adjust calories AGAIN???!

forest0spirit555

Hi everyone. Ok so here's my problem, I started off with MFP doing the 1200 calorie deficit and lost a bunch of weight. I began to plateau and was hungry all the time, although I didnt allow myself to eat. I then decided to change the calorie deficit to 1325 and start incorporating strength training. The incessant hunger stopped, i lost more weight, and inches.

Now, I know I have gained muscle, but the incessant hunger is back! Is this a sign my body needs more fuel because I now have more muscle mass? Should I consider raising calories AGAIN?!

Im not afraid to raise the calories, I'm just worried about slowing down the weight loss.

forest0spirit555

bump

forest0spirit555

bump...

KareninCanada

I would say yes. You're just 18 and your body is burning a lot more calories at rest than someone who is 48, for example. And especially so if you're strength training. Try bumping it up by 300-400/day for a couple of weeks and see what happens.

Good work so far! :flowerforyou:

forest0spirit555

-sigh- i really need some imput

bump..

AmyG1982

When you joined MFP and gave all your details for weight etc. how many calories did it say to have? have it set so you lose 1lb/wk and see what the calories are and try eating that. 1325 may be too low. also, eat your exercise cals back. Slow weight loss is the kind that will most likely stay lost, losing too fast you'll be more likely to gain it back.

forest0spirit555

I would say yes. You're just 18 and your body is burning a lot more calories at rest than someone who is 48, for example. And especially so if you're strength training. Try bumping it up by 300-400/day for a couple of weeks and see what happens.

Good work so far! :flowerforyou:

thanks so much. you make a very good point. I had never thought of it that way.

ChristieisReady

Yes. Try raising it another 250 or so calories for a couple of weeks. WORST case scenario, you gain half a pound. Also, it doesn't look like you're getting enough protein. You're currently at 14%.

When building muscle, you're supposed to shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of your weight.

I cheat and set it to 25-30%. Try to shoot for at LEAST 20% and see if the hunger problem goes away.

forest0spirit555

When you joined MFP and gave all your details for weight etc. how many calories did it say to have? have it set so you lose 1lb/wk and see what the calories are and try eating that. 1325 may be too low. also, eat your exercise cals back. Slow weight loss is the kind that will most likely stay lost, losing too fast you'll be more likely to gain it back.

See I am always afraid to eat exercise calories back. I know some people swear by it but I just dont know about myself

btdublin

Forest,

There will be better people out there with answers but I do agree, as you get closer to your goals you will slow down your weight loss - you need to aim for less lbs per week lost, possibly only 1 or 0.5lbs. This will mean a shallower calorie deficit.

Are those daily NET cals? Make sure you eat enough. How much exercise are you doing? If alot then you definitely need to up the calories.

Try changing your routines complete. More strength training if you were doing more cardio. Up the activity level but up the calories too (maybe to 2000 pd). Or try a spike day of 3000 cals once a week or a zig-zag between 1200-2000 cals over the week.

All worth a try for 2 weeks to break a plateau. I'd say mix up the training personally. And as you get closer to your goal you will have to train harder, its really very hard to do from diet alone. Highly recommend strength training or some sort of weights-cardio (ie body pump, P90x etc).

Good luck and more importantly well done for how far you have come!

forest0spirit555

Right now protein makes up for about 25% of my diet. I am a little educated with the idea that you need to quite literally "feed" your muscles. And yeah, 100 calories seems reasonable. May do that after my weigh in day to compare results from 1325 weeks to 1425 weeks.

NicolaNash

also look at what food you are eating. Can you build in snacks during the day so that you are eating frequently, such as a small snack in between meals to help with the hunger pangs?

tebu4

Have you tried cutting back on carbs? I really hate very low carb dieting, but I've also noticed that if my carbs get too HIGH, I'm starved all the time! Eat more vegetables, and add some fat and protein within your current calorie goal. If that's doesn't work, THEN up your calories. Good luck!

StarIsMoving

When this happened, my nutritionist told me that since I have been at it awhile, I have learned to hear my body when it needs something. If you are having hunger, then you have revved your metobolic rate more and need to increase calories. From the sounds, since you incorporated strength training, then your body is looking for more fuel for the muscles - we find our spot by increasing calories by 200 for a day... if after 4 days of doing that you still feel the hunger, go up by 100 increments from there. Be prepped, your weight loss IS going to slow as you approach closer to goal, but that is normal and OK... downright healthy. Be proud of how far you have come and I hope that helps...now and in the future.

forest0spirit555

Forest,

There will be better people out there with answers but I do agree, as you get closer to your goals you will slow down your weight loss - you need to aim for less lbs per week lost, possibly only 1 or 0.5lbs. This will mean a shallower calorie deficit.

Are those daily NET cals? Make sure you eat enough. How much exercise are you doing? If alot then you definitely need to up the calories.

Try changing your routines complete. More strength training if you were doing more cardio. Up the activity level but up the calories too (maybe to 2000 pd). Or try a spike day of 3000 cals once a week or a zig-zag between 1200-2000 cals over the week.

All worth a try for 2 weeks to break a plateau. I'd say mix up the training personally. And as you get closer to your goal you will have to train harder, its really very hard to do from diet alone. Highly recommend strength training or some sort of weights-cardio (ie body pump, P90x etc).

Good luck and more importantly well done for how far you have come!

Thank you. All your points make a lot of sense. The way things are right now I am relatively active (6000 steps a day on my pedometer), i eat really healthy low calorie food, and my weightloss has indeed slowed down. When i first started I was extremely active (running everyday) but now I have become more relaxed. 1325 used to be what I could eat and lose up to 2 pounds per week without any exercise at all. I have only just begun a strength training (3 times a week) and cardio routine (4-5 times per week). I am only 4 days into this. Typically my body reacts like lightening to any change in routine (first week with MFP i lost 5 lbs) so I know the strength training could already be affecting me and I may need to eat more to allow my body proper nutrition.

Also I usually have "left over calories" during the week, but I usually use these toward a binge day.

forest0spirit555

also look at what food you are eating. Can you build in snacks during the day so that you are eating frequently, such as a small snack in between meals to help with the hunger pangs?

I am also doing that too. Have 3 meals and 3 snacks daily

btdublin

Stick with the strength training - it will take longer to kick in than the cardio, especially when youve lost alot already.

GL.