I need some "eating more to lose weight" friends

graysmom2005
graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys! After losing 40lbs from big deficits, I plateaued. And that was that. For over a year. I'm now starting the eating more...netting 1200 calories routine (hard when teaching one or two fitness classes most days) and it's freaking me out. It feels so wrong to be what feels like eating so much more to then in turn see the scale go DOWN. I need support and friends who are starting this too. Can we band together and see if this works?! Who is with me?? :-D

Replies

  • randilea
    randilea Posts: 140
    I am in your boat. I have 15lbs to go and have been stuck for weeks at the same weight. People say you should be eating your excercise calories back when you have so little left to lose...that seems so wrong to me. I figured I would give it a try...at this point I will try almost anything!!
  • lijparsons
    lijparsons Posts: 258
    I've been considering doing this too, but it terrifies me. Goes against the laws of reason. So many people say it works though. Add me as a friend and we can talk each other through it. :happy:

    Lisa
  • lisa_lotte
    lisa_lotte Posts: 216
    I am also in the same boat. I do a lot of exercise so struggle to eat enough.

    I will add you as a friend :o)

    Lisa
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I've been considering doing this too, but it terrifies me. Goes against the laws of reason. So many people say it works though. Add me as a friend and we can talk each other through it. :happy:

    Lisa

    I love that one of your rewards is a new Lulu outfit. :-D I'm an instructor, so I put some money into "work" clothes. Haha. I LOVE Lululemon. Such beautiful clothes!!! I'm terrified doing this too. I ate a LOT yesterday. Today I teach TWO spin classes, so to make up for it I'll be trying to fit a lot in. I'm so scared!
  • matwood74
    matwood74 Posts: 111
    I want to try this as well. I'm SO scared to do it though!! I never eat my calories for the day, due to
    so many extra exercise calories. I thought maybe I'd lose more if I ate more, but I'm not sure.
    There are so many conflicting opinions out there.... I don't want to make it worse on myself!!! :ohwell:
  • jmruef
    jmruef Posts: 824 Member
    It works, it really does! I just came off a 4 day stint of going over my calories (not by a huge amount but definitely over!) and no exercise, and have lost 3-4 pounds in the past week. Gotta break up the routine!
  • EclecticallyCandice
    EclecticallyCandice Posts: 3
    Shouldn't freak you out. Pretty simple: Your body's metabolism was shutting down. Now that you are eating more, your body knows it is not going to starve and is kicking your metabolism back into gear.
    Do you have a heart rate monitor that tracks calories burned? If not, they are really helpful at knowing exactly how much you are burning. It is possible that you have been burning more in a day than you estimated.
    Every time I hit a plateau when I know I've been exercising and eating right, I up my calories to break it.
  • Kityngirl
    Kityngirl Posts: 14,304 Member
    Been on my last 15-20 for the last 6 mo or so. Been slowly upping my cals since January so I'm closer to mainenance and I've finally started losing a little at a time (7 lbs since Jan). I'm currently at 1500-1600 a day and eat at least 75% of my exercise cals back. You definitely need to up them towards mainenance the closer you get to your goal so it's not as much as a shock once you do go to mainenance. Just my experience tho. :flowerforyou:
  • Pam3
    Pam3 Posts: 1,687 Member
    i have a read alot about zig zagging your calorie intake....go on line to read more about ..a friend tried it and it worked for her...good luck
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    It is weird to be able to eat more in order to lose but it is true as well. I always try to net 1200 and have lost 41# since 3/11/11. I guess something is working ;)
  • ltf304
    ltf304 Posts: 132 Member
    I requested you! A couple of resources that you might check out are some books that I found helpful. First is New rules of lifting for women (there is a nutrition section about cutting calories, which they don't recommend) and Eat clean recharged by Tosca Reno. I eat anywhere from 1750 cals to 2200 cals depending on how much I burn when I work out. I have incorporated more strength training in my workouts in order to lose more body fat. I have lost about 5% body fat in the last 6 months and I have pretty much ate the same way the whole time. I am down to 17%. Hope this helps! :)
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I'll add you as a friend! I plateaued for almost 2 months after losing 15 pounds (I have 30 total to lose), upped my calories, and am now losing again.
  • cinico
    cinico Posts: 294 Member
    I have been eating all my calories back pretty much for a while! I am doing Insanity/Turbofire and I also run/walk/bike! I havn't had much luck loosing weight this way, but if I eat less calories I don't have enough energy to do my workouts! What I finally opted to do was just lower the intensity of the workouts which gives me a lower calories burn and this week I am doing a recovery week also! I don't know if this is working out for me yet because TOM is right around the corner but I sure hope it does work I guess I won't know until next week!
    I also changed my settings to loose just 1/2 pound per week! Which now I net closer to 1450 and also eat back exercise calories!

    I have read several succes stories within the beachbody community and the ladies who lost so much weight and follow the exercise plan eat well over 2000 calories! So I do believe eating more to loose is a good thing!

    Lets do this!
  • 2youngatheart
    2youngatheart Posts: 338 Member
    interesting...going to bookmark
  • ToeTapN
    ToeTapN Posts: 64 Member
    add me! I am eating back my cals, doing well and very close to my goal.
  • TripleJ3
    TripleJ3 Posts: 945 Member
    I too have been stuck with an extra 15-20 pounds for a year. In May is when I upped my calories and zig-zagging calories. I figure I was eating 1200-1500 with no weight loss might as well eat 1400-2100 and see what that does for me.

    So far no loss.....but no gain either so atleast I don't feel so deprived or hungry.

    I think of it more as not just eating more, its a controlled amount more. I'm still eating at a deficit and everyday I think of all the times I would have taken little bites here and there easily eating 100's of extra calories a day. I tried no bread carbs, only vegetables and limited fruit for three months last summer but I still gained 6 pounds.

    I really don't know why I haven't atleast lost something since I've been on MFP and tracking everyday. Yes lately I have been splurging more, still within my calories but this has been a year long struggle where I have been extra strict for months and still no change in weight.

    Anyway, enough about me, just wanted to let you know I'm in your corner and know how difficult it is. I hear the "sweet spot" is a deficit of around 700 calories less then maintainence when you only have 20 or less pounds to lose.

    Oh and exercise is my life support so I have no problem exercising or drinking water!
  • melzteach
    melzteach Posts: 550 Member
    I'm with you!
    Since my maintenance calories are pretty high (around 2000) my typical daily goal is 1282. I alternate each day between 1282 and 1438 calories. Since that is pretty low I usually eat most of what I burned. Other than TOM getting in the way, I've been loosing about 1 pound a week. As of today I'm at 16 pounds since January 1st of this year! Whoot! Whoot!
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Shouldn't freak you out. Pretty simple: Your body's metabolism was shutting down. Now that you are eating more, your body knows it is not going to starve and is kicking your metabolism back into gear.
    Do you have a heart rate monitor that tracks calories burned? If not, they are really helpful at knowing exactly how much you are burning. It is possible that you have been burning more in a day than you estimated.
    Every time I hit a plateau when I know I've been exercising and eating right, I up my calories to break it.

    I do have a HRM and I love it! I have a Polar with a heart strap. I turn it on the moment I hop on the bike, or start the music for Body Pump. I'm guessing I'll burn around 800-900 calories today with my two spin classes. Getting to a 1200 net today will be tough.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I'm also coming off a few trips out of town...and I've gained 6-8 pounds. UGH. So starting this eating more thing feels like bad timing. LOL. My pants are a little snug..so trying to eat more when I've recently gained weight is more than terrifying.
  • ImBabyBunny
    ImBabyBunny Posts: 75
    Bump. I would LOVE to know how this works! I have got 15-20lbs or so to go. I think I have been eating around 2,000 cals for the past 4 days and I am not gaining anything! =0
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    You do 2 spin classes in one day!!! You are my new hero. In the spring I was consuming 1700 calories and losing 2 lbs a week with 2 spin classes a week, some weight training afterward, and eating back my exercise calories. After a "bad" weekend, I lost 4 lbs that week! I then upped my intake to 2000 calories a day and lost 2 lbs a week.

    I'm now just strength training as I don't have much left to lose either; I'm "skinny fat" :sad: . I hope you are consuming a ton of protein on your heavy workout days to help reduce the chance of burning muscle. I know I lost a lot of muscle from my spin classes, so I'm working on getting that back.
  • Fit_Canuck
    Fit_Canuck Posts: 788 Member
    I want to try this as well. I'm SO scared to do it though!! I never eat my calories for the day, due to
    so many extra exercise calories. I thought maybe I'd lose more if I ate more, but I'm not sure.
    There are so many conflicting opinions out there.... I don't want to make it worse on myself!!! :ohwell:

    It absolutely works! This site gave me a suggestion of 1700 calories, it worked for a bit then stopped. I went to a registered sport dietitian and she almost took my head off. Couldn't believe this site would suggest such a foolish number, she put my on a 2500+ calorie plan with good nutritious food and the pounds have been melting away. Don't be afraid to feed yourself.
  • EclecticallyCandice
    EclecticallyCandice Posts: 3
    One easy way I found to add extra calories that are Healthy calories is to make protein shake smoothies. I personally use Shakeology, PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, Frozen Mixed Fruit (peaches, strawberries, mango and pineapple mix from Sams), banana, spinach and almond milk.
    filling and full of nutrients- plus since it's a drink you can take it with you and sip on it ;)
  • EclecticallyCandice
    EclecticallyCandice Posts: 3
    Oh, and just to share what my personal needs are when working out- I have to eat a minimum of 2300 cal a day when I'm working out.
    I do several different programs- Turbo Fire, Turbo Jam, Brazil Butt Lift, Hip Hop Abs and Rocking Body to name a few..
    I typically burned 1000+ calories when doing 45ish min workout, thanks to my Polar Heart Rate Monitor, I know what I'm burning and that makes a huge difference. Before I got the hrm I was only eating 1600-1800cal a day and it was sooooo hard to loose weight. Once I up'ed my cals I started loosing it easier
  • sewparis
    sewparis Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you! This is where I am and I was so confused. I need to eat more and I knew that somehow but it is terrifying.
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