Does eating more to weight less work for everyone?

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  • TonyaBtrfly
    TonyaBtrfly Posts: 118 Member
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    It works for me. Why would you limit yourself to 1200 when you can eat much more and still lose weight? 1200 is not sustainable in the long run.


    This!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is what i was trying to say! IGNORANCE IS BLISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    :drinker:
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    "To a point this is correct. But the 40-50% drop in leptin alone will result in fat loss slowing.."

    How would you explain that I lost about 40 lbs. with the Fitbit and my deficits pretty much predicted that amount of loss? Nothing slowed. I guess you'd say I lost muscle. There's no way of knowing. My metabolism two years later seems to be about what it was before, though. Fitbit's estimates for me didn't change and my weight loss still pretty much comes out to what my deficits predict.
  • Losingweightforgood2019
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    If I eat more, I gain, so I just eat less
  • ladybug114
    ladybug114 Posts: 39 Member
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    It's worked for me... It IS scary, and you'll surely find people who say the opposite of me. But every time my weight loss has stalled, I've upped calories, and I lose again.
    human body is weird >.<

    I've had this same experience, but I came across it kind of accidentally. There was a period of a few days where I ate too much, but instead of gaining weight like I feared I would, it actually helped me out of a little plateau :) Good luck!
  • Strive2BLean
    Strive2BLean Posts: 300 Member
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    My nutritionist told me I wasn't eating enough calories because I burn between 500-700 during workouts which left me with a net off 700 calories per day. I went to her because I couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing anymore and she said to eat the calories burned during exercise; hence eating more for me. I just started this so hopefully it will work. I'm trusting she knows more than me about it.
  • lillydlc
    lillydlc Posts: 162 Member
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    Bumping to read tomorrow:yawn:
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Ignorance is bliss!


    Why in the world would you eat 1200 calories if you could achieve the exact same amount of weight loss eating 1800? Whatever floats your boat!

    :drinker:

    As a previous poster stated, she gained at 1,800 and her TDEE is 1,760!
    As a million people have said a million more times, your numbers are individual and need to be worked out.

    Those same people will state that no one is unique, no one is a snowflake and the same method will work for everyone. My comment was directed to the person who stated that they lose the same on 1,800 as they do on 1,200. That is not the case for the previous poster I mentioned.

    Nothing to do with grammar police. This post is asking whether or not it works for everyone. Clearly it does not. When someone says it does not, they are called laughable. 1,800 is not laughable to you, 1,300 is not laughable to me.
    But it doooooooooooes work for everyone. Scientifically, mathematically and undeniably, if you eat below your ACTUAL TDEE you WILL lose weight.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    1,300 calories is not laughable to these people, in this peer reviewed journal article. Quote: Successful maintainers of weight loss reported continued consumption of a low-energy and low-fat diet. Women in the registry reported eating an average of 1,306 kcal/day

    These women have kept their weight off for 5 or more years. As 1,300 is average, obviously some ate higher and some ate lower.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9550162?dopt=Abstract
    Basically, they never stopped eating at an abnormally low level.

    That does not make it laughable, nor unsustainable if they have been doing so for over 5 years. Abnormally low according to whom?

    It's lower than what could be possible. According to what their metabolism probably could be.

    But it's also known that many people, by choice and knowledge, no weight problems, want to have a slower metabolism. There are studies showing it has health benefits.

    At a healthy weight.

    Sadly at overweight, those health risks outweigh any benefits of slower metabolism.

    Plus it takes longer to lose.

    But once you get there, fine and dandy. How many of them had yo-yo diets until this successful period, and are scared of food now, so maintain that 1300 so well.

    And frankly, even for those eating more than deep deficit and exercising great, what happens if they miss out on exercise due to life changes. Have they figured out how to change the diet too.
    If those things haven't been figured out, the nice sustainable loss eating at smaller deficit compared to deep deficit doesn't help either.
  • silverkitten13
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    It's worked for me... It IS scary, and you'll surely find people who say the opposite of me. But every time my weight loss has stalled, I've upped calories, and I lose again.
    human body is weird >.<

    i do this too! it works when you plateau.. infact, today is my "junk food" day
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    My problems with the Road Map post are these:

    1- There is no reason a person trying to lose weight has to eat above their BMR. Seriously, research it, ask any doctor, think about it. Here's one trainer's explanation in the link below. I've talked about this ad nauseum so I'll stop trying to explain it myself. People act like I'm saying the earth is flat.

    To a point this is correct. But the 40-50% drop in leptin alone will result in fat loss slowing.

    2- The body doesn't flip a switch at some calorie level and start catabolizing muscle and changing hormonal responses. It's all on a scale. The reason you see 1200 and '2 lbs/week loss goal' so much is because those are believed to be levels that are aggressive enough to produce results while minimizing negative externalities like metabolism slowing and excesive LBM loss.

    This is info spouted by the same BS people who say eating 6 meals a day will help me lose fat.
    The fact is when dieting and working out too much you have increased cortisol above and beyond the normal limits of what the body produces naturally.
    This will burn LBM.
    It's what it does under stress!
    3- People not losing at 1200 usually haven't given it enough time. They're working out too hard, they're impatient, they want scale results, but water effects are hiding fat loss.

    When metabolic rate slows so does fat loss. Why do you think the national average dietary intake on food labels is 2000-2500.
    1200 cals is what I eat for breakfast!!!!!
    Thats like saying "My car isnt running well so i'll cut down on the oil and only keep the tank 1/4 full!"
    I laugh at this. The people who have jumped on board with the Road Map have lost fat.
    Period.
    I did your math. For me, it recommends about 1580/day, which is a great plan. I choose to go a bit lower, around 1350 (which is below my BMR, by the way). I am not damaging myself, lacking energy, losing hair, lethargic, etc., etc.

    I challenge you to eat 1800 daily.
    Measure your results weekly.

    There is no reason unless you are Obese II or higher to eat below BMR.
    There is no reason to eat less if you can eat more and lose weight.

    Why dont you try this for 1 month and see?
    Unless you have some medical reason not to eat properly then I dont see what the fuss is.

    And I can find several studies showing that in the long run, a moderate deficit creates longer weight loss.
    Why cut so low if you dont have to.
    Thats all.

    So...when will you try it?

    BTW my way isnt my way.
    I learned this from pros in the field.
    People who charge $300 an hour for their input on health, weight loss and muscle gains.
    They arent doctors or RNs.
    They are nutritionists who didnt take 120 question quiz to get a state certification.
    This info works.
    And untill you try it I feel your points are moot.
    I feel that no matter what school you went to and what degrees ore certifications you have, untill you admit that this works I wont stop.
    Period.
    I challenge you Mcarter99, just like I challenged Watboy (who by the way is losing fat and gaining lean mass) to try my methods.
    If it doesnt work I will back down.
    Unless you have some type of medical issue preventing you from losing weight,my methods work.
    Youll eat better.
    You wont feel hungry.
    Youll maintain LBM better than these low cal deals.
    1300 cals is laughable.
    I have women at 5' tall eating 1800 and losing fat working out a hand full of times a week.

    So when will you try it?

    I tried it in Jan-Feb of 2011. I did WW new plan while tracking calories as well. It was 1800ish calories a day. I lost 2 lbs. in 8 weeks. Now I lose three times that rate.

    My Fitbit says my total burn yesterday was 1550 calories. How could I possibly lose weight on 1800? Before saying my leptin ate my ghrelin and my metabolism is now screwed, bear in mind that 1550 is an estimate based on my BMR and my activity for yesterday.

    Why would a human body burn off the muscle it needs to hunt and outrun predators when it has tens of thousands of calories of the perfect fuel, the fuel it stored for just this rainy day- easily accessed fat sitting in fat cells?

    Why do you suggest I eat 1800 when your Road Map instructions said 1550?

    This post makes me want to...
    Fight_Club_by_iceman5008.gif

    Lol that was 1 day.
    My fitbit gives me a 1600-3200cal burn a day.
    Untill you try this way of living youll get no satisfaction from me.

    Post your:
    Age
    Height
    Weight
    Body fat%
    How often you work out

    I'll post exactly what you should eat daily.
    I'll bet my salary that you lose weight better on my numbers than 1300 cals!
    Watboy would dance on this thread given the PMs hes sent me since changing his tune!
    I can even tell you what kind of routine to have to lose the best fat!!!
    1300 cals and Weight Watchers.....
    Give me your money instead!
    I've simplified things!!!!!

    nxkih3jpg.gif

    Post the info above and i'll tell you what to eat daily to lose fat.
    Tried and tested!
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    Ignorance is bliss!


    Why in the world would you eat 1200 calories if you could achieve the exact same amount of weight loss eating 1800? Whatever floats your boat!

    :drinker:

    As a previous poster stated, she gained at 1,800 and her TDEE is 1,760!
    As a million people have said a million more times, your numbers are individual and need to be worked out.

    Those same people will state that no one is unique, no one is a snowflake and the same method will work for everyone. My comment was directed to the person who stated that they lose the same on 1,800 as they do on 1,200. That is not the case for the previous poster I mentioned.

    Nothing to do with grammar police. This post is asking whether or not it works for everyone. Clearly it does not. When someone says it does not, they are called laughable. 1,800 is not laughable to you, 1,300 is not laughable to me.
    But it doooooooooooes work for everyone. Scientifically, mathematically and undeniably, if you eat below your ACTUAL TDEE you WILL lose weight.

    EXACTLY!!

    Eat less that your TDEE and you will lose weight.

    How much weight, what it's composed of etc will be decided by the aggressiveness of the deficit and the quality of the food. but eat less than actual TDEE is the only way to lose weight.

    All people are arguing about is how far under TDEE is optimum.
  • cmccorma
    cmccorma Posts: 203 Member
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    Ignorance is bliss!


    Why in the world would you eat 1200 calories if you could achieve the exact same amount of weight loss eating 1800? Whatever floats your boat!

    :drinker:

    As a previous poster stated, she gained at 1,800 and her TDEE is 1,760!
    As a million people have said a million more times, your numbers are individual and need to be worked out.

    Those same people will state that no one is unique, no one is a snowflake and the same method will work for everyone. My comment was directed to the person who stated that they lose the same on 1,800 as they do on 1,200. That is not the case for the previous poster I mentioned.

    Nothing to do with grammar police. This post is asking whether or not it works for everyone. Clearly it does not. When someone says it does not, they are called laughable. 1,800 is not laughable to you, 1,300 is not laughable to me.
    But it doooooooooooes work for everyone. Scientifically, mathematically and undeniably, if you eat below your ACTUAL TDEE you WILL lose weight.

    I agree of course! So according to the calculators, my TDEE is 1,719. If I minus 343 which is 20%, it gives me 1,376. Which is just 76 calories more than 1,300. When I exercise, I eat more and on weekends I splurge occasionally. My point is, why is that considered laughable or ignorant? This is to lose weight of course. My maintenance will be higher. I posted the study off of PubMed to show that it can be sustainable. When someone can lose weight at 1,800, I do not call it laughable or ignorant or wrong.
  • jennakrysteen
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    Post your:
    Age 37
    Height 67in
    Weight 247.6
    Body fat% 53.6
    How often you work out.. 5 days a week

    I would love all the help I can get!
  • sarahjuneblanke
    sarahjuneblanke Posts: 46 Member
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    Well, According to a personal fitness trainer I know, Putting yourself into starvation mode is exactly the worst thing you can do. Livestrong says that no one should diet under 1200 calories. To avoid letting your body feel starved, eating something small and nutritious every 2-3 hours will be the most beneficial.
    Its best, In my opinion and backed up by science, to calculate your BMR, and then choose to eat less then the number and pair that with a good amount of excercise each day.
    That way you will be in the negative calorie range but still giving your body nutrients =)

    So basically, eat more then your BMR number and you will gain weight, eat less and you will lose.
    If you add working out, your alloted calorie intake will increase. At that point you can eat a little more and still lose weight.

    What im doing right now ( I just started my diet and excercise 7 days ago) :

    My BMR 1,442 calories
    My Daily Calorie intake Goal: 1300 calories
    My excercise goal: 375-500 calories

    For me that adds up to a calorie deficit of -517 to -642 a day

    If I want to lose more calories i will excercise longer and eat just a couple hundred calories more that day.

    hope this helped!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    LOL, Dan. I just told you I did 1800-some calories for 8 weeks. What more do you want? My stats? Here you go, buddy.

    Age 47
    Height 5'4"
    Weight 162
    Body fat% over 30%
    How often you work out: I don't 'work out' so much as focus on NEAT. I do three 45-minute-ish kettlebell workouts a week, currently, and walk about 4 miles a day above my sedentary levels of activity.

    Because I know I lose at the rate science predicts (3500 calories = 1 lb.) I don't foresee trying any higher deficit levels, especially since I have in the past. But I will let you have my stats so you can do your math magic and I can tell you how much less I lose at the level you suggest. Again. : )
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Post your:
    Age 37
    Height 67in
    Weight 247.6
    Body fat% 53.6
    How often you work out.. 5 days a week

    I would love all the help I can get!

    You can calculate and log your info here too, since the goal will have to change as weight is lost.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE

    Topic with descriptions of spreadsheet.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/620206-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-calcs-mfp-tweaks-hrm
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    Well, According to a personal fitness trainer I know, Putting yourself into starvation mode is exactly the worst thing you can do. Livestrong says that no one should diet under 1200 calories. To avoid letting your body feel starved, eating something small and nutritious every 2-3 hours will be the most beneficial.
    Its best, In my opinion and backed up by science, to calculate your BMR, and then choose to eat less then the number and pair that with a good amount of excercise each day.
    That way you will be in the negative calorie range but still giving your body nutrients =)

    So basically, eat more then your BMR number and you will gain weight, eat less and you will lose.
    If you add working out, your alloted calorie intake will increase. At that point you can eat a little more and still lose weight.

    What im doing right now ( I just started my diet and excercise 7 days ago) :

    My BMR 1,442 calories
    My Daily Calorie intake Goal: 1300 calories
    My excercise goal: 375-500 calories

    For me that adds up to a calorie deficit of -517 to -642 a day

    If I want to lose more calories i will excercise longer and eat just a couple hundred calories more that day.

    hope this helped!

    First - Welcome to MFP.

    Unfortunately the information above is incorrect, you won't gain weight eating over BMR, you gain weight eating over TDEE.

    TDEE, not BMR, is your maintenance calories, and then you deduct your deficit from there.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    To avoid letting your body feel starved, eating something small and nutritious every 2-3 hours will be the most beneficial.
    Its best, In my opinion and backed up by science, to calculate your BMR, and then choose to eat less then the number and pair that with a good amount of excercise each day.
    That way you will be in the negative calorie range but still giving your body nutrients =)

    So basically, eat more then your BMR number and you will gain weight, eat less and you will lose.

    hope this helped!

    Actually no, because your post contains 1 myth (eating frequency), 1 mistatement (TDEE is the line of lose, maintain, or gain, not BMR), and one misunderstanding.

    as reminder of what BMR means, go to MFP Tools - BMR Calc and read the little blurp, you can also go look on Wiki.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    LOL, Dan. I just told you I did 1800-some calories for 8 weeks. What more do you want? My stats? Here you go, buddy.

    Age 47
    Height 5'4"
    Weight 162
    Body fat% over 30%
    How often you work out: I don't 'work out' so much as focus on NEAT. I do three 45-minute-ish kettlebell workouts a week, currently, and walk about 4 miles a day above my sedentary levels of activity.

    Because I know I lose at the rate science predicts (3500 calories = 1 lb.) I don't foresee trying any higher deficit levels, especially since I have in the past. But I will let you have my stats so you can do your math magic and I can tell you how much less I lose at the level you suggest. Again. : )


    So you have a BMR of appx 1359
    A TDEE of appx 2107

    Cardio has nothing to do with weight loss but can help with fat mobilization.

    Perfect weight 128lbs.

    Youll drop fat at 1800 cals a day!
    Screenshot2012-07-12at62444PM.png
    You are losing 1lb a week!!!!!

    I'm telling you this **** works!
    It doesnt matter how old you are or what you do!
    I've proiven it!
    This **** works!


    Screenshot2012-07-12at62553PM.png


    You can completely drop cardio and just lift 3x a week for a 200kcal burn and lose weight faster than how you are doing it!
    Period!
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    Some maths is wrong there Dan -

    LBM is about 114lbs
    And fat mass at 133lbs
    total - 247

    but she is only 162!