Hello everyone

rhbrand

I'm new to EM2WL. I've decided to up my calories from 1500 to 1700 for the a couple weeks, then bump them up a little more.
I try to go to Crossfit 2-3 days a week and lift heavy at home 2-3 days a week. Or those are my goals lol. Right now its been super busy at the hospital where I'm a night shift nurse, so the longer than usual hours have kept me from doing much more than sleep on my days I'm off.
Right now I'm about 183lbs, but I'm only 5'2" tall, so I've got a ways to go.
Just excited to start seeing some positive changes in my body all while not starving myself. It gets so old eating 1500 or fewer calories a day.

zanyzana

Gosh, you're a very active person. It's criminal how low we have been led to believe we should eat to lose weight. This is a long slow process, but it's worth it to get your life back. Welcome!

jvezzsb01

I'm about the same height as you give or take 1/4 of an inch but I'm pretty sure you are very active and will need more to fuel yourself. You will be amazed at how you feel after increasing the calories and your workouts will be productive. You will feel like you can tackle it all. Welcome!

Firefly0606

Welcome! Yes, it does get old doesnt it? With your very active job and exercise, you need to fuel that! Keep pushing higher with your calories, it's worth it to actually test the waters and figure out the MAX you can eat to maintain your current weight.

Raynn1

Welcome to the group!
With your activity level, you will likely find your TDEE is going to be much higher than you anticipate:) Your job alone will put you in the active/very active category, so make sure you are using the calculator correctly, and selecting a high activity level, especially with formal exercise added in.
Our quick start guide might help to answer some questions for you and get you started on the process.
www.em2wl.com/start

While going to 1700 is a good place to begin, you will likely find you need a lot more fuel than that to keep your body running smoothly.

Feel free to ask any questions!

Kelly
Team EM2WL

rhbrand

Thanks for the welcome! This next week I'm bumping up to 1900 calories. I'm finding getting to eat so much more food makes me full! LOL! So moving up 100-200 calories every week to two gets me use to the extra food and I feel not so stuffed.

I can already tell my workouts are getting better. I've got a little more energy and I can only imagine when I get it up to 2100-2200 cals what I'll be like!

I just want to know who in the world decided that a full grown woman needs to eat 1200-1400 calories a day? That the recommended calorie count for a TODDLER! Um, I'm quite a bit bigger than a toddler. I think I need more food that a 2 year old.

SusanMFindlay

Are you getting enough fat in your diet? That's one way to get more calories without needing as much volume.

With your stats and active job, I won't be surprised if you find your TDEE can be in the upper 2000s - if not lower 3000s.

rhbrand

I'm trying to. Been enjoying peanut butter and cashews so much! So nice to be able to eat them without worry.

empressichel

You should also pretty instantly see better Crossfit workouts with more energy from the extra food. I'll chime in with the rest and say I bet your TDEE is pretty high! But adding 1-200 calories per week is just perfect! You're doing a great job.
Keep us updated with how you get on.
Ichel
Team EM2WL

rhbrand

To be honest, I'm very lazy lol, so my TDEE is not as high as one would think. I work at a small hospital, often in their 2 bed ICU, which had 5 steps between the nurses station and the doors of the rooms. So not as much walking as one would think there. And unless I'm at Crossfit, or lifting, I tend to sit, esp in the winter. I enjoy reading, playing video games, things that involve sitting. So I don't burn as many calories as you would think. According to my Fitbit, and I went back several months, my TDEE is about 2400 calories. Going to slowly get up to between 2300-2400 and see how things go.

I am enjoying NOT having that worry of going over my calories for the day. I'm at 2000 calories now and I'm feeling better. I have more energy, my workouts have improved. Its a free feeling to not have to think, worry, plan every bite of food I have cause I don't want to go over 1500 calories. And be mad at myself if I do.

Firefly0606

This is why it is super important to actually TEST your TDEE, not just assume it's not going to be that high. I work a desk job, have foot problems so don't do any significant cardio because of pain, I lift 3x per week, and on Saturdays I help at my kids athletics track - so maybe 3 hours of setting up equipment, standing around starting races, helping in the canteen etc. the calculators said my TDEE was 2800 and I thought even that would be a stretch as I am "not that active". Once I actually tested it though, my TDEE is 3200. It took extra time and patience to push it up there, but it's making a huge difference now that I want to cut. 10% cut for me is 2860 this time around...still more than my 'assumed' TDEE. Test it!!! You might be surprised!!

heybales

rhbrand wrote: »

I just want to know who in the world decided that a full grown woman needs to eat 1200-1400 calories a day? That the recommended calorie count for a TODDLER! Um, I'm quite a bit bigger than a toddler. I think I need more food that a 2 year old.

Sadly the 1200 is recommended as the MINIMAL daily calories for a sedentary average woman eating average foods to get required nutrient levels in for purpose of safety.

But just as minimal building codes for safety had nothing to do longevity, performance, looks - it's usually misapplied as acceptable eating level with no regard to activity level or how non-average someone is.
Most would like to perform better, look better, and live longer.
So you better do better than minimal - or you'll just get minimal results.

Sadly most people have no idea how many calories they were eating prior to wanting to lose weight - so they have no concept of eating level in order to lose - that's where the advice to eat a little less would work correctly.
Most when losing weight also start adding in exercise - so in reality burning even more now - so now really no concept - that's where the advice to move more could work.
But most make big changes both directions and ruin the whole effect by getting unreasonable.
Since no idea how much they were eating - they start with minimal.
Rather than getting the top number and taking some off.

Jennifer_Lynn_1982

welcome to the community! it's awesome here