Is "eating more and losing more" true?

xoalyssaox

I am only eating 1200 calories a day. I am sooo moody, my fiance doesn't even want to be around me. It kind of reminds me of how I acted when I was anorexic. I was SO mean back then because I was HUNGRY!

I have read on here a lot of people saying they eat more calories like 1400-1500 hundred and lose more then they did with 1200.

This is only my third day back on MFP, I failed many times, but only because I didn't give it my all..:(

Do you think I will feel better in a few days or am I doomed to be a psycho mean person while I am losing weight?

M1ssBehave

yes, it is true, plus when you do have enough cals you aren't thinking to your best either. just make sure you are eating healthy calories. like whole foods.

SmartAlec03211988

Upping my calories worked for me.

aippolito1

It depends on your body. If you have a lot of weight to lose, then no. If you're close to your goal or already relatively small, then yes.

erickirb

You may not lose eating more, but what you will notice is that a higher % of your weight loss will come from fat instead of lean muscle. So eating more may not lead to faster weight loss, but could lead to faster BF% decreases, which is really what it is all about.

MariaAlbina

I think it's true, for the simple fact that when I was only eating 1200-1300 cals that I was extremely moody. Even my boss noticed it and would bring it up and that would just make me more miserable. Then after I lost ten pounds I was trying to lose 5 more but I ended up so hungry that I just gave up and gained all the weight back. Now I'm eating 1450cals and don't feel like I'm starving myself, so yes I think if you eat more you lose more.

kikokateyy

It depends on your body. If you have a lot of weight to lose, then no. If you're close to your goal or already relatively small, then yes.

I have a lot of weight to loss and eating small amoutns did not work for me, I actually gained...
I could just have the most messed up body ever tho haha

xoalyssaox

It depends on your body. If you have a lot of weight to lose, then no. If you're close to your goal or already relatively small, then yes.

I need to lose 50. I would like to do it in 5 months before my wedding.. bahaha. Hey a girl could dream right?

nnylee

Upping my calories worked me. I was eating 1200 calories and then I plateaued. I upped my calories and started losing again.

skittles8810

If you dont eat enough your body will store the fat thinking that its in starvation mode. So up your cals and see how that does. But like others said eat whole grain foods and leave out the empty cals and processed stuff.

SOONERborn80

It is not really eating more that works its finding the right amount of calories that works for your metabolism.

ZugTheMegasaurus

Whether "eating more=losing more" is true depends entirely on whether you're eating too little to begin with. It sounds like you're undoubtedly eating too little. You're seeing extreme behavioral changes (to the point your fiance doesn't even want to be near you) and you see a connection to the same thing happening as a result of anorexia. Stop focusing on the weight loss; it is not helping you. Focus on feeling good and being around those you love, not on dropping pounds.

UrbanRunner81

You may not lose eating more, but what you will notice is that a higher % of your weight loss will come from fat instead of lean muscle. So eating more may not lead to faster weight loss, but could lead to faster BF% decreases, which is really what it is all about.

^^^ agree with that if you include some strength training, too.. I also think you face less plateaus and cravings. I am rather grumpy if I don't have enough to eat.

angie_sample

its true but it does depend on the person. I was only eating 1200 and i wasnt eating my calories back i burned and i stopped losing and i wasnt feeling good. Now i eat 1500-1600 cal a day and i feel SOOOO much better and my weight loss has sped up.

grinch031

If you're talking very short term progress (like 4 weeks or less), then upping your calories may simply cause you to drop water weight, making you believe that you actually burned more fat because of it. This is what I believe, as opposed to the possibility that a good sample of MFPers are not bound by the laws of physics.

From leangains:

The above makes me wonder if the myth of "starvation mode" is actually perpetuated by extreme dieters who find themselves not losing any weight on starvation-level caloric intake (due to severe water retention obscuring weight loss). While some metabolic slowdown occurs during any diet, it's never so profound that it completely negates a substantial calorie deficit. For example, during The Minnesota Experiment the researchers noted a 15-20% reduction in basal metabolic rate at the end of the study (it was actually 40% compared to the start of the study, but this was due to a higher body weight; a large percentage of the drop could be explained by the simple fact that they weighed less and not due to any hormonal impact).

http://www.leangains.com/2010/01/how-to-deal-with-water-retention-part.html

barefoot76

I think it depends on a lot of factors. How tall are you? How much are you trying to lose? What is your % of body fat? Are you trying to gain muscle at the same time?

I am under 5 feet tall, I run and lift weights weekly, and I'm trying to lose "the last ten pounds" while gaining muscle. My goal is to cycle my calories, spiking once a week, so my daily calorie intake should be between 900 and 1800 calories. When I tried upping my calories according to the fat2fit.com calculators (which suggested 1800 calories a day), I started gaining immediately.

UponThisRock

That's what I do when I want to lose weight, start eating more.

MontagneGitane

I plateaued very quickly at 1,200. I also wasn't paying attention to eating back any of my exercise calories. I upped my calorie intake to where I usually net between 1,300-1,500, and since then have been consistently losing a pound a week. Best part is that I don't feel like I'm starving anymore. I don't think there's some magic formula that works for everyone, but 1,200 seems to end up being problematic for a lot of people.

snowbab

Yes. I stopped losing and even gained a bit when on 1200-1300. Then I upped it to 1400-1500 but that didn't help much. After a plateau of 3.5 months I decided to try upping cals, my last choice, and it works! I now eat 1650-1700 NET a day and I'm losing 0.5-1 pound a week (v.close to goal weight so this is good!).

Do it! 1200 is very unhealthy it's most likely under your BMR which you never eat less than. Good luck!

Rae6503

Even if you don't "lose more" isn't losing slower worth it to feel better and not piss off boyfriend? Also, you say you've failed before, again eating more will help you stick with it. Figure out your TDEE, eat 10-20% less than that.

susannamarie

This is only my third day back on MFP, I failed many times, but only because I didn't give it my all..:(

Do you think I will feel better in a few days or am I doomed to be a psycho mean person while I am losing weight?

I think you're a lot less likely to fail if you set your calories someplace where you aren't pissed off and ravenous.

Who loses more weight in the long run? The person who loses at 1lb/week and sticks to their goal or the person who sets a goal of 2 lbs/week and quits after a month?

hinmana

I found that I was not eating enough and that is why I wasn't losing any weight. My body was in starvation mood trying to keep everything it had. I now eat 1600-1700 net calories so I eat close to 2200 to 2500 a day to keep up with what I am burning off through exercise. I found it hard a first to eat so much but now I have a rountine done and eat 5-6 smaller meals a day and it is working!

cgsr

This is only my third day back on MFP, I failed many times, but only because I didn't give it my all..:(

Do you think I will feel better in a few days or am I doomed to be a psycho mean person while I am losing weight?

I think you're a lot less likely to fail if you set your calories someplace where you aren't pissed off and ravenous.

Who loses more weight in the long run? The person who loses at 1lb/week and sticks to their goal or the person who sets a goal of 2 lbs/week and quits after a month?

^^^that's some awesome advice right there...plus I too increased my cals after noticing a plateau and it work great.

xoalyssaox

I am 5'2. My body fat is 28.92%, I am trying to lose 50 pounds by my wedding October 5. (162 days)

I think it depends on a lot of factors. How tall are you? How much are you trying to lose? What is your % of body fat? Are you trying to gain muscle at the same time?

I am under 5 feet tall, I run and lift weights weekly, and I'm trying to lose "the last ten pounds" while gaining muscle. My goal is to cycle my calories, spiking once a week, so my daily calorie intake should be between 900 and 1800 calories. When I tried upping my calories according to the fat2fit.com calculators (which suggested 1800 calories a day), I started gaining immediately.

xoalyssaox

Wow I totally calculated that wrong. It's 41%

I am 5'2. My body fat is 28.92%, I am trying to lose 50 pounds by my wedding October 5. (162 days)

I think it depends on a lot of factors. How tall are you? How much are you trying to lose? What is your % of body fat? Are you trying to gain muscle at the same time?

I am under 5 feet tall, I run and lift weights weekly, and I'm trying to lose "the last ten pounds" while gaining muscle. My goal is to cycle my calories, spiking once a week, so my daily calorie intake should be between 900 and 1800 calories. When I tried upping my calories according to the fat2fit.com calculators (which suggested 1800 calories a day), I started gaining immediately.

angiechimpanzee

Eating more calories does not cause anyone to lose more weight. It's illogical and scientifically impossible. If you increase your calories from 1200 to 1400 you will lose slightly slower.

HOWEVER if the amount of calories you're eating is making you irritable then WHY THE HELL (excuse my language) are you eating that little? In order for weight loss to be a long-term success, you need to be doing something that you can happily do for a long period of time, or at least long enough to reach your goals. Not something that's pissing you, and everyone around you off.

Mommyof3texans

The first time I did this a year ago, I had to up from the 1200 this gave me to around 1350 to start losing. This time, I'm using a deficit from my TDEE (I'm around 1,640 cals) and I am losing. If you are eating a healthy, balanced diet there is no reason to be hungry while losing weight!

CoderGal

<-120. I eat about TDEE (maintenance) + exercise calories to loose weight.

angiechimpanzee

I think it's true, for the simple fact that when I was only eating 1200-1300 cals that I was extremely moody. Even my boss noticed it and would bring it up and that would just make me more miserable. Then after I lost ten pounds I was trying to lose 5 more but I ended up so hungry that I just gave up and gained all the weight back. Now I'm eating 1450cals and don't feel like I'm starving myself, so yes I think if you eat more you lose more.

your weight loss success after increasing your calories wasn't due to the actual increase in calories itself, it was due to the fact that you were now on a plan you could comfortably maintain for a long period of time. there's a difference.

But if someone is comfortable eating 1,200 calories a day (as in not irritable, not moody, not uncomfortably hungry, eating all the right foods, etc) and decides to increase it to 1,500, that person isn't going to lose weight any quicker than they had been before. In fact the rate of weight loss would slow down.

kealambert

Upping my calories worked for me.

emilynicole02

Upping my calories worked me. I was eating 1200 calories and then I plateaued. I upped my calories and started losing again.

this is what happened to me as well.
how many calories were you burning per day?
and how many days a week were you working out?
and what did you up your calories too?

thanks