SERIOUSLY, eat more! I did, and look what happened! (pics)

lu136mickey

You look awsome, I would continue to exercise but you do not need to lose any more weight !! Great story thanks for sharing

Eve23

That is absolutely fantastic. You look so much better doing it the right way. I hope others read this.

cbear017

Amen. You look fantastic and I hope more people follow your example.

slowly_changing12

u look great:happy:

half_moon

Awesome work!! Yes, 500- 900 calories is tooo low!!! I try to eat at least 1200, sometimes 1300 - 1400. You are an inspiration to me!

marie_cressman

you are absolutely right! i honestly eat between 1,600 and 1,800 calories a day. i'm never hungry! i'm always eating! i eat 5-6 times a day and SOMETIMES more! fuel your metabolism with the right foods and exercise! that's the very best thing you can do for your body! you look absolutely wonderful! keep up all your hard work because it's definitely paying off!

hothodgie

You look super fit and fantastic! You have a slammin hard body now! I used to believe I had to eat 1200 calories and then work out 4 to 5 times a week. I was about 500 to 700 NET calories. I did it for 3 weeks and lost nothing, although I was toning, just not losing. Then I increased my calories to 1590 a day, and I work out 6 days a week. I try to NET about 1200 a day. I have been consistently losing since then. I was about 194 on June 6th. I am currently 182.4. Eating more and exercising WORKS!! You are physical proof! Outstanding work!!

sarabig2fit

awesome job. you look incredible.

schustc

If eating more calories is better,,,,,,,,isnt that how i got to be fat in the first place? I am so confused.

Me too, if I eat more than 1200 or 1300 cals. a day I dont lose, and I only work out 3 to 4 sometimes 5 days a week, I thought that is what Im supposed to be eating according to MFP, Im kinda confused..

first to the OP - GREAT JOB!! AWESOME!

In answer to the 2 questions here, it's really about calories in vs. calories out, and finding a balance that works for you. if your body burns 2000 in a day, and you eat 1500, 'technically' (and this isn't always the case but get's the point across) technically, this would get you 1 pound lost per week (3500= 1 lb)

When you eat too low, your body slows the metabolism to conserve calories, so it learns to function on less. if you don't lift weights/build/maintain muscle, you lose muscle AND fat - and muscle is what helps keep your metabolism High.

so basically you eat a LOT less calories, which slows your metabolism, then you lose muscle, slowing it further, so that 2 people at the same weight may not burn the same calories (example, someone could burn, at rest, 1800 calories, while another person at the same weight may only burn 1300, because the metabolism is slower).

There's a lot more to it, but the idea is, find out what your total burn is in a day - referred to commonly as TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) if you burn 2400 calories, then eating 1900 should get you a good 1 lb per week loss. Hence, eating more (1900 vs 1200/day) to lose.

if you keep eating very low calories, you're going to get into a slump where you have to eat less and less as you plateau (or you think you do). Better to find the balance, and increase energy output through exercise/weights, than to keep lowering your calories to next to nothing to compensate.

This is REALLY a summary of it - but I hope it helps a bit. (i.e., I am 233 and eat, on average 1800/day and losing consistently. The more activity I bring in, the more I will up the calories to keep around the same range)

Good luck!

and GREAT JOB to the OP!!!!

SithChicky

You were never fat, in fact your weight in the beg. looked great! but you look toned and healthy, and still i see the difference. i am happy that you decided to eat more, it is a good story and lesson to others on how they should properly lose weight. great job on your rockin body!

^^ I agree. You looked good from the beginning, imo.

lvpthemvp

Great job Emily!

mrsjennifermaffei

You had an eating disorder. Sadly too many people have them but I'm glad you learned that eating more and doing the work will give you better results that what you got starving yourself. Bulemia is no joke and I'm glad you did not get overwhelmed in it.

MuffRuff

You go girl! I have also noticed that it helps to eat more.

mielchat

This is so awesome. Seriously, well done

natajane

That was a really good article.

Thanks for sharing and a big well done to you.

Redbarron80

Good job. So, when you increased your caloric intake how did you decide what to eat? Did you stay to the MFP ratios or increase protein? How often did you find yourself eating? Thanks.

fteale

You look great, and that is brilliant.

One thing - you say eat MORE. Well, yes, if you are eating 500-800 cals a day of course you need to eat more, but what about most of us who are already on 1500 or more cals a day and are still hungry? I always feel like this advice only applies if you are starving yourself.

masked_habit

Thanks, I just upped my intake this week and it's been so difficult because I've already gained weight. I'm used to just starving my body and I decided to actually eat up to 800 calories a day but I couldn't get myself to go above that. This week I have been up to 1400 calories and it has been terrifyingly difficult. I am still not sure if I have been exercising enough but I've gained 4 pounds already and that terrifies me and makes me want to go back to just starving.

ljc73

Good job. So, when you increased your caloric intake how did you decide what to eat? Did you stay to the MFP ratios or increase protein? How often did you find yourself eating? Thanks.

I have this same question. Also - are you talking net calories or gross (i.e. including or excluding calories burned during exercise)?

I'm still struggling with finding the best balance of calories / ratios of proteins to carbs / calories burned. I pretty much consistently eat 1400 - 1700 calories per day net but haven't seen much movement on the scale in the last month.

Thanks for any input!

Love2BeBold

1200 calories for me is starvation mode! I battled with the whole 1200 calories idea for year and I would always end up binge eating. 1200 calories always left me feeling not satisfied. Then I increased to 1900 calories according to MFP, but then I found it was so much food, that sometimes I was wasting calories on junk just to make it to my 1900 calories a day. So now I am at a happy spot with 1500-1600 calories a day, and when i exercise I eat back only half the calories I burned, and only if I am hungry because sometimes a workout can make me hungry! Thanks of sharing!