Does eating more to weight less work for everyone?

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Replies

  • amyy902
    amyy902 Posts: 290 Member
    i think it works for the high majority of people, i havent got personal experience but from what i see here it tends to work, and i guess its because you give youre body enough fuel and nutrients to repair its self from exercise and the likes. but im guessing it wont work for some people, but in general it looks like it does :)
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Decided to give it a try as well. I'm giving it about 3-4 weeks

    Anything's worth a try. Given my size and current inability to exercise, I personally would never risk it. The way I've managed to maintain my weight (or at least keep it under control) is by never getting too high to begin with. I've always been afraid that if I got overweight like my family members I'd never be able to take it off.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    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.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    Well I am pretty sure I have approached that normal body fat percentage and it has not cause me to have to reduce my caloric intake at all as I am eating 800-1000 calories more now at 254 lbs. than I was eating at 560 lbs. and I am still in a deficit and losing weight and have been the last 35 months... I am waiting for the body pod at our local university to get fixed so I can go in for an accurate measurement but I am getting pretty close to my end game and maintenance mode...

    2012-03-31_08-27-41_160.jpg

    2012-03-31_08-24-44_9811.jpg
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    I think it really depends on your body type and your exercise routines. My BMR is 1370 and my TDEE is 1837 so my range is pretty small. So it's not like I have a lot of room for eating more unless I really ramp up my exercise or grow taller.

    I was eating about 2200 a day and I gained and the weight slowly crept back on me over a year or so.

    So for me I there really isn't eating 'more'. I really have to stick in the 1300-1400 range for loss and in the 1800-1900 for maintenance.

    I don't get why you say it didn't work for you.

    You were eating 2200 cals a day and gaining weight. This means this was above your TDEE.

    Eating more to lose doesn't mean eating more than your TDEE...it means eating more than the generic 1200 cals.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Eating more to lose doesn't mean eating more than your TDEE...it means eating more than the generic 1200 cals.
    It appears to be used for anyone posting that they are stalled - irrespective of calorie goal.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,280 Member
    i think as long as you are eating below your TDEE you will lose weight. the hard part is actually figuring out what your TDEE is. most people dont know what their body fat % is, which is very important in figuring out TDEE. once you get that figured out, you can estimate BMR> from there, you want to accurately gauge how active you are. if you know that level you can figure out the multiplier from there... like BMR*1.2 sedentery for someone who doesn't exercise at all... then it gets a little more tricky... if you mess any one of these factors up you may be eating to much or too little. it's all about finding the right balance. it will work if you figure out all those numbers and do it right. if it doesn't work, something is wrong in the equation.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    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.

    Thanks for sharing. That helps. Unfortunately, it's probably the aging metabolism for me! But this encourages me to do more strength training, which I don't love. Must increase mucscle mass/decrease fat%!! I do love cardio, though, and run 15-20 miles a week! I get to eat more on those days!
  • OccupyFitness
    OccupyFitness Posts: 145 Member
    I think it really depends on your body type and your exercise routines. My BMR is 1370 and my TDEE is 1837 so my range is pretty small. So it's not like I have a lot of room for eating more unless I really ramp up my exercise or grow taller.

    I was eating about 2200 a day and I gained and the weight slowly crept back on me over a year or so.

    So for me I there really isn't eating 'more'. I really have to stick in the 1300-1400 range for loss and in the 1800-1900 for maintenance.

    I don't get why you say it didn't work for you.

    You were eating 2200 cals a day and gaining weight. This means this was above your TDEE.

    Eating more to lose doesn't mean eating more than your TDEE...it means eating more than the generic 1200 cals.

    I guess what I mean to say is that some people eat "more" and it is a lot more, like 600 or 1000 calories a day more, because they have a high TDEE. Because my TDEE is a lot lower, my "more" is only like 100 or 200 calories, so it doesn't really feel like a lot more food.

    My TDEE set to low activity level is 1600 so even eating 1400 or 1300 isn't really much of a difference in calories. I think people who are younger, or taller, or weigh more, have a much higher TDEE and they can eat a lot "more" and still lose.

    In my range it is not dramatic like other people's. So you are right that using the TDEE and BMR to calculate my calories works for me, but I end up close to the 1200-1300 range anyway so it doesn't really make a difference.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    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.

    1141 to 1266 - not that much difference at estimated healthy BMR, based on avg fat/LBM ratio at same height/weight.

    And if you are talking LBM, it takes the same amount of calories to keep that running within 5%, regardless of age.
    So there, the 20% compared to 26% is only 1274 to 1204 BMR - again, not much of a difference.

    Nope, not until you get older does metabolism based on age/weight/height change greatly.

    Obviously your activity levels on top of that base metabolism can vary greatly. Sometimes with the 44 yr old much more active.

    Yes, that's why I run, run, run. As one of my friends says, "I run because fat is running right behind me!"

    Kind of depressing that this journey will only continue to get tougher as the years pass. . . .

    Surely somehow there is a reward for my" years of experience"!!
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    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.

    1141 to 1266 - not that much difference at estimated healthy BMR, based on avg fat/LBM ratio at same height/weight.

    And if you are talking LBM, it takes the same amount of calories to keep that running within 5%, regardless of age.
    So there, the 20% compared to 26% is only 1274 to 1204 BMR - again, not much of a difference.

    Nope, not until you get older does metabolism based on age/weight/height change greatly.

    Obviously your activity levels on top of that base metabolism can vary greatly. Sometimes with the 44 yr old much more active.

    Well it doesn't seem like much, when you calculate it like that. But it is a difference and if at 25 you weighed 130 pounds and ran 3 miles five times a week, at age 45, you'd need to run about 4.5 miles five times to maintain that weight and not diet.
    And I guess it is very individual, but I have seen a huge difference for myself. And even if I have a lot MORE muscle now than I did 20 years ago, I still have to eat less than I did then to maintain my weight.

    Me too! At 19, I could eat 1/2 a sandwich and a bag of chips for lunch, eata moderately large breakfast and dinner, and still have a butterfinger milkshake (yummy) every day and maintain my weight at 102 lbs!

    Those were the days! 25 years later, I am finally realizing that the only way to be slim is to eat LESS and exercise more, for life. The good news is that I am in control of that every day. I'm just sad that I let bad choices and unclear information keep me fat from age 30-40ish!
  • jaymek92
    jaymek92 Posts: 309 Member
    It worked for me.
    For two years, I tried losing weight by eating 1200 a day and not eating back my exercise calories. I went from 175-ish to 146 over the course of around 8 months because it was very difficult for me to stick to my diet and I was getting frustrated because I wasn't seeing results. Eventually, last Christmas, I gave up and tried eating intuitively. Because I had been eating at such a low caloric level and couldn't actually teach myself what a healthy caloric level to maintain was or what to eat/how much to eat to keep myself satiated, I ended up gaining everything back and was at 180 at a doctor's appointment in the end of December.
    Starting January 8 at 174, I set a goal of netting 1300 per day and eating back my exercise calories. After a month or two, I upped to 1350 net, then 1400 net. I recently ran a half marathon and because of the stress and amount of food I was consuming to keep myself energized through the long runs (for a lot of this time, I didn't even track my food accurately, so I'm not sure how much I was eating), I plateaued for 3 weigh ins. 3 weeks where the scale read the exact same weight (which bummed me out, but I was simultaneously proud of myself for having enough knowledge in listening to my body to maintain. Last week, I posted a 1 pound loss and this morning, I'd lost another pound and a half since last week. I weighed in at 146.5 today. It took me 3 less months to lose approximately the same amount of weight by eating more, eating back my calories, lifting 3-5 days a week, and training for the half marathon.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    wow

    That is the cutest baby on your marker!

    Yes, that baby is precious!!
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    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.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    allow me to direct you to the group Eat More to Weigh Less.... that is filled with people that have realized you don't have to lower your intake to lose weight if your metabolism is working properly
    Omg lol, im losing weight just fine thank you, don't need to eat more.
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    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.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    Well I am pretty sure I have approached that normal body fat percentage and it has not cause me to have to reduce my caloric intake at all as I am eating 800-1000 calories more now at 254 lbs. than I was eating at 560 lbs. and I am still in a deficit and losing weight and have been the last 35 months... I am waiting for the body pod at our local university to get fixed so I can go in for an accurate measurement but I am getting pretty close to my end game and maintenance mode...

    2012-03-31_08-27-41_160.jpg

    2012-03-31_08-24-44_9811.jpg
    Good for you, nice job there.
    Btw do you believe that you wont ever have to lower calories?
    I mean that you can keep them static forever?
    Because i can tell you for sure you cant!
    Unless you are an exception to the law of thermo dynamics
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    .
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    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.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    allow me to direct you to the group Eat More to Weigh Less.... that is filled with people that have realized you don't have to lower your intake to lose weight if your metabolism is working properly
    Omg lol, im losing weight just fine thank you, don't need to eat more.

    According to your profile, you are losing weight the way those in the Eat More to Lose Weight camp do it. 20% cut from TDEE.
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    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.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    allow me to direct you to the group Eat More to Weigh Less.... that is filled with people that have realized you don't have to lower your intake to lose weight if your metabolism is working properly
    Omg lol, im losing weight just fine thank you, don't need to eat more.

    According to your profile, you are losing weight the way those in the Eat More to Lose Weight camp do it. 20% cut from TDEE.
    I do lean gains style diet, calorie macro cycle.
    Some days my deficit is 30-35% below maintenance, notice i said some.
    I wrote that to help beginners, Its a good way to start.
    Lets get something strait here, im not trying to push low calories.
    If you read my post, you would see i said, you will eventually have to lower calories at some point, depending on how lean you want to get. You cant keep them static forever.
  • MGibbs72
    MGibbs72 Posts: 169 Member
    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/energy_density.html
    - this article is about eating more volume but reducing calories.

    I found this article from a google of "eat more to weigh less"
    I am not losing weight and am eating far less than what mfp set my calories at. I am starting to exercise, so I expect that will help my metabolism. Lots of people are messaging me that I am not eating enough - 1200-1500 cals at 440 lbs. I am constantly hungry and by the end of the day I am making horrible choices. So I am thinking I will try for June to eat the calories recommended.
  • xTenaciousJx
    xTenaciousJx Posts: 555
    i think its different...i was eating my exercise calories for a while and didn't lose any so i went back to just eating my 1560 every day no matter what and i'm losing again. everyone is different its trying to find what works for you is the hard part.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I think that for a lot of us who were pretty big, when we get smaller our TDEE goes up, because we're more active than we were without even noticing it. Instead of lumbering slowly across the living room floor, there is more spring in your step and so on and that's not even taking into account our workouts at the gym. Yeah, when you're really heavy, it takes more energy to move around, but how often are you moving around when you're sedentary? If you're able to be more mobile, you probably will move around more just because you can and probably not even realize you're doing it. I'm pretty sure that plays a big part of it and I'm really talking about those of us that started off really big, not the ones who are just trying to lose that little bit of midsection fat that's been creeping up on them. I started out well over 3 bills, so this is from my own experience.
  • jaymek92
    jaymek92 Posts: 309 Member
    I do lean gains style diet, calorie macro cycle.
    Some days my deficit is 30-35% below maintenance, notice i said some.
    I wrote that to help beginners, Its a good way to start.
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't leangains a way to lose fat and build muscle? And if your body fat is below some point, the only way you're going to build a significant amount of muscle is by having a caloric surplus. If you're eating at a caloric surplus in an attempt to build muscle, you are probably not a reliable source as to how many calories one should be eating to lose weight.
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    I do lean gains style diet, calorie macro cycle.
    Some days my deficit is 30-35% below maintenance, notice i said some.
    I wrote that to help beginners, Its a good way to start.
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't leangains a way to lose fat and build muscle? And if your body fat is below some point, the only way you're going to build a significant amount of muscle is by having a caloric surplus. If you're eating at a caloric surplus in an attempt to build muscle, you are probably not a reliable source as to how many calories one should be eating to lose weight.
    Ok tell me where i told anyone here in this thread to do a lean gains diet?
    And yes you can do lean gains style for dieting.
    Read intermittent fasting.
    And i certainty know how to build muscle, have been doing it for over 13 years!
    Have a good day ;-)
    490d3b0adoublefacepalm2.jpg
  • stang_girl88
    stang_girl88 Posts: 234 Member
    No it does not work for everyone. I tried losing weight for about three years using the old eat more to lose more and I gained 20lbs. I tried everywhere from 1500-2100 cals a day and just kept gaining. I am now eating 1300-1400 cals a day and am now losing weight on a regular basis and I am not eating back my exercise cals. If I am hungry I will eat something, if I am not hungry then I dont eat anything. Eating while not hungry is what got me fat in the first place. I hope you find what works for you, I know how frustrating it is to find that 'sweet spot'.
  • DataBased
    DataBased Posts: 513 Member
    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*

    This is such a hot topic here it seems. First, no - I wouldn't say without reservation that any one thing can work for everybody.

    The second thing is that it is not about eating "more" so much as fueling your body properly. That encompasses finding the right foods for you and the right calorie burn for you - it's' like anything else, a balancing act.

    I've learned of myself (thanks to MFP and my friends here) that I CAN have a few treats scattered through my week, but that my body reacts best when I keep my "metrics" (protein, fat, carbs) in a 40/20/40 balance. I'm still tweaking, and I'm no expert. But I am learning how to listen to and take care of my body.

    Having said all that - yes, for the most part people who are trying to "lose weight" do not eat to fuel their bodies - they look for a magic number that will cause them to become thin FAST. They mistakenly believe if they burn 1200 calories a day in rigorous workouts and eat nothing but a cup of yogurt, a salad, and a few multi-vitamins, they'll get skinny fast.

    The "starvation mode" is a misnomer that people here like to pick apart, too. Don't pay attention to terms - but to the idea of what you want to achieve. Do you want to lose more fat than muscle? Then fuel your burn.

    Be a student of your own body - read the forums and apply the concepts to yourself, then measure and monitor ALL of your success metrics. Do not rely on the scale - it lies. It can swerve over 7 lbs in a single day. Measure yourself. Monitor how you feel in terms of your energy level, your ability to think clearly, your stress levels. How much you eat is secondary to what it is you are eating, and how your body assimilates that particular thing individually.

    In short - read, but don't take anything personally. Learn for yourself. Give each concept at LEAST 3 months before you decide it simply doesn't work for you. You'll find the right combination for your physique and you'll get a tremendous sense of accomplishment from it.

    :flowerforyou:
  • MGibbs72
    MGibbs72 Posts: 169 Member
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/fewer-calories-stalls-metabolism.aspx

    First 2 paragraphs - If you're like most people who want to lose weight, you want to lose it fast. So you may be tempted to make drastic changes in your diet to dramatically reduce the number of calories you consume. But what you may not know is that eating too few calories can actually backfire and sabotage your weight-loss efforts.

    "It would make sense to stop eating [when you are trying to lose weight], but it actually works in the opposite way," says Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, Texas Dietetic Association media representative and public relations coordinator at the Austin Dietetic Association in Austin, Texas.
  • jaymek92
    jaymek92 Posts: 309 Member
    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*

    This is such a hot topic here it seems. First, no - I wouldn't say without reservation that any one thing can work for everybody.

    The second thing is that it is not about eating "more" so much as fueling your body properly. That encompasses finding the right foods for you and the right calorie burn for you - it's' like anything else, a balancing act.

    I've learned of myself (thanks to MFP and my friends here) that I CAN have a few treats scattered through my week, but that my body reacts best when I keep my "metrics" (protein, fat, carbs) in a 40/20/40 balance. I'm still tweaking, and I'm no expert. But I am learning how to listen to and take care of my body.

    Having said all that - yes, for the most part people who are trying to "lose weight" do not eat to fuel their bodies - they look for a magic number that will cause them to become thin FAST. They mistakenly believe if they burn 1200 calories a day in rigorous workouts and eat nothing but a cup of yogurt, a salad, and a few multi-vitamins, they'll get skinny fast.

    The "starvation mode" is a misnomer that people here like to pick apart, too. Don't pay attention to terms - but to the idea of what you want to achieve. Do you want to lose more fat than muscle? Then fuel your burn.

    Be a student of your own body - read the forums and apply the concepts to yourself, then measure and monitor ALL of your success metrics. Do not rely on the scale - it lies. It can swerve over 7 lbs in a single day. Measure yourself. Monitor how you feel in terms of your energy level, your ability to think clearly, your stress levels. How much you eat is secondary to what it is you are eating, and how your body assimilates that particular thing individually.

    In short - read, but don't take anything personally. Learn for yourself. Give each concept at LEAST 3 months before you decide it simply doesn't work for you. You'll find the right combination for your physique and you'll get a tremendous sense of accomplishment from it.

    :flowerforyou:
    tumblr_m4bgb9XaSZ1rvner1o1_500.jpg
  • butterpecan_ts
    butterpecan_ts Posts: 48 Member
    Me too. So far, it's my ONLY motivation to work out.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    This is so simple, but everyone over complicates it. If you simply take a scientific approach to t, you'll find out what works and what doesn't.

    My suggestion, is go to fitnessfrog.com or fat2fitradio.com and calculate your TDEE. then cut 15% from that number. Eat that amount of calories for 6 weeks. If you do not lose AFTER 6 WEEKS (I say that because you might temporarily gain), then drop 100 calories for 1 week. Continue to drop 100 cals per week until you start seeing results. At some point, you'll find that place where you lose weight and are eating right. That's the point where you'll know where to be. When you plateau again, and you will, recalc and do it all over again, and find your new point. It's not hard. It's very scientific and easy, it's just a very slow process. Eventually, you get to know your body really well and you'll get to understand what it needs.
  • Gloria67648
    Gloria67648 Posts: 108 Member
    This is so simple, but everyone over complicates it. If you simply take a scientific approach to t, you'll find out what works and what doesn't.

    My suggestion, is go to fitnessfrog.com or fat2fitradio.com and calculate your TDEE. then cut 15% from that number. Eat that amount of calories for 6 weeks. If you do not lose AFTER 6 WEEKS (I say that because you might temporarily gain), then drop 100 calories for 1 week. Continue to drop 100 cals per week until you start seeing results. At some point, you'll find that place where you lose weight and are eating right. That's the point where you'll know where to be. When you plateau again, and you will, recalc and do it all over again, and find your new point. It's not hard. It's very scientific and easy, it's just a very slow process. Eventually, you get to know your body really well and you'll get to understand what it needs.

    This!
  • EricNCSU
    EricNCSU Posts: 699 Member
    I dont think anything is gonna work for "everyone" but it works for me. I eat back most if not all my exercise calories and so with working out 6 days a week.. my goal is 1700 but I eat 2200-2300 depending on the day.
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