Calorie adjustment? 1000 to 1400??

hcleving

I have lost about 10lbs so far tracking my food. I am averaging about 1000 calories per day, but My Fitness Pal recommends 1400. To be honest, I am really not hungry, tired, light-headed, or drained eating 1000 per day, but I keep hearing that I need to be eating more. I have a moderate level of activity (desk job and work out about 4 times per week for an hour). My question is: If I start forcing myself to eat more calories (1200-1400) will I gain back all of the weight I just lost? Help!

now_or_never13

1400 is most likely a large amount under your TDEE so no, you will not gain any fat back. You may see a bit of a gain due to water weight.

Eating soo little only hurts you in the long run. Increase your calories and you will still lose weight. I actually lose much better eating 1600 a day plus exercise calories than I did eating 1300.

When you have too large of a deficit it hurts your body... you lose lean muscle... you don't get proper nutrients in. Increase your calories and you will still see results.

victoriannsays

I lost when I upped my calories from 1200 to 1600.

I suggest you eat at TDEE-20%

DrMAvDPhD

I wasn't hungry at 1200. I then read around here and upped to 1400. I continued to lose weight and was hungry all the time. So I upped it to 1600, continued to lose weight and had a decent appetite again. When you deny your body nutrition for long enough, it stops sending you warnings.

Biitchstix

I wouldn't say you have to up your calories to 1400, but at 1000 you're at risk of putting your body in starvation mode and making it harder to loose weight.
(My daily goal is 1200, I burn at least 100 per day with exercise which lets me eat 1300 per day and honestly that's been working pretty well.)

marjoleina

I lost when I upped my calories from 1200 to 1600.

I suggest you eat at TDEE-20%

This also

KenosFeoh

I don't know what is right for you, but I can tell you this, during the 5 weeks I was on 1200 calories per day, I didn't lose any fat at all. I did lose lean body mass (according to calculations done at fat2fitradio/tools in September and today), but my weight on the scales stayed the same.

I don't know if more calories will help or not, but I changed my goals this morning. Fingers crossed.

urglewurgle

Try it and see!

I generally eat between 1500 and 1800 per day and am still losing!

hcleving

Thanks, this all really helps! I want to make sure that I am losing weight in the long-run and I am not going to plateu in a month.

chels0722

I would also find out what your BMR is based on your current body, and the BMR of the body you want to have. You definitely don't want to be eating less than your BMR or you will be working against yourself. Once you find out your BMR and TDEE, find a comfortable medium, but not too far below your TDEE. 20% below TDEE is good. I suggest this site to find where your intake should be:

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

twinketta

Can you sustain an average of 1000 cals forever?

I have been eating 1200 cals for over a year and then I added maintenance cals 1260 lol!

But I always eat my exercise cals.

I overate my limit (estimated) by about 400 cals a day over Christmas, each day for 2 weeks and put on 7lbs..I have now lost them again going back to my original eating...so what I am saying is that it something you have to keep up long term..IMO

Topher1978

Coca leaves....