Weight loss stalled after upping calories to BMR

beccci91

So I upped my calorie intake last week to just above my BMR so I went from 1200 to 1660 but since that I have actually gained 1-2lbs

Is this normal? It has really hit me hard

lambertj

You haven't given it enough time, give it a full month. I am slowly increasing my calories and the first week I gain but lost the second week. It's scary and frustrating but give it more time.

beccci91

Thank you for replying so quickly and thanks for the reassurance, its very horrible seeing the number go up and stay up! Hopefully I will loss next week.

lizard053

Your body needs time to adjust! This can take up to a month before you start losing again. Keep going, the weight loss will come!

Cindym82

I did this last week, first week I stayed the same, so come friday I will see how week 2 went. I heard it takes time so I will give it time. Good luck on your journey

shannonbillows

depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.

theartichoke

I did the same thing a week ago and gained 3 pounds...totally freaked out. The scale is finally moving back down and I broke through the adjustment. Keep it up, it's worth the patience and fighting past the discouragement. You're doing great and making healthy decisions for yourself!

beccci91

I did this last week, first week I stayed the same, so come friday I will see how week 2 went. I heard it takes time so I will give it time. Good luck on your journey

You too!

beccci91

depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.

I am trying to loss,

It is really starting to annoy me that everyone is saying completely different things to me :grumble: :grumble: :explode:

beccci91

I did the same thing a week ago and gained 3 pounds...totally freaked out. The scale is finally moving back down and I broke through the adjustment. Keep it up, it's worth the patience and fighting past the discouragement. You're doing great and making healthy decisions for yourself!

Hopefully this coming week will see a drop!

erickirb

depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.

I am trying to loss,

It is really starting to annoy me that everyone is saying completely different things to me :grumble: :grumble: :explode:

since you have a lot to lose you would be able to eat below your BMR as your net calorie goal (eat back exercise calories). I would suggest eating at the BMR of your goal weight as your net goal. Use the BMR calculator and punch in your info just change the weight to 125 and use that BMR as your goal.

Newfiedan

Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

beccci91

depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.

I am trying to loss,

It is really starting to annoy me that everyone is saying completely different things to me :grumble: :grumble: :explode:

since you have a lot to lose you would be able to eat below your BMR as your net calorie goal (eat back exercise calories). I would suggest eating at the BMR of your goal weight as your net goal. Use the BMR calculator and punch in your info just change the weight to 125 and use that BMR as your goal.

That would bring me back down to 1269 though, gawddddd I'm so confused :sad:

graelwyn

My suggestion would be, keep as you are for another week or two, see if the scale starts moving down...and if it doesn't cut back to your bmr, making sure to eat back at least some of your exercise calories. Also, try and get in any extra activity you can, even if it is just getting on your feet more and doing extra housework etc. You are a work in progress, and so experiment until you find the right balance. It is your body in the end.

And don't get uber upset by it, and forget your life is precious regardless of your weight going up a few pounds temporarily. Just keep the thought in your mind, that you will get there in time.

ladyraven68

So I upped my calorie intake last week to just above my BMR so I went from 1200 to 1660 but since that I have actually gained 1-2lbs

Is this normal? It has really hit me hard

Yes it is normal when you have been eating so low, but it is not fat, it is just water from the replaced glycogen

http://www.justinowings.com/understanding-bodyweight-and-glycogen-de/


Give it a bit more time, you are doing the right thing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr?

beccci91

Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

I understand what BMR etc is, I do a health degree and I also DO eat. My body fat % is 40 so I obviously need to get that way down, also need to get my overall weight down considerable to be in the healthy zone and to reduce my chances of many diseases so that is why I am focussing on the number on the scale.

Also the amount I am eating is actually over my BMR by about 150 calories, not a lot over but its still over.

StrongGwen

one question-how do you feel? if you feel more energetic, not hungry all the time, not cranky then it's better and give it time. You can't live the rest of your life going around always hungry, right? Hopefully this is a lifestyle change, not a quickie fix to lose weight and then go back to bad habits.

Jamiewoodle

So I upped my calorie intake last week to just above my BMR so I went from 1200 to 1660 but since that I have actually gained 1-2lbs

Is this normal? It has really hit me hard

Yes it is normal when you have been eating so low, but it is not fat, it is just water from the replaced glycogen

http://www.justinowings.com/understanding-bodyweight-and-glycogen-de/


Give it a bit more time, you are doing the right thing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr?

This!^^ It also happened to me, I went from 1200 to 1400 and gained a little, then a couple of weeks later my weight loss took off and I felt SO MUCH BETTER eating more! Just remember, being healthy is the ULTIMATE goal

Cindym82

Look through posts, your NET should be above 1200. Being your weight age etc I doubt you should be eating below 1500, and that's shooting LOW. You need to eat to fuel your body and your work outs. If you feel good than its good. Don't listen to a lot of negative comments from ppl who like to starve themselves (i'm just sayin)

erickirb

Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

when someone has a lot of fat to lose they can eat under bmr and if they do strength training and eat enough protein will not be at riskfor losing muscle.

Lolli1986

My rules are the following:

1. Keep net cals above 1200.
2. Ensure the deficit is at least 500cals
3. Eat and exercise roughly the same amount each day.

My 'maintenance' cals would be 1800, so my 'goal' is 1300. (500cal deficit). This is waaaaay not enough food for me, so I burn 300 cals and eat anything up to that 300cals, bringing my max total to 1600.

beccci91

one question-how do you feel? if you feel more energetic, not hungry all the time, not cranky then it's better and give it time. You can't live the rest of your life going around always hungry, right? Hopefully this is a lifestyle change, not a quickie fix to lose weight and then go back to bad habits.

I feel a lot better, I am not having to severely restrict myself and if I feel hungry in between meals I know that I can have a snacka nd it won't send me way over.

Helloitsdan

Eat wayyyyyyy above BMR to have a good diet.
Way above.
like closer to 2k a day.

ladyraven68

Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

when someone has a lot of fat to lose they can eat under bmr and if they do strength training and eat enough protein will not be at riskfor losing muscle.

Maybe they CAN, but isn't it more sustainable and enjoyable if they can eat a bit more, and still lose weight?

personally, I would much rather be eating 1600 and losing, than eating 1200 and losing.

Ebwash89

Mine did too at first and then I started losing again. Everything with time!

InTenn

Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

And yet, your tracker at the bottom of your post reports pounds you have lost. The scale must mean something, right?

erickirb

Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

when someone has a lot of fat to lose they can eat under bmr and if they do strength training and eat enough protein will not be at riskfor losing muscle.

Maybe they CAN, but isn't it more sustainable and enjoyable if they can eat a bit more, and still lose weight?

personally, I would much rather be eating 1600 and losing, than eating 1200 and losing.

But they also get to eat back exercise calories so if you were set at 1200 and burn 700, you get to eat 1900.

Cindym82

Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.

when someone has a lot of fat to lose they can eat under bmr and if they do strength training and eat enough protein will not be at riskfor losing muscle.

Maybe they CAN, but isn't it more sustainable and enjoyable if they can eat a bit more, and still lose weight?

personally, I would much rather be eating 1600 and losing, than eating 1200 and losing.

But they also get to eat back exercise calories so if you were set at 1200 and burn 700, you get to eat 1900.

1200 calories is the BARE min any living breathing human should be eating....which means if you exercise you are neting lower than 1200, even with eating back all of your exercise calories your net would be 1200. Thats why shooting for a higher calorie goal is better. Esp. if you are burning 700 calories in a work out you would need a lot more food to fuel the body

DixiedoesMFP

You can gain 1- 2 pounds depending on what point in your cycle you are in, regardless of the amount of calories you are consuming. You need to weigh at the same point in your cycle each month to accurately compare the numbers.

I don't know why anyone is encouraged to eat so little. Yes, the weight may come off faster, but it's doubtful that many people can sustain a 1200 calorie a day diet in the long run.

The easiest way to get to eat more while still losing weight is to MOVE MORE. Daily activities that are not exercise in the strict sense add up quickly in the overall calorie burn for the day (TDEE).

ImRadical4Jesus

Bump

Ebilfairylight

If you're in a health degree you also will have learnt that BMI is a notoriously bad measure of how healthy someone is - it is AT BEST a rough, rough guide able to be used in research. Too many things can influence it for it to be generalisable to everyone, it is only based on statistics and averages.

Despite that, check out the thread in the food and nutrition board of the site with about 19 or 20 pages of posts about upping calories. It links to a great website which lets you input your current weight, goal weight etc etc and comes up with a healthy figure of what you should be eating each day to achieve your goal weight. ( http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ )

To the OP! Keep hope! Depending on how long you've been eating like this and your individual body, you may need a little bit more time to adjust and stop your body from thinking that it needs to conserve energy to feed your every day body needs. I've been trying this and, despite an initial gain, I am almost back at my pre-upipng level, feeling much healthier and more energetic with the prospects of losing the weight i want to lose looking better and better!