'Eat more'? Research, or personal success/failure stories?

geebusuk

After going over 1600 calories for the first time in a while thanks to a meal out with friends and then seeing the lowest weight I've had on the scales since I was 14 or so I reckon; it got me thinking about how people often say 'eat more'.

Now in reality I suspect it's more that apart from a couple of breaks I was doing manual work from 8am until 12:30am or so, so no doubt burnt a lot of extra calories too. Or it was just natural body fluctuations, dehydration etc.

But, I'd still be interested to hear of people's own experiences - ideally backed up with a bit of explanation of the scenario and what else they'd tried etc.
So far the only research I've found (I do like my 'research papers') suggest that eating more is unlikely to also make you lose weight quicker.

(Basically, it'd be nice if I could eat more - as I quite like eating - and do the same or better )
Also often been finding myself pretty hungry going to bed at the moment. However I had been having a (half) protein shake maybe an hour and a half before bed (while still at work), which may not be ideal timing for hunger etc.

geebusuk

Anyone?

I was looking for this link, which I meant to include:
http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

yarwell

the Eat More to Weigh Less group / cult on here should provide you with an ample feed of apocryphal tales.

I doubt you'll find any scientific papers, I haven't managed it. There are lots of studies where people persistently lose weight while on a large calorie deficit. I suspect the subjects are kicked off if they don't on the basis that they're cheating.

It would be good to see some scientific studies of people that are stalled / at a plateau. I found one where a ladies's BMR had dropped to 950 so the 1400 calories she was eating became maintenance.

Refeeding studies may help - they look at weight gain on increasing calories. Sometimes the small initial increases in calories don't result in weight gain (sometimes continuing loss).

theartichoke

Eating more can help you lose weight but it's relative. That method gives great results to people who were on an extremely low intake for a long time, stalled out for an extended period and don't want to endlessly reduce calories.

Yarwell mentioned the lowered BMR. The eat more method can reset BMR if needed and helps people lose weight at a modest deficit. The only way it helps anyone lose weight faster is if they weren't losing any weight at all to begin with. It's designed to be slower and more conservative. A revved up metabolism versus a slower one. I've been reading quite a bit about the health benefits of a slow metabolism lately. There's always something new to learn.

What you experienced could be an indication your body would be happier with a higher intake. Perhaps it doesn't mean that at all and was, like you wrote, a combination of factors. If you decide to eat more weight loss will either stay the same or slow down.

Do you know your BMR and TDEE?

yarwell

Do you know your BMR and TDEE?

Does anyone, unless they're using doubly labelled water ?

theartichoke

No, I don't think so. This would have been more accurate:

Do you know what the calculators guesstimate your BMR and TDEE to be so you can begin the process of guesstimating to find general vicinity of your actual BMR and TDEE?

I can't run around typing that nonsense out all the time Yarwell.

yarwell

So it it useful to know the +/- 10% guesstimate that encompasses perhaps 70% of the population or less.

Or can we just start with the assumption that 2000 is maintenance for a woman and 2500 for a man - is it less accurate ?

geebusuk

The BMR calculator on here says 1774. TDEE probably varies a fair bit - have been doing a lot of long days doing lots of heavy lifting, but that's tailing off now.

I'm not too bothered by the specific incident mentioned, was just wondering generally on a theoretical level.

Have wondered about 'resetting' too; though so far I don't seem to be at the point that it's an issue.
Also interested to hear about any research on that sort of thing - just for interest's sake.

Sidesteal

Do you know your BMR and TDEE?

Does anyone, unless they're using doubly labelled water ?

I think that it's pretty reasonable for people who have been tracking intake and progress, to get a reasonably estimated TDEE.

hazelovesfood

I thinks its possible it does work, ever time ive seen a decent lose its been when i have over induldge the day before, weird but very true.And just so people know eating too little damages your bodies organs and can put a strain on your heart. so eat more.Rome wasnt bulit in a day , dont expect to drop all your weight in the same time.

Mel2626

Do you know your BMR and TDEE?

Does anyone, unless they're using doubly labelled water ?

I think that it's pretty reasonable for people who have been tracking intake and progress, to get a reasonably estimated TDEE.

Agreed. We're tracking little things like macros and measuring our food, what's the big deal about figuring out ones TDEE or BMR?
OP, I suggest checking out the "Eat More to Weigh Less" group. There is a wealth of information to help you decide if it's something for you.
Also, to clear this up a bit, it's not JUST about eating more, it's about people learning that we don't need to starve ourselves in order to lose weight. <--- If people would just check it out a bit instead of throwing ignorant judgments around, they'd actually learn a thing or two... :flowerforyou:

ChappyEight

This should get interesting.

AmyRhubarb

Personally, I've had more success and felt a heckuvalot better, and have had more energy for workouts and just daily life by upping my calories. At first I had a few instances like you posted, where after a weekend or several days of going well over my 1200 or 1400 or whatever-calories-I was-set-on-at-the-time, I had a great loss on the scale. I also read all the info and success stories from the EM2WL group, liked what I was reading, and also had read similar info in a couple of books I had been reading.

Then I found this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Ran my stats through all the calculators, found the best estimates I could for my BMR and TDEE, and reset my calories & macros here accordingly. It's working for me!

Sweettart

bump for later

myfitnessnmhoy

I'll bite (no pun intended).

It worked for me. I was undereating and unable to support good workouts, and lost motivation to work out. I have also previously dieted on much more low-calorie diets than MFP suggests (and even to the points that they recommend against). I have consistently found that eating at a SMALL deficit allows me to lose weight pretty well, and eating at a LARGE deficit gives me fantastic results followed by a plateau and a setback, and a lack of energy to exercise properly.

But, above all else, in part due to all the controversy, I am more of a proponent of experimentation now. Get your carbs, fats, and proteins in balance. That will allow you to eat what you need with less hunger. Make sure you are getting your requirement of vitamins and minerals (even if that means a supplement, but through food is better!). Drink enough water that your urine is clear or pale yellow most of the time. Make sure your body's basic core needs are met.

Then go with how you feel and how things are working for you. If you are losing weight really quickly, you are setting yourself up for a plateau. Do what you want, just be aware of that. If you are losing weight at your defined pace, great - keep it up.

If you aren't losing weight, think seriously about how you feel.
- Are you hungry all the time? Tired? Having trouble sleeping? If so, you might want to consider experimenting with eating a little more for 3-4 weeks and see if it helps.
- Are you feeling great? You're probably not eating at a deficit - you are either overlogging exercise, underlogging food, or there's a miscalculation in your metabolic rate - try eating fewer calories for 3-4 weeks and see what happens.

You aren't going to see many trends in a day or even a week, so be patient. But experiment and learn about what works for you. Those lessons will be handy when you reach your goal, because you'll have what you need to maintain the new you.

caseyjune87

I'm starting to wonder. I've cut my calories a bunch of times since I've started counting. I went from 1900 to start (just to get myself aware of what I was eating) down to 1600 to 1550 to 1400. I still occasionally go over but not by much, but in three months I've only lost two pounds! I dont know what to do!

curiouskate

Success story right here. Maintaining 120 lb loss almost 2 years. Went down to 1200/day during weight loss process and stalled. Increased to 1800/day and got the rest of the weight off. Maintain my weight around 2500/day now. Starvation mode IS real. I've had many, many many encounters with others online experiencing the same thing. And many encounters with VLCD dieters who cannot keep the weight off because they have turned their bodies into calorie hoarders by being in a state of semi-starvation for a long time. Took me 2.5 years to lose 120 pounds, I am a very experience calorie counter. Food scale, no cheating, etc.

The real question to me is if you CAN lose weight eating more why on earth would anyone want to eat less?? It's like self-punishment for no good reason. Also, anyone who really wants to understand calories ought to check out Marion Nestle's book Why Calories Count. That will clear it all right up.

myfitnessnmhoy

I'm starting to wonder. I've cut my calories a bunch of times since I've started counting. I went from 1900 to start (just to get myself aware of what I was eating) down to 1600 to 1550 to 1400. I still occasionally go over but not by much, but in three months I've only lost two pounds! I dont know what to do!

This could almost have been my exact post a couple of months ago.

I won't say I'm losing weight at the moment, but I did lose a few (and more importantly was able to support more vigorous workouts) once I dropped my goal to a half pound a week.

I'm bicycling for about 2 hours a day most days in hilly terrain and having a problem eating all my calories, but when I do manage it that seems to be more associated with the times I tend to lose weight.

And the experiment continues...

The key is - if what you do right now is not working, and hasn't for more than a few weeks, try something else. If you're still feeling really good, rarely hungry, and getting all your food in reasonable balance, you could try 100 fewer calories a day and see how that feels. If you're feeling hungry and tired, I'd say it's time to feed the machine better. But you need to experiment and find what starts working for you - and be open to further experimentation later.

raeleek

I personally think it works. I don't think you can stuff your face with whatever you want and see weight loss but here is my experience-

When I first got on this site I set my weight loss to 2lbs, called my lifestyle sedentary, and worked out like mad so I could have a higher calorie deficit. That got the first 5 lbs off and then NOTHING. I was getting so frustrated and then I started reading about eating more and since I wasn't dropping any weight I figured I give it a shot.

I changed my settings to drop 1lbs a week, called my lifestyle lightly active, and continued to workout daily just not as intense. That was about two months ago and the weight has been coming off nicely.

I think I'm starting to get close to a plateau again so I might be switching it up soon. I think you just need to play around until you find what works for you. We're not all the same and we're not going to lose the same. Obviously eating right and working out are the main keys but I've seen so many different kinds of people on here. Some eat less and lose, some eat more and lose, some don't eat back exercise calories, some do, we're all different!

myfitnessnmhoy

The real question to me is if you CAN lose weight eating more why on earth would anyone want to eat less?? It's like self-punishment for no good reason. Also, anyone who really wants to understand calories ought to check out Marion Nestle's book Why Calories Count. That will clear it all right up.

Because dieting is some form of penance some people feel they must pay for the sin of the gluttony that made them fat?

Because the typical American attitude is "if a little is good a lot must be better" and we apply it to dieting?

I dunno - when I was dieting through hunger, it was a little of both for me.

It's also very counterintuitive. And for people who are actually already eating enough, it obviously does not work.

ShannonMpls

I cannot say that I am losing more weight at a faster pace than if I ate fewer calories but I can say this:

- I love having a calorie goal of 2100 and still losing a pound and a half a week.

- I have never plateaued, not once - steady weight loss for 14 months, lining up almost exactly with my estimated TDEE deficit.

- I never went below 1500 calories, and during most of my weight loss I was eating between 1700 and 1900 calories. I want to lose about 4 more pounds of fat and then I'll increase my calories to 2400-2600, and that should allow me 3-4 spike days a month and maintain my new weight and meet my fitness goals.

I don't know if eating more helps physically, but it sure helps mentally. My main goal during all this has been to live the healthiest life I can enjoy, and a life with more food is a happier one, and if I'm losing weight? Why would i WANT to eat less?

Just my personal experience.