Not sure about this... but I'm upping my calorie intake.

lrbassmom
lrbassmom Posts: 123
in Food and Nutrition
So based on NROLFW and 'In place of a roadmap'... I'm going to 'try' upping my calories by about 400-500. Because eating 1200 a day isn't pulling any weight off of me. Can't believe this, I'm stressing about eating more!

I'm giving it a 3-4 weeks. If I don't see weight loss OR! the weight coming back on, (OH, THE HORROR!) I'm going back to my 1200 calories.

And yes, I am exercising... Busting my butt lifting weights, heavy ones, 3x a week and walking or some other low cardio the other days. (I'm giddy just thinking about never having to get on an elliptical every again.)

Send me all your skinny energetic thoughts, and weight loss juju!

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Best move I ever made was upping my calories according to the tools in the road map thread. Make sure that you follow the instructions there, don't just up them by a random number - you need to find the correct numbers for you as close as you can. Don't get discouraged if you do seen a gain at first - if you've been eating only 1200 for awhile, it will take time for your body to adjust. Honestly, I'd say be prepared to give it more than 3-4 weeks - it often takes at least a month to start seeing results.

    Look at my profile pic - the difference in my stomach came after changing my calories goals according to the road map - 1800+ calories a day has been way better than 1200 in so many ways!
  • pinkyleigh83
    pinkyleigh83 Posts: 148 Member
    I lift heavy too. I'm 116lbs & eat 1850 on non-lifting days & 2100 on lifting days. I've gained 4lbs of muscle since the beginning of January, slightly dropped my body fat (which was already at 16.5% when I started) & my pants are looser than when I was at 110lbs.
    Go for it!!! :)
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    OK, your advice on this... According to the calculators on 'Road Map'.. my BMR is about 1425-1500. If I call myself 'light active', I should have 1925 calories daily. If I call myself 'moderate' I should have 2170. So, what do you think? According to the other calculators, based on a goal BFP of 23-25% my goal weight should be about 150, (I'm 175-177 depending on the usual fluxuations).

    So, how much should I eat? I was thinking say.. 1700 for non-lifting days and 1900 for those days I lift? Or is that too little?

    And MFP says I should only have 1420 based on goals.

    So confusing.
  • pinkyleigh83
    pinkyleigh83 Posts: 148 Member
    Don't pay attention to MFP, they are notoriously wrong when it comes to calorie intake etc.

    Try this....and adjust calorie % depending on how you want to lose....

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I find this pretty accurate for me.

    ETA: My numbers are also based on NROLFW. I set mine at lose fat, gain muscle for the above website & am "moderately active" based on 3-4 lifting sessions/week.
  • castell5
    castell5 Posts: 234 Member
    1200 calories is just plain stupid. I upped my calories and lost weight. Prior to joining MFP, I was dieting for 5 months and I had lost 38 lbs doing it my own way.
    My own way? That was eating about 16-1800 calories and making sure I did some form of exercise for at least (the bottom least) a half hour.
    I averaged about 2 lbs a week of weight loss.
    By the time I joined MFP, I was down to 139 and I did follow their 1200 calorie suggestion..
    I went to bed hungry every night.
    I didn't like this, so I only did it for about 5 weeks, then I got real.
    I upped my calories to 1410 which was better for me.
    I am at my goal weight and now I eat about 1600 calories a day and I still work out.
    Don't be afraid to raise the caloric intake a few hundred calories, just be sure to eat "healthy" stuff with the extra intake and keep on exercising.
    Give your body about 3 weeks to adjust and you'll be happier.
    I was.
  • susanmarnold
    susanmarnold Posts: 142
    Can someone share the link referenced above? Thanks!
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    Well, according to the Scooby calculator my stats are:
    BMR - 1489
    TDEE- 2300
    < BF% - 1847

    So... if I'm understanding all of this correctly. I should eat no LESS than 1800 a day? This is going to take some 'getting used to'.
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    Here is a link to "In Place of a Road Map 2.0" The calculators on there pretty much jive with the Scooby thing.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • susanmarnold
    susanmarnold Posts: 142
    Thanks!
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
    The worst thing that could happen is that you take the time and effort to log accurately and you end up gaining a little weight. Even if that does happen, it won't be much weight and you'll have more information than you had before.

    I completely understand the apprehension. For me, I think it stems from this idea that the only motivation I have is losing weight and/or losing inches. I kind of have to take a step back and realize while those are worthy goals, experimentation is also worthy. My world will not implode if I up my calories thoughtfully and gain a little weight. If nothing else, it might reassure me about the process overall.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    I did this and haven't found the anticipated success. HOWEVER, I am having some medication adjustments (blood pressure) and am retaining water, so there may be some weight loss I"m not seeing.

    My theory is, if what you're doing isn't working the way you want, try something else. So go for it! I definintely agree with your plan to give it some time to work. I think sometimes we try something new and when we don't get instant results we make a change. As I understand it, this one takes some time to kick in.

    Best wishes to you! I'd love to see an update in a few weeks to see how you're doing!
  • hon3yd0g
    hon3yd0g Posts: 52 Member
    ive upped my calories as i havent been losing,so were see if i lose any now!
  • curejenn
    curejenn Posts: 70 Member
    I want to do this but I have so many questions! If I go by the In Place of a Roadmap instructions, do I eat back my exercise calories each day or do I just leave those since I have chosen moderately active which encompasses 1 to 3 workouts per week? I have been at this a month and while I am seeing a fairly OK weight loss, I just want to ensure that I am eating enough to build muscle and gain strength. I am 5 feet tall and MFP has set my calories to 1425 and I do eat all my exercise calories.
  • willprovost
    willprovost Posts: 32 Member
    My wife had been stuck for 1 week or so, at 1200 calories. She bumped it up and starting losing weight again. It happens.
  • paygep
    paygep Posts: 401 Member
    I lost 15 pounds last year on 1400 net calories the MFP way. But I couldn't maintain that and gained it all back. This year I decided to try to net more like 1800-2000. I didn't lose a thing for 3 weeks. But now I'm starting to see the numbers on the scale go down. I committed to this plan for 6 weeks. I'd lost 4 pounds at my last weigh-in and I'm hoping to hit the 5 pound loss mark, this Friday will be the end of my 5th week. I feel like I might be able to keep it off better this time because I'm actually learning how to eat.
  • Berlygirl10
    Berlygirl10 Posts: 68
    I upped my calories 2 weeks ago and have continued to lose weight. I just need to remember to go back to my roadmap and see if I need to adjust my calories again!
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    This upping my calories thing is going to being an act of faith!

    So I just had supper (about 700 calories worth- go check my food diary if you're 'that' interested, not all of it was super healthy but heck, tamales= comfort food). That and the other meals added up to 1892+ calories! B-O So even though I'm supposed to eat 1900 on regular days and 2100 on lifting days, I feel like I've been so bad! According to MFP I have.

    Please tell me this will work.
  • pinkyleigh83
    pinkyleigh83 Posts: 148 Member
    You will be eating close to the calories I eat at my weight. I gained weight-muscle- but my pants fit better than they did than when I was 6lbs less. Take your measurements now & again in a few weeks. Body fat too if you can. Even if you don't see what you want to on the scale I bet your body will be changing for the good! And I've learned that that is a lot more important than what number a scale says. :)

    Good luck!
  • MN4US
    MN4US Posts: 78 Member
    My wife had been stuck for 1 week or so, at 1200 calories. She bumped it up and starting losing weight again. It happens.

    What did she bump it up to?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    My wife had been stuck for 1 week or so, at 1200 calories. She bumped it up and starting losing weight again. It happens.

    What did she bump it up to?
    The right number is different for each person - calculate your numbers with the tools and info in this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • willprovost
    willprovost Posts: 32 Member
    My wife had been stuck for 1 week or so, at 1200 calories. She bumped it up and starting losing weight again. It happens.

    What did she bump it up to?
    1200 to 1500.

    But like the last person said, everyone's needs are different.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    So based on NROLFW and 'In place of a roadmap'... I'm going to 'try' upping my calories by about 400-500. Because eating 1200 a day isn't pulling any weight off of me. Can't believe this, I'm stressing about eating more!

    I'm giving it a 3-4 weeks. If I don't see weight loss OR! the weight coming back on, (OH, THE HORROR!) I'm going back to my 1200 calories.

    And yes, I am exercising... Busting my butt lifting weights, heavy ones, 3x a week and walking or some other low cardio the other days. (I'm giddy just thinking about never having to get on an elliptical every again.)

    Send me all your skinny energetic thoughts, and weight loss juju!

    I think you have exactly the right attitude. Self-experimenation is the best way to figure out what works for YOU, and in the end that's really all that matters. I wouldn't be surprised at all if you gain weight, but your clothing fits a lot better because you are adding muscle and dumping fat.
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
    You will be eating close to the calories I eat at my weight. I gained weight-muscle- but my pants fit better than they did than when I was 6lbs less. Take your measurements now & again in a few weeks. Body fat too if you can. Even if you don't see what you want to on the scale I bet your body will be changing for the good! And I've learned that that is a lot more important than what number a scale says. :)

    Good luck!

    But probably the big difference between you and me is that I'm 50 and menopausal/post-menopausal...

    I wish there was a modifier on the calorie calculators for those of us of a 'certain age'.
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    Well, according to the Scooby calculator my stats are:
    BMR - 1489
    TDEE- 2300
    < BF% - 1847

    So... if I'm understanding all of this correctly. I should eat no LESS than 1800 a day? This is going to take some 'getting used to'.

    Yup! It will take getting used to, but it truly works. I used scoobys calculator because it was easier for me to just pop the info in...
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    You will be eating close to the calories I eat at my weight. I gained weight-muscle- but my pants fit better than they did than when I was 6lbs less. Take your measurements now & again in a few weeks. Body fat too if you can. Even if you don't see what you want to on the scale I bet your body will be changing for the good! And I've learned that that is a lot more important than what number a scale says. :)

    Good luck!

    But probably the big difference between you and me is that I'm 50 and menopausal/post-menopausal...

    I wish there was a modifier on the calorie calculators for those of us of a 'certain age'.

    Scoobys calculator has you enter your age... they do take that into account
  • celebrity328
    celebrity328 Posts: 377 Member
    I have been doing a 1200 calorie diet since July. After months of working out eating my calories I saw no results :( I read the road map and decided to up my calories 100-200 a week to my BMR. After no weight loss for 4-5 months my first week of eating my BMR I saw a 3lbs weight loss lol! Since upping my calories to BMR+ - TDEE I have lost 10lbs so far in the last month :)! It is scary to up calories but it was the best advise I have been given on MFP! (love you Dan!) I also have more energy and feel better now.

    Hope this helps, good luck :)!

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