How long will I gain at higher calories

cedarghost

Ok, I know according to everything I have read that I should be eating more calories. My BMR is around 2100 (not counting exercise) and I have been eating between 1400 to 1800 (varies a lot from one day to the next). I never eat back calories from exercise, which is 3 days a week resistance training and one day HIIT.
So I want to make sure I am eating enough calories. I know I am going to probably gain weight by upping my calories to consistently at least 2000. My question is two parts....one: should I just keep eating like I am eating, and two: if I up my calories, how long will I gain before I start losing again?
I started at 236ish and currently am fluctuating between 224 to 228, and I am about 6 weeks into this.
I am 6'5", 42, male and currently around 227. My weight was going down pretty consistently (got down to around 223), but has started increasing in the last few days. I know I am gaining muscle, as my bench press has went up around 25 pounds in 6 weeks and I have lost 1 1/2" in my waist.
I don't feel like I am in starvation mode. I don't feel hungry all the time (although I do have the occasional craving since I dropped soda and junk food). I usually feel like I have plenty of energy, I feel better rested than I used to and sleep a lot more consistently. I am feeling a lot better than I did 6 weeks ago.
So up my calories or continue to eat well below my RMR?

Bakkasan

In my experience, just mine... The only actual gain was from physical bulk, it levels out in 2 days, and losses continue.

2000 is a good place, and you are doing it right .

cedarghost

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid i would put on pounds of fat while my metabolism caught up. Even though logic tells me different.

Tigermad

Hope you don't mind me tagging this on to your thred since it is the same topic.

I upped my calories last Thursday from 1600 to 2000 (I was only on 1600 for a weeks to shed some more weight). Since then I have put on nearly 4 pounds. Not happy at all since I have definately not eating over 10000 more calories than I should! I too am hoping it is just water weight (too much sodium over the weekend). The trouble is I have now dropped my calories back to 1600 because I am scared of putting weight back on. I too am doing heavy weight training 3 times a week but it won't be muscle since you can only put on 1 pound of muscle per month.

sh4690

Hope you don't mind me tagging this on to your thred since it is the same topic.

I upped my calories last Thursday from 1600 to 2000 (I was only on 1600 for a weeks to shed some more weight). Since then I have put on nearly 4 pounds. Not happy at all since I have definately not eating over 10000 more calories than I should! I too am hoping it is just water weight (too much sodium over the weekend). The trouble is I have now dropped my calories back to 1600 because I am scared of putting weight back on. I too am doing heavy weight training 3 times a week but it won't be muscle since you can only put on 1 pound of muscle per month.

1 pound of muscle a month... that is ridiculous....

FitBeto

Hope you don't mind me tagging this on to your thred since it is the same topic.

I upped my calories last Thursday from 1600 to 2000 (I was only on 1600 for a weeks to shed some more weight). Since then I have put on nearly 4 pounds. Not happy at all since I have definately not eating over 10000 more calories than I should! I too am hoping it is just water weight (too much sodium over the weekend). The trouble is I have now dropped my calories back to 1600 because I am scared of putting weight back on. I too am doing heavy weight training 3 times a week but it won't be muscle since you can only put on 1 pound of muscle per month.

I don't think that 1 pound of muscle is the limit per month.

But if calories in < calories out then you will lose weight - of course unless you are starving yourself. If you want to gain weight, increase your carb intake, and if you want to gain muscle then 1-2 g of protein per body weight - remember that if your goal is weight loss your ARE going to get discouraged if you gain weight-even through muscle. If you increase either of these then your calories will go up. Your BMR still burns alot of your calories, calories arent bad they are ENERGY. I eat till I am feeling full, and I make sure to time my protien intake throughout the day. I am gaining weight, but not fat.

Bottom line if you train with meaning, and are very VERY serious about your diet, you AREN'T going to get fat if you eat healthy and exercise regularly (even if you started 'fat'). You will lose weight, and its defiantly not going to be today or this year till you are happy with yourself. I dont like counting calories, and believe me, weighing yourself is hell, up down, up down, but its a journey, not a quick fix. When you get there its still not over!

And if you lift, then you will gain lean muscle, which is weight (wich in turn burns more calories even when you are inactive!). Stop reading the scale and think of how good you LOOK. People see you everyday, not a number

LorinaLynn

There's no way you should gain weight at 2000 calories a day. You might have fluctuations as your body gets used to changes, and all the typical fluid retention causes like sodium and exercise, but actual fat gain... sounds pretty impossible.

I'm a 40 year old woman, 5'5 and about a hundred pounds smaller than you, and I still lose weight at 2000 calories.

TavistockToad

to the OP, as a 6ft5 male you should definitely be eating at LEAST 2000 cals (i say at least if you dont eat back exercise calories). if you want some nice muscle you need to feed your body so you can then burn the fat, as opposed to eating too little and your body using muscle as fuel.

xiamjackie

I have gained 7 pounds in the last week- two weeks just because I have brought my calories back up to normal eating habits for my size and weight. I was eating way below my BMR. I know my body is just trying to sort out what is happening and that as soon as I get on a healthy level and stay there for a while that everything will go back to normal. Try not to look at the scale. That is what will eventually be your demise.

Unknown

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chicadejmu

I agree. I eat 2000 calories or so daily and I'm still losing. Slowly, but I'm losing. If you want to eat more and you're worried about it, then increase your calories gradually. If you just up them, you may see an initial jump and then the extra should come off pretty quickly. I think I had about a week or less of gain and then it came off and took a friend or 2 with it within a week.

cedarghost

to the OP, as a 6ft5 male you should definitely be eating at LEAST 2000 cals (i say at least if you dont eat back exercise calories). if you want some nice muscle you need to feed your body so you can then burn the fat, as opposed to eating too little and your body using muscle as fuel.

Thanks for the replies. Hearing the other people on here saying they are eating at least that much makes it easier to believe. I think truthfully I could go as high 2900 and still lose. I did the TDDR (or whatever it is called on another website) and was coming in at over 2900 a day if I am working out 4 days a week. So I figured at 2000, I would be almost 1000 under which would put me at losing 2 pounds a week without going into starvation mode.
I am more concerned with losing fat without losing muscle at this point. Ultimately, I would like to gain more muscle, but I won't know what I have to work with until I get the fat off!!!

cedarghost

I agree. I eat 2000 calories or so daily and I'm still losing. Slowly, but I'm losing. If you want to eat more and you're worried about it, then increase your calories gradually. If you just up them, you may see an initial jump and then the extra should come off pretty quickly. I think I had about a week or less of gain and then it came off and took a friend or 2 with it within a week.

This is what I was really wondering. I believe I haven't been eating enough and have adjusted as of yesterday. I was just wondering how long before my metabolism started kicking in.

steph1278

I am a 5'11" 217 pound female and I eat over 2000 calories per day and lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week. You should stick with it for at least 4-6 weeks and might see a gain initially, but that should level off and then you will start dropping pounds.

cedarghost

I am a 5'11" 217 pound female and I eat over 2000 calories per day and lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week. You should stick with it for at least 4-6 weeks and might see a gain initially, but that should level off and then you will start dropping pounds.

Thanks! This gives me confidence!