Another week, upping cals more

doctorwhogirl

So I've decided to take the slow and steady approach to upping cals.

My stats:
Height 5ft 4''
Start weight 224 (june 2009)
Got to goal with WW of 140 (june 2010)

Struggling since between 145-152 approx. Not too bad but finding it very hard!
Ultimate goal 135-140

Exercise: have recently started lifting
Monday: boxing and core class (one hour)
Tuesday: Gym: 15 mins cardio broken up into 5 min sections, mixed with weights (one hour)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Pump/Weightlifting class (mainly doing it for technique/progression and guidance) (45 mins)
Friday: 4km jog/ cardio in gym for about (30-40 mins)
Saturday: Gym: 15 mins cardio broken up into 5 min sections, mixed with weights (one hour)
Sunday: rest. maybe a light walk if I feel like it

Basically I've been eating about 1200-1300 without eating exercise cals with the odd splurge (+200 cals maybe on a saturday)
Three years of full dieting with only a few gaps for holidays/birthdays etc... I reckon my metabolism has taken a real beating

Trying to up my cals, healthy fats and protein to see can I get my weight moving again and for general better health.

According to scooby:

BMR: 1475
TDEE: 2286
10% cut would be: 1943.

So this week I upped from 1300 to 1400 and feel better for it. Think the scales moved slightly, but I'm not going to focus on those, but definitely can see some inches/half inches gone in clothes. Feel better too.
I had a "splurge" day yesterday as I always do at weekend and ate about 1600 but average cals for the week were 1417 or so.

Plan was to go up another 1500 but because I feel good at 1400 and have seen "results" of course my silly head is like "stop now,... this is fine....1400 is fine...."

So scared of the gains/bloat! But know I should up them again...

Scared!!!!

katevarner

Please keep upping your calories. I started my weight loss eating 1650 and working out much less than you are now. I'm 47 and 5'3" and had about 15 pounds to lose when I started counting calories. After 3 months of that, I joined a gym and started working out more like you are. At that point I upped my calories to 1850, but in addition to the workouts, I move a lot at work. I still lost at about 1/2 pound a week. Reached my goal in less than 6 months, kept losing even when I continued to increase calories. Right now I'm eating over 2000 per day and still not gaining.

You need to fuel that workout schedule with more food. Since you only have 10 or 15 pounds to lose, it's likely not going to come off quickly, but half a pound should be pretty easy. If your BMR is 1475, no way you should be eating less than that--that's what your body needs to function properly and doesn't take your workouts into account. Please go up to at least 1500 this week, and keep adding.

doctorwhogirl

Thanks so much for the advice! I think when I hear it from someone who has "been there, done that" it's easier to know that it will be ok!

Will try 1500 this week and see how I go! I'm going to be eating a LOT of almonds!!!!!!!!!!

LuluProteinFueled

We were all scared once upon a time, I promise!!!

Some days I'm now eating 2400 (I'm trying to gain a bit of muscle without bulking just yet). My eyes still bulge at the numbers sometimes and I swear I'm eating more than my boyfriend hahaha. But I love EVERY meal.

Just keep going. When you continue seeing results as you increase and increase, your fear will disappear. Also, to help further alleviate that fear... as long as you're not eating over TDEE, there would just be no way that you would actually be gaining fat apart from some rare medical issue etc. One pound of fat = 3500 calories. So you'd have to eat over your TDEE by 3500 calories in a week to put on any fat.

So realistically, you could easily eat around 2100 and still be in a (small) deficit

Yanicka1

20 days ago I went from 1500 calories to 2000+ calories in order to try to gain muscles. I saw a jump of 5 pounds on the scale..... you can easily imagine the freak out I had but didn't lower my calories. Then this happened

15 jours bulk by yanicka.hachez, on Flickr

Eat more. Your body will not trust you at first but something got to give. If you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got.

Good luck.

doctorwhogirl

Amazing support, thanks so much! Great to hear it from people who have been through it.

I'm taking the slow and steady; eating 1450 this week but going to keep trying! It's my birthday this week so I'm sur a few cals will come from cake!!!!!!