Upped calories but read conflicting information

deksgrl

You walk 35-45 miles a week, walking most days? That's like 5-6 miles per day, and nothing to sneeze at even though you have a desk job.

I would try moderately active for awhile, about 1800 calories. Don't increase exercise any more. I wouldn't expect any weight gain by upping calories to 1800, it's not any huge jump. Do this about 4 weeks and if you don't see any results, then try upping it to 1900.

SGSmallman

Okay, so I was one those people that thought they should eat only 1200 to 1400 calories. I have since upped them to 1700 after figuring my BMR and TDEE. But I am not sure if it enough. I am reading don't eat back exercise calories and then I read eat back exercise calories. This is all confusing. Can anyone look at my diary and let me know your thoughts? Please help. I have only lost 6 lbs. since February, but I have lost 13 inches in measurements.

13 inches!!!!!! that's awesome, I use measurements more than the scale, muscle weighs more than fat and eventual you will "stall" then "gain" but technically it isn't either.

Are you feeling good? continuing to lose inches? then there is ZERO problem here!!! that is a huge victory!

Yes use inches rather than your weight as weight = bone, muscle, fat and water. our goals are to lsoe body fat.

Just as an FYI 1 lb of fat and 1lb of muscle weighs the same it's just muscle is a lot leaner

savoiaS1

You are back to 1700 calories a day and not losing? Of course your not. Im surprised you havent gained. You are following a cookie cutter BMR and TDEE when in reality everyone is different based on many factors. Age,Weight,Sex,Metab ECT.

You need to be taking all this information and logging it either on paper or in your brain. What made you lose weight? What made you stall? Dieting is about figuring out what works for you. I was unable to reach single digit BF until about 3 years of figuring out what works for me. Now it is like clockwork.

If I were you. I would go back to what made you lose weight originally. I can almost promise you that you will resume your weightloss as the time you have spent going UP down and Up again and down again. And changing your cardio has more then likely been long enough to start to break thru a plateau. 99 percent of people on this board VASTLY over judge their cardio and energy expenditure via cardio/exercise. You cant go by what MFP says or the treadmill says uve burnt. These are just guidelines and half the time they are exaggerated .

You said you are not losing on 1700 calories a day correct? Just an FYI. I have been cutting for almost 20 weeks now. And I eat less then 1700 calories a day 50% of the week. Coupled with HIIT cardio twice a week, steady state cardio once a week and heavy heavy weight training 5 days a week. Does it look like my metab has crashed? Am I starving myself? Obviously not. I continue to lose .5-1lb a week and Im at single digit bodyfat with new veins popping up every week. I will continue to do this for another 2-4 weeks and then eat maintain my weight the rest of summer. This works because I know how my body responds. I know how to manipulate macronutrients. How to use them for my training days.

What you need to do is find out what works for you. And from what I have seen. You were doing great and hit a stall which is expected. Then started playing with your macros ever since and have made ZERO progress. When instead. I would have just simply started by adding a few extra calories from carbs and upped my cardio slightly and waited until I broke thru the plateau.

savoiaS1

If you choose to increase your calories even more to 1950. Please keep us informed if this works for you. I can almost promise you it wont. (I hope it does). I will be willing to offer my advice once again if it does not work.

cmmdance

If you choose to increase your calories even more to 1950. Please keep us informed if this works for you. I can almost promise you it wont. (I hope it does). I will be willing to offer my advice once again if it does not work.

Thank you for your input as well. I am really not sure what to do. I am going to try 1800 calories with no increase in exercise. I will let you know how it works. If it doesn't then I start from scratch.

Thank you everyone,, this is definitely a learning experience. Eventually I will figure it out, lose weight, and get fit.

chymerra

don't worry about the scale; if you're losing inches that's really all that matters.

when your fitness levels improve, your body will typically need more fuel. i have gone from 1500cals/day when i first started to 1950/2000 now.

cmmdance

Update: Kept my calories at 1700 and increased my protein. Finally broke the plateau.

ShaunaMcMac

Nice, great job!