Losing weight on 2,800 calories a day... what is this?!
Replies
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are you weighing your food? are you doing more cardio than you're eating?0
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I know it might not seem to make much sense that I'm dropping my calories as well as dropping my exercise.. but knowing my body, I think it's more to do with the fact that I've been over training. if I can help it I also don't want to have to increase my calories as I often run out of time to eat during the day, and have to stuff it all in at night, which leaves me feeling bloated and like crap the next morning when I'm meant to be lifting.
I've cut out two of my weight training sessions per week, and only dropped about 200 calories from my diet, and since I've done this I've put on about 1kg, and feel a lot better, so hopefully that's working and if I find I stall again I'll just increase my calories from there.0 -
Have you used a BMR calculator? Basal Metabolic Rate is important as this is the amount of calories you'd have to take in to maintain your current weight. As an example, my BMR is 1750 calories. With that being said, if you are trying to pack on mass, you need a lot more calories. In this case, I need to take in around 2500 calories per day. I'd be willing to bet that I'm much older than you which means you could potentially take even more calories. How much cardio are you doing? If you are trying to pack on mass, then you really only need to do cardio twice a week for 30 minutes or less. What type of resistance training are you doing? Are you doing high reps? Heavy weight with low reps? Moderate reps? Drop sets, negatives? All of this has great impact on your growth. Do some more research into this.
How much protein are you taking in? When trying to add mass I will take in as much as 225 grams of protein per day. There are many good free protein calculators online, check them out.0 -
Oh and all the people saying eat heaps of milk, peanut butter and icecream etc... believe me, I already do
I eat peanut butter with pretty much everything, and have atleast 3 glasses of milk a day.. unfortunately though I'm not a huge fan of icecream
otherwise I would eat that all day every day too. 0 -
Have you used a BMR calculator? Basal Metabolic Rate is important as this is the amount of calories you'd have to take in to maintain your current weight. As an example, my BMR is 1750 calories. With that being said, if you are trying to pack on mass, you need a lot more calories. In this case, I need to take in around 2500 calories per day. I'd be willing to bet that I'm much older than you which means you could potentially take even more calories. How much cardio are you doing? If you are trying to pack on mass, then you really only need to do cardio twice a week for 30 minutes or less. What type of resistance training are you doing? Are you doing high reps? Heavy weight with low reps? Moderate reps? Drop sets, negatives? All of this has great impact on your growth. Do some more research into this.
How much protein are you taking in? When trying to add mass I will take in as much as 225 grams of protein per day. There are many good free protein calculators online, check them out.
I've used a TDEE calculator which IMO is going to be more accurate than a BMR calculator. And the amount of calories I was taking in was accurate, however it's hard to judge the amount of calories I'm burning. I'm trying to put on mass, but doing cardio only twice a week for 30 mins or less isn't really an option for me, I'm in pre-season for soccer and therefore I'm doing 3 hours minimum a week of soccer training.
For weight training I'm doing heavy weight with low to moderate reps, and use a lot of drops sets and negatives. Believe me, I've already done a ****load of research on it all, and know my stuff.
I don't believe I need to be taking in as much as 225 grams of protein a day, there have been many studies to say the body can only take in up to 1g/lb of body weight.. I however even then am stretching this and doing 1.15g/lb, which for me means 152g of protein a day.0 -
Um, OP if you are losing over 3pounds per week for 2 weeks you are at a 10,500 calorie deficit each week for the last 2 weeks
I lose 3 pounds between the time I go to bed at night and the time I step out of the shower in the morning.
2 weeks isn't enough data to see a pattern, and certainly isn't enough time to start calculating caloric deficits.0 -
Try increasing your caloric intake further. I'm consuming 3100 cal per day and 600 of that is coming from 3 protein shakes, 1 at each meal. In just over two weeks, with some heavy lifting at the gym I've seen myself go up from 156 to 163.
A major plus is I also cut out alcohol. Who would have known a bottle of red could have 900 calories!0 -
Is it wrong I don't even know what any of that food is?
That's easy. See you've got a pile of chopped wanklers on the top, a nice juicy slice of fried disky poof on the bottom, and a gin duddly on the side, altogether with a big steaming cup of dirty velazquez.0 -
Thanks for the replies all some helpful advice!
I've decided to cut back on the exercise, while also lowering my calories slightly, see how that goes for a few weeks and then slowly start to raise my calories from there.. I think I was doing way too much exercise. I've recently just started pre-season for soccer, add onto that weight training 5-6 times a week, and that's a ****load of calories being burned.
"I'm losing weight and I want to gain. I'm going to cut calories to remedy the situation"
Did I really just read this?
She's going to cut back on the exercise as well. Bring it all into sustainable levels and then build from there. There's some sense in that.
No, there's sense in either cutting down exercise or eating more food. Cutting both down will mean the problem persists because the TDEE overall balance remains the same, i.e. a calorie deficit. This is basic stuff...
Yeah, gaining weight can be hard, but so is losing weight, and so is maintaining weight. If you want results, suck it up and do what's needed. Of course it's uncomfortable, you're asking your body to change a long-lasting habit.0 -
Good luck! Rome wasn't built in a day, and you can revisit this again once you have your baseline worked out.0
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Is it wrong I don't even know what any of that food is?
That's easy. See you've got a pile of chopped wanklers on the top, a nice juicy slice of fried disky poof on the bottom, and a gin duddly on the side, altogether with a big steaming cup of dirty velazquez.
Large ham steak, six small pork sausages, some peppers (to cut through all the meatiness), a gluten free roll and a large mug of spiced orange soy mocha.0 -
Chocolate milk!
Eh, that pushes the macros a bit towards carbs doesn't it? I'd stick with plain myself.
I do 45% carbs, so it's all good. :drinker:
Does it matter? Once you get 1g/LBM protein, .6g/LBM fat, and 1g/lb carbs (I'm guesstimating on the minimum recommendations for fat and carbs to be honest) does it matter where the rest of your cals come from?
True, it wouldn't matter really, if you are bulking.0 -
Chocolate milk!
Eh, that pushes the macros a bit towards carbs doesn't it? I'd stick with plain myself.
Carb fearing and effectively gaining muscle are mutually exclusive concepts.0 -
Just as annoying as people complaining about not being able to eat 1200.... Actually , this is far worse... Poor you and your fantastic genetics.
Ugh, its not her genetics. She works out A LOT and is trying to GAIN. She can eat more in this case, obviously. :noway:0 -
It's not difficult once in awhile. Try it for a month, then come back and tell us how you feel on those days when you have to eat that much and you never, ever want to look at food ever again. Gaining is just as difficult for some people as losing is for others.Evidently, Lolo Jones ate 9,000 calories a day to bulk and build muscle for the winter Olympics. Really, 2,800 calories isn't even that much food. I don't need that many calories most of the time, but I sure wouldn't have a problem eating them if I needed it. One of the things I enjoy most when I go backpacking is eating 4,000-5,000 calories a day. It's fun - food is good!
OP, liquid calories are your best friend. Chocolate milk. If you like coffee, drink it with heavy cream. I just discovered that chunky peanut butter on cookie dough ice cream is amazing.
^^^ So true. Bulking is great for 3 days? 4? Then it becomes a struggle at least half the time. There are always days where it is awesome, but many days when you think: Really? More?
I'll have to try the PB on cookie dough ice cream! I'd probably put a bit of chocolate syrup over the pb too. Yum. Have you tried cookie butter?
Yep.
What most overweight people fail to grasp is that rarely do people naturally gain weight anything like bulking. You're fat, clearly you gain weight easily and have an overeating problem, right? Well no. Most people get fat by failing to balance overeating episodes with undereating episodes, while spending most days maintaining. Over the years this can build up A LOT.
A sustained daily calorie surplus is a totally different story. It get old, especially if you aren't very experienced with it and haven't worked out the foods/timing that you can comfortably sustain day after day. Everybody on their 1st-2nd bulk will experience the horror of being full an hour before bed, still having 1000 calories to eat that day. The first time around it can be quite a frequent occurrence. But because it sucks so much over time you figure out how to not have that occur.0 -
Just as annoying as people complaining about not being able to eat 1200.... Actually , this is far worse... Poor you and your fantastic genetics.
Ugh, its not her genetics. She works out A LOT and is trying to GAIN. She can eat more in this case, obviously. :noway:
Well, in some ways it is. Some people are born with medical conditions that make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight. My husband has Crohn's disease and sometimes feels jealous or resentment over it. As a teen, it was hard for him to gain weight because he couldn't keep food down. (The grass is always greener...)0 -
Currently trying to gain weight by bulking... I'm eating 2,800 calories a day, and yet somehow I'm still losing weight... down almost 3kg in 2 weeks. What even!?!?! 2,800 is already so much food, I don't know if I can eat any more
It may be shocking, but the amount you can eat when you're active and lifting weights (particularly in your early 20s) is enormous. Try drinking more calories (protein shakes, milk, even just sugary coffee drinks) or adding in more snacks. Your stomach does get used to the extra food in time.
By the way, feel free to add me as it's good to have other girls bulking around... there are so many stresses that you never think about until you try!
I agree with this completely. I'm 23, 5'-10" 145lbs. I take in on average 4000 calories a day and have actually been loosing weight and need to consume more. It's also not just about how active you are, it's also how fast your body's metabolism is. I work in an office and spend the majority of the day sitting in front of a computer, so I'm not that active, but I have an extremely high metabolic rate. But you also can't just take in garbage to up your caloric intake, you need to make sure they're healthy foods, some junk stuff is okay here and there, but you want high calories and high protein. So lots of chicken and red meats.0 -
Currently trying to gain weight by bulking... I'm eating 2,800 calories a day, and yet somehow I'm still losing weight... down almost 3kg in 2 weeks. What even!?!?! 2,800 is already so much food, I don't know if I can eat any more
It may be shocking, but the amount you can eat when you're active and lifting weights (particularly in your early 20s) is enormous. Try drinking more calories (protein shakes, milk, even just sugary coffee drinks) or adding in more snacks. Your stomach does get used to the extra food in time.
By the way, feel free to add me as it's good to have other girls bulking around... there are so many stresses that you never think about until you try!
I agree with this completely. I'm 23, 5'-10" 145lbs. I take in on average 4000 calories a day and have actually been loosing weight and need to consume more. It's also not just about how active you are, it's also how fast your body's metabolism is. I work in an office and spend the majority of the day sitting in front of a computer, so I'm not that active, but I have an extremely high metabolic rate. But you also can't just take in garbage to up your caloric intake, you need to make sure they're healthy foods, some junk stuff is okay here and there, but you want high calories and high protein. So lots of chicken and red meats.
Once you get 1g/LBM of protein your body actually can't use more. Once you get your minimums of carbs (1g/lb?), protein (.8g/lb) and fat (.6g/lb), why would it matter what else fills the rest of your calories? On a cut, this means you have to pretty careful to balance your day, but when you are bulking there are a lot of "extra" calories after those minimums are met. Can you point to any study that says that the rest can't come from "junk" food? There is only so much in the way of vitamins/minerals/other micros that your body can use either. Besides, what constitutes "junk"?0 -
A sustained daily calorie surplus is a totally different story. It get old, especially if you aren't very experienced with it and haven't worked out the foods/timing that you can comfortably sustain day after day. Everybody on their 1st-2nd bulk will experience the horror of being full an hour before bed, still having 1000 calories to eat that day. The first time around it can be quite a frequent occurrence. But because it sucks so much over time you figure out how to not have that occur.
Amen.
With my current regimen, I basically maintain at about 3000-3200. Especially in the beginning, it was a challenge to figure out how I was going to get those last calories in. By the time I was done doing what I was going to do that day, I had to somehow find time AND food to reach the target.
But it did become easier as I experimented with different foods to figure out the best balance of caloirc value and "fullness factor" for me.0 -
It's not difficult once in awhile. Try it for a month, then come back and tell us how you feel on those days when you have to eat that much and you never, ever want to look at food ever again. Gaining is just as difficult for some people as losing is for others.Evidently, Lolo Jones ate 9,000 calories a day to bulk and build muscle for the winter Olympics. Really, 2,800 calories isn't even that much food. I don't need that many calories most of the time, but I sure wouldn't have a problem eating them if I needed it. One of the things I enjoy most when I go backpacking is eating 4,000-5,000 calories a day. It's fun - food is good!
OP, liquid calories are your best friend. Chocolate milk. If you like coffee, drink it with heavy cream. I just discovered that chunky peanut butter on cookie dough ice cream is amazing.
^^^ So true. Bulking is great for 3 days? 4? Then it becomes a struggle at least half the time. There are always days where it is awesome, but many days when you think: Really? More?
I'll have to try the PB on cookie dough ice cream! I'd probably put a bit of chocolate syrup over the pb too. Yum. Have you tried cookie butter?
Yep.
What most overweight people fail to grasp is that rarely do people naturally gain weight anything like bulking. You're fat, clearly you gain weight easily and have an overeating problem, right? Well no. Most people get fat by failing to balance overeating episodes with undereating episodes, while spending most days maintaining. Over the years this can build up A LOT.
A sustained daily calorie surplus is a totally different story. It get old, especially if you aren't very experienced with it and haven't worked out the foods/timing that you can comfortably sustain day after day. Everybody on their 1st-2nd bulk will experience the horror of being full an hour before bed, still having 1000 calories to eat that day. The first time around it can be quite a frequent occurrence. But because it sucks so much over time you figure out how to not have that occur.
So true, Waldo! I'm often eating 800-1000 cal in the 2 hours before bed!
To the above poster: Backpacking certainly burns a lot of calories...but I doubt most backpackers eat 4000-5000 cal a day, even though they probably should. Carrying enough food, along with the other supplies, to be able to sustain oneself, is NOT easy. You can easily have a 50+ lb pack...which makes you burn even more calories! At some point, there are likely diminishing returns. I have no desire to ever do hardcore backpacking for this reason...I'd lose weight due to not eating enough.0 -
An easy ( but gross ) and healthy way to add alot of calories is to throw in some olive oil. It's a super healthy fat and it's very calorie dense. 2 tbs is 240 calories. A shot of olive oil is probably around 400 calories. Add a table spoon first thing in the morning and one before bed. That is an easy way to add another 240 to what you are already eating.
OR instead of a shot you could get a nice loaf of bread and dip a hunk in the olive oil and maybe a little balsamic.....
I agree with some others about wishing I had that problem. But that's like wishing my hair would grow 2 feet. Pointless.0 -
Currently trying to gain weight by bulking... I'm eating 2,800 calories a day, and yet somehow I'm still losing weight... down almost 3kg in 2 weeks. What even!?!?! 2,800 is already so much food, I don't know if I can eat any more
It may be shocking, but the amount you can eat when you're active and lifting weights (particularly in your early 20s) is enormous. Try drinking more calories (protein shakes, milk, even just sugary coffee drinks) or adding in more snacks. Your stomach does get used to the extra food in time.
By the way, feel free to add me as it's good to have other girls bulking around... there are so many stresses that you never think about until you try!
I agree with this completely. I'm 23, 5'-10" 145lbs. I take in on average 4000 calories a day and have actually been loosing weight and need to consume more. It's also not just about how active you are, it's also how fast your body's metabolism is. I work in an office and spend the majority of the day sitting in front of a computer, so I'm not that active, but I have an extremely high metabolic rate. But you also can't just take in garbage to up your caloric intake, you need to make sure they're healthy foods, some junk stuff is okay here and there, but you want high calories and high protein. So lots of chicken and red meats.
Once you get 1g/LBM of protein your body actually can't use more. Once you get your minimums of carbs (1g/lb?), protein (.8g/lb) and fat (.6g/lb), why would it matter what else fills the rest of your calories? On a cut, this means you have to pretty careful to balance your day, but when you are bulking there are a lot of "extra" calories after those minimums are met. Can you point to any study that says that the rest can't come from "junk" food? There is only so much in the way of vitamins/minerals/other micros that your body can use either. Besides, what constitutes "junk"?
Yeah, I was going to say: "PLEASE! Don't eat garbage, people! It's full of germs!" :laugh:
Food is good though. There's no such thing as "junk" food. All foods contain macronutrients, some contain more micros than others. People need to get out of the mindset that eating a particular food item is "bad."0 -
You don't have to eat more, just eat more high calories food! Peanut butter, avocado, pasta, bread, nuts, olive oil, butter, pizza! And opening your diary would help as well.
^ This. And try increasing the amount of simple carbs you consume in your big post-workout meal. The insulin boost will help deliver those calories to your muscles.
For example, a big, high-protein burrito from Chipotle (or a similar place) is about 1300 calories. Try washing it down with a full sugar beverage like a big Gatorade.0 -
An easy ( but gross ) and healthy way to add alot of calories is to throw in some olive oil. It's a super healthy fat and it's very calorie dense. 2 tbs is 240 calories. A shot of olive oil is probably around 400 calories. Add a table spoon first thing in the morning and one before bed. That is an easy way to add another 240 to what you are already eating.
OR instead of a shot you could get a nice loaf of bread and dip a hunk in the olive oil and maybe a little balsamic.....
I agree with some others about wishing I had that problem. But that's like wishing my hair would grow 2 feet. Pointless.
The bread is going to leave you feeling full, though.0 -
OR instead of a shot you could get a nice loaf of bread and dip a hunk in the olive oil and maybe a little balsamic.....
I agree with some others about wishing I had that problem. But that's like wishing my hair would grow 2 feet. Pointless.
that's a lot of shampoo to go through!0 -
First, JEALOUS.
Second, carbs + fats are the bestest combo in the world.
Toast with a whole avocado is an easy 400. Yippeeeee!0 -
Currently trying to gain weight by bulking... I'm eating 2,800 calories a day, and yet somehow I'm still losing weight... down almost 3kg in 2 weeks. What even!?!?! 2,800 is already so much food, I don't know if I can eat any more
If you are working out hard, you probably are still burnign more calories than you are eating. Ramp up to 3000 for a week and see what happens. If you are still losing, 3200 the next week. At some point you will have to gain weight.
I wish I had this problem, that's for sure 0
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