Does eating more to weight less work for everyone?

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  • jasonfndr
    jasonfndr Posts: 39
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    I am on a 1500 calorie diet since January. I have went over a few times and I can gain anything from a pound to 3 pounds. Not really sure if it is water weight or not. Lose it pretty quickly if I stick to my diet.
  • tenunderfour
    tenunderfour Posts: 429 Member
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    You need to eat in a deficit. Bottom line. If you eat too much you will be fat. Period. End of story. If you eat clean - so much the better for your health, but it is not necessary. If you exercise and get some cardio and strength training....better yet! But, you don't have to exercise to lose weight. You only have to eat in a deficit. And as you diet down - your metabolism will adjust...... it's not "starvation mode". No one in the first world is in starvation mode for crying out loud. Once your metabolism catches up with your dieting - you may need a re-feed or to make some other adjustments to keep the momentum going.
  • tenunderfour
    tenunderfour Posts: 429 Member
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    You may be better off talking too your midwife or doctor.:smile:
    :flowerforyou:
    You said midwife too!! I'm a midwife. Thanks for that.

    I don't have a midwife...I have a doctor and he knows I am trying to lose weight.. He isn't persistent on me continuing breast feeding. He acts like its more of my own personal choice. He only said to not cut calories in extreme because it can deplete my milk supply. I just wasn't sure IF I were to try and up my calories, how do I figure what to up them to?

    You only need about 500 extra calories per day while breastfeeding. So you should figure breastfeeding as a 500 calorie per day exercise. Make sure you eat at least 500 calories over your BMR.

    How old is your baby? If you have a really young one..... don't worry about weight loss. There will be plenty of time for that when you wean. :) You grew a person! and now you are nourishing a person.... no need to put extra stress on yourself
  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 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

    Amazing weight loss. You look great.
  • cmurray234
    cmurray234 Posts: 112 Member
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    It depends on what you mean by "eating more". 1200 calories wasn't working for me. I wasn't gaining but I wasn't losing either. I upped it to 1440 and I eat back a few of my exercise calories. The weight started coming off again. So...sort of?
  • nikkiprickett
    nikkiprickett Posts: 412 Member
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    How do you figure out how much to up your calories? Also if you up your calories then you would have to up your calories burned, right?? I ask because I'm currently breast feeding so I am supposed to eat an adequate amount to keep my milk supply up... Currently I get 1590 calories a day and usually burn only about 200 (can only light workout for now due to csection). This eat more to lose weight intrigues me..someone help :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538943-how-to-calculate-calorie-goals-according-to-nrolfw


    do this:)
  • MeDoula
    MeDoula Posts: 233 Member
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    You may be better off talking too your midwife or doctor.:smile:
    :flowerforyou:
    You said midwife too!! I'm a midwife. Thanks for that.

    I'm not a midwife but a doula. <3 it :bigsmile:

    And I'm a breastfeeding counselor.


    Back to topic.
    I just started eating more after being on WW (pretty low cal) for about a year and losing only 10 lbs. I feel that I have no where to go so why not trying to eat more. I browsed the group (EMTL) and what I read makes complete sense.
  • emilymiesel
    emilymiesel Posts: 216 Member
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    How do you figure out how much to up your calories? Also if you up your calories then you would have to up your calories burned, right?? I ask because I'm currently breast feeding so I am supposed to eat an adequate amount to keep my milk supply up... Currently I get 1590 calories a day and usually burn only about 200 (can only light workout for now due to csection). This eat more to lose weight intrigues me..someone help :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538943-how-to-calculate-calorie-goals-according-to-nrolfw


    do this:)

    Thanks! That says I should be eating around 1900 calories and right now I eat 1590...I've been losing consistently so I'm not sure isi should keep at what I'mdoing and if I hit a plateau then do that or what... If I'm ever hungry beyond my calorie limit I don't restrict myself because I realize I am burning calories from breast feeding that aren't logged.. Ithink I will definitely up my calories once I get some workout DVDs that will work me harder than just walking :)
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
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    No, it doesn't work for everyone. For me it doesn't. it's great for those who can eat more and lose weight, I mean who doesn't want to eat a lot.?!
    But if it was that easy to lose weight for everyone, not many people would be overweight would they?

    ^word.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    No, it doesn't work for everyone. For me it doesn't. it's great for those who can eat more and lose weight, I mean who doesn't want to eat a lot.?!
    But if it was that easy to lose weight for everyone, not many people would be overweight would they?

    ^word.

    Which part of the science is so hard to comprehend? Calculate your TDEE accurately, subtract 10, 20, or even as much as 30% depending on where you are compared to your weight loss goals, eat that much, and you will lose weight. If you use this method don't eat back your exercise calories. If you use MFP's method (inferior in my opinion), then do eat back your exercise calories.

    For most people using MFP's method...this equates to EATING MORE. And guess what? It does work, every time (oh, wait...I have to add 'barring medical issues' for the PC people), period.
  • BalmChelle
    BalmChelle Posts: 6
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    To me, it just makes sense. The more you workout, the more you gotta eat! I actually see it as a type of reward. I love to eat and I am one sad chippie when I can't eat. So, if i can go and workout hard and long and then come home and eat it back, I am very happy. You gotta eat back those calories. Your body needs fuel to function correctly, to heal itself, to lose weight so you gotta feed it. Yes, it does sound scary to eat more, but if you are working out and doing what you're supposed to be doing then why is it an issue? Working out speeds up your metabolism and helps burn fat, builds muscle, helps you sleep better, increases your energy level. It is a necessary evil alongside of a nutritious diet. You gotta eat.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Eating more than *what* exactly? Therein lies the key...
  • half_moon
    half_moon Posts: 807 Member
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    I personally don't think that the formulas work for everybody. I'm doing just fine, and I eat below that the formulas tell me to. I eat quite often, and healthily-- just less calories. When I stall, I'll up them. If it isn't broken, don't fix it?
  • photojunkie28
    photojunkie28 Posts: 292
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    I've been eating more for two-three weeks now and my weight has not gone down. I don't know how long it takes for our bodies to adjust. I was eating 1200 for about a year then stalled. I've tried eating more and nothing yet. I keep going between the same two pounds. It's frustrating.

    Most people are not going to lose weight by eating more...it's a metabolism reset you are after. Look it up. If you have eaten too few calories for too long you have started conserving those calories and every level of calories you reach will be maintainance. Generally speaking (not for all, but most). The point where you lose weight is after you have sucessfully been able to eat all of your maintainence calories for a period of time and your body begins to burn food and use it for fuel again. At which point you can then begin your calorie cutting phase in a HEALTHY slower manner and only then lose weight.

    I made my way all the way up to 2400 cal per day (actually gained 5 lbs in the process because my body was so starved it held everything) then eventually my body got the messege. It let go of those 5 lbs and now I am stable and have begun the calorie cutting process.

    There is too much assumption and not enough research done on the EM2WL program and it is causing some bad rap. Knowledge is power people.
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 723 Member
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    Bump
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    Does eating more to weight less work for everyone? Obviously I know one has to fit in regular exercise and keep a balanced diet and not do the dog on it? .... Im just confused about the whole starving yourself makes your body go into starvation mode and can stop you from losing weight , and eating more can help you lose weight? Is anyone confused by this?? :huh:

    *weight less ....in the subject box i mean...*facepalm*
    You must be confused - ACCOUNT DEACTIVATED!
  • Wendyerickson
    Wendyerickson Posts: 73 Member
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    bump
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
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    not for me.
  • babygurl48
    babygurl48 Posts: 1,236 Member
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    Check out the group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Try it! I'm 39, soon to be 40...work out roughly an hour per day 5 days per week. I eat several small meals throughout the day and I eat 2000 cals per day to maintain my weight at 136. I was obese as a kid and come from a long line of obesity so I naturally have a slow metabolism that I've kicked into overdrive by eating this way and adding muscle. For me, it works! If you're consuming like 1200 cals per day and gaining or not losing, try upping to 1400-1500 cals per day for one month and see what happens. 1200 cals per day for an adult is too restrictive!

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