Will more calories help?

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cherilee0831
cherilee0831 Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am on an 800 calorie a day diet (per doctor). I started at 258.5 and have lost 20 lbs in about 25 days. Through exercise, I burn 400-500 calories 3-4 times a week but don't "eat" those calories and I am a teacher so I am moving around a lot. Most days I stay within my macros but once or twice I exceeded my fat percentage by a small amount. But this last week, my weight loss has slowed significantly. Friends say I need to consume more calories to lose weight but I just don't get that. Any suggestions?
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Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited May 2017
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    If you are on a doctor-supervised diet, you need to ask your doctor.

    That being said, I'm trying to answer very carefully...

    You lose weight by eating fewer calories than your body uses in a day.
    You gain weight by eating more calories than your body uses in a day.
    You maintain weight by eating the same number of calories that your body uses in a day.

    So, to answer your question - No, eating more calories won't cause you to lose weight. And you are losing weight, it has just slowed from the first initial loss.

    My suggestion would be to eat at least 1200 calories per day, NET, after exercise. Use a food scale, weigh and log everything that you eat, to make sure you are really eating the amount of calories you think you are.
  • monstar4kc
    monstar4kc Posts: 30 Member
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    If it's only been a week I wouldn't go changing anything, especially if you've already lost 20# in the last 25 days. Just tighten up on your logging. continue being active and the weight will come off. Sounds to me that you are creating a high enough deficit per your doctor's instructions that you can't NOT lose weight on it.
  • Dazzler21
    Dazzler21 Posts: 1,249 Member
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    cherilee0831 wrote: »
    I am on an 800 calorie a day diet (per doctor). I started at 258.5 and have lost 20 lbs in about 25 days. Through exercise, I burn 400-500 calories 3-4 times a week but don't "eat" those calories and I am a teacher so I am moving around a lot. Most days I stay within my macros but once or twice I exceeded my fat percentage by a small amount. But this last week, my weight loss has slowed significantly. Friends say I need to consume more calories to lose weight but I just don't get that. Any suggestions?

    Stick to what you're doing, your doctor will advise when to change.
  • cherilee0831
    cherilee0831 Posts: 44 Member
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    Considering I am eating my doctors products and only her products, her advice is to eat less. Can I really sustain on less than 800 calories a day?
  • Jadedinosaur
    Jadedinosaur Posts: 41 Member
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    Your doctor's products?
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    cherilee0831 wrote: »
    Considering I am eating my doctors products and only her products, her advice is to eat less. Can I really sustain on less than 800 calories a day?

    What 'products' and what kind of doctor is this? Why can't you just eat food?
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    why did you go to her in the first place? aside from the VLCD, what has she told you? we need more information, but I'd be concerned enough that I would want to possibly get a second opinion - since if what you are saying is correct, you are eating only 800cal, but potentially burning 400 of that - that leaves a net of 400 cal (correct me if I'm wrong)...
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,960 Member
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    :huh:

    Have you considered a second opinion?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    cherilee0831 wrote: »
    Considering I am eating my doctors products and only her products, her advice is to eat less. Can I really sustain on less than 800 calories a day?

    Are you paying her for this...?
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited May 2017
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    What kind of doctor are you seeing? Is this a weight loss clinic?

    I have concerns about a doctor who doesn't acknowledge that weight loss naturally slows down after initial glycogen depletion/water weight loss/who would tell you to eat even less than 800 calories.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    :huh:

    Have you considered a second opinion?

    Or just using MFP....?
  • moonstroller
    moonstroller Posts: 210 Member
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    Is this a real doctor, like in M.D.? My doctor has never said to me "Here, eat only my products and you'll loose weight."

    This sounds strange to me.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    What kind of doctor are you seeing? Is this a weight loss clinic?

    This^^

    I thought this was a real M.D. If it is just a weight-loss clinic, please just do this last bit and save your $$$..
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    If you are on a doctor-supervised diet, you need to ask your doctor.

    That being said, I'm trying to answer very carefully...

    You lose weight by eating fewer calories than your body uses in a day.
    You gain weight by eating more calories than your body uses in a day.
    You maintain weight by eating the same number of calories that your body uses in a day.

    So, to answer your question - No, eating more calories won't cause you to lose weight. And you are losing weight, it has just slowed from the first initial loss.

    My suggestion would be to eat at least 1200 calories per day, NET, after exercise. Use a food scale, weigh and log everything that you eat, to make sure you are really eating the amount of calories you think you are.

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    I feel like I should add - I did the weight-loss clinic thing, twice. Spent almost $2,000 and ended up with NOTHING to show for it.

    It's unnecessary and unsustainable.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    edited May 2017
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I feel like I should add - I did the weight-loss clinic thing, twice. Spent almost $2,000 and ended up with NOTHING to show for it.

    It's unnecessary and unsustainable.

    Weight loss clinics belong in the lowest pit of hell, right next-door to payday loan places, as far as I'm concerned.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    pinuplove wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I feel like I should add - I did the weight-loss clinic thing, twice. Spent almost $2,000 and ended up with NOTHING to show for it.

    It's unnecessary and unsustainable.

    Weight loss clinics belong in the lowest pit of hell, right next-door to payday loan places, as far as I'm concerned.

    Yep. I'm pretty chagrined now that I fell for it...twice!
  • BurlzGettingFit
    BurlzGettingFit Posts: 115 Member
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    pinuplove wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I feel like I should add - I did the weight-loss clinic thing, twice. Spent almost $2,000 and ended up with NOTHING to show for it.

    It's unnecessary and unsustainable.

    Weight loss clinics belong in the lowest pit of hell, right next-door to payday loan places, as far as I'm concerned.

    I honestly did not know such things exist :o
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    pinuplove wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I feel like I should add - I did the weight-loss clinic thing, twice. Spent almost $2,000 and ended up with NOTHING to show for it.

    It's unnecessary and unsustainable.

    Weight loss clinics belong in the lowest pit of hell, right next-door to payday loan places, as far as I'm concerned.

    And where do buy here pay here weekly price car dealers fit? Since we're talking about Mos Eisley

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