I have been trying to change my lifestyle habits since around mid January and have lost about 7lbs so far. I have upped my exercise (well started exercise should I say). When I started the NHS BMI calculator stated that I needed to have a minimum of 1400 calories. I have input my details again since the 7lb loss and it has now gone up to at least 1500ish. In the past I have always worked to a maximum daily calorie intake of 1200 so I am struggling with getting my head around how eating more will help me lose weight? Has this worked for anyone or have you had to restrict more than what the BMI calculator tells you?
Thanks,
Nicky
Written by
gemini76
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I found all this strange to start with too because throughout all my life I have never been a big eater so could never understand how I was always overweight, compared to everyone I knew who always ate lots more. I also have never managed to properly lose weight with any diets before other than a time when I swapped sugars for sweeteners at which time I lost three stone. When I started here and was still staying the same weight at the beginning even though I was also lower in calories than the bmi was saying, somebody informed me that you should always eat somewhere between the amount the bmi calculator tells you to eat and best even to eat closer to the larger amount because if your body doesn't get enough calories it starts to believe that you are starving it which would then make your body believe that you are trying to starve it so will turn any foods you do eat into body fat to ensure that it will be able to cope for the next few days. Fat weighs more than general food so this will always mean that you will weigh more by eating less calories than your body needs. I didn't fully believe it to start with but because I have always weighed more than others that have eaten more than me I decided to give it a go and eat more for a week and found I was starting to lose weight. Since then because it worked I now fully believe it and am eating more than before and finally managing to lose weight.
From what I understand the 1400 is a general guide, and the BMI checker is more accurate. I get very hungry and attribute my success this time with following a generous eating plan. I know it seems wrong but try eating the higher amount gemini76 and see how you get on ☺ well done on the exercises too ☺
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