To Fuel or not to Fuel

NWCountryGal

I see this every day on MFP, every day. People who are not losing weight and say they have hit a plateau. I've been there myself. And now, I am learning to lose weight, I have to fuel my body. I think anyone can lose a certain amount, maybe all the weight they want to lose, but I am seeing a lot of people stalled. I think it is totally because they are not eating enough food.

I know there are some here that dispute this and even some people that cannot understand it and maybe never will. But with all the information available, plus the good bodies I see around here that have not only lost fat but gained good, muscle tone can't all be liars. Why would they lie and what would they have to gain by lying.

I still see so many eating 5-800 calories a day, only!! And wondering why they aren't losing weight. You are not taking advantage of all MFP has to offer. And why ask the question "why am I not losing" if you aren't going to listen to the answers and try them.

If it isn't working people, be at least willing to try eating more food! Denise:drinker: :drinker: PS and don't forget your water:laugh:

shirleygirl910

You are soooo right. One of the things I am still trying to figure out is where my personal limit is. I tried eating 1400 cal a day like the doctor said and I gained. Then I listened to the trainer and started eating 1800 cal a day and I am losing. I still have a lot to learn, but I know not to "starve" myself.

LorinaLynn

I used to be a chronic under-eater. I used a site to track calories, but I didn't use the forum, and everyone I knew who ever lost weight did it by crash dieting, so I didn't know any better. I thought there was eating normally... and dieting. Eating what you want, or being deprived and hungry. With nothing in between.

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have realized that my very slow weight gain was the result of overeating by a SLIGHT amount. Maybe 100-200 calories over maintenance.... for a very long time. Coupled with not being active enough. I didn't have to go from the extreme of eating 2400+ calories a day to under 1000. Just cutting to 1800 would have enough of a deficit. And I would have felt good enough to stick with it.

I'm glad I learned there was another way. An open mind is a beautiful thing.

albayin

I actually played a bit yesterday just to see if I can do it... as so many claimed they lost so much weight on 600 calorie/day (that copenhagen diet or danish diet). I tried one day, and I thought I was going to die the day after. I didn't die but pretty much virtually disappeared from my daily life. I cannot function.

amnski

I used to be a chronic under-eater. I used a site to track calories, but I didn't use the forum, and everyone I knew who ever lost weight did it by crash dieting, so I didn't know any better. I thought there was eating normally... and dieting. Eating what you want, or being deprived and hungry. With nothing in between.

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have realized that my very slow weight gain was the result of overeating by a SLIGHT amount. Maybe 100-200 calories over maintenance.... for a very long time. Coupled with not being active enough. I didn't have to go from the extreme of eating 2400+ calories a day to under 1000. Just cutting to 1800 would have enough of a deficit. And I would have felt good enough to stick with it.

I'm glad I learned there was another way. An open mind is a beautiful thing.

I could have written this myself...eat to fuel the body and the weight will come off. Not only that, but you will make the lifestyle changes needed to keep the weight off

NWCountryGal

Fabulous! Smart lady to at least "try" it out! It's so worth it. I haven't lost a lot but mainly from being inconsistent, water intake etc. but..I have not gained weight and I've lost 6 lbs in 2 months which is not bad for someone that eats as much as I do. I am betting if I go ahead and up my cals after tomorrow I will lose another lb within a week!

You are soooo right. One of the things I am still trying to figure out is where my personal limit is. I tried eating 1400 cal a day like the doctor said and I gained. Then I listened to the trainer and started eating 1800 cal a day and I am losing. I still have a lot to learn, but I know not to "starve" myself.

NWCountryGal

amen, yes, an open mind to at least research it on our own to see if it works. Fear is an awful thing coupled with "old" ideas that have never worked. Way to go!! denise

I used to be a chronic under-eater. I used a site to track calories, but I didn't use the forum, and everyone I knew who ever lost weight did it by crash dieting, so I didn't know any better. I thought there was eating normally... and dieting. Eating what you want, or being deprived and hungry. With nothing in between.

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have realized that my very slow weight gain was the result of overeating by a SLIGHT amount. Maybe 100-200 calories over maintenance.... for a very long time. Coupled with not being active enough. I didn't have to go from the extreme of eating 2400+ calories a day to under 1000. Just cutting to 1800 would have enough of a deficit. And I would have felt good enough to stick with it.

I'm glad I learned there was another way. An open mind is a beautiful thing.

NWCountryGal

That was the straw that broke the camels back for me, I felt weak and my muscles were not recovering. I started eating and wow, what a difference!! No, the scale is not going down leaps and bounds but how I feel, well, I just don't care. I know my body is working properly and losing fat will be the bonus, one of anyway;) denise

I actually played a bit yesterday just to see if I can do it... as so many claimed they lost so much weight on 600 calorie/day (that copenhagen diet or danish diet). I tried one day, and I thought I was going to die the day after. I didn't die but pretty much virtually disappeared from my daily life. I cannot function.

NWCountryGal

I see gals doing it the right way, as well as guys, and thank God they are here so that those that are stuck in the "old" ideas might realize, hopefully, sooner then later!

I used to be a chronic under-eater. I used a site to track calories, but I didn't use the forum, and everyone I knew who ever lost weight did it by crash dieting, so I didn't know any better. I thought there was eating normally... and dieting. Eating what you want, or being deprived and hungry. With nothing in between.

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have realized that my very slow weight gain was the result of overeating by a SLIGHT amount. Maybe 100-200 calories over maintenance.... for a very long time. Coupled with not being active enough. I didn't have to go from the extreme of eating 2400+ calories a day to under 1000. Just cutting to 1800 would have enough of a deficit. And I would have felt good enough to stick with it.

I'm glad I learned there was another way. An open mind is a beautiful thing.

I could have written this myself...eat to fuel the body and the weight will come off. Not only that, but you will make the lifestyle changes needed to keep the weight off

Txnurse97

SO true! I firmly believe in eating. I love to eat. One of the reasons I work out so much is 'cause I can eat more.

I've lost a bunch of weight...and I would say 95% of the time I eat all my calories back. It works for me!

NWCountryGal

and..you look great!! Well done! I don't know which takes more effort, losing weight the unhealthy ways or losing the healthy way. I guess I figured that out as I was typing it. It is much easier for me to eat healthy/normal foods than to be hungry and feel less than energetic. I don't know what each person losing weight is eating as their diaries may be seen but many could be doing emtwl and you can't really tell. I just feel anyone eating over 1200 cals a day is doing ok but may need to eat more to lose. I'll know more when I am finished experimenting with my own bod:laugh: For now, I feel as if I am younger than when I started. I should list all the things I can do now that I could do 60 or so days ago, or a year ago!

Glad we are all here:drinker: :drinker: denise

SO true! I firmly believe in eating. I love to eat. One of the reasons I work out so much is 'cause I can eat more.

I've lost a bunch of weight...and I would say 95% of the time I eat all my calories back. It works for me!

albayin

But I can see why so many including myself truly believe eating less to lose weight. Isn't that what science tells us all the time: input vs output? Its only natural to think if I can lose weight on 1200, I can lose more on 600. LOL

Everyone has different learning curves. No matter how many times we are told not to do it we still need to see it ourselves before choose to believe it. Thank you OP for your insightful post.

LorinaLynn

That's why I (seem to) have endless patience when it comes to beating this dead horse. :laugh:

I know I'm a fairly intelligent, logical person. And I fell for the "just eat less" gimmick. I had to learn for myself, and I'm just lucky I decided, "F--- this... I'd rather weigh more and not be hungry, tired, deprived and miserable, than have to cut even more calories to possibly, eventually lose a few more pounds," before I did irreversible damage to my body or mind.

So maybe if there's some people reading this who are feeling the way I felt back then, that it's just too much work, that there's something wrong with me that I can't lose weight, that maybe I should try eating 500 calories a day, or try some weight loss pill... and maybe those people will recognize themselves in how I used to feel, and realize there's another way, and it's much, much, much more enjoyable.