To eat, or not to eat? That is the question!

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  • Bridgetc140
    Bridgetc140 Posts: 405 Member
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    I eat back my calories, but if I didn't I would be going below 1200 calories. I exercise every day and I would feel tired if I didn't eat enough. I think people forget that their bodies require fuel to function properly.
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
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    Yes I am serious. :smile:

    There were moments of binge eating yes, every two weeks or so...but even at these days I didn't eat more than 2000kcal. (As I found out by calculating my intake with MFP retroactively.)
    But that binge eating was a signal of my body I should have noticed!


    I think the situations we are in are different. :smile:
    If I look at your goal weight (47kg), I assume that you are rather small (maybe around 155cm (~5')?) and were really overweight with 74kg. I mean you nearly aim to halve yourself ;)
    (I suppose 47kg is still a healthy goal weight with a reasonable BMI.)

    At first I lost weight, too. But after half an year of living with that unhealthy "diet" I reached my ideal weight and were really lean. I wanted to maintain that weight and overall body condition. So I continued the "diet" (and workouts and fasting).

    As I already mentioned above, all that lead to the fact that I was always tired and weak and lacked of concentration. I didn't accomplish much on all my days. It makes sense...without the required energy intake there is not enough fuel if most of your fat cells are already burned :wink:


    The 9kg weight gain happend as a slow process of gaining a little, but not losing all that again.
    Let's say I was at my ideal weight in Januar 2010. I gained around 3kg until November 2010. After that the gaining speed increased rapidly! All the rest (6kg) I put on in the last three months!


    Even if such a lifestyle might work in the beginning, but it will do more harm than help you in the end.
    As you are at around 60kg now I would recommend you to slowly increase your calorie intake again and slow down your weight loss.
    Otherwise you'll encounter the problems I am having :ohwell:
  • ameaston22
    ameaston22 Posts: 38
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    I don't make it a point to eat my exercise calories, BUT I know that when I exercise that I can eat a little more than the base 1200 calories and that it's probably better to eat additional snacks when you have or are going to work out. I used to try and deprive myself and stick to a firm calorie count and MFP's way of doing things has worked SO much better for me. I eat what I like in moderation and I know that if I work out, I can eat more than if I do nothing at all. I definitely don't think that anyone should try to eat ALL their exercise calories back if they are trying to lose weight. In my mind, it's better to have that calorie deficit.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    I was glad to read this post, because I have a lot of the same questions in my head. I feel like I am eating all throughout the day, just making WAY better choices than before. My usual intake is 1200-1600 calories per day and I never eat back exercise calories. I typically feel full and know that my diet is rich in nutrients and such. Why would I eat more when I am not hungry? Isn't that one of the bad habits that got me this heavy in the first place? Aren't I supposed to be training my mind to eat only when my body signals hunger, instead of the emotional cues that caused me to overeat?

    I am of the mindset that there is so much belly fat to burn that dropping the weight fast now is ok. For smaller folks, this scenario might not be good. Personally, I have 100 pounds or so of excess that needs to go. Should my wife (who complains about needing to lose 10 pounds) be running this kind of deficit? No, that would be crazy. I have the fuel to burn off, she doesn't.

    I understand the down side to rebounding and gaining it all back. But since I am having great results (so far 20 pounds and two inches around the waist), it just seems contrary to intentionally slow that down. I am assuming that it will eventually slow itself down as the available fuel (that is spelled FAT) is less available. It's not my plan to lower my intake any farther than I have, this seems like a pretty comfortable area for me. In fact, at some point my intake will probably go up naturally, as I get to the point where I allow myself to have foods with higher calorie contents. Like french fries. Someday, they will be allowed back in my life - only then as an occasional treat.

    So, I guess my overriding thought is that it depends on two things-how overweight we are when we start and the way we approach the eating. Lowering eating to where you are not comfortable would be bad, fasting is bad. Eating and snacking all day long on heathful choices seems to be good and forcing more food into your system just to reach a calorie goal seems contrary to the whole mission.

    Of course, my opinion may be worthless because I am not at all a health expert, trainer or medical professional. Just an overweight guy who is trying to shed a bunch of extra pounds.
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
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    So... You lost weight at first, and then gained it back? I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that you were eating more/binge eating more when you gained the weight back...?
    So your are wrong.
    The only thing I "binged" was Nutella the last year...no fastfood, no eating out and my meals at home were very strictly planed.
    And yes, only on occasion every two weeks and yes I can calculate that back.
    Our situations may be different, but your assumptions about me are incorrect :p
    Than explain your 46kg goal weight...are you larger and aiming for a BMI of 15? Well than I'll have to tell you that this would be unhealthy, too.
    I'm not feeling any negative side effects from the low intake; in fact I feel awesome, lol. I feel drained and listless on the days that I eat more... Like being in a food coma. Or having a food hangover.
    Yes, but don't mix it up.
    There are not only two extremes, eating nearly none/fasting (result: undernutrition that slows you down) or eating too much (result: food coma).

    There is wide range between...and somewhere there is an optimum. MFP calculates it quite good as your net-calorie goal.

    And I'll stick too my assumptions about you (being really overweight, when you started and being still not at your ideal weight), as long as there is no clarification...
    In that case you still have enough fat stored... :wink:


    Besided all that...I'm happy that it works for you, but really don't promote a diet that is unhealthy. And yes again, a 700kcal intake is unhealthy (and will ever be).

    That's usually how it goes on any diet
    Only if you do it wrong... :wink:
    I think that are your experiences, but it shouldn't be that way...


    PS: I think you are not really close to 700kcal/day.



    And once again to all those looking for advice in this thread:
    Stick to the net-calorie goal suggested by MFP and eat back your burned calories (if you are hungry!) and you'll do fine :wink:
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
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    I typically feel full and know that my diet is rich in nutrients and such. Why would I eat more when I am not hungry? Isn't that one of the bad habits that got me this heavy in the first place? Aren't I supposed to be training my mind to eat only when my body signals hunger, instead of the emotional cues that caused me to overeat?[...]

    And that's the point. If you are not hungry, you shouldn't eat back.
    (How often will I have to preach that...?)

    But there are enough people in this board that stick to their calorie goal, workout like maniacs and start starving theirselves! That leads to an overall unhealthy lifestyle with a drastically cutback calorie-intake. (Like the effective 700kcal/day I tortured my body with.)


    And once again:
    EVERBODY should eat their burned calories back, IF you feel HUNGRY.
    LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    ==============================================================================================
    Quote "At first I lost weight, too. But after half an year of living with that unhealthy "diet" I reached my ideal weight and were really lean. I wanted to maintain that weight and overall body condition. So I continued the "diet" (and workouts and fasting).

    As I already mentioned above, all that lead to the fact that I was always tired and weak and lacked of concentration. I didn't accomplish much on all my days. It makes sense...without the required energy intake there is not enough fuel if most of your fat cells are already burned "
    ==============================================================================================



    This is an interesting comment and speaks to a couple of things that I have been trying to bear in mind as I head down the weight loss journey. Since you have been through it, I would be really interested in your thoughts.

    First, I agree that extreme dieting and fasting are not good. Eating at a healthy pace and consistently are much better. When I look at my "net" calories they are fairly low. I walk 45 minutes twice a day and MFP credits me about 600 calories for that. Eating about 1400 seems OK to me, but looking at the net seems low. But I have been feeling full, feeling heathly, energy level has gone up, I sleep better, etc. I try to eat lots of fruit and veggies, avoid anything processed or fried, etc. Water and iced tea combined equal about 15 cups of fluids a day.

    Second, and I think you hit it on the head, is that our approach needs to be different depending on our current weight. Right now, I have the fuel reserves in the form of belly fat. Later (hopefully) that will not be the case. The key may be in recognizing that point in the process and adjusting eating habits to fit the lack of easy fuel for the body to burn. I believe that I am not destroying muscle now, but there is certainly that possibility down the road as I get smaller. And will need to make changes to how I eat then, just as I have made changes now. Thin people (and there are several that have posted here) should probably have a much different approach that those of us that are far, far away from being thin.

    Thoughts?
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
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    I would sign every single word of that. :smile:

    The users of MFP differ in nearly every possible way to all extremes:
    From under 20 up to 60 years, from under 5' up to 6'-something" and from 300/400lbs down to only around 100.
    Some are lazy *kitten* hell and others live a really active life. Some are trained and ripped like body-builders others at a physical state of jello...hehe :wink:

    What most of the people here miss is that all this has direct influence on how and espcecially how many calories are burned.
    They are skimming through the topics roughly and hope for a quick and always applicable rule. But that is not how the body works.

    But what I have learned the hard way is that starving yourself (both, knowingly and unknowingly) doesn't work at all in the long term.


    I had a look at your food diary, too. And I am really impressed! And it sounds delicious :smile:
    Because you are a large guy you are able to burn a lot with moderate strain. (Am I assuming walking right as the non-sportive strolling around like taking the dog for a walk? :smile:)
    You joined in Feb 2011 and already lost 20lbs, which is impressive, too! But don't expect that rate of weight loss until the end, when you reach your goal weight.

    But I'm sure you won't misconcept that, as you are already informing yourself :smile:
    Just always keep an eye on your health and don't force yourself into starvation and hunger.
  • wiglitt
    wiglitt Posts: 22
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    I gained weight when I started eating back my calories burned. I agree with your post. Everyone needs to find out what works best for your own body. I don't comment alot on here but I do try and follow along with the post and advise, some if the advise is just bad. Yours however works for me :-)

    Thanks
  • jrt9999
    jrt9999 Posts: 114
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    To the OP. I am happy for you that you found a program that works for you. Your tone definitely indicates you are tired of folks indicating you should eat more or at least the recommended 1,200 calories net. I don't blame you. I know I am tired of the folks that push under eating as the one true way. To each their own i say.

    When I first asked myself my overall goals one of them included how many calories I would like to consume daily once I am at maintenance that would keep me at my ideal weight. Since I now have a very healthy relationship with food, that was not always the case, I am shooting for 2,200 to 2,400 net calories per day. This should allow me to enjoy a good variety of food, keep me well nourished, and keep the overall engine running strong. In order to do this I am up every morning at 4:30AM, eat every three hours or so, exercise regular, eat plenty of food, get plenty of rest, and don't let the drama get to me.
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
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    Hmmm... I'm not really sure what your point is, Spaboleo. I wasn't trying to say you are wrong or that your choices are incorrect, I was just asking out of curiosity. I'm not 'promoting' anything, I just wanted to know what your experiences were so that I could look out for any future pitfalls. I'm definitely not trying to say that my way is the only way or that it is the right way, I'm just saying that it is *my* way. People should do whatever works for them and whatever they are happy with. This works for me and I am happy with it. As for your last PS.... First of all, I didn't ever say how many calories I am eating in a day, I just said I was doing something simliar to what you had done. And secondly, why would I make that up? I assume you mean that I am eating a lot more than 700 calories, so again, why would I lie about that? And more importantly, why would you care if I was?

    Everything is fine with you being sceptical on public boards.
    But expressing misstrust all along if someone provided repeatedly funded information and is just trying to share (bad) experiences with other users is somehow annoying. That combined with teasing answers, cocky comments and trivial suggestions ("That's usually how it goes on any diet :p") isn't really conducive for answering the topic-starters question.

    You always should keep in mind that there are a lot of users only skimming through the threads on the search of a answer that goes along with their expectations. They'll probably stumble upon your comment, miss the context and interpret your comment in the way I did (namely that you are down to 700kcal/day).
    And that is what I like to prevent.

    There are enough unhealthy dieting plans and programms, as well as misconcepted ideas and myth out there.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    ===============================================================================================
    I had a look at your food diary, too. And I am really impressed! And it sounds delicious
    Because you are a large guy you are able to burn a lot with moderate strain. (Am I assuming walking right as the non-sportive strolling around like taking the dog for a walk? )
    You joined in Feb 2011 and already lost 20lbs, which is impressive, too! But don't expect that rate of weight loss until the end, when you reach your goal weight.
    ===============================================================================================

    Yes, walking. I used to take the dogs, but not so much now. When I started, I would take one dog for a mile, then swap to the other dog for a mile. Now, I find that they slow me down. My ankles would hurt when I took the dogs, most (I think) from constantly reigning them in. They are enthusiastic and strong as hell (about 75 punds each). So my footing was never really stable as I walked.

    I do 2.5 miles in about 45 minutes. Twice a day, every day. Not as fast as a lot of people, but I check my heart rate during my walk and it's usually right in the fat burning zone. So far, that is working for me. I can feel the strength and endurance building up, so I may lengthen that or speed it up as time goes by. No rel workouts other than that. I don't want to change the world all at once. I don't see it as feasible to go from am overweight couch potato to a fitness buff all in one step. I'll drop some weight, get in better shape all around, then see what is appropriate to do at that point. I am afraid that if I take on too much, I will fail at something and that will discourage me.

    Yeah, this morning was 23 pounds and 2 inches around the belly. I am really pleased with that. And you are exactly correct - I do not expect that rate to continue, but I am enjoying the heck out of it while it does. My thought is that wherever this weight loss journey ends up, I have still made myself a lot heathier than when I started.

    Thanks!
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
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    If only half of the people here on MFP would be half as realistic in goal setting and overall weight loss expectations as you are :smile:
    That is the way to go...keep it steady and don't force anything.
  • tessjordan88
    tessjordan88 Posts: 201 Member
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    I don't make it a point to eat my exercise calories, BUT I know that when I exercise that I can eat a little more than the base 1200 calories and that it's probably better to eat additional snacks when you have or are going to work out. I used to try and deprive myself and stick to a firm calorie count and MFP's way of doing things has worked SO much better for me. I eat what I like in moderation and I know that if I work out, I can eat more than if I do nothing at all. I definitely don't think that anyone should try to eat ALL their exercise calories back if they are trying to lose weight. In my mind, it's better to have that calorie deficit.


    Exactly! If you are eating your exercise calories back, and your "net" calories are close to your BMR, you are only maintaining your current weight. There will be no weight loss.
  • tessjordan88
    tessjordan88 Posts: 201 Member
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    To the OP. I am happy for you that you found a program that works for you. Your tone definitely indicates you are tired of folks indicating you should eat more or at least the recommended 1,200 calories net. I don't blame you. I know I am tired of the folks that push under eating as the one true way. To each their own i say.

    When I first asked myself my overall goals one of them included how many calories I would like to consume daily once I am at maintenance that would keep me at my ideal weight. Since I now have a very healthy relationship with food, that was not always the case, I am shooting for 2,200 to 2,400 net calories per day. This should allow me to enjoy a good variety of food, keep me well nourished, and keep the overall engine running strong. In order to do this I am up every morning at 4:30AM, eat every three hours or so, exercise regular, eat plenty of food, get plenty of rest, and don't let the drama get to me.


    Thanks! You seem to understand what I meant... EVERYBODY is different. What works for one person may be totally wrong for another. The whole point of healthy weight loss is to lose weight in a healthy way, right? So you should find the best HEALTHY way to do it, the way that works best for YOU.
  • tessjordan88
    tessjordan88 Posts: 201 Member
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    I gained weight when I started eating back my calories burned. I agree with your post. Everyone needs to find out what works best for your own body. I don't comment alot on here but I do try and follow along with the post and advise, some if the advise is just bad. Yours however works for me :-)

    Thanks


    Thanks! My point exactly!

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