Up My CALORIES?!?!?

christieb143102

When I first started on here my calorie goals were "recommended" at about 1220. I've been on here for months and barely lost a pound. I've read that raising the cals you aim for each day could help... have you done this and has it worked?

DTFaaron

Maybe you should pump up the work out routein. Stay with the 1220 cal and burn another 400 working out and those pounds will have no where to go but out.

mandijo

That could very well be. Are you eating all of your calories, including most if not all of your exercise calories?? That is very important. 1200 calories is the MINIMUM you can have before you body starts going into starvation mode. It would make sense that the more activity you do, the more energy (calories) your body needs to keep up! Give it a try! It can't hurt anything. Good luck!

LittleSpy

Maybe you should pump up the work out routein. Stay with the 1220 cal and burn another 400 working out and those pounds will have no where to go but out.

Wrong
Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

karmasBFF

Maybe you should pump up the work out routein. Stay with the 1220 cal and burn another 400 working out and those pounds will have no where to go but out.

I believe this will shut down your metabolism. Your body needs at least 1200 calories to fuel your basic functions, sometimes more depending on your stats. It also needs fuel for your workout. If you dont eat your calories back, you are actually then only giving your body 800 calories to both survive off of and excercise. Your metabolism immediately shuts down to accomodate.

I have heard from SEVERAL people and several posts that this concept is the exact reason they stopped losing weight. Check out the message boards, these threads are ALL OVER THE PLACE!

karmasBFF

Maybe you should pump up the work out routein. Stay with the 1220 cal and burn another 400 working out and those pounds will have no where to go but out.

Wrong
Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

I swear, without you, I would still be lost on this issue! Thank you soooo much!

LittleSpy

I recently hit a plateau & have increased my calories in an effort to break it. I was very obese so I've been getting away with undereating for a while now to lose weight faster (certainly not recommended for anyone who is not very obese!). It's still early on (about 2 weeks since I started eating more), but according to my scale the last 3 days, I am indeed starting to lose weight again.

karmasBFF

I recently hit a plateau & have increased my calories in an effort to break it. I was very obese so I've been getting away with undereating for a while now to lose weight faster (certainly not recommended for anyone who is not very obese!). It's still early on (about 2 weeks since I started eating more), but according to my scale the last 3 days, I am indeed starting to lose weight again.

That is sooo great!

christieb143102

Most days I'm taking in around 1500 cals. I workout about 5-6 days a week burning between 600-1000 cals each session.
So yah on a "normal" day of 1500 cals and working out, I'm under 1200.
hmmmm

JStarnes

When I updated my fitness profile about 2 months ago to lose 1lb per week instead of 2lb (since I was within 20lbs of my goal) I was stoked to see that MFP recommended I eat almost 500 cals (before exercise) more than I used to.

sdirks

Maybe you should pump up the work out routein. Stay with the 1220 cal and burn another 400 working out and those pounds will have no where to go but out.

Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

Still confused? Read the post I keep in my sig. Starving your body and depriving it of the fuel it needs is so rarely the right answer.
Yes, they do it on "Biggest Loser." With a TEAM of doctors and trainers. It's television: "Biggest Loser" is as realistic as the Disney Channel, IMHO.

KariM

I did the same thing when I started. 1200 cals was just not enough for me. After 2 weeks I upped the cals to 1400, dropped 7 lbs that week! For the past 6 months I have followed between 1400- and 1600 to lose the 30 lbs. I am not finding that that is not enough. As I have lost, have more energy and in general I am a more active person, so I kept the 1 lb a week to lose, but upped my activity level, so now I eat a base of 1600 plus exercise and I find that I am coming off my plateau and losing again! We are not all the same - you need to find what will work for you and be willing to change again if needed.

Good luck!

LittleSpy

Most days I'm taking in around 1500 cals. I workout about 5-6 days a week burning between 600-1000 cals each session.
So yah on a "normal" day of 1500 cals and working out, I'm under 1200.
hmmmm

I mean, the reality is that different people are going to respond different ways to certain things. But, IMHO, increasing your calories is a much better idea (in terms of health) than decreasing them at this point. Try it for a month & see where it takes you. I read (I'm going to blame SHBoss for this one) that if you increase your calorie intake gradually (50 calories more every few days) it will be easier for your body to adjust to the new calorie intake.

DawnOf1969

I hit a plateau and realized that 1200 calories was just not enough. So I talked to a nutirtionist and found out what my BMR is (see the tools tab up at the top of this screen) and now I eat my BMR but do not eat back calories unless I go below 1200. Once I started eating almost 1600 cals a day I started losing weight again.

karmasBFF

I AM SOOOO EXCITED!!!! I can eat more!!!!!!!!

Those of you that are my "friends" have seen my struggles with getting further than 11lbs....then finally 2 more...but nothing so far this week and weigh in is tomorrow! I am going to my goals right now and I am changing it. Lets see what happens!

I really feel great about my weight loss but my gut tells me my metabolism isnt where it should be. At my weight, with the drastic changes I have made, the lbs should be falling off of me. and they are not!

Heres to eating more!!

kandyjo

I've said it a thousand times.... You have to fuel the fire to make it burn...... If I could had grasped this concept years ago, I wouldn't be where I am today.... I had my metabolism totally confused!!! Thanks to the great advice I have gotten from MFP, I am finally on the right track!! Fuel the fire!!!

DawnOf1969

I AM SOOOO EXCITED!!!! I can eat more!!!!!!!!

Those of you that are my "friends" have seen my struggles with getting further than 11lbs....then finally 2 more...but nothing so far this week and weigh in is tomorrow! I am going to my goals right now and I am changing it. Lets see what happens!

I really feel great about my weight loss but my gut tells me my metabolism isnt where it should be. At my weight, with the drastic changes I have made, the lbs should be falling off of me. and they are not!

Heres to eating more!!

And give it a few weeks for your body to adjust. It wont happen over night so don't get frustrated.

courtney_love2001

You only have 10 lbs. to lose, so it will be hard. As I have gotten closer to my goal (5 lbs away) I have upped my cals to 1400 a day. 1200 was way too little! Keep on trying and you will see results.

katbass

Yep...it isnt ALWAYS the answer, but in your case, I bet you need to eat more
I started out eating hte recommended 1200 cals. I wasnt losing ANYTHING, even though I was doing major exercising and eating good calories (as opposed to the junk I had been eating). I read through the forums and found out I should be eating to my BMR.
I now eat 1450 cals a day, feel much better, have more energy, and have lost 6 lbs QUICKLY! I know I wont continue to drop 6lbs overnight, but it sure feels good to know that Im on the right track.
I had a mental block about eating MORE when I was trying to lose. I was scared to experiment, for fear that I would gain. I will admit, I freaked a little when I gained at first, but I kept it up and continue to drink my water, workout, and eat back my exercise cals, and I am noticing MAJOR differences.
Good luck!

slm638

I found at one point, I upped my calories to 1400 instead of 1200 and I was less hungry and started losing more weight. Just have to listen to your body I guess...

DawnOf1969

Great article explaining eating enough calories and not worrying horribly about those minor little overeating setbacks.
http://thebodyfirm.biz/blog/index.php/2010/02/this-is-your-metabolism-this-is-your-metabolism-on-a-low-calorie-diet/

HeatherBurke

Ok.... So, I have read and read and read about eating exercise calories and why people say to eat them but I can't get past the concept of you exercise to burn calories thus to lose weight, why eat back those calories you busted your *kitten* and sweated to death getting rid of???? I understand starvation mode, not going under 1200 etc etc etc but it still just seems to contradict the point of exercising.... I can't seem to make myself go to the gym, do cardio, strength training etc and then eat all of those calories back and understand that by doing so I will lose weight... it just doesn't click.

karmasBFF

Ok.... So, I have read and read and read about eating exercise calories and why people say to eat them but I can't get past the concept of you exercise to burn calories thus to lose weight, why eat back those calories you busted your *kitten* and sweated to death getting rid of???? I understand starvation mode, not going under 1200 etc etc etc but it still just seems to contradict the point of exercising.... I can't seem to make myself go to the gym, do cardio, strength training etc and then eat all of those calories back and understand that by doing so I will lose weight... it just doesn't click.

it didnt for me either because it is counterintuitive. Think of it this way, a car runs best when its driven, right? If it sits too long, it starts having problems. But it needs gas to run, right? Your body is the same way. You need fuel for excercise, so lets say you eat 600 calories. and that's what you burn during your workout. so now your body has used all of its fuel. So now what? if you dont replenish it, whats left for your car to run on (AKA, your body and its energy source).

You need to supply enough calories to your body to both function and fuel your workout...does this help?

HeatherBurke

Ok.... So, I have read and read and read about eating exercise calories and why people say to eat them but I can't get past the concept of you exercise to burn calories thus to lose weight, why eat back those calories you busted your *kitten* and sweated to death getting rid of???? I understand starvation mode, not going under 1200 etc etc etc but it still just seems to contradict the point of exercising.... I can't seem to make myself go to the gym, do cardio, strength training etc and then eat all of those calories back and understand that by doing so I will lose weight... it just doesn't click.

it didnt for me either because it is counterintuitive. Think of it this way, a car runs best when its driven, right? If it sits too long, it starts having problems. But it needs gas to run, right? Your body is the same way. You need fuel for excercise, so lets say you eat 600 calories. and that's what you burn during your workout. so now your body has used all of its fuel. So now what? if you dont replenish it, whats left for your car to run on (AKA, your body and its energy source).

You need to supply enough calories to your body to both function and fuel your workout...does this help?

It's not really that it hasn't made sense per say it's just that it kinda freaks me out.... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it.. I love to eat and have learned to start eating correctly ( for the most part) so I guess being able to eat more would be ok.. and seeming as how I haven't been dedicated enough to start losing really anything yet it wouldn't hurt to try... Maybe start off with half of them? I would think on average when I really do exercise I burn about 600 a day-ish so 300 won't kill me... I don't know... it sucks

LittleSpy

It's not really that it hasn't made sense per say it's just that it kinda freaks me out.... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it.. I love to eat and have learned to start eating correctly ( for the most part) so I guess being able to eat more wold be ok.. and seeming as how I haven't been dedivated enough to start losing really anything yet it wouldn't hurt to try... Maybe start off with half of them? I would think on average when I really do exercise I burn about 600 a day-ish so 300 won't kill me... I don't know... it sucks

It doesn't suck at all! I can't speak for eating 100% of exercise calories because I haven't gotten to that point (yet?). I exercise to build cardiovascular strength and to slightly increase my calorie deficit.

It may help you to look at it this way:
Set your weight loss goal on MFP to "maintain current weight." MFP will give you calories accordingly & you will eat all of them. THEN, you can use exercise to create your calorie deficit (which means at that point, you would *not* eat back your exercise calories if you wanted to LOSE weight. If actually wanted to maintain your weight, you would eat them).

It's the exact same thing either way, but if you need more motivation to exercise, you can go at it from that angle instead of the MFP angle which automatically builds the deficit into your diet (meaning you can lose the weight with or without exercise).

HeatherBurke

It's not really that it hasn't made sense per say it's just that it kinda freaks me out.... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it.. I love to eat and have learned to start eating correctly ( for the most part) so I guess being able to eat more wold be ok.. and seeming as how I haven't been dedivated enough to start losing really anything yet it wouldn't hurt to try... Maybe start off with half of them? I would think on average when I really do exercise I burn about 600 a day-ish so 300 won't kill me... I don't know... it sucks

It doesn't suck at all! I can't speak for eating 100% of exercise calories because I haven't gotten to that point (yet?). I exercise to build cardiovascular strength and to slightly increase my calorie deficit.

It may help you to look at it this way:
Set your weight loss goal on MFP to "maintain current weight." MFP will give you calories accordingly & you will eat all of them. THEN, you can use exercise to create your calorie deficit (which means at that point, you would *not* eat back your exercise calories if you wanted to LOSE weight. If actually wanted to maintain your weight, you would eat them).

It's the exact same thing either way, but if you need more motivation to exercise, you can go at it from that angle instead of the MFP angle which automatically builds the deficit into your diet (meaning you can lose the weight with or without exercise).

Praise you!!!!!! I did that and it put me at 1820... so if I burned 500 calories a day or didn't work out and ate 1320 that puts me at a deficit of 500 calories per day so 3500 per week, thus losing 1 pound per week... it's easier for me to look at it that way for some reason even though it's the exact same... I'm backwards I suppose... I'm going to try eating half of the exercise calories and see how it goes... It can only get better I guess.

karmasBFF

isnt jib the best! LOL

HeatherBurke

definitely!!