target calories and gaining weight?

curvykatie

Every time i seem to go over my calories (1290) i put on weight - even if its only by 100 - i seem to gain weight. Then when i do stick at 1290 i only maintain weight rather than losing.
I dont want to lower my calories because of the whole 'starvation mode' thing.
It was suggested that i try lowering my carbs (or cutting them out completely) but im not sure.
Anyone have any ideas why im so sensitive to calorie increase?

Katie
xxx

9726172000

sometimes we gain weight in what we eat and not on how much we eat. Sometimes if we stay away from the breads and chocolate and alot of the carbs and increase the protein and complex carbs in our diets and also with more protein and uping our cal. intake, some people will actualy lose more than sticking with more fiber and fruits. Maybe if you go with a more protein and complex carbs based diet you can start to lose the weight. Hope this helps

mnichol

How much are you exercising??

ChellieIrish

Drink lots of water to flush out your system and also try exercizing 20/30 mins a couple of times a week ... To start even a walk around your block would help :flowerforyou:

I just peeked at your diary ... Are you logging all your food inake and are you eating the extra cals earned by exercizing?

stormieweather

I peeked too . I noticed that you are logging your pasta's (carbs), but I don't see anything logged as a sauce. Are you eating them dry? When you have a biscuit, do you eat it plain or with butter or cheese or gravy or something? I'm just wondering because it's the tiny things that really add up if you neglect to add them to the log.

Other than my plain black coffee, I log everything that crosses my lips.

So I wonder if you think you're under or at your goal calories, but you're really over?

keiko

Hi Katie, I looked at your diary and noticed you don't eat much vegetables. Some days you had fruit. Both are really good for you. Most say 5 servings a day. They don't add alot of calories but they do add a lot of nutrition. I also saw some days where you don't come near your target. Maybe you did not finish posting for that day. I know I'm guilty of that.

Like someone else said. Watch the sodium in prepared foods. It will make you retain water and that will show on the scale. It's not real weight but you will see it.

Someone else mentioned increasing your protein and complex carbs (think whole grains and the carbs from vegetables & fruit)

It's not just about the calories but about making the calories healthy ones. Make your calories count.
:flowerforyou:

ChellieIrish

This is a quote from Jillian Michaels site :flowerforyou:

FROM JILLIAN
Remember Portion Control

For many of us, portion control is a BIG issue. We eat until we are stuffed, not until we reach a feeling of satiety. Unfortunately, eating yourself into a food coma can lead to weight gain and possibly resistance to leptin, the hormone that tells the body it’s full. I want you to eat every four hours — breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner — to keep your blood sugar steady. It might also be helpful to stock-up on portion-control plates and bowls — you will be less inclined to take larger portions of food, and will probably realize you are full after a smaller serving than you are used to! Just remember that you don’t need to fill those large plates; your body will be function just fine with a smaller serving, and when you fit into those skinny jeans again, you'll thank yourself!

Also

Okay to Skip Meals?


Q: I'm trying to learn to listen to my body and eat only when I am hungry, and sometimes I just don't really want anything to eat. Is it okay to skip meals or to eat fewer than the recommended calories?

JILLIAN SAYS: You should NOT skip meals. There are so many adverse effects to skipping meals. Not only does it slow your metabolism but it can lead to overeating, because when you do eat you're overly hungry.

As for cutting your calories below your calorie allowance, this is tricky. The first golden rule is never to let your daily calorie allowance fall below 1,200 if you are a woman and 1,500 if you are a man. Falling below these daily allowances can do real damage to your metabolism and result in excessive loss of lean muscle tissue. When you dramatically reduce your calories on a consistent basis, it can slow your metabolism or trigger a plateau. Consistent exercise — plus the occasional high-calorie day — will help ward off a plateau.

Now, provided you are not going below 1,200, you CAN drop your daily calories below your allotted allowance, but make sure that you are exercising and taking the occasional high-calorie day to help you avoid a plateau.

FireMonkey

Are you weighing/measuring your portions? I started doing that and I was shocked how I had underestimated what I ate. :noway:

It's a good idea, especially in the beginning.

curvykatie

Some days im not logging all my food, but im keeping in mind how many calories i had left when i eat other things

I dont have sauces on my pasta, the only times i do, i make myself which is tinned tomatoes with tomato puree

Vegetables are a problem for me because i dont like many, and ive never had veg with meals (not even my parents made me) so im not really sure where to add them in with my usual meals

Thank you for the Jillian Michaels bit!

I only measure/weigh my breakfast :embarassed:

thanks for replying everyone

astridfeline

What's your BMR? If you're eating below your BMR you may actually be eating to few calories.

curvykatie

my (very basic) bmr is 1501 - with lifestyle added its about 1750, but MFP has me at 1290 :huh:

astridfeline

I'm not the expert, but you might try eating at your BMR. Although MFP lets you go below your BMR I have read various threads here that say it's not recommended unless you're really in the obese category and have the fat stores to balance out the low calorie intake. If you search the threads there are some who have noted that they started losing more weight once they upped their calorie intake.

curvykatie

thank you - i've had a look and i think i will try using my BMR as my target calories and see if that helps at all

stratdl

Hi curvykatie,

I also peeked at your diary. I agree with keiko in that you probably should be taking in more fruits/veggies daily. I noticed that you have orange juice in the mornings (sometimes). Is it possible to switch that to a real orange? You'll get more fiber and hopefully feel more filled up.

As far as figuring out vegetables and where to put them in your meal plan, what do you like as far as veggies go? Do you like cucumber, celery, and carrots? If so, then you can have a yummy snack of these three items with a little bit of hummus. If you like broccoli, you can steam some and eat it with your pasta. There are all sorts of veggies out there waiting to be discovered. Sadly (and I LOVE potatoes, pasta, & meat), meat & potatoes aren't too conducive to working extra weight off!

Cheers! :drinker:

curvykatie

After trying to eat my BMR calories for the past couple of days i've already lost 1lb!

As for the orange juice - yes i could swap it to an orange. about a year ago i swapped concentrated orange juice for not from concentrate which made such a difference to how i felt, so maybe swapping to an actual orange will do the same!

thank you for the veg ideas, i only really like carrots, cucumber, lettace, spinach, spring onions, erm.... asparagus (which i get very rarely because of the price). I will try adding in more veg to my diet

thank you
:flowerforyou: