Does anyone else get scared to go above a certain caloric in

Ruchgupt

I know it's healthier and in fact more helpful for weight loss to eat more, and eat more often, just in moderation and the right foods. It's just I've spent the better part of the year looking at the bottom line and associating food to caloric values, so now that this approach is not working as well (I've plateau'ed, predictably) and I need to rev my engines back up, which means changing food habits, I am getting scared. I think about going over 1200 calories and I freeze up! I am CONVINCED that even if I eat healthier and small portions, I will go over 1200 calories so much that I will not lose!

How do people get over this fear? Just dive in and do it? Start small? Exercise more? Would love input, and a kick in the butt!

mugsisme

I am maintaining. I moved from 1200 to 1400 calories, and saw I was still losing some weight. So I bumped it up to 1600. For me, that works perfectly. I don't gain and I don't lose.

There is a tool here that tells you what your base line rate is. (It said I only need 1100 calories a day ... yeah, right!) It's worth a shot. You can also google such tools to try and figure out how many calories you need a day based on your height/weight/level of activity, etc. I found that one to be much more accurate. (It came very close to the 1600 for me.)

simoriah_angel

Yes, I am scared. I know that "cheat" meals are necessary but....damn. I just can't. I feel guilty.

cjpg

My only advice here is that to be conscious about eating and aware and mindful of sticking to your limits is one thing, but don't be AFRAID of going over! Although fear IS a motivator, it adds undue stress to your days.

I average out at about 1600 calories a day too like the PP said and I've seen a loss of 1kg a week consistently. But sure there have been days when I'm stretched that over, and other days where i've been well below.

Just know that every day will not be the same and this is a lifestyle change. Don't be afraid to change your lifestyle, embrace it.

Smansfield1

What are your net calories for the day? Are you trying to eat only 1200kcals and exercise or are you netting 1200? You need to be eating some if not all your exercise calories back. Your body needs that fuel. If you are only eating 1200 and exercising then your body is going into starvation mode and your metabolism is slowing down, hence the plateau. So in a sense, yes eat more.

junyr

Just do it and see if it works. If it doesn't at least you know instead of worrying about if it will or won't work. The worst that happens is that it won't and you look for another option.

CaptainMFP

You just have to dive in...I understand the social messages that get us to think less is more in weight loss. Look at it with this simple analogy. Metabolism is like a fire that has to be fueled to burn at a high level. How can it burn if you don't stoke it adequately?

The other thing is to look at folks who've done it. In my case (and I'm a 6' male, so keep that in mind) I've grossed on average 2200 calories a day for the better part of nine months and am down nearly 60 lbs. in that time. I'm highly active BECAUSE I eat more to fuel my activity.

In the end, don't exercise to eat more; eat more to exercise better and lose more effectively. :flowerforyou:

(And not to be totally self-serving, but I blogged on this very subject today at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/scschenk/view/cap-s-5-tips-for-would-be-losers-203080.)

taso42

Do some reading on the subject. Let your logical mind override your emotional mind. Not that you should ever really be scared of food, but if you were going to, it might be healthier to be scared of undereating than to be scared of eating enough.

carissaharkins

Thank you for asking the question and also thanks to everyone that answered the question because I have the exact same problem

firesoforion

I have been, but then I plateaued anyway. So, I'm trying eating at what calculators say is my BMR. I haven't gained yet, anyway... We'll see!

christinalpg

You need a min. of 1200 or your metabalism slows down. I eat at least 1200 and more when I have the extra from exercise. You will never lose if you starve yourself because your more likely to cheat. Plus I believe stress contributes to a plateu.

chrisdavey

You know you can put on weight eating only "healthy" foods right?

Also, meal frequency is not important at all. Total daily intake is what matters most.

Do the calcs & work out what your TDEE is. Have a free day & eat somewhere around that number. It will probably serve you well physically & psychologically.

And don't weigh in the next day because unless you have gone WELL above your maintenance cals the increase will just be food in the gut & possible water weight from higher than normal sodium.

chrisdavey

You need a min. of 1200 or your metabalism slows down. I eat at least 1200 and more when I have the extra from exercise. You will never lose if you starve yourself because your more likely to cheat. Plus I believe stress contributes to a plateu.

Actually you're metabolism will slow down at any calorific deficit for a period of time. Hence why eating at maintenance for a day or 2 here and there is a good idea.

Pebble321

I think it is easy to get so hooked up on "calories as a bad thing and something to be avoided" when we are dieting, that we forget that food = calories = energy and if we don't get enough energy we die. So, calories are not something to be feared, they are something to be celebrated - good food means good energy to fuel all the things that we love to do every day.

If you are concerned about how the change will affect you, do it slowly - go up 100 cals one week and add another the next.
Don't panic if the scale goes up a bit - it may not be that you are eating too much, perhaps you just need more time to see the effect.

Meggles63

I have steadily been increasing my cals and it's freaking me out....up to 2150 now..and I'm maintaining pretty much. Figured my TDEE on several sites, and it ranged from 1800 to 2400 ????? Just keep tweaking until it works for you.

harrydresden

I'm scared of going over 1000 calories, but I've suffered from Anorexia: Binge/Purge Sub-Type for a long time, and I'm struggling with that. It's very hard to deal with, especially being a boy, as people just don't talk about boys having EDs. I literally cannot, cannot stand to see over 999 calories logged. But, everything gets better with time, and it used to be I couldn't stand to go over 700, so there's improvement, right there.

Ruchgupt

Thanks so much everyone for your varying replies and support, indirect and direct. @chrisdavey, absolutely, I know that even only eating healthy foods can make you gain if you eat too much...I think that's the worry I have about striking a balance. How do I be mindful of total intake while at the same time, looking at food as fuel and not as calorie vehicles? Or, as another poster said, not looking at calories as negative things, or just numbers to be counted.

It's totally clearer to me now more than ever that food has become this emotional placeholder for so may people, myself included! Maybe I need to get a hobby :P