Eating more to lose inches?

Options
2»

Replies

  • vonsay
    vonsay Posts: 31
    Options
    I am still so very confused as to why you need to up the calories to lose weight!
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Options
    I am still so very confused as to why you need to up the calories to lose weight!

    Because most people don't do well at 1200. To lose weight one only needs a deficit from their TDEE. So for example my TDEE is 2200 so if I'm eating at 1700 I have a deficit of 500 and will therefore still lose weight.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
    Options
    I am still so very confused as to why you need to up the calories to lose weight!

    Because calories are fuel, and fuel burns fat. If you dont get enough fuel from calories your body gets it from muscle. Also, there are defense mechanism set up that can prevent weight loss if you dont eat enough calories. Cortisol and metabolic adaptation to name a few.

    So if you reduce the strss on your body, eat around 20% below tdee, and push the weight lifting, your body is more willing to cut fat and maintain muscle.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Options
    Depending on your frame size and body type, your goal weight might to low for you. I'm less than an inch taller than you and wouldn't go below 125. And even that might be pushing it for me. Granted, bodies are different, so it might be fine for you. But, you should consider that it might not be.

    Your body fat may be higher than you'd like, but you aren't "fat". Focus on your overall health and just give yourself time. It's common to see great losses in both pounds and inches initially, only to have the losses taper off. It's a slow process. Be patient.
  • mystikalbeanz
    mystikalbeanz Posts: 192 Member
    Options
    I am still so very confused as to why you need to up the calories to lose weight!

    Because most people don't do well at 1200. To lose weight one only needs a deficit from their TDEE. So for example my TDEE is 2200 so if I'm eating at 1700 I have a deficit of 500 and will therefore still lose weight.

    So if my TDEE is 22697 i should be eating 1800 which is 20% under my TDEE right? I have been eating 1600 a day and havent been losing pounds and im hungry alot, although ive lost some inches. I do cardio 5 times a wk for 40 mins too. I get confused on all of this for some reason. I just dont want to eat too many calories and not lose and i also dont want to not be giving my body not enough fuel?? Thanks in advance..
  • EZaccone85
    EZaccone85 Posts: 107 Member
    Options
    I have close to the same question....I have been on MFP since April 28th and my calorie intake hasn't changed, its set to change automatically....I have lost 21 pounds and I'm still eating 1200 calories a day and have been stuck for a week at the same weight...Should I change it to 1300 or 1400??
  • dr_tina
    dr_tina Posts: 225 Member
    Options
    Results from weight training take a long time, so it is all about patience and making it a long term commitment. I am only 5'3" and I weigh about 133 and I actually don't want to lose more weight. Bulking with muscle sounds and raising calories may be scary, but it is good advice if you did not start weight training sooner. Also, take rest days. Change your goals away from weight/size and re-focus on exercise goals such as how much you can lift, how far you can run, etc. and it will just happen over time.
  • jawheb
    jawheb Posts: 295 Member
    Options
    I weigh 118 lbs and eat between 2300-2800 calories a day. I do 3 days cardio with circuit and 3 days weightlifting and circuit. Eating more works for me. My BF drops every month. I gain weight but it's muscle.
  • donkraft
    donkraft Posts: 28 Member
    Options
    Just finsh the program. If then you want to lose more weight, get serious with your cardio. I did 12 weeks of strong lifts got burned out and switched to 10k training program. Ive been running 20+ miles a week and cant seem to stop losing the weight. I guess its kinda like what bodybuilders do: bulk, cut, bulk, cut.
  • slynn28
    slynn28 Posts: 93
    Options
    I am still so very confused as to why you need to up the calories to lose weight!

    i read if you do not eat the right amount of calories.. you're just putting yourself in starvation mode which makes you gain weight.. i had to up mines by 200.. but i workout 6days a week from 60mins to 80mins a day...
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    Options
    Just found tht 20% of my tdee is 1538, so I've not been too far off with my eating. Mayb I just have to b patient like some say.
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    Options
    my body looks just like yours and i'm 5ft 2 and bouncing between 123-125 now. I am not doing the same programs as you but i really want to invest in chalene...

    Do it! It's a great program!
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    Options
    115 is what I'm hoping for, I was just rounding with how much I need to lose. My BMI will be 19.28 at 115, so still healthy weight if u wanna go by that. I'll show u pictures of me from 2 wks ago. I really do look like I need to lose that much.

    From looking at your pic it's not scale weight but body fat that needs to be lost. But you know that.

    Honestly to get the results you want this is going to take time. If you're 29% body fat, depending how much you want to lose could take a year. (for comparison I'm twice your size but have a body fat of 33%) It's not going to happen in five weeks sadly.

    I want to b at least 17%BF but I would b happier right now if my belly would just go down. I wonder Wat % would do tht. I hope it doesnt take a yr. I hear u can lose between 1-5% n a month.
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    Options
    Depending on your frame size and body type, your goal weight might to low for you. I'm less than an inch taller than you and wouldn't go below 125. And even that might be pushing it for me. Granted, bodies are different, so it might be fine for you. But, you should consider that it might not be.

    Your body fat may be higher than you'd like, but you aren't "fat". Focus on your overall health and just give yourself time. It's common to see great losses in both pounds and inches initially, only to have the losses taper off. It's a slow process. Be patient.

    I'm a small frame so I don't think its pushing it. I'm 3.2lbs away from 125 right now so yeah, totally not small for me. I thought body fat made u fat, so its hard to get out of the mindset tht I'm fat. I feel like I am.
  • amyneastman
    amyneastman Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Hi all - enoying this thread. What is the TDEE - and how do I find this? And have you all had success eating ATLEAST an amount? I'm 5'5" and 137. I'd like to get back down to 127 --- I think eating back my exercise calories, I'm eating a total of around 1400. Is this enough?
  • kalynn06
    kalynn06 Posts: 368 Member
    Options
    I just wanted to add that I saw a similar stall in losing inches (even gained in my thighs and waist) when I upped the weight I was lifting (FWIW we're pretty much the same size- I'm 5'5 and 129 lbs with a small frame). The inches pretty much fell off after a recovery week, so I think that I was holding on to a lot of water in the muscles over the areas I was measuring from consistently hitting them so hard.

    Edited to add- I lost most of my scale weight (from 144 to 133) eating a deficit, doing intense cardio and light weights. My body fat, however, only dropped from around 30 to 28 or 29. It took a few months of eating consistently at only a very small deficit and lifting heavy weights before I saw my body fat drop (to 25.6% and hopefully still falling). The scale slowed down a lot, but visibly I looked better after losing only a few pounds than I did after losing the first 9.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
    Options
    Hi all - enoying this thread. What is the TDEE - and how do I find this? And have you all had success eating ATLEAST an amount? I'm 5'5" and 137. I'd like to get back down to 127 --- I think eating back my exercise calories, I'm eating a total of around 1400. Is this enough?

    TDEE = total daily energy expended. It's teh amount of calories you burn from your metabolic functions, daily lifestyle (desk job, nurse, sahm, etc..) and your exercise calories.

    How often do you work out and what is your routine?

Categories