What have people found when increasing calories

littlemegzz

So we hear time and time again how increasing your calories can lead to better weight loss (rather than doing only 1200 cal a day). I was wondering if people who have increased their intake from 1200 could tell me what they found weight wise over the course of increasing.

Did you find you gained weight over the first few weeks/stayed the same/ continued to decrease in weight?

AcampoGirl

I was wondering the same thing. Well last week I upped my calories. Now I want to eat more, but bad stuff. When I'm at 1200 it's easier for me to stay motivated. I am in a group called Road Map and it talks all about eating more and losing weight. I'm going to try it for another week or two and see how I feel.

welfeln

Bump

2essie

I experimented for a week by eating most of my exercise calories back and for three days at the end of that week I lost just over 2lbs in that three days. So far this week I haven't lost anything so I will see what weigh-in day brings for this wek, which is tomorrow.

littlemegzz

I experimented for a week by eating most of my exercise calories back and for three days at the end of that week I lost just over 2lbs in that three days. So far this week I haven't lost anything so I will see what weigh-in day brings for this wek, which is tomorrow.

Please let us know how tomorrow goes, if you don't mind.

I increased my calories last week, but lost nothing. However, I did have one bad day at the start of the week. I have been eating more than 1200 still, but not eating all of my exercise cals back.

slkehl

Upping my calories gave me more energy during the day and more motivation to push myself during workouts.

ChunkieNuts

i used to eat 1200 before i knew any different, i wish i didnt waste my time...i now eat more and lose weight..
its more about what you eat, not all about the calories (personally works for me anyway)

eating more - i lost more weight, i feel better, i workout harder, im never hungry.

EvgeniZyntx

I increased from 1600 to 1800 on net calories - my working consumed calories tends to be at about 2200-2500 with activity (for an actual TDEE of 2700) and I feel great and I'm still losing. I'll be increasing to 2000 net by the end of the year or before as my bf% decreases. My goal is to have a TDEE of about 3000 in 6 months or so.

Differentiate between BMR, Net and TDEE and it will help you understand how you can eat well and lose.

lauren3101

I hit a plateau for a couple of months, then I upped my calories about 6 weeks ago, I showed an initial gain of about 2lb, but it didn't hang around long and I dropped 4lb the next week. I only weigh in once a month so I can't say how it's worked since then, but I feel happier, healthier, slimmer, and with more energy,

mockchoc

I uped my calories from 1200 which I was on for many months to around 1700 more or less and I lose pretty much the same as I did eating 1200. No I had no weight gain when I changed over and I didn't change over slowly I did it in one go because I was over trying to eat like a bird. I didn't know any better till my doctor, exercise phyisologist and some of the wise people on here said 1200 was too low and I'm glad I listened. I'd never do that again.

luzmidd

I started eating back my exercise calories, about 200 a day, so went from 1200cals to 1400 cals a day. I never ate my exercise calories back, but since I started losing again. Now average about 1.5 lb weight loss a week.

littlemegzz

thanks for the replies guys

Arexxx

I don't binge as often because I'm eating more, it's easier to fit things into your goal (going out for dinner isn't as huge of a deal now) and I feel healthier

And I didnt really notice a change in my weight loss. Still a pretty consistent 1-3 pounds a week

Nix_

I'm about to up my calories, because I am pretty close to my goal and preparing for maintenance! On a podcast by Jillian Michael's she recommended doing it by 100 calories a week, so that' my plan

LuluProteinFueled

Muscle growth, fat loss, and a food diary that makes me drool from just looking at it.

c2111

Hi I ve gone up to 1350 from 1200, and nearly at my goal, thnx for the tip nix I'll see how I go , don't want to gain.

mabelbabel1

I have been increasing my cals since the beginning of this month, having read and joined Dan's In Place of a Roadmap group and filling in Heybales's calorie deficit sheet.

I had stalled eating lower cals, felt tired even when I woke up and generally rubbish.:yawn: :frown:


Now I feel great, have more energy and am losing weight, I lost 3.2lbs last week and 2.6lbs this week. :bigsmile:

I am still upping my cals and tend to have a calorie range as opposed to a single goal.

I don't see the point in starving myself and living off 1200 cals when i don't need to and when it makes me feel so rotten.

The other point to note is as I lose weight, i will have to decrease my calories......if I was eating 1200 cals now ....how on earth would I drop my intake as I got smaller and still be healthy and able to function?? :noway:


It is difficult to get your head around initially but I can honestly say it makes complete sense and it works.

KarenJanine

Muscle growth, fat loss, and a food diary that makes me drool from just looking at it.

What she said Plus I never binge or get cravings any more as there's room in my diary to eat a little of what I fancy. I never feel guilty for eating. My maintenance is currently at 2750 which I've been at for 2 months. My weight is stable at this intake but as I'm lifting 3 x a week I'm still losing body fat. If I decide to try lose a bit more weight I can make a small deficit cutting to 2400-2500 and lose.

wrentrotter

I started on 1200 and never ate back exercise calories, I now eat 1400ish and eat back most of my exercise calories, some days I eat over 2000, it hasn't slowed down my weight loss (1 - 2 lbs a week) and it's great incentive to exercise. I kind of look forward to exercise now, knowing I can eat more on those days.

libbymcbain

Hello

Went from 1200 to 1500 a day and lost at the same rate (plus had a splurge meal once a week), so on one day a week I would estimate I was roughly doubling my calories).

Thinking about going to 1700, but eliminating the splurge meal- it will work out about the same amount of calories a week, and would be what Dan's Roadmap system would recommend.

If that works I will probably switch between 1500 a day plus splurge and 1700 a day no splurge. I have to travel one a week a month and the slightly higher calorie count per day would be useful- more energy to cope with the upheaval and just more margin when not able to cook for myself for 3 or 4 days in a row. whereas with weeks at home, my husband likes to either go out to a good restaurant or cook a special meal at the weekend and it's really useful to be able to enjoy that and not be too restrictive with him.

Sambo004

Thanks for posting this comment. I know that everyone recommends upping your cals once you start plateauing, but I struggle to reconcile this in my mind. I have maintained my weight for 8 months now. Just short of the last kg I would like to lose to reach my ultimate goal weight. But generally I am very happy. Many people have advised I should be eating more because I exercise 5 - 6 times a week and have started to increase to eating back half my exercise calories, but my weight hasn't changed. I'm very nervous about upping because it seems to good to be true. LOL. Very interested to hear how long it took to start losing weight after the increase.

SuMcP

Eating more allows you to zig zag and keeps your metabolism going. There is a good podcast on fat2fitradio.com which explains why - see " Break Weight Loss Plateaus".

bufger

I upped mine from 1600 to 1800 and lost weight more consistantly. I even fluctuate +/-200 cals intake and can get away with it as im not more active on a daily basis.

Find your TDEE and base your intake on 80% of that. It will be more than 1200

bufger

Thanks for posting this comment. I know that everyone recommends upping your cals once you start plateauing, but I struggle to reconcile this in my mind. I have maintained my weight for 8 months now. Just short of the last kg I would like to lose to reach my ultimate goal weight. But generally I am very happy. Many people have advised I should be eating more because I exercise 5 - 6 times a week and have started to increase to eating back half my exercise calories, but my weight hasn't changed. I'm very nervous about upping because it seems to good to be true. LOL. Very interested to hear how long it took to start losing weight after the increase.

You'll need to consistantly eat 1000-2000 calories over your TDEE to put on weight. If you upped yours to just below TDEE for the little amount you have left to lose then you'll get there slowly but surely and you'll be very close to maintenance which should then be easy to transition into

AnexRavensong

I ate at about 1300 calories a day for years (with the sporadic binging that came after)... I stayed stuck at the same weight for years or gained.

I joined MFP and tried the generic 1200 calories it throws at everyone, I was even more grumpy and tired!
Then I discovered
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12


I increased my calories to 1880 (I don't always eat them all, that is the LIMIT) don't eat back exercise calories and have started losing weight. I have only done it for about a month now, but I'm much happier overall and less tired!

bexxxster

whenever I up my calories I just maintain or put on weight. I've tried 1300 a day, 1400 a day, 1500 a day... even 2000 a day. But doesn't work for me

nickyfm

I was eating between 1250-1390 and NEVER ate exercise cals back. I would get headaches, be constantly tired, craving, hungry and would almost always end up bingeing. Not to mention the fact that I would lose strength if it wasn't the day following a lift.

Now I eat 1400-1700 depending on rest day or not, and eat 50% of my exercise cals back. I seem to be losing weight just the same, am stronger, and no longer get headaches. I have NO IDEA how I ever burned 450 cals in a cycle class and still ate that low. No wonder the weight loss has been a yo yo.

I am 5"5 and 117 pounds

pkw58

I have found that the closer I got to goal weight, the more important it was to eat more calories to not only get to goal weight, but to get my energy level up.

I think it is more than a valid argument to start at 1200 calories a day just to develop the discipline to eat within a guideline and reset your expectations on what a healthy amount of food is. (for me)...

As I added calories, I also tracked my activity and still do. I am committed to doing this for the rest of my life. Now that I am on maintenance, my goal is to build on what I have to be stronger and increase my energy level. That will take trusting eating those calories back from exercise. And keeping in mind calorie counts both ways can be flawed, but if I monitor I will catch it.

5'8" 129 pounds, small framed and 54 years old.

littlemegzz

I will be interested to see what my weight is at the end of this week. I will continue to eat around 1300-1400 a day for the rest of the week.

Only thing that might throw me off is sleeping. I am in my final week of uni and may not be getting much sleep on wednesday or thursday night.

My main issue with eating more is that I am not hungry. I am actually forcing myself to eat because I know it is an appropriate time. I think I have been more tired because I was only eating 1200 before (due to not being hungry, not because I was forcing myself). But then I think it also has a lot to do with my stress and sleeping patterns with uni.

I find all of this info really intriguing as this is the first time I have really been focusing on eating well. Thanks again for everyone's posts. It is really encouraging.

btw, just as a side note, even on 1200, I don't have any problems with binge eating. I have gone cold-turkey on all unhealthy foods and increased protein. It keeps off hunger and cravings really well for me. Things only go bad if I go back to eating something bad. One bad thing a day makes me want to just be unhealthy all day. So yea, I will only have unhealthy food every now-and-then for special occasions.

mockchoc

whenever I up my calories I just maintain or put on weight. I've tried 1300 a day, 1400 a day, 1500 a day... even 2000 a day. But doesn't work for me

When you uped your calories how long did you give it before giving up each time? With some people it take a few weeks to work. You may also have other issues with your health like thyroid problems etc..

bexxxster

whenever I up my calories I just maintain or put on weight. I've tried 1300 a day, 1400 a day, 1500 a day... even 2000 a day. But doesn't work for me

When you uped your calories how long did you give it before giving up each time? With some people it take a few weeks to work. You may also have other issues with your health like thyroid problems etc..

quite a while each time, i've always hung on to my weight though. I'm just one of those people who finds it major hard lol i lose when im on 1200.. nothing major though. most the time only 1/2 a lb a month or 1lb if im lucky