I have to up my calories!

Stephy2469

I haven't been keeping up with calories! I burn a minimum of 1000 calories a day. I have A LOT to lose. I've tried so hard to get to 1200 calories minimum but most days I can't even get to 1000. I eat clean, VERY clean! I cut out bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta. I still have beans and grains, but as for the rest it's proteins, fruits and veggies.

For the passed almost 2 weeks i tried going over my 1200 to get to 1400-1500(as suggested by a nutritionist) and now I'm gaining and getting worried that i'll keep gaining. I'm confused and don't know where to go. I'm still burning my 1000+ calories a day.

Anyone got some advice?

DavPul

Perhaps adding back some bread, rice, pasta and potatoes would be a good way to meet your calories. I can't think of a good reason to cut those foods out, especially if I was having trouble getting to 1200.

1000 calories burned per day? That's quite a bit. What are you doing that burns so many calories?

seekingstrengthX2

The excessive exercise will do u more harm than good in the long run. Why r u burning 1000/day?

JenRunTriHappyGirl

Your body probably felt deprived so now it is holding onto anything it can which is causing you to gain. In order for your body to accept weight loss, you have to do it gradually and allow your body to have calories and good fats. Eat bread... whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, they are good for you as long as you do not over do it. Your body is hungry!

Firefox7275

Eating clean does not mean eating a highly restrictive diet or teeny tiny portions it is about eating a wide range of nutrient dense wholefoods and enough to fuel your body, I think you have misunderstood. If you are not eating so many starchy carbs like wholegrains and beans/ lentils you need to increase your nuts/ seeds intake to get plenty of minerals - these are high in calories so you should not have a problem meeting your goal. Oily fish is also very healthy and nutrient dense (omega-3s, protein, minerals if you eat the bones in the canned stuff). Fruit and vegetables are healthy but they don't supply all the nutrients your body needs by a long chalk.

sijomial

So you are exercising really hard and have cut out the major source of fuel for your workouts.....
Does your car work well without any fuel in the tank?

Simple solution is to start eating the bread, rice, pasta and potatoes or another calorie dense food.

nicolewood415

I recently upped my calories because I felt like I was only maintaining my weight. If you incorporate some whole grains you will definitely find it easier to eat more calories. Carbs are especially important if you are working out a lot and burning so many calories.

Here's a link to a post by a MFP member that helped me make sense of how much I should be eating: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12. The post references a website source, but I used this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm.

Take a look and see if that helps. Good luck!

eganita

I haven't been keeping up with calories! I burn a minimum of 1000 calories a day. I have A LOT to lose. I've tried so hard to get to 1200 calories minimum but most days I can't even get to 1000. I eat clean, VERY clean! I cut out bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta. I still have beans and grains, but as for the rest it's proteins, fruits and veggies.

For the passed almost 2 weeks i tried going over my 1200 to get to 1400-1500(as suggested by a nutritionist) and now I'm gaining and getting worried that i'll keep gaining. I'm confused and don't know where to go. I'm still burning my 1000+ calories a day.

Anyone got some advice?

Are you sure you're burning that many calories? Do you have a heart rate monitor? I wear one, and I do also burn >1000 calories on certain days (I play dek hockey), so I know it's definitely possible...but it's also possible you are overestimating if you don't have a HRM.

Also, are you eating back your exercise calories? My daily intake is 1340 (which does not incorporate calories burned during my average level of exercise; I have my profile set to "sedentary"), but that does not include my exercise calories. I eat back mine (at least most of them).

I've been enjoying protein shakes the past few days... one I had yesterday: 1 cup skim milk, 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, 0.5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Vanilla Whey Protein which is about 420 calories, 28 g carbs, 17 g fat, 40 g protein. This may be a healthy way to add additional calories (and protein) to your diet.

You may want to try some higher calorie but nutritious foods such as avocado, nuts, etc.

I hope this helps.

jacksonpt

Excessively clean diet + excessive exercise.... not usually a good combination.


1400-1500 net cals shouldn't lead to gains for almost anyone. Are you sure you're measuring/logging accurately? Your diary is closed, so it's hard to offer any real advice.

.

Stephy2469

because of my weight I burn more calories if I weighed 150 i'd be burning about 570 calories per day. I've been doing 25 minutes circuit training, 30 minutes cardio kickboxing and a minimum of 15 minutes of calesthenics everyday, sometimes a little something extra. I have over 100lbs to lose. I just upped my calories almost 2 weeks ago, so I'm thinking my body got used to eating too little calories so now it's holding on to what i'm eating now. Is it going to get used to eating 1200+ calories a day and start losing again is what I want to know.

Stephy2469

I recently upped my calories because I felt like I was only maintaining my weight. If you incorporate some whole grains you will definitely find it easier to eat more calories. Carbs are especially important if you are working out a lot and burning so many calories.

Here's a link to a post by a MFP member that helped me make sense of how much I should be eating: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12. The post references a website source, but I used this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm.

Take a look and see if that helps. Good luck!

THANK YOU! That helps a lot!

foleyshirley

because of my weight I burn more calories if I weighed 150 i'd be burning about 570 calories per day. I've been doing 25 minutes circuit training, 30 minutes cardio kickboxing and a minimum of 15 minutes of calesthenics everyday, sometimes a little something extra. I have over 100lbs to lose. I just upped my calories almost 2 weeks ago, so I'm thinking my body got used to eating too little calories so now it's holding on to what i'm eating now. Is it going to get used to eating 1200+ calories a day and start losing again is what I want to know.

Yes, it should. It is more than likely water. Just give it time. You might want to add a rest day it two.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

A lot of times people will gain a bit at first when they up their calories but then they'll start losing again. If you find that after a month you're gaining still then it's time to make sure you're logging accurately, because if you have over 100 lbs to lose then your TDEE is going to be way more than 1200. Mine is 1640 if I do no exercise and I weigh 132 lbs.

I second using the In Place of a Road Map thread to get yourself on the right track.

xidia

If you have 100lbs to lose and are doing that much exercise (too much, by the way, your body needs time to recover) then there's almost no way you'd lose on 1200 calories.

In Place Of a Roadmap is a great place to start. It'll probably be a scary high number from where you are now, but give it a go and see what happens

WendyTerry420

I haven't been keeping up with calories! I burn a minimum of 1000 calories a day. I have A LOT to lose. I've tried so hard to get to 1200 calories minimum but most days I can't even get to 1000. I eat clean, VERY clean! I cut out bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta. I still have beans and grains, but as for the rest it's proteins, fruits and veggies.

For the passed almost 2 weeks i tried going over my 1200 to get to 1400-1500(as suggested by a nutritionist) and now I'm gaining and getting worried that i'll keep gaining. I'm confused and don't know where to go. I'm still burning my 1000+ calories a day.

Anyone got some advice?

Worry less about whether or not your food is "clean" and be more concerned about providing your body with enough nutrients.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/822501-halp-my-sandwich-isn-t-clean

auddii

I'm surprised it hasn't been said. Peanut butter + spoon. I've upped my calories to follow the road map and have been eating fairly clean. I eat about 3 eggs a day (higher omega 3), have two tablespoons of peanut butter with breakfast, and I've added some fats to my salad (olive oil in the dressing and avocado). It's been fairly easy to add in all the calories.

Stephy2469

Thanks for the advice everyone, I looked up the road map link and starting this morning i upped a lot. I changed MFP settings.
Now since I've been eating so little I expect to maybe gain a little at first, but like Dan says, I should start seeing a difference between 2-3 weeks. I was eating proper nutrients...just not enough of them. Here's to a new lifestyle!

Stephy2469

with upping my calories it seems to be working a lot faster! I'm down 21.2 lbs since november 8th

Topher1978

And I have a hard time keeping it under 2000 on my rest day!! But, there has been ample replies here. Just keep on trucking. One foot in front of the other, and you will achieve!!