Is the "wrong" way the right way?

spskinny

I am looking for advice from those of you who have have longterm significant success.
Thank for for a few minuets of your time!


I am following the program, exercising, and yes eating my exercise calories back. I know the arguments to do so, and they seems sound not wanting your body to go into starvation mode. But... I am struggling to loss the smallest fraction of a pound and I have noticed that everyone who seems to really be losing weight , even for a prolonged period of time, usually have 900-2000 calories left over at the end of the day. If this is what is getting the amazing results and people are keeping the weight off, than should I switch? I am on the 1200 cal regiment (and I freely volunteer that I have gotten weary and had my share of "off" days). I usually burn 300 to 400 cals a day, and would have to eat only 500-600cal to have 1000 left over each day. It seems that this should equal starvation mode and a unsustainable weight loss, or is this a poor usumption and is actually the way to success on MPF? The evidence seems stacked towards 1000cal under method.

Please let me know what really worked for you.

lisa28115

I am looking for advice from those of you who have have longterm significant success.
Thank for for a few minuets of your time!


I am following the program, exercising, and yes eating my exercise calories back. I know the arguments to do so, and they seems sound not wanting your body to go into starvation mode. But... I am struggling to loss the smallest fraction of a pound and I have noticed that everyone who seems to really be losing weight , even for a prolonged period of time, usually have 900-2000 calories left over at the end of the day. If this is what is getting the amazing results and people are keeping the weight off, than should I switch? I am on the 1200 cal regiment (and I freely volunteer that I have gotten weary and had my share of "off" days). I usually burn 300 to 400 cals a day, and would have to eat only 500-600cal to have 1000 left over each day. It seems that this should equal starvation mode and a unsustainable weight loss, or is this a poor usumption and is actually the way to success on MPF? The evidence seems stacked towards 1000cal under method.

Please let me know what really worked for you.

you should never eat less than 1200 calories a day

do you know your BMR and TDEE numbers ?

making your diary public will help others to help you

do you do any strength training???

Kirsty_UK

I started with around 40+lbs to lose, and have lost 30 of those. I started with mfp set at 1lb a week loss, giving me 1560 net cals a day. I stuck to it, and I lost the predicted 1lb a week. I eat back my exercise calories, but as I dont have a working heart rate monitor, and I dont trust mfp's calorie burn estimates, I only eat back around 2/3 of them. That means on days I dont exercise, I am within 100 cals of my target calorie amount, and on days I do, I'm within 2-300. I never drop below 1100 net cals a day unless I'm sick.

As I've got closer to my goal, I've found it harder, but then I've also slackened off on the exercise which I shouldn't do, and I've stopped the gym weight training due to various reasons, which I should restart.

I dont think eating so little is good for you. I'd look at other reasons why your weight loss is slow/not happening. Are you accurately logging everything? Are you accurately measuring your calorie burn? Are you strength training to retain muscle? (the more muscle you have, the more your body burns) Are you taking in a lot of salt? Are there any medical reasons, like PCOS or thyroid?

EDIT: your profile says you've lost 10lbs. That's nice! Why dont you try focusing on getting fitter, eating healthier, and your body measurements for a while instead of the scale and see how that works for you?

spskinny

My BMR is 1,677. I understand the math and the reasoning, but that doesn't seem to be what a lot of "successful" people here are doing. I noticed it when I starting pulling up the diaries of people with significant weight loss.

I usually walk 40 min a day, 1/3 of it is uphill (pushing a 50 lb stroller with 80 lbs of girls in it) . I am also doing Julian Michaels 30 day shred.

lacroyx

going at this for over 2 years now what has worked for me:


1) sleep. at least 6 hrs. I made this a priority. even if it meant missing out on a sechduled work out day.

2) never ate below my BMR

3) only thing diet wise I restrict is soda pop. I just don't even drink it. everything else I enjoy in moderation.

4) I initally started my journey with a Atkins-light style of a diet recommended by my doctor since I had diabetes. low carbs I think it was 200g a day.

5) I invested in a HRM. big eye opener for me. One good example from when I first started, MFP would estimate I'd burn from walking for 1 hr 700-900 calories. My Polar HRM would actually say 1200-1400 calories.

6) patience

7) the scale is NOT I repeat NOT the only way to measure how well you are doing. are you measuring yourself? clothes? do they feel less tight? besides measuring tape I also got a Body Fat % monitor and I see I am making progress

8) lift. I actually hate it. I would rather do cardio over lift any day. but I know it's important so I do it.

9) on the exercise calories I eat about 90% of my calories back

castadiva

But... I am struggling to loss the smallest fraction of a pound and I have noticed that everyone who seems to really be losing weight , even for a prolonged period of time, usually have 900-2000 calories left over at the end of the day.

This is certainly not the case for me, or for many others. Anyone with that much left at the end of the day is headed for a world of trouble in the long run. I frequently have only a few calories, or at most a hundred or so left at the end of the day, and I have lost 34lb and kept it off, even through a two-month plateau (which I seem to have finally broken by increasing my calories).

I am on the 1200 cal regiment (and I freely volunteer that I have gotten weary and had my share of "off" days). I usually burn 300 to 400 cals a day, and would have to eat only 500-600cal to have 1000 left over each day. It seems that this should equal starvation mode and a unsustainable weight loss, or is this a poor usumption and is actually the way to success on MPF? The evidence seems stacked towards 1000cal under method.

Please let me know what really worked for you.

Try setting your calories at the lose 1lb mark, or figure out your BMR online, and eat that plus exercise cals, and see how you get on for a bit - I've found that shocking the body too much is a sure path to frustration, whereas taking it slowly gets you there in the end. Too few calories will not just produce an unsustainable loss, it will provoke your body into hanging on to everything it possibly can as it perceives a time of famine, when fat deposits are the only thing that will keep you alive.

How long have you been doing this, by the way? Sometimes losses are not immediate. I quite often don't lose anything for a few weeks, and then lose 2-3kg seemingly overnight. It might also be worth looking at your measurements to see if you're losing any inches - the scale is not the only measure, and can sometimes be deceptive in terms of your achievements and health.

niknak2308

Often I find that when I look into it, the people losing a lot more each week are starting at a much higher starting weight than me. Yes it sucks when you still be really good and the scale barely shifts, and everyone else seems to be losing a stone a week, but as Kirsty_UK says, take measurements and see what's changing. After a month of losing not a fraction of a pound (and to be honest I had a few "off" days) I upped my exercise, ate back all the cals too and took measurements. No loss at all that first fortnight of my new regime, but I lost lots of inches - noticeably! The week after I lost 3lbs and the following week another 2lbs, before it slowed again.

To be honest, I didn't eat my exercise cals at the beginning, seeing that as helping me get towards my goal quicker. However, I often felt quite rubbish compared to when I worked out fully fuelled.

It seems to me that 10lbs tends to go quite quick once your body adapts to the inital shock. After you have to up your game.

For me personally, I find that if I stick to my cals but don't exercise, I struggle to stay within my allowance, often feel hungry and cannot cheat at all! If I exercise, (aiming for 400-500), it allows me to eat more, or eat an extra treat alongside my healthy food, and I am led to believe it keeps your body burning calories for a while after each workout.

If I were to give anyone advice, I would say, don't deprive yourself of food, up your exercise instead. You will experience slowing down before picking up again, this is the mental part of the journey. Keep up the great work, you WILL get there x

charcharbec

Hey hon! I am already going to tell you you are going to get people here who are going to say "OMG DONT DO THAT YOU WILL KILL YOUR BODY!" And while I wont say that, and will say that I did lose weight the "wrong" way, I would NOT advise doing it the same. Here is why (and this is why I won't go back to it no matter how easy it feels in my head). My body never went into starvation mode. From all the research I have done, starvation mode is a term thrown around when people mean to say that your metabolism is going to slow down dramatically. Starvation mode however, IS real, but it typically only takes place under a certain body fat percent (which most of the population does NOT meet). While I was eating at about 300-500 calories a day, as I said, I lost significant weight. However, I lost a LOT of strength, developed terribly disordered and obsessive eating, became a slave to the scale, and wasnt satisified with myself even after I got where I thought I wanted. I worked out 5-6 times a week which probably helped me lose as well... and after a while when I realized I would have to increase my calories, I had to do so VERY slowly. On top of that, I eat vegan and was eating mostly veggies ANYWAY while I was that low (to keep my cals low to begin with) and kept that mindset when I added cals. Most people would probably gain the weight back even if they slowly upped calories....and the worst part? I became OBSESSSED with food when I was that low. OB-SESSED. And I would cry because I couldnt ever eat it. I couldnt ever go out to eat, and most people end up having HUGE binges that low.

My suggestion would be this... don't eat back your exercise cals. Just don't. They may be overestimated anyway. I typically dont even log mine on here because of the type of exercise I do. On top of that, depending on your weight and height you might be in a huge deficit already. My BMR is 1300 before exercise, so for me to have a significant deficit I 1. HAVE to exercise and be active. 2. Consulted with my DOCTOR who advised me that it would be okay for ME (4'10 and 120 lbs) to eat no less than 1k in calories... and that is only a couple times a week.

I do something called Calorie Cycling and so far I have still continued a steady 1 lb loss a week. I am at a point that this may slow down but you might want to look into it. It will give you the high and low days so that it is easier to stick with.

The hardest part for me on a daily basis is obsessing now about how I look, and not being satisfied and wanting to just go back to eating 450 cals a day. I mean thats how I lost isnt it? The cons of that completely outweigh the pros--- especially how AFRAID of food I was. Do you know that last night I was making my girlfriend a sandwhich for lunch today, and felt GUILTY eating like a teaspoon of peanut butter when I licked the spoon? Or the fact that even THINKING about eating pasta makes me feel GUILTY. Those feeling SUCK and I shouldnt HAVE to feel that way. You will get there but remember it didnt take you 5 months to gain all the weight and it wont take you 5 months to lose it.

Look at WHAT you are eating and not just the calorie goal. Is it high in sodium? If you go over your sodium you will DEFINITELY not only RETAIN water but excess sodium gets stored as fat. All that low fat crap you see? Not worth it. Go with organic and whole fats. Make dairy and processed breads only 25% of your diet at MOST, Veggies and Protein 50% depending on if it is meat protein or not. If it is meat keep it to 25% of your diet... dont deprive yourself but I saw a girl on here who was eating at pizza hut and taco bell all the time losing weight. But honestly when she gets where I am now (the last 10-15 lbs of stubborn fat) she is going to have a HELL of a time getting it off. And really, is she any more healthier just because the scale says she is lighter?

Health is not just weight. Forget the numbers.... just eat HEALTHY, dont believe labels that have to prove to you they are healthy. Eat raw whole foods... get adequate protein and work out. That's it. Weight loss is simple. Us people make it complicated.

And please, don't eat 500 cals a day, it's not worth what comes with it.

spskinny

The HR monitor is another challenge. On my walks it says I burn about 530 cal, while MPF says its about 280. Keep running into these interesting results, makes me wonder about the accuracy of both.

kford12

I started with a 1330 allowance when I started MFP in January, but after losing 10lbs I resubmitted my target and it dropped my allowance to 1200. I actually found losing weight a lot easier with the 1330 target, so it is not always a case of the less you consume, the more you lose )

charcharbec

Trust the HR monitor over MFP... MFP is just a guesstimate of what you could burn. Might mean you should be eating more than 1200 calories... when I get an HR monitor, if I find I burn a lot more with exercise, I am going to up my cals.

spskinny

The HR monitor doesn't know my weight, MPF does, it seems like that would make MPF more accurate.

charcharbec

Also I notice that you have lost 10 lbs since you joined in Dec. 2011 that is almost 3.5 lbs a month. While that doesnt seem like a lot.... think about 10 months from now.... thats another 35 lbs.... just keep trucking hon. You got this!

Nopedotjpeg

Just from reading your post, I'm guessing you're most likely underestimating what you eat and/or overestimating your exercise calories.

Nopedotjpeg

The HR monitor doesn't know my weight, MPF does, it seems like that would make MPF more accurate.

You need to find a different HR then. If it doesn't take your weight into account, it's not going to give you an accurate calorie readout. MFP also drastically overestimates. It's great that you're working out, but I can tell you that for most of us, we're probably not doing as much as we want to think we are.

spskinny

Agree, 3000 calories window shopping seems like a lot ( joke )

lacroyx

The HR monitor doesn't know my weight, MPF does, it seems like that would make MPF more accurate.

You need to find a different HR then. If it doesn't take your weight into account, it's not going to give you an accurate calorie readout. MFP also drastically overestimates. It's great that you're working out, but I can tell you that for most of us, we're probably not doing as much as we want to think we are.

a good hrm will allow you to input your stats, height, weight, sex, age that sorta thing. and above all else, it needs to be one with a chest strap.

castadiva

The HR monitor doesn't know my weight, MPF does, it seems like that would make MPF more accurate.

You need to find a different HR then. If it doesn't take your weight into account, it's not going to give you an accurate calorie readout. MFP also drastically overestimates. It's great that you're working out, but I can tell you that for most of us, we're probably not doing as much as we want to think we are.

And/or underestimates (MFP) - it really is just a guesstimate based on averages. MY HRM/pedometer often show a much higher burn than MFP, and they have more information to do it from. The point is, you need to find an accurate HRM to get a reasonable reading.

spskinny

Community is so valuable, thank you for your advice and encouragement.

fionarama

play with it is my advice. Try just eating half your exercise calories back for a week or two. I do think just 1200 calories only without eating your exercise calories is too hard long term , I try it and always end up eating more.
P:ersonally walking is great at first but your body gets really used to it, what about if you wear a hrm during your DVD and just log those calories, forget about logging the walking calories.

Matt_Wild

My BMR is 1,677. I understand the math and the reasoning, but that doesn't seem to be what a lot of "successful" people here are doing. I noticed it when I starting pulling up the diaries of people with significant weight loss.

I usually walk 40 min a day, 1/3 of it is uphill (pushing a 50 lb stroller with 80 lbs of girls in it) . I am also doing Julian Michaels 30 day shred.

Weight below 1000 = muscle, fat and water (thro dropped glycogen and lower salt intake)

Sensible diet 1200+ = more muscle maintained, more fat burned and thus higher over all BMR at end of diet.

End result may equal same weight but different shape e.g. sub 1000 = slim yet fat on arms/legs/belly or 1200 plus = lightly muscled and shapely.

JadeRabbit08

I am looking for advice from those of you who have have longterm significant success.
Thank for for a few minuets of your time!


I am following the program, exercising, and yes eating my exercise calories back. I know the arguments to do so, and they seems sound not wanting your body to go into starvation mode. But... I am struggling to loss the smallest fraction of a pound and I have noticed that everyone who seems to really be losing weight , even for a prolonged period of time, usually have 900-2000 calories left over at the end of the day. If this is what is getting the amazing results and people are keeping the weight off, than should I switch? I am on the 1200 cal regiment (and I freely volunteer that I have gotten weary and had my share of "off" days). I usually burn 300 to 400 cals a day, and would have to eat only 500-600cal to have 1000 left over each day. It seems that this should equal starvation mode and a unsustainable weight loss, or is this a poor usumption and is actually the way to success on MPF? The evidence seems stacked towards 1000cal under method.

Please let me know what really worked for you.

Eating alot more than 1200 net worked for me. I started losing when I went up to 1800 and ate exercise calories on top of that.

Instead of guessing what works for you try calculating your BMR and your TDEE then eat 15% less than your TDEE and never below your BMR.
Don't know what I mean? Read the sticky posts in this forum.

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

GemmaRowlands

Since starting losing weight I've eaten between 1,200 and 1,400 cals per day, and NOT eaten back any of my exercise cals. Sometimes, when I've had a particularly hard day's exercise, I can net around 600 cals, which some people recoil in horror at. But, I don't feel unhealthy, the foods I'm eating are healthy and well balanced, and I've been losing weight consistently throughout and have lost over 6 stone using this method now. So I don't believe in "starvation mode". It's like saying if your car was running out of fuel it'll stop burning it- utter rubbish. Your body CANNOT and DOES NOT work on thin air. It NEEDS fuel, it's just a basic biological fact.

babyblooeyes

I am a big girl. I have lost over 35lbs in just over 1 month eating 2100-2300 calories or more a day and netting about 1400-1500 calories. You have to find something you can stick to for the rest of your life not going hungry or starving yourself as you will lose precious muscle and be miserable.

Theresa

BerryH

This thread on women who eat more than 1800 calories a day and achieve their goals is inspiring:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/506349-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day

The people who eat tiny amounts will get rapid results but not sustainable ones and will end up yo-yo dieting as they find themselves hungry all the time. Yesterday I ate 2,500 of yummy food after a long run and was still under.

Go with the calories MFP gives you for a 1lb a week weight loss, and eat back a good proportion of your exercise calories, but be conservative about the estimates. If you have two estimates (MFP's/HRM/gym machine etc.) go for the lowest, and if you only have one to go by aim for 80%. Some things are very close - MFP's walking and running estimates are very close to my actual.

Also portion size is key. If you enter the calories for 75g of pasta but actually eat 150g (which is very, very easy!) you're not doing yourself any favours.

Looks like you're getting a nice steady loss as it is, keep up the good work!

JadeRabbit08

My BMR is 1,677. I understand the math and the reasoning, but that doesn't seem to be what a lot of "successful" people here are doing. I noticed it when I starting pulling up the diaries of people with significant weight loss.

I disagree there are people who are eating above their BMR and losing. If you understood the reasoning I am assuming that instead of eating at 1200 you would have at least tried to eat past your BMR net of 1677.
True success comes from KEEPING it off after.

xSophia19

I got told that the Slimfast milkshake diet is wrong! I thought id prove everyyone wrong, so I went on Slimfast for 10 weeks and lots a staggering 1stone7lbs!! I proved EVERYONE wrong that Slimfast does work!! The weight has stayed off and a year later from been on slimfast i am 3 stone lighter and 2 sizes smaller in clothes!! Take no notice of what other people tell you! If you want to try something new for yourself, then you try it dont let others be charge of you and your diet x

kristy6ward

You said you looked at profiles of people who had lost significant amounts of weight, but do you realize that diaries evolve over time as you lose weight? The calories they are eating now are based on their current weight and were most likely much higher when they started. Don't mimic them as they are now if you still have a lot to lose yourself. Did you also see how long it took them to lose? Weight loss shouldn't be fast. If you find you still aren't losing at around 1200 calories, try upping to at least your bmr. That's what I tried when I found myself stalling and miraculously (it seemed to me) that on much more calories I was able to lose more weight. Find something that works for you, but give your body time to adjust to a new method before deciding it didn't work.

GalaxyDuck

When I started MFP last February, I had 30-40 lbs to lose. I initially set it up to lose 1 lb/week and it gave me 1200 cals/day. I think I ate 1200 cals for about 1 month (plus about 75-90% of my exercise calories) and lost 2-3 lbs a week. Although I was happy the weight was coming off, I know I wasn't overweight enough to warrant a 2-3 lb/week loss without doing some damage to my body (since 1lb/week is a pretty healthy number). I upped my calories to 1300 something and did that plus exercise calories for a while. When I had lost about 25 lbs, I upped my calories again to 1540, where they stayed for the duration of my weight loss. I always ate back 75-90% (leaving some room for estimation errors) of my exercise calories and never plateaued, always lost weight rather consistently. I reached my goal within 6 mths even going "slow" like this. I never felt low energy, or starving like I did when I was trying to operate on 1200 cals a day.

Judging by what you've said already, you're losing pretty consistently already. 3-4 lbs/month is really the perfect amount of weight loss to keep you healthy and minimize the appearance of sagging skin. For women, losing any more than 1/week is detrimental to the elasticity of the skin in your chest area. I don't know about you, but I'm not looking for pre-mature sagging of the ladies because I'm trying to lose weight too fast.

I've been in maintenence mode since August. Stopped tracking my food in October (am back to tracking now) and haven't regained anything. In fact I've recently started tracking again to make sure I'm eating enough to put on some muscle. My food diary is open if you want to browse through it, although you will have to go back several months to at least August for accurate journal entries.

I hope that helps. Not everybody loses weight the "wrong" way. And I'm not sure I could have kept it off this long by doing it that way myself.

sammanchester

Listening to some people on MFP and not my own common sense had me seriously worried..especially about the 'starvation mode' myth. This website is by someone who regularly posts on MFP (stroutman81) and makes a lot of sense. No more forced feeding for me...though I kind of liked the excuse to eat a massive cake to myself! http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

Congrats on your 10lbs lost too

GalaxyDuck

Listening to some people on MFP and not my own common sense had me seriously worried..especially about the 'starvation mode' myth. This website is by someone who regularly posts on MFP (stroutman81) and makes a lot of sense. No more forced feeding for me...though I kind of liked the excuse to eat a massive cake to myself! http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

Congrats on your 10lbs lost too

I can stand by this comment, stroutman81 is one of my MFP friends and ALWAYS posts good advice. Especially when it comes to women and strength training (as opposed to chronic cardio). Very helpful info that I wish more ladies would take the time to read and understand!