Yup, eating more DOES work!

Since I've started at CC nearly two months ago, my weight loss has been pretty uninspiring.  At first I thought I was eating too much, so I cut back to 1200-1400 cals per day, and didn't exercise much (probably because I didn't have any energy).  Nothing happened.

So, one day, I exercised quite a bit, and made a real effort to maintain no more than a 600-cal deficit.  I had to eat 2000, but I did it, and the next day I was down four lbs.  I continued that for a while and lost about a pound a week. 

But I wanted to lose more! So I went back to the just-barely-enough-calories-to-live.  Weight-loss stopped, and when I started working out again, I gained 3 lbs.

So yesterday, I worked outside all day in 95-degree-heat.  I burned almost 3000 calories, and even though I had to struggle to do it- it's hard to eat much when it's so hot- I managed to eat 2300 cals. 

Weight this morning? Four lbs down.  Now, I know I can't expect this every day, but at this point, I'll be more than happy with a pound a week.

Also, it used to be that if I worked as hard as I did yesterday, I would be completely pooped and useless the next day.  Not the case now; I'm doing it again today!

So yeah, it's hard to keep the faith.  All of my life I've heard that in order to lose weight, we should take in as few calories as humanly possible.  It's hard to get over that thinking, but I've had enough proof for myself. 

Work out a lot, eat a lot, and keep that deficit reasonable.  It works! It really does!

It's all about the healthy lifestyle, one pound a week....Good job and keep it up!!

That's awesome!! Keep up the good work!

These threads come up every so often, and they always make me smile. Doubters, it's absolutely, 100% true. My weight loss stalled whenever I ran a deficit of more than about 500 cals during my weight-loss phase. Now that I'm maintaining, my weight jumps if I undereat. Eating? Is v. good. Necessary even.

Cheers, brightestblue! Keep up the good work.

Hey thanks another thread for me to tag when people come around complaining they aren't losing, they are eating way too little, and they just wont' believe us that are here to help that eating more is the key.

Congrats on figuring all this out and the weightloss :)

Thank you, I really needed to hear that. I am one of those people that is super stuck in the thought of the less you eat the less you wiegh...I have been stuck at the same wieght for about a week ( and even went up 3 pounds) this last two days. After reading your story, I went back and checked my cals. Yes, i was eating a normal amount of cals (1200-1350)...but I am also busting my butt at the gym 30-60 minutes a day!   So I was nowhere near a good deficit. And I know that is my problem and I know I need to kick myself in gear and eat more....its just hard for me to wrapp my brain around the thought of eat more wiegh less. u know?

So thanks for the info and hopefully it will work for me!

:~)

Thanks, everyone! :-) I think it really took seeing it over and over again on this board.  At one point, I got tired of constantly seeing, "you're not eating enough," but it was probably true in most cases, and apparently I really needed it beaten into my brain!

yay :)

These stories are encouraging but I think it's not fair to say, eat more = lose weight. It's more like maintain a proper deficit (though exercise and nutrition) and you will lose weight.

I don't think it's just about 'the proper deficit'.  I truly believe it's about your proper BMR.  Mine is currently set at 1800 due to age, height, and weight.  Seems a lot.  That's SEDENTARY, by the way.  So what of a full working day - teaching, mothering, etc?  Even this site says eat 1750 to lose.  I find if I do, even if I eat back my exercise, I stall or gain.  If, however, I eat my BMR + exercise....slow but steady loss.  

For me 'eat more, lose more' is absolutely spot on.  Put that together with the other essentials - water, exercise and perseverance = recipe for success!

I just keep slogging.  My weight is going down SOOOOOooo slowly (in my impatient opinion).  10lbs in 5 weeks.   Others lose like 5 a week.  That's okay.  I remind myself I'm not dieting - I've changed my life.  And man oh man the changes in my body....that gorgeous, in-shape woman who's been hiding inside since I was a teen is ready to be revealed baby! 

Congrats.....keep up the great work!  Z

I have to agree with zeebi on this. I find my weight going down as I eat my BMR plus exercise. I've lost 12 pounds in 6 weeks so I feel real pleased with those results. I also definitely say maintain a log here, it so easy, of everything you eat and do physically. It really helps.

That's what I said (but without the fancy lingo). By eating BMR and exercising you are maintaining a proper/healthy deficit (even if you eat back some calories lost via exercising) and are amping metabolism (and changing the shape of your body) through working out.

If you simply eat more without abandon and paying attention to deficit of any kind, you will gain weight, otherwise why are most of us here?? I definitely am here b/c I got fat via eating too much and didn't think twice about input vs output.

Ok a little lost is bmr my expenditure?

I thought eating more got me here- ?

really?  i need to hear more success stories - personal accounts.  that is what keeps me motivated.

BMR = Base Metabolic Rate - The amount of calories your body burns (expenditure)

Since we're on the subject of 'eating more'...does anyone here not lose if they have over a 500 calorie deficit?  For example, 1000 calorie deficit?

I'll let you know tomorrow - had trouble eating up my calories today.   and OMG, could people stop suggesting eating more = why we are here.  We're talking within limits, for goodness sake.  MATH, even.  And I'm sorry but 20-somethings with 20 or so to lose....you're not even in the same LEAGUE of BMR.  1800 or 2000 calories to you is absurd, I'm sure.  I'm 240+lbs -  Don't look it, but that's the topic of another thread!  That means that the basic amount of calories my body needs to sustain me is 1800+.  It makes sense, to me at least and clearly some others on here, that to go lower than that (even the blessed 1200 number) may not apply or work for me/some.   So, if my BRM is 1850 (at current weight) and I exercise 600 like today, I need to eat more than 1800.  That's what I'm trying and it's working.  Today I've not been able to eat as much, and frankly in the middle of my TOM I think the 'extra calories need' is over.  If I start to gain or stall again....I will know for sure.  Sorry - rant over.  P-)

Double post?

i recently found this to be true also. I was eating 1500 cals, my weight loss stalled so I dropped to 1300 cals and lost 4 pounds in one week. then it stopped again. so i have been eating 1400 or so cals a day again and I'm losing again! It's frustrating though b/c I don't ever know how many cals to keep going at since it seems to stop after a couple weeks of the same thing.