Increase calories to LOSE weight? I am confused :(

SWilkins75

I just started this weight loss attempt the beginning of June and I have lost 30lbs. But it seems like not long after I dropped my calories from 1700 to 1500 I either have gained a tiny bit or the scale stays! How is this possible? I do exercise (not too strenuously because I am 235lbs and I have not gone over my daily goals. If you can explain why this is happening, please tell me I would appreciate it SO much.

wolfchild59

If you fill the tank of your car all the way, it will go farther then if you only fill it 3/4 of the way. Your body is the same way, give it enough fuel and it'll give you maximum efficient output. Under fuel, and whereas a car can't store gas, your body will want to store calories to use in case you continue to not give it enough and it needs to start tapping into itself for energy.

konerusp

Please read this how your body works around dieting.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

go the the above site to determine what you should be eating.
NOW as mentioned in the above document- your body might treat the sudden increase in the as feast and store fat-ie you will see weight gain-roughly around 8 pounds- do not freak out-be patient.
NOW just because you were asked to eat more- do no go into that full throttle eating every other junk food in the world-keep your healthy eating habits-just increase the quantities of each.once your body feels safe to let go ,your weight will start coming off.

wolfchild59

Please read this how your body works around dieting.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

go the the above site to determine what you should be eating.
NOW as mentioned in the above document- your body might treat the sudden increase in the as feast and store fat-ie you will see weight gain-roughly around 8 pounds- do not freak out-be patient.
NOW just because you were asked to eat more- do no go into that full throttle eating every other junk food in the world-keep your healthy eating habits-just increase the quantities of each.once your body feels safe to let go ,your weight will start coming off.

She didn't increase her calories, she decreased them. She had them set to 1700 and the lowered them to 1500.

SWilkins75

Please read this how your body works around dieting.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

go the the above site to determine what you should be eating.
NOW as mentioned in the above document- your body might treat the sudden increase in the as feast and store fat-ie you will see weight gain-roughly around 8 pounds- do not freak out-be patient.
NOW just because you were asked to eat more- do no go into that full throttle eating every other junk food in the world-keep your healthy eating habits-just increase the quantities of each.once your body feels safe to let go ,your weight will start coming off.

Oh my goodness! It wants me to eat 1969 calories a day! I am 5'2 and 235lbs... I want to lose 1.5lbs a week.

heybales

Oh my goodness! It wants me to eat 1969 calories a day! I am 5'2 and 235lbs... I want to lose 1.5lbs a week.

Wow, that sounds like so much, especially compared to the 1500 you were eating.

So - how much were you eating before you decided to start dieting?

Do you have any idea at all, so that you could really have a comparison?

If you truly knew, you might have seen 1500 and thought "how can eat 1/2 of what I was eating before, that is so little!"

SWilkins75

Oh my goodness! It wants me to eat 1969 calories a day! I am 5'2 and 235lbs... I want to lose 1.5lbs a week.

Wow, that sounds like so much, especially compared to the 1500 you were eating.

So - how much were you eating before you decided to start dieting?

Do you have any idea at all, so that you could really have a comparison?

If you truly knew, you might have seen 1500 and thought "how can eat 1/2 of what I was eating before, that is so little!"

Are you being a smart *kitten* in the first statement? Before I was dieting I ate a lot of fast food, macaroni and cheese, sugary cereals, huge plates of spaghetti, hamburger helper, little ceasars and on occasion a buffet like I Golden Coral or Ponderosa. I don't fancy sweets much but I still indulge one in a great while. Greasy meat and fried food are my weakness. I would say I probably consumed 4,000 a day or close. I can remember eating 6 pizzas of pizza and 4 pc of crazy bread or 8 tacos. But I also NEVER exercised. I stayed in my house playing on the internet being lazy while my daughter played in her room or we played on the computer. I have a 9m son now and since losing I have a lot more energy to do things with them I never would have done. How many calories can I consume to lose 1.5lbs a week??

kjw1031

Please read this how your body works around dieting.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

go the the above site to determine what you should be eating.
NOW as mentioned in the above document- your body might treat the sudden increase in the as feast and store fat-ie you will see weight gain-roughly around 8 pounds- do not freak out-be patient.
NOW just because you were asked to eat more- do no go into that full throttle eating every other junk food in the world-keep your healthy eating habits-just increase the quantities of each.once your body feels safe to let go ,your weight will start coming off.

Oh my goodness! It wants me to eat 1969 calories a day! I am 5'2 and 235lbs... I want to lose 1.5lbs a week.

How did you set your activity level?

This sounds about right though. I'm AMAZED at how well things are going for me now that I have increased my calorie and fat intake! Give it a try for a month and don't freak out when you gain the first week.

ritasice21

If I was you I would set your daily at 1800 calories, which is just above your BMR, and not eat back workout calories unless you burn over 500 in one day, then I would maybe eat half of them. I am also 5'2 and eat near that and lose 1-2 lbs a week.

kolraw

I would highly recommend reading the instructions here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

heybales

Are you being a smart *kitten* in the first statement? Before I was dieting I ate a lot of fast food, macaroni and cheese, sugary cereals, huge plates of spaghetti, hamburger helper, little ceasars and on occasion a buffet like I Golden Coral or Ponderosa. I don't fancy sweets much but I still indulge one in a great while. Greasy meat and fried food are my weakness. I would say I probably consumed 4,000 a day or close. I can remember eating 6 pizzas of pizza and 4 pc of crazy bread or 8 tacos. But I also NEVER exercised. I stayed in my house playing on the internet being lazy while my daughter played in her room or we played on the computer. I have a 9m son now and since losing I have a lot more energy to do things with them I never would have done. How many calories can I consume to lose 1.5lbs a week??

Well, now who is the smart *kitten* knowing you probably ate close to 4000 calories but you think that 400 more to almost 2000 is a lot to eat.

Let's pretend that 4000 was actually a surplus of 1000 calories a day, which would mean you were gaining 2lbs a week while eating that way.

So to maintain, you'd eat 3000.

You could cut 1000 calories off that 3000 and lose 2 lbs a week, eating at - surprise, 2000 calories.

That's precisely what I mean by people expressing surprise at suggestion to eat 400 more calories than they are current eating at extreme deficit, when they could be eating a whole 1/2 of what they were previously.

Eat at 2000 then, probably a 2lb or more loss a week. Plus, like you said, you are exercising now - good job.