Increasing calories - but I'm scared!

toodloo

Hi all!

After listening to all the wisdom on this board, I decided to use the TDEE method of determining calories. I'm 5'5" and now weigh 210 lbs, and MFP was telling me to eat around 1350 calories. I never had much of problem staying within my calories, and on days when I worked out (most days) I would sometimes eat more, but not always. I've also been diagnosed with PCOS, so I eat a fairly low-carb diet as recommended by my doctor (though I do eat whole grains in moderation).

I started dieting while studying for the bar, and lost about 15 lbs without counting calories. MFP has definitely helped me to be more realistic about whether the food I eat is healthy or not, and I've dropped around 38 lbs total (so far)! Recently my loss seems to have slowed down a lot, despite exercising 5-6 days/week and staying within my calories. Yesterday I was running around doing daily stuff, and I realized.. I'd had a headache all day, and I was feeling run down. All I wanted to do was EAT! But I didn't have enough calories left for a snack before dinner. That struck me as pretty crazy, so I decided to follow all the research here and after calculating BMR/TDEE, upped my calories to about 1650.

I really feel like it's the right thing to do, but I'm still super nervous! PCOS makes it very hard to lose weight, and I feel great about my success so far... eating more calories feels counter-intuitive.

TLDR: Has anyone had a similar experience? Upped your calories and lost weight? Thanks!

prattiger65

My wife did. I use the TDEE-20 method and have lost 23lbs. so far. Be prepared that you *might* gain a little to start with as your body adjusts. This is why most people fail using this method, they gain a little to begin with and say " Hey, Im gaining weight" and give up. Then they say it doesn't work. If you calculated properly, it will work.

BflSaberfan

Ugh I just started yesterday and I'm extremely nervous. I was eating 1200 but I am hungry and I am tired so I'm going with the TDEE -20% which allows me about 1700 a day.

wattsy84

I recently increased my calories from 1400 as I was starving myself and didn't realise,I now eat 2160 for last 7 days and have gained 2lb but ill give it a little longer and hope it changes,I believe it will!

dewsmom78

I am doing the same thing as well. I cut my calories to around 1300 and haven't lost hardly anything in a month. I've upped it to to about 1500 per day. Hoping that will jumpstart things a bit.

mustgetmuscles1

Dont just jump straight to TDEE. Increase slowly. Like 50-100 every couple of weeks. People that have been on very low calorie diet for a long time have adapted to that calorie level. Most people know they should be eating more but, like you, are scared. They jump to what the calculator says they should be eating and panic when they start to see weight gain which causes them to revert to the old low calories.

A slow increase will allow your body to adapt and hopefully keep weight gain to a minimum.

jemimasmum

Me too. I added 300 to my daily intake on Monday. Hoping it will break the plateau I've been on for the last 5 weeks.

chels0722

It definitely takes some getting used to. But for me it has worked! I can't say the same for everyone, because everyone is different.

For me, I switched to TDEE-20% and in 3 weeks I went from 21% BF to 19% BF. But keep in mind, in that time I gained nearly 3lbs of LBM. So don't follow that darned scale! I had only lost 1 lb in a month. But don't let that discourage you, I didn't have much to lose. My plan is much different than yours. Your progress will most likely move more quickly. Take pictures and measurments to keep track of your progress!

Good luck girly!

toodloo

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement! I probably will start by increasing slowly, and mostly add in lean meats/vegetables/fruits.

twoss9112

This link may help you feel less scared...

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


Particularly this paragraph / quote from the person who posted it:

**** "I recommend 20% below TDEE.
If after 2 weeks the inches arent coming off then reassess your activity level and try a lower/higher setting.
I just figured out my wife, who claims to be sedentary, burns 2500-2900 calories a day.
I've been feeding her 1400-1600 calories a day because shes 5'3" at 40%BF.
She hasnt been losing any weight!
Upped her cals to 2k and guess what???
The weight is coming off" ****

Loulousq

I came back to MFP on 1/8/13 and started at the 1200 calories a day and lost 12 lbs in 6 weeks. I think the sudden drop shocked my body but it got used to the low intake so I hit a plateau for 2 weeks. I am 5ft and started at 220lbs, now mtn bike 4x a week don't eat back exercise cals bc i am not sure how much I burned since i dont have an hrm; my bmr is 1700 and Tdee is 2600. I have read tons from the Eat More to Weigh Less group and was curious but scared of the process. I upped cals to 1300 for a week then 1400 for a week then jumped to 1800 the following week to be above my bmr bc I was afraid that my metabolism was slowed down due to eating below my bmr. During the time I upped cals, I gained 6lbs and nearly freaked out though I had expected it from reading the EMWL discussions. Im back down to 208lbs and feel like I eat all day bc I snack more. My diary is open, btw. I was discouraged seeing the scale go up but kept at it and cant wait to get under 208lbs. During the cal upping, I had gained weight but lost inches around my waist and hips which is a great nsv it seems like lots of members say to wait on results bc they take time but it is so true!

prattiger65

I came back to MFP on 1/8/13 and started at the 1200 calories a day and lost 12 lbs in 6 weeks. I think the sudden drop shocked my body but it got used to the low intake so I hit a plateau for 2 weeks. I am 5ft and started at 220lbs, now mtn bike 4x a week don't eat back exercise cals bc i am not sure how much I burned since i dont have an hrm; my bmr is 1700 and Tdee is 2400. I have read tons from the Eat More to Weigh Less group and was curious but scared of the process. I upped cals to 1300 for a week then 1400 for a week then jumped to 1800 the following week to be above my bmr bc I was afraid that my metabolism was slowed down due to eating below my bmr. During the time I upped cals, I gained 6lbs and nearly freaked out though I had expected it from reading the EMWL discussions. Im back down to 208lbs and feel like I eat all day bc I snack more. My diary is open, btw. I was discouraged seeing the scale go up but kept at it and cant wait to get under 208lbs. During the cal upping, I had gained weight but lost inches around my waist and hips which is a great nsv it seems like lots of members say to wait on results bc they take time but it is so true!

^^^^^^^^
THIS

toodloo

Losing inches is the best nsv everrr!!

My main fear comes from not being able to accurately calculate my body fat. I followed directions on the road map and used all three; I got two readings around 27% and a third at 46% :noway: I honestly have nooo idea what the truth is - 46% seems high since I'm a pretty muscular person naturally, so I just took an average and put it at 33%.

rockingranny45

I did it and it has worked for me. I was on a strict 1200 calorie intake and i seemed to have stalled. But i got a bit loose with it and things have gotten better. You have to see what works best for you. It is absolutely true that all of our journey's are unique.

crystalfisher89

I just started using TDEE- 20% just last week to take off my last 10-15 lbs. I have gained 3 pounds since doing it, but my nifty scale reports it is just water weight gain from the increased calorie intake. I do have another friend that has been doing this for over 6 weeks and has lost 1 1/2" around her hips even though the scale hasn't moved yet, so do take measurements and try not to be scared by the number on the scale for too long. As recommended from several friends, try to eat your calories between your BMR (basal metabolic rate- aka survival minimum) and your TDEE- 20%. Eat closer to your TDEE-20% on workout days and it is okay to occasionally go over if you are still hungry. Try to eat 5-6 meals too, this will help keep your metabolism going faster. Good luck!

crystalfisher89

Oh one other thing, up your protein to 30%, fat 30%, and carbs 40%. More protein is actually shown to promote fat loss, as for the fat, it's okay to eat 30%, just make sure it's good fats from dairy, meat (fish is a good one), nuts, and olive oil is super healthy!

toodloo

Oh one other thing, up your protein to 30%, fat 30%, and carbs 40%. More protein is actually shown to promote fat loss, as for the fat, it's okay to eat 30%, just make sure it's good fats from dairy, meat (fish is a good one), nuts, and olive oil is super healthy!

Thanks! Right now I eat 40% protein, 30% fat, 30% carbs

carlysuzanne85

I just started using TDEE- 20% just last week to take off my last 10-15 lbs. I have gained 3 pounds since doing it, but my nifty scale reports it is just water weight gain from the increased calorie intake. I do have another friend that has been doing this for over 6 weeks and has lost 1 1/2" around her hips even though the scale hasn't moved yet, so do take measurements and try not to be scared by the number on the scale for too long. As recommended from several friends, try to eat your calories between your BMR (basal metabolic rate- aka survival minimum) and your TDEE- 20%. Eat closer to your TDEE-20% on workout days and it is okay to occasionally go over if you are still hungry. Try to eat 5-6 meals too, this will help keep your metabolism going faster. Good luck!

Hey, that's me! Yup, I switched to is method over a month ago and have lost an inch and a half off my waist and an inch off my hips and half an inch from my neck. I am fitting into pants I couldn't wear two months ago. I'm 5'3" btw. I'm going to start measuring my thighs and arms too so I can keep measuring my progress. I have been doing a lot of strength training in this time along with cardio. Be patient with the scale and take measurements. One thing I also did that I recommend is getting a food scale. I was worried about upping calories too but with a food scale, I know that I'm eating exactly the amount I'm recording which helped with the calorie anxiety. For me TDEE-20% is about a four hundred calorie deficit from TDEE so I can now be confident I'm not accidentally eating those four hundred cals because I eyeballed my portions incorrectly. Add me if you want a friend who is using this method! I also do 40% carbs, 30% protein and fat.

shercroz89

Hello! I'm a newbie. After reading the posts, I'm very interested in the TDEE-20% method. Could anyone share some links where I could get more information. I'm working out 4-5 days each week (three Boot Camp classes and 1-2 days of cardio) but my weight loss has stalled. Thanks!

shercroz89

BTW, my profile says I've been a member since April 2012, but that was a brief attempt. Recently recommited to getting back in shape about 5 weeks ago.

carlysuzanne85

Hello! I'm a newbie. After reading the posts, I'm very interested in the TDEE-20% method. Could anyone share some links where I could get more information. I'm working out 4-5 days each week (three Boot Camp classes and 1-2 days of cardio) but my weight loss has stalled. Thanks!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

I followed the instructions in this forum. It's very thorough but he walks you through it step by step.

YoYoSyndrome

Hi All -

I recently started back with myfitnesspal and I am finding it hard to hit my calorie intake of 1200 per day. I am trying to stay within 50 or less on carbs as that is my choice altho I am allowed more according to the site. I am ok with my protein but hitting 1200 calories is impossible for me.

I know according to the site I'm in starvation mode and I haven't been losing any weight and I'm sure it's due to this issue. Can anyone tell me how to reach my calorie intake for the day without going over in carbs?

Would appreciate any insight and thank you!

langsyne

Hi All -

I recently started back with myfitnesspal and I am finding it hard to hit my calorie intake of 1200 per day. I am trying to stay within 50 or less on carbs as that is my choice altho I am allowed more according to the site. I am ok with my protein but hitting 1200 calories is impossible for me.

I know according to the site I'm in starvation mode and I haven't been losing any weight and I'm sure it's due to this issue. Can anyone tell me how to reach my calorie intake for the day without going over in carbs?

Would appreciate any insight and thank you!

Nut butter and cheese.

EmmaKarney

I upped from 1200 to 1400 and broke a 3 week plateau and I have reduced bf% by 2% in 2 weeks.

jsbieniek

This is exactly the thread I needed! I am 5'9", female and started out on January 7 at 228. I have lost 33 pounds. I started out at 1200 calories and working out. I ride my exercise bike daily and zumba/toning 4 days a week. My weight loss has slowed down and this week I have felt sluggish and bloated. I've tried increasing my water intake and I hope that will help. Last week I increased to 1300 calories and just upped it to 1400 today. My biggest concern was getting under 200 pounds. Now that I'm there I'm freaking out about going back over!

jzammetti

Did the same thing! I upped my intake about 200 calories at a time for a few weeks to get to 1700 (TDEE -20%) from 1200. I did not gain in the middle, and almost immediately began to lose again after a 4 month plateau riddled with headaches and fatigue.

Currently I eat 1850 a day because my workout routine has gotten more strenuous and it is working well for me.

cwolfman13

OP...personally, I prefer the TDEE method...but I do have a question for you...were you eating back exercise calories with the MFP method.

If you're eating back exercise calories with MFP vs using TDEE - 20%, it often comes out 6 of 1...essentially, I gross the same calories now as I did with MFP when I ate back my exercise calories. If you were eating a flat 1300 and not eating back your exercise calories, I can definitely see why you plateaued.

Here's how it looked for me..

MFP method to lose 1 Lb per week: 1,750 + 300exercise = 2050 calories

TDEE method - 20% = 2020 calories

See what I mean...just easier to plan around a set number of calories everyday rather than eating back various exercise calories every day. I switched to TDEE when I really got locked into a consistent workout routine and burn and din't have to think about it anymore.

If you're truly upping your gross calories, I'd suggest doing so 50-100 calories at a time per week to allow your body to make metabolic adjustments rather than all at once.

carenjd

This is absolutely terrifying. Pretty sure I've been starving myself though.

So let me see if I have this right.

I am 5"4, 250-252 lbs (weight fluctuates) and I consider myself moderately active NOW. In the past I was completely sedentary. I do zumba for 45 minutes for 4-5x per week, and began doing Yoga 3x per week. This would be considered moderately active yes? The rest of the time I'm a stay at home mom, and go on walks with my 21 month old son, but let's face it, we go at a snail's pace.

Going of MFP I was eating the 1300 - 1450 cals to lose 2lbs per week - but no weight loss and I'm sweating my butt off during my exercises like I've never worked out before - even when I was a teenager. No weight loss.

So, according to the TDEE Calculator my calories in a day needed are 2962 - 20% = 2370.

Thats a TON of calories! But during the days I workout, according to the zumba calories calculator and MFP, I burn almost 1000 calories on the days I work out, which as I previously mentioned are 4-5x a week.

Does this sound correct?