There is a big difference between eating more to lose weight

KSCarnivore

Over the last six months I have participated in a pre-surgery class and medically supervised weight loss plan for a Lap Band. During the supervised weight management class, it is recommended to keep records of everything we eat, eat 5-7 fruits and vegetables per day, drink 8 glasses of water, exercise 30+ minutes. and eat 2 meal replacements (healthy choice, lean cuisine, slimfast, etc) per day. Because we weren't restricted by what we couldn't eat, I didn't lose weight. As part of the post-surgery education class, I noticed that we were recommended to change our diets again and start counting protein (60+g / day) and strive for a1,200 calorie per day diet. Well, I decided to start that diet before surgery.... to see, am I going to be able to live this way? YES! I can! Now that I am counting calories on MFP and focusing on protein intake I am losing weight. I've dropped 10 lbs in 3 1/2 weeks and yesterday had to add on a snack to meet the 1200 calorie threshold. I indulged in a rice krispy treat. For me, the protein is the key. And yet, there is a difference in protein too: I could eat a fried pork chop and take in 400+ calories, drink a Slim Fast 321 Shake and take in 180 calories and 20 grams of protein or drink an EAS low carb shake and take in 17 grams of protein and only 100 calories. By eating the meal replacements, I'm naturally gravitating to fish and chicken vs beef. I can go to Panera and pick a low calorie salad or a high calorie salad. And yes, I would have previously picked the high calorie meals, but now that I'm calorie conscious, I am FULL with modest calorie choices. I may or may not eat back some of my exercise calories... I'd just as soon not.

Today I am clinically obese. BMI 31.5%. It's marginal, not morbid, I know. At this point, I could have the surgery or feel just as confident that I am able to lose my weight without it. But, the risks are minimal, I've met all of the requirements and I think that I'll be happy to have this as an additional tool to help keep the weight off... that of course is a whole 'nother discussion!

freckles465

I have never agreed more. All these people are lying to themselves saying they "struggle" to eat 1,200 calories. The reason we are all on here is because we are stuggling with our weight and overeating. I srtuggle to stay under my 1,200 calories, and I'm really not even overweight.

teeley

What I don't understand is, most people came to MFP because they were eating well above their recommended caloric intake, so how all of a sudden are they now not able to eat exercise calories back and not eat up to 1200, 1300, 1400 calories?

The problem is that we are now eating good food that fills you up. If I eat good protein and lots of fruit and veggies and try to keep fat < 20%, calorie intake will be low and I will be stuffed. 400 calories of good protein and fruit and veggies will stuff you.

Sure when I was eating bad...I could eat 1/2 a pizza ( 4 pieces) and calories would be 1500-2000 calories or go to the chineese buffett and blow them out of the water with a couple egg rolls.

Today, I have to work on trying to add good calories. Maybe add some protein powder or nuts to my food or eating greek yogurt.

I agree with you! It is what we are eating now compared to how we used to eat...

I call BS,

There are plenty of ways to get in an extra couple hundread "good" calories...I am not going to waste my time listing them, as there are plenty of posts already on the subject.

Call it whatever you want but what works for some dont work for others!

I am not telling anyone what to do, I agree that you should do what works for you, I have been all over the board and still figuring out what works for me, but these are poor excuses. IF you want to eat more then don't make excuses for why you can't, just do it. If eating lower is working than keep doing it.

delilah47

Great post!

When I see someone who's eating less than 1200 calories because they are "stuffed", my brain rushes to judgement and I think they may have an eating disorder. It's not right to judge others, but you can't help what your "first impression" tells you. It would be different if they said "I am eating less than 1200 calories and I don't seem to be hungry". But, add exercise to that and, sorry, it would take a lot to convince me someone is stuffed eating less than 1200 (or even "not hungry" for that matter).

catelabow

Great post! This is why MFP has helped me so much. I had to get real about what I was really eating: quantity and quality. When I began consciously eating different foods, everything felt up in the air for a while. Now I am getting used to what it feels like to be "full" and "starving" and how to power my body for intense exercise.

em435

I wish we could copy and paste this in the 'Goals' section of MFP.

I recalculated calories on Saturday for my new weight and unknowingly ended up eating less than my BMR (200calories under!). Surprise surprise, I was ridiculously hungry every day. I upped my calories yesterday to 1700 and, like magic, I feel great!

Jen8np

While I agree with you for the most part, a lot of overweight people (including myself) weren't eating enough. That meant that our bodies went into starvation mode and clung on to every ounce of fat that went into our bodies - - even if it was only 800/day. I wasn't focused on eating during the day before, so a glass of milk and a cup of coffee would be all I fueled my body with for 8-10 hours. I may have had lunch, I may not have. Sometimes I just figured why eat at 3pm when I realized I was hungry when dinner would be in 2-3 hours. So I was clearly not eating enough....for me it was an adjustment to go from eating one meal a day to 4-5 small meals a day. It seemed like I was constantly eating. I had to retrain my thoughts and my body. Now that I've been eating the way I'm supposed to - I'm looking at 1400 cals/day like the norm instead of 800.

See I don't get that bit, you say you were overweight because you weren't eating enough. Even if you're not eating much through the day surely you were overcompensating at night. I just don't understand how someone can be overweight when they consistently eat around 800 calories a day. I just don't think it makes sense.

This is how you can eat 700 cals a day and still be overweight...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

mjn18

bump

essjay76

Now look at the sensible approach. If you've got a good amount of weight to lose, losing a half to one pound a week is a very reasonable and healthy goal to strive for. To do so, all you need to do is somehow cut 500 calories a day from what you normally take in.

I agree, but I think you misspoke here, I think you mean they need to cut 500 cals from TDEE, cutting 500 cals from their current intake might just decrease the amount they are putting on.

It's really important for people to know their numbers (TDEE and BMR).

You're right. My point was to illustrate that even small changes in one's current diet can make a difference, and slowly bring you to the path of eating around TDEE and BMR levels.

essjay76

And I understand that the difference in what type of foods you consume now can make you feel full, but you can't live off of just vegetables and fiber forever. If your calorie intake is higher it could allow for the higher fat and calorie dense treats and not throw you completely off the wagon.

methodless

I am one of those who says that they cannot eat back all the exercise calories and sometimes finds it hard to eat 1200 cals a day. For me this is because it is what I am eating now. I accept that in the past I was probably eating a lot more in terms of calories but the food was crap e.g. large bag of tyrrells or kettle chips as a snack, Mc Donalds meals which meant I was full at the time but 2 hours later I wanted more. Now I think hard about my calories and what I put in my mouth. I make the most of what I eat and find that I am fuller for longer, which means I am not hungry between meals as I have been in the past and this is why I can't always get my calories in. Don't know if this is the same for everyone, but this is my experience.

Same for me - I still eat 3000+ calories on the weekends, but some weekdays, half of that is a struggle

Axels91

i agree with the op. however i will say that much of my tiredness came from me not having enough water. you need water to break down atp. if you arent then you wont have enough to fuel your workouts.

i also believe that you can take in most of your nutrients through fruits and vegetables. it makes sense to get used to eating that way, because your old ways of eating will have to be stopped eventually.

i agree that you shouldnt dive right in, because it will shock your system. i detox first, and then i slowly introduce raw fruits and vegetables. i get my protein and fiber from them and will occasionally have fish for fun.

i take omega3, vitamin b12, and iron. i do not feel weak or sluggish although i am technically undereating. i think alot of it has to do with WHAT you are eating, as well as your water intake.

edit* i am trying to get used to a caveman's diet. they were strong, agile, and healthy. and they had meat, sea animals, and vegetables. you do not need dairy unless you are a newborn. but the dairy industry is thriving, so of course they will tell you you need the calcium, but calcium is available in things like greens, broccoli and oranges.

my point is its possible to lose weight eating processed foods, but its alot like mixing water in your gas tank. our bodies have no need for simple carbs.

mrsmangomum

I can't only eat 1200. It makes me so sick! I'm all about eating more! Yeah, I'll lose slower, but I'll actually stick to it and feel like a human. Not a zombie.

LorinaLynn

I think part of the problem is that many people think that losing weight means a complete lifestyle overhaul, when in reality, it's gradual and smaller changes that make the biggest longterm impact.

Most of us probably weren't eating THAT bad before. Say you were gaining on average 10 pounds in six months, or 20 pounds a year. That's less than a half a pound a week, or about 200 calories more per day than you should have been eating to maintain your weight. If you'd maintain around 2000 calories, you were eating about 2200... not 3000 or 4000 calories a day.

But instead of looking at the math and approaching it rationally, we beat ourselves up and think we're gluttonous sloths, and instead of going for a reasonable 1/2 or 1 pound a week loss, we're stubborn and impatient and want it gone as soon as possible, and go for the lowest calorie allowance possible, and do things like cut out entire food groups because we think they're evil and bad.

Chances are, you weren't eating THAT bad to gain weight. It was small changes over a long period of time to put the weight on. And small changes over a long period of time will take it off, too. You were eating just a little bit more than you should to gain, and you can eat just a little bit less than normal to lose.

MelissaGraham7

I have to agree with some, though, that it can be difficult to eat back calories....because we are NOT wanting to eat what we were eating before. The object is to eat back calories with nutritious healthy foods and until we really get into the KNOW of how that is done and how it works for us individually, whether it be with healthy carbs, protein, fat, whatever..... it really can be difficult. Once you are eating healthy foods, they are not so calorie dense, so you have to really do some PLANNING to eat back those calories, rather than just say throwing on a couple of donuts or processed crap.

myak623

Great post. Unfortunately, most people still won't get it. They forget how long it took them to gain the weight. Most of the time it was gained over several years and they are trying to get back to a certain weight in 6 months.

Biggest point made in this post is that no one actually knows the amount of calories they were eating that made them fat. But, they want to think that anything more than 1200 will take them back to where they were. So not true.

Axels91

I ate whatever I wanted and maintained the exact same weight for my entire life lol. And that was being sedentary. I eat fewer calories until I start exercising. Then I will half the deficit. Ex: before I used to eat 1600 cal a day. Now I eat 1100 or less.

When I start running and cycling, I will only cut 250 cal instead of 500.

momma2teacher

There is a big difference between eating more to lose weight and eating how you used to eat.

I read a lot of posts from people from both sides of the fence: the ones who tell you to eat more to lose weight, and the others who say they simply "can't" eat all their exercise calories back, or reach their calorie goal for the day because they're so "stuffed", or lose weight if they aren't eating at MFP's 1200 calorie guideline.

What I don't understand is, most people came to MFP because they were eating well above their recommended caloric intake, so how all of a sudden are they now not able to eat exercise calories back and not eat up to 1200, 1300, 1400 calories?

I bet you that for most people, if you were to take an *honest* look at what you were *really* eating before you came to MFP, and just logged your calories as you normally ate when you gained weight, you were probably eating well above 2500, 3000, or even 4000 calories a day. For most average size people, that could account to a 10, 20, or even 30 pound weight gain. (This is the average person, this is not counting someone who may have other health issues going on...)

So this is why traditional "dieting" fails - people go from eating a ridiculous amount of calories to all of a sudden restricting themselves to 1200 calories a day. It's such an extreme measure that it's hard for most people to keep it up as a lifestyle.

Now look at the sensible approach. If you've got a good amount of weight to lose, losing a half to one pound a week is a very reasonable and healthy goal to strive for. To do so, all you need to do is somehow cut 500 calories a day from what you normally take in.

That's not hard to do - cutting down on a portion size, walking for 30 minutes, skipping a soda or two - just small things - can add up. If you were eating 4000 calories a day eating 1000 calories worth of donuts and/or pizza, you could cut that by eating 1 instead of 2 slices or 2 pieces of donuts. Let's say you're a 5'6" sedentary woman, and your daily calorie needs at goal weight are about 1800 calories a day to maintain. If you're about 20 pounds overweight, you could simply take off 250 calories from food, and 250 from walking, cleaning, doing something for 30 minutes to an hour. It's not extreme and it won't make you feel like you're "dieting".

The whole point when people say "eat more to lose weight" is that you don't have to go to such extreme measures (going from 3000+ calories a day to 1200! That's just crazy!)

Just get used to eating a little less than your maintenance calories. "Eat more to lose weight" does not mean stuffing your face with seconds, thirds, box loads, and packages of all the stuff you used to eat. You're still reducing calories if you're eating like you were at your goal weight.

It boggles my mind, especially when I read about folks who have 30+ pounds to lose and all of a sudden say they are "fine" and "not starving" eating only 1200 calories a day now.

Before I started losing weight back in January, I calorie checked what I was eating...I was ranging between 1400-1600 calories NOT ON A DIET. 1361 is my BMR. I was steadily gaining weight. So not always true that people were eating 2400 calories.

Nastasha915

I've also found it difficult to eat my exercise calories back, particularly because I work out in the evening. So after I get home and log my exercise I have 700-900 calories left over (I upped my net cals from 1200 to 1500 because the former was leaving me weak and tired). I'm not interested in eating that much at night. But Ive found the best solution is to eat a little more throughout the day which will not only help reach my calorie goal, but it will force me to go to the gym so that i don't go over my calorie goal by eating my exercise calories in advance and then deciding I don't feel like going to the gym.

kristinL16

Now look at the sensible approach. If you've got a good amount of weight to lose, losing a half to one pound a week is a very reasonable and healthy goal to strive for. To do so, all you need to do is somehow cut 500 calories a day from what you normally take in.

I agree, but I think you misspoke here, I think you mean they need to cut 500 cals from TDEE, cutting 500 cals from their current intake might just decrease the amount they are putting on.

It's really important for people to know their numbers (TDEE and BMR).

This needs to be restated. If you are to lose a pound a week you need to burn 500 calories less than you take in. That doesn't mean that if you are used to eating 4000 calories and only eat 3500 you will lose weight. In that scenario you are still taking in more than your body needs. Same goes for someone who only burns 1600 through daily activity and eats 1700. Over time they will most likely gain weight. Not everyone who has gained weight has done so on eating 4000 calories a day with only fast food and desserts all day every day.

I also agree with others who have stated that they are full on less calories because they are eating larger quantities of good food that has few calories, relative to what they were eating before.