Scared to eat appropriate calories

vm007

Hi all,

So I've been all over however, one thing that I've maintained is my faith in CICO and I've lost and gained weight using that.

Now recently I did another 12-week drop down and went from 83-84 kg to 78.6kg - I was on less than 50g carbs a day and CICO was maintained.

Now I started taking my normal calories which I feel like is 2200 or so ? and carbs are at 150g or so and protein is at 170g

I'm so scared to eat lol - I feel like anything I have gained is fat although I know it isn't true because at the same weight last year I was 35-36 waist and now I'm 33 -same weight last year I had no visible abs but this time around I do.

I know the weight I've gained is water weight but I think it's just a mental thing- lol
I think the fear is- if I eat my prescribed 2400 cals and if weight scale moves up -i'm doomed even though my measurements don't change (thankfully I'm measuring using a tape lol) to be honest- I rarely go near my 2400- because I'm scared of gaining weight yet again lol

How did you people overcome this?

btw what is my TDEE ? online it comes out to 2400

Is that accurate? I'm 5 ft 10.5 inches - 179 lbs - my activity is - consider this- I'm a manager at a Store and I work 13-14 hours every day.

I also do little bit of workout at work- using my dumbells here lol then I also walk back home -which is around 1 km .

Also any suggestions to carb/protein/fat levels?

TIA

thatdesertgirl777

I am sure there will be some great answers to follow, but all I mostly have to offer is: Go slow. Did you make a drastic jump in calories as soon as you hit your goal? I personally would add 100 calories/day, each a week and watch your measurements and weight carefully. Then keep adding until you hit around your maintenance amount.

Styggian

I been on maintenance for over 5 months, my suggestion would be gradually increase your calorie intake each week and then adjust accordingly each week. I have been surprised how complicated maintaining is, am still at the learning stage.

vm007

thatdesertgirl777 wrote: »

I am sure there will be some great answers to follow, but all I mostly have to offer is: Go slow. Did you make a drastic jump in calories as soon as you hit your goal? I personally would add 100 calories/day, each a week and watch your measurements and weight carefully. Then keep adding until you hit around your maintenance amount.

Styggian wrote: »

I been on maintenance for over 5 months, my suggestion would be gradually increase your calorie intake each week and then adjust accordingly each week. I have been surprised how complicated maintaining is, am still at the learning stage.

So basically watch my average weight?

I feel like with me -it's mostly due to carbs retaining water because they go up n down and sometimes they are low.

JeromeBarry1

vm007 wrote: »

thatdesertgirl777 wrote: »

I am sure there will be some great answers to follow, but all I mostly have to offer is: Go slow. Did you make a drastic jump in calories as soon as you hit your goal? I personally would add 100 calories/day, each a week and watch your measurements and weight carefully. Then keep adding until you hit around your maintenance amount.

Styggian wrote: »

I been on maintenance for over 5 months, my suggestion would be gradually increase your calorie intake each week and then adjust accordingly each week. I have been surprised how complicated maintaining is, am still at the learning stage.

So basically watch my average weight?

I feel like with me -it's mostly due to carbs retaining water because they go up n down and sometimes they are low.

Yes. Use a weight trending app to keep aware of your weight over time. Adjust as needed.

Azercord

I would also agree with the slow addition of calories back into your diet but I can also add that I'm shorter (5'9") and a little lighter (165lbs) and my maintenance settle around 2600 calories a day. I sit at a desk and workout in the mornings and yes I was also terrified when I came out of a deficit but you'll get there.

vm007

Azercord wrote: »

I would also agree with the slow addition of calories back into your diet but I can also add that I'm shorter (5'9") and a little lighter (165lbs) and my maintenance settle around 2600 calories a day. I sit at a desk and workout in the mornings and yes I was also terrified when I came out of a deficit but you'll get there.

Yours is 2600 ? and I'm taller and heavier and I'm around 15% bf (according to incorrect method) unless my metabolism sucks -I should be at least 2200-2300.

It's ironic- I love food but I'm afraid to eat more of it haha

DX2JX2

Start at 2200 calories and monitor your weight. Adjust as needed. Heck, even if 2200 calories is under your maintenance, it would only result in a loss rate of 1 pound every 3 weeks or so. Hardly the end of the world and very easy to fix if so desired.

As I've very recently discovered, maintenance isn't a set it and forget it thing. It's more of a series of small up and down adjustments over time to keep yourself level on average. The key is to remain diligent and to move quickly enough that the required adjustments will remain small.

cmriverside

vm007 wrote: »

Azercord wrote: »

I would also agree with the slow addition of calories back into your diet but I can also add that I'm shorter (5'9") and a little lighter (165lbs) and my maintenance settle around 2600 calories a day. I sit at a desk and workout in the mornings and yes I was also terrified when I came out of a deficit but you'll get there.

Yours is 2600 ? and I'm taller and heavier and I'm around 15% bf (according to incorrect method) unless my metabolism sucks -I should be at least 2200-2300.

It's ironic- I love food but I'm afraid to eat more of it haha

The only way to know is to run the long-term experiment.

I'm a little old lady (retired) and walk 3-5 times a week for an hour. Other than that I'm pretty sedentary. (5'7" 140)

I maintain on 2200.

vm007

Ok-I've started tracking weight now although I'd still trust measurements because my carbs fluctuate so weight is/won't be reliable. However, the app shows my average weight to be 80.3 but that's when I was on low carbs -very low.

Now I'm at 81.1 -at 2400 cals or so. Another couple weeks will shed more light. Hopefully I haven't damaged my metabolism.

sugaraddict4321

Try not to freak out over changes within a day or even a week. Maintenance is a range, not a firm number. It takes time to dial it in. Try to think of it like an EKG test page, where there are zigs and zags up and down, but over the long run the trend is basically flat.

Over time, I've learned my "swing" range is up to 5 pounds in one day due to too much sodium intake and then the water weight dropping off.

I'm curious - What weight loss/recomp strategies have you been using that you think you may have damaged your metabolism?

vm007

sugaraddict4321 wrote: »

Try not to freak out over changes within a day or even a week. Maintenance is a range, not a firm number. It takes time to dial it in. Try to think of it like an EKG test page, where there are zigs and zags up and down, but over the long run the trend is basically flat.

Over time, I've learned my "swing" range is up to 5 pounds in one day due to too much sodium intake and then the water weight dropping off.

I'm curious - What weight loss/recomp strategies have you been using that you think you may have damaged your metabolism?

lol I did 1k deficit for like 2-3 weeks (5 days a week ) although I did maintenance on weekends.

CarvedTones

You aren't alone in fearing to eat more. I am just over 5 weeks in and I think I have lost a pound. I am not using the trending app but I seem to stay in a pretty small range so it is pretty obvious that the common upper and lower have moved down a pound.

vm007

CarvedTones wrote: »

You aren't alone in fearing to eat more. I am just over 5 weeks in and I think I have lost a pound. I am not using the trending app but I seem to stay in a pretty small range so it is pretty obvious that the common upper and lower have moved down a pound.

I've employed a neat trick these days lol- I prefill my day with what I think "i'll be eating" the next day and once the day comes- I look at the list and psychologically - I feel like I'm already full because calories are already met , however I haven't even eaten those things-so when mood strikes I eat something different and delete the previous item off the list or adjust the portion of the "new uneaten" items to fit my calories lol

It's psychological but this way I don't overeat. For example -yesterday before I came into work- I had it prefilled but plans changed and Pizza was ordered- so I deleted items that I was planning to eat but hadn't consumed and freed up calories. So long story short I enjoyed a nice pizza and weight didn't move up even a single pound lol YAY!

vm007

Also another thing I noticed is that- since my carbs have gone up from less than 50g a day to 150-170g a day- I actually feel a "pump" during my workouts which was for some reason non-existent before irrespective of how hard I did my workout. Don't know if that has anything to do with carbs or not

DamienAngelica

CarvedTones wrote: »

You aren't alone in fearing to eat more. I am just over 5 weeks in and I think I have lost a pound. I am not using the trending app but I seem to stay in a pretty small range so it is pretty obvious that the common upper and lower have moved down a pound.

Definitely not alone. I've been in maintenance for a few weeks and have unintentionally lost another pound. I'm going to up my calories again next week and see what happens. I'm trying to keep in mind that this is all a process, and this fear of regaining the weight is part of it. It will all level out if we're careful and diligent.

pkweier

Totally understand this have gone 10 pounds past my goal just in case. Still trying to figure it out.

briscogun

Just started maintenance myself last weekend and its been a struggle to eat the extra 300-400 calories each day. I can't seem to increase my calories enough without eating more when I'm not really hungry. I've added in a few things (fruit with my breakfast, an extra apple at snack time, higher calorie dinners when I can) but I'm traveling so don't have access to my scale so I have no idea if I'm getting a water weight add or extra pounds or anything.

I'll find out on Sunday if I'm on track or not...

vm007

lol so I ain't alone haha, also I work around food and I have so much food all around me that I can very easily over indulge myself if I'd like and that too all from sugary goodness of chocolates, candies, chips, soda etc.

So far my intake of increased cals come from just little bit of indulgence in sugar realm but rest is protein and fiber. Once I find out how much and where I settle at that's when I'd unleash myself , well within the caloric needs.

hesn92

I would say just keep tabs on your weight. There’s no reason to be scared to eat more. Even if you go over your calories and gain a couple pounds you can cut back on the calories a little bit and lose again.

deannalfisher

vm007 wrote: »

Also another thing I noticed is that- since my carbs have gone up from less than 50g a day to 150-170g a day- I actually feel a "pump" during my workouts which was for some reason non-existent before irrespective of how hard I did my workout. Don't know if that has anything to do with carbs or not

yes it does - it can take upwards of 4g of water per 1g carb for digestion purposes, so you are feeling the hydrates (from the carb-o-HYRDATES)

100_PROOF_

Why do you think you have damaged metabolism?
I suggest doing some real research from reputable sources . You'll find that damaging ones metabolism isn't going to happen like they way people think it does.

CSARdiver

vm007 wrote: »

Ok-I've started tracking weight now although I'd still trust measurements because my carbs fluctuate so weight is/won't be reliable. However, the app shows my average weight to be 80.3 but that's when I was on low carbs -very low.

Now I'm at 81.1 -at 2400 cals or so. Another couple weeks will shed more light. Hopefully I haven't damaged my metabolism.

If you typed this, then your metabolism isn't damaged.

You cannot damage your metabolism and remain alive.

vm007

CSARdiver wrote: »

vm007 wrote: »

Ok-I've started tracking weight now although I'd still trust measurements because my carbs fluctuate so weight is/won't be reliable. However, the app shows my average weight to be 80.3 but that's when I was on low carbs -very low.

Now I'm at 81.1 -at 2400 cals or so. Another couple weeks will shed more light. Hopefully I haven't damaged my metabolism.

If you typed this, then your metabolism isn't damaged.

You cannot damage your metabolism and remain alive.

Maybe you are thinking of something else- or maybe I am - but metabolic damage in a sense where people do such a massive deficit that -they weight loss slows down to such a huge point that eating like 1k cals a day still doesn't drop weight at it's supposed speed.

MegaMooseEsq

vm007 wrote: »

CSARdiver wrote: »

vm007 wrote: »

Ok-I've started tracking weight now although I'd still trust measurements because my carbs fluctuate so weight is/won't be reliable. However, the app shows my average weight to be 80.3 but that's when I was on low carbs -very low.

Now I'm at 81.1 -at 2400 cals or so. Another couple weeks will shed more light. Hopefully I haven't damaged my metabolism.

If you typed this, then your metabolism isn't damaged.

You cannot damage your metabolism and remain alive.

Maybe you are thinking of something else- or maybe I am - but metabolic damage in a sense where people do such a massive deficit that -they weight loss slows down to such a huge point that eating like 1k cals a day still doesn't drop weight at it's supposed speed.

Well, the good news is, that isn't really a thing, either, so that's one less thing to worry about. This post is long but well worth the read: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1

CSARdiver

vm007 wrote: »

CSARdiver wrote: »

vm007 wrote: »

Ok-I've started tracking weight now although I'd still trust measurements because my carbs fluctuate so weight is/won't be reliable. However, the app shows my average weight to be 80.3 but that's when I was on low carbs -very low.

Now I'm at 81.1 -at 2400 cals or so. Another couple weeks will shed more light. Hopefully I haven't damaged my metabolism.

If you typed this, then your metabolism isn't damaged.

You cannot damage your metabolism and remain alive.

Maybe you are thinking of something else- or maybe I am - but metabolic damage in a sense where people do such a massive deficit that -they weight loss slows down to such a huge point that eating like 1k cals a day still doesn't drop weight at it's supposed speed.

There is no such thing as metabolic damage. This is a trick marketers use to sell people things they don't need.

There is metabolic adaptation which you may be referring to, but this is a temporary change and shifts toward your mean BMR in a matter of weeks. Think of your metabolism like a fire. Add more fuel and you get a hotter flame burning quicker. If you add less fuel your metabolism will decrease in the short term, but this is to manage energy - you don't need it if the fuel isn't there to burn. This trend towards mean after 48-72 hours.

Even in popular cases like The Biggest Loser contestants the individual BMR was determined to be lower than another person with their age/height/weight, but this trended towards mean in a matter of weeks.

CarvedTones

Adaptive Thermogenesis is a thing and can account for a difference of a couple of hundred in caloric needs; more in rare instances like the Biggest Loser competitors. But it won't keep you from losing when consuming a really low amount of calories.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23404923
https://www.nature.com/articles/0803523
etc...

vm007

CSARdiver wrote: »

vm007 wrote: »

CSARdiver wrote: »

vm007 wrote: »

Ok-I've started tracking weight now although I'd still trust measurements because my carbs fluctuate so weight is/won't be reliable. However, the app shows my average weight to be 80.3 but that's when I was on low carbs -very low.

Now I'm at 81.1 -at 2400 cals or so. Another couple weeks will shed more light. Hopefully I haven't damaged my metabolism.

If you typed this, then your metabolism isn't damaged.

You cannot damage your metabolism and remain alive.

Maybe you are thinking of something else- or maybe I am - but metabolic damage in a sense where people do such a massive deficit that -they weight loss slows down to such a huge point that eating like 1k cals a day still doesn't drop weight at it's supposed speed.

There is no such thing as metabolic damage. This is a trick marketers use to sell people things they don't need.

There is metabolic adaptation which you may be referring to, but this is a temporary change and shifts toward your mean BMR in a matter of weeks. Think of your metabolism like a fire. Add more fuel and you get a hotter flame burning quicker. If you add less fuel your metabolism will decrease in the short term, but this is to manage energy - you don't need it if the fuel isn't there to burn. This trend towards mean after 48-72 hours.

Even in popular cases like The Biggest Loser contestants the individual BMR was determined to be lower than another person with their age/height/weight, but this trended towards mean in a matter of weeks.

Thank you- that's what I was referring to- It's good to know it reverts back to mean quickly.
Perhaps that's why everyone is suggesting to add calories slowly lol