research behind eating more to lose more?

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bett_boop
bett_boop Posts: 89 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Upon joining this site I have noticed a lot of talk about how eating more can actually lead to losing more in the long run... I'm very confused, surely the less you eat the more you lose, it is as simple as that? but I have heard people claiming things like eating 1500cals instead of 1000cals leads to losing more! I know people talk about 'starvation mode' but does it really have that much impact, surely with every 500 cals less you eat you will lose an extra pound a week?
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  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Ah, not sure I have the answer you're looking for, but I do like this thread on it:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395948-caloric-intake-results?page=1%23posts-5451195


    And Lyle McDonald of course has a good one on large deficits and a lot of activity:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html


    It also seems like a good time to make a plug for my favorite MFP group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/17-women-eating-2-000-calories-per-day :flowerforyou:
  • Luandanielle1979
    Luandanielle1979 Posts: 747 Member
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.

    The thing is - you aren't losing 2-4 lbs of fat a week. Only the very very obese (VERY obese) will burn fat at that rate. What you are losing is muscle. The more muscle you lose, the more total weight you will have to lose to get the body composition you want (aka look good naked).

    30% body fat looks flabby and chubby whether you weigh 110 lbs or 170 lbs.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I belong to the eat most of the exercise calories back camp, It will be interesting to see the responses you get.
  • outtanms
    outtanms Posts: 237 Member
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    bump...........
  • Ephena
    Ephena Posts: 615 Member
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    I have trouble with this as well I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I don't eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistently lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surely wouldn't be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.

    I was this way for several months, losing a ton of weight really fast while eating 1200 calories and not eating back my exercise calories. Then it caught up to me and my weight loss stalled out big time. I had to do a re-feed and shoot my protein thru the roof all while cutting my exercise down by over 50%. Now I'm losing again but not like I was before and I'm okay with that. I want to be healthy not starvation skinny.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.

    The thing is - you aren't losing 2-4 lbs of fat a week. Only the very very obese (VERY obese) will burn fat at that rate. What you are losing is muscle. The more muscle you lose, the more total weight you will have to lose to get the body composition you want (aka look good naked).

    30% body fat looks flabby and chubby whether you weigh 110 lbs or 170 lbs.


    What she says is right!!!!
  • Teeli
    Teeli Posts: 13
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    My dietician and weight loss practioner both say Calories IN and Calories OUT...in other words, eat less to lose more.
    Having said that, I am finding that if I eat , say, 1400 calories one day and 1000-1200 the next day, I seem to lose better.:ohwell:
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.


    If you're only eating 1200 calories a day, and not eating your exercise calories back, you're probably netting in a Very Low Calorie Diet range, which could be harmful to your health. I'm no expert, but I did stay at the Holiday Inn Express last night ... you should check out the "Un"Official MFP FAQ for more information:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390234-does-starvation-mode-exist-and-what-is-it
  • Luandanielle1979
    Luandanielle1979 Posts: 747 Member
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    Iam pretty Obese, I am weight training and doing loads of cardio at the gym I have lost 8'' from my waist and look more toned than I have in years. Im happy with that. I dont really have room to eat them cals back I am already eating 3 meals and snacks a day. I try to eat nuts and will introduce a protien bar maybe. I would appreciate any advice like I said thanks x
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.
    When you do low calorie diets you one more than fat. You lose muscle which is the driver of your metabolism. This is why maintaining or increasing muscle mass will increase fat loss. Also your body adapts to weight loss which is why stalls happen. And when you eat less, you have even leass room to adjust your diet. And its simple food is fuel. If you dont fuel the body properly it wont function properly. Look up in goolge about basal metabolic rate and total daily energy expended to learn more.

    I am the one tnat did the first study and its awesome to prove more calories mean more burning fat which means being skinnier and healthier.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.

    If you notice your weight loss begin to slow down, then that means that your metabolism is adjusting to function with the minimal calories you are giving it. Basically, you are heading for an inevitable plateau. To avoid this, try an occassional net increase. This method has been working great for me as I have never had a plateau.

    Also, I do have to agree with the previous poster. The closer you are to your ideal weight, the more of your food calories your body is going to need. *Disclaimer* I would not recommend this method for the long haul.
  • TallyNick
    TallyNick Posts: 27 Member
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    I agree I think you need the calories to maintain and/or build muscle. At least a major %.

    And don't call me Shirley...
  • Luandanielle1979
    Luandanielle1979 Posts: 747 Member
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    I think I will try to eat back my exercise cals for 1 week and see how I get on I am not starving myself but prob could make better choices to bump my cals up. If its better for me I am prepared to do it and see how my body responds. the trouble for me is I work 12 hour shifts and only get one break. I struggle to eat more on these days.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    Iam pretty Obese,

    I'm still 60 pounds overweight .. I totally get it. I say try eating a little more (like you mentioned) and see how it goes.


    Last week I only worked out two or three times, and my average net cals for the day had to be around 1700-1800 ... I rallied for the weekend, worked out and got back on track the last couple days, and lost a pound without even batting an eye. So, upping your calories for a few days won't kill ya.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    http://www.exrx.net/Questions/StarvationEffect.html

    A similar case study was published by Jampolis (2004). A 51 year old patient complained of a 15 lb weight gain over the last year despite beginning a strenuous triathlon and marathon training program (2 hours per day, 5-6 days per week). A 3 day diet analysis estimated a daily intake of only 1000-1200 Calories. An indirect calorimetry revealed a resting metabolic rate of 950 Calories (28% below predicted for age, height, weight, and gender).

    After 6 weeks the patient's resting metabolism increased 35% to 1282 Calories per day (only 2% below predicted). The patient also decreases percent fat from 37% to 34%, a loss of 5 lbs of body fat.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
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    Everybody has a metabolism. And it requires a certain amount of calories to perform. Give it too few calories and it slows down. Burn too many calories and it speeds up (until you've burnt all your fuel) And here is where the problem lies... nobody can say for sure what your metabolic rate is. We are all different and burn calories slightly differently. We speak in terms of AVERAGES.

    Am I eating too much? Am I eating too little? How does my lifestyle play into this? Am I active? Sedentary? These are very subjective. Often people are wrong about these things (subjectivity... i.e. I run 25 miles a week, I don't consider myself athletic) When people are wrong, their metabolism can stall and limit weight loss results. Eating more may actually help get their metabolism back on track after it has stalled and restart that engine.

    If you think about your metabolism in analogy as a car... you want to go on a road trip of 500 miles. What happens if you don't put enough gas in the car? You stall out at the side of the road. What if you take too much? Now you are hauling way to much fuel (fat) and will become less efficient. Give it enough gas and you'll arrive safely and efficiently at your destination.

    What I suspect people are really saying when "they say eat more to lose more" is "are you sure you have enough fuel for the trip?"

    My two cents.... FWIW I'm not a doctor, but I have lost over 100 lbs.

    Hope it helps.
  • AngelikaLumiere
    AngelikaLumiere Posts: 862 Member
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    I have trouble with this aswell I have been successfully losing weight eating 1200 cals on average and I dont eat my exercise calories back unless I use a few for the odd drink. I have consistantly lost weight and lost 4lbs this week in 7 days which I think is a really good amount I do exercise more than I used to but. Still unsure if i should eat them cals back. If my body was on starvation mode I surley wouldnt be losing 2-4lbs of fat a week I have been eating like this for 8 weeks now??? Anyone who can give me advice too would be much appreciated.
    Good luck on your journey hun.

    The thing is - you aren't losing 2-4 lbs of fat a week. Only the very very obese (VERY obese) will burn fat at that rate. What you are losing is muscle. The more muscle you lose, the more total weight you will have to lose to get the body composition you want (aka look good naked).

    30% body fat looks flabby and chubby whether you weigh 110 lbs or 170 lbs.

    THIS REPLY IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE! You are NOT loosing muscle mass! Unlike the unsubstantiated anecdotal support for eating more to loose more, there is scientifically sound research done by the military that proved that the human body does not go into true "starvation mode" until you are down to 5-6% body fat, which is SEVERELY underweight. Read: http://www.healthscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=512:are-you-in-the-starvation-mode-or-starving-for-truth&catid=102:jeff-novicks-blog&Itemid=267 It is not how much you eat but what and when you eat that causes your metabolism to drop. If you eat complex carbohydrates and proteins in four or five small meals per day and exercise 10-20 mins 2-3 times a day your metabolism will stay up and you will continue to loose. I know because I have been loosing consistently 2.5 pounds a week since May eating 1000 calories per day and not eating back exercise calories.
  • angieskia
    angieskia Posts: 152 Member
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    Sorry. I haven't read all the posts but I can tell you from Personal Experience The starvation mode seems to be correct. When I was around 16 I Hardly ate anything and ALWAYS worked out (Martial Arts) For over 6 months I was stuck between 150 & 160. I think my hormones must kicked in cuz I was HUNGRY alot. I started drinking a TON of milk, eating Breakfast, & Finishing ALL meals. I ACTUALLY got down to 138 & STAYED there for about 2 - 3 Months. The hormones must've gone back to sleep cuz I didn't really feel like eating anymore & BAM I was back up in the mid 150's
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    From several studies, you don't actually have to loose much fat. If the difference is really great, the body for protection will hold on to those fat stores longer, making them harder to use. Because from it's point of view, it appears it may be starving and it thinks it will need it.

    So now slower metabolism, and using less fat, breaking down muscle now. Which is the best fat burning thing you got!

    http://www.ajcn.org/content/68/3/599.short

    We assessed the importance of lean and fat tissue depletion as determinants of the adaptive reduction in basal metabolic rate (BMR) in response to food deprivation by reanalyzing the data on BMR and body composition for the 32 men participating in the classic Minnesota experiment of semi-starvation and refeeding.

    Taken together, these results in normal-weight men responding to severe food deprivation reveal anthropometric predictors for human interindividual variability in the capacity for energy conservation and suggest that the adaptive reduction in BMR is partly determined by an autoregulatory feedback control system linking the state of depletion of fat stores to compensatory mechanisms that suppress thermogenesis.

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