Really??? Eat more, weigh less???

bb_tiu

So I have met with a personal trainer, a nutritionist and looked online and all of them are telling me that to lose my remaining last 10 lbs of fat and build muscle I should be eating closer to 1800 calories a day.

I am 5'7, 135 and work out 6 hours a week mixing weights and cardio on average. I have always stuck to 14-1500 calories a day and cant imagine I will actually lose weight and inches when I increase my calories by like 300 calories a day. I am worried I will gain?

From experience have any of you guys increased calories to lose? Does this really work? Should I break my low cal mind set? I guess its worth a shot because I've stopped seeing results at this point.

belladonna786

For me this is true. Also I move a hell of a lot more

myofibril

Does this really work?

Yes, it does work. But it is more about better body composition and athletic performance rather than mere "weight" loss.

If you supply your body with more energy and nutrients then it has more calories to shunt towards muscle maintenance / building, improving body functions etc rather than fat storage. The leaner you get the less able your body is to handle an excessive calorie deficit.

It is important to note that you still need a calorie deficit to prompt fat loss but a high food + high activity approach tends to work much better for preferential body composition.

What you should avoid like the plague (unless you are obese) is a low calorie + high activity approach.

Also free yourself from the tyranny of the scale. The leaner you get the more pointless it becomes.

spinedocmfp

yes, I have lost several pounds upping my calories after a plateau, on 3 separate occasions. Also, just try it, if after several weeks you are gaining, then lower again. You won't put on that much weight at an extra 300 cals, and could quickly recover. Thirdly, if you eat more while working out, you may put on weight while losing inches, the scale is not the best measure of your progress at your stage. Take pictures and measurements and compare.

simonkurth

It helps to eat more of the right things. Increasing your consumption of green leafy vegetables and protein rich foods will absolutely
Make you more healthy. That's the theory I'm working on at the moment. If you eat more salty and/or sweet foods weight loss will not occur from eating more.

I'm no expert and I've had my fair share of challenges with food but this new philosophy seems to be working for me.
Good luck

Helloitsdan

I love how we have 2-3 of these posts going right now.

Truth is you dont see a lot of people who eat more and weigh less making forum topics like "Eating 1200 cals. anyone else doing this?"
Its because we tend to get results and are happier with those results.
Why is it so hard to imagine eating at a normal allowance and maintaining healthy weight or just losing fat?

Set it up and give it a go for the holiday season.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Nana_Booboo

yes but not all calories are equal. make good choices, lean meats, fish, veggies, fruits, grains and healthy fats. eating 1800 calories of junk doesn' t work.

kiraleilani

I love how we have 2-3 of these posts going right now.

Truth is you dont see a lot of people who eat more and weigh less making forum topics like "Eating 1200 cals. anyone else doing this?"
Its because we tend to get results and are happier with those results.
Why is it so hard to imagine eating at a normal allowance and maintaining healthy weight or just losing fat?

Set it up and give it a go for the holiday season.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Mind. Blown.

Thank you for this. I read the whole thing and did the calculations on the websites provided. I should be eating my workout calories back... I wasn't eating enough to sustain my vital organs apparently!