# Eat More, Weigh Less



## Dr. Feelgood (Apr 7, 2008)

No, this isn't an ad: it's what happened to my wife. She has been a BBW most of her life but has never eaten much. Often she forgets to eat all day because she doesn't get hungry. She isn't trying to lose weight --she's happy with who she is -- but I can't understand why she isn't as thin as a rail. THEN last December she had her gallbladder out. Complete change! She now wakes up ravenous, wants breakfast (before her operation I'm not sure she even knew what breakfast _was_), never misses a meal, eats about twice as much at a sitting as she used to...and is losing weight steadily. She feels great, so I'm happy for her -- but can anybody explain what's happening here and why?

P.S. If anybody tells you the only reason people are fat is because they eat too much, refer them to me.


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## HottiMegan (Apr 7, 2008)

My mom is always after me to eat regularly. she says that your body goes into a starvation mode and every calorie you take in goes to the storages (fat). When you eat regularly, your body doesnt get scared and processes it properly. 
When i'm not pregnant, i eat maybe at the most twice a day. Usually only once.


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Apr 7, 2008)

Hey Doc. I am having the same experience. I had my gallbladder out last August. Since then I am hungry all the time. I am eatin more than before surgery. And I am slowly losing weight.

It's weird. :huh:


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## comperic2003 (Apr 7, 2008)

There is nothing weird about it; it is simple physiology. Like HottiMegan said, when you deprive your body of food, your body goes into starvation mode. When your body is deprived of food, it does not know how long it will be until it gets adequate food; so, your body slows down your metabolism to conserve as much energy as possible, starts to catabolize muscle, and at the slightest sign of calories (whatever is not completely essential to keep you alive) is processed into fat for long term storage. Your body is "smart," it is just that people's diets are not.

And now, when you start to eat again, your body slowly realizes that it is no longer being starved so your metabolism will gradually increase. An increased metabolism, generally speaking, leads to weight loss.


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## Waxwing (Apr 10, 2008)

Very true, and it's something that people don't realize. They torture themselves by eating less and less, and it doesn't work. 

You'll get smaller for a while from starving, but eventually your body says Hell No and holds on to every ounce you have. Also the composition of the foods you eat is important. If you're killing yourself on 1000 calories a day of mostly starch, your body will cry.


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## wistful (Apr 11, 2008)

I'm totally finding this true for myself alsne terrible habit that I've had for years is that I often skip breakfast,sometimes even lunch and by the time dinner would roll around I would be *famished* and thus I would pack away quite a bit of food.I've been making a real effort lately to make sure that I eat breakfast and lunch and not only is my mood much better but I'm dropping weight as well.It's the oddest thing..I could eat the same amount of calories... say around 2000 but if I eat them spread out over the day rather then all at once my body lets go of weight easier.


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## liz (di-va) (Apr 11, 2008)

Makes a lot of sense to me too...is totally borne out by my own experience/experience with others.

The thing that gets me is these days when diet folks push the idea of eating more often and say it's great! you get to eat all the time!....the honest truth is that I find that really wearing! I love food, and love to eat when I'm hungry, but without my mother following me around and prodding me every 3 hrs, I find it very hard-going. I don't like to eat that often. That doesn't seduce me at all--feels like a chore.

My metabolism *has* changed as I've gotten older--I' can't go 24/36/42 hrs without eating--and definitely eat more often, and it feels better, but it is funny, isn't it. People don't get it, I don't think--still. Despite a lot of clear info.


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## Half Full (Apr 14, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> No, this isn't an ad: it's what happened to my wife. She has been a BBW most of her life but has never eaten much. Often she forgets to eat all day because she doesn't get hungry. She isn't trying to lose weight --she's happy with who she is -- but I can't understand why she isn't as thin as a rail. THEN last December she had her gallbladder out. Complete change! She now wakes up ravenous, wants breakfast (before her operation I'm not sure she even knew what breakfast _was_), never misses a meal, eats about twice as much at a sitting as she used to...and is losing weight steadily. She feels great, so I'm happy for her -- but can anybody explain what's happening here and why?
> 
> P.S. If anybody tells you the only reason people are fat is because they eat too much, refer them to me.



Food is a metabolic stimulant - eating frequently stimulates your metabolism where starvation/dieting/skipping meals causes your metabolism to slow down hence the expression "nothing makes you as fat as dieting does!"

Bodybuilders eat enormous amounts of food, every 2-3 hours, to stimulate their metabolisms, decrease body fat and build muscle. Of course they are eating grilled chicken breasts, broccoli and the occasional baked potato but the principal is eat more = burn more.


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## comperic2003 (Apr 14, 2008)

Half Full said:


> Of course they are eating grilled chicken breasts, broccoli and the occasional baked potato



Are you implying that bodybuilders mainly eat grilled chicken breasts and broccoli, or that the only reason bodybuilders stay so lean is because they mainly eat grilled chicken breasts and broccoli?


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## Waxwing (Apr 15, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> Are you implying that bodybuilders mainly eat grilled chicken breasts and broccoli, or that the only reason bodybuilders stay so lean is because they mainly eat grilled chicken breasts and broccoli?



Well while that isn't ALL they eat I'm not sure how this is a terrible thing for him to say.


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## comperic2003 (Apr 15, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Well while that isn't ALL they eat I'm not sure how this is a terrible thing for him to say.



I never said it was terrible. I am just trying to clear up a misconception if that is in fact what he thinks.


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## Half Full (Apr 16, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> I never said it was terrible. I am just trying to clear up a misconception if that is in fact what he thinks.



First of all HIM is a HER....do you know many HIM's with their own long red nails for their avatar?

Secondly, your original question was really confrontational, which is why Waxwing responded in the way that she did -- why?

Actually, before a contest many body builders do eat mainly chicken breasts, broccoli and protein shakes however my point was just because food is a metabolic stimulant, if you're eating all the _wrong_ foods, the calorie/fat/sugar/simple carb intake overrides the increased metabolic burn. Before a match some body builders can eat as much as 15,000 calories a day but it's meals consisting of lean protien, fibrous carbs and complex carbs, NOT hot fudge sundays.


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## comperic2003 (Apr 16, 2008)

Half Full said:


> First of all HIM is a HER....do you know many HIM's with their own long red nails for their avatar?



Waxwing said him first; so, I assumed Waxwing knew what he or she was talking about.



Half Full said:


> Actually, before a contest many body builders do eat mainly chicken breasts, broccoli and protein shakes however my point was just because food is a metabolic stimulant, if you're eating all the _wrong_ foods, the calorie/fat/sugar/simple carb intake overrides the increased metabolic burn. Before a match some body builders can eat as much as 15,000 calories a day but it's meals consisting of lean protien, fibrous carbs and complex carbs, NOT hot fudge sundays.



Well, actually, what they eat before a contest is different, but I was just trying to clear up any misconceptions.


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## Waxwing (Apr 16, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> Waxwing said him first; so, I assumed Waxwing knew what he or she was talking about.
> 
> Well, actually, what they eat before a contest is different, but I was just trying to clear up any misconceptions.



What misconceptions? That's what you haven't addressed. You started your comment as though you were going to tell everyone they were wrong, but then didn't further your comment.

Comp diets differ, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a bb who doesn't eat a large amount of chicken and fibrous veggies. Fish, turkey, those work too. Steel cut oats and baked sweet potatoes. Clean as a mofo. 15,000? no man not before a comp. If that's what you were contesting than yeah, that wasn't right. God, in fact 15k at any time would be awfully high, wouldn't it? 

The original comment was that they stay lean that way. You seemed to disagree but then didn't continue.

You know this, but my point is, so do I. We're not idiots here, and some of us know a thing or two. So if you have facts to add, awesome and by all means do. But don't assume we're dolts.


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## Half Full (Apr 16, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> What misconceptions? That's what you haven't addressed. You started your comment as though you were going to tell everyone they were wrong, but then didn't further your comment.
> 
> Comp diets differ, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a bb who doesn't eat a large amount of chicken and fibrous veggies. Fish, turkey, those work too. Steel cut oats and baked sweet potatoes. Clean as a mofo. 15,000? no man not before a comp. If that's what you were contesting than yeah, that wasn't right. God, in fact 15k at any time would be awfully high, wouldn't it?
> 
> ...



Right on, Sister! 

Actually that 15K quote was from the current Mr. Florida and his trainer, an ex Mr. Universe but what do I know? I'm just a fat chick


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## comperic2003 (Apr 16, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> What misconceptions? That's what you haven't addressed. You started your comment as though you were going to tell everyone they were wrong, but then didn't further your comment.



My original question was posed to half full. You responded with a what's the big deal? And then half full responded with I am not a man I am a woman and bodybuilders mainly consume those foods _before_ a contest. When she qualified her original and more general statement with, "before the match," I did not feel the need to clear up any misconceptions because it no longer appeared there was one. 



Waxwing said:


> You know this, but my point is, so do I. We're not idiots here, and some of us know a thing or two. So if you have facts to add, awesome and by all means do. But don't assume we're dolts.



My question was not even directed towards you in the first place, so I do not know why you have taken such a vested interest in it. I never called anyone an idiot nor did I give any inkling that I assumed anyone was a dolt. I simply asked for clarification.


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## Waxwing (Apr 16, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> My question was not even directed towards you in the first place, so I do not know why you have taken such a vested interest in it. I never called anyone an idiot nor did I give any inkling that I assumed anyone was a dolt. I simply asked for clarification.



Because it's a message board upon which all responses are visible. If I find something interesting, I may or may not respond.

Dude, don't get snippy. Nobody was mean to you. You have a vaguely hostile tone in your posts, and I think that it confuses people- and also may seem like you're calling our knowledge into question. That's all. It may just be a conversational style. it's not a big deal- I was just clearing it up.


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