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-   -   Gain weight by eating less?? (https://www.fitday.com/fitness/forums/weight-loss-tips/1223-gain-weight-eating-less.html)

CarbMonster 06-03-2010 07:52 AM

Gain weight by eating less??
 
Hi everyone! I am so excited to be a part of this website. I was thrilled when I found it.

Anyway.. in the past year and a half, since I started a full-time desk job, I've gained about 10 pounds (not to the point of being "overweight," but it feels like a lot for me-- I have a small frame). I don't feel as attractive as I used to, so I decided to set the goal to lose 10 pounds by the middle of July.

I thought these first couple days I'd use the site to track what I normally eat (of course I'm being slightly more conscious now but I'm taking in the same amount, or what feels like the same amount, as usual). And according to this site I burn WAY more calories than I consume in a day. Is that possible?? Do I really burn 2,000 calories sitting here on my butt?

Granted I don't eat a lot during the day, because honestly I have a tough time with my appetite. All day I really don't feel like eating anything. Then at night I crave snacks (ice cream, crackers, cereal, etc). This has been a problem for a while. But it seems like the periods of time when I eat the LEAST is when I am heaviest. Does that make any sense?? I don't want to force myself to eat if I'm not hungry. Sitting at this desk all day just doesn't give me an appetite and when I MAKE myself eat, it results in a bloated, sore feeling in my tummy. Any suggestions? Should I just hang in there and force myself to eat during the day, and practice discipline at night?

I sit at a desk from 8:30 to 5:30 and usually go on my elliptical machine 3-5 nights per week. I stay on the machine anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes. I also practice light yoga.

Thanks!

tandoorichicken 06-03-2010 08:58 AM

Try getting up and walking around the office every couple of hours for 5-10 mins, and in between tasks get down in your cubicle or behind your desk and crank out a couple sets of push-ups or sit-ups. It might just be enough activity to stimulate your appetite during the day, and it won't cut into your productivity at work.

This should be in addition to your elliptical time, not instead of.

Good luck!

01gt4.6 06-03-2010 10:29 AM

does your place of business have stairs? If so take them instead of the elevator.

rpmcduff 06-03-2010 06:22 PM

Everyones metabolic rate is unique. It is dependent on the amount of lean muscle mass, fat stores and genetics. The food you ingest (fat, carbs, and protein) and the timing of your meals influences how many calories you must take in to maintain your current body weight. This site and others use some generalizations to predict how many calories you burn a day. This does not mean it is correct for you.

If you have been tracking your calories and you are maintaining your weight then you have established a daily caloric burn that is customized to you! You can input this on Fitday. Go to 'Activities', on the left side of the page choose 'Customize Metabolism'. I would subtract the calories you burn from exercise to get your caloric burn for a day, then add them back in on the days you excercise. If you take in fewer calories then you burn you will lose weight. But... if you take in too few calories your metabolism may slow down (trying to preserve your muscle and even fat stores). If this happens your weight loss will slow or stop because you are not burning as many calories as you used to. So your need to balance how fast you try to lose weight.

A pound of body weight equates to about 3500 calories. So to lose 10 pounds you will need to burn 35,000 calories (10 x 3500 = 35,000). A general rule is to achieve a 500-700 calorie deficit each day. This will accomplish a 10 pound weight loss in 7 to 10 weeks.

I know this is getting long but now lets tackle the timing of your eating. Studies have shown that people that ingest most of their calories late in the day gain more weight than people that consume the same calories but eat throughout the day. This is because of how your body determines if it will use the fat, carbs, and protein as energy, to build muscle or store as fat for later use. When you ingest calories your body first replenishes your energy stores (glycogen used by muscles), repairs muscle with the protein, and converts the surplus into fat stores. When you take in most of your daily calories in a short amount of time it is like filling your cars fuel tank then driving around the block and trying to put in even more fuel. With your car the fuel will spill on the ground. With your body the excess gets stored as fat. By spreading your intake over the whole day you may be able to continue eating the same number of calories and lose weight because you have given your body time to burn some of those calories before you refill. So try to spread out your consumption. Maybe some chicken breast and a vegetable or a salad with some chicken for lunch.

Sorry this has gotten long. Hope some of it helps.

DiannaMiljour 06-04-2010 06:19 AM

You must eat to lose weight.. It may be uncomfortable at first because you are not used to it. im not talking a lot of food.. something small every three hours.. like a piece of fruit.. serving of raw veggies... only 3 oz of meat, (trust me its not a lot to consume.) what you are doing by not eating is when you finally do you eat you eat too much or the wrong choices.. and your body reacts by storing everything because it doesn't know when it will get more. SO EAT

keep up the cardio and yoga thats great... If you add a little bit of muscle your body will burn more calories throughout the day. you only burn calories during cardio once you get off the machine thats it. With muscle you will continue to burn calories even when your sitting at a desk.

the calories burned on here is an average on what normal people would burn.. (by who's standards) same goes for the treadmill when it reads the calories burned.. its not specific to you. so I wouldn't put too much weight on it.

laurenmw2002 06-04-2010 06:47 AM

My fitday says I burn 2000 calories a day as an office worker too! It must be off! I put on 10 pounds, as well, over the course of a year and I eat maybe 1800 calories a day when im not dieting. The fitday activities scale makes no sense to me I never look at it.


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