Is it time to start eating more?

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I am no pro, just a mom who is trying to lose weight and find the balance while my hubby is deployed. I work full-time and have a 7 month old so I try the best I can to lose weight. So far I've lost 70 pounds. The problem is my weight loss is crawling now. Well more like not going anywhere. I feel like it's time to up my calories but I'm scared. Like everyone who has lost a lot I am scared to death I'll gain 10 pounds overnight. LOL. I am doing ChaLean Extreme (15 to 25 pound weights each arm). Weights 3 days a week ( for a month now) and cardio 3 to 4 days. 1 day of rest. I also nurse. Currently I eat 1500 to 1600 calories. Advice? Please help. Thank you!

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  • pigeonhugger
    pigeonhugger Posts: 81 Member
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    If you are happy with what you are doing atm, and are looking to loose more weight then just carry on with what you are doing and accept this slower weight loss rate. You could ease up on the weight loss for a little to give your body time to adjust to the new size you before starting up again. Keep exercising regardless, maybe slowly increase your calories by 50 or 100 a week and monitor the outcome.

    You wont gain it all back unless you dramatically increase your intake and stop exercising.
    Regardless of how much you eat keep exercising to maintain the weight loss.
  • pigeonhugger
    pigeonhugger Posts: 81 Member
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    also congratulations on the 70lbs lost!!! you must be chuffed. Also on what I am sure is adorable baby.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    The smaller you get, the slower the fat falls off. Think about it this way - if you lost 70lbs now, you'd be having massive health problems. Your body also requires less fuel to run itself.
  • RKAY89
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    The more muscle that your body is made up of, as opposed to fat, the faster your metabolic rate and thus the more food that you need/can handle..

    1500 to 1600, in my opinion, for what you're doing exercise-wise is not enough.. esp if you're nursing as well.. I've just upped mine from 1600 to 1650 to 1700 as I feel that I need more food in a day.. I work out 6 times a week too but I'm not nursing! If your goal for your NET intake of food per day is 1600, and you burn 200 cals, ENSURE to eat an extra 200 cals that day.. it may sound crazy but starving your body is not the answer.. yes you burnt off 200 bad cals, but your body will need 200 good cals to refuel..

    This is my opinion anyway from what I've learnt.. but hey, you've done really well by yourself so you're obv doing something right! :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
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    Well you're supposed to eat 300
    Additional calories for breast feeding so you're basically consuming a net of 1200-1300 before exercise do I'd assume your net with exercise is law to 600-700. That's much too low. You can gradually increase your calories or do it all at once--the gradual approach might be easier mentally.
  • Apresner
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    Thank you everyone! I think I might trying to increase calories a little and cut back on carbs somewhat. I'm hungry all the time so I definitely need to make some kind of adjustment.