Scared I'll gain fat consuming 2000calories

halimaiqbal00

I workout 5-6 days a week lifting heavy and doing hiit and steady state cardio. I typically burn 500-600 calories a session. I'm female, 5. 7 and 32 years old. Body fat is 25%, aiming to get it to 20%. I'm finding that I get hungry on anything below 1900 calories so I've set my calories to 2000 a day. I have a 2 and 4 year old so I'm generally active on top of my workouts.

I'm worried that I will gain fat by inreasing the calories. I log accurately and log everything. By doing this, and lifting heavy, ive dropped 5% body fat in the last 3 or so months. Should I continue on 1800 calories and allow the hunger pangs or should I increase to 2000 so I have more energy and am not as hungry? My aim is to change body composition and focus on fat loss. My bmr is 1450. I'm getting different readings for my tdee so don't know how many calories to eat, which is annoying.

What would you recommend? Eating at 1800 like I've been doing and brave the hunger? Or eat at 2000 calories and risk gaining fat but I'll only know if I try it...? I just don't want to get really disheartened if that does happen. I am my own worst critic and enemy

SusanMFindlay

You will not gain fat unless you eat more calories than you burn.

What happens when you eat 1800 calories? If you're maintaining weight then, yes, you might gain slowly at 2000 calories. If you're losing 0.4 pounds/week, you will maintain on 2000 calories. If you're losing more than 0.4 pounds/week, you will also lose weight on 2000 calories - just 0.4 pounds/week less.

Also, realize that if you are lifting heavy, maintaining weight may actually be the best choice as it allows for recomp. (Same weight doesn't necessarily mean same bodyfat percentage.)

Personally, I would eat the 2000 and see what happened (unless I was maintaining at 1800).

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I think you should try 2000. I am 5'8.5" and maintain around 2300, and can lose on 2000. Try it for 6 weeks.

Julie9151974

First of all with a BMR of 1450 and being very active your body is burning about 2500 calories a day so at 2000 calories you will be dropping about 1lb a week. Second, as women get older it is important to maintain a certain level of fat. This helps us prevent osteoporosis and hormonal changes that can lead to things like breast cancer. Current recommendations for your age are to not drop below 22% so keep that in mind.

Helloitsdan

If you're eating slightly above TDEE consistently and lifting heavy and doing cardio and HIIT, fat accumulation should be slim to none. Unless of course you're stressed and not sleeping.

vingogly

If you monitor your weight at maintenance, you can go below maintenance calories if you put on a few pounds until you get back down to your maintenance weight. It sounds like you're overthinking things. Putting a few pounds back on wouldn't be the end of the world, and you already know you have the ability to take it back off again. And why would you want to live your life in a chronic state of hunger?

halimaiqbal00

Thanks for all your replies. Very reassuring. I think I knew i should eat more but wanted reassurance to give me more confidence to do it

CattOfTheGarage

Why be scared? All you're doing is refining an estimate by trial and error. If you find your weight is tending up, adjust your calories. It's nothing to be scared of.

WinoGelato

How long have you been eating 1800? What results are you having at that level? What is your current weight?

At your height and activity level I would be surprised if you gained on 2000. I'm 5'2 and 120, walk 15K steps a day and do some light circuit training and my TDEE is 2200.

halimaiqbal00

I've been eating at 1800 for a couple of months now more or less but I'd only meet that target now and again. I'd be ravenous so would overeat (no junk) often and didn't weigh myself but I can tell I've definitely lost fat and inches and feel muscle where it wasn't before. I'm 143 pounds. I have had an awful relationship with the scales in the past so trying to focus on that less now and seeing the numbers go up, made me drastically cut calories and then binge because it wasn't sustainable

Dogmom1978

First, how do you determine the number of calories you are burning during a workout? If you truly are burning that many calories and you are hungry, then up the caloric intake. Or you can eat foods high in fiber that are low cal and will help you feel full longer.

PAV8888

Esp as a woman use a trending weight app.

Any changes in your weight due to the caloric difference generated by a 200 Cal change to your eating target would be very gradual.

You're talking 18 days for a 1 lb of difference brought about by this level of change.

You may surprise yourself and either find no variance or find yourself feeling stronger and healthier and able to do more.

And all this happens you should certainty then increase by another 200. And repeat in 100 Cal increments. Till you get to a level of calories where you really ARE gaining consistently.

And then back off just that little bit.... if you're patient enough.

charlenekapf

Have you considered cycling calories? One day 1800, one day 2000, then 1800, then 2000, etc? You may find better satiety by cycling calories.

jennifer_417

If it's working so far, then there's no reason to make any changes. If it stops working, then reassess.

CattOfTheGarage

But it's working by knowingly overeating. She's probably averaging 2000 already, better to have it actually set as the goal so you know where you're at and can eat the amount you need without worrying about it.