Upping my calories to a healthy level...

funkyspunky871

So, last night I posted a confession of how for the past few months, I've only been eating around 1000 calories a day. I'm pretty much terrified of going over 1050, but with the advice of some MFP friends, I've decided to try 1200 calories a day.

I'm worried that because I've been eating so little for months, bumping up my calories to 1200 is going to either make me gain or not lose anything at all. Do you guys think my body will adjust to the extra calories and continue to lose weight? And how long do you think it'll take to adjust? Anybody been through a similar predicament? (And just so you know, I am still going to exercise everyday too. I'm doing the 30-day-shred... AGAIN. ) Thanks in advance!! :flowerforyou:

jamie1888

Give it a couple of weeks to kick in, but you will more than likely find that it kick starts your weight loss! When you don't eat enough, your body hangs on to the fat! When you are eating enough, you body doesn't feel the need to hoard and let's it go!

sarahwright01

Just make sure it is healthy things that your body wont store as fat. For example, in a cup of carrots and a cup of brocoli there 100 calories! So you are getting in 2 cups of veggies which aren't going to stick to the waist line and getting in 100 calories!

miqisha

You should still lose weight, it will just be in a healthy way.

Its not recommended for women to go below 1200 calories. Keep working out, you will be fine

Goodluck

GiGi76

You should make sure you are eating enough for your body to function... so do you know your BMR??? How many times a week do yo workout??? If you dont eat enough your body goes into stravation mode and you want lose weight!!! To answer your question, you may gain a couple of pounds at 1st because your body is use to storing everything you eat but within 5-10days you should start dropping the weight!!!

Paige1108

I was under eating in the beginning and my weight loss totally stalled, for 6 weeks. Got a loving lecture from my man, who is also on MFP, and upped my calories to 1300 a day, plus started eating back most of my exercise. I lost 2lbs that week.

I'm not sure what will happen for you by eating at a healthier calorie level. But, I do know that I'm eating healthier than I was a month ago and in the long run that's all that really matters. Healthy I can do for the rest of my life. Unhealthy is only sustainable in the now.

I also checked my BMR, like GIGI76 is suggesting. By seeing my regular BMR I could see the calorie deficit MFP had set for me. This really helped me understand that the deficit is there no matter what. If I eat the base plus my exercise, still a deficit. I don't need to help create the deficit, it's already there. I knew this in my head all along, but seeing it made it real to me somehow.

Good luck reaching your goal.

megsta21

Bump! You go girl!!! :laugh:

I love it, eat more and loose weight!:happy: I had no idea til i started on MFP that I was starving myself! :blushing:

Good luck!!! :drinker:

MzBug

Give it a couple weeks. You may gain 3-4 pounds to start but stick with it. I lived in "starvation mode" for a long time. It has been 6 weeks and I have lost 20 lbs. I have a hard time getting to the 1200, but my doc is satisfied at 1100. Sometimes I have to set a timer so I eat every 4 hours, otherwise I slip back into the skipping meals that got me here in the first place. Go heavy on the protein and vegies, limit the carbs and fruit. You can do this.

mltdown

I had no idea I was starving myself until I read this post! I have been eating between 800 to 1000 calories I haven't had a stall yet but I now I am going to try and add a snack I have a hard time finding time to eat!

aliceofwonderland

You should definitely try and eat your 1200. For almost 2 months I was onky eating about 400-800 calories a day, and I think I lost about four pounds that whole time. As soon as I started eating my 1200, I lost 5 pounds in one week, and the weight consistently continued to drop off. I would definitely recommend trying to get your 1200, or at least 1100.

junebug523

Give it three or four weeks; it may take that long for your metabolism to sort of reset itself...and you might even try not weighing yourself at all during this time. Make your focus solely on getting your body the nutrition it needs. And even if you do gain some weight (which I doubt you will), it will be minimal. Then, you'll know. You'll have one more piece of information about your body that you didn't have before...which is a very good thing!

Good luck! Keep staying strong!