Eat less, lose less?

  •   #1  
    annk's Avatarannk , 11-10-2005 02:45 PM
    Hi, everyone!

    I'm in a semi-quandary. I've been doing well on my diet, and while I still haven't gotten my courage up to step on the scale, my clothes are feeling looser and I have SO much more energy. Just a better mental feeling, you know?

    Here's my question: When I first went on the diet plan I'm currently on, I weighed about 65 pounds less. However, I am currently eating the same amount that I ate back then. I know that the more you weigh, the more you're supposed to eat, even when trying to lose weight. I don't FEEL especially hungry, but I'm wondering if I ate more calories I would lose weight more quickly. I have added some whole wheat crackers as an afternoon snack and this does help me to stay sated until dinner. But I'm wondering sine I weigh significantly more now than I did then, should I be eating more?

    Thanks in advance for all your feedback! This group is like having our own forum of weight loss experts at our disposal!

    Ann
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  •   #2  
    jillybean720's Avatarjillybean720 , 11-10-2005 02:53 PM
    You really just have to play with the numbers/amounts and find what works best for you. I would think you should eat more than you did then only because it gets harder to lose weight as you get closer to your goal, so if you start out with a low amount of calories, then when your weight loss slows down, you won't have anywhere to go, ya know? If you start out higher (but still within reason to keep losing), then when the weight loss slows down, you can lower your calories accordingly. I hope that makes sense Again, though, it all depends on what works best for you personally. Some people eat 1200 calories a day at 300 pounds, some eat 1200 calories a day at 140 pounds
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  •   #3  
    Sheila53's AvatarSheila53 , 11-10-2005 02:55 PM
    One thing I always think of is if I start eating fewer calories to stimulate rapid weight loss, then my body will adjust to those calories, and I'll have to keep going lower and lower. I don't want to have to maintain my weight loss like that.

    A person who is significantly heavier needs to eat more calories just to maintain their weight. Lowering that maintenance level of calories by 7000 a week should, in theory, result in a 2 lb. weight loss, which is a good way to start. There are a bunch of online calculators that will give you maintenance calorie numbers for your weight/age/metabolism. Start by getting that maintenance number, then reducing the number so that you will lose 1-2 lbs. a week. If you find you aren't losing that 1-2 lbs., you can lower the number of calories or increase your exercise.

    One reason I like to exercise is that I get to eat more. Try to incorporate exercise in your program, especially weight training. Weight training has a lot of great benefits including increased fat burning and making you look great in clothes. Recently I've stalled on my weight loss, but people keep asking me if I've lost weight, and my clothes are looser. That's what weight training does for me.

    Much success on your journey!
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  •   #4  
    meecha's Avatarmeecha , 11-10-2005 05:21 PM
    Hi Annk

    One thing I have learned in all the years of dieting and now also in my nutrition and weight training class is that if you eat too little calories your body was made to go into recovery mode, meaning it will think it is starving and basically shut down by storing whatever fat you are taking in so you will not lose any weight. You will find what works for you.
    Good luck to you!

    Meecha
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  •   #5  
    TBJ333's AvatarTBJ333 , 11-11-2005 03:07 PM
    Ditto what Sheila said.

    And think long-term... if you eat a reasonable amount of food rather than let yourself go hungry, you can stay on program longer and eventually will be more likely to maintain your weight loss.
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