Need advice on maintaining

meditz

i am below my goal weight, i average between 1200-1300 calories a day. i am not losing any weight, but i am afraid to increase my calorie intake for fear of gaining weight.... i excercise regularly and do not increase my calories for what i have execised off...any suggestions on how to increase my calories to maintain or should i just continue with what i am doing?

JesterMFP

Slowly, (maybe 100 cals a day each week) and with the expectation that you will very likely gain a little weight as you go. It won't be fat, but will be the additional food/waste in your system and additional water retention. And no, I don't think you should continue undereating if you're already lighter than your goal.

sijomial

At the risk of stating the obvious....
If your weight is staying the same you ARE at maintenance - very sad if such a low calorie amount is your maintenance calories though.

As you are under goal weight you need to add calories to regain that weight. Eat bigger portions of what you are currently eating or add some more calorie dense foods. Your diary isn't public so no idea what or how you are eating.

meditz

that's what i was afraid of, i was afraid i was at maintenance calorie in take since i'm not losing any more.

Mokey41

If you've been at 1200 for a long time your body may just have gotten used to that level. Try increasing slowly and see if you stay about the same weight. Add 100 calories/day for a week or two and evaluate. I was doing 1200 for a long time and thought I was doomed to stay there forever but I've upped to 1500 now and found I can hold my weight there just as easily and those extra 300 calories make a huge difference in what fits my budget.

Greenrun99

Any increase you do will make your body start to refill its stores that you depleted.. which is not considered fat but it will make the scale go up. If you exercise regularly there is very little chance your maintenance calorie level is 1200-1300 unless your extremely short and under 100 lbs