calories/day for me???

rieann84

I just don't know what they should be anymore. I think they were near 1300 before..but then I started reading on here about how so many people limit themselves to 1200 a day and end up bouncing right back because it is too restrictive. I heeded this advice and upped my calories a bit, especially since I was starting Jillian Michael's 30 day shred.

I set it to 1400 cals/day. When I input my 30ds it adds like 100+ calories. I usually don't eat these back, but some days i am hungrier than others.

I'm just FREAKING out, because after 3 days of some not so great choices and high calories (nothing over 2,000 though) I went from 136 to 139. It was then that I started the 30 day shred. When I first started I didn't have much of an appetite and spent most days at 1050-1150 calories.

I've done nothing but go UP in weight. I weighed in at 140.6 today. What the HELL? And i'm not really even seeing a visual difference from the 30DS. It's just so depressing. Go on and look at my diary... I know some days are better than others but I thought overall I was doing well.

Anybody have suggestions for me? I am completely serious and distraught please don't troll me


EDIT: for reference, if anyone cares to comment on the calories/day... I am 5'2".

melaniecheeks

My suggestion is to give it 3 weeks, rather than 3 days. If you've just started 30DS, your body is likely holding on to water to repair muscle.

megsmom2

Don't freak....its normal to have a small gain when starting a heavy exercise routine...your muscles are hanging on to water because you're working them differently. It is temporary and perfectly normal. Freak out not.

rieann84

I sure hope you're right Melanie. I am doing Level 1, day 9 today. It's just so deflating when you think you're doing a good job and you keep gaining.

hiker359

Just going by your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), or the very minimum your body needs just to keep your body going day to day is ~1420 calories. You really shouldn't go below that as far as how much you eat every day.

You also mentioned you just started a new workout. This will sometimes lead to a gain in weight as your previously less active muscles are working harder and so will retain water to help improve their efficiency and heal from the work you've put them through. Just keep pushing through and that weight increase should fall off as your body becomes familiar with your new routine.

From your activity level and relatively low amount of weight to lsoe, you may want to consider eating closer to 1,600 calories. You're likely not going to see large losses and you don't want to sacrifice losing Lean Body Mass (LBM), as this can actually lead to a decrease in your metabolism.

So maybe bump up your calories a tad, keep working out; and give yourself time. Things will likely move slowly, but with consistent effort, they should go the way you want them to.

melaniecheeks

Keep the faith! Did you take photos or measurements at the start of the 30DS? If not, you could still do those now.

toddis

I'd advice not looking at the scale and doing measurements or just visually assessing your body. As someone else mentioned your muscles will retain water when put under stress.
Also, do the whole month and adjust as necessary.

juliekaiser1988

3 days isn't enough time. Food is fuel!! Choose the right fuels, not just random calories to make it to the higher amount. I eat avocado, almond butter, peanut butter, etc every day. I eat around 1800 calories a day and never made it when attempting 1200. I was hungry and pissed most of the time.