Eat more 2 weigh less! It works! (Thank God I took photos!)

bohonomad

Just the thing I needed to see! I'm on my first week of increasing my calories since I've stayed the same for the past month. I am so freaked out but seeing stories/photos like this makes me feel better about it. Hope my results are as good as yours!

musiche

Just the thing I needed to see! I'm on my first week of increasing my calories since I've stayed the same for the past month. I am so freaked out but seeing stories/photos like this makes me feel better about it. Hope my results are as good as yours!

All the best of luck to you! Take it slow and steady

70davis

Bump

nothingwithoutHim

bump

myfitnessval

thank you for posting this. i JUST decided to em2wl like.... today haha so i definitely needed more confirmation that this is the right step! GREAT JOB btw.

mrsjacksn

bump

rr85114

I can't say this enough! My weight didn't change, my measurements didn't really change, the only thing that showed me I was winning was this photograph and I didn't even know it until today, 45 days later, when I took the picture. I was honestly hoping to lose a bit before I took my next photographs, but I got impatient and took them today and I was so happy that there was a visible difference! Surprise!

Take photos!

Take photos!

Take photos!

(I can't say this enough! Lol)

Wow - this really spoke to me - the fact that your measurements didn't change and yet, you look INCREDIBLE after only 45 days, just goes to show that photos are probably one of the best indicators of progress!

You are truly inspirational. Keep up the amazing work

MissTomGettingThin

Whoop!
I'm two weeks into the same process.
Down 2 lbs!
Eating about 2100 a day, lifting more than doing cardio.

Loving it. :O)

fit_spired_vicky

That gave me faith, actually. Thank you! Im eating 2100 a day, and sometime i think its too much... It isnt! Thanks

b1505

Well done, you can really see the difference! I never really believed the eat more to weigh less thing but last week I decided to increase my calories only by 150 a day but I've already seen the difference. Before I only lost 0.2lbs in a week and since increasing my calories around a week ago I've lost nearly 2lbs in a week. Now after seeing your pictures I can see how much of a noticeable difference there is

dawnemjh

I am wondering how you are estimating your burns?? I have been plateauted for over ayeear, 18mos to be exact. i tried the whole eat more to lose concept for over 6 weeks along with my regular exercise and gained 10 pounds and believe me its not muscle. i just got more jiggly all over.
I have used a bodymedia and heart rate monitor for estimating my burns and they always give me an avg of 2500 yet if I eat more than 2000 I consistently gain.
I have chalked it up to years of calorie deficit like you, probably around 500-1000 per day for years. Twice I have tried to eat more, like around 2400, and the scale just creeps up and pics prove that its not muscle.
Any thoughts on this?

Hi! I am not 'estimating my burns' actually.

Something that really enlightened me and sparked this new mentality was when I got my BodyMedia Fit Armband. I had wanted a Bodybugg for years and couldn't afford it really, or justify it. I was almost committed to getting one, and then a friend on MFP was talking about BodyMedia and I inquired. She told me about it, showed me the website and I was HOOKED! My birthday was two weeks away and I justified getting it that way, lol.

Check out bodymedia.com

The device they have created is THE most accurate on the market: 95% accurate. It measure your caloric burn with three different sensors for accuracy. It tells you how many calories you burn down to the minute. It evaluates yours sleeping habits too. It has software much like MFP, minus the social aspect and the food library isn't as good because not as many people have used it yet. So, I use MFP to log my food and for the social aspect and I don't log my exercise on here anymore (because it was all estimations anyway, and from what I've learned - GROSSLY OVERESTIMATED).

I STRONGLY, very strongly recommend that anyone with a plateau get something like this (and a fitbit is no comparison). It is NOT a heart rate monitor (though it will sync with many different brands), it is FAR far better than a heart rate monitor.

It has been worth the money 10x over. It opened my eyes and showed me that I was underestimating myself big time. I needed this information, this clarity and the affirmation that it gave me in order to make the change that I did (to eat more and go against tried and tested knowledge of weight loss).

thanks. I have the BMF and that did not help me. In fact since I have had it I have gained 10 pounds. It seems like it must have been overestimating for me, because even eating at a deficit with that I still gained....

thanks!! I did send you a message!!!

musiche

Whoop!
I'm two weeks into the same process.
Down 2 lbs!
Eating about 2100 a day, lifting more than doing cardio.

Loving it. :O)

Awesome! I am happy to see another success story! Keep packing on that muscle, buddy!

musiche

That gave me faith, actually. Thank you! Im eating 2100 a day, and sometime i think its too much... It isnt! Thanks

The only way it is ever too much is if your body doesn't know what to do with it because the default plan is always 'save it for later' as fat. You must be working hard and showing your body who is boss! Keep up the great work!!!

musiche

Well done, you can really see the difference! I never really believed the eat more to weigh less thing but last week I decided to increase my calories only by 150 a day but I've already seen the difference. Before I only lost 0.2lbs in a week and since increasing my calories around a week ago I've lost nearly 2lbs in a week. Now after seeing your pictures I can see how much of a noticeable difference there is

This is good to hear! The more you can eat and still meet your goals, the better. Realistically, the slower the change, the more sustainable your eating habits and routines will be. And, the more healthy you will be now and in the future.

Are you taking photos of yourself too? Cuz the scale will turn on you at some point, I can almost guarantee it, lol. Make sure you're seeing the whole picture and not selling yourself short by relying on a device that only measures your weight, not your fat loss or muscle gain.

Keep doing what you're doing!

musiche

For anyone that is interested to hear more about my struggles and successes over the years, I let it all out today in a blog on MFP, no hold's barred. The good, the bad and the ugly side to losing weight, gaining weight, losing more weight and trying to figure this body out.

I talk about how the first time I lost 85 pounds, I really screwed myself up by doing a lot of things wrong. Then screwed up again and gained back 65 pounds, and then lost that same 65 pounds in a better way, still making mistakes but with good intentions and more information. I talk about everything that got me to where I am now, and in the span of 11 years of weight loss and gain (and loss), my recent success is only a small piece of the pie.

I've learned so much over the years and I hope I can help others avoid many mistakes that I made to make this process as easy and fool-proof as it can be. It's been an incredible journey that I love living, even during the downs because the ups always make it worth it.

The blog post: The Story of My Life
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/musiche/view/the-story-of-my-life-412474#comments

Here's to paying it forward.

lilacsun

Bump to come back and read this again. Thank you, I'm working on increasing calories and have never done that to lose weight before
:-)

ItzPSGina62

Amazing story!!!!!! GOOD FOR YOU!!!!! I noticed when I had back pain and started working out, it stopped. You story is inspiring me to stay off the scale. You gained a little and look soooo much better and thinner!

lajonna

Niice job! Congrats! Keep it up ( :

musiche

Amazing story!!!!!! GOOD FOR YOU!!!!! I noticed when I had back pain and started working out, it stopped. You story is inspiring me to stay off the scale. You gained a little and look soooo much better and thinner!

It's good to hear that you took control of your health and fixed your back pain!

As much as I wanted to toss my scale a few months back, I just couldn't do it. I sell weigh myself every day, I can't help it, lol. When I gained back 65 pounds I'd previously lost, I was in denial for years simply because I never, ever weighed myself. I decided if I was going to keep the scale around, that I would have to make peace with it, and it took weeks, but I did eventually. I learned not to care about that particular number anymore, largely because photos proved to me that the scale was lying - I WAS changing in great ways when the scale told me I wasn't changing at all. :P

If you manage to toss your scale, you'll accomplish something I haven't been able to yet, lol.

rjlkat

You look amazing!!! I've been doing the EMtWL strategy for quite some months without the success you have (I've gained, and starting to drop the gain but...), but I know it works, and your story proves it beautifully. Thank you for the added boost of confidence that it is the right thing to do - it's just a matter of finding the right numbers.

Your comment about it coming down to nutrition.... that is a great way to look at it, and I'm going ot keep it in mind rather than focus quite so much on the calories. Thank you for sharing! :drinker: