Why You Should Eat More: A Lion's Tale

PercivalHackworth

Thanks for sharing your experience, you did a great job. Let's continue together that trip ;-) Let me know if you have any questions

shakybabe

Great story but I've been on 1200 cals for about a year I've stalled so tried a spike day when got chance to go to Pizza Hut. Problem was once there I couldn't stop thinking about how many calories were in it I chose lowest cal pizza, I wasn't gonna get a pudding but sister in law insisted and I didn't want to make it into a big deal so picked one, but was instantly working out how long I'd have to go on pedals when I got back to burn it all off.

If I can't exercise I stay very low cal, if I'm gonna go on at least an hour (about 660 cals its motorised pedals as I'm unable to pedal due to disability) I can eat a bit more and often find at TOTM if I've cravings crisps and choc I'll actually eat them whilst I'm sat on the bike so I don't feel as guilty cos I'm burning it straight off.

I weighed before getting in bed and gone up to 9st 9 I was expecting to be less as I've been peeing all day from water tablets, but will try again tomorrow morning. I get the theory but can't see me been able to eat more and not instantly work it off.

I only had 3lb to go when I weighed in at 9st 6 but now I have 6lbs to lose so thought of eating more and getting heavier scares me as my goal date is in a few weeks (6th June) and I'm now further from goal than I was last week. :sad:

katemme

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

Sabrina8338

Bump

theartichoke

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

Yes, it is. It's difficult for me to believe that you don't understand the concept being explained. Is that the problem? Perhaps low calories works well for you and it's difficult to understand how more could work for others. I'd be happy to elaborate or direct you to wonderful information if you'd like.

OP...great job and thank you so much for taking the time to share your story!

mikes99mail

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

certainly was for me!

but there's a happy medium between too much and not enough, and I'm trying to find it... I was eating stupid amounts too much.

For me, a lot seems to depend on where the calories come from, so more fat & protein and fewer carbs works better for me than low-fat, high carb.

Way_2_a_Healthy_Mel

I am glad you posted this, and glad you used your own personal experience to back it up. I posted something similar earlier, and got about 50% negative comments. Of course, yours was worded a lot different than mine, so I'm not surprised at the negative responses. Still, after you using your own experience, you are still going to get a lot of people who will disagree with you.

nas24

So i just looked up my TDEE and based on how often i work out (i even under estimated) it said that it was 2469. BMR (on MFP) is 1510. Soooo... what should my cals be set at? What should my intake be, without work cals burned included? Also as i start to work out more, shouldn't i be changing my settings in my food diary, in relation to my lifestyle? I workout about 4-6 days a week, where when i joined MFP i was never working out. This whole thing is confusing, and i feel like im missing something in my diet because my acne as become out of control, out of nowhere and my cycle showed up 5 days early this month.

hemlock2010

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

I think most people are here because they want to get healthier by developing eating patterns that work for them. Presumably that's why you're here, too, so welcome to the forums.

MrsR0SE

Thank you for sharing your story. I agree 100% xx

PercivalHackworth

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

Nope

mcmom0725

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I just joined mfp in April and just started Jillians Body Revolution 2 wks ago. I feel like I am going insane! 1200 calories is not a lot especially when you are not eating back your calories. Lost 3lbs first week and nada the second. And I am starving!!! I am going to take your advice and start by eating back my calories and possibly add some! Thanks again! It was just the info I have been looking for!

Elle408

Great and well explained post!

Very similar thing happened to me. I ate at 1200 for roughly 6-7 months, I DID get to goal weight, but I was miserable. My hair fell out in clumps, my skin was sallow and pale and I had literally NO energy. I could barely answer the phone because my hands were shaking too much. By that point I was so convinced that I was doing the right thing that I couldn't see what I was doing to myself and was reluctant to eat more than 1200, even at goal.

I fully admit even now that I rush straight back to 1200 if my clothes feel tight, but I am getting better at this, and aim for at least 1550 (my BMR) and plan on raising that to 1900 (My TDEE) over the next few weeks. Even just being on 1550 stops me obsessing over food and I haven't binged in months, whereas at 1200 they were almost weekly occurrences.

Moral of the story? Be kind to yourself, you deserve it.

MrsR0SE

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

Nope

There's a difference between eating too much, eating enough and eating too little. You can reduce your calorie intake to a deficit without going too far and being unhealthy in a different way!

kathyms13

lion, i looked at your diary. you dont have veggies salads or fish and meats it looks like a lot of yoghurts junk foods. dunking doughnut stuff etc, and your water intake. i may have got this wrong but it looks like your food intake is high call processed stuff. maybe you would be well advised to have salads for lunch the body needs this. i must admit i only looked at first few days but there seemed to be a pattern. good luck with your diet, inbox me if i can help,

PercivalHackworth

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

Nope

There's a difference between eating too much, eating enough and eating too little. You can reduce your calorie intake to a deficit without going too far and being unhealthy in a different way!

Yup, the food is just one piece amongst many others when it comes to bein healthy.

pnut80

definitely thanks for sharing! i am dealing with this right now, and you just made me feel a bit better about it lol.

i have been doing the 1200 cal thing since feb and ive lost 17 lbs which is great but i have hit a wall in the last few weeks, with only 10 lbs to go to get to my GW. so yesterday after spending several hours on MFP forums and researching plateaus and what could be happening, i decided to up my cal intake. im having a hard time right now getting past my thoughts of "omg im eating toooo much!" but i do know that its best! and that my body will adjust. i want to do this the healthy way and if it means eating more and taking it slow then i am willing to do just that!

neverstray

MFP gives me 1870 to eat per day. With excerise that can go up from around 300 to 1000 or more depending on my training for hat day.

When I calculate my TDEE, it puts me at 2800 per day at maintenance. (I used fat2fitradio.com). But, I don't add back my exercise cals. I just exercise and eat. It's made a huge difference. My energy is through the roof. And, I don't feel like I'm starving. I don't even crave cheat days anymore. All that went away.

GaryRussell123456

I will probably get nasty comments for this but, whatever.

Isn't eating too much how most of you got here?

Wow, just wow. Go back to polishing your halo.

wackyfunster

Honestly, quality of food plays a huge role as well. Hair falling out is from malnutrition, not lack of calories if you are still overweight. Upping calories and still eating crap is still unhealthy.