Success stories by upping calories PLEAS

wapan

Very helpful. Thanks people. I don't think I could ever eat only 1200 cals a day, unless I was tied to a chair in my basement.

SnicciFit

Don't feel sorry for me, as I truly enjoy what I eat, just as I'm assuming you do.

Love this! I don't feel sorry for myself as I eat ribeyes for dinner dipped in the most amazing homemade mayo with sweet potato fries. :happy:

surromom2010

I'll give you this week alone.

For the last 2 months or longer I have been bouncing between 122-123 eating around 1300 calories a day, not eating back exercise cals.

I this week I took the plunge and upped myself to 1600-1700 and literally ate ALL of them, to the point that I felt like if I ate anymore I would puke..(Seriously gagged choking my protein shake down after insanity last night because I was sooo full.) I weighed myself and in the first 4 days or so I gained 1lb, but today I weighed and measured again. Now I'm down from the 122.4 ish that I was stuck at to 121.6 (and not dehydrated from hangover :laugh: ) and have already lost another half inch in my hips- didn't measure anywhere else though, I'm really worried most about hips/thighs.. Just my story, and the second time increasing cals has worked for me (I was stupid enough to start at netting 900 cals a day when I started losing weight, plateaued at 130 before increasing to 1300.) I was new to dieting lol..

Take it how you will!

bronnyd

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I always challenge the so-called "clean eaters" to peruse my diary. Clean eating is fine if you enjoy living by common-sense-defying strict rules and such. But I prefer to eat what I enjoy and watch my macros.

Same here. I'm perfectly happy with my progress that sometimes includes pizza and cheeseburgers.

Maybe I'd have a slightly flatter stomach if I gave up my bagels for breakfast. My love of bagels trumps my desire for a 6 pack.

I'm not sure how "clean eating" qualifies as common-sense-defying, but I don't think ANYONE eats "clean" 100% of the time. I would consider myself a "clean eater", but I still eat things like french fries and candy occasionally. I just choose to fuel my body with foods it can actually use rather than crap that it just literally craps out without using or that, worse yet, causes inflammation.

^ This! I agree that very few people eat 100% clean all of the time myself included, but I never understand the "mocking" (or I guess maybe "challenging" is a better word) of clean eating that goes on around here. To me it's about more than just weight loss. It's about the optimal performance and health of my body. I choose not to fuel it with crap, chemicals, salt and hydrogenated oils - how is that defying common sense?! Sounds pretty sensical to me. To each their own though I guess. Most people who choose to eat clean do so because those are the things they enjoy eating, so to those who enjoy eating pizza and cheeseburgers and who are happy with their progress, more power to ya!

But back to the topica at hand: I never started out on MFP at a 1200 calorie goal. I started at 1500 and have worked my way up to 1700. By eating this much I have lost 24 pounds since mid-October and I'm pretty pleased with that, because I really didn't have all that much to lose in the first place (just 30 pounds). To me, upping my calories wasn't really about busting through platueas but it just seemed like a natural progression as I make my way towards my goal weight to start eating more. Easing myself onto maintenance I guess. Everyone has to play around and figure out what works for their own bodies. Personally, I feel like I would faint if I restricted myself to 1200 calories per day; however, some people have had lots of success that way. But I'm happy having success by eating more!

jryepin

I started out here eating 1200 calories like most uninformed people do. I went from 205 to 191ish in about 2 and a half weeks but realized i was always hungry and that caused me to binge. That, of course, cause me to put back all of the weight I had "lost". Right now I'm eating about 1600 calories and I've lost all the weight I gained back and then some more

stephanj

Started MFP at 1,200 calories and doing way too much cardio. Lost 20 pounds quickly then came to a screeching halt and plateaued for weeks. When I upped to 1,600 and cut back my cardio, I started losing again. After another plateau over the summer I upped to 1,800 and started strength training. The fat started melting off again.

I'm now eating 1,800-2,000 calorie per day weekdays and usually as high as 3,000 on weekends and doing P90X. My weight is staying fairly stable, but I am still losing fat. I'm 20.3% now with a goal of 18%.

Edit to add- I'm 37 yo, 5'4". The 131 lb pic is from before I started P90X. I've got much better looking arms now and my abs have firmed up.

Awesome!!!!! I am your age and height, this is so nice to see, you look great :-) I am slowly upping and lifting more, hope I have results like yours!

da_bears10089

a week or two of no weight loss is NOT a plateau. for the love of all that is holy, it takes a LOT longer than that to truly be considered a plateau.

Serah87

Was doing 1200 calories and was so hungry :frown: , I did lose about 68, but when the holidays hit I gave up and gained 13 pds, the day after christmas I decided to up my calories and lost most of what I gained, than I read up and started the TDEE -20% a few weeks ago and almost back where I was before I gained, plus I have added weights to my workout and I am smaller in the waist than where I was before!! Love the fact I have more energy and NOT HUNGRY anymore!!! :bigsmile:

monacienta

This has been so informative. As a Newbie I have been struggling with this question. Should I should I not eat my deficit? I'm going to eat it and I'm going to publish my diet diary (eventually). Thank you all for your responses.:flowerforyou:

bronnyd

Now I'm down from the 122.4 ish that I was stuck at to 121.6 (and not dehydrated from hangover :laugh: )

:laugh: is THAT why I always weigh less the morning after I've been drinking!? I never would have put that together.

mryak750

bump

Wanting2BSkinny

bump

paulosportz

I have not read all the comments but here is my input....

Im sure alot of your would of heard of 'crash dieting'

Crash dieting means basically eating next to nothing and loosing weight very fast... This works well of course but eventually the weight loss will stop because your body will sense the shortage of energy and in return will reduce your metabolism to basically, keep you alive.... In the end when you begin eating normal again, you just pack on all the weight because your metabolism is damaged or very low and the body will just grab onto all those calories... You dont have to binge for this to occur, it could be as simple as eating extra 500cals per day....

In my experience, to effectively lose weight and keep that weight off is making sure your metabolism is firing by eating as much food as you can but still remaining in a small caloric deficit. So if your maintenance is 2000calories, eat no less than 1500cal per day...

SLOW AND STEADY ALWAYS WINS THE RACE AT THE END

For more information please watch this video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

paulosportz

I might also add, if you are currently consuming 'net' 1000calories, You can not automatically increase your food intake too 1500cal per day..

You must eat extra 100cal per day for a week, then another 100cal for another week, etc.. to slowly build your metabolism back up

RetiredAndLovingIt

Bump

Emwalker716

i'm thinking about trying to increase my cal intake starting tomorrow.... having struggled with eating issues in the past i'm terrified of increasing calorie intake. in the past i lost ~50lbs in 3 months eating 600-800 cals/day and staying in the gym long enough to burn ~1000 cals. i obviously gained all this weight back since its completely unsustainable. MFP is now telling me i should be eating 1200 cal/day to lose THESE 50 lbs i'd like to lose, but i almost think thats too low. i havent been losing and going off strict cals in/cals out its making no sense to me! i'm contemplating up-ing my cals to 1500 net cal/day. i'm currently hovering around 200 lbs and trying to get down to 150. i'm 5'7" and 23 y/o. any suggestions/thoughts would be appreciated!!

6550mom

Here's my story on this topic.

After my first son was born, I was determined to get back into shape (formerly climbed mountains and all that stuff). So, I started going for walks/jogs with the stroller and lifting weights at home. I lost some of the pound initially, but then the weight loss stalled. I didn't gain, but I wasn't losing either. I was on a 1300-1400 cal diet (while breastfeeding- yeah, I know).

Well, I kept reading about upping calories if you hit a plateau while increasing activity. But, I just couldn't believe it. This was 7 year ago and I still had very strict ideas that if you aren't losing weight, you cut more or burn more calories to lose. But, it didn't work. I might lose parts of pounds ever so slowly, but nothing substantial.

I was so skeptical that I went to a nutritionist and had my RMR (resting metabolic rate) tested. I don't remember the numbers right now exactly, but I was eating under this number.

I walked out of there with a recommendation to up my calories by about 400 per day (eventually, adding 200 for 2 weeks and then another 200, just to clarify)- woohoo. I could now eat the whole avocado instead of just half or indulge in 1/2 cup ice cream or both or whatever (usually tried to have healthy cals).

Anyway, it still felt like 'cheating' because I couldn't believe I was no longer hungry. How on earth could you lose weight if you weren't hungry?

But, it worked - much to my surprise and my equally skeptical husbands as well. The weight started coming off again.

It is like turning the tumblers on a lock- there is a 'right' combination, at least for me. Or maybe it's better to say there is a 'best' combination of calories in, out, quality of food, timing of meals exercise with cardio and strength-- to optimize the body and weight loss/fitness goals. The challenge is cracking the code.

But, yes. I was super-skeptical and it took objective proof in having the RMR test for me to believe it and try it, but upping my calories by quite a bit was the last piece of the puzzle for me at that time. If I hit a plateau this time, I will be happily trying that again.

HerBravado

No pics yet, but I upped from 1400 to 1900 because I've been stuck FOREVER.
Lost 4 pounds last week, seriously.
I'm waiting to see how this week's weigh-in goes;
but I had to weigh myself twice last time just to believe it! lol

jneill69

Just wanted to point out the ravens suck!! I'm a Steelers fan

MFP needs a /like button.

strikerjb007

What is this "clean eating" people are talking about?

OP, forget that whole starvation mode nonsense. Your metabolism slows down and when going with low calories for too long, you can cause metabolic damage.

You can up your calories to help your body restart. IMO, everyone should aim to eat as much as they can while still losing body fat.

Ps: I was looking to add some weight a few months ago and I up my calories. The first week, I lost weight. I had to go as much as 3500 to gain a lb.