you gotta EAT.
RaeannePemberton
Posts: 382 Member
okay... i am not an expert by any means. but IMHO the NUMBER ONE worst thing you can do for yourself, especially when you are starting out, is restrict your calories TOO MUCH.
how many times do we see msgs here about "i am eating 1200 cals and i just can't lose..." etc. ? do a little research online and you will see that 1200 is BASE LEVEL intake. that means if you are sitting around all day (and only weigh like 130 lbs) then you are pretty much guaranteed to burn 1200 cals. now, if you weigh more than 130 and MOVE at all... you will burn more than that. let's say you are 200 lbs. did you know you burn close to 2000 just by living? so cutting yourself off at 1200 would be NUTS and your body will STOP LOSING WEIGHT because it's scared of when it will get fed. not to mention the damage that you are doing to your metabolism.
so. eat.
you need FUEL in your tank or YOU will TANK.
just speaking from experience here... i was eating 1300 and eating back cals, and i was so tired all the time, was not losing, was cranky... and even was on the verge of a binge all the flippin' time. NOT WORTH IT. and it doesn't work.
this is about health, not starvation!!!!!! and think about the BIG PICTURE. if you cut too much you are likely to NOT be able to maintain your habits. cut less cals in the long run, lose and then you will know how to maintain the right way.
how many times do we see msgs here about "i am eating 1200 cals and i just can't lose..." etc. ? do a little research online and you will see that 1200 is BASE LEVEL intake. that means if you are sitting around all day (and only weigh like 130 lbs) then you are pretty much guaranteed to burn 1200 cals. now, if you weigh more than 130 and MOVE at all... you will burn more than that. let's say you are 200 lbs. did you know you burn close to 2000 just by living? so cutting yourself off at 1200 would be NUTS and your body will STOP LOSING WEIGHT because it's scared of when it will get fed. not to mention the damage that you are doing to your metabolism.
so. eat.
you need FUEL in your tank or YOU will TANK.
just speaking from experience here... i was eating 1300 and eating back cals, and i was so tired all the time, was not losing, was cranky... and even was on the verge of a binge all the flippin' time. NOT WORTH IT. and it doesn't work.
this is about health, not starvation!!!!!! and think about the BIG PICTURE. if you cut too much you are likely to NOT be able to maintain your habits. cut less cals in the long run, lose and then you will know how to maintain the right way.
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Replies
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okay... i am not an expert by any means.
after looking at the results, I'd say you ARE an expert. Thanks :drinker:0 -
question: what did you do to get through plateaus?0
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Great advice. BTW, you look fabulous!! Congratulations on a job well done. :bigsmile:0
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Great post! I couldn't agree more! I too learned that I needed to eat more to see results.0
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:happy:0
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okay... i am not an expert by any means.
after looking at the results, I'd say you ARE an expert. Thanks :drinker:
I agree!0 -
Totally with you. So tired of seeing people starving themself.0
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You are so right!
Congrats on your success... sometimes experience makes you just as knowledgable at the experts! You look awesome!
I have also lost 110 pounds and I still have hard time convincing "newbie" losers that they need eat in order to lose. Frustrating, but eventually they figure it out on their own... like I did! LOL0 -
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!0 -
okay... i am not an expert by any means. but IMHO the NUMBER ONE worst thing you can do for yourself, especially when you are starting out, is restrict your calories TOO MUCH.
how many times do we see msgs here about "i am eating 1200 cals and i just can't lose..." etc. ? do a little research online and you will see that 1200 is BASE LEVEL intake. that means if you are sitting around all day (and only weigh like 130 lbs) then you are pretty much guaranteed to burn 1200 cals. now, if you weigh more than 130 and MOVE at all... you will burn more than that. let's say you are 200 lbs. did you know you burn close to 2000 just by living? so cutting yourself off at 1200 would be NUTS and your body will STOP LOSING WEIGHT because it's scared of when it will get fed. not to mention the damage that you are doing to your metabolism.
so. eat.
you need FUEL in your tank or YOU will TANK.
just speaking from experience here... i was eating 1300 and eating back cals, and i was so tired all the time, was not losing, was cranky... and even was on the verge of a binge all the flippin' time. NOT WORTH IT. and it doesn't work.
this is about health, not starvation!!!!!! and think about the BIG PICTURE. if you cut too much you are likely to NOT be able to maintain your habits. cut less cals in the long run, lose and then you will know how to maintain the right way.
I believe everyone has their ways in losing the weight....some eat those "exercise" calories back, half of them, or not at all. I say this because I started off eating a few to none exercise calories back and lost the weight quickly, but over time I eat about half of my exercise calories back....either way I'm still losing the weight (1-2lbs a week). I say try out different things and see what your body might be saying...the times where you are hungry compared to the times you are not. Plus this is one of those debates where people are on either side. Amen to those who have found a way to lose the weight and keep it off :flowerforyou:0 -
So definitely not worth it but it isn't going to make you fat!
sure it will, because one of these days, as you get older, the re-gain will be harder and harder for you to lose. :frown:0 -
So definitely not worth it but it isn't going to make you fat!
sure it will, because one of these days, as you get older, the re-gain will be harder and harder for you to lose. :frown:
If you start making poor choices again yes....but it will stay off as long as you keep maintaining.0 -
i weigh 176.5 pounds and i am eating 1200 calories per day. my weight loss was good in the first three weeks but has slowed down. i thought 1200 calories was ok because i spend all day sitting down at work and at university. reading this topic has made ne rethink this, however if i increase my calories from 1200 to maybe 1300 won't i gain weight automatically because i will be eating more?0
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Thanks for this! I guess the old mentality of eating less will make you lose weight is gone. Also burning more calories than you eat etc. I've been told through MFP and my coaches at Curves that I'm not eating enough so I increases my calories and hopefully soon will see results. The darn scale is EVIL!!!! I guess I just haven't found the right balance yet because I keep gaining back and losing the same 2-3 lbs instead of losing consistently. VERY frustrating...0
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Good info!0
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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
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ur post is so encouraging ...i was thinkin of goin on a diet but wen i saw u n ur pics i changed my mind...now i m going to eat within my range n l eat everything but not beyond limits...so that i dont feel deprived n frustrated...coz v r here to cahnge our lifestyls not loose few pounds...cheers,,,,,n u rock0
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perhaps i should clarify.
you will LOSE. but your body will HALT at some point.
then, it's not impossible to continue to lose.
BUT for healthy LIFELONG weightloss and maintenance, YOU HAVE TO EAT. just sayin'.
opinions are like belly buttons. :-)
PS. what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. but all i know is eating under 1200 calories is a dark place that i never want to be.0 -
Thanks for this! I guess the old mentality of eating less will make you lose weight is gone. Also burning more calories than you eat etc. I've been told through MFP and my coaches at Curves that I'm not eating enough so I increases my calories and hopefully soon will see results. The darn scale is EVIL!!!! I guess I just haven't found the right balance yet because I keep gaining back and losing the same 2-3 lbs instead of losing consistently. VERY frustrating...
same happening with..now i deicde to stand on my scale once a week ONLY0 -
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?0 -
I believe it's called "yo-yo dieting"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?0 -
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.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
**EDIT - shorten quotes0 -
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.0
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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.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
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 0 -
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. 0 -
bump to read later...interesting post0
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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! 0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
Amen0
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