Upping calories

snowy_sk

Morning! I have always been on 1200 calories but have noticed that more increasingly lately, I am finding it tougher to stick to - not in terms of hunger but just because I feel so restricted and constantly feel as though I am on a 'diet' which I know isnt a sustainable way to live. Lately, this has lead to more and moer 'falling of the wagon' episodes and it's getting harder and harder to get back on!

I have decided to really try and exercise more to increase my calories but was also wondering whether to up by basic cals to 1300? This would bring me down to 1 pound loss a week (I weigh 164 pounds with a goal of 140 pounds). I know I should be eating healthily, but figured that this would allow me to have a chocolate bar each day if I need to rather than letting a craving build up and up until I crack and go wild in the chocolate aisle!

Has anyone increased their calories and found it's made a happy difference? Mentally, it seems so wrong when the object is to be losing weight!

Love to hear what you all think x

Rowann

I purposely reset my calories to only lose half a pound a week, and I still have a very long way to go (currently 183, aiming for around 130). I was suffering similar things to you, and decided, that for me, I would rather get there much more slowly than risk falling off the wagon and not getting back on. The way I have things now I can still eat pretty much what I want - obviously I have to watch amounts, but I'm still losing weight.

I suppose, for me, it was making the mental leap from it being a diet to a lifestyle. Lifestyle means not depriving myself, but being sensible about things. Diet means time in hell...

xraychick77

adding 100 cals a day is going to make a negligble difference..go for it

Pebble321

I started out at 1/2 pound loss per week and have gradually dropped my calories, so I did it the other way round. But I am still losing weight faster than MFP predicts - I weigh 171 and am currently eating 1500 cals a day, and have lost 20 pound in the last 10 weeks.
For me, personally I clearly don't need to go as low as 1200 to lose weight - and I don't want to be so restricted.
I'd suggest taking it up gradually til you work out what is right for your body.

PoleBoy

As you approach your healthy weight you should taper your weight loss anyway - there are various recommendations in the forums - but dropping to 1 lb per week now is perhaps a little overdue. You should be looking to drop to 1/2 lb per week for the last 15 - 20 lb. Slowing down is incredibly frustrating though.

If you do up your calories be prepared for you body to take up to a month to properly adjust - you may see an initial weight gain as glycogen stores are rebuilt - so rely more on the measure than the scales for the next couple of weeks

morganadk2_deleted

My calories are set to lose 1/2 a week , and i'm thinking of going on Maintenance caloris for a month as my weight is not moving, i have been doing this for 2 years and i think my body needs a rest.. i only have 10-15 to go and i know i can't eat less..
just not sure what to do :sad:

MrBrown72

I have decided to really try and exercise more to increase my calories but was also wondering whether to up by basic cals to 1300? This would bring me down to 1 pound loss a week (I weigh 164 pounds with a goal of 140 pounds). I know I should be eating healthily, but figured that this would allow me to have a chocolate bar each day if I need to rather than letting a craving build up and up until I crack and go wild in the chocolate aisle!

Going up by 100 cal is not going to hurt much. However it may be best to really evaluate your motivation. If you feel like you are doing damage to your body than of course you should make some changes, and see a doctor. However if you're making changes just to give in to more cravings and be more self indulgent, well maybe that's the problem you should address.

Is it "I feel sick" or just "I want chocolate" that motivates you here? The unwillingness to control such urges is a hurdle that everyone here has to overcome in their own ways. We all like cupcakes, but none of us want to be one.

KariLaVecchia

I've been using MFP for almost a month, but I understand feeling restricted. I'm currently recovering from a medical condition and my real goal was to not GAIN weight. It's OK to lose, as long as I didn't gain. I set my calorie goal so I'd lose 1/2lb/week and if I come in under that, good for me. So, for now, my goal is to keep it between 1200 and 1660 calories a day. That gives me a little more freedom and I haven't felt restricted at all. And I've lost weight.

I hope you find the solution that works for you!