Has anyone broke their plateau by eating more??

Those people who are saying that plateaus don't exist or are excuses and increasing calories won't make you start losing weight again are not in YOUR body. I'm a pragmatist- I don't care what science is or is not behind the idea of increasing calories to start losing again- if you try it and it works for you, then awesome! Do what works, ignore the naysayers. Results are what counts!

And some people need to get off their high horses.

So for all those who broke a "plateau" how long was said plateau???

as well here is a good article from Mayo clinic that pretty much says exactly what the "opposing voice" is saying here...plateau = maintenance

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss-plateau/art-20044615?pg=2

and this one as well...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23076670

I recently (slowly) upped my calories from 1300 to around 1800. After gaining/losing the same 2 pounds for nearly 6 months...I've finally broken through and it seems as though I'm losing again. I try to exercise at least 5x a week, and typically burn around 600cals a workout (per my Polar HRM). I don't eat back exercise calories either.

ETA: I've no idea what my "maintenance" might be since I'm NOWHERE near goal...how does one find that number? I know it'll be different for every person...just curious.

It always amazes me that rather then people share what works for them, because everyone is different...People who have weight issues (otherwise why would you be here) all of a sudden are fitness experts....makes no sense to me.

I don't see anywhere that I personally have said I am a fitness expert...or an expert at anything for that matter...besides weight loss<>fitness....

ETA: neither has anyone else on this thread.

I just look at the math that I was taught in grade 2....

As well if you look at our tickers some of us have been quite successful and know for a fact that if you are not truely losing weigh at 1500 calories and you are accurate you aren't going to lose weight eating 1800 calories...this is where grade 2 math comes in...

To lose weight you have to be in a consistent calorie deficet...you can do that many many ways...but you can't be in a deficet eating a surplus...

Okay... but you are making the assumption that 1500 calories is a reasonable deficit. 1500 calories is below my BMR, therefore, if someone like me is eating 1500 calories and NOT losing, it is because the deficit is too deep and hormones are coming into play.

I feel like you aren't telling all the sides of this story.

1500 was just a number I picked...wow people..as for hormones taking an effect please...all you need for weight loss is a calorie deficet....if "hormones" aka starvation mode we wouldn't have anorexics or starving children in africa...

Where in Africa?

I did from 1200 and less to 1500 -1700 and still losing

as a male why would you eat the min requirement for a women???

I mean seriously...even 1500-1700 is too little for a man...I eat 1700 a day and lose 3/4lb a week..

You are losing muscle mass with such a low calorie intake...

As a newbie I was following what the 1200 MFP was saying regarding calories intake
my current goal is 1750 NET calories ... I'm aware that still a bit low but not by much
my BMR = 1,792 Calories/day

I am just always surprised when I see a man eating so little food is all...

Extreme deficits are far different than deep deficits. Sure, you can force through a cortisol-release by cutting calories even deeper, but most people experiencing a cortisol-release aren't legitimately trying to starve themselves either.

Oh, and my point was, that the OP wasn't suggesting eating above TDEE to lose weight. OP was suggesting that she reduced her calorie deficit, which is essentially the same point that you have made.

Hormones do all kinds of crazy things to the body that hinder weight loss, not just create the infamous "starvation mode" effect.

I agree that you can eat more food and still lose weight...I do it everyday by eating 1700 calories...that's a lot of food.

And yes Hormones can do weird things...

I guess my point is that for people who do read stuff like this sometimes think that it means eating lots n lots which puts them in a surplus...which does not aid in weight loss

or

They aren't being accurate with their logging and they really are not eating what the log says...

When I first came here I logged 1380 net calories...for 1lb a week weight loss...I was only loseing 1/2lb...because I wasn't accurate (accurate=weighing solids and choosing correct entries) and as soon as I did get accurate I lost 1lb a week on a net of 1380...or gross of 1600.

I now eat 1700..and still lose weight...3/4lb a week.

Well yes... the situation is either

A. inaccurate accounting of energy consumption and/or energy expenditure...

or

B. deep calorie deficit (below BMR) for prolonged periods of time instigating a hormone response.

You really have no way of knowing that either situation is true based on the vagueness of the OP so it's important to present both potential prospects.

Let me be very clear here...I am not against upping calories. As I mentioned I eat 1700 a day on average...I think as we lose weight we should eat the maximum number of calories we can and still lose.

I also agree that hormones can have an effect....to a degree esp for women.

What I don't agree with is "plateaus"...esp those that are only 2-4 weeks....
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

If you are not losing for a long period of time(6-8 weeks)[b} (barring medical conditions)[/b] chances are you are not in a calorie deficet....and that happens because of two things...either inaccurate logging and/or over estimation of burns...

That is very easily fixed by being accurate with logging and finding a better way to calculate burns or only eating back half those of those burns....

I just have on too many occassions seen posts by people who were told to up their calories to lose "more" weight who follow the advice and end up gaining and are very very upset....because of the above mentioned items...

Yes! Pretty much anytime I start seeing little results I either:
a) Re-evaluate my recipes and make sure my calorie counts are accurate
or
b) Eat about 500 more calories for a few days.

Usually, I go with b and end up seeing some results. Sometimes you just got to live a little and shock your system with some more nutrients!

When I first came here I logged 1380 net calories...for 1lb a week weight loss...I was only loseing 1/2lb...because I wasn't accurate (accurate=weighing solids and choosing correct entries) and as soon as I did get accurate I lost 1lb a week on a net of 1380...or gross of 1600.

I now eat 1700..and still lose weight...3/4lb a week.

That's the problem I have with the whole "eat more to lose" mentality. Most people who say they're eating 1200 or 1400 calories and aren't losing weight are simply logging inaccurately (and/or inconsistently). While their log says 1200 net calories, they're actually eating quite a bit more than that and/or they're overestimating their caloric burn from exercise. And that's not me picking on people for lying or sneaking treats and not logging them... it's just a matter of people not using food scales and logging inaccurate data (and many of us have been there before). It just makes me cringe when someone comes along and says "Oh you just need to eat more!" which is the opposite of what said person needs to do.

There are plenty of other reasons why many people should eat more than 1200 calories, but breaking plateaus and losing weight faster aren't on the list. Then again, people try all sorts of weight loss voodoo to "break plateaus," and I've personally seen friends try "cleanses," fat fasts, and so on. Eating at maintenance or a lesser deficit is hardly the most destructive thing to try - but a bit of patience and maintaining your caloric deficit is almost certainly more productive.

Myself, my wife, my wife's sister, several of our friends, countless others on MFP claim to have seen success from eating more. So, yes, I know a lot of people who have broken their plateaus by eating more.

But, you gotta keep track of what you're eating. Don't assume the crap that's in the MFP database is correct. Pay attention to your labels and weigh your food!