Increasing Calories - What to expect & why you need patience...
Options
Replies
-
I started my weight loss journey about two years ago and the first year lost about 30 lbs. I wasn't really focusing too much on calorie intake, was just trying to eat better and incorporate exercise. About April/May of 2011 I got more serious about running and nutrition and was limiting my calories to about 1600-1800 per day with exercise. I lost another 5lbs and then started training for a half marathon. I noticed that once I started hitting long runs of 7-8 miles and up, my weight loss completely stopped. I don't believe I was fueling properly. In January of this year I had a New Leaf Metabolic assessment done. It stated my RMR was 1588 and my total daily caloric needs were 2064. From January up until a week ago I ate 2064-500+exercise=2100-2400 calories per day deepening on calories burned with exercise. If I do my calcs for the TDEE it is 2,513, BMR is 1627, TDEE-15% is 2136. This seems to be right inline with what I have been doing since January with no results, I've only fluctuated up and down a few lbs. About 3-4 days ago I began eating at TDEE (2513) thinking I should reset my metabolism.
Here are my stats:
189 (was 186 pretty consistently since January until I upped my calories a couple days ago, 190 after I completed my 1/2 marathon in October)
5'7"
35 yrs old
Work out 5 days/wk (M-Run, Tues-lift, Wed-spin, Th-weights w/ trainer and cardio HIIT, Friday swim, weekends generally off)
Any help or suggestions would be great!!!
You def weren't eating enough for the half marathon.
Are you doing 5hrs of exercise a week? Then you are moderate over 5 hours go up to the next level.
TDEE at mod will be about cut at next level up.... think it is a good idea for you to eat the moderate tdee. Give yourself 8 wks on that then cut 10% to see if you start losing.
Thank you, I'll eat at moderate TDEE (2513) for the next 8 weeks and see how it goes. Thanks!
One other question, on NON exercise days should I be eating sedentary TDEE?0 -
One other question, on NON exercise days should I be eating sedentary TDEE?
Just eat the same amount daily. TDEE spreads exercise cals out over the entire week, so no need to take the cals up or down depending on activity. Consistency is the most important thing when you first start.
0 -
thanks for this thread / the OP.
I am trying to make the mental switch to eat more and its hard, so I am starting small (have increased to 1300 this week and aim to eat my exercise calories) and then will build up each week until I get to 1500 / 1600 when I am at goal weight (plus extra exercise cals) - it make so much sense, but the quick low losses are easy - and as you say come back on just as quick!0 -
One other question, on NON exercise days should I be eating sedentary TDEE?
Just eat the same amount daily. TDEE spreads exercise cals out over the entire week, so no need to take the cals up or down depending on activity. Consistency is the most important thing when you first start.
Again, thank you!
0 -
bump0
-
Hey all,
I have a BMF and it's giving me burns of around 2700 per day. That seems pretty high but that's what it says. Any advice on whether I can lose with a small deficit?
It doesn't seem feasible that I could lose eating 2200-2300 per day because that's what I've been maintaining on (and before this month when I did a metabolism reset, that made me GAIN), but I have several friends of similar height/weight who say they can lose on 2200 calories.
Any input?
CW 139
Height: 5'5"
You should lose on 2400 cals, that is a good small def.
Thanks for the input. I only want to lose about 10, so I'll see how it goes. Smaller deficits seem to work better for less weight to lose.
Most people seem incredulous when I tell them I burn that much. They seem to think I'm
a) a bodybuilder
b) overestimating/insane
c) a construction worker
Lol...its the weights!! Today it's at 2883! yow.0 -
This is not the first time posting on this thread for me. I had been on a 4 week metabolism reset of 2200 net calories. Then I lowered by 15%. And I started losing. I gained a bit at the 2200 net calories and then settled down and maintained for the next 3 weeks. Before I got to 2200 net calories I upped my calories twice each time gaining a bit then settling down before I went up to 2200 net calories. I am now 3 weeks into the cut. On the 2nd week I started to gain and have continued to gain so that I am at my high for this past 12 months. Several things have changed since I was on my reset and when I started losing. I had a knee injury recently so at the last 2 weeks of my reset my exercise had fallen off. I didn't want to up my exercise when 1st lowering my calories so I only exercised lightly that week. Since then I have been exercising more regularly but am limited still by my knee. So no running or lower body weights and limited walking since more than 30 minutes seems to cause a flare in my knee problem.
I understand that you can gain when exercising more at first but will eventually lose or settle down again. I am not sure how long eventually is for this. I am concerned I am overestimating my calorie burn as well. Also the first week of the cut I was not as successful at always eating all of my calorie goal and exercise calories and the last 2 weeks I have been closer to eating up to my calorie goal and exercise calories. So I am definitely eating more calories than I was the week I started to lose but less than when I was on my reset and was maintaining. My first thought was to up my calorie goal slightly but to not eat all my exercise calories back. My second was to decrease my calories slightly and again not eat all execise calories back. I am sure some tools such at an HRM and something that measures my over all activity levels (fitbit, BMF) would help but I have been unemployed and just recently my unemployment benefits ended so that is not going to happen. I I am committed to keeping my calories above my BMR 1686 to 1700+ depending on the calcuator but really not sure how to find the right spot for now. I still have my lower days and my higher days but there are less of the lower days recently. However I have not only upped my exercise but have been more active generally as well. I am eating less net calories than I have for the last month or two and am gaining. I stayed the course for 2 weeks and would continue if I was just not losing but seem to be gaining. I am now hovering at my high of the past year after getting down to my low. When you aren't eating enough you keep losing and gaining the same 5 pounds. Even when I upped my calories I only gained a bit and then it settled down but now I am steadily gaining and it isn't settling down. I am assuming my TDEE is above 2200 calories since I maintained at that plus eating back exercise calories.
With the knee injury I may have slightly gained in inches but measured last week and have started to lose a bit in inches with the exercise. (a half an inch in my waist and a half an inch in my bra line (just under my bust).0 -
Hi, y'all...
I just joined this group and hoping to get a little direction. According to scoobyworkshop, my BMR is 1262 and my TDEE is 1957. I have a desk job, but I also lift weights 3x a week and either run or do some bike riding 2-3x a week, so I used the moderate level. Ideally, I would like to gain muscle, lose fat, but is that even possible? If I choose that setting, my calories stay at 1957. If I choose the 15% deficit, I get 1663. Is this correct?
My stats are:
CW - 135
GW - 118-120
Height - 4'10.5"
Age - 53
Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks! 0 -
Hi, y'all...
I just joined this group and hoping to get a little direction. According to scoobyworkshop, my BMR is 1262 and my TDEE is 1957. I have a desk job, but I also lift weights 3x a week and either run or do some bike riding 2-3x a week, so I used the moderate level. Ideally, I would like to gain muscle, lose fat, but is that even possible? If I choose that setting, my calories stay at 1957. If I choose the 15% deficit, I get 1663. Is this correct?
My stats are:
CW - 135
GW - 118-120
Height - 4'10.5"
Age - 53
Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks!
To continue to lose weight, yes you would eat your cut value, but honestly if your goal is to lose fat and try to gain some muscle mass, then you may want to try eating your TDEE and lifting heavy. I have a few pounds to go and decided to stop cutting and start eating maintenance calories. Not quite mentally ready for the bulking phase, but I believe that if we eat enough protein, and maintenance calories we may be able to gain a little bit of lean mass while losing fat. So, I am going for it because lean muscle mass burns up fat!0 -
Thanks for this. It's my first day using this method so I will be sure to come back to this is I start to waiver.0
-
Totally needed this post! I've been upping my calories for about 4/5 days of the week to slightly short of my would-be maintenance level (in other words, I've gone over by 250-300 some days). I've started to see gains on the scale, even after a day of hitting my calorie goal, so what you said makes sense, my body probably think's I'm 'crying wolf'. I toyed with the idea of giving up increasing them and simply go back to trying my hardest to keep my calories under a net of 1220, which is really difficult on rest days! After reading your post, I'm tempted to forget the scales altogether for an entire month and just listen to my body and tape measure (I've just re-measured myself).
I'm 9lbs away goal weight (the top end of a healthy BMI), and I'm already in the size I always thought was my happy size (UK 12). So really, it won't matter if I don't reach my actual goal before my holiday, I'm getting more body confident with every trip to the gym and pool and it's my health that's priority.
Thanks again for your post. Fantastic timing.1 -
Hi, y'all...
I just joined this group and hoping to get a little direction. According to scoobyworkshop, my BMR is 1262 and my TDEE is 1957. I have a desk job, but I also lift weights 3x a week and either run or do some bike riding 2-3x a week, so I used the moderate level. Ideally, I would like to gain muscle, lose fat, but is that even possible? If I choose that setting, my calories stay at 1957. If I choose the 15% deficit, I get 1663. Is this correct?
My stats are:
CW - 135
GW - 118-120
Height - 4'10.5"
Age - 53
Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks!
..... if we eat enough protein, and maintenance calories we may be able to gain a little bit of lean mass while losing fat. So, I am going for it because lean muscle mass burns up fat!
That is exactly what I want to do! I'm not so much concerned with losing weight as I am with losing fat. I try to get in 1 gram of protein per pound, but have been confused by this. I've read that we should consume 1 gram of protein per pound of LBM and I've read 1 gram of protein per pound. Any idea of which is best way to go? Either way, I'll work my way up to eating TDEE. I would imagine that as I work my way up to eating at maintenance, I will manage to lose a little weight in the process. Thanks for your help!0 -
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!0
-
That is exactly what I want to do! I'm not so much concerned with losing weight as I am with losing fat. I try to get in 1 gram of protein per pound, but have been confused by this. I've read that we should consume 1 gram of protein per pound of LBM and I've read 1 gram of protein per pound. Any idea of which is best way to go? Either way, I'll work my way up to eating TDEE. I would imagine that as I work my way up to eating at maintenance, I will manage to lose a little weight in the process. Thanks for your help!
It's typically recommended per lb of bodyweight. But if you shoot for that and land somewhere in between the two, you'll be fine. Check your MFP macro pie chart daily and just make sure that you're keeping it well balanced. Keep fats moderate, and it's ok for carbs to be slightly higher than protein, but just watch for an obvious imbalance, or piece of the "pie" being too large on a regular basis (like 70% carb, 10% protein, and 20% fat, or some other extreme)
~Kiki0 -
thank you! needed to read this0
-
I am new to group-or new to posting in group;-) I am so confused about the numbers! I have always ate even while losing-1600-2000 cals-love to eat(never starve). I saw the post this am about eating more on boards. I agree you need food. But I did the calculation at fitfrog and was shocked, I eat more than I am supposed too. Unless I am doing it wrong.
If you would be so kind to look at #'s.
info-Lift heavy 2-3x week
cardio 2x hit or mainly biking or something I enjoy to get my heartrate up.Not a fan cardio. All other days, walk dog,garden etc
47 age
5'3
115-117 weight-maintaining for a year-don't want to lose weight,just fat and gain muscle. The scale # is not that important to me, more muscle and strength.
TDEE 1911 - 15%=1624 I eat more now,this part is confusing?
BMR 1233
Any input on this would be helpful? If this is correct I need to eat less;-) or calculate better:-)
Thanks kindly in advance, What a great source of info this group provides!0 -
That is exactly what I want to do! I'm not so much concerned with losing weight as I am with losing fat. I try to get in 1 gram of protein per pound, but have been confused by this. I've read that we should consume 1 gram of protein per pound of LBM and I've read 1 gram of protein per pound. Any idea of which is best way to go? Either way, I'll work my way up to eating TDEE. I would imagine that as I work my way up to eating at maintenance, I will manage to lose a little weight in the process. Thanks for your help!
It's typically recommended per lb of bodyweight. But if you shoot for that and land somewhere in between the two, you'll be fine. Check your MFP macro pie chart daily and just make sure that you're keeping it well balanced. Keep fats moderate, and it's ok for carbs to be slightly higher than protein, but just watch for an obvious imbalance, or piece of the "pie" being too large on a regular basis (like 70% carb, 10% protein, and 20% fat, or some other extreme)
~Kiki
I have macros set at 40/30/30 (carbs 165; fats 55; protein 124) and usually stay pretty close to that. Some days I do end up with higher protein and lower carb, fortunately.
Pie chart? Where do I find that? Thanks.0 -
I'm so excited about this!! It all makes really good sense but can you just help with the details please?
I'm:
5'3"
168 lbs (on the way down again after losing a lot and putting a lot back on then - strict 1200 diet at times!)
age 46 years
BMR 1460
TDEE -
1750- little no exercise/desk job so -15% = 1485
2000 - light (1-3 days/week) -15% = 1700
2260 moderate (3-5 days/week) -15% = 1920
My problem is I'm not sure what activity level to go for! I usually walk the dogs at good speed for about 40 mins at least 3 or 4 times a week and - would that make me 'light exercise' so TDEE minus 15% makes 1700? And if add 1 or 2 sessions of aquafit/aerobics/weights a week too would that make it 'moderate' at 1920 after cut - this additional activity won't be for a while as I'm recuperating from an operation at the moment so to know both scenarios would really help.)
That seems like a very high total amount of calories to me but if it's right then I most definitely will stick to it - love the thought of not being ravenously hungry anymore!
with many many thanks Campervangirl0 -
I'm so excited about this!! It all makes really good sense but can you just help with the details please?
I'm:
5'3"
168 lbs (on the way down again after losing a lot and putting a lot back on then - strict 1200 diet at times!)
age 46 years
BMR 1460
TDEE -
1750- little no exercise/desk job so -15% = 1485
2000 - light (1-3 days/week) -15% = 1700
2260 moderate (3-5 days/week) -15% = 1920
My problem is I'm not sure what activity level to go for! I usually walk the dogs at good speed for about 40 mins at least 3 or 4 times a week and - would that make me 'light exercise' so TDEE minus 15% makes 1700? And if add 1 or 2 sessions of aquafit/aerobics/weights a week too would that make it 'moderate' at 1920 after cut - this additional activity won't be for a while as I'm recuperating from an operation at the moment so to know both scenarios would really help.)
That seems like a very high total amount of calories to me but if it's right then I most definitely will stick to it - love the thought of not being ravenously hungry anymore!
with many many thanks Campervangirl
Go with the light cut until you are able to start the add'l exercise. Eat it consistently every single day:flowerforyou:0 -
VeRy well said kiki. Thank u for posting0
