Urgent question...advice please.

fififox

Hello. I have decided to up my calories as I am definitely plateaud. I am reading etc. trying to get to grips with all of this and wanted to ask one question in setting out. Obviously I am very nervous about doing this but trust from what I have read in the logic of doing it. I started about 4 days ago to try to up calories but only by 100......I have read about raising it gradually. BUT I am wondering - if I do it this way...slowly, and my body is under eating, is it more likely to retain the fat and add on weight....the other option being to go straight for the top end of what is recommended going by my bmr, exercise levels, etc. This would be massively above what I had been eating (around 1200 calories a day) - My question ultimately is should I just go in and jump right up there to the top end from 1200 a day, rather than going up 100 and then another hundred, and hoping my body finds a level that works for it (potentially risking big weight increase?). Sorry for being long-winded and I do intend sorting out my exact level I should be eating from the posts here, but I want to try to do closest to the right thing from the start. What does my body need to give me the best chance of a good start on this? Thanks if you can help.

I am 46, currently at 139 lb and up to 2 weeks ago did not much exercise to write home about. I bought a treadmill 2 weeks ago and since then (and for the future) aim to burn 350 to 500 calories a day...if that helps to give an opinion.

Many thanks

31prvrbs

Everyone chooses the route that they can handle, but most agree, that if you can muster up the courage......rip the band-aid, lol. The journey is often frustrating enough at the beginning, and prolonging the inevitable may or may not be the best option for you, but only you know yourself. Going slowly is typically more about the mental transition of it all, but sometimes it can help alleviate the discomfort of your body getting used to so much food. Plus some people just "can't" eat that much after so long at super low cals. Doing it all at once, can cause some discomfort at first, and can be mentally challenging, but at least you are "there", and your body can just get used to that amount and start adjusting, whereas upping gradually, you will possibly deal with the bloating/discomfort at every cal level increase.

So I'd just evaluate the pro's and con's and see what would work best for you. There's no right or wrong way, and we never try to force anyone to go at a rate that's uncomfortable for them. This entire process is about realizing that we are all individual and not a "one-size-fit-all" community. This journey is now about you and your body learning to trust each other, and you doing what's best for you, and fits *your* lifestyle.

If you haven't already, read the "what to expect" sticky, and maybe read some of the responses, and pop in a few other posts around here to see what others have done, and how their body responded, then take not of how your own body reacts, as well.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

Let us know what you decide

Kiki