Eat MORE calories??!! Help

I have been on MFP for about a year. I started because my dr. put me on a low dose of cholesterol medicine. My cholesterol was too high and so was my weight. I changed my diet, and cholesterol numbers came down after a month, but not enough. So doc put me on meds. My goal was to get off the meds! So I saw a nutritionist, she had me eat 1900 cals a day. I did this lost 10 pounds, Christmas came around, gained it back. Started over in January eating 1500 cals a day. Lost 10 - 12 pounds. Weight kept stalling. Now also, I exercise a good amount. On my breaks at work I walk, I do kickboxing with actual punching bags (my favorite class), hour long zumba classes at my gym, weight training, bike riding, whatever I can fit in. And I try to do this at least 3 days a week. Sometimes 6 days a week. To get over this 10 -12 pound slump I recently started jogging. (The hardest thing in my life) That got me down to 16 pounds. Saw the doc, going off the meds to see where cholesterol levels are. Now let me also say I am a 37 year old female originally weighing in at 281 pounds. I NEVER ATE BACK ANY EXERCISE CALORIES. I figured I have this much weight to lose, the bigger calorie deficit the better. My doc has encouraged me to eat back every single exercise calorie. She thinks I have made my metabolism go into starvation mode by doing such high calorie burning exercises and not eating enough calories. Now mind you, over this year I was not 100% consistent. Sometimes I would fall off the wagon, but learned to get back on. But I would say generally I tracked most days of the YEAR. And honestly KEEPING off those 15 pounds in a year is definitely an accomplishment. I used to always gain it back. But I am terrified of eating more food and gaining back those 15 pounds that took me a year to take off! Any constructive advice is very welcome. Anyone else in this same situation? Sorry for the book. :)

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    When you stopped losing weight, did you only go off what the scale was showing you?

    Sometimes it seems on the scale, that I don't lose weight... but by measurements, I have lost inches.

    The bigger the calorie deficit the better? Lol nope, this can be detrimental towards your health and fitness. Eat back half, 75% or all your exercise calories, your body needs the extra energy on exercise days.

    Just eat at a -500 calorie deficit, this should make you lose 1lb a week. Eat either half, 75% or all of your exercise calories back.
  • elleloch
    elleloch Posts: 739 Member
    I lost all my weight eating back every single exercise calorie. Why wouldn't you listen to your doctor? She knows a thing or two.
  • Saridan77
    Saridan77 Posts: 11 Member
    ok guys thanks. my doc said just to give it 2-3 weeks and im giving it a shot. I guess I just guess I needed some reassurance. I also want to know if this worked for other people. how much weight have you lost ?
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    ok guys thanks. my doc said just to give it 2-3 weeks and im giving it a shot. I guess I just guess I needed some reassurance. I also want to know if this worked for other people. how much weight have you lost ?

    11lb's as shown on my counter, been generally eating in a -500 calorie deficit. I eat back every single calorie burned through exercise, it's worked so far :)
  • breakyoface
    breakyoface Posts: 160 Member
    I am having that issue now too! I've been doing this since March of this year. I started out at 223 and am now at 176. I have been doing 1000 cal deficit to try to lose 2lbs per week and that has been working since about September when all the sudden it has slowed down! I have been stuck at the same weight for days and then will go up and down but so far only have lost 3.3lbs in 24 days, so A LOT slower than before. I track and weigh everything so now I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough!! I go see my nutritionist on Friday so hopefully I get some advice..sucks though!!
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
    Make sure you DO NOT include exercise when you choose your activity level on settings. Then log and eat back your exercise calories. It will work if you have your original settings right.

    Mine is set at sedentary, and I lost over 40 lbs eating back at least some, and usually most, of my exercise calories. I even log extra everyday activity, if it is more than my usual daytime routine. Like today I was on my feet constantly moving equipment (nothing heavy, but lots of up, down, turn, etc. so I logged it as exercise (I figure it was at least equal to slow walking so I logged that amount of calories.). Most days I just log exercise, but I think we all know if we have been more or less active than usual.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,365 Member
    I am having that issue now too! I've been doing this since March of this year. I started out at 223 and am now at 176. I have been doing 1000 cal deficit to try to lose 2lbs per week and that has been working since about September when all the sudden it has slowed down! I have been stuck at the same weight for days and then will go up and down but so far only have lost 3.3lbs in 24 days, so A LOT slower than before. I track and weigh everything so now I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough!! I go see my nutritionist on Friday so hopefully I get some advice..sucks though!!

    Could be with the lost weight, your caloric needs are not as high as they once were and if you have not adjusted them downward to account for this, your deficit may not be as high as you think, since you are losing a pound a week.
  • breakyoface
    breakyoface Posts: 160 Member
    I adjust my calories after every loss. I am always at a 500 cal deficit with my eating and then exercise 600+ cals and try to keep over 500(usually more) every day and then weekends I just have the 500 cal deficit.
  • As a person who dropped 70 pounds in 10 weeks........eating more (every 3hours) to boost your metabolism, which is process called grazing, is how I did it. Personally I took in 7000 calories a day. Granted my body and goal was different....my clients follow the same plan and drop on average 15 pounds a month and 15 to 30 inches. Key is consistency. And if you have a bad meal day it's OK. Make sure you have to good days follow it.
  • Saridan77
    Saridan77 Posts: 11 Member
    Ok, thanks guys for all the advice! I will give it a shot for a few weeks and keep you posted! :)
  • Saridan77
    Saridan77 Posts: 11 Member
    Ok, silly question. Everyone says 500 calorie deficit. My calories are set up to be at 1700 cals a day. So eat that much and if I burn 300 calories in exercise eat 1900 or 2000? I guess what does the 500 calorie deficit mean? 500 less calories a week than what you used to eat?
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    TDEE minus 500 calories is what I think he meant.
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    Not a silly question at all.

    "Deficit" means "amount you eat or burn less than what you need to maintain your weight".

    A 500 calorie deficit is whatever level you eat/burn to lose 1 lb per week, because 500 * 7 days = 3500 cals = 1 lb in a week.

    If that's what you're currently losing, then you're doing it right, assuming you're currently overweight. If you're normal weight, 1 lb per week loss is too much.

    Also, congratulations on your progress! Keep it up!
  • sarahcakez
    sarahcakez Posts: 30 Member
    thanks, good responses!