Who has increased their calories with success?

1Corinthians13

I run 3-5 times a week, and I do weight training (though not a lot...just enough to keep tone) also 3-5 times a week. I have a small frame, and I did drop down to 109 just after I found out about my husband's affair. Once I started eating again and eating right, I actually kept my weight between 110 and 113. Now spent a weekend eating NY bagels and pizza, I'm at 115 exactly today. I'm trying to decide how I want to go about getting back down to 110.

If it was just a weekend, it's water weight from processed foods and it will come off as fast as it went on as soon as you clean up your diet again. You'll get there.

Thanks, I hope so! I've been drinking sooooo much water today, (I've also been really thirsty, so that helps! haha), hoping to get rid of the water weight (hoping that's all it is!!!)

Phoenixflame

I keep sticking my toe in the water, then get scared and hop away. I get really worried that the food I eat in the cafeteria contains way more calories than I think it does.

I set myself at 1350, but I have problems eat that much. I'm 5'4" and weigh around 140. I do 45-minute spin classes 3-4 times a week, and do a mix of elliptical, moderate treadmill (working on that!), and stairmaster 2-3 times a week. I do strength training 3 x a week.

Should I up my calories? If so, to what amount?

I really want to increase my metabolism, because I'm pretty sure I've slowed it down. Like, it's difficult for me to feel hungry, and I get full really easily. I've started doing that Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle concept of 5 meals a day. But then that little voice will go "C'mon, you're not hungry because you ate too much, stop looking for an excuse."

Does anyone have any experiences similar to this? What was the outcome? Please, I need some advice.

songbyrdsweet

I'm eating about 1900 calories a day and my evening weight has dropped almost 2 lbs this week. My morning weight is wobbling. Part of the problem is that my GI problems are returning and my prescription causes some discomfort so I'm not taking it as regularly as I should, so I'm not as regular as I should be. :grumble: I have an appt. with my GE in March so hopefully he can prescribe something better.

songbyrdsweet

I keep sticking my toe in the water, then get scared and hop away. I get really worried that the food I eat in the cafeteria contains way more calories than I think it does.

I set myself at 1350, but I have problems eat that much. I'm 5'4" and weigh around 140. I do 45-minute spin classes 3-4 times a week, and do a mix of elliptical, moderate treadmill (working on that!), and stairmaster 2-3 times a week. I do strength training 3 x a week.

Should I up my calories? If so, to what amount?

I really want to increase my metabolism, because I'm pretty sure I've slowed it down. Like, it's difficult for me to feel hungry, and I get full really easily. I've started doing that Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle concept of 5 meals a day. But then that little voice will go "C'mon, you're not hungry because you ate too much, stop looking for an excuse."

Does anyone have any experiences similar to this? What was the outcome? Please, I need some advice.

How long have you been in a caloric deficit?

I have been in and out (but mostly in) a caloric deficit for a couple years. My body has changed in ways I'd never imagined. There is absolutely nothing wrong with increasing your calories for a while. Give your body a break, gain some lean muscle mass, make it easier to lose fat when you come back. As a result of doing this really slowly, I have gained muscle mass, lost fat, and changed the actual shape of my body. I used to be really bottom-heavy, my stomach stuck out more than my chest, and my shoulders sloped downward because I had atrophied delts and a weak back. I have lost about 20 lbs and somewhere between 10-15% of my body fat. In the past year I actually gained weight and lost body fat.

If it's not working, there's not reason to keep doing it, ya know?

Phoenixflame

Ehh...over Christmas Break (about a month) I was eating pretty badly under (consuming around 1000-1100 a day). Not on purpose! I was either run-everywhere-busy or bored and housebound, and stopped being conscious of it. However, I've been eating in the range of 1200 since uh...September? That's when I started actively counting what I ate. I'd been making changes before that, but never bothered to count.

My goal is definitely to gain lean muscle and decrease body fat. Yeah, I've lost quite a few pounds, but I still look soft and jiggly. Even though my vitals have all improved, my body fat percentage is too high. I'd love to get it under 20%.

What would you recommend?