Eating like the person you want to be

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AvocadoPit
AvocadoPit Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was listening to fat2fit radio ( www.fat2fitradio.com ) the other day, and they were talking about how eating like the person you want to be will eventually get you to that weight.

For example me, I want to lose about 15 more pounds (about 7kg), and so mfp have me set on 1420 kcal a day for 0.5 punds lost per week. But, I could tell mfp that I am already my goalweight and set it to maintenance, and eat that amount of calories per day. I might loose a little slower, because the deficiancy is smaller, but I should loose none the less. For me this means eating about 1650 kcal per day.

I am thinking of doing this for a couple of reasons:

It sounds logical
I think it is hard to stick to those 1400 kcal a day without being hungry or feeling deprived.
I have started doing more weight training and want to build more muscle, and for that I shouldn't have to big of a deficiancy.

If i did this, I was thinking that I might, for the sake of wightloss try not to eat all of my exercise calories back like I have been doing now.

What do you think? Does this seem like a good idea to you?

Replies

  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    If you are on 1420 to lose 1/2 pound per week, then your maintenance for your current weight is 1670. So you are saying you want to lose weight on a deficit of 20 calories per day?
  • kathleennf
    kathleennf Posts: 606 Member
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    Actually it does make sense to me. You will lose weight very slowly that way but probably maintain muscle.
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
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    bump
  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
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    Yes. Slower is better. The only reason people don't just eat the maintenance Calories for their target weight is impatience.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I think slow and steady is the best way to go. :flowerforyou:
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    That sounds like a very sensible idea :smile:
  • catwrangler
    catwrangler Posts: 918 Member
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    I have a lot more to lose but less than 1500 calories is HARD! I'm thinking like you, I will try and not eat back calories and see how that goes.......
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    I suppose its worth a try!
  • gracielee1
    gracielee1 Posts: 71 Member
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    I agree that you can eat like the person you want to be, but you might deprive yourself of nutrients and or calories and end up crashing at the end of the day. I want to be like Gisele Bundchen but we all know that's not possible because I'm 5'3" and asian with wide hips, and I can't eat like her because she probably doesn't eat much at all, and I love to eat. What I try to do is eat the most when my metabolism is highest (noon) so that I have enough energy throughout the day without reaching for something sugary mid-day or late afternoon. This way your stomach is happy, your body has enough fuel to get through the more active part of your day, and then at night you can be satisfied with a light supper or sometimes go to bed empty because you're not hungry.
  • AvocadoPit
    AvocadoPit Posts: 22 Member
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    If you are on 1420 to lose 1/2 pound per week, then your maintenance for your current weight is 1670. So you are saying you want to lose weight on a deficit of 20 calories per day?

    Well, yeas I know it is not much, which is why I was going to stop eating some of my exercise calories. I have also seen a dietitian who said she think that I should eat between 1900 and 2200 to maintain my current weight, so according to that, there is a bigger deficit.

    I would rather be healthy and build muscle than impatient and loose fast. Whenever I restrict too much I just tend to overeat another day, so I am not sure It will actually do me any good. This way I might loose weght slower but I will become a healthier person who can make better choices (I hope!).

    I hope that explains it...
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    By all means go ahead and try it. It could work for you. (Actually what has me wondering is how a 15-pound difference would only result in a 20-calorie difference in maintenance, so maybe those numbers aren't quite right...?) For me, I am losing 1 pound per week by eating 1300 calories (net), so I guess it just seems like you'd be losing really slowly at that level. But again - try it - everyone is different.
  • Leigh_b
    Leigh_b Posts: 562 Member
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    I think it makes sense... if I need 1500 cals to maintain a weight of 115lbs but currently weigh 130... it would make sense that if I ate only 1500 cals per day, that I would eventually get to 115lbs...
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    I'm sure it would work eventually but for most people I think it would take soooo long. Surely 1 pound a week, or 1/2 pound a week is slow enough to be sustainable?
  • shardaeeire
    shardaeeire Posts: 2
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    good idea
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I think it's a great idea. I think more people should be eating that way. And thinking that way. And listening to fat2fit radio.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    Weirdly enough... having looked into nutrition and the science behind calorie consumption, I came to the conclusion that eating to my TDEE for my ultimate goal weight would be the best way to adopt a true lifestyle change, learn to eat within my calories and lose weight slowly and steadily and hopefully not leave me with too much loose skin to have to deal with.

    Currently my TDEE is 2288kc and according to MFP's calculations to lose 1.5lbs a week I should be consuming 1480kc. I have my lifestyle set as sedentary although I now exercise gently for at least 20-40mins every day, burning supposedly 300-400kc in the process. I rarely if ever eat back more than 50% of these bonus calories.

    According to Mifflin-St.Joer-method (the same used by MFP), my TDEE for my goal weight of 65kg is 1858kc (sedentary) or 2129 (lightly active). Now If I were to eat say 1800kc a day I'd still be about 500kc a day lighter than my current TDEE (before exercise) so that's still 1lb a week for about the next 6 months anyhow.

    That's why in the new year I'm planning to move into maintenance and eat to my goal weight. I'll probably struggle, because 1500kc seems to be my weekday average without feeling hungry or thinking that I'm missing out. Having 300 extra to play with might allow me a drink in the evenings which would be nice.

    Of course I'll have to be good in January :ohwell: to make up for the mega-fest that is Christmas/Hogmanay week :devil:
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I'm sure it would work eventually but for most people I think it would take soooo long. Surely 1 pound a week, or 1/2 pound a week is slow enough to be sustainable?
    If you've a lot of weight to lose then in the beginning you will be losing about 1lb a week which might be too slow for some impatient folks.

    But would you rather lose slow and steady and let your body recover its shape naturally.... or drop 2-3lbs every week, get to your goal in next to no time and spend the next 3 years worrying about when the slack skin will go away?

    Learning to get by on what your body needs to maintain its ideal weight is the only TRUE lifestyle change.... otherwise you're just gonna be on a Diet.

    It's not for everyone and you have to be happy with your choices to succeed in the weightloss game :flowerforyou:
  • AvocadoPit
    AvocadoPit Posts: 22 Member
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    Learning to get by on what your body needs to maintain its ideal weight is the only TRUE lifestyle change.... otherwise you're just gonna be on a Diet.

    This is exactly like I want! I tried changning it now, so we will see where this gets me. if it doesn't work then I can always change it back! Thanks for your answers everyone!
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
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    so I only eat around 1200 a day cos thats what MFP set me at 1200 for sedentary and 1210 for lightly active so I should eventually be able to get in the 9st range? I got 1,217 cals for 126lbs (9st)

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