Calories Up, Weight Down!!

hitstuff

This topic gets revisited with regularity here. But I'm a living testament to the notion that increasing calories can positively impact weight loss. I have been struggling quite some time with the final 10-15 pounds. I hovered around an intake of approx 1300 calories when I started here at mfp- a number put forth by mfp based on my input. I was eating well, and truthfully, not entirely displeased with the way things were evolving- it just seemed painfully slow. The final bit of weight is a challenge, granted, but good lord, at the rate I was going It felt like I may never see success. Well, I bit the bullet and used helloitsdan's info http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 and have henceforth ate no less than 1450 calories, and freely eaten close to my TDEE occasionally with the comorting knowledge that if my figuring was correct, I was in no danger of gaining unless I exceeded that number with some regularity. Well halleluja! The scale has started to shift!! And I'm so much more satisfied! A win win situation..who knew?! So to those of you who are tempted, but fearful of taking in extra calories, I'm here to tell you, that atleast for this mfp'er- an increase of roughly 200/calories (and sometimes more) per day has been nothing but positive!

BeautyFromPain

Nice work! Happy to hear that I have only just increased my calories today, we shall see how it goes
Did you get an initial gain when you first upped them or did they drop first?

LeenaRuns

The timing of your post is perfect! I just made the switch myself and instead of 1525 (net), I'm going to be eating at 1900, no more adding in exercise. I'm a little nervous, but it's nice to hear from another petson how it's working! Best of luck to you in your journey!

digby1977

I think what happens is if you keep the calories low consistently, your metabolism slows down to match it. I find if I mix it up bit I lose weight more regularly.

mcouturezz

that soooooo worked for me too
MFP was telling me to eat no more than 1280 cals / day and then eat my exercise calories back.
But on heavy workout days I can burn 1100 cals I cannot eat 2400 cals 1 day and 1300 the next !?
I felt like its too much of a yoyo..
So I now average 1800 cals / day (workout or not) and I lose weight
My BMR is at 1700.
I'm 5'8''
I'm pretty sure that as my workout increases in intensity i'll have to up my cals some more..

hitstuff

Nice work! Happy to hear that I have only just increased my calories today, we shall see how it goes
Did you get an initial gain when you first upped them or did they drop first?

In truth, I avoided the scale initially. Of course, fearful of what I might see. Must have been nearly 2 weeks before I checked. It might have crept up but I didn't see it....when I finally did check, it had gone down!

georgia98_98

I done this over 3 months.... I started mfp eating 1400 calories lost weight & stalled for 3-4 months.... I thought WTH, I am tired of being hungry and working out js to eat more.... I found my maintin calories and went half way... I eat around 1700 plus or minus 100 calories.. I DO NOT add my workouts, which here latly have been little to none.... I did start losing weight again... It might not be as fast as I would love for it to, BUT I DO lose around a lb a week... I am 5'7" started @ 259lbs now 222lbs... Been on MFP since Nov last yr... I TRULY believe that if you eat like the smaller person you wanna be than you will be... I don't mean eating 1200 calories a day.... NE way... Hope this helps anyone that is struggling with NOT raising there fuel for the body.... I don't have all the answers nor will I ever but I can share what I know... Happy getting healtly...