Eat More to Weigh Less

Bobby__Clerici

1700-1800, maybe a couple hundred more if you exercise hard.
You will be much happier, healthier, and more likely to succeed in attaining your goals.
Do eat.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

^^^^^^^^
THIS
:drinker:

KarenJean91

I was just about to post a topic like this. I NEVER believed in that, ever. Before the holidays i was strictly eating 1200 calories, did that for about 2 weeks, before Christmas... then totally went crazy for like 3 weeks of eating whatever i wanted, not counting calories.... just got home from the doctor, and guess what. I lost 0.5 pound. Just from eating more. Yeah it's only a half pound but i thought i was going to see at least a 5lb gain.... lol. i was obviously in starvation mode (idk if that's a myth or not, but it doesn't really seem like one anymore, to me) and my body was holding on to the fat. When i ate more it decided to let some go i guess.

iwantwow

hi..as recommended i visit the and it says that i should eat around 1700 calories..now from last 2 years i have been on 1200 calorie diet,exercise regularly bt not able to lose any weight..i need serious help in judging the fact whether i should go for this higher calorie option...i am afraid to eat too much...plzzz help

Melo1966

I was doing the low cal with success before joing MFP then crashed going too long term. Low cal should not be used for more than 90 days. I am glad these forums exist so I was able to educate to repair myself. My metabolism has greatly improved and I have alot more energy. I have my goal now set to maintain sedetary around 1,900 and then any exercise should now be my loss.

sandradev1

I started on 1200 cals lost a few pounds and then weight loss stopped. I found out about the Road Map and upped my calories to my TDEE less 20%. As others have said, it didn't happen straight away, but then the weight started to come off again at a steady pace.

The link to the road map to test out your BMR and TDEE and assess your calorie goal is:

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

Melo1966

hi..as recommended i visit the and it says that i should eat around 1700 calories..now from last 2 years i have been on 1200 calorie diet,exercise regularly bt not able to lose any weight..i need serious help in judging the fact whether i should go for this higher calorie option...i am afraid to eat too much...plzzz help

If you can't lose on 1,200 then why not go for 1,700? Try it. I was scared too I became affraid of food and was not hungry and not losing on net 1,000.

elisa123gal

What made me increase my calories was reading on the forums how the girls who do the 1200 like me....where stuck at that intake at maintenance because they ate too little and ruined their metabolisms..and they'd gain. I found it hard to eat only 1200 and the thought of a life of that would stink. So i changed..decided to eat more.

I'm into my second week of eating at 1650 and I lost 2 lbs..so the mfp setting losing at one pound a week..is working for me. And i love that when i exercise i can eat those calories too.

nharder1

Wow. I am glad that I am not the only one that has this issue. I mean yeah, at first it worked. Just as it has appeared to do for everyone else at first. But after we adjust, it just doesn't cut it anymore.
Today was my first full day at 1,600. I feel great, I'm not having the 2 PM crash or the 12PM aggressive hunger pains. I brought plenty of food for the day and i had a very filling, but calorie sensible lunch. I plan to eat a small dinner because tonight is a gym night. But overall, I feel very energized and in a great mood!
Thanks for the input everyone! I do agree though, that the MFP calculator needs some updating.

sandradev1

Wow. I am glad that I am not the only one that has this issue. I mean yeah, at first it worked. Just as it has appeared to do for everyone else at first. But after we adjust, it just doesn't cut it anymore.
Today was my first full day at 1,600. I feel great, I'm not having the 2 PM crash or the 12PM aggressive hunger pains. I brought plenty of food for the day and i had a very filling, but calorie sensible lunch. I plan to eat a small dinner because tonight is a gym night. But overall, I feel very energized and in a great mood!
Thanks for the input everyone! I do agree though, that the MFP calculator needs some updating.

Well done, and as you say, as the weight and body fat reduces we need to re-assess again, usually every 5lbs loss is suggested.

The thing I like best is that 'when' I get to my goal and want to maintain I won't have to change too much to increase up to my TDEE. This is why I feel it is more sustainable, as if my calories were at 1200 and I had to jump up to maintenance, it would mean a whole diet change to get my diary that high and therefore likely to put my off course again very quickly.

nharder1

So, it's official.
I have been eating an increased calorie regimen for one whole day. I went from 1,200 calories a day on Wednesday afternoon to 1,600. I have been feeling WONDERFUL. I continued about my normal routine, eating my now more filling meals and continued exercise. I stepped on the scale this morning just to appease myself, and to my surprise, I had lost an entire pound! I had been eating 1,200 calories since the beginning of the year and had plateaued so quickly. I was happy to see the break happen as soon as it did!
Thanks for the support.

di1428

you know this whole topic confuses the hell out of me lol
i guess i cant get past the mentality of eating more to lose? as you always heard
eat less....
ive been stuck for a few months now (going up/down the same 3 lbs) after losing 40+ lbs.
with just changing my eating habits....
MFP has me eating 1390...
i probably eat about 1200 and am full and not hungry so have a hard time increasing what i eat then.
my BMR is 1587 and TDEE is 2643.
i still need to lose about 40 more lbs ..
i just started this week to be more consistant with excercise so i am hoping that will
get me past my plateau.
any advice would be appreciated..

Greenrun99

Its not that hard to understand eating more to lose weight.. Most of the people here are eating 1200 calories, which is way below their TDEE (amount you eat to maintain your current weight) and its creating a huge deficit... well you don't need to have a huge deficit so guess what, you can eat more to decrease your deficit and still lose weight..
So lets say your 5'5, active (gym 5-6 days a week for an hour doing lifting or cardio), you weight 150-200lbs.. your TDEE is probably 2200-3000.. well eating at 1200 calories you have a huge deficit from your number.. you only need to lose 500 calories a day to lose a lb a week.. so you could be eating 1700 calories instead of 1200 (if your tdee is 2200)..

I know you say, but I want to lose 2 lbs a week or 3 lbs a week.. Make this quick and painless.. Well Most people except those that have 100+ lbs to lose can't lose steadily at 2lbs+ a week in a healthy fashion.. Or if you do, your probably going to hit a plateau and post on this forum about why you can't lose anymore weight..

sandradev1

you know this whole topic confuses the hell out of me lol
i guess i cant get past the mentality of eating more to lose? as you always heard
eat less....
ive been stuck for a few months now (going up/down the same 3 lbs) after losing 40+ lbs.
with just changing my eating habits....
MFP has me eating 1390...
i probably eat about 1200 and am full and not hungry so have a hard time increasing what i eat then.
my BMR is 1587 and TDEE is 2643.
i still need to lose about 40 more lbs ..
i just started this week to be more consistant with excercise so i am hoping that will
get me past my plateau.
any advice would be appreciated..

My advice would be to eat at least 1587 (your BMR) for at least a few weeks and see what happens. You may even need to try around 2100 cals to get movement on the weight loss. What you body may be doing is holding onto everything it can because you are not providing enough fuel for it to perform its basic things. After you start eating at the correct calories for your body, and once it realises that it is getting the right amount of nutrition etc it will start to let go of the excess lbs.

With regard to upping you calories, this can be difficult especially if you are not feeling hungry. It is, thankfully, quite easy. Just up the portion size of the meals that you currently have even a little bit will all add up. Then add foods that are high in calories but low in portion size i.e. avacado, 0% greek yoghurt, nuts and peanut butter will all easily get you up to the target without much hard work.

Good luck

di1428

you know this whole topic confuses the hell out of me lol
i guess i cant get past the mentality of eating more to lose? as you always heard
eat less....
ive been stuck for a few months now (going up/down the same 3 lbs) after losing 40+ lbs.
with just changing my eating habits....
MFP has me eating 1390...
i probably eat about 1200 and am full and not hungry so have a hard time increasing what i eat then.
my BMR is 1587 and TDEE is 2643.
i still need to lose about 40 more lbs ..
i just started this week to be more consistant with excercise so i am hoping that will
get me past my plateau.
any advice would be appreciated..

My advice would be to eat at least 1587 (your BMR) for at least a few weeks and see what happens. You may even need to try around 2100 cals to get movement on the weight loss. What you body may be doing is holding onto everything it can because you are not providing enough fuel for it to perform its basic things. After you start eating at the correct calories for your body, and once it realises that it is getting the right amount of nutrition etc it will start to let go of the excess lbs.

With regard to upping you calories, this can be difficult especially if you are not feeling hungry. It is, thankfully, quite easy. Just up the portion size of the meals that you currently have even a little bit will all add up. Then add foods that are high in calories but low in portion size i.e. avacado, 0% greek yoghurt, nuts and peanut butter will all easily get you up to the target without much hard work.

Good luck

thanks for the reply......its worth a try

iwantwow

thanks