Increasing Calories - What to expect & why you need patience...
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I live in Georgia, so kinda know about this fella and his research:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KGB/is_6_5/ai_n6110816/
http://www.oxygenmag.com/Community/Expert-Q-A/How-does-starvation-versus-eating-fewer-calories-affect-fat-loss.aspx
The second link addresses the 300 v. 500 calorie deficit~
The second link doesn't seem to have the article. Do you have another link to this article? I would love to read it. Thanks0 -
Soooo, still hanging out here and doing my EM2WL thing. Scale still stuck. Stayed at 1800 calories for a month or so, and since the little bit up wasn't coming back down, I thought I'd try a tiny cut. No changes. So should I stay at the cut for a while and see what happens, or do you think I cut too soon?0
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Soooo, still hanging out here and doing my EM2WL thing. Scale still stuck. Stayed at 1800 calories for a month or so, and since the little bit up wasn't coming back down, I thought I'd try a tiny cut. No changes. So should I stay at the cut for a while and see what happens, or do you think I cut too soon?
@tj0861
Is 1800 your estimated tdee?
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@saranharm, yes, it is.0
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bump to read later0
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I know it seems counter intuitive, but could be that you need to increase if you haven't found your true TDEE yet.
Try adding 50-100 calories (whichever you feel more comfortable with) and stay there for a month and see where you are then.
Ichel
EM2WL ambassador and moderator2 -
As Ichel said, Im guessing you arent at tdee yet and need to increase. One month is not really a lot of time to truly be in a reset and to know exactly where your number should be.
Kelly
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator0 -
So I should move back toward 1800 and get back in the holding pattern. Meanwhile, maybe I could begin to do some light work with weights?
One interesting thing I've seen is that my HAIR is starting to regrow. Not scalp hair, but the eyebrows that had thinned to nearly nothing are thickening back up (and, of course, the underarm hair, though I could do without THAT!!!). I'm taking that as a sign of healing!!!1 -
The comments are that 1800 was not truly your potential TDEE - so you did no reset. You ate at suppressed TDEE.
And while you'd think a deficit would mean some weight loss that entire time - not if your body suppressed your daily burn by making you move less and workout weaker.
When you lowered calories, your body just slowed down your daily burn to match because of under stress.
Now - if measurements went down slightly during reset and slight deficit from potential times, it could be you lost some fat while your body increased stress water weight - which just proves out body is still stressed out.0 -
@tj0861
Yes the hair growing back is a really good sign! That's great! Your body is happier already.
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and moderator0 -
TerezaToledo wrote: »@ibtmas, how's the calorie increase working for you?
@perk1960 how about you?
This journey needs patience and takes time for sure, but it's very rewarding. It's not a quick fix but it means not spinning wheels again and achieving ongoing results for life. Check the EM2WL site (www.eatmore2weighless.com) for support, inspiration and answers related to this journey. Also keep an eye on the Periscope live videos broadcast links that we have been posting on the forums.
Thanx for your concern! Was bit busy lately but stayed consistent on my strength workouts. I've stepped on 1600-1700 cals since last week but hav not seen much significant changes yet. After almost 20 to 25 days 1/2 inches go down but are back after few days. Weight has been stuck at 4lbs gain.i'm doing 4 strength workouts 40-45 mins alternating upper/ lower body using 8/10/20 lb weights and reps are 8/10/12 wherever feel challanging. One day is Hiit. I'm a mom at home with three kids and sometimes the workload exhausts me up. Somedays I feel feeble training hard while doing strength although i'm increasing my cals and some days are so overwhelming that i want to over do it. What are these energy burts?i'm trusting the process and sticking to it. U guys r amazingly helpfull!0 -
@ibtmas Great update. Trusting the process is the best path but I know not always the easiest. Being a mom at home with 3 kids is a workout every day by itself! Hope you are able to find some down time for yourself.
Love your profile pic!
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and moderator1 -
Good to hear back from you and that you are having such a positive attitude, @intmas!
The truth is that with 3 kids and working out, you are still below your TDEE with 1600-1700 calories. Energy burts are amazing, you do need those to keep up with life.
Eats g more can be hard, physically and mentally. Keep increasing slowly, be consistent with your intake and workouts, you are doing an excellent job!
Tereza
Team EM2WL1 -
Two weeks ago I increased from 1400 to 2000 daily and woke up yesterday with 2 lb loss. And another 1 lb today! Never going back.2
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rissaroo689 wrote: »Two weeks ago I increased from 1400 to 2000 daily and woke up yesterday with 2 lb loss. And another 1 lb today! Never going back.
That's awesome @rissaroo689
That's not what happened to me, which is a bummer (lol)- but life is still enjoyable with more food and more energy!0 -
rissaroo689 wrote: »Two weeks ago I increased from 1400 to 2000 daily and woke up yesterday with 2 lb loss. And another 1 lb today! Never going back.
Woo hoo! That's awesome! Body loves food. Can I quote this please @rissaroo689 ? It's just too good not to share!
Ichel
EM2WL ambassador and moderator0 -
by all means!
thanks for starting this group!0 -
rissaroo689 wrote: »by all means!
thanks for starting this group!
Thank you!0 -
Ok. Another question. Should i do a cardio or Hiit session once/twice a week while i'm increasing calories(doing a metabolic reset )or just stick with strength?0
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It's definitely up to you, how much time you have and what do you like to do.
Cardio is not mandatory, but can be very helpful to manage stress and loosen up the body after a lifting day. For fat loss, a short HIIT session could be added in the end of your lifting session, once or twice a week (for a few weeks only). Some light steady cardio can be done in the days in between lifting.
Just make sure if you add more exercise to also add more calories to support it. Listen to your body and make sure you take breaks to rest and recover.
This is a great article on how much cardio for fat loss: http://eatmore2weighless.com/how-much-cardio-for-fat-loss/
Tereza
Team EM2WL1 -
Yes, I think it's more of a question of 'would you like to' rather than 'should' you
It's not necessary at all for fat loss, but if that is your thing and you love it, go ahead! As long as you remember to add that increase in calorie expenditure and revise your TDEE.
Sometimes people have such a hard time getting the calories up to TDEE on a reset that it's counter productive to add in cardio = more calories.
Strength training should always be priority, then a sprinkling of cardio IF you like or feel like it.
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and moderator0 -
Yes. I was a cardio woman but since i've started strength i've started loving it and would love to avoid cardio as much as possible coz i'm already moving around at home with kids and households. Also i would love to lower my workouts so as to find my TDEE as low as possible1
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Hey, gang ... Welcome to November (at last). Just checking in; up to 2100, and the scale climbed a couple pounds and has stayed there for 10 days. I'm giving 2100 another week, and if it continues to climb, or stays the same, I'm gonna drop back to 2050 and see if it remains stable there. If it does, then I'm guessing that might just be the TDEE I need to know in order to get this reset started.0
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Hey @tj0861
What do the calculators give you as an estimate for your TDEE?
Usually when we think about dropping calories is exactly when we should be adding.
Ichel
EM2WL ambassador and moderator0 -
@empressichel, the calculators actually estimated in the 1800-1850 range. The scale has jumped another pound up since I posted on Tuesday, so I'm thinking I may have hit TDEE at 2000-2100 for now, until I can get into a proper lifting program. I have a rotator cuff injury, and a very cranky left hip and knee, so that's kind of scary for me, but I've made an appointment with a trainer to at least find me a starting point. I HATE cardio, so lifting is going to be my saving grace.0
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Always do the math if you think the weight gain is a result of truly eating more than you burn and therefore fat gain.
LBs gained x 3500 / days it took = calories eaten over maintenance (TDEE)
So you weighed today and Tue, and gained 1 lb, in 2 days.
1 x 3500 / 2 = 1750
So - did you really eat 1750 calories OVER maintenance level calories for 2 days for that to be fat gain?
That would mean if 1800 happened to be true dead on TDEE - you ate 3550 calories on Tue and Wed.
And obviously that's not true.
If you think 1800 is true and you ate 2050, that's only a 250 surplus - that would take 2 weeks of doing that every single day to SLOWLY gain 1 lb. (and not the 2 weeks of the month where you know full well you gain water weight).
So please don't use your numbers as anything meaningful.
Fat is not fast, lost or gained.
Water weight is.
And remember that if you are going to start a very different exercise program now with trainer - your TDEE changes.1 -
That's great that you're going to meet with a trainer!
Let us know how that goes!
A new lifting routine will transform your body and mind and will give you extra calories to play with too.
Strength training is more important for fat loss than cardio.
As we say, weights to transform, cardio for fun.
Can't wait to hear how you get on.
Ichel
EM2WL ambassador and moderator2 -
I am looking for input. I just recently reached my goal weight of 140lbs. I increased my calorie intake from 1,100 to 1,400. I also got a labourer job with a lot of heavy lifting and walking. My concern is that I have gained 4lbs in one week. Should I change something or wait?0
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Water weight.
You literally can't discern anything from weight without having totally valid logins with a full 30 days between, to act upon what you see.
If you don't know all the expected reasons for water weight fluctuations - then you won't even know what valid days are.
Because of this you can't have a goal weight number - or you'll drive yourself batty seeing it go up and down.
You need a range - and a waist measurement - which is usually first place fat is put.
If weight goes up past range and so does measurement, and no other expected reasons for it - then something to act on.1
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