people who have had success by upping their calories!

mpf1

bump

heybales

I have been fascinated reading this thread, but am still a little confused. I am 5ft 3 and weigh 150lbs my goal is 120lbs. not only do I want to lose weight (the healthy safe way) but I want to tone up my wobbly bits and be able to see some muscle definition (but NOT be muscly/bulky I want a soft yet defined body) I currently do at least 30 minutes a day of 30DS (on day 6 of level one) plus at least 2 times a week I will do Zumba for between 20 - 45 minutes plus most evenings I do some work on my arms with weights (only 2.5lbs weights) plus ab work. I have been fighting with the same 2-3lbs for the past few months now, so need a kick start, and thought this may help IF I know what to do properly.

MFP puts me at 1200 a day, but when I work out my BMR is states 1360. I have also worked out my TDEE I was not sure what activness to put as Mon - Fri I am sitting at a desk all day, so I worked it out for little or no exercise and that was 1743 (*0.8) 1394, light exercise was 1990 (*0.8) 1592 and moderate was 2243 (*0.8) 1794.

In all of your opinions what would you recommend I do? Apologies if this is a repeat of what somebody else has asked, I am pretty new here and getting slightly confused lol Jen x

You are not at Sedentary level with that much exercise. Definitely Moderate level. Could round down to nearest hundred.

What site did you use for TDEE estimate, because those values don't work out?
For instance, Moderate is BMR * 1.55, which ends up 2108 * 0.8 = 1686 (or round to 2100 * 0.8 = 1680).

Then you would eat to that every day, workout or not. You would NOT eat back exercise calories since already in there. And if you spot checked calories burned with HRM, would likely be at or slightly under BMR for those days. Rest days allows recovery.

And since you have been so underfeeding your system for that workout level - you will see great body improvements first, weight loss will come later until body catches up with what you are asking it to do.

I think it was fitness frog?! But my BMR I also got on here?!

You may want to go to this link and ask Helloitsdan to run your numbers - should help with the confusion.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map?

You just need to give the stats data asked for in the first post in the thread.

Think I've worked it all out now lol oh and it looks like I've lost 2.5% body fat since starting lol x thank you x

Dan has said

"visit http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/
Do the Military Body Fat Calc first, then the BMR tool.
The Military BF calc is accurate up to about 2%.
The BMR tool will give EXACT calories to eat on a daily basis.
This number is static and I only recommend eating back so your NET is at least 200 above BMR.
Add 20% to suggested calories to know your TDEE.
Use the Katch McGardle BMR number to know your BMR.
Never eat at or below BMR.
For Fat loss plans set up macros at 30% Protein/Fat.
This % is only because MFP wont allow single %."

So if I take my KM BMR 1332 and add 20% to get my TDEE that makes 1598, yet on the fat2fitradio website it 2051, I also read that I can or should minus 15% -20% and aim to eat that to lose weight? (Can't find where it was now) if that is so 2051-15% = 1743 or 2051 - 20% = 1640

Do I change my base calories on MFP as 1332 and then eat back all my exercise calories? I average betwwen 220 and 440 a day?!?!? I am a bit confused HELP!!!! Lol

I am 32 years old, 5ft 3 and weigh 150lbs at present. My BF% was 34.9% last Monday (will not be checking it again till beginning of next week) Katch-MaCardle gave me a BMR of 1332 the TDEE that was given from the fit2fatradio website was 2051 (moderate) I work out 6-7 days a week for at least half an hour to an hour (doing 30 day shred, Zumba & some strength with weights) normally do half hour 1 day and then an hour the next (am doing 30 Day Shred every day for half hour)

Jen x
HELPPPPPPPP lol

We already did what he said. Reread those posts I wrote, go by my numbers I gave you.
You are confusing several things you've read and putting them together, missing step above, and you gotta read that site page if you are looking at those numbers.

heybales

@candicejn

According to all the calculations, I should be eating a minimum of about 1850 (for sedentary - so I would eat back exercise cals), up to around 2100 (moderately active - if I including exercise). I increased to 1600 from 1290 this week; I want to do this in steps since I don't know how my body will react (I"m hypothyroid).

So how long do you suggest staying at one level before re-evaluating? I was thinking a full month?

Good idea steps, about 200 per day for a week, like a snack associated with your workouts. Then another 200 next week, ect.

How long did it take for for metabolism to lower? Some ladies notice they had like 2 months of constantly diminishing loss until they stalled, some notice 3 weeks of loss before stall.

Month is good. Actually eating 200 more each week and making your way up to 2100, will take about a month, so good timing. Body should be starting to get everything it needs for the exercise you are giving it, and during that ramp up you'll start seeing body improvements, even if no weight loss. That comes after the body is done recovery/rebuilding what it has been unable to do so far.

heybales

I started at 1200 cals. I'm currently at 1770. I was losing steadily at 1500. Currently i'm focused on toning and seeing my muscles pop through! I say slowly add and let your body do it's thing. Some people zigzag calories. Try a bunch of things until you learn what's right for you!

What's nice with eating the same amount every day, which includes a weekly exercise estimate, is you get an automatic zig-zag.
On heavy days, your net is at or below BMR, light days above, rest days is recovery (even a mini-spike day as far as net calories is concerned).

So what your body has to work with after the exercise takes it's energy, is a zigzag of calories.

FrostyBev

I was eating no more then 2200 a day yet burning between 600-1000. I swim... a lot. I was at a complete stall on weight loss/fat loss. I didn't lose inches or have any change in exercise performance. I was completely exhausted and only kept up my exercise through sheer will power. I was stalled for 2 months. During that two months I averaged 800 calories burned a day but never exceeded 2200 calories consumed. The last week of the 2 months I had actually gained 1/2 lb.

After examining all the data of calories burned, consumed I finally took the time to figure out my BMR and TDEE.

I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs as of this morning. My BMR is ~2400 calories a day. I upped my calories to a minimum of 3400 on every day I worked out and a mimimum of 2600 on recovery days. I gained 3 lbs over the first 4 weeks but lost an inch off my waist.

I've now lost a total of 12 lbs since I upped my calories and dropped 4 pant sizes and I'm on the verge of another pant size loss. I've gained a lot of performance in exercise as well.

iamMaLisa

bump

amsparky

I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs as of this morning. My BMR is ~2400 calories a day. I upped my calories to a minimum of 3400 on every day I worked out and a mimimum of 2600 on recovery days. I gained 3 lbs over the first 4 weeks but lost an inch off my waist.

I've now lost a total of 12 lbs since I upped my calories and dropped 4 pant sizes and I'm on the verge of another pant size loss. I've gained a lot of performance in exercise as well.

Nice success!

I am on my 3rd week upping cals and have finally come back down to where I started a few weeks ago. I still don't think I am netting enough, but I'm working on it!

ladyraven68

I was eating no more then 2200 a day yet burning between 600-1000. I swim... a lot. I was at a complete stall on weight loss/fat loss. I didn't lose inches or have any change in exercise performance. I was completely exhausted and only kept up my exercise through sheer will power. I was stalled for 2 months. During that two months I averaged 800 calories burned a day but never exceeded 2200 calories consumed. The last week of the 2 months I had actually gained 1/2 lb.

After examining all the data of calories burned, consumed I finally took the time to figure out my BMR and TDEE.

I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs as of this morning. My BMR is ~2400 calories a day. I upped my calories to a minimum of 3400 on every day I worked out and a mimimum of 2600 on recovery days. I gained 3 lbs over the first 4 weeks but lost an inch off my waist.

I've now lost a total of 12 lbs since I upped my calories and dropped 4 pant sizes and I'm on the verge of another pant size loss. I've gained a lot of performance in exercise as well.

Excellent!

FrostyBev

I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs as of this morning. My BMR is ~2400 calories a day. I upped my calories to a minimum of 3400 on every day I worked out and a mimimum of 2600 on recovery days. I gained 3 lbs over the first 4 weeks but lost an inch off my waist.

I've now lost a total of 12 lbs since I upped my calories and dropped 4 pant sizes and I'm on the verge of another pant size loss. I've gained a lot of performance in exercise as well.

Nice success!

I am on my 3rd week upping cals and have finally come back down to where I started a few weeks ago. I still don't think I am netting enough, but I'm working on it!

Thank you!
It has definitely been tough to get my net calories up and still eat clean. I aim for 6 meals daily and that has helped a ton.

Pifflesmom

bump

heybales

I was eating no more then 2200 a day yet burning between 600-1000. I swim... a lot. I was at a complete stall on weight loss/fat loss. I didn't lose inches or have any change in exercise performance. I was completely exhausted and only kept up my exercise through sheer will power. I was stalled for 2 months. During that two months I averaged 800 calories burned a day but never exceeded 2200 calories consumed. The last week of the 2 months I had actually gained 1/2 lb.

After examining all the data of calories burned, consumed I finally took the time to figure out my BMR and TDEE.

I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs as of this morning. My BMR is ~2400 calories a day. I upped my calories to a minimum of 3400 on every day I worked out and a mimimum of 2600 on recovery days. I gained 3 lbs over the first 4 weeks but lost an inch off my waist.

I've now lost a total of 12 lbs since I upped my calories and dropped 4 pant sizes and I'm on the verge of another pant size loss. I've gained a lot of performance in exercise as well.

Excellent.

Just goes to show that you don't have to be eating at 1500 men or 1200 women to slow your metabolism and stall your weight loss because you are now eating at maintenance level.

So I just had to run the numbers to see what was probably happening.
Eat 2200, burn 800 avg daily, body left with 1400 for BMR.
BMR lowers to 1400 or slightly less probably.
Activity level sounds like Very Active for 1.725 multiplier.
1400 * 1.725 = 2415 total calorie burn.

Just slightly above eating level. Variations in exercise level, or real activity level (for instance, if closer to Moderately Active at 1.55 then 2200 is maintenance totally).

Just wanted to emphasis it can happen at much bigger daily intakes, and bigger workout routines.

Excellent realization and success from changes. I'll bet you got stronger!

candicejn

@candicejn

According to all the calculations, I should be eating a minimum of about 1850 (for sedentary - so I would eat back exercise cals), up to around 2100 (moderately active - if I including exercise). I increased to 1600 from 1290 this week; I want to do this in steps since I don't know how my body will react (I"m hypothyroid).

So how long do you suggest staying at one level before re-evaluating? I was thinking a full month?

Good idea steps, about 200 per day for a week, like a snack associated with your workouts. Then another 200 next week, ect.

How long did it take for for metabolism to lower? Some ladies notice they had like 2 months of constantly diminishing loss until they stalled, some notice 3 weeks of loss before stall.

Month is good. Actually eating 200 more each week and making your way up to 2100, will take about a month, so good timing. Body should be starting to get everything it needs for the exercise you are giving it, and during that ramp up you'll start seeing body improvements, even if no weight loss. That comes after the body is done recovery/rebuilding what it has been unable to do so far.

Thank you!!

I actually didn't have a stall, really. I ate badly for a few weeks around Xmas and stalled out, but to be honest I've lost more in the past few weeks than I have any other 3 week period since I started MFP in October. I really think that was because I bought myself a Polar HRM and had real numbers to go by. (plus I starred C25K right about then) BUT I don't want to lose muscle mass, and I was getting cranky easily and finding I would run out of energy halfway through my workouts. So I figured I should fix it now, before I did too much damage.

SergeantSunshine_reused

Me! I eat about 2000 calories a day total to lose weight Feel great!

Sunshiny2

bump

darcialarosa

I started last week and am up 4 pounds this week. Will hang on 2 more weeks to see if my body adjusts as they say it will. If not I am going back down to the 1200 calories I was initially on.

Just curious did anyone else experience a weight gain after increasing their calories?? I am 5'11 and was only on 1200 cal a day... I thought I would die. I went up to 1400 and am eating back my exercise calories... I am so worried my weight will skyrocket!

I'm willing to bet you still are not eating enough! Go to www.health-calc.com and figure out your BMR. Do not eat below that, and eat back your exercise cals!

dieseljay74

I have been upping my calories by 200 every few weeks. I haven't put on any body fat, infact i have lost some while gaining strength in my lifts.
Always helps me break out of plateaus too.

A_New_Horizon

I have upped my calories from 1600 to 2200. Basically, my goals are set at maintenance and I eat back most of my exercise calories. I had to go back a re-evaluate my calories intake because I was starving all the time. I was putting my body into starvation mode.

Remember when upping your calories, it takes a few weeks for you body to adjust. I would give it a good 4 weeks before adjusting again. Your body NEEDS food to burn the fuel. I know it sounds backwards, but it really does work.

A_New_Horizon

I have been upping my calories by 200 every few weeks. I haven't put on any body fat, infact i have lost some while gaining strength in my lifts.
Always helps me break out of plateaus too.

It does help you to breakout of plateaus too - I have done that quite a few times.

crzyone

This site had be set at 1800 calories and I lost 27 lbs doing that but had sort of plateaued the last few months. The past few weeks I have been off schedule because of an illness in the family and have eaten horribly....hospital cafeteria food and just junk, because that was all I could easily find. I had worried that I had reall gained after about three weeks of that, but when I weighed the scales hadn't changed (hadn't gone down) BUT I tried on some clothes that I couldn't wear before and I can wear them now!! I was sooo shocked!!! I had always thought I was getting too many calories and that was why I wasn't losing but now, after eaten a lot of easter candy (and I've not had ANY for months) and eating some french fries (not had any in months) and some chicken fried steak (only had once in months), I can wear some of my old clothes that I was fighting so hard to get into!! It does not make any sense to me, at all, but I LIKE IT!!!

stacyschicker

I just joined and just wanna say "85 lbs lost!" That is incredible. What an accomplishment. Keep up the good work