Who has increased their calories with success?

Options
24

Replies

  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
    Options
    Hi

    I am 5'7 and started here at 157
    I initially ate about 1490 cals per day...when I wasn't working out at all
    Once I hit maintenance I started working out and now eat about 2000 cals per day and my weight is pretty set as 128-130

    FOR ME, 1200 cals just did NOT seem do-able...regardless of it I worked out

    Good luck with finding what works for you!
    Kim
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
    Options
    I am 5'7 and started here at 157
    I initially ate about 1490 cals per day...when I wasn't working out at all
    Once I hit maintenance I started working out and now eat about 2000 cals per day and my weight is pretty set as 128-130

    FOR ME, 1200 cals just did NOT seem do-able...regardless of it I worked out

    I agree that 1200 seems very low. It's a base mark designed for someone who does not work out, and I do, so I must need more because I assume that exercise (including strength training) would give me a higher metabolism. I am only 5'2" though, so I always worry that my shortness is a big calorie liability. I'll just keep playing with my settings and see what happens!
  • laine23
    laine23 Posts: 39
    Options
    waw that's unbeleivable!!!
    I luv ur stories!
    I cannot do the 1200 cals a day it's to few.
    I do about 1300-1400 and I do sports but I'M NOT LOOSING!
    I have a past of anorexia so I know my body is kinda storing fat but I'm fully recovered now and I just would like to shed some pounds that have been bugging me but ... not working... it's weird.
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
    Options
    So far so good! I've increased my calories from 1200 to 1320 and then to 1400 without gaining weight, or losing much, either (a couple pounds). Now I'm going up to 1559 based on the formula in the Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle ebook by Tom Venuto. I finally broke down and bought it!

    Ironically, 1560 is what MFP calculates as my *maintenance* level :noway: , while the BFFM formula says that I will maintain at 1948 and *lose* at 1559! The only thing the BFFM formula that I'm using doesn't take into account is lean body mass, so that's the next thing I'm going to have to figure out how to measure, if I want to get really precise.

    I'm also going to try zig-zagging -- eating three days at weight-loss level and one at maintenance -- so that my metabolism doesn't adjust to the weight loss level. As always, I'm a little nervous about upping my calories. Wish me luck! :happy:
  • TRLTAMPA
    TRLTAMPA Posts: 824
    Options
    It's so surreal to read posts about upping calories to lose weight....I still chuckle when I read them. But it obviously works.
  • may_marie
    may_marie Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    well .. reading your post is really helping me out with upping my cals..

    i have lost quite a bit of weight... the week between xmas and new year was a let down week and did not exercise nor watched my calories, so i though that when i would be back on the wagon the 1st of jan i would drop because i had shocked my body for a week,,, it normaly works when im back from vacation .. im down 2-3 lbs the next week..

    but this time ,, nothing,, im paranoid of plateaus,, so i was trying to not take too much notice but last moday i started to try upping my calories,,, couldnt do it at first because its a psychological thing,, im sure you all have.. its realllllly hard to up the calories,, (well in my case was a mix of down with exercise and still eating the same amount)

    so this weekend i decided to eat my 1200 calories but no exercise,, that gives me a smaller deficit then when i work out, and i droped a pound,,, that is convincing me that because im getting closer to my goal .. i should change my goal from 2 lbs a week to 1 lbs a week and eat more, i will do that this week and see what happens.. if tha works well i might eat even more .. but its harddddd
  • scaredofcoasters
    scaredofcoasters Posts: 90 Member
    Options
    After reading a bit on this site, I upped my daily calories to 1900. I'll probably eat about 2250 on workout days, like today, where i'm going to be out 700 - 900 calories after my Kendo practice. 1900 for me is a bit more than 100 over my BMR. I want to lose, but I don't want to starve myself. I'm just starting out, but I'm hoping that this works out well!
  • may_marie
    may_marie Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    i just wanted to report that..

    i have changed my calorie deficit from 1000 to 700-800 calories (mix of exercising less and eating more),, and despite not having lost any weight in the last 2 weeks. i weighted this morning and lost a grand total of 2.5 lbs in the last 3 days ( i weighted because i was paranoid that i would gain weight from eating more)

    i really cant believe it,, i am not sure what this lost has been attributed to, i am eating more .. but is it really because of that ? i havent changed anything else ..

    so HOORAY !! and go and EAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol..

    ill report again in a week to let you know what happened,,, if i kept on losing or what ...
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
    Options
    I was eating below 1200 calories (not purposely) and gaining...I added in some exercise and a minimum of 1300-1400 calories (adding extra when I exercise) and in a week I've now lost 2.6.

    It took about 2 weeks for my body to get started back - if you body thinks you've been starving it - it may try to store at first.

    ***Just be patient***
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    Options
    I've been at a plateau for a while now eating my base 1200 + exercise.
    So I'm upping my calories to around 1400 + exercise.
    Seems to be working. I lost 1.5lbs last week while eating more that "I should have".
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
    Options
    Success here, too! I've been at a plateau for so long and the scale is finally going down since I started eating more, especially this week, since I started REALLY eating more! Actually, I want to gain muscle, so what the scale says is relative. I have a scale that measures body fat and, although I don't think it's accurate, I'm going to start paying more attention to those numbers instead. I'm just happy to see something happening! :happy:

    My body has been at a standstill for months, and now all my hard work is paying off, my metabolism is increasing, and I'm seeing solid evidence (pun intended) that I can and NEED to eat more. Woohoo!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Options
    Success here, too! I've been at a plateau for so long and the scale is finally going down since I started eating more, especially this week, since I started REALLY eating more! Actually, I want to gain muscle, so what the scale says is relative. I have a scale that measures body fat and, although I don't think it's accurate, I'm going to start paying more attention to those numbers instead. I'm just happy to see something happening! :happy:

    My body has been at a standstill for months, and now all my hard work is paying off, my metabolism is increasing, and I'm seeing solid evidence (pun intended) that I can and NEED to eat more. Woohoo!

    That is so great!!! Doesn't it feel awesome to eat more and lose more?
    If you're looking to put on muscle mass, eat at maintenance or about 100 calories above. There are only 1800 calories in one lb of muscle as opposed to the 3500 in one lb of fat, so it doesn't take a lot to build one, but it's improbable that you'd be able to do it in a true 500 calorie deficit.
    To make your scale more accurate, make sure you drink exactly the same amount of water before you weigh...so if you always drink a cup of water an then weigh, do that, but don't start something new. Also, do it before working out, and it's best if you didn't work out the day before. Make sure your skin is dry and you're standing on the same area of the scale. Don't measure your BF when you're menstruating or the few days before.
    Your scale still won't be as accurate as a well-done skin fold test, but it'll be better than those things normally are. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Options
    Like Lauryn, I was eatin only 1200 plus exercise cals... Hit a plateau, raised them to 1420 plus exercise and started to lose weight again.
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
    Options
    That is so great!!! Doesn't it feel awesome to eat more and lose more?
    If you're looking to put on muscle mass, eat at maintenance or about 100 calories above. There are only 1800 calories in one lb of muscle as opposed to the 3500 in one lb of fat, so it doesn't take a lot to build one, but it's improbable that you'd be able to do it in a true 500 calorie deficit.
    To make your scale more accurate, make sure you drink exactly the same amount of water before you weigh...so if you always drink a cup of water an then weigh, do that, but don't start something new. Also, do it before working out, and it's best if you didn't work out the day before. Make sure your skin is dry and you're standing on the same area of the scale. Don't measure your BF when you're menstruating or the few days before.
    Your scale still won't be as accurate as a well-done skin fold test, but it'll be better than those things normally are. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Hi, songbyrdsweet.

    I love your ratty! We have five of them in our house, and they are so sweet and fun.

    I'm going to be zig-zagging my calories, eating at loss levels (20% below maintenance) for three days and then maintenance for one day, and so on, and see how that goes. You can't really take off fat and put on muscle at the same time, so you need to zig zag between the two goals, which helps keep your metabolism guessing, too. I'm speaking entirely from theory right now because I'm just getting started with this plan, but it's going to be fun to see what happens!

    It sounds like you've had some success, so I'll remember you as a person with experience if I have any questions! :laugh: Do you know a good source for body-fat calipers?
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Options
    That is so great!!! Doesn't it feel awesome to eat more and lose more?
    If you're looking to put on muscle mass, eat at maintenance or about 100 calories above. There are only 1800 calories in one lb of muscle as opposed to the 3500 in one lb of fat, so it doesn't take a lot to build one, but it's improbable that you'd be able to do it in a true 500 calorie deficit.
    To make your scale more accurate, make sure you drink exactly the same amount of water before you weigh...so if you always drink a cup of water an then weigh, do that, but don't start something new. Also, do it before working out, and it's best if you didn't work out the day before. Make sure your skin is dry and you're standing on the same area of the scale. Don't measure your BF when you're menstruating or the few days before.
    Your scale still won't be as accurate as a well-done skin fold test, but it'll be better than those things normally are. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Hi, songbyrdsweet.

    I love your ratty! We have five of them in our house, and they are so sweet and fun.

    I'm going to be zig-zagging my calories, eating at loss levels (20% below maintenance) for three days and then maintenance for one day, and so on, and see how that goes. You can't really take off fat and put on muscle at the same time, so you need to zig zag between the two goals, which helps keep your metabolism guessing, too. I'm speaking entirely from theory right now because I'm just getting started with this plan, but it's going to be fun to see what happens!

    It sounds like you've had some success, so I'll remember you as a person with experience if I have any questions! :laugh: Do you know a good source for body-fat calipers?

    Thank you! I just got a new baby dumbo rex. He is my little snugglybutt and looooooves to sit on my shoulder and fall asleep in my lap and groom my hands...haha I'm in love :smooched:

    Zig-zagging is a great idea. I'd even add a day or two of 50-100 extra calories (of clean stuff of course).

    You can get calipers on line. The problem is that the good ones are EXPENSIVE (~$100-300) and if you don't know anyone trained to take skinfolds, you might as well just be using your fingers. It's usually cheaper to just meet with a personal trainer for a day and have him assess you. Fitness assessments can be fun and challenging, so you might want to make a whole session out of it.
  • dolphin7
    dolphin7 Posts: 192 Member
    Options
    Okay after reading through everyone's responses, I think I'm going to try upping my calories. I've been at a plateau since Halloween, have not budged from 165, I do feel my clothes are fitting a bit better, but I too am wondering if my 1260 calories are just not enough, so I am going to go up to 1400 a day for a couple of weeks and see if I can get past this hump. I feel like I have been working my butt off exercising since the plateau started. I wish everyone luck, and congrats to the one's who figured it out :drinker:
  • may_marie
    may_marie Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    songbyrd, can you give us more info on how to calculate your bodyfat % with your fingers ??
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    Options
    Like Lauryn, I was eatin only 1200 plus exercise cals... Hit a plateau, raised them to 1420 plus exercise and started to lose weight again.

    Oh thank you Carrie... motivation to eat more! :laugh:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Options
    songbyrd, can you give us more info on how to calculate your bodyfat % with your fingers ??

    Hehe...no my dear...I was just joking! It's not actually possible. :flowerforyou:
  • Carrie6o6
    Carrie6o6 Posts: 1,443 Member
    Options
    Like Lauryn, I was eatin only 1200 plus exercise cals... Hit a plateau, raised them to 1420 plus exercise and started to lose weight again.

    Oh thank you Carrie... motivation to eat more! :laugh:

    1200 cals is just so ridiculous I think. 1400 makes me actually feel like im getting enough and am not hungry all the time. Eating more is awesome especially if you love food hahaha

Categories