Does eating more to weight less work for everyone?

Options
13567…19

Replies

  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
    Options
    Not for me :(
    Starting easing into maintenance a bit too quickly apparently, and I could already see it going straight to my hips :(

    That's the whole point of doing the journey starting with high metabolism. Coming up is always harder and bad results that can be discouraging. But going lower is always easier with better results. And being able to add back with no negative results.

    See, if you added on 200 cal a day, and it actually led to fat stored on hips, then you were obviously already eating at maintenance level.
    That is the definition of TDEE or maintenance level. More is stored, less burns stores.

    I'm going to bet your weight loss at the end has been very slow, because of slower metabolism, not because of intentional effort. Or else you increased cal's to supposed maintenance level by an increase of 500 or more.

    The highest I've eaten at is 1,600 calories, which has only been for the past 2-3 days, and I am an extremely active girl who doesn't eat back exercise cals. I was eating 1290 at my lowest, but mostly ate between 1300-1400 when I was 'dieting'.

    Last I weighed in before trying to ease into maintenance, I was 111 pounds, 5"5 (sounds little, but i have an EXTREMELY petite build)

    Maybe I've just torched my metabolism...
  • Edwin_S
    Edwin_S Posts: 440 Member
    Options
    Bump, just want to be able to find this later :)
  • ScarredVampiress
    ScarredVampiress Posts: 76
    Options
    I was eating 1200kcals before, and I don't have a lot to lose(not even 10lbs), so my body is tinier than those losing a lot, and I work out 5 times a week for an hour each time. I upped my kcals a few days ago from 1200 to 1440 (with exercise) and have already lost 2 lbs. Not sure if it's just me, but I'm loving it! I also make sure to NET above 1200.
  • Elizabeethan
    Elizabeethan Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    Does eating more to weight less work for everyone? Obviously I know one has to fit in regular exercise and keep a balanced diet and not do the dog on it? .... Im just confused about the whole starving yourself makes your body go into starvation mode and can stop you from losing weight , and eating more can help you lose weight? Is anyone confused by this?? :huh:

    *weight less ....in the subject box i mean...*facepalm*

    SOOO confused. I have plateau'd after losing only 3 pounds. I have another 25 to go and am not sure how I will get it off. I am extremely careful about my food choices, I stay at or just under the amount of calories they assigned to me, and I exercise (walk or pilates) when I can fit it in, usually a few times a week.

    I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. I'm as confused as you.
  • OccupyFitness
    OccupyFitness Posts: 147
    Options

    Getting more calories when I exercise is a crazy amount of motivation for my to work out. I didn't realize how true this was until I tried to flatten out my calories. It completely demotivated me to exercise.

    This is completely true for me. The extra calories 'earned' are very important for my exercise motivation.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    I upped my calories from 1200 to 1350 a couple of weeks ago. The first week I lost 3 pounds. This week I lost 1/2 pound. So I'm not so sure. The middle of this week I upped my walking from 30 minutes a day to at least 60 minutes a day due to school being out for summer break. We will see if I continue to lose.

    That's probably not enough, you just found another plateau level where your body has reached equilibrium, or rather, only slightly suppressed metabolism.

    So you increased physical activity, but it appears not calories. You'll be in the same boat.
  • Penelope2Plyr
    Penelope2Plyr Posts: 166 Member
    Options
    I am beginning to believe it, tho I have not been here long enough to know personally. I do believe 100% in the body going into starvation mode when you do not feed it enough tho.
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 767 Member
    Options
    it didnt work for me......BOOOOOO!!!! I just gained and gained...I now eat a set amountof cals...ahhhh...much better, I am loosing again and I am a whole lot less stressed about food!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    SOOO confused. I have plateau'd after losing only 3 pounds. I have another 25 to go and am not sure how I will get it off. I am extremely careful about my food choices, I stay at or just under the amount of calories they assigned to me, and I exercise (walk or pilates) when I can fit it in, usually a few times a week.

    Go to the tab for TDEE deficit and confirm you did the math correctly.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE
  • malins2
    malins2 Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    No, it doesn't work for everyone. For me it doesn't. it's great for those who can eat more and lose weight, I mean who doesn't want to eat a lot.?!
    But if it was that easy to lose weight for everyone, not many people would be overweight would they?
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    Options
    People drop calories too fast at the start when there is no need, that's the problem!
    Eventually it is Inevitable you "will" have to lower calories at some point as you get closer to your goal, especially if your aiming for a low body fat percentage. The key is to lower calories slowly, to give your body a chance to adjust, if you shock it its just going fight you.
  • AlayshaJ
    AlayshaJ Posts: 703 Member
    Options
    I eat 2,000+ cals a day before exercise and I have lost three lbs in the last month. Unintentionally. Works for me. I'm not everyone though.

    Okay, would you mind sharing your stats? I would love to know that I could increase calories and maintain my weight but that doesn't seem to work for me. I'm trying to figure out if I'm making a mistake in calculations, or if this is just my body!

    I'm 5'3", 44 yrs., 115 lbs., and female. I seem to have a body fat percentage somewhere between 23% and 26%.

    I'm 19, 5'3.5, 115, and about 20%BF. I lift weights 4-6 days a week and do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes.
  • Elizabeethan
    Elizabeethan Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    QUESTION: You are all talking BMR and TDEE .... what is TDEE? Thank you.
  • malins2
    malins2 Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    I eat 2,000+ cals a day before exercise and I have lost three lbs in the last month. Unintentionally. Works for me. I'm not everyone though.

    Okay, would you mind sharing your stats? I would love to know that I could increase calories and maintain my weight but that doesn't seem to work for me. I'm trying to figure out if I'm making a mistake in calculations, or if this is just my body!

    I'm 5'3", 44 yrs., 115 lbs., and female. I seem to have a body fat percentage somewhere between 23% and 26%.

    I'm 19, 5'3.5, 115, and about 20%BF. I lift weights 4-6 days a week and do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes.
    The metabolism for a 44 year old and 19 year old is totally different, the age factor is extremely important when it comes to how much you can eat. There is no pint comparing yourself to other people, because there are so many factors that come into play when it comes to how much we can eat.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    But if it was that easy to lose weight for everyone, not many people would be overweight would they?

    Most people have no idea how much they eat in calories when eating bad.

    And when they are paying attention, it is usually at an extreme deficit to that level, but they would never know.

    So the cycle starts, slow the metabolism, get discouraged at what happens eventually, or reach goal weight, but you did it with non-maintainable level of eating - so back on it goes.

    If folks would learn to make small but sustainable changes to diet, have small but sustainable increase to exercise if none currently, the combo could allow good weight loss, and then eating a tad more to increase at maintenance level, and have skills to eat/exercise correctly.
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    Options
    if you've been undereating for a while and you didn't realize it...it just means putting your cals up to a certain (healthy) level and going from there. It can possibly give you more options for when you're down to that last 5 or 10 pounds that can be very stubborn. I've been doing it since March and am finally ready to drop the weight and my body seems to agree :)
  • malins2
    malins2 Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    But if it was that easy to lose weight for everyone, not many people would be overweight would they?

    Most people have no idea how much they eat in calories when eating bad.

    And when they are paying attention, it is usually at an extreme deficit to that level, but they would never know.

    So the cycle starts, slow the metabolism, get discouraged at what happens eventually, or reach goal weight, but you did it with non-maintainable level of eating - so back on it goes.

    If folks would learn to make small but sustainable changes to diet, have small but sustainable increase to exercise if none currently, the combo could allow good weight loss, and then eating a tad more to increase at maintenance level, and have skills to eat/exercise correctly.
    Ok, that's true.
  • teresadutton
    teresadutton Posts: 232 Member
    Options
    Yeah I dont understand it either...I have been eatting MORE for years and it got me nothing but fat! lol
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    Options
    starving yourself definitely can make you lose weight. Is it healthy? Um, no.

    And eating "more" is subjective.... more than what? If you are already eating 3000 calories a day, eating more will not help you lose weight lol. If you are eating 1200 calories a day, eating more might help. If you fuel your body appropriately, your body may begin to trust that you are giving it enough food and will burn it off more.
  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
    Options
    I think it is going to be different for each individual. There will be some trial and error involved.

    For me, I can't eat as many calories as reccommended for maintenance without gaining. Or maybe I'm being inaccurate in figuring calories eaten, and calories burned. I'm making an effort to be very careful with my logging, and watch the weight (and how my clothes are fitting) carefully.

    Do an internet search and check several sites with calculators to see what is reccommended, also.

    That was the long answer.

    For me the short answer is, no, that doesn't work for me.

    Same for me. I've upped my caloric intake to 1400 from 1200 and I've gained, not lost. I'm sticking to 1400 because I feel better on it, but I'm just not sure maintenance figures have been accurate for me.

Categories