For the 500,000 time EATING MORE WORKS

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  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I never understood why people say they feel like they are starving on 1200 calories. I feel completely satisfied, eat every 2 hours, and always stay within my calorie range. PLUS, I've lost 68 pounds doing this for 5 months. I guess this just goes to show you that really everyone is different!

    It just depends on the individual. My BMR is 1338 and my TDEE is 2449, so if I were to try and only net 1200 calories a day? Well, I'd be starving myself, hungry, grouchy and threatening to eat small animals and children. It just depends on your activity level, your metabolism, etc.
  • tabulator32
    tabulator32 Posts: 701 Member
    Don't eat less...move more!

    :bigsmile:
  • SlimStacey74
    SlimStacey74 Posts: 74 Member
    I coudn't agree more!! I am eating the most calories ever (healthy) and along with exercise, the weight is just melting off. I have been on here for 3 months and I have lost 30 lbs!! I started off big, like 5 lbs for first 2 weeks (prob water) , but even after that, I tend to lose about 1-2 lbs per week, with an occasional 3 in there sometimes, when I've really had some good burns that week. I eat between 1800-2200 calories per day!! I don't feel hungry, I eat right, get my burns in and the weight is coming off. Its soo simple, I can't believe it's taken me this long to get it right! :happy:

    5'2"
    SW: 221
    CW: 191
    GW: 130-135

    I am right on track to hit my GW by Oct 31st!! I cannot wait!!!!
  • sweetebonyprincess
    sweetebonyprincess Posts: 48 Member
    bumpty bump
  • kalynn06
    kalynn06 Posts: 368 Member
    I think it helps people to keep a food journal for 2 weeks before they start calorie cutting. Realizing how many calories you were eating per day and how drastic a drop 1200 is does help to quiet the fear that 1300 or 1400 or even 1800 calories a day will make you gain a ton of weight rapidly.
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
    I think it helps people to keep a food journal for 2 weeks before they start calorie cutting. Realizing how many calories you were eating per day and how drastic a drop 1200 is does help to quiet the fear that 1300 or 1400 or even 1800 calories a day will make you gain a ton of weight rapidly.
    I totally agree! I tracked for a week before starting in earnest and I wasn't eating much more than my goal cals already. But my activity levels were none existent. I have to eat more to compensate for exercising way more.
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
    Don't eat less...move more!

    :bigsmile:
    But if you move more you have to eat more because your net will go down...
  • sidel80
    sidel80 Posts: 2
    I don't think it was really emphasized in the comments to the original post, but I'm guessing it's not only upping your calorie intake, but also the quality of the calories you're consuming, right? I wouldnt eat a bigmac or two for purposes of reaching that calorie goal.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I don't think it was really emphasized in the comments to the original post, but I'm guessing it's not only upping your calorie intake, but also the quality of the calories you're consuming, right? I wouldnt eat a bigmac or two for purposes of reaching that calorie goal.

    It all depends how you define quality food. So long as you can achieve your macronutrient goals, any food is good food, but the chances are 'junk' is less likely to get you there.

    Me personally, wouldn't eat McDonalds unless I was dying in a desert, and even then only after I was absolutely sure there were no lizards/camels/large, scary looking spiders to snack on.
  • ili_s
    ili_s Posts: 66
    Definitely!

    It's about making smart food choices. However it doesn't mean that we should totallyd eprive ourselves of the bad foods. Anything is acceptable once in a while as long as it stays a once in a while food and doesn't creep into your diet.

    The thing with allowing yourself to eat more calories and still getting to where you are going is that you can fill up on the good foods, thus deminishing feelings of hunger and being less likely to crave bad foods.

    Once you get off the sugar (addiction) train your body will no longer crave the bad foods as much.

    I have amuch easier time saying no to things now and getting a piece of fruit or celery to munch on, which I equally enjoy.

    I also want to acknowledge that some people can eat at aorund 1200 cals. If you are very tiny in height and weight then your BMR might actually be around that mark, and that is why being on that level works for you.

    It's all about finding your BMR and eating between that number and 20% above your BMR.
  • lovebeinGIGI
    lovebeinGIGI Posts: 72 Member
    A LOT of people, including myself, are scared ****less of the thought of eating more but there are too many sucess stories out there claiming it works, so after a long struggle of my own, I have decided to give it a try, and if it works for me, I shall be shouting it from the rooftops!!!

    Well done on your sucess!

    Yeah...that's me!!! I know it's stupid but I freak out if the scale goes up a pound! I suddenly think I need to cut my calories down! I KNOW I should eat more sometimes. When I was starting out at 245# it was so much easier! But now that I'm almost 20# from my goal, I feel more scared to eat more. I know it's crazy!! Uhhgg!!
  • Crissena
    Crissena Posts: 13 Member
    I completely agree! I've been on MFP since October of 2011 and lost 43 pounds. I've experimented with my weight loss here and there and for one month I never went over my calorie intake. I was at about 1250 calories a day. I was hardly losing anything. So I read some articles and took the advice to eat a bit more. Now I am between 1400-1600 calories a day with some excersize and I loose over a pound a week! It's more about what you eat, not how much. It's so nice to know I HAVE to have a cheat day!!!
  • ili_s
    ili_s Posts: 66
    All of us have been conditioned to think that being on a low calorie diet is the only way to lose weight, But who tells us these things? Its weight loss plans like weight watchers, jenny craig and atkins and we know what their agenda is; to make money.

    Maybe just try eating more for a month and see what happens. You can always go back to what previously worked for you. But also depending on how long you have been dieting and how much damage has been done to your body ie. burning muscle instead of fat for the weight loss it could mean you have to gain some weight back in order for your body to stabalise and repair, before it is ready to lose weight again.

    Just a consideration to keep in mind.
  • Pifflesmom
    Pifflesmom Posts: 134 Member
    Okay, you have me convinced - I'm going to give it a try - I've been keeping to 1550/day, but I see that my BMR is actually 1839 and my TDEE IS 2567 - so I'm guessing I've been eating way under what I should be...would between 1800 and 2000 a day be a reasonable number to aim for?

    Thanks!
  • ili_s
    ili_s Posts: 66
    Okay, you have me convinced - I'm going to give it a try - I've been keeping to 1550/day, but I see that my BMR is actually 1839 and my TDEE IS 2567 - so I'm guessing I've been eating way under what I should be...would between 1800 and 2000 a day be a reasonable number to aim for?

    Thanks!

    2206cals is 20% above your BMI so I would say that this number is safe for you to eat and lose a healthy amount of weight. If you arent comfortable with that number though just focus on eating above your BMR by 100 or 200 cals and maybe build up from there. :)

    Happy to hear you are willing to give it a shot.
  • Pifflesmom
    Pifflesmom Posts: 134 Member
    Thanks - nothing ventured, nothing gained (okay, well I hope there isn't any gain...you know what I mean)...:bigsmile:
    Okay, you have me convinced - I'm going to give it a try - I've been keeping to 1550/day, but I see that my BMR is actually 1839 and my TDEE IS 2567 - so I'm guessing I've been eating way under what I should be...would between 1800 and 2000 a day be a reasonable number to aim for?

    Thanks!

    2206cals is 20% above your BMI so I would say that this number is safe for you to eat and lose a healthy amount of weight. If you arent comfortable with that number though just focus on eating above your BMR by 100 or 200 cals and maybe build up from there. :)

    Happy to hear you are willing to give it a shot.
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
    I agree! But people are going to do what they think works best for them anyway. It's hard for some people to wrap their mind around the fact that eating less doesn't always = losing more weight. I just don't understand why someone would eat 1200 or less calories a day when they could be eating more and still lose weight, or even lose more weight. Oh well.

    Amen to that!!!!!!

    I was scared to up my calories at first as well, but I hadn't been losing on the measly 1400ish or so I was eating, so I figured if I'm going to stay the same weight I might as well at least eat more and be happy! Since upping my calories on January 1 I have lost 3lbs and several inches and I feel so darn fantastic I have to wonder at my sanity before and why I thought that I had to starve myself to be thin/fit. So not true!
  • swekmom
    swekmom Posts: 28 Member
    OK, sorry I seem to be really think headed on this but when I look up my TDEE it is 2210 and my BMR is 1845. I have been on 1500 calories a day for about 2 months not and have only lost 4 pounds (all in the first month). I am pretty sedentary right now as I am so out of shape but hoping to increase activity as I lose. So after reading the posts on here, am I correct in saying I need to eat at least 1845 calories a day to lose weight?? I know scientifically it makes sense to not starve your body but that seems like it goes against everything I have ever learned about losing weight! LOL
    :smile:
  • ihateroses
    ihateroses Posts: 893 Member
    Problem is, people who eat under 1000 calories a day will see a post like this and then try it (for like...5 days, tops) and gain weight (because of their slowed down metabolism and/or water weight) then freak out and give up and eat even less.

    It takes longer than a week to make a healthy change.
  • jengelbell
    jengelbell Posts: 22
    I, too, am going to try eating more...as long as they are healthy calories, I will give it a shot. Apparently what I have been doing in the past hasn't always worked. I've read studies on this way of eating and it appears that there is some truth to it. What have I got to lose except pounds?
  • jengelbell
    jengelbell Posts: 22
    I know what BMR is but what is TDEE?
  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
    Problem is, people who eat under 1000 calories a day will see a post like this and then try it (for like...5 days, tops) and gain weight (because of their slowed down metabolism and/or water weight) then freak out and give up and eat even less.

    It takes longer than a week to make a healthy change.
    I give everything I do only 1 week to work.

    Eating more
    Turbo Jam
    My cell phone...
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I know what BMR is but what is TDEE?
    Total Daily Energy Expenditure

    Basically BMR and your calories burned doing stuff combined.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    you are right and for almost everyone, their BMR is well above 1200. i have upped my calories a bit in March and finally lost weight again.
    how do I calculate the amount of calories I need having TDEE and BMR?

    My understanding is that you never eat below your BMR & don't eat above your TDEE. I found me TDEE is supposed to be 1770 so I try to stay between 1400 & 1500 to lose 1/2 per week. Just upped it from 1300 so not sure if I have this right.

    Hopefully someone will correct me ifbthis info is wrong i:bigsmile:
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    Problem is, people who eat under 1000 calories a day will see a post like this and then try it (for like...5 days, tops) and gain weight (because of their slowed down metabolism and/or water weight) then freak out and give up and eat even less.

    It takes longer than a week to make a healthy change.

    I upped my calories the same week that I was allowed back into the gym after a 4wk break because of surgery.

    I ended up with water weight from upping my calories AND water weight from really sore muscles in the same week. 2.8kgs worth (that's 6lbs)... thankfully it all came off this week.

    You really have to give it a month. You can't judge it after a week.
  • lulu_1
    lulu_1 Posts: 100
    Okay so my BMR is 1304 cals. I lost 8 pounds while eating under 1200 - 1200 calories and it was hard. I have upped my cals. to 1270 cal. I hope this works. I stopped losing weight 2 weeks a go so i hope by upping my calories i can start it again. Also whenever I have time i exercise. If there is some thing i should change can you tell me. Also I am 5"1 and weigh 134 pounds. my goal is 110-100 pounds.

    Also my BMI is 25.3 so i am really close to a healthy BMI but I want to get rid of my fat, which when i Poke spreads waves.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    Okay so my BMR is 1304 cals. I lost 8 pounds while eating under 1200 - 1200 calories and it was hard. I have upped my cals. to 1270 cal. I hope this works. I stopped losing weight 2 weeks a go so i hope by upping my calories i can start it again. Also whenever I have time i exercise. If there is some thing i should change can you tell me. Also I am 5"1 and weigh 134 pounds. my goal is 110-100 pounds.

    Also my BMI is 25.3 so i am really close to a healthy BMI but I want to get rid of my fat, which when i Poke spreads waves.

    You should eat more than your BMR, you need to up your calories more than to 1,270.
  • huntindawg1962
    huntindawg1962 Posts: 277 Member
    All of us have been conditioned to think that being on a low calorie diet is the only way to lose weight, But who tells us these things? Its weight loss plans like weight watchers, jenny craig and atkins and we know what their agenda is; to make money.

    Atkins does not count calories. He cites the benefit of his thoughts as being you will, as a by product of being satiated following a low carb approach, naturally consuming less overall calories (and by not eating all the processed foods and sugars).
  • lulu_1
    lulu_1 Posts: 100
    Okay so my BMR is 1304 cals. I lost 8 pounds while eating under 1200 - 1200 calories and it was hard. I have upped my cals. to 1270 cal. I hope this works. I stopped losing weight 2 weeks a go so i hope by upping my calories i can start it again. Also whenever I have time i exercise. If there is some thing i should change can you tell me. Also I am 5"1 and weigh 134 pounds. my goal is 110-100 pounds.

    Also my BMI is 25.3 so i am really close to a healthy BMI but I want to get rid of my fat, which when i Poke spreads waves.

    You should eat more than your BMR, you need to up your calories more than to 1,270.

    the site told me to eat 1270 cal. to lose 1 pound per week.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Okay so my BMR is 1304 cals. I lost 8 pounds while eating under 1200 - 1200 calories and it was hard. I have upped my cals. to 1270 cal. I hope this works. I stopped losing weight 2 weeks a go so i hope by upping my calories i can start it again. Also whenever I have time i exercise. If there is some thing i should change can you tell me. Also I am 5"1 and weigh 134 pounds. my goal is 110-100 pounds.

    Also my BMI is 25.3 so i am really close to a healthy BMI but I want to get rid of my fat, which when i Poke spreads waves.

    You should eat more than your BMR, you need to up your calories more than to 1,270.

    the site told me to eat 1270 cal. to lose 1 pound per week.

    And that's the problem. The site doesn't tell you what healthy weightloss is - it just does as you ask of it. At 24 pounds to lose, you should consider 0.5lbs a week.
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