SERIOUSLY, eat more! I did, and look what happened! (pics)

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  • kimgettinfit
    kimgettinfit Posts: 20 Member
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    bump. great post! awesome results
  • tdavis092206
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    You look AMAZING!!! I just changed my calories from 1360 to 1200 to try to lose more.. Now I am kind of reconsidering.. Not sure what to do.. ??
  • rebecca_florida
    rebecca_florida Posts: 184 Member
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    This is a great case study which everyone on MFP should see. Thanks for posting and congratulations on figuring it out and making the choice to be fit and healthy - you look great!
  • Snuggles5
    Snuggles5 Posts: 28 Member
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    Awesome
  • Oilfanchick
    Oilfanchick Posts: 32 Member
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    Thank you so much for your story! Wow!
  • Diandra81
    Diandra81 Posts: 128 Member
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    Bumping for later
  • cassblue21
    cassblue21 Posts: 207
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    bump. :)
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
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    Very proud of you for beating that voice inside your head that was telling you to starve yourself. Like you experienced firsthand, eating that little is very dangerous to basic body functions.

    You're an amazing example of how to get in shape, feel good about yourself, and keep your body strong and HEALTHY.

    :drinker:

    I'm up to 1700ish on Rest days, and about 2000+ on heavy lifting days, netting no LESS than 1550 if I can. The weight has started falling off again.
  • UnderConstructionLuis
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    I am living evidence that eating too little will destroy your body... and eating more will do wonders for it! My story has two parts to it, the unhealthy weight loss part, and then the healthfully getting in rockin' shape part. If you aren't eating enough and wondering why you aren't seeing results or even loosing the progress you initially made, read my story!

    Ok so I've been using myfitnesspal religiously since last May. At first, I decided I wanted to lose weight as fast as possible, so I (stupidly) completely starved myself. I would aim to eat about 500 calories a day, and I would exercise for at least an hour and a half every day. Well, I did lose weight... a lot of weight, really fast.

    The first picture is before starting my weight loss, I believe in March 2011 (but it's how I looked when I started cutting calories in May). The second picture is in July 2011 (about two months later)
    CCcTJ.jpg

    Great, I thought. I started eating about 800 calories a day (still WAY too low) once I was more happy with my weight. School started in August and I moved to a new campus. Meanwhile, my health was beginning to deteriorate. I had bruises all over my body. If someone so much as poked me, a bruise would appear within minutes. My body was not working the way it should at all, and I knew why. Nonetheless, I kept eating about 800 to 900 calories a day. With school picking up, I thought I no longer had time to exercise. I basically didn't move at all except to go to class because I was to tired and weak. I would decide to increase calories, so I'd eat about 1000 a day for a few weeks, but inevitably I'd feel so bad about myself for eating "that much" and cut back to 800-900 again.

    Well, I don't even understand how this is possible, but even eating 900 calories a day, the weight started coming back on. I guess I had completely killed my metabolism and m body was grasping onto the little food I put in it for dear life. Then in February, I decided to get off my butt and get to the gym. I was disgusted with myself and new I needed to change. I started going to the gym 6 days a week for an hour each time. I did step aerobics classes and strength training classes, both of which I loved. With all that exercise, I knew I should be seeing results, but I wasn't. My body looked the same, and I felt weaker and weaker rather than stronger. So I finally listened to the voice inside me saying "Well duh, you're starving your body! Be healthy!"

    I started aiming for about 1400 calories a day. Immediately, I noticed that I could lift more at the gym and had more endurance throughout my workouts. I started CrossFit in the beginning of April. Some people don't like it because people get pretty competitive, but I love it! After long workouts, I would notice that I was still hungry after the 1400 calories, so I listened to my body and ate more! I started eating about 1600-1700 on hard workout days. My scale broke a while back, so I have no idea how much weight I've lost since cleaning up my act, but look at these pictures for yourself. The results speak for themself :)

    The first picture is from February 2012, when I had been eating about 900 calories a day or less for about 9 months (and I clearly GAINED weight since the previous picture from July 2011). The second picture is from a few days ago (April 2012) after about 3 months of serious work in the gym and 1400-1700 calories a day
    e5DpQ.jpg

    I know it seems counter intuitive, but it's true. You cannot achieve maintainable weight loss by starving yourself! Eat more, lift those weights, and get results!

    Awesome work! Congrats to you and continued success. Really great post.
  • VirginiaWoof
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    very inspiring post. this will keep me motivated to eat more. well done! happy is healthy :)
  • MinkyMoo13
    MinkyMoo13 Posts: 354 Member
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    You have just basically told my story too! I was living on 500 cals and i lost wieght but then it just all piled back on again. The less i ate the more i seemed to gain!

    I'm now eating 1200 a day but will soon be rising to 1400 as i'm hungry now.. i go to the gym 4-5 times a week (and i love it!!) and haven't lost anything yet but need to keep at it and it will go i think have toned up. I've only been doing this since March. I just started lifting this week too as well as my usual cardio.

    I so needed to see someone who has done this to prove it is the right thing to do. If i have a bad day i can easily not eat but i seem to have more good days then bad days at the moment. thanks for sharing your pics also
  • A_New_Horizon
    A_New_Horizon Posts: 1,555 Member
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    Awesome job and thank you for sharing this....there are so many young women who eat so little to lose weight and they just don't get how it will destroy their body. Of course, you can lose weight eaing so few calories, but it won't last forever. I have always eaten over 1200 calories and have lost nearly 60 lbs. I will never be "skinny" because I will always be a woman with curves. I have recently increased my calories again because I am doing more strength training.

    I just wanted to say thank-you because so many young girls need to hear this. You look fantastic btw.
  • Candida1983
    Candida1983 Posts: 188
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    That's really awesome! :bigsmile: Great job, very inspiring!
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
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    Thank you, thank you! Fantastic post, amazing story and you are GORGEOUS! Way to go!
  • va_va_voom
    va_va_voom Posts: 467 Member
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    Thank you for posting this! I'm glad you've found your way back to a healthy weight. You look fantastic!
  • JennC831
    JennC831 Posts: 631 Member
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    You look AMAZING!!!!
  • Lattegurl
    Lattegurl Posts: 67 Member
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    You look amazing!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    OP, you look fantastic! Glad to hear you increased your food intake. Thanks for sharing.

    Just another example of what eating more looks like. I try to NET my TDEE (this week has been way over that lol). I've managed to get to my goal weight doing this (almost, 1 pound to go). I'm 5'7 and 121 pounds.

    125 lbs:
    13599033_4692.jpg

    121 lbs, taken last week:
    13599033_8810.jpg
  • vguynes
    vguynes Posts: 794 Member
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    Thanks for posting. You look AMAZING!
  • shygur
    shygur Posts: 171 Member
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    I wish my sister would hear this. She is eating low calories too.
    Rebecca
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