people who LOST weight eating MORE

Bumpy!:bigsmile:

I'm following the biggets loser guidelines (how the feed the competitors) and doing the workouts too. They suggest your weight times 7 should be your intake. Its pretty much what MFP gives. They also suggest 45% carb, 35% protien and 20% fat. It has to be clean carbs protiens and fats though. They don't allow the contestants to eat back their calories until they have a certain BMI. MIght explain how some things work well for fatter people not eating them back than fitter people who need to.
I'v elost 14lbs since starting but lost more body fat than the scales indicate. I can see the difference and my Dr is thrilled.

I would be allowed 1,050 calories. I was gaining at that amount. I'm losing on 1,500.

Then you are probabaly already at the weight where they get you to eat your calories back.

I love this thread - and am subscribing.

I've tried all the fad diets offered from Cambridge powders through Weight Watchers, and ultimately had gastric bypass surgery in 2004, when my weight was at 365 - resulting in 100 pounds falling off because it had no choice. As time went on, I started to graze -- and slowly the weight came back on. Back at 302, I re-joined Weight Watchers this past March, and faithfully tracked for a couple of months, but found it unrealistic as I felt I was spending too much time converting foods to point plus values - and not completely understanding the caloric values of food. I was frustrated. So, I bagged it - again. Then, my fiance and I started working out at the gym in March, thinking if we incorporated exercise in our lives things would get better. We simply never really understood "how much and what types of foods to eat," and although we felt better due to increased activity, the weight loss didn't really occur. We met a gentleman at the gym who referred us to MFP - and started using in October.

When I started MFP, I was "up there again," - and can't honestly recall at this moment what the weight was - because I hated the scale, but I gained back the little bit of weight lost at WW. Since joining MFP, I have struggled with the amount of calories to eat - and was trying to lose 2 pounds a week, but then I foolisly only ate 1,000 to 1,500 - fluctuating - largely because I don't know what I'm doing - (thinking eat less, lose more) - but the weight really won't come off with the vigor it should at that rate? At any rate, I slowly felt to feel more tired, sluggish, and wasn't able to complete hour long weight lifting and cardio sessions at the gym - I'd go through the motions but things just didn't feel right - I think I was starving myself!

So, just yesterday - after reading some others' posts here - and following the Biggest Loser (BL) guideline of current weight x 7 to determine target daily calorie goal- I've just reset to 1,850 - (45% percent of the total calories come from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 25% from fat). I think I'm going to stay off the scales for a few weeks to see how the adjustment works.

Happy Holidays everyone!

When I first lost weight, I was doing moderate exercise (mostly walking) and it seemed to work to only eat a small portion of the exercise calories. However, I am doing weight training and running now, and I stopped losing after the initial 30 lb loss. By adding back most of the exercise calories, I have not only gained the stamina I need to function at work (I work in a hospital lab where I am frenetically busy and on my feet all day), but I also am having better exercise sessions. I have lost 4 lbs in a little under a week, and am hoping this continues.

Isn't it a revelation knowing humans are able to eat reasonably and not be unhealthy?

Bump...

I need to have some serious thinking, research and calculating done and come back here with more questions.
But my first ones are:

Anyone can refer me to and article or write some encouraging thoughts about how can you actually convince yourself to up your calories? It seems I'm freakishly under eating, but if I consider upping my intake my mind freaks out... How can I overcome that?
How did you overcome that?

How long should you give to this "experiment" (I'll call it that until it proves itself)? A month? Two months? If I start eating more and gaining more weight (as I know I will) how can I keep myself from going back under 1200 just to lose something again?

How can you "lose" the scale? I'm a card carrying member of the SWS (Scale *kitten* Society) and start each and every day by stepping on the scale... How do you change this? What if I start gaining A LOT while eating more, but because I do not know I have no way to adjust??

I know you might point out that I have some major control-issues. I know that, but I'm currently working on my weight loss in which my control-issues are actually helpful sometimes (like making me going to the gym 4 times a week, or keeping my eating under 1200...)

I've rocking a gastric band since June 2011, and so far have lost over 40lbs. Because of the band I do not feel hungry even on my very low food intake. I started running in July and now I run 3*5K every week, plus do 2 zumba-type classes. I'm wearing a BodyMedia Fit, which keeps telling me I burn over 2000kcal even on a resting day... so I clock well over 1000kcal deficit EACH DAY - I still put on 3 pounds in the last 10 days... I need some major adjustments - both on food level and head level...

Thank you all in advance for helping me out with your thoughts - I appreciate every and all response (including PMs).

wow, a 1000 deficit each day? That must be so hard on your body. I know many on here can help you as it sounds like you are not eating anywhere near enough. x

Bump...

I need to have some serious thinking, research and calculating done and come back here with more questions.
But my first ones are:

Anyone can refer me to and article or write some encouraging thoughts about how can you actually convince yourself to up your calories? It seems I'm freakishly under eating, but if I consider upping my intake my mind freaks out... How can I overcome that?
How did you overcome that?

How long should you give to this "experiment" (I'll call it that until it proves itself)? A month? Two months? If I start eating more and gaining more weight (as I know I will) how can I keep myself from going back under 1200 just to lose something again?

How can you "lose" the scale? I'm a card carrying member of the SWS (Scale *kitten* Society) and start each and every day by stepping on the scale... How do you change this? What if I start gaining A LOT while eating more, but because I do not know I have no way to adjust??

I know you might point out that I have some major control-issues. I know that, but I'm currently working on my weight loss in which my control-issues are actually helpful sometimes (like making me going to the gym 4 times a week, or keeping my eating under 1200...)

I've rocking a gastric band since June 2011, and so far have lost over 40lbs. Because of the band I do not feel hungry even on my very low food intake. I started running in July and now I run 3*5K every week, plus do 2 zumba-type classes. I'm wearing a BodyMedia Fit, which keeps telling me I burn over 2000kcal even on a resting day... so I clock well over 1000kcal deficit EACH DAY - I still put on 3 pounds in the last 10 days... I need some major adjustments - both on food level and head level...

Thank you all in advance for helping me out with your thoughts - I appreciate every and all response (including PMs).

Below are some great resources and success stories. The biggest thing that you need to understand is stuff like basal metabolic rates (your metabolism) and total daily energy expended (the amount of energy expended throughout the day). You will want to research under eating and muscle loss. Bodyrecomp is a good research as noted below with some good research articles.

Also, i did a study on MFP (collected 88 participates) and everyone with lower body fat, ate more calories. Also, if you know you gained 3 lb (which is water weight) by eating very little, why not try to eat 500 more calories for 1 month to see if it provides different results? But below are some good articles.



http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/384720-working-out-and-eating-back-calories?page=2#posts-5268008

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat&page=2#posts-5441852

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395948-caloric-intake-results

OK I think my NET calories have been running low - if anyone can check out my diary and confirm, I'd appreciate it. I've been bouncing around the same 2-3 pounds for about a month. So I was thinking my net was low, and I should add 200 back in... I should just go ahead and add 200 per day in or 100 this week and another 100 next week, or what is the best way to go about it.

Last month I make a big effort to try to get closer to my daily allowance, even tho it slowed me down while KNOCKING on the door to ONEderland - I figured it wasn't going to get any easier, so I might as well get her done - but I think I did not do ENOUGH yet.

It's possible I'm taking a bit of a break from working out this month too as I have an injury anyway. Should I just not worry about it until January when things get more on a routine schedule? I don't know why I can't just make up my own mind about this stuff, but I've been reading a lot and I think my brain is tired.

Take a look at my result



Just used _h_t_t_p_://tinyurl.com/c5sxhku

I used to net (i.e. exercise calories all eaten) 1200-1300 and was losing weight just fine. I'm only 5' 1.5", so I figured that was fine.

HOWEVER... recently I started getting more serious about weight training, and started to eat a lot more to help my muscles. These days I net 2100+ calories on a training day and 1700-1800 calories on rest days. AND I'M STILL LOSING. Somewhat more slowly compared to before, but still. Between eating 1200 net and losing semi-fast, and eating 1900+ net and losing a tad slower, I know which one I prefer!

This has only gone on for a month though. I'll need to keep it up for a few more weeks to ascertain the trend.

So I started with eating 1200 only for like 8 months. Lost weight, then stopped. Most of that time I exercised 5-6 days per week, so most of the time my net was only like 500 calories. 3 months ago, I started upping my calories. I now eat back most of my exercise calories. Sometimes all, but sometimes I can't eat that much. I plateaued about 7 weeks, then finally started losing. I oly lost for 2 weeks, which was like 4 lb, but then plateaued again. Been here (up a pound) for 3 weeks again. I can't stay here for another 7 weeks, I'll go crazy. Do you think I should try to net more? Maybe try to make my weight loss at 1.5 lb per week or something. I have a BMF and most days I'm still pretty over a 1000 calorie deficit. I was thinking maybe a jar a peanut butter, since sometimes I'm not as hungry. I do eat nuts, but I figure if at the end of the day, I'm low, I can just eat 2 tbsp of PB and up my calories quickly.

What do you guys think? These plateaus are killing me!!

Lets see anyone, I challenge anyone to prove they ATE 1200 calories a day for a month and tell me they didn't lose weight? (Assuming you aren't 4 feet tall).

There are people in this thread that have proven to eat 1200 calories and not lost. Plus I have worked with a ton of people on this board with the same issue. Heck, look in half the threads about plateaus and you will see this. Hell in fact, I did 90 days of p90x and ate 1800 calories and didn't lose but when I upped my calories to 2600, I lost 3% body fat in 3 months and 7 lbs.

4'11" here, lost about 7 lbs at 1200 cals a day then stalled (plus I felt like CRAP). Upped to 1395 (1/2 lb week loss) and have been slowly and steadily losing since :drinker:

But still under limit.

Thats awesome. Congrats on the weight loss!

The theory is not to eat so much that you eat more cals than you burn. The meaning is to keep you body fueled properly. When you lose weight your loosing fat and muscle. Eating the right amount of protein, carbs and fat will reduce your muscle loss and speed up your fat loss. When you eat your bodies temp rises. This burns cals. Eating more times a day keeps the fluctuating fat/muscle loss/storage at a slower pace.

I'm sure that some people may disagree with this based upon a 10 person scientific test. P90X and Insanity follow these guidlines. We've all seen the results.