If I increase my cals, will my body eventually get used to that amount maintain my weight?

Sammi_Nicole16

I was just curious, If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

3laine75

Yes, to a certain extent.

I have nothing to back this up - just anecdotal. We have a maintenance range rather than a set number

peachyfuzzle

You'll gain weight, and then your maintaining calorie intake amount will increase therefore forcing your body to have a new maintenance target.

So, yes... your body will technically get used to that amount, but you'll gain weight to make up for the difference.

Wheelhouse15

Yes, gaining weight will definitely count as "adjusting".

3laine75

Have to disagree with above 2 posters, to a certain extent =D

I looked and OPs diary and it's private so can't see what she's maintaining at or what deficit is. I can maintain on anything from 1750 to 2150 and I've heard of people maintaining at even less e.g. 1600 because they've been eating at that level for so long.

Even when I add a surplus, I'll gain for a few weeks then I'll have to up it again to maintain the gains (and there are plenty others who've experience the same thing).

So depending on where she is, calorie wise, will depend if she gains or not.

I see where you guys are coming from though, if she's sitting at the top of her maintenance then, yes, she'll gain.

Francl27

Sure, you'll gain weight until you end up maintaining at those calories.

mccindy72

Sammi_Nicole16 wrote: »

I was just curious, If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

You will gain weight, and then you will maintain at that higher weight, if you keep a steady calorie intake.

StaciMarie1974

Scientifically speaking, Yes but not the way you hope. Calorie surplus = weight gain = higher BMR = higher maintenance range. So if you ate at a consistent level of X calories over maintenance, you'd gain until your maintenance level balanced with your consumption level.

In reality we're all estimating/guessing to some level what we need vs what we take in.

ndj1979

3laine75 wrote: »

Have to disagree with above 2 posters, to a certain extent =D

I looked and OPs diary and it's private so can't see what she's maintaining at or what deficit is. I can maintain on anything from 1750 to 2150 and I've heard of people maintaining at even less e.g. 1600 because they've been eating at that level for so long.

Even when I add a surplus, I'll gain for a few weeks then I'll have to up it again to maintain the gains (and there are plenty others who've experience the same thing).

So depending on where she is, calorie wise, will depend if she gains or not.

I see where you guys are coming from though, if she's sitting at the top of her maintenance then, yes, she'll gain.

you basically just said, what the previous two posters that you disagree with said...

3laine75

I know but I was bored =D

nxd10

That's how I gained weight. A pound a year for 20 years.

That said, after a year at maintenance I dropped another 5 pounds and had to up my intake to stay at the weight I wanted to be at. So you adjust. But not as much as you hope.

Wheelhouse15

3laine75 wrote: »

I know but I was bored =D

LOL

Sarauk2sf

Only to a degree - there is a range at which people maintain at - and the maintenance depends on a bunch of factors. However, this is limited, at some point, you will start gaining if you exceed that range, or if the amount of calories on burn on average decreases. If this was not the case, no-one would gain weight!

Linnaea27

Sammi_Nicole16 wrote: »

I was just curious, If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

Well, to a point, you can do this and maintain, IF and only if MFP's maintenance calorie calculation for you is incorrect-- too low for your needs at your desired weight. I discovered this when I began maintaining; I stuck to the recommended maintenance amount and kept losing weight until I upped my intake to a number 50-100 calories higher than I'd been given. But, I have a feeling this is unusual.

The others ^^^ have covered the other possibilities.

MKEgal

Sammi_Nicole wrote:

If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

Yes, you'll maintain the higher weight.

Harvard Medical School says that it takes about 15 cal/lb to maintain weight if you're active 30 min/day.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/calorie-counting-made-easy.htm

aarar

MKEgal wrote: »

Sammi_Nicole wrote:

If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

Yes, you'll maintain the higher weight.

Harvard Medical School says that it takes about 15 cal/lb to maintain weight if you're active 30 min/day.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/calorie-counting-made-easy.htm

Interesting I've never heard of that before. 15 cal/ lb works out to my maintenance calories almost exactly.

nxd10

Mine too, once you put my exercise calories in. And it's working.

Perhaps that's where MFP got their algorithm?

mymodernbabylon

It also depends...on if the calories that have been calculated for you are your actual maintaining calories. I've been spending the past few months figuring out my true TDEE by upping my calorie intake by 100-200 calories every month. Once I get to a place where I'm consistently gaining weight, then I'll know I'm above my TDEE and will be able to be more steady with my maintenance (and also how to change it if my workouts change).

hupsii

MKEgal wrote: »

Sammi_Nicole wrote:

If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

Yes, you'll maintain the higher weight.

Harvard Medical School says that it takes about 15 cal/lb to maintain weight if you're active 30 min/day.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/calorie-counting-made-easy.htm

wow - that means I could eat well over 3000 kcals - I would gain most certainly a lot

Wheelhouse15

hupsii wrote: »

MKEgal wrote: »

Sammi_Nicole wrote:

If I increase my calories above my calculated maintaing amount, will my body eventually get used to that amount and I will be able to maintain my weight?

Yes, you'll maintain the higher weight.

Harvard Medical School says that it takes about 15 cal/lb to maintain weight if you're active 30 min/day.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/calorie-counting-made-easy.htm

wow - that means I could eat well over 3000 kcals - I would gain most certainly a lot

Yes, the 15 cals does seem rather inflated for only 30 mins a day of exercise, which I imagine would be brisk walking. It should be more like 12 based on most established measures. By their example a woman should be buring 2325 a day but based on sedentary it would 1745 and then add in the 30 mins of walking (assume 2 miles to be generous) is another 100 cals (using net calculations) it would be less than 1900. That's quite a difference.

ForecasterJason

I'm guessing that estimate works more for women than men. I'm a guy and am mostly sedentary. At anything less than 15 cal/lb I would lose weight, and I'm maintaining at about 18 cal/lb.