Nervous about increasing calories, help!

Jen8np

So I had been around 1250 and ate back some of my exercise calories. I got to a point this past week where I was so tired and fatigued it was hard to get out of bed let alone workout. From what I researched it said to up my calories to compensate for the hard workouts. I see more muscle definition and I increased to 1500 a day before eating workout cals. I feel a million times better with energy again. But today the scale went up
I assume this can happen...I need advice from anyone who has been there and how long until I will start to lose again? Any other thoughts are appreciated!

MissTattoo

Don't pay attention to the numbers on the scale. You said yourself that you feel better, you see more muscle definition, etc.

KPainter70

Stop weighing yourself for two weeks. That's about the time it takes for a change to occur. Giving yourself a mental break from the scale will be good for you, too.

Alpine005

No surprise, but give it a couple of weeks and you'll start losing again. Think long term and stay off the scale for a week or two.

yeremeyeva

I think increasing your calories to where they should be is the best way to lose weight. I am not exactly sure how long it will take you to start dropping pounds, but I am sure it will happen. I have not been on this forum for very long but the number 1 advice that people get when they are not losing weight is to up your calories. I think it's probably one of the hardest thing for people on 1200 calories to do. It's so counterintuitive. But I have never seen a post "eating 1700-1800 calories and not losing". they are always "eating 900-1200 calories and not losing". So I would say you are definitely on the right track. You need to at least eat your BMR. And I doubt your BMR is 1250 unless you are super short or skinny. You can choce to eat your exercise calories back if you want, but that's just whatever works best for you. And like the person above me said - don't base your decisions off the scale if you see other progress. It's one thing if you didn't see any change and just gained, but it's totally different if you feel better, see more definition. The scale will catch up! Don't worry!

MoooveOverFluffy

it'll take a couple weeks for your body to adjust...........stick with it, just choose good foods with your extra calories!

FitMama2013

it took me a month before I saw the scale go down after increasing my calories significantly (from 1,600 to about 3,000). I saw a 3-4 pound "gain" at first - but I knew that it was my body adjusting to more food, etc. I agree with the others - if you can avoid the scale and focus more on measurements and photos, I think you will really be much happier and less crazy while you let your body adjust! You are doing the right thing by eating more and listening to your body, so kudos to you

MistressOfHate

I just went through this. I was nervous as well. I upped mine to 1514 net. I used the fit2fat radio calculators and set my calories to the average of sedentary/lightly active. I eat all exercise calories and I've even gone over a few days. The scale went up one pound and did not move for two weeks. This morning I'm down 4 pounds, I look pretty good and I feel fantastic.

tbellamy1

I am starting to increase my calorie intake also and I was warned that I would gain about 3 lbs of water the first few days. So I will not weight myself for 2 weeks. As long as you are seeing more muscle definition I wouldnt worry about the scale. You are dropping inches and to me thats way better than the # on the scale. KEEP PUSHING!

magerum

I don't know if this will help, but here's what my journey has looked like. Maybe it will make you feel better...

For 7 months I ate 1200 - 1300 calories a day - Massive weight loss.

Adjusted up to1600 - 1800 a day for 3 weeks - was still loosing ~2 lbs a week

Adjusted up to 2000 - 2200 a day for a month - still loosing ~2 lbs a week

Adjusted up to 2300 - 2500 a day for a month - loosing 1 lbs a week after a 2 week "stall"

Adjusted up to 2500 - 2700 a day for the last three weeks - still loosing about 1 lb a week after a 2 1/2 week "stall"

Don't be afraid of the calories. Adjust up a little, give it a couple weeks and see what happens. I "gained" 1 - 2 lbs the first week of each adjustment, but them started blasting through it.

Eat more to lose more, awesome concept. I can now, because of my LBM and exercise levels eat as much or more than I used to if I wanted.

-M

Barribomb

i think i might need to do this as well, SO NERVOUS!

runbyme

Hang in there!

I am very numbers obsessed and when I upped my calories I was scared to death! In a month since I upped my calories from 1200 to 1800, I lost 4 lbs and 3.3% body fat! I had only been walking as my exercise but I was so encouraged by my weight loss that I kicked it up to add more cardio and strength training. In 16 days I gained back 2#. Grrrr..BUT I lost 2 more inches and 2% more body fat!

So even though I gained a little weight, which I'm sure is water and will come right back off, I am smaller, my clothes fit better and I have more lean mass! What's not to like!

My scale is going in the closet for a month and I'm going to rely solely on the tape measure for a while!

Hang in there! This journey isn't a day trip. It's for the rest of our lives! Good job on your accomplishments so far! :flowerforyou:

emgawne

I have found that I am at a point where I am not losing any weight because of the weight training I am doing, but I have had to increase my calories and am still losing inches and seeing a lot more muscle definition.
As others have said, its not all about the number on the scale. It is about your measurements, how your clothes are fitting, and your muscle definition. Put the scale away for awhile and focus on those and your body fat %. Eating a higher calorie count will definitely help in the long run as long as the added calories are healthy calories.

Jen8np

Thank you everyone soooo much! You all said the same thing and that makes me feel a million times better. I just needed to know I will not gain forever, and lol I really shouldn't because I should still technically be at a calorie deficit but the mind is an evil thing! So 2 weeks no scale and just be patient...got it! Its funny how you know you look better but then 2 lbs on the scale and you suddenly look in the mirror at yourself different. That damn scale!

How do you post pics on a message board?

serenetranquility

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