Eating more to lose weight - Does it work?

Sipah

Yup it is counter-intiuative, doesn't make much sense to me. But a vocal group seems to be advocating it. Now while I am assuming they have used it themselves, has anybody tried it with success?

Basically has someone tried this whole eating more bit and lost weight?

Edit: For grammar and English.

LizKurz

Yes, I have.

5 years ago, I set out to l lose 102 lbs after my second child was born. About 30 lbs into it, I started not losing. I figured out that I was eating abut 500 less than I should have been. I upped my food back up to 2300 from 1700 and within a week I was loosing 2 lbs a week again.

It really is a precarious situation in which you cant go too high or too low, or your body will balk.

ladyraven68

Yup it is counter-intiuative, doesn't make much sense to me. But a vocal group seems to be advocating it. Now while I am assuming they have used it themselves, has anybody tried it with success?

Basically has someone tried this whole eating more bit and lost weight?

Edit: For grammar and English.

Um, eating more than what? It's not a case ot just eating more than you are eating now, or more than your daily needs, it about eating enough to fuel your body correctly, giving it adequate nutrition,

The groups you are looking for advocate eating more than your BMR, but less than your TDEE.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395881-people-who-lost-weight-eating-more?

MrsSpinks

I have continued to lose weight after upping my calories gradually! I now eat around maintenance and still lose!

Sipah

Sorry if I wasn't clear. That is what I meant. More than your BMR but less than your TDEE. The question is has this method worked and so far from the rather quick replies (thanks btw) it has worked.

So I will give it a shot. Thanks.

Hungry_Tuna

No this doesn't work, apparently. I'm back up to my starting weight so forget that *kitten*.

lind3400

yeh I think that people forget that now they're exercising more and speeding up their metabolism they require more food becasue their BMR has increased as well...thats why they stall after a certain point

bluefox9er

you are going to get all KINDS of differing opinions based on real life personal situations.

When I first lost my weight, I ignored my net calories and didn't eat a morsel OVER my MFP allowance of 1,200 calorie allowance, despite burning at least 1,000 calories a day.

This time around, I experimented and decided to eat back my calories so I have a NET of around 500 calories. to my horror, I piled on 8 lbs inside of almost 3 weeks.

Eat back exercise calories? not for me, as i wish to lose weight.

lind3400

Also if you want more proof on increasing cals ...here is a thread I started on the topic and all the responses to it Very positive!!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/546227-for-the-500-000-time-eating-more-works

mermx

I upped my calories by 300 a day from 1200 a day last week as I am happy to maintain at the moment.

I lost 1lb.

So will carry on at 1500 a day this week and see what happens.

PS I always eat all my exercise cals back also.

firefly171717

YES!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE DO NOT STARVE URSELF you need food to lose :-)

firefly171717

I upped my calories by 300 a day from 1200 a day last week as I am happy to maintain at the moment.

I lost 1lb.

So will carry on at 1500 a day this week and see what happens.

PS I always eat all my exercise cals back also.

YES DO THIS! :-)

UpEarly

It worked for me! I had my net calories set to 1830 when I first started losing. As I lost, I had to drop the net incrementally down to 1700 as I weighed less and less.

I'm working on figuring out maintenance mode now - but most days I eat anywhere from 2200 - 2700 calories. Even at that level, I'm still losing about a half pound a week.

ihateroses

you are going to get all KINDS of differing opinions based on real life personal situations.

When I first lost my weight, I ignored my net calories and didn't eat a morsel OVER my MFP allowance of 1,200 calorie allowance, despite burning at least 1,000 calories a day.

This time around, I experimented and decided to eat back my calories so I have a NET of around 500 calories. to my horror, I piled on 8 lbs inside of almost 3 weeks.

Eat back exercise calories? not for me, as i wish to lose weight.

What you are saying is that you were living on 200 calories per day????

kerriBB37

I am total proof that eating MORE does help you lose! A good rule of thumb is that, one should eat your weight x10 in order to LOSE weight.. my best friend has her doctorate in biochemistry and I always pick her brain.. I would consider myself very educated *now* on health and fitness but it's taken me a LONG time to learn! She always told me about eating more and I would just ignore her.

I started on MFP in Jan of LAST year and I worked my BUTT off ALL year.. logged daily, worked out 5-6 days a week for a couple hours a day, ate 1200 calories.. From January to June I lost a couple pounds but afterwards I ended up gaining. In 2011 in totaly I lost only TWO pounds! =( I was so discouraged and I just kept thinking, "I am doing EVERYTHING right".. I broke down to my friend (she is a marathoner, triathlete, etc. and the biochemist) and we talked about what I was doing. Basically I was doing TOO much and eating way TOO little! SO in 2012 I promised her I'd try her scientific method.. I upped my calories to 1800 since I was 180 pounds and ate them. (I did not eat back all my exercise calories though, that is important to know) and I've done a lot less at the gym. I still go 5-6x a week but it's usually for 45-60 minutes instead of 2-3 hours. I do weights 3x a week and I do some cardio.. Interval training is the BEST for fat loss. I do treadmill workouts that are about 30-45 minutes. I run/walk or sprint/jog/walk.. whatever I'm feeling that day. Anyways, today I am 161#!!! IT HAS WORKED!!!! Almost 20 pounds just this year! Now my diary is set for 1600 calories a day and I've continued all that she has told me to do.

I trust science and my friend.. I'm glad I FINALLY gave in to trying it. I have informed several women on here about what I've learned and the few that have given in, and ate more, always message me that they have started losing! One woman has been averaging 2.5# a week since she upped hers!

squishycow7

I lost about 5lbs on a 1200 cal diet
I stalled out, lost barely anything last summer...
UNTIL I bumped up to my BMR (about 1400)
then I stalled out again...
now I'm set to lose 1/2lb a week (about 1530) and I've lost another 5lbs this way.

I'm pretty close to my goal weight so my 3.6lb loss just last month was prettyyyy good if I say so myself.

& for the record I do eat my exercise calories

JoHola

It also worked for me.

I was at 1200, lost a few lbs pretty quickly but then slowed to nothing. I up'd to 1440 and lost 2lbs in the first week!

I also eat my exercise calories back. :happy:

julesga

So, how do you explain the success of people who have had weight loss surgery and eat around 800 calories/day during their losing phase?

ihateroses

I lost about 5lbs on a 1200 cal diet
I stalled out, lost barely anything last summer...
UNTIL I bumped up to my BMR (about 1400)
then I stalled out again...
now I'm set to lose 1/2lb a week (about 1530) and I've lost another 5lbs this way.

I'm pretty close to my goal weight so my 3.6lb loss just last month was prettyyyy good if I say so myself.

& for the record I do eat my exercise calories

I was pretty much going to write the EXACT same thing! The above has been working well for me too, and 4 (sloooow) lbs to go.

ladyraven68

No this doesn't work, apparently. I'm back up to my starting weight so forget that *kitten*.

if it is not working for you then you have miscalculated as it is not possible to gain fat when eating under your TDEE.

It is possible to gain some water, but that's just normal body fluctuations.

bluefox9er

you are going to get all KINDS of differing opinions based on real life personal situations.

When I first lost my weight, I ignored my net calories and didn't eat a morsel OVER my MFP allowance of 1,200 calorie allowance, despite burning at least 1,000 calories a day.

This time around, I experimented and decided to eat back my calories so I have a NET of around 500 calories. to my horror, I piled on 8 lbs inside of almost 3 weeks.

Eat back exercise calories? not for me, as i wish to lose weight.

What you are saying is that you were living on 200 calories per day????

I ate the calories that MFP suggested for my weight loss goal of albs a week..which was around 1,200 calories per day.

JeSuisPrest

Yup it is counter-intiuative, doesn't make much sense to me. But a vocal group seems to be advocating it. Now while I am assuming they have used it themselves, has anybody tried it with success?

Basically has someone tried this whole eating more bit and lost weight?

Edit: For grammar and English.

There is a big difference in eating enough and overeating!!! Eating at 1200 calories did not work for me. We do not need to starve ourselves in order to lose weight.

Shyloh1

No this doesn't work, apparently. I'm back up to my starting weight so forget that *kitten*.

May I ask you why it doesn't work for you?

How long did your body to adjust to upping your calories?

Are you weighing and measuring your food accurately?

When I upped my calories,I was told to give it 2-3 weeks because I may see temporary water weight gain. It takes a bit for your body to adjust to the increase in calories.

fallenangelloves

It's worked for me.... I eat about 1600 calories a day plus all my exercise calories back... Oh and let's not forget I have a cheat day about once a week... (or every holiday at least)

Husband does the same and has lost 57 pounds.... He stalled when he wasn't eating all his calories and had to make sure he got all his in...

I get so frustrated reading "the scale won't budge!" and yet see their low calorie intake or their net being below 1200... Sorry but you don't read comments like that as much from people eating more...

babyblooeyes

It has been working well for me. I usually consume about 2100 calories per day sometimes more depending on how hard I work out. MFP gives me about 1450 before eating exercise calories back (YES, eat those exercise calories). Which ends up being right in between the BMR and TDEE formulation. I have been consistently losing 3-4 lbs a week (mind you I am a big girl). Total so far since the start of February is 49-50lbs. lost.

Don't starve yourself it isn't necessary.

Theresa

AReasor

IT WORKS! Every time I hit a plateau that lasts more than a week, I up my calories some. I have done it twice and every time I immediately start losing again. I have lost 15lbs since the beginning of January(I am 5ft. 1). :flowerforyou:

AReasor

Also, I work out every other day.

LizKurz

you are going to get all KINDS of differing opinions based on real life personal situations.

When I first lost my weight, I ignored my net calories and didn't eat a morsel OVER my MFP allowance of 1,200 calorie allowance, despite burning at least 1,000 calories a day.

This time around, I experimented and decided to eat back my calories so I have a NET of around 500 calories. to my horror, I piled on 8 lbs inside of almost 3 weeks.

Eat back exercise calories? not for me, as i wish to lose weight.

I'm going to guess a lot of this was based on your age. Netting 500 calories is certainly enough to throw you into starvation mode, so I'm not surprised in the least your body was trying to hold onto every bite you ate and you didn't lose weight. I am also not surprised being anorexic in a sense, by eating what you were burning and no more, worked as if you burn and then don't eat, you have no choice but to lose weight. However, while this will yeild weight loss, it's very hard on your body, and is not healthy to maintain for any period of time. Which is why when you upped your cals, even a bit, you didn't lose as much, if any, because your body was doing what it could to hold onto anything you were giving it.

kflah2

Yes. I plateaued a couple of weeks ago. I upped my caloric intake 300 calories and am back to losing 1.5-2 lbs/week. The concept is that your body will store fat called "starvation mode" if you are taking in too few calories. The catch is they still have to be healthy choices to fulfill those calories but if your diet does not include some fat you will not lose.

SheilaSisco

you are going to get all KINDS of differing opinions based on real life personal situations.

When I first lost my weight, I ignored my net calories and didn't eat a morsel OVER my MFP allowance of 1,200 calorie allowance, despite burning at least 1,000 calories a day.

This time around, I experimented and decided to eat back my calories so I have a NET of around 500 calories. to my horror, I piled on 8 lbs inside of almost 3 weeks.

Eat back exercise calories? not for me, as i wish to lose weight.

What you are saying is that you were living on 200 calories per day????

It appears that way. She is also trying to sustain herself on 500 net and gained and so quit that.

Problem here is, you WILL gain initially while your body gets used to the fact that you are ACTUALLY feeding it properly. If you kept with it you'd start seeing losses again and it would be easy to upkeep. Eating so few calories (net) at this point is clinically diagnosable as anorexia and NOT healthy... it is also not sustainable unless you want to eat so little and exercise so much for the rest of your life.

This is why there re those that advocate for eating more. If, as you lose weight, you gradually increase your calories closer to maintenance, when you're weight loss goal is reached, you can continue the lifestyle you're used to without starving yourself and be a healthier happier individual.

I also stalled out trying to eat a net of 1200... I also thought eating less was a better way to lose and so quit eating back exercise calories... and I GAINED weight. I upped my net to 1350 and started eating my exercise calories back again and started dropping weight like crazy, so yes it works... as long as you are willing to accept the very real possibility that if you've been eating at too low of number you MIGHT gain a little before you start to lose and you just have to keep with it and NOT give up!

psuLemon

you are going to get all KINDS of differing opinions based on real life personal situations.

When I first lost my weight, I ignored my net calories and didn't eat a morsel OVER my MFP allowance of 1,200 calorie allowance, despite burning at least 1,000 calories a day.

This time around, I experimented and decided to eat back my calories so I have a NET of around 500 calories. to my horror, I piled on 8 lbs inside of almost 3 weeks.

Eat back exercise calories? not for me, as i wish to lose weight.

If you are legitimately netting 500 calories, it's the reason you aren't losing.


I have worked with well over 100 people this forum, all of them are eating 1600+ calories and all lost more weight doing that then when eating 1200 calories. If you aren't losing, then there is an evaluation that needs to be done and questions to be asked.

1. Is your goal too aggressive (you can't aim to lose 2 lbs per week if you only have 20 lbs to lose)
2. If you ate your exercise calories and didn't lose, then MFP is probably over estimating and you should eat 50-75% of them.
3. You are over estimating or under estimating the calories you consume.
4. Your workout routine is not conducive to weight loss (for example: too much cardio).