I Lost More When I Ate More?

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dedee32282
dedee32282 Posts: 28
in Health and Weight Loss
I was eating about 1550 calories a day according to a nutritionist I saw a while back. but my weight loss started to really slow down. So I dropped down to 1390 calories daily (what MFP suggested for my currect weight)- and now I'm not really seeing any changes!?! Was eating more giving my body more to "Burn"?
I also exercise an hour 6 times a week...And I usually eat back most of my exercise calories- I know thats a big debate in the forum!

What gives? Any ideas?
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Replies

  • mom2handh1975
    mom2handh1975 Posts: 224 Member
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    Well, I decided that fixating in the number 1430 was making me a little crazy, so I upped my calories to 1650-ish. I've lost 3 pounds since Friday! I have no idea what gives, but I feel better and I'm losing faster. It worked for me (so far)! :happy:
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    There are more variables that go in to scale weight than how many calories you ate last week
  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
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    I recently upped mine to my bmr level of 1700 (an increase from 1300 which I lost 0lbs on for months) within a week of upping the calories I lost 3.6lbs and a further 0.8lbs this week. It might not sound like much but given I have thyroid problems for me this is huge! I mostly eat around 1650 somedays I reach 1700. I workout 3 hours a week (3 days at 1 hour each) and do ab crunches and leg raises at home on the days im not in the gym. Everyones different, I appreciate that, but for me it worked and it sounds like at one point it worked for you too!
  • allnaday
    allnaday Posts: 54 Member
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    What a great problem to have.
  • jealous_loser
    jealous_loser Posts: 395
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    There is a group on here for that.

    Eat More to Weigh Less.
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    According to your profile, you're only trying to lose 5-10 pounds (like me!). How long have you been at 1390? The first thing is that it's going to take weeks, minimally, to see the changes resulting from the change in your calories. A couple of stalled weeks probably isn't a big deal

    More importantly, though, with so few pounds to lose, the weight loss is going to be PAINFULLY slow. It's rough, but I know the slower I lose it, the easier it will be to keep it off. I've lost 4-5 pounds in over 3 months, and I'm optimistic that it means that it'll be hard to regain that weight if I keep my food reasonable.

    Honestly, I think you were probably better off at around 1550 calories (and eating back your exercise calories, too). Not knowing your height, I would guess that 1550 is still at the low end of what you could be eating. I'm 5'6" and have 1650 pretty much as a minimum for me (thinking of upping it to 1750, actually, and extra when I exercise).

    That's all probably a roundabout way of saying that 1) I think you were probably better off before you changed your diet? and 2) you'll be fine! Just give it time.
  • T_X_L
    T_X_L Posts: 140 Member
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    Personally, I think the MFP numbers are a bit low. If you go too low on the calories, your body goes into starvation mode.
  • peachNpunkin
    peachNpunkin Posts: 1,010 Member
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    You have to eat more to lose more. I do, and my weight is falling off. It's simple math.
  • Beckyloo80
    Beckyloo80 Posts: 1,088 Member
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    same here, was losing nothing on 1200 a day, upped it and now I am losing, 2 lbs in the last two weeks.

    i am very happy... more food to burn I guess
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    I was eating about 1550 calories a day according to a nutritionist I saw a while back. but my weight loss started to really slow down. So I dropped down to 1390 calories daily (what MFP suggested for my currect weight)- and now I'm not really seeing any changes!?! Was eating more giving my body more to "Burn"?
    I also exercise an hour 6 times a week...And I usually eat back most of my exercise calories- I know thats a big debate in the forum!

    What gives? Any ideas?

    in my opinion, if 1550 and regular exercise was working for you, why would you change? yes, eating more gave your body more to burn.

    personally, i would've started eating a little more, say a nice 1700, but also upping the intensity of your work outs. maybe cutting back on the cardio and doing more strength training.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    According to your profile, you're only trying to lose 5-10 pounds (like me!). How long have you been at 1390? The first thing is that it's going to take weeks, minimally, to see the changes resulting from the change in your calories. A couple of stalled weeks probably isn't a big deal

    More importantly, though, with so few pounds to lose, the weight loss is going to be PAINFULLY slow. It's rough, but I know the slower I lose it, the easier it will be to keep it off. I've lost 4-5 pounds in over 3 months, and I'm optimistic that it means that it'll be hard to regain that weight if I keep my food reasonable.

    Honestly, I think you were probably better off at around 1550 calories (and eating back your exercise calories, too). Not knowing your height, I would guess that 1550 is still at the low end of what you could be eating. I'm 5'6" and have 1650 pretty much as a minimum for me (thinking of upping it to 1750, actually, and extra when I exercise).

    That's all probably a roundabout way of saying that 1) I think you were probably better off before you changed your diet? and 2) you'll be fine! Just give it time.

    the last 5lbs are SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW to get off. half a pound a week is a good rate of loss, and you wont be able to get th evanity pounds off if you are not fueling your body properly. i net around 1600 for half a pound loss, and its really bodyfat i want to lose. (i am 5ft5, 126lbs) increase your strength training and make sure you eat your exercise cals.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    You lost more when you ate more?

    I have an idea...

    go back to eating more.

    *shrug*.....just a thought.....
  • AmberJo1984
    AmberJo1984 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Eating more may be helping you. For me, I try not to go over (at least not by much) 1500 calories a day. Somedays I eat less. Somedays I eat more. I've been losing pretty good so far. I've been exercising (cardio and strength) like crazy, though.
  • konswela
    konswela Posts: 137 Member
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    I was eating about 1550 calories a day according to a nutritionist I saw a while back. but my weight loss started to really slow down. So I dropped down to 1390 calories daily (what MFP suggested for my currect weight)- and now I'm not really seeing any changes!?! Was eating more giving my body more to "Burn"?
    I also exercise an hour 6 times a week...And I usually eat back most of my exercise calories- I know thats a big debate in the forum!

    What gives? Any ideas?

    Do not do what MFP says. Love the site but the calculations are wrong. Check out the group EM2WL (eat more 2 weigh less) awesome group
  • mikeschratz
    mikeschratz Posts: 253 Member
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    What are all these numbers?
    Aloha,
    When I started this journey, I had no idea how to go about losing weight the correct way, without hurting myself and without being hungry all the time. I found out from all the knowledgeable folks here on MFP that neither situation has to occur if you are losing the weight the proper way.
    In this folder are some more tools to help you track and keep things in perspective and some motivational backgrounds and the like. Good Luck!

    https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B3kFzsaVmRjmd1k4YjA1SlVWaFU/edit

    Please feel free to download, copy and SHARE anything in the folder. I believe in “Paying it Forward” as HelloItsDan says….

    If you have any difficulty with the spreadsheets let me know and I will give you a hand!
    My email is: mikeschratz@gmail.com

    Some other good reading:

    www.alanaragon.com

    www.weightology.net

    www.bodyrecomposition.com

    www.body-improvements.com

    www.leangains.com
  • CaralynH
    CaralynH Posts: 18
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    Agree. I don't have much to lose - I was 137 and want to get down to 124 pounds. Last few days I've been "bad" and eaten more like 1500 cals (MFP says I should only eat 1290) but lost 3lb. When you don't have much to lose, this is amazing!
  • dedee32282
    dedee32282 Posts: 28
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    Thanks Everyone! I do want these last few pounds to come off slowly but I just didn't feel great about MFP's calorie calculation! I'm going back to my original number and will make sure to up my workout intensity a bit!

    Mikeschratz- Thanks for all the great sites!!! This will be my evening reading for a while...
  • dedee32282
    dedee32282 Posts: 28
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    One last question~
    I recalculated my goals using what the nutritionist suggested and now my projected weight loss is .3 lbs and I was aiming at .5...should I just ingore the projection and see what happens?

    PS- thanks also to those suggesting the EM2WL Group! I'm now a proud member!
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    yes, ignore that projection.

    The numbers are purely vague estimates. When I worked on my feet and used a BodyMedia, I realized MFP was off by 600 a day for me. I had to eat 1800 a day to lose for a while (TDEE 2200)... MFP told me to eat 1200 while set at 1/2 lb a week...
    .
    Now I have a desk job and my real TDEE is actually 1800, MFP says TDEE (maintenance) is about 1500...
  • erindh87
    erindh87 Posts: 94
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    Bump for mikeschratz's great info.

    I also started eating more to get over the plateau. I used to eat ~1200 calories and hit a plateau for a year. I bumped that up to 1650, and now it's slowly starting to come off again.

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