How is Eating more and losing more weight working for YOU??

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  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    It doesn't work for me. I will gain weight if I eat over 1600 calories regularly. I can maintain between 1400-1600 and I'll lose if I'm under 1400. So I try to keep under 1400 and work out.

    Before I started trying to lose weight, I just logged my food for a couple of weeks, eating what I normally ate. I was between 1600-2000 a day and gaining slowly. At the time I was doing crossfit 4x a week and cardio 2x a week. Healthy stuff too, aside from the occasional chocolate craving.

    I need to eat less to lose.

    Interestingly enough, I was listening to this week's Jillian Michaels podcast and she addressed this very issue. She basically said that 1200 cal a day while exercising (and not eating back exercise cals) is not harmful and is a good way to lose weight. She had a lot to say about starvation diets - like the HGC one or various others that give you 500-600 cals a day to eat, but she said 1200 is fine. And most of the biggest loser contestants ate about that when she was on the show.

    I think you are misunderstanding the idea of "eat more". It's about eating more than your BMR, but still less than TDEE (maintenance).

    If you eat more than maintenance, then obviously you will gain weight.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I lost 12lbs over the summer netting about 2000 calories. Then I gained 10lbs netting 2800 and looked better than I did before. Now I've lost 2lbs netting about 2400 calories. There are pictures in my bio (green bikini is from this past weekend).
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I upped mine and gained eating only whole foods, fruit, veggies and the like. For me it about calories because all of them are healthy and acceptable. just my experience.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    I'm 5'7 and Sedentary.

    I started here and was instructed to eat 1200 calories a day and I felt fine (full actually, I was eating pretty healthy), and I was loosing a pound a week. After reading up on Google scholar on how your organs need so many calories a day to function, I decided to up my calories.

    I upped to my TDEE which is 1650 and ate back most of my exercise calories. I'm still loosing a pound a week, even though it should be harder to loose weight this easily farther along (26 pounds lost).

    I'm currently 123 pounds with a BMI of 19.4.

    People should be trying to figure out how much nutrition they can squat into themselves. Not sit around trying to determine how little food they can live off of while they whittle down to nothing. If they are to the point they are not loosing weight at TDEE, they need to exercise, and if that's not working, then you probably have a medical condition, or an eating disorder that should be checked into.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    The long story of how it worked for me: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    The shorter version... years ago, I ate under 1000 calories a day to lose weight, and eventually got to my goal weight of 130 pounds. Progress was painfully slow, often less than a half pound a week, and I was surprised that I still had muffin top, double chin, back fat rolls, etc. Really depressing.

    This time around, I ate pretty much twice as much to lose weight. I lost on average one pound a week until reaching my goal of 130 pounds.

    This is how I looked then around 130 pounds vs how I look now at 130 pounds.

    five-years-later.jpg

    These are the size 8 jeans I wore then around 130 pounds vs the size 2 or 4 (but this pair is a juniors size 5) jeans I wear now around 130 pounds.

    IMG_3265.jpg

    And there's no way in hell I'd have let someone take a pictures of me in a bikini then, but this is me now.

    IMG_4150.jpg
  • skinnylove00
    skinnylove00 Posts: 662 Member
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    HONESTLY I AM FRUSTRATED.

    i moved from eating about 1300 a day to about 1800 a day, i used to net at about 1000-1200 on a normal day, now i am netting at around 1400, but eating WAY more, like around 1800? i try to get up to 2000 some days. i dont have a HRM so i cant accurately count cals and i know mfp overestimates...so i am probably netting way more than 1400 but still.

    up 6 pounds, its week 4 of upped cals. its not muscle because my jeans arent fitting.

    i like eating clean but its definitely hard to eat 1800 cals of veggies/tuna/eggs, so ive HAD to add in more complex carbs like breads, and of course i eat healthy fats like peanut butter too. (THIS COULD BE THE CULPRIT) i have LOTS OF ENERGY now, but the scale is UP and its not going down. i feel like mfp is playing a practical joke on me, i am the only one who its not working for!!

    now i am just eating intuitively...i truly dont see the point of scarfing down extra cals that i am not hungry for just to lose weight when it hasnt worked for me. i make sure i net above 1200 though!!!! *ANY HELP OR ADVICE APPRECIATED*
  • jenniejengin
    jenniejengin Posts: 785 Member
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    Bump
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
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    Great idea!

    To start off I'll mention, I first decided to lose weight when I was about 20, I weighed less than I did now and my starting weight was around 217lbs. I just started eating less not really exercising and it worked, I didn't count calories but when I hit a plateau I just at less and then I started to work out. I eventually got down to 144lb, I'm 5'10" and this didn't look right on me, plus I was down to eating around 700 calories a day. I kept this up for a couple of years, eventually my energy was gone and I started eating a little more, for 5 years after I was eating between 700-1500 a day and I gained over 100lbs.

    Since joining this site in January I realised how little I was eating some days, I'd been ill for the last two and had a benign tumour embolised in December so I wasn't moving much and had gained even more. I started reading the posts and decided that as the only conclusion I could come to for my weight gain was because I messed myself up eating so little for so many years I decided to try eating more, I stick to 1380 and try and eat back most of my exercise calories, some days I burn around 1000cals but I won't eat all of that back. I work out about 6 days a week now I'm getting more active although I always am a bit more relaxed at the weekend. So far it seems to be working, I've lost 18lbs and eat everything within reason although I try and eat a lot of fresh fruit and veg.

    I don't expect it to come off quickly as I know I've ruined my body but I'm glad it's coming off and I'm starting to feel normal rather than being jealous of people that seem to be able to eat what they want - I can as long as I'm active.
  • resptech97
    resptech97 Posts: 147
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    It isn't. I'm so over even giving that approach the benefit of the doubt anymore. In the two years I've been trying to lose weight, I've tried to eat 1700-1800 (high for me) for up to two months at a time on at least four separate occasions, and not once has it worked. Me, if I'm not losing, it means I have to eat less. So, what works is eating my BMR (1425 calories) and not eating my exercise calories back unless they put me under 1000. Now, that isn't an easy thing for me to achieve, but I've found it works. I maintain at 1800 and I'm comfortable with that level, but I'm over wasting my time with attempting to up the calories for weight loss.

    I do have a chronic thyroid condition, so that might have something to do with this approach not working for me.

    I agree. It has not worked for me either. When I eat more calories I gain weight. I eat less...i lose. I have never eaten my exercise calories back. To me if you have a lot to lose then your body will use the stored fat for its energy. The closer you get to your goal weight the more the body might hang on to those last stubborn pounds. AND it has also been my experience the have to combine the diet and the exercise to really make the difference. I cant just do one or the other. Both are working great for me!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    HONESTLY I AM FRUSTRATED.

    i moved from eating about 1300 a day to about 1800 a day, i used to net at about 1000-1200 on a normal day, now i am netting at around 1400, but eating WAY more, like around 1800? i try to get up to 2000 some days. i dont have a HRM so i cant accurately count cals and i know mfp overestimates...so i am probably netting way more than 1400 but still.

    up 6 pounds, its week 4 of upped cals. its not muscle because my jeans arent fitting.

    i like eating clean but its definitely hard to eat 1800 cals of veggies/tuna/eggs, so ive HAD to add in more complex carbs like breads, and of course i eat healthy fats like peanut butter too. (THIS COULD BE THE CULPRIT) i have LOTS OF ENERGY now, but the scale is UP and its not going down. i feel like mfp is playing a practical joke on me, i am the only one who its not working for!!

    now i am just eating intuitively...i truly dont see the point of scarfing down extra cals that i am not hungry for just to lose weight when it hasnt worked for me. i make sure i net above 1200 though!!!! *ANY HELP OR ADVICE APPRECIATED*

    114 is rather small, and if you went up from 98, make no wonder, that's quite under weight at your height and under weight on the BMI scales! But if your still looking to loose weight from 114, according to the info in your profile I suggest eating 1616 cals a day, not 1800. Since you don't have an HRM your estimates are probably way off (even the HRM can be off). Maybe don't eat back all your exercise calories. If you're eating at your TDEE and you're exercising and you're not loosing weight, we'll your probably pretty slim, or should see your doctor about thyroid problems and the like.
  • Birder150
    Birder150 Posts: 677 Member
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    For decades I've suffered through diet after diet with lots of binge eating in between.
    The only thing I accomplished was to gain lots of fat and lose a fair amount of muscle.

    I read some of the threads pertaining to eating at a higher calorie level and thought, what the hell, I'll try it.

    It's working like a charm.
    Not only am I losing weight at 2000 calories, I'm losing it faster than when I was starving/bingeing.
    I eat whole foods mostly and not too much processed food.
    I haven't really started a formal exercise program. I've thrown in a walk here and there.
    I can only imagine the progress I'll make when I begin a workout program.
    I fully see myself at goal by this time next year.
    Nearly effortlessly.
    I'm eating at my goal weight maintenance level so I will not have to suffer through a transition. I'll already have lots of practice by the time I get there.

    I have helloitsdan to thank for this. I'm so happy he posted the information. :flowerforyou:
  • MelV1
    MelV1 Posts: 31
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    bump
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
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    I'd just like to mention for those that are struggling that it does take time, especially if like me you've been eating way under for so long, or being up and down (eating very little in the week more at the weekend) I was worried when I started, to me it seemed ridiculous, I mean surely if you want to lose weight you should eat less. I'm very happy to have found out this isn't the case.
  • KeriA
    KeriA Posts: 3,275 Member
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    After slowly and painfully losing 30 pounds I was in a plateau for half a year or more and tried everything except upping my calories. I upped my exercise, I increased the intensity of my exercise, I lowered my calories. I added weight training. For just a little while lowering calories and weight training helped but the weight came back. Finally I started upping my calories. I haven't gotten to trying to lose yet but the success that I have had is that I used to maintain (stay at the same weight at 1340 net. I now am maintaining my weight at 2200 net and have eased up a bit on my exercise as well. When you reach your goal weight do you want to eat 1200 calories or 2000 calories. I haven't given up anything since I wasn't losing anything. Frankly the question is what is my true maintenance. For all I know I may be able to eat more than I am and maintain. What is your BMR? For a year and a half I ate less than what my body needs in a Coma does that make sense to you? It doesn't to me. It is one thing to do this out of ignorance and following the recommendation that 1 pound a week loss is safe. It is another to do it with full knowledge that your body needs more than your BMR whether you are losing or maintaining or anything else except lying in bed all day.
  • shellsie_j
    shellsie_j Posts: 132 Member
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    Will digest later.
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Eating more is working fantastically for me.

    I had been hovering around 125ish pounds for the last 18 months or so. Wanted to drop a few more pounds (mainly for vanity's sake to be honest) and drop body fat %. Joined MFP in November 2011, tried eating 1200 (net). Felt starving all. the. time. Lost a couple pounds right off the bat. Then they came back. Back to where I started through the holidays, all the while trying trying trying to keep at low calories and feeling so frustrated.

    January 1, learned about BMR and TDEE, a little lightbulb went on in my head. Started upping my calories, first to about 1500-1600 for a couple weeks, then 1700, then 1800. Those few pounds came off again and I got down to 122.4. End of February, got a BMF (BodyMedia Fit) and found out my burn was even higher than I thought. Started eating MORE (2000+ a day) to try to keep a very small deficit (about 250 calories/day). Weighed in last week at 121.6. Lowest weight I've seen on the scale and I'm eating more than I've ever eaten in my life. Currently I'm in training for a marathon so I'm really focusing on eating well to fuel my running. More fun for me even than seeing the scale go down is seeing the inches go down and that my running feels fantastic. I'm training hard and hoping to hit a big PR in my June race.
  • carlosdon
    carlosdon Posts: 125
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    i lose weight slowly but with the amount of exercise i do i have barely eaten under 2000 calories for 4 years and in that time i've lost 30kgs+ but that generally with a lot of exercise not so much now though. steady away.
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    First of all: B*tches be trippin'

    Second: I'm 5'2" and 123 lbs.

    Started at 146. Lost ~20 lbs on 1200 calories per day.

    Plateaued at 125-127 for 3 months.

    Upped calories to 1330. No loss.
    Upped calories to 1460. No loss.

    Said "*kitten* it" and upped my calories to 1600 per day.
    Started losing again (more slowly).

    I do not log walking. I do log heavy exercise (rock climbing, etc.) and I eat back my exercise calories as much as possible.

    After calculating my TDEE, it made sense, because even on "lightly active" my TDEE is 1800-2000 per day, and 1600 is about 15% less than that.

    Plus, I never feel restricted from eating when I'm hungry anymore.

    In conclusion, eating moar is win. The End.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I eat "more" on the scheme of things. My goal is set to 1625 + exercise calories (I only eat 50% of those, assuming that MFP is way overestimating).

    Some days I can't eat many of my exercise calories. I usually have 1-2 days a week I go a little over on calories (about 200ish).

    I've been losing pretty consistently since the beginning of the year, around 1.5-2 pounds a week,
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
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    I find that I gain even when I'm netting 200-300 cals BELOW maintenance (1800).

    There are really only two possible explanations for this.

    1. maybe I used to net a really low amount, for a really long time. This is possible - I used to be extremely active, often burning 500 cals through work or exercise alone. I spent a year injured, but had to eat a similar amount to my previous consumption so as not to feel hungry, and I put on weight during this time. During my first month on MFP i just tracked what I normally eat... I was averaging 1400 net, and maintaining on this. In short, I think I spent a year eating 1400-1600 net and GAINED steadily for about 8 months, then maintained.

    So I don't like this theory. Surely a year on higher cals should be enough to 'fix' a broken metabolism. i should have started at least plateauing much sooner. During this year there would have been short periods where I was eating above or at 1800, so I was not in a consistent deficit. supposedly 2 weeks of eating at maintenance should be enough to 'fix' a broken metabolism, according to word on the street... I don't reject this theory, i just feel that it does not explain my experience.

    2. perhaps my BMR is actually much lower than calculated by mfp (1400). Go read about BMR on wikipedia as a starting point...variation in BMR between people of the exact same height/weight can actually be huge.

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