I feel full at 1200 cal?

Brandicaloriecountess

I'm starting to think this "eat more to weigh less" business is MFP broscience. You lose weight by having a caloric deficit. Period. End of story. You can create the deficit by eating less, exercising more, or a combo of both. And honestly, I've been doing some reading - and I"m not convinced of any sort of metabolic disruption with low caloric intake and it certainly isn't going to happen with a month of dieting. I think the so called "starvation mode" is a farce.

To the OP..... I agree with the first poster. If you are good with 1200..... then don't force yourself to eat more. If you lose weight, it's working. If you don't... then switch something up..... cycle calories, cycle carbs, increase exercise, increase protein intake, try IF, increase calories slightly, decrease calories slightly. In the end we are only ever ESTIMATING calories in and out. It is impossible to actually know the real numbers. So it stands to reason that this is a big experiment and you need to find what works for you.

Its not broscience. Its simply understanding that your body has nutritional requirements in order to function and push yourself during workouts. If you want to evaluate this eat for a month at 1200 calories and do strength training. Track all your reps and how you feel. Then eat 1700 calories and see if you can increase weight.

I know you will increase weight/strength as i have done this experiment on several mfp people without telling them why and they all came back with the same response a few days later. I have more energy, i increase the weights and feel better. Its not to say you cant lose off of 1200 calories but your body will fight you at some point.

With all due respect, you are confusing weight loss and fat loss with strength training. Apples and oranges my friend. To weigh less you must create a deficit.

But it doesn't have to be an INSANE calorie deficit.

tenunderfour

And would you agree that eating above your BMR and below your TDEE creates a deficit?

Yes, I would. And currently that's what I am doing, actually. But, I'm tired of hearing that people can't lose weight on 1200 calories per day. Of course you can!!! Is that the best thing for your health or your physical fitness? No, probably not.... but to make a blanket statement that you can't lose weight or that your body's metabolism just shuts down if you eat under BMR is absolute crap, IMO.

Also, it's pretty common for people to underestimate calories eaten and overestimate calories burned..... if you are living too close to maintenance with a higher calorie diet - then you risk going over. Maybe it's just a couple of hundred calories per day.... but multiply that x 7 days and there goes your weight loss for the week.

fiveohmike

And would you agree that eating above your BMR and below your TDEE creates a deficit?

Yes, I would. And currently that's what I am doing, actually. But, I'm tired of hearing that people can't lose weight on 1200 calories per day. Of course you can!!! Is that the best thing for your health or your physical fitness? No, probably not.... but to make a blanket statement that you can't lose weight or that your body's metabolism just shuts down if you eat under BMR is absolute crap, IMO.

Also, it's pretty common for people to underestimate calories eaten and overestimate calories burned..... if you are living too close to maintenance with a higher calorie diet - then you risk going over. Maybe it's just a couple of hundred calories per day.... but multiply that x 7 days and there goes your weight loss for the week.

Gotcha...so EM2LW is not bro-science. We are not saying you cant lose weight on 1200 calories. Most of the people who came to EM2LW stalled at 1200 or less ...or like me, gained 20+ lbs eating 1200 calories a day.

I dont force it down anyones throat, however I do offer info when one of the 462,123,992 threads pop up that say...HELP I am eating 1200, 1000, 800, 600 calories a day and I am not losing, to possibly look into bumping their calories.

I dont remember anyone from our group going "YOU WILL EFFIN DIE IF YoU DONT CONFORM" lol

tenunderfour

And would you agree that eating above your BMR and below your TDEE creates a deficit?

Yes, I would. And currently that's what I am doing, actually. But, I'm tired of hearing that people can't lose weight on 1200 calories per day. Of course you can!!! Is that the best thing for your health or your physical fitness? No, probably not.... but to make a blanket statement that you can't lose weight or that your body's metabolism just shuts down if you eat under BMR is absolute crap, IMO.

Also, it's pretty common for people to underestimate calories eaten and overestimate calories burned..... if you are living too close to maintenance with a higher calorie diet - then you risk going over. Maybe it's just a couple of hundred calories per day.... but multiply that x 7 days and there goes your weight loss for the week.

Gotcha...so EM2LW is not bro-science. We are not saying you cant lose weight on 1200 calories. Most of the people who came to EM2LW stalled at 1200 or less ...or like me, gained 20+ lbs eating 1200 calories a day.

I dont force it down anyones throat, however I do offer info when one of the 462,123,992 threads pop up that say...HELP I am eating 1200, 1000, 800, 600 calories a day and I am not losing, to possibly look into bumping their calories.

I dont remember anyone from our group going "YOU WILL EFFIN DIE IF YoU DONT CONFORM" lol

"eat more to weigh less" is the battle cry of this website. I think we are going to have to agree to disagree.

psuLemon

I'm starting to think this "eat more to weigh less" business is MFP broscience. You lose weight by having a caloric deficit. Period. End of story. You can create the deficit by eating less, exercising more, or a combo of both. And honestly, I've been doing some reading - and I"m not convinced of any sort of metabolic disruption with low caloric intake and it certainly isn't going to happen with a month of dieting. I think the so called "starvation mode" is a farce.

To the OP..... I agree with the first poster. If you are good with 1200..... then don't force yourself to eat more. If you lose weight, it's working. If you don't... then switch something up..... cycle calories, cycle carbs, increase exercise, increase protein intake, try IF, increase calories slightly, decrease calories slightly. In the end we are only ever ESTIMATING calories in and out. It is impossible to actually know the real numbers. So it stands to reason that this is a big experiment and you need to find what works for you.

Its not broscience. Its simply understanding that your body has nutritional requirements in order to function and push yourself during workouts. If you want to evaluate this eat for a month at 1200 calories and do strength training. Track all your reps and how you feel. Then eat 1700 calories and see if you can increase weight.

I know you will increase weight/strength as i have done this experiment on several mfp people without telling them why and they all came back with the same response a few days later. I have more energy, i increase the weights and feel better. Its not to say you cant lose off of 1200 calories but your body will fight you at some point.

With all due respect, you are confusing weight loss and fat loss with strength training. Apples and oranges my friend. To weigh less you must create a deficit.

Please explain to me the difference between fat loss and weight loss? They both require a calorie deficit.... so... Now muscle retention is a step you take during your weight/fat loss journey to maintain your metabolic rate which you do so by weight lifting but you still achieve both through diet.

AbbsyBabbsy

"YOU WILL EFFIN DIE IF YoU DONT CONFORM" lol

IMO, it's come pretty darn close. Eating between the BMR and TDEE might not be broscience but the following, oft made claims by the eat more group definitely are: 1) that 1200 calories is starving yourself (it's not for most women over 30 and under 5'4") 2) that eating a low-calorie diet will necessarily lead to plateau 3) that eating a low-calorie diet will cause you to regain the weight rapidly 4) that eating a low-calorie diet will slow your metabolism down above the normal amounts corresponding with weight loss 5) that on a low-calorie diet you will lose mostly muscle and be "skinny-fat" at your goal weight 6) that losing the weight by eating more will result in a more sustainable, long-term weight loss 7) that you'll lose weight faster by eating more 8) that eating below BMR is dangerous for everyone

watboy

I lost tons of weight in a calorie deficit. I also lost some weight when I increased my calories. So IMO I think you can lose weight either way.