they'll start listening to me.
Loved it.0 -
Well written!!! Thanks for explaining this since there are some here that still do not understand this.0
-
This great!! Explains it with out all the medical and technical jargon that i see and don't understand so flag reading. Will really help a lot MFP peeps understand why starving yourself doesn't work!!0
-
Thanks for taking the time to inform ppl! I know some mean well, but it is so important to eat! Hopefully everyone reads this.0
-
Thanks for this amazing post!0
-
So well put! Excellent explanation!
0 -
Well said> and I have NO problem eating all my cals. I just try to eat things that will fuel my body :-)0
-
Awesome post!!
Well written and to the point.
I think you should save this and post it once a week!!!0 -
Really good post- When I was in high school I kinda starved myself & all the energy I had to do was sleep. This time around I have been eating my cals & have had so much more energy.0
-
Very well said! Thanks for sharing! 0
-
This is the most well put explanation I've ever read!! I understood the process but now I can just send the link to those who want to know how this works!! Awesome!0
-
Once again... i
you lol 0 -
thank you for posting this and for breaking the concept down!0
-
Great explanation.0
-
GREAT EXPLANATION!! LOVE IT
I would just like to take a moment to correct a logistical error I regularly see. I think it confuses people more than it helps...
Most of us who have around the MFP block a few times will tell you: You need to eat more to lose more. This is absolutely true. It's the reason WHY this is true that can be confusing and is often stated wrong by well meaning fitness palls.
When you eat too few calories (not enough to fuel your body) over a long period of time your weight loss can (and eventually will) stall. You can call it "starvation mode" or whatever you want. However, it is NOT because your body "stores more fat at lower calorie levels" Your body needs all those calories and it uses all those calories. It does not and cannot afford to store them!
Great post!!! love it!!
The reason why you will plateau is because your body thinks you are in famine. In order to "help" you through these rough times of drought and food scarcity, your body will SLOW DOWN. The natural day to day processes your body undertakes without your conscious knowledge turn down a notch so that you can survive on less.
We're not talking about exercises and such... you can continue to force yourself to do the same amount of exercise on 500 calories as you did on 2000 calories. Your body has other, tricky, ways of slowing down that you cannot control. It expends less energy on the daily functions like mucus production, digestion, hair growth, skin regeneration, and so forth. Under normal circumstances, your brain is a major energy suck (some pplz more than others, hehe). In order to conserve energy, your brain slows down. Who wants that? You might fidget less, sit more often, and sleep in a little longer. You might have less enthusiasm when exercising. All of these things add up to requiring less (AND BURNING LESS!) calories during the day. POOF! Plateau!
Now think about what would happen to your body if all these processes were to slow down for an extended (months, years?) period of time. You'd become more prone to infection and illness. Those processes are in place for reason. They keep your body healthy and running the way its supposed to. Hair loss, brittle nails, bad skin, listlessness, and so forth are very common side effects of not properly fueling your body... ask any long-term ED. You're probably not going to die... but you can become very sick.
This doesn't happen in a day, but over a long period of time, IT WILL HAPPEN. It happened to me and to a lot of others here on MFP. So what's the solution? Well DUH! EAT FOOD!
Some extra food for thought.... I ate an average of 900 calories per day for 3 months. I lost the same amount of weight per week as I have eating 1200 calories per day for the past 4 months.My skin is better, my nails are better, my mood is better, I have more energy. It wasn't worth it. But MAYBE being able to share my story and help others will make up for it.
Well, thanks everyone for reading. I love you all! NOW EAT UP, DAMMIT!0 -
Sane. Rational. Broken down to common sense.
I'm speechless.0 -
You are so sensible. I'm very glad we're friends.0
-
Nice one
Let's keep bumping this!0 -
Great post!
The brain slow down thing probably explains why the chronic under-eaters are so adamant on continuing.. It's because their brain isn't functioning well enough to understand the problem! Oh my, what a vicious cycle.0 -
You did a very good job explaining this...Thanks so much!! This is an eye opener to some people!0
-
This was great to read! Thank you!0
-
Great post!
The brain slow down thing probably explains why the chronic under-eaters are so adamant on continuing.. It's because their brain isn't functioning well enough to understand the problem! Oh my, what a vicious cycle.
One of us was gonna point that out eventually. Hahaha.0 -
love this!
I have such a hard time believing this is true but I know it is! I've started eating 1400-1600 cals in the last few weeks up from my usual limit of 1000-1200 and it seems to be working way better! wooo0 -
Well thought out and well written, ... Thank you!!!0
-
Love it0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions