Eating more to lose more

Kimmys_Big_50_2021 · March 2021

I just recently quit WW and decided to only use this app. I have used it along side of WW for a while now but WW is telling me 1,200 is my calories and I def need more. I have been eating 1,450/day and I think I am on the right track. Anyone else start eating more cals and the weight loss came quicker? I was told to use goal weight x's 12 to calculate weight loss calories.

cwolfman13 · March 2021

Reasonable calorie targets are easier to stick with and stay consistent with...that is typically why you see "eat more, lose more." The key to losing weight is consistency. It's the Tortoise and the Hare.

L1zardQueen · March 2021

More calories give you more energy to live and move around, not enough calories make you lethargic and less likely to move your kitten.

AnnPT77 · March 2021

Get a calorie goal from MFP. Set your activity level based on non-exercise activity, pick a sensible weight loss rate. Something like 0.5% of current body weight per week would be reasonable, up to 1% is aggressive and probably not a great plan if less than 50 pounds to lose. Then, log any intentional exercise and eat those calories, too.

That 12 X goal weight thing is a "one size fits all" idea. Why would a bricklayer who carries heavy bricks all day need and trains for triathlons at night need the same calorie level as a librarian who sits at the desk answering questions all day and nights while watching TV in the evening, just because they have the same goal weight?

If I ate 12 X goal weight in pounds, I'd be losing much faster than anyone my current size has any business losing, if she values her health (and I'm not a bricklayer or a triathlete, either).

If you don't want to log exercise separately, get a calorie goal from a TDEE calculator such as https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/ , and plug that calorie goal into MFP (use the same 0.5-1% weight loss rate idea).

These methods are research-based, and take into account more things about your current size and lifestyle, than the "goal weight multiplier" methods, let alone picking a number out of the air. Losing at a sensibly moderate rate keeps energy up, makes it easier to stick to goal long enough to lose a meaningful amount of weight, and is more help in figuring out how one is going to need to eat long-term in order to stay at a healthy weight permanently.

spyro88 · March 2021

What do you think you were eating on an average day before?

If it was more than 1450, then cutting down to that is going to be a step in the right direction.

If you limit it too much it just becomes miserable and difficult to stick to it, so just do what you can, as long as it's going the right way from your previous lifestyle then it's good!

CholeRoad · March 2021

I started eating around 1700 calories daily in November and by the beginning of February I had brought it down to 1400 calories. In that time I lost around 10lbs.

Two weeks ago after learning about metabolic adaptation I decided to up my calories. I have increased my calories to 1800 for 2 weeks and this week my calories will be 1900 on average. My weight has actually gone down and so has my fat percentage.

I will be increasing my calories every two weeks until my fat % increases. I am 5 ft 1.

wunderkindking · March 2021

L1zardQueen wrote: »

More calories give you more energy to live and move around, not enough calories make you lethargic and less likely to move your kitten.

This.

I'm eating close to what my sedentary maintenance would be, per mfp - the thing is, I'm 1-) Moving more and 2-) Have built more muscle from moving more. I don't do a lot of intentional exercise (little bit of weight stuff, but that's not burning many calories in and of itself) but right now if I eat the .5lb deficit I'm seeing myself lose more like 1.25lbs a week (I only just noticed this because I don't weigh often, usually). It's a little bit wild and I will probably go back to doing some adjustments because if I can eat more and lose, I'm going to eat more.

dragon_girl26 · March 2021

Well, the thing is, you may not necessarily be eating more calories than WW to lose weight. It's just that your calorie allowance is higher with MFP.

The reason I say this is that a lot of times, people end up having issues losing weight on WW because of their uncounted "free foods" list. Those "free foods" are not calorie free, though, so if you were eating from that list, you may have been eating more than 1450 calories and not even realizing it. With regular calorie counting, though, you count everything so you are more aware of your true intake.

rosiemydog · March 2021

Have a look at Team RH - Ritchie makes so much sense. I’m on 1800 cals and losing every week.

kshama2001 · March 2021

frees1spirit wrote: »

I started eating around 1700 calories daily in November and by the beginning of February I had brought it down to 1400 calories. In that time I lost around 10lbs.

Two weeks ago after learning about metabolic adaptation I decided to up my calories. I have increased my calories to 1800 for 2 weeks and this week my calories will be 1900 on average. My weight has actually gone down and so has my fat percentage.

I will be increasing my calories every two weeks until my fat % increases. I am 5 ft 1.

Hoping you come back to your other thread to answer our questions about this strategy

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10826410/increasing-my-calories-for-better-fat-loss

CholeRoad · March 2021

@kshama2001
I trust you have seen my replies.

CholeRoad · March 2021

@Kimmys_Big_50_2021
How is the diet going?

extra_medium · March 2021

You were probably eating more than you thought with WW. Their point system is unnecessarily complicated and inaccurate in the name of simplicity.

As long as you maintain a deficit, you'll keep losing weight. There's no reason weight loss would speed up with more calories, unless you are also doing more physically to burn those same calories off.

Eating more to lose more

Replies

Categories