Do i raise my daily calorie intake

debbie6868
debbie6868 Posts: 51
in Health and Weight Loss
Tthinking of raising my daily calories from 1200 to maybe 1400 not that im struggling with 1200 because most days i have exercise calories i can eat but most people are saying 1200 is not enough an also dont seem to be losing anything not sure what to do.

Replies

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Where do you get the 1,200 from?

    What did you put as your activity level and as your weekly loss target?

    ETA: how accurately are you logging your food? Are you weighing everything that is not liquid? Measuring everything that is?
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    I'm dealing with the same thing today. In the past I've done the 1200 calorie thing with great results. This time? Not so much. I figure if I'm going to lose weight this slowly I might as well eat more. I'm increasing my calories today.
  • debbie6868
    debbie6868 Posts: 51
    i put all my details in mfp an this is what it came up with.i put 2lb loss a week. i log every thing an weighing thing.
  • StaceySuperfly
    StaceySuperfly Posts: 101 Member
    Change to 1 pound to increase your calories. I upped to 1460 and am losing! Hang in there!
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    You might also want to calculate your TDEE and BMR. I upped my calorie intake to my BMR (1600) plus I eat back my exercise calories, and I've had great results so far.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    Some people get tremendous results from doing what MFP suggests for losing 2 lbs per week. I'm not one of them and from your OP it doesn't sound like you are either. So why not try something else? I kept reading a thread that's always linked on threads like this one. I read it several times but resisted it for whatever reason. Today I reread it. Again. I realized that what I've been doing hasn't been working as well as I'd hoped so I am trying this out. Maybe it could help you, too.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • Arsenal1919
    Arsenal1919 Posts: 212 Member
    Tthinking of raising my daily calories from 1200 to maybe 1400 not that im struggling with 1200 because most days i have exercise calories i can eat but most people are saying 1200 is not enough an also dont seem to be losing anything not sure what to do.

    If you're counting your calories properly from accurate weighing of your food on good sensitive kitchen scales and sighting your liquid intake from a measuring jug, the only way you would not be losing heaps of weight would be that you're under 4' 9" and already about 93 pounds.

    Sure you haven't missed anything?
  • chevvy50
    chevvy50 Posts: 14
    I think with mfp you cant go far wrong if you put settings for half pound a week weight loss as you can still eat 1200 or more depending on your day and how you feel takes all the worry away...:D as its the max setting so as long U under ta daaa!! :D
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Some people get tremendous results from doing what MFP suggests for losing 2 lbs per week. I'm not one of them and from your OP it doesn't sound like you are either. So why not try something else? I kept reading a thread that's always linked on threads like this one. I read it several times but resisted it for whatever reason. Today I reread it. Again. I realized that what I've been doing hasn't been working as well as I'd hoped so I am trying this out. Maybe it could help you, too.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    ^^^This!!! Eat more!! Good luck.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    Tthinking of raising my daily calories from 1200 to maybe 1400 not that im struggling with 1200 because most days i have exercise calories i can eat but most people are saying 1200 is not enough an also dont seem to be losing anything not sure what to do.

    If you're counting your calories properly from accurate weighing of your food on good sensitive kitchen scales and sighting your liquid intake from a measuring jug, the only way you would not be losing heaps of weight would be that you're under 4' 9" and already about 93 pounds.

    Sure you haven't missed anything?

    That's what I thought, too. For me personally anyway.
    When the numbers don't add up and the individual is not losing as they think they should be then 1200 calories isn't working and it's a good idea to consider that their body has different needs. Too much of a calorie deficit can backfire.
  • debbie6868
    debbie6868 Posts: 51
    Just dropped it to 1lb loss per week but its says i have to eat 1540 there no way i could eat that amount of calories although i did go over a little bit today then on days i go to the gym an then have to eat all the exercise calories back as well.
  • NRSPAM
    NRSPAM Posts: 961 Member
    http://femalemuscle.com/nutrition/calculate.html Here is a website for you to calculate your TDEE and BMR, and all that, although MFP does this for you, but what you put for activity level makes a huge difference. Be honest about your activity level, underestimating is just as bad as overestimating. Sedentary is just lying around most of the day, and not doing much of anything at all. Lightly active is the next one up, I think, so is probably not much more than being sedentary. Be honest with yourself about how often you exercise. Also, like other folks have said, don't try to go over 1lb a week, maybe even set it for 1/2lb a week. I'm sure you'll likely lose more than that, as long as you're being active. :))) Good luck!
  • NRSPAM
    NRSPAM Posts: 961 Member
    Just dropped it to 1lb loss per week but its says i have to eat 1540 there no way i could eat that amount of calories although i did go over a little bit today then on days i go to the gym an then have to eat all the exercise calories back as well.

    1,540 is not that much. You can do it! Just try to keep it healthy about 80% of the time. And shoot for being about 80-90% full. You just want to feel satisfied after a meal, not stuffed. Also try to cut out most junk food, and stop eating about 3 hours before bed. You don't want to be starving when you turn in for the night, but you also don't want to be full. Also eat healthy snacks between meals. :)))
  • debbie6868
    debbie6868 Posts: 51
    what about the exercise calories on days i go to gym do i have to eat them on top :-(
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    what about the exercise calories on days i go to gym do i have to eat them on top :-(

    It probably depends on what your TDEE is. If 1540 is in your range then you don't have to. If your TDEE - 20% is a lot higher, maybe around 1800 then you probably should. It might not be as hard as you think to add more calories in. I can tell you that it will not be difficult for me. :laugh: Try eating full fat Greek yogurt. Eat 1 or 2 tablespoons of almond butter or peanut butter with an apple. Put some olive oil or parmesan cheese on your pasta. Put some butter on your toast.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    what about the exercise calories on days i go to gym do i have to eat them on top :-(

    You should be eating about 50 - 75% back. You deficit is already included in the base.


    ETA: I say only 50 - 75% to give yourself a margin of error
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Some people get tremendous results from doing what MFP suggests for losing 2 lbs per week. I'm not one of them and from your OP it doesn't sound like you are either. So why not try something else? I kept reading a thread that's always linked on threads like this one. I read it several times but resisted it for whatever reason. Today I reread it. Again. I realized that what I've been doing hasn't been working as well as I'd hoped so I am trying this out. Maybe it could help you, too.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    Best move I made was setting my calories and macros according to the info in that topic! I have had the best success in that time - eating well, losing the last 10lbs, and I'm still losing fat and inches (and have actually dropped below goal weight). It's been working great for me. And having the info, knowing your BMR and your TDEE and eating in between those two numbers is so freeing. I have a daily goal I aim for, but on those days that I end up over because of a special event, holiday, birthday or whatever, I know I'm not going to gain weight as long as I haven't gone over my BMR. I enjoyed all my favorite goodies through the holidays last year and didn't gain any weight. :smile:

    Needless to say, I highly recommend reading that topic and changing your goals. Is it a perfect formula? No, and for some, it take awhile, up to a month or longer, to really start seeing results. Sometimes adjustments are needed, up or down a 100 calories or so until you find the right number. But it's doable, it's sustainable, and like I said, it's the best move I've made since joining MFP. :smile:
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
    Sometimes when the scale weight is not going down your body is getting in better shape and your measurements go down. Are your clothes getting looser? This last month have you gotten a lot more exercise than you have the previous couple of months? If you have you could be holding more water in your muscles and masking your fat loss. According to your food diary you have averaged close to 1300 calories per day of food and if that is accurate then you should have seen some kind of changes in the last 32 days.
  • benflando
    benflando Posts: 193
    Your digestive system may be having problems with only 1200. You may lose more weight if you up your calories and fiber ( sounds counter productive) but it actually can be the solution.

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