Does eating more to weight less work for everyone?

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  • LadyKatieBug
    LadyKatieBug Posts: 178 Member
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    I need t try this for myself also
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    People drop calories too fast at the start when there is no need, that's the problem!

    I think the problem for some people is that the process is so slow. (Yeah, yeah, it took them a while to put on the weight.) It takes them a long time to see any benefits and they give up. IF -- IF someone can lose weight rapidly and safely AND maintain it, I think s/he should go for it.

    I understand that this method won't work for many people, but I don't think it should be dismissed out of hand. There was a time when I didn't understand how people could have gastric bypass surgery. Now I get it: They can't stick with a diet long enough. So they trade rapid weight loss for sticking to a very low-calorie eating regime for the rest of their lives (I assume).
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    And I guess it is very individual, but I have seen a huge difference for myself. And even if I have a lot MORE muscle now than I did 20 years ago, I still have to eat less than I did then to maintain my weight.

    Absolutely. In addition, muscle, while good for overall health, does not burn as many additional calories as people think.

    At rest.
    Compared to fat.
    Not as many additional.

    Move around and use them in either daily activity or exercise, yes it does then. RMR can be much higher.
  • dlpnrn2b
    dlpnrn2b Posts: 441 Member
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    I upped my calories last Sunday and have lost almost 3 lbs after being stuck/fluctuating for almost a month, so I say YES YES YES... working for me!!
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,376 Member
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    Everyone is different & each body, metabolism & your activities are all different so I don't think it will work for EVERYONE but for alot of people it has...You just have to have patience (which I have none) but you can play with the numbers to see what is best for you...

    This site is excellent to get your numbers...Just play around with it & see...

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
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    People drop calories too fast at the start when there is no need, that's the problem!
    Eventually it is Inevitable you "will" have to lower calories at some point as you get closer to your goal, especially if your aiming for a low body fat percentage. The key is to lower calories slowly, to give your body a chance to adjust, if you shock it its just going fight you.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I upped my calories about a month ago. I wasn't super low, but I hit a stall so I thought I'd eat a bit more. I am nearing the end of my 4 weeks (5 more days left), and so far the pace is about the same as it was before I upped my calories....I am waiting another 4 to decide what to do next!

    I have been losing 5-7 pounds a month for the last 3 or so, not bad but I was hoping for 10 at this stage. I am too cranky eating below 1500 calories to bother.
  • Motivation
    Motivation Posts: 64 Member
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    Decided to give it a try as well. I'm giving it about 3-4 weeks
  • cannonsky
    cannonsky Posts: 850 Member
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    People drop calories too fast at the start when there is no need, that's the problem!
    Eventually it is Inevitable you "will" have to lower calories at some point as you get closer to your goal, especially if your aiming for a low body fat percentage. The key is to lower calories slowly, to give your body a chance to adjust, if you shock it its just going fight you.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    allow me to direct you to the group Eat More to Weigh Less.... that is filled with people that have realized you don't have to lower your intake to lose weight if your metabolism is working properly
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    I've been gradually increasing my calories lately yet the amount I keep losing per week hasn't gone down as a result, so either it does work or I have a hungry tape worm eating all my food.
  • amyy902
    amyy902 Posts: 290 Member
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    i think it works for the high majority of people, i havent got personal experience but from what i see here it tends to work, and i guess its because you give youre body enough fuel and nutrients to repair its self from exercise and the likes. but im guessing it wont work for some people, but in general it looks like it does :)
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Decided to give it a try as well. I'm giving it about 3-4 weeks

    Anything's worth a try. Given my size and current inability to exercise, I personally would never risk it. The way I've managed to maintain my weight (or at least keep it under control) is by never getting too high to begin with. I've always been afraid that if I got overweight like my family members I'd never be able to take it off.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    People drop calories too fast at the start when there is no need, that's the problem!
    Eventually it is Inevitable you "will" have to lower calories at some point as you get closer to your goal, especially if your aiming for a low body fat percentage. The key is to lower calories slowly, to give your body a chance to adjust, if you shock it its just going fight you.

    Not entirely true, especially if you are in the eating back your exercise calories camp... Which I am a firm believer in......When I started out at 560 lbs. I worked with a nutritionist as we established me on a 2400 calories a day meal plan and I sustained a avg weightloss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Back then I could barely walk from room to room so exercise was next to impossible. I ended up in the pool at the wellness center doing weight displacement walking until I had lost enough weight to get fitted with braces and was able start exercising on dry land... Fast forward 3 years now and down 306 lbs. and my 2nd set of braces per knee... I am now at 254 lbs. and workout 6 days a week doing everything from Pool therapy , weight training, cardio equipment. And I am currently still eating in a deficit to lose 1/2 lb. a week but my total daily caloric intake is now 3200 calories a day. My carbs have increased from 240 grams 3 years ago to 320 grams a day now... So in my case as I am getting closer to my goal weight and my bodyfat continues to go down I am eating more and more and still losing......
    Wait until you are approaching a normal to low body fat percentage, then tell me, you don't need to lower calories in order to keep losing!

    Well I am pretty sure I have approached that normal body fat percentage and it has not cause me to have to reduce my caloric intake at all as I am eating 800-1000 calories more now at 254 lbs. than I was eating at 560 lbs. and I am still in a deficit and losing weight and have been the last 35 months... I am waiting for the body pod at our local university to get fixed so I can go in for an accurate measurement but I am getting pretty close to my end game and maintenance mode...

    2012-03-31_08-27-41_160.jpg

    2012-03-31_08-24-44_9811.jpg
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,719 Member
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    I think it really depends on your body type and your exercise routines. My BMR is 1370 and my TDEE is 1837 so my range is pretty small. So it's not like I have a lot of room for eating more unless I really ramp up my exercise or grow taller.

    I was eating about 2200 a day and I gained and the weight slowly crept back on me over a year or so.

    So for me I there really isn't eating 'more'. I really have to stick in the 1300-1400 range for loss and in the 1800-1900 for maintenance.

    I don't get why you say it didn't work for you.

    You were eating 2200 cals a day and gaining weight. This means this was above your TDEE.

    Eating more to lose doesn't mean eating more than your TDEE...it means eating more than the generic 1200 cals.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Eating more to lose doesn't mean eating more than your TDEE...it means eating more than the generic 1200 cals.
    It appears to be used for anyone posting that they are stalled - irrespective of calorie goal.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    i think as long as you are eating below your TDEE you will lose weight. the hard part is actually figuring out what your TDEE is. most people dont know what their body fat % is, which is very important in figuring out TDEE. once you get that figured out, you can estimate BMR> from there, you want to accurately gauge how active you are. if you know that level you can figure out the multiplier from there... like BMR*1.2 sedentery for someone who doesn't exercise at all... then it gets a little more tricky... if you mess any one of these factors up you may be eating to much or too little. it's all about finding the right balance. it will work if you figure out all those numbers and do it right. if it doesn't work, something is wrong in the equation.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I eat 2,000+ cals a day before exercise and I have lost three lbs in the last month. Unintentionally. Works for me. I'm not everyone though.

    Okay, would you mind sharing your stats? I would love to know that I could increase calories and maintain my weight but that doesn't seem to work for me. I'm trying to figure out if I'm making a mistake in calculations, or if this is just my body!

    I'm 5'3", 44 yrs., 115 lbs., and female. I seem to have a body fat percentage somewhere between 23% and 26%.

    I'm 19, 5'3.5, 115, and about 20%BF. I lift weights 4-6 days a week and do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes.

    Thanks for sharing. That helps. Unfortunately, it's probably the aging metabolism for me! But this encourages me to do more strength training, which I don't love. Must increase mucscle mass/decrease fat%!! I do love cardio, though, and run 15-20 miles a week! I get to eat more on those days!
  • OccupyFitness
    OccupyFitness Posts: 147
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    I think it really depends on your body type and your exercise routines. My BMR is 1370 and my TDEE is 1837 so my range is pretty small. So it's not like I have a lot of room for eating more unless I really ramp up my exercise or grow taller.

    I was eating about 2200 a day and I gained and the weight slowly crept back on me over a year or so.

    So for me I there really isn't eating 'more'. I really have to stick in the 1300-1400 range for loss and in the 1800-1900 for maintenance.

    I don't get why you say it didn't work for you.

    You were eating 2200 cals a day and gaining weight. This means this was above your TDEE.

    Eating more to lose doesn't mean eating more than your TDEE...it means eating more than the generic 1200 cals.

    I guess what I mean to say is that some people eat "more" and it is a lot more, like 600 or 1000 calories a day more, because they have a high TDEE. Because my TDEE is a lot lower, my "more" is only like 100 or 200 calories, so it doesn't really feel like a lot more food.

    My TDEE set to low activity level is 1600 so even eating 1400 or 1300 isn't really much of a difference in calories. I think people who are younger, or taller, or weigh more, have a much higher TDEE and they can eat a lot "more" and still lose.

    In my range it is not dramatic like other people's. So you are right that using the TDEE and BMR to calculate my calories works for me, but I end up close to the 1200-1300 range anyway so it doesn't really make a difference.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I eat 2,000+ cals a day before exercise and I have lost three lbs in the last month. Unintentionally. Works for me. I'm not everyone though.

    Okay, would you mind sharing your stats? I would love to know that I could increase calories and maintain my weight but that doesn't seem to work for me. I'm trying to figure out if I'm making a mistake in calculations, or if this is just my body!

    I'm 5'3", 44 yrs., 115 lbs., and female. I seem to have a body fat percentage somewhere between 23% and 26%.

    I'm 19, 5'3.5, 115, and about 20%BF. I lift weights 4-6 days a week and do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes.
    The metabolism for a 44 year old and 19 year old is totally different, the age factor is extremely important when it comes to how much you can eat. There is no pint comparing yourself to other people, because there are so many factors that come into play when it comes to how much we can eat.

    1141 to 1266 - not that much difference at estimated healthy BMR, based on avg fat/LBM ratio at same height/weight.

    And if you are talking LBM, it takes the same amount of calories to keep that running within 5%, regardless of age.
    So there, the 20% compared to 26% is only 1274 to 1204 BMR - again, not much of a difference.

    Nope, not until you get older does metabolism based on age/weight/height change greatly.

    Obviously your activity levels on top of that base metabolism can vary greatly. Sometimes with the 44 yr old much more active.

    Yes, that's why I run, run, run. As one of my friends says, "I run because fat is running right behind me!"

    Kind of depressing that this journey will only continue to get tougher as the years pass. . . .

    Surely somehow there is a reward for my" years of experience"!!
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I eat 2,000+ cals a day before exercise and I have lost three lbs in the last month. Unintentionally. Works for me. I'm not everyone though.

    Okay, would you mind sharing your stats? I would love to know that I could increase calories and maintain my weight but that doesn't seem to work for me. I'm trying to figure out if I'm making a mistake in calculations, or if this is just my body!

    I'm 5'3", 44 yrs., 115 lbs., and female. I seem to have a body fat percentage somewhere between 23% and 26%.

    I'm 19, 5'3.5, 115, and about 20%BF. I lift weights 4-6 days a week and do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes.
    The metabolism for a 44 year old and 19 year old is totally different, the age factor is extremely important when it comes to how much you can eat. There is no pint comparing yourself to other people, because there are so many factors that come into play when it comes to how much we can eat.

    1141 to 1266 - not that much difference at estimated healthy BMR, based on avg fat/LBM ratio at same height/weight.

    And if you are talking LBM, it takes the same amount of calories to keep that running within 5%, regardless of age.
    So there, the 20% compared to 26% is only 1274 to 1204 BMR - again, not much of a difference.

    Nope, not until you get older does metabolism based on age/weight/height change greatly.

    Obviously your activity levels on top of that base metabolism can vary greatly. Sometimes with the 44 yr old much more active.

    Well it doesn't seem like much, when you calculate it like that. But it is a difference and if at 25 you weighed 130 pounds and ran 3 miles five times a week, at age 45, you'd need to run about 4.5 miles five times to maintain that weight and not diet.
    And I guess it is very individual, but I have seen a huge difference for myself. And even if I have a lot MORE muscle now than I did 20 years ago, I still have to eat less than I did then to maintain my weight.

    Me too! At 19, I could eat 1/2 a sandwich and a bag of chips for lunch, eata moderately large breakfast and dinner, and still have a butterfinger milkshake (yummy) every day and maintain my weight at 102 lbs!

    Those were the days! 25 years later, I am finally realizing that the only way to be slim is to eat LESS and exercise more, for life. The good news is that I am in control of that every day. I'm just sad that I let bad choices and unclear information keep me fat from age 30-40ish!