Calorie Count Help!

taylorfriedchicken

So, I might get scolded at by everyone on here but please first listen to my story and then advice would be greatly appreciated.

January 1, 2010, I decided to start my weight loss from 188.8lbs to 150 lbs (however, my goal is now 140). I was going to do this by May (seeing that I have a bet with my dad to lose weight before we leave for our cruise this summer). Anyway, getting excited, I sticked up on all "whole" foods and if I wanted tortillas or any other type of bread products I would get whole wheat. In the beginning, I made up my own diet with ideas from previous diets that I have done and sorta failed out with the anticipation that unlike the other diets, this one would change.

So, this is what my diet consisted of:
No more than 800 calories and about 4 or 5 small meals a day.
Plus, I only drink water and sometimes tea.

I exercise about 4-5 times a week but don't burn as many calories because I don't eat as much to begin with (probably burn about 100-300 calories per workout).

Now, I understand about the whole putting your body in starvation mode and currently I am still eating about 800 calories (although the past 2 days have been from 900 - 1050) and now that I have lost about half the weight and it is only February, I would like to sort of slow down the process and I do find myself more hungry than usual.

Moral of the story, I would like to eat the 1230 calories MFP requires me to eat (and even maybe the extra exercise calories) but I am scared that I will gain wait.

If anyone has had experience with this, PLEASE let me know what happened.

It's not like I am going from 800 to 3,000 and I will still be eating the same whole foods just more.

What do you think?

Thank you guys for your non-criticism!

AngelaRae23

I think that you should definitely try to eat as close to what MFP recommends for you as humanly possible. I understand that what you're doing is working for now BUT, it doesn't sound like a "lifestyle" change, because you really can't only eat 800 calories for the rest of your life (and really be healthy or nutritionally satisfied) so really the weight loss would only be temporary, and im assuming you want this long term. Don't worry about "gaining weight" from your recommended calorie intake. That is what your body needs to be fueled, right now you're not giving yourself enough, especially with how much you are exercising. You will definitely lose weight even if you up your calories to the 1230, it may be slower, but its slow and steady, and its a LIFESTYLE change, not so much a diet. You will be able to keep up 1230.

Give it a try and see. I know i've struggled with the same thing you are currently, and I've been having to try to eat as close as I can to my calories recommended, and i'm still seeing weightloss.

lisawest

First off, good for you on deciding to up your calories!:flowerforyou: Now how to do it. Well, I am not an expert, but I will refer you to a guy that knows quite a bit, and can explain it well! His signon is SHBoss1673. He is a WEALTH of great information! I read a post of his in the not too distant past that talked about working your way back up on the calories, but I can't find it right now. So, I will do the best I can to remember what he said. I believe that you shouldn't just jump right back up to the 1200+ that MFP suggests. I would start by adding 50-100 cal per day for a week, then up 50-100 cal/day the next week, etc until you're where you need to be. As I think about it, he may have recommended you wait a couple weeks before you up it again. I would recommend sending him a PM. You may have better luck finding the post I'm remembering than I have had.

Good luck!

Jerzeebabie04

Well I think you need to gradually increase your calories each day and continue with the healthy foods. You may see the scale either go up a bit or down a bit based on the changed in your body, but don't worry about it too much. Only weigh yourself once a week and listen to your body! If you are feeling hungry eat more, if you are having cravings it's your body's way of telling you it's lacking something.
I would take it slow and gradually increase, but if you continue eatting all the whole foods this may even help you lose more weight. If that is not your goal than I would suggest using the maintain weight goal on MFP and try to gradually increase until you are eatting all of those calories, with the correct number of carbs, fats, proteins.

TRThurston

Hi there, congrats on your weight loss... My input on your post is this: MFP should have told you somewhere the approximate amount of calories your body burns naturally. If you know how much you burn naturally, and how many you take in - in a day, then the rest is simple math.... It takes 3500 calories to gain or lose a pound, if you stay consistently taking in as much as your are losing then you will maintain your weight, or if you just want to slow down the loss you do that math for instance, I burn 2900 cals a day just existing, If I want to maintain I will take in about that amount or a little tiny bit less. If I want to lose slowly I would go a little extra under or I would eat that in cals and work out occasionally. so instead of you taking in only 800 cals if you move up to 1200 you will not gain weight at all you will still be at a deficit, it will just take you a little longer to get to that -3500 to lose a pound. Hopefully that all makes sense to you. Good luck!

taylorfriedchicken

Ahh!! awesome advice everyone! thank you so much!

lisawest

Found the thread I mentioned earlier! Here's the link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/76887-eating-back-exercise-calories

Most of this has NOTHING to do with what you're dealing with, BUT the last post on the first page talks about how to add back calories. Turns out I was right:

"These facts are why I always say to slowly move either up or down with calories. I.E. in 50 or 100 calorie increments with about a week after each move to allow your body to adjust."

Again, Good luck!:drinker:

Dom_m

I had this problem too, and I don't think the posters so far have addressed your concern (no offense guys, but I think the original poster knows most of what your saying at an intellectual level - just not able to trust it enough to actually do it, just like me).

The best thing to do is increase gradually. Try increasing 50 calories every second day. That's just 300-350 per week. Or do it every thrid day. That way you can check progress and if anything starts goign really wrong you can go back to what was working before. If you find it works, you can keep doing it!

I found as soon as I increased my calories weight started melting off (and I didn't have much to lose in the first place). Hope that happens for you too!

parvati

When you increase your calories intake as long as you are making "clean" eating choices you should be ok....you could also balance it out by adding a little more excercise too.