For the 500,000 time EATING MORE WORKS

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  • Okay...I'm no where near the 1200 cals per day net as I still have a lot to lose, but I see a lot of confusion here about how much to eat, etc. I input my numbers into MFP for my goals and allowing for a one lb per week weight loss and then I follow what Mfp says in how many calories I have left to eat. If I don't exercise on a day then I eat my normal daily calories. If I do exercise, I will eat at least half of the calories back. This, I believe, is the right way to lose weight. Slow and steady...just my two cents. Good luck to everyone.
  • Mskraizy
    Mskraizy Posts: 138 Member
    soo is 1700 ok? or is it to low?

    From what I sorta understand, 1700 is good for you just don't eat under your BMR which I assum is the 1531 and don't eat over your TDEE which I will take is 1931.

    I'm still a bit fogged up about it. I don't know if I need to up my calories from what I'm seeing. I guess I'll just stick to my 1630 that MFP gave me since my BMR is 1722. I'm only 100 cals away from it. I just wanted to try it out since people are saying they're losing 2 and 3 lbs a week by doing so, whatever. I do lose a steady 1 lb a week so perhaps I won't need this anymore. I just need to abide by the quality of my calories and I should be able to remain full and still lose weight healthily. I was only wondering about this since I'm looking into strength training, but maybe I should just stay where I am...
  • Travelfixer
    Travelfixer Posts: 137 Member
    I did the same thing, increased my calories and in 3 days lost 1.5 lbs, my weigh in day is Monday so I'm hoping I lose a little more. I also did my numbers and I cant believe all these people still keep eating so little. They dont realize what they are doing to their bodies. It's very frustrating but I guess they can't understand or just want to lose weight and don't kno the are losing weight but not fat!
  • marbly
    marbly Posts: 103

    Your BMR is 1529 and your TDEE is 1931, so 1700 is what you should be eating. Don't eat below your BMR or above you TDEE and you should be fine.


    It wasn't directed towards me but I think I get it now. Thank you.


    Actually, taking this as an example, F2F Radio already calculates the 20% deficit for you from your TDEE. This means that if you eat at 1931 (assuming that this is the number shown on the site itself and you did not change the number), you would still lose weight.

    It already calculates it? Okay, my mfp intake is 1630. My BMR rate said it was 1722. Soooo, am I already at a steady eating pace? Out of my intakes, I average about 1400 usually....so what I'm wondering is do I need to actually up mine to 1722. That's all I've been asking.

    If I were you, I would up your NET cal intake to above your BMR, meaning that I would eat at a minimum 1730 (to round up) NET (ie, taking into account exercise calories).
  • marbly
    marbly Posts: 103
    soo is 1700 ok? or is it to low?

    From what I sorta understand, 1700 is good for you just don't eat under your BMR which I assum is the 1531 and don't eat over your TDEE which I will take is 1931.

    I'm still a bit fogged up about it. I don't know if I need to up my calories from what I'm seeing. I guess I'll just stick to my 1630 that MFP gave me since my BMR is 1722. I'm only 100 cals away from it. I just wanted to try it out since people are saying they're losing 2 and 3 lbs a week by doing so, whatever. I do lose a steady 1 lb a week so perhaps I won't need this anymore. I just need to abide by the quality of my calories and I should be able to remain full and still lose weight healthily. I was only wondering about this since I'm looking into strength training, but maybe I should just stay where I am...

    That's right. As long as you eat above your BMR in NET calorie intake, you should be fine.

    Bear in mind that all these numbers are just averages. YOUR own BMR may be higher or lower depending on your body composition and your internal processes, so you may find that you need to play around with the numbers a bit to get to your goal.

    The point about upping calories is (not only that it is not healthy to have a VLCD), you can hopefully increase your body's metabolism such that you have a higher BMR in the long term and have the ability to EAT MORE in the long term.

    Well, that's me anyway because I love eating, heh, heh!!
  • Mskraizy
    Mskraizy Posts: 138 Member

    Your BMR is 1529 and your TDEE is 1931, so 1700 is what you should be eating. Don't eat below your BMR or above you TDEE and you should be fine.


    It wasn't directed towards me but I think I get it now. Thank you.


    Actually, taking this as an example, F2F Radio already calculates the 20% deficit for you from your TDEE. This means that if you eat at 1931 (assuming that this is the number shown on the site itself and you did not change the number), you would still lose weight.

    It already calculates it? Okay, my mfp intake is 1630. My BMR rate said it was 1722. Soooo, am I already at a steady eating pace? Out of my intakes, I average about 1400 usually....so what I'm wondering is do I need to actually up mine to 1722. That's all I've been asking.

    If I were you, I would up your NET cal intake to above your BMR, meaning that I would eat at a minimum 1730 (to round up) NET (ie, taking into account exercise calories).


    THANK YOU!!!! Your help is much appreciated and now I know how I should be eating. I'll also be trying to enhance the quality of my calories as well because I know that is just as important! =D


    eta: I really do appreciate all of your insight Marbly!
  • JadeRabbit08
    JadeRabbit08 Posts: 551 Member
    For those who have success by increasing calories, do you notice any difference in your energy levels, physical activity, motivation to do activities, etc. or is the only thing that changes is additional weight loss?

    First a disclaimer about my profile pic so no one credits my opinion with the body displayed. Thats my inspiration pic I have it there to identify with every day. I am 43, 5 5" and 80 pounds over weight (started on MFP with 100 pounds to lose 70 days ago.)

    To the above quoted poster -

    Amount of energy has really increased and I feel fairly level and generally happy mood wise. I have spent the last two years gradually recovering from a chronic fatique episode and just doing the basics use to be hard. Now I get restless if I havent had enough activity in my day. (Student means alot of desk time).

    Reply in general to the thread -

    I started on 1200 because I wanted to lose the most weight possible and I only went up from that because I started getting gallbladder symptons.

    Increased to 1400 to try and ease my gallabladder attacks and that worked but my weight loss stalled. So I was stuck I couldn't go down and I thought well my weight loss stopped at 1400 so if I go up I may gain weight.

    I started to read up and discovered a few groups on MFP that believed you should lose weight on smaller deficits for sucessful healthy long term weightloss.

    So after reading all this on the forums and getting my hand held by numerous people here I upped my calories to 1600...and nothing happened. :(

    The same 1 kilo kept going up and down.

    I found some more courage and upped it to 1800 and I lost 3.3 pounds that week. I have moved it up to between 1900 -2100 and it took two and a half weeks of nothing happening and then another loss of about 3 pounds.

    Its early days yet but I cetainly havent gained, I have lost and once my appetite increased to match the calories I was eating my energy levels started to really rise. (I was one of those who wasn't hungry when eating 1200)


    Thats what everyone is talking about when they say eat more to weigh less. Don't have a really big calorie deficit over 1000 like many chose to do when they set 1200 as their goal. You are still eating less than your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) but you are ensuring that your long term health and metabolism doesnt suffer, by at the very least, ensuring that the calories that you eat each day cover your Basic metabolic rate (BMR).

    The below diagram is awesome and I am so stealing it! :)

    For those who aren't sure about what BMR and TDEE means and what yours would be I recommend taking the effort to find out its very important to know not just for your weight loss but after when you are trying to maintain your goal weight.

    tumblr_lxct57xVQT1r6amvbo1_500.jpg
  • Travelfixer
    Travelfixer Posts: 137 Member
    I know there are a million and one topics out there about this
    But I feel there needs to be one more confirmation for those ppl struggling at 1200 calories and not losing
    Here is my story of how increasing calories worked

    I've been on this site 100 days and lost maybe 4 pounds in the first 40 days while struggling to only eat 1200 calories
    after that nothing.....for 60 days I just stayed the same
    1 week ago I took advice from another thread and found out my BMR and TDEE measurements and increased my calories to 1500
    and this week lost 1.5 pounds....

    So for those of you who "Can't stay under 1200 cals" it's really not necessary
    Just thought I would share my success
    Works for YOU. Congratulations on YOUR success. Not everyone is the same. You can jump off that high horse now :tongue:

    I don't think she's on her high horse! I think she's just stating facts! If people actually did research on the subject of losing weight and getting fit maybe they could learn something! Everyones body works the same way in the fact that we have to eat our BMR (thats what we need if we didn't do anything but just stayed in bed all day) to keep our body going and when we eat these low calories, yes were losing weight but it's from muscle and were not losing FAT.
  • mtcHavingItAll
    mtcHavingItAll Posts: 69 Member
    Bump. Great information!
  • zoedallas
    zoedallas Posts: 116 Member
    BMR = 1228
    TDEE = 1474

    I'm currently on a 1200 cal plan. I only have about 5 more pounds to lose. And I still have that dang muffin top which I'm trying to exercise away. Progress is painfully slow.

    The link recommended states:

    "As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point."

    That would put me right back to 1200 (or less) which is what I'm already doing.

    Any comments or suggestions?
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Zoedallas your diary isn't open so I don't know if you do this but if you are looking to change body shape (getting rid of the muffin top) lifting heavy (for you) weights will help a lot.
  • zoedallas
    zoedallas Posts: 116 Member
    Zoedallas your diary isn't open so I don't know if you do this but if you are looking to change body shape (getting rid of the muffin top) lifting heavy (for you) weights will help a lot.
    Thanks for the advice. :)

    I'm trying to work up to that. Right now I'm on my 3rd week of Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 Pack. So far I'm still only able to do 20 minutes at a time. :( I'm horribly out of shape. I have a bad back/neck so I have to really ease into this so I don't get hurt.

    Any particular weight lifting exercises you would recommend?

    EDIT: I finally figured out how to make my diary public. Today was my rest day so today wasn't typical for me.
  • ingfit
    ingfit Posts: 180 Member
    Please read this:


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/501511-great-read-on-plateau-ing

    This explains everything you want to know about how your metabolism works in terms of calorie intake, and exercise output. You need to know your RMR (BMR) and then calculate your TDEE (Maintenance) which is RMR+Activity level including exercise.

    Then create a deficit by subtracting 20% from TDEE or a flat 500 cals to lose a lb a week - as long as that is above RMR. As you lose weight, these numbers change and as you get closer to goal, you should eat closer to maintenance.

    Also it take several weeks for the body to adjust to any changes you make, so do one at a time, either calorie adjustment or exercise adjustment, and give it at least 4 weeks to see results.

    When I first did this, I lost 4 lbs, then gained 2 then lost 1, then gained, until after 4 weeks I settled into 0.5 - 1 lb loss per week for the last 8 weeks.

    Its important to be patient and persistant until you find the sweet spot that works for you. Good luck to all.
  • ImRadical4Jesus
    ImRadical4Jesus Posts: 144 Member
    Bump
  • ingfit
    ingfit Posts: 180 Member
    Also here is a great link to calculate your TDEE:

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced
  • slimgal613
    slimgal613 Posts: 52 Member
    This will be my second week at increasing cal intake. Gone from 1200 to 1500. I am pretty active; workout 5x weekly. No movement on the scale last week, hoping for something this coming week. But I will be patient. I am losing inches...so that makes me happy too.
  • EvEboEvie
    EvEboEvie Posts: 115 Member
    A LOT of people, including myself, are scared ****less of the thought of eating more but there are too many sucess stories out there claiming it works, so after a long struggle of my own, I have decided to give it a try, and if it works for me, I shall be shouting it from the rooftops!!!

    Well done on your sucess!

    ^^^ This. I have to say, I upped my calories to 1700 and I've been so much more successful... I dont get it at all. But. Obviously it works.
  • bump
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
    When I ate more 3 weeks ago I GAINED and am having a STRUGGLE getting it off and have STALLED! I just don't know what to believe! I am so upset and do not know what to do. I thought at 80 days in I'd be at my weight!

    Sorry so negative please understand where I am coming from.

    Is this just for people out of their BMI?? Cause mine is 22.

    HELP!
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
    When I ate more 3 weeks ago I GAINED and am having a STRUGGLE getting it off and have STALLED! I just don't know what to believe! I am so upset and do not know what to do. I thought at 80 days in I'd be at my weight!

    Sorry so negative please understand where I am coming from.

    Is this just for people out of their BMI?? Cause mine is 22.

    HELP!

    It's probably because you're so close to your goal. I've seen in other threads here that people who have just a few more pounds to go change their MFP goal to lose "half a pound per week." I don't know if you're already tried that or if you've experimented with different exercises, less exercise, etc.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
    No I haven't! THANKS! I will do that right now! Love ya!:drinker:
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
    No I haven't! THANKS! I will do that right now! Love ya!:drinker:

    You're welcome! And keep us posted :smile:
  • Its true....I found the same thing....I was trying for two whole weeks to lose weight at 1200.....I gained three pounds....and then I went up to 1800 and I have lost four. Its amazing....I also find I am not starving and feeling like a child sent to bed hungry.
  • JadeRabbit08
    JadeRabbit08 Posts: 551 Member
    M
    When I ate more 3 weeks ago I GAINED and am having a STRUGGLE getting it off and have STALLED! I just don't know what to believe! I am so upset and do not know what to do. I thought at 80 days in I'd be at my weight!

    Sorry so negative please understand where I am coming from.

    Is this just for people out of their BMI?? Cause mine is 22.

    HELP!

    Go here first and work out your BMR and TDEE using this -

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

    Then answer these questions

    Age -
    Height -
    BMR -
    TDEE on nonworkout days -
    TDEE on workout days -

    Current weight -
    Goal weight -

    Amount of total calories eaten you were on for lowest calories -
    How long you have been eating at the lowest calories -

    What total calories eaten you increased to -
    How long you stayed on this increase -

    Do you have a history of yo-yo dieting or is this your first weight loss attempt ?


    Sounds like you are pretty near goal weight.
  • BMR is on here It is the calories your boby uses before any exersice or anything. they go by height,age weight and gender at top of page
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    bump
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Ok I just don't buy it....everyone in this thread who had 'success' with upping their calories has less than a few pounds or weeks worth of proof. No long-term people (on this particular thread) are saying it worked for them...long term as in 20 pounds or over a few months. I have tried it...got stuck after losing 40 pounds on 1200 calls a day for 4 months...so tried 1450 for 2 whole months...lost 3 pounds in three days and not a half pound a month since then. I am actually back on here looking for motivation to kick back to the 1200 calls which worked for me....until a huge plateau. Which now I am wishing I had just worked through at the 1200. Ugh

    So nope...doesn't work for everyone...give it time...it may work for way less people than you think.

    You were looking for people who had done this successfully long term and I found it for you!! :)http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/531086-before-and-after-pics-no-starvation?error_user_id=9613082&error_username=RachelSRoach1

    Here is another one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518533-major-sucess-with-higher-calories?

    It is now locked as it had 500 posts but you can still view it
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
    Topic is misleading because it doesn't tell you what to eat. Eat more protein and vegetables, not carbs.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    BMR = 1228
    TDEE = 1474

    I'm currently on a 1200 cal plan. I only have about 5 more pounds to lose. And I still have that dang muffin top which I'm trying to exercise away. Progress is painfully slow.

    The link recommended states:

    "As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point."

    That would put me right back to 1200 (or less) which is what I'm already doing.

    Any comments or suggestions?

    The 1,474 is probably not actually your TDEE if I recognize the quote correctly (fit2fat?) - it is the number you need to eat to lose weight (the calculations deduct 20% from your TDEE to get the suggested calorie goal). You should be eating nearer 1,500.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    1 week ago I took advice from another thread and found out my BMR and TDEE measurements and increased my calories to 1500
    and this week lost 1.5 pounds....

    So for those of you who "Can't stay under 1200 cals" it's really not necessary
    Well done you. It must be amazing to lose weight at 1500 a day. 1200 might not be necessary for you, but it is for me. At 1200 a day, I lose about a pound every two to three weeks.

    Unfortunately, for someone of my height and weight, 1500 calories is MORE than TDEE.

    I'm heartily sick of seeing this type of "one size fits all" advice, it's bad enough having such a low BMR, without having people's higher intakes rammed down my throat all the time on here.

    YES for someone of average height, who is overweight, they can eat more. That doesn't apply to everyone!

    It is a one size fits all - if you eat between your BMR and TDEE you WILL lose weight.

    it's impossible not to, as TDEE is your daily energy expenditure, i.e maintenence.

    if you don't then you have miscalculated .

    for you that may not be a very high number, but the maths will still apply.
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