you gotta EAT.

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2

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  • catwrangler
    catwrangler Posts: 918 Member
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    Your post is a perfect motivator for healthy weight loss.

    But not eating does equal fast weight loss. I know it all comes back on again when you start eating but the idea that starving yourself for a long enough time will not put you at a critically low weight is bizarre.

    5 months of eating fewer than 500 calories a day sent my bmi from 22 to 15.5. It isn't healthy but it has to work - if you don't give your body enough fuel it eats itself. Nowadays my bmi regularly flips between 20 and 23 because I crash diet and exercise for a few weeks, give up for a few weeks and repeat. My calorie levels are appalling but I do lose (and regain!) weight.

    The way I've seen it explained scientifically is that if you eat say 1500 calories a day you might lose 1lb a week. If you eat 1000 you might lose 2lb a week. But if you eat 500 the extra weight loss from 1000 will be negligible - ie you might lose 2.25 or 2.5 lbs a week instead of 2. So definitely not worth it but it isn't going to make you fat!

    i am confused. what are you advocating?
    I believe it's called "yo-yo dieting"
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
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    If you eat all the right foods, and especially enough protein in under 1200 calories then you WILL lose weight. The issues arise when you do not eat enough protein and your protein/glycogen stores are not in equilibrium.
    There are many, many studies where very low calorie intake or low calorie intake diets (with enough macronutrients, vitamins and minerals) show brilliant FAT loss.
    Even on VLCD (very low calorie diets) metabolic rate and lean body mass is preserved through high volume resistance training.
    So yes eat the right foods, yes get your nutrient intake, yes exercise, yes work out your deficits etc BUT if you don't eat 1200 calories every day but do everything else - you will be fine and you will lose fat :)
    This may be true (I believe there are studies showing both sides of this)... but I think the OP is talking about sustainable, life-long health. And I find it hard to believe that regardless of immediate impact, VLCD, etc. are permanent solutions. I think Raeanne was trying to tell people to be patient with weight-loss. Some people become too aggressive and then can't maintain that level/commitment long-term.

    **EDIT - shorten quotes
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
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    Not eating your exercise calories causes rapid weight-loss, but, also, puts a lot more stress on the body. I'm not sure why people believe they have to lose all their weight in a matter of days or weeks, since they've been living fat for life. Learning how to eat right, eat less, and eat to be fit takes time and understanding. It takes a lifetime to accomplish. By eating back your exercise calories, but eating less overall, you're learning how to balance diet with physical activity. This is an important accomplishment that many people fail to do, and the consequences of failure is gaining back all the weight you've lost.
  • erinem182
    erinem182 Posts: 14
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    If you eat all the right foods, and especially enough protein in under 1200 calories then you WILL lose weight. The issues arise when you do not eat enough protein and your protein/glycogen stores are not in equilibrium.

    There are many, many studies where very low calorie intake or low calorie intake diets (with enough macronutrients, vitamins and minerals) show brilliant FAT loss.

    Even on VLCD (very low calorie diets) metabolic rate and lean body mass is preserved through high volume resistance training.

    So yes eat the right foods, yes get your nutrient intake, yes exercise, yes work out your deficits etc BUT if you don't eat 1200 calories every day but do everything else - you will be fine and you will lose fat :)
    This may be true (I believe there are studies showing both sides of this)... but the OP is talking about sustainable, life-long health. And I find it hard to believe that regardless of immediate impact, VLCD, etc. are permanent solutions. I think Raeanne was trying to tell people to be patient with weight-loss. Some people become too aggressive and then can't maintain that level/commitment long-term.

    Of course :) I think that's completely fair and she raises some great points. The only issue I have is that I think people in general get wayyyyyyyy too hung up on the '1200 calorie' thing' with no real evidence supporting it, it isn't the be all and end all is all i meant to say. Sorry if it came across too harshly :)
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
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    Of course :) I think that's completely fair and she raises some great points. The only issue I have is that I think people in general get wayyyyyyyy too hung up on the '1200 calorie' thing' with no real evidence supporting it, it isn't the be all and end all is all i meant to say. Sorry if it came across too harshly :)

    Not at all - I just wanted to clarify for others reading the post. :)
  • 4himalone
    4himalone Posts: 69
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    bump to read later...interesting post
  • MsLilly200
    MsLilly200 Posts: 192 Member
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    Well, what about us who DO sit around all day doing nothing? Now that it's summer break I don't get the exersise of taking the buss to school... And then sitting in the classroom, and going to the cafeteria, and back to the classroom, and then taking the buss home...

    Um... yeah. The only movement I do is when I use the exercise bike... And I logg that.

    Also, I don't have my goal set for 1200 cause it's like, impossible to get exactly 1200 and I hate when my numbers are red... In stead I have it set for 1240! :)
  • wbruni14
    wbruni14 Posts: 35 Member
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    I agree with you that you have to eat. I currently try to maintain a 1200 cal deficit, but I just started eating my exercise cals back and the scale is finally moving (slowly but surely). I try to get some exercise in every day so most days i eat about 1500 cals of average.

    In 2007, I lost a good chunk of weight (about 50 lbs) eating 1200 cals a day and not eating back exercise calories giving me a deficit of less than 900 cals a day! So bad for you. After losing it all, 1200 cals a day was all I could eat to maintain it, which I did for about 2 years. Once I decided I was sick of being hungry all the time, I started eating like a normal person again and gained it all back. It has been so much harder getting it off this time.

    When I first started using MFP, I tried eating just 1200 a day again without eating back exercise cals and the weight was just not coming off. Now I usually average about 1500 or a little more a day and am finally starting to see the scale move. I really believe my metabolism is messed up from me starving my body for so long.

    I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this topic is one that brings on some serious debates, but from personal experience, I definitely believe everyone should eat their exercise cals.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    thanks for all the great input!!! it's totally spot on that you can't paint any of this with a broad brush.... and i agree there is no need to focus on the 1200 calorie mark, but yet i see SO MANY people stuck there. i can't imagine what they must be eating. i mean, i eat 5 times a day... that would mean i would barely get 250 cals per meal. wow. that would SUCK.

    i love to eat. and i love that i need to eat. and i eat to fuel my body. and i eat to enjoy it. and i no longer feel the need to BINGE.

    but yes, this post was originally meant to remind people who are forcing themselves to eat 1200 cals that they may actually NEED to eat more.

    i am speaking from experience here. i was at 1200 cals when i was 254 lbs. lost 14 lbs in TWO WEEKS. then stopped dead. i joined calorie king and they recommended 1800 cals... i was flabbergasted. so i started eating a TON MORE food and the weight started to FALL OFF. this was without exercise at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    then once i was in the 140's Ck suggested i eat 1300. i lasted maybe 3 weeks... before a HUGE binge.

    i have learned over time that i cannot do that to my mind or my body. my workouts sucked, i was running just so i could eat... that is NOT a good place to be.

    so..... i am just shining a little spotlight on my own experience to maybe help some of you out there who are going about it the way we have always been taught to go about weightloss.... and 1200 calories is not sustainable for the rest of your life.

    neither is 'perfect' eating.... but that's a whole different post.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Amen
  • Pangui
    Pangui Posts: 373 Member
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    While I totally agree with the fact that a person should be eating at least 1200 calories per day, I do think there is a reason so many people opt to do otherwise. When I was young one summer, I lost 31 pounds in about 30 days eating about 500-700 calories a day. Basically, I took off a year's worth of gain from my first year of college. 10 years later (and much fatter), I lost 92 pounds in under 5 months, doing pretty much the same thing. I did have plateaus that lasted for up to three or four weeks, but then the pounds came off in big chunks.

    I don't recommend this for anyone. It is unsustainable and I always managed to gain the weight back and then some. Now I am embarking on a journey that I figure will take me 2-3 years to complete. It is so hard to force myself to eat 1600-1800 calories a day, but I know that these are the habits I need to form to make this weight loss a permanent lifestyle change. I agonize over the fact that I have only lost 16 pounds in nearly two months, but I know with full confidence that this is not a race. I do feel that I could eat like this for the rest of my life, but I have never before been as aware as I am now of just how large I am. I really feel like a skinny person going out in public in a fat suit.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    the body is such an amazing thing.

    if we eat 1200 calories long term, we could easily gain since our body has to slow down it's "engine" due to the low amount of fuel.... thus our inclination of staying at 1200 calories....

    don't ignore your hunger. unless you had a HUGE eating day the day before, if you are constantly hungry.... it's an honest sign that you need more foods....
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    There is something people are forgetting. It's not just about what you burned when you exercised or went to the gym and did that 30 minute spinning class.

    It's about you're ENTIRE day. You have to take into consideration your lifestyle during the whole day, not just when you worked out. What you think you don't burn calories outside of the gym? You do and you need to take it into consideration as well.

    People on these crash or "yo yo" diets may lose the weight fast, but they will gain the weight back unless they stay at 500 calorie intakes their entire lives which will come back to haunt you as you get older. We're not even talking about muscle atrophy at this point, the health complications are far worse. Think about what you are doing to your organ functionality. Your liver, your kidneys, you heart will all hate you for life.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    Well, what about us who DO sit around all day doing nothing? Now that it's summer break I don't get the exersise of taking the buss to school... And then sitting in the classroom, and going to the cafeteria, and back to the classroom, and then taking the buss home...

    Um... yeah. The only movement I do is when I use the exercise bike... And I logg that.

    Also, I don't have my goal set for 1200 cause it's like, impossible to get exactly 1200 and I hate when my numbers are red... In stead I have it set for 1240! :)

    i don't know what you need or want to lose. or how much you currently weigh. but for a 19 year old, 5'4'' who is 1400 lbs, here is the amount needed to MAINTAIN your weight: 2017 cals.

    so if you are eating 1200 you are at a deficit of 800 cals. that's kind of a big defecit.....

    nutritionadata.com has a fabulous daily needs calculator.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    omgoodness. YES.
    There is something people are forgetting. It's not just about what you burned when you exercised or went to the gym and did that 30 minute spinning class.

    It's about you're ENTIRE day. You have to take into consideration your lifestyle during the whole day, not just when you worked out. What you think you don't burn calories outside of the gym? You do and you need to take it into consideration as well.

    People on these crash or "yo yo" diets may lose the weight fast, but they will gain the weight back unless they stay at 500 calorie intakes their entire lives which will come back to haunt you as you get older. We're not even talking about muscle atrophy at this point, the health complications are far worse. Think about what you are doing to your organ functionality. Your liver, your kidneys, you heart will all hate you for life.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I'm with you. It really bothers me how many people I see going for 1200 calories and/or 2lbs loss per week. I would suggest to try eating MORE first. If you can get the same results in the long run why not eat more? I like to eat personally. Isn't easier better? Won't you be more likely stick with something that's easier? I'd rather be on an easy diet for a year than be on a hard diet for 4 months. Plus it makes the transition to maintenance that much easier. You haven't been deprived so there's no reason to go crazy and risk gaining weight back.
  • breunor
    breunor Posts: 12
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    Your body stores some energy to use in the form of glycogen, which is kept in your muscles and liver and binds to water. When you eat way below your BMR (needed for basic body functions), you'll deplete that, and also lose the water weight associated with it. That's what makes the first X pounds easier to lose and quick to come back.

    It's important to eat enough to maintain your BMR calories, and do some cardio to burn above that each day. Your body always wants to come back to a balance if you push it hard, such as an extreme calorie reduction diet. It swings hard back the other way when you do that. If you gently push just a small amount, it won't push back so hard and it's easy to keep it up, which is the key. Short term dieting will always fail, you have to make the life-long changes that allow you to live happily while also being healthy.

    You'll never reach perfection, but don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Aim for health with moderation, and if you cut anything out cold turkey try to make it all the commercials suckering you into "just a few servings, because you deserve it"... because you deserve better.
  • sarahi2009
    sarahi2009 Posts: 285 Member
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    I believe everybody is different and every body has their own way to lose the weight. I have learned that the best thing to do is to be informed and absorb as much information as you can and apply what you think is bes for you. In my case, I was going on the 1200 calorie a day diet before, I also excercised about 40 minutes a day 6 days a week. I did eat my excercise calories back for the most part and I was stuck on a plateu for a few weeks. I coudn't understand why, then I just started researching and reading more. I decided to change my weightloss to .5 pds a week and then eat when I was hungry but the right kind of healthy foods. I even stopped the login in my foods. Then after a week of doing this, I decided to get on the scale ( a bit afraid I guess) to see the changes, either up or down...to my amazement I was 2 pds lighter. I couldn't beleive it!! I had to weigh myself 3x's to make sure my scale was not lying.

    Ultimately your body knows what it needs. You just have to listen to it and really try different things until you find what works for you!! Losing weight is not an EXACT SCIENCE there are many guidelines and paths to take. The first step is to be informed and really research different ways to do things, above all PATIENCE!! I guess it truly is a virtue ;0)
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I believe everybody is different and every body has their own way to lose the weight. I have learned that the best thing to do is to be informed and absorb as much information as you can and apply what you think is best for you.

    Exactly.
  • d_llopez
    d_llopez Posts: 167 Member
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    I completely disagree. While I see the point your making 1200 calories works for me. At times it'll be a bit over but nothing big. I don't eat my exercise calories or my scale won't budge. I love that I lose a couple of pounds a week and I still eat very well. I just find the right foods that work for me. For some 1200 calories is too restrictive and for others it's perfect.

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