OK, going to try this "eat more" thing

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emmaruns
emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I came to MFP to log my calories and was committed to a 1300 calorie a day plan. My dad lost 70 pounds last year doing this and I thought it seemed like the perfect solution for me..

Here is what has happened instead.

I eat 1300 calories a day from whole, healthy foods. I do 45 minutes on the elliptical a day (during the week) and walk on my "treaddesk" about 8 miles per day. Walking now in fact! On weekends, I relax the plan a bit and have dinner out or pizza once in awhile but not always.

So mathematically the pounds should be falling off, right? While it's true that I have lost weight, it has been an annoying process. I am not super hungry, but I'm wondering if you all have a point about netting negative. Yup, I net negative most days.

Another thing I noticed. I had probably my "biggest splurge" meal on Saturday night. I gained 4 pounds, which I know is part water, etc. etc. But I also got to thinking, perhaps my body is in that starvation mode area and when it thought it hit the caloric jackpot it held on for dear life? Because eating 1300 cals a day isn't netting me the mathematical results that I'm looking for.

So where to start? I burm about 1300 calories walking 8 miles a day and with the elliptical. So maybe up it to 1800 and see what happens? If I ate back all my exercise calories, I would be eating 2500 calories a day . So maybe there's a middle ground. I'm a little nervous, I'll admit, but I want to be healthy about this.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Emily
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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Sounds like you are on the right track. Food is fuel, so if you don't feed your body, it won't work like a well oiled machine. My biggest suggestion, drop some of the cardio and start lifting. Weight training has so many benefits to it that cardio can't provide.
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
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    I also pre-completed a sample food journal for today. I already ate the breakfast. Basically, I'm thinking of adding a healthy snack and a salad with some walnuts and full fat organic dressing to dinner. Would love critques/comments. Thanks!
  • AlexPflug
    AlexPflug Posts: 132 Member
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    I have a question. Are you saying that you would eat 1300 calories, then burn that many off?
  • lacewitch
    lacewitch Posts: 766 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories?
  • hannata86
    hannata86 Posts: 57
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    Have you never checked what your actual day to day calories should be? Is 1300 ok for you?

    If you are very active you should be making sure to eat at least up to 1200 net.
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
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    Walking 8 miles a day would take you close to three hours, are you sure your numbers are right?
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
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    I have a question. Are you saying that you would eat 1300 calories, then burn that many off?

    That's exactly right. I burn about 500 calories at the gym on the elliptical and then about 800 (100 or so per mile) walking at my desk. Then I was eating 1300 a day. I set my thing at "sedentary" then added the exercise back in. After that, I completely ignored how many more calories it said to eat and only ate 1300 anyway. I'm stubborn :)

    According to MFP, "if every day were like today" blah blah blah I'd weigh like 15 pounds less than I do.
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
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    Walking 8 miles a day would take you close to three hours, are you sure your numbers are right?

    Yes, I know it sounds weird. I have a phone job and work from home. So I'm on the treaddesk close to 4 hours per day. I walk at 2.0-2.5 for 4 miles before and 4 miles after lunch. I'm at about 2.5 now.
  • ahinski
    ahinski Posts: 200 Member
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    Is your MFP account set to a weight loss goal of one pound a week? If not, try that. If it is already and you haven't been losing weight, set it to 1/2 pound a week.

    You've lost 70 pounds!??? That's awesome. Unfortunately, weight loss really slows down after that (well usually after about 10 pounds lol). So you need to re-adjust your expectations for how much weight you'll lose per week.

    Also, log your exercise and eat the calories your burn during exercise.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    Walking 8 miles a day would take you close to three hours, are you sure your numbers are right?

    I was also going to comment, 8 miles a day is a LOT. Even on days when I run 4-5 miles, I eat a little over my 1300 to make up for it. Your body needs more fuel if you're doing that kind of exercise on a regular basis. Try adding in a protein shake, like Muscle Milk light or something, for some added calories. I do that after lunch, just to make sure I'm eating enough (I don't have a very big appetite most of the time). You don't ever want your net to be negative, because at that point your body doesn't have enough calories to function properly.
  • AlexPflug
    AlexPflug Posts: 132 Member
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    Ok I looked up your food diary. Here is one of your days:


    Totals 1,320 152 47 88
    emmaruns's Daily Goal 2,403 330 80 90
    Remaining 1,083 178 33 2
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein
    *You've earned 1203 extra calories from exercise today

    Basically, since MFP puts you at a calorie deficit already, they've told you to eat 1200 calories/day. This will allow you to lose weight without even exercising. Since you are exercising, however, you need to eat back those calories. On this day you ate 1320 calories, but burned off 1203. Your body only "netted" 117 calories. This is probably why you aren't seeing the results you want. Your body thinks it's starving. If you eat back your exercise calories for a week, I really think you will notice a change. Why not test that out for a week and see how it goes?
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
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    Is your MFP account set to a weight loss goal of one pound a week? If not, try that. If it is already and you haven't been losing weight, set it to 1/2 pound a week.

    You've lost 70 pounds!??? That's awesome. Unfortunately, weight loss really slows down after that (well usually after about 10 pounds lol). So you need to re-adjust your expectations for how much weight you'll lose per week.

    Also, log your exercise and eat the calories your burn during exercise.

    No, my DAD lost 70 pounds :) I've lost 18 and have about 80 more to go.
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
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    Ok I looked up your food diary. Here is one of your days:


    Totals 1,320 152 47 88
    emmaruns's Daily Goal 2,403 330 80 90
    Remaining 1,083 178 33 2
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein
    *You've earned 1203 extra calories from exercise today

    Basically, since MFP puts you at a calorie deficit already, they've told you to eat 1200 calories/day. This will allow you to lose weight without even exercising. Since you are exercising, however, you need to eat back those calories. On this day you ate 1320 calories, but burned off 1203. Your body only "netted" 117 calories. This is probably why you aren't seeing the results you want. Your body thinks it's starving. If you eat back your exercise calories for a week, I really think you will notice a change. Why not test that out for a week and see how it goes?

    That's a great idea! At this point, I would love to lose 2 pounds a week. Started off thinking I'd lose like 3-4 like the Biggest Loser people with all this exercise but not seeing the scale move is discouraging.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 795 Member
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    Okay, that "treaddesk" thing just looks really cool. LOL If more than a bit pricey.... you could probably do a similar setup with a regular small treadmill and some plywood. Hmmm.....
  • jdavis193
    jdavis193 Posts: 972 Member
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    Walking 8 miles a day would take you close to three hours, are you sure your numbers are right?

    Yes, I know it sounds weird. I have a phone job and work from home. So I'm on the treaddesk close to 4 hours per day. I walk at 2.0-2.5 for 4 miles before and 4 miles after lunch. I'm at about 2.5 now.

    Do you wear a HRM?
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
    Options
    Walking 8 miles a day would take you close to three hours, are you sure your numbers are right?

    Yes, I know it sounds weird. I have a phone job and work from home. So I'm on the treaddesk close to 4 hours per day. I walk at 2.0-2.5 for 4 miles before and 4 miles after lunch. I'm at about 2.5 now.

    Do you wear a HRM?

    I used to but my battery died. I'm going to go replace it this week. I had a Bodybugg that I got for Christmas that said I burn on average 4400 calories on workout/walking days.
  • ahinski
    ahinski Posts: 200 Member
    Options
    Is your MFP account set to a weight loss goal of one pound a week? If not, try that. If it is already and you haven't been losing weight, set it to 1/2 pound a week.

    You've lost 70 pounds!??? That's awesome. Unfortunately, weight loss really slows down after that (well usually after about 10 pounds lol). So you need to re-adjust your expectations for how much weight you'll lose per week.

    Also, log your exercise and eat the calories your burn during exercise.

    No, my DAD lost 70 pounds :) I've lost 18 and have about 80 more to go.

    AH Sorry!! well, like I said it usually slows down after 10 pounds so the same advice still applies.
  • dls1957
    dls1957 Posts: 34 Member
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    My first week into MFP, I ate back most of my exercise calories and gained a lb. How depressing was that.
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
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    Okay, that "treaddesk" thing just looks really cool. LOL If more than a bit pricey.... you could probably do a similar setup with a regular small treadmill and some plywood. Hmmm.....

    I have to say, I have wanted one of these for years. It was $2000 total but the happiness it gives me is well worth it. Beyond burning calories, I've always thought that humans just weren't meant to sit as much as we do. I have more energy, too, and notice I bound up and down the stairs more.

    But I am still overweight. VERY overweight. And I want that to change :)
  • girl_afraid82
    girl_afraid82 Posts: 178 Member
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    Definitely eat back your exercise calories... MFP does all the hard work here, calculating everything for us so we can lose weight safely.
    If you have your activity level set as sedentry, then make sure you log all your exercise and eat it back. If it's too many calories to handle eating (I know I struggle to eat them back sometimes as I'm just not that hungry) at least eat back to 1200 net. Any less than that and you won't be losing in a healthy way.

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