Increasing metabolism

VastBreak
VastBreak Posts: 322 Member
edited January 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Currently I am working on increasing my calories After tracking for a couple weeks I learned my typical daily calories were only around 1000. So this last week I have increased, aiming for 2000. I hit 1700 each day with a couple days hitting 2000. I gained a pound during this week. Ok, I can handle that in the big picture but how long does this go on? How long do I aim for 2000 calories a week?

Anyone experience this? Increasing calories to increase metabolism?

Replies

  • VastBreak
    VastBreak Posts: 322 Member
    Really, no input?

    All i have been reading is how 800, 900 or even 1200 is too low.

    Nobody else has started too low and worked up to higher calories?
  • seedawg23
    seedawg23 Posts: 52 Member
    Bump
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    In this boat myself. I plan on giving it at least a month and be as consistent as possible before I adjust. I haven't really gained though. But I only upped mine by 2800 a week. (so 400 a day)
    I started around 1400 daily, went to 1800 then averaged 1900 for a month before bumping on up to 2300. This was my first week at 2300. At 1800, I lost around 2 pounds a month. At 1900 I lost around 2 pounds a month. At 2300 I have lost .5 pounds the first week, but I pay that no mind as it will fluctuate around and go back up and down, I am sure. If it ends up at a 2 pound per month loss, that will be kind of weird as I am now eating 500 more calories a day and still losing the same amount. But I will be ok with it and probably raised it to around 2500 for a month and keep raising it until I find my TDEE, then adjust.
    My weight loss is very non-linear so I typically only log it about once a month.
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    I had been doing 1200 for 2 months with no change at all. So i just bumped it up to 1400/day on Nov 5. I'm still seeng how that is going. No change as of yet. I exercise about 3-4 times a week (though I am somewhat active on weekends). I figure that since I'm trying to lose the last 13 lbs i'd try a smaller deficit and being more consistent with my workouts.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    You basically decided to double your calorie intake because you felt it was too low?

    Find your TDEE. Eat that for a few weeks to fix whatever you have done to your poor body. From there, drop it 250 to 500 calories to achieve 0.5 or 1.0 pounds weight loss a week.
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
    It's hard to give advice when you don't give any height/weight information :)

    If you're at an average height for a woman, and you're doing a little exercsie, you can probably eat 1700-2000 calories daily and not gain weight in the long term. I know for me (5'6", started at 150 pounds), I can eat at least 1700, and I'm losing 1-2 pounds per month. If you have more weight to go, you can probably lose weight at a quicker pace with that same number of calories, at least for awhile

    Do yourself a favor and ignore the 1 pound gain this week. One pound is nothing! I can do things exactly the same for days in a row and my weight can fluctuate by 3-4 pounds for no reason whatsoever. Or I'll have my weight constant for 2-3 weeks and then suddenly drop a couple pounds for no reason.

    It sounds like you're looking for a little reassurance. I think what you're doing is fine! Aim for that 1700-2000 calorie goal, do a little exercise, wait it out. If a month passes and the scale isn't cooperating, then maybe consider reevaluating. Drastic changes are not your friend! Seems like everyone on here waits one week and then commences to freak out... you'll be fine!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    FWIW, you can't "reset" your metabolism. You can increase it slightly by having more lean body mass because muscle requires more calories for maintenance than fat does but the whole eating more to boost metabolism is bunk.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    FWIW, you can't "reset" your metabolism. You can increase it slightly by having more lean body mass because muscle requires more calories for maintenance than fat does but the whole eating more to boost metabolism is bunk.

    If she's been eating 800-900 calories, she most likely HAS suppressed her metabolic rate. So there really is such a thing as resetting to your "normal" rate after undereating for a long period.
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
    I thought when attempting to do this you were supposed to increase by 150 cal a day for each week til you hit a week where you gained.

    I have found, for myself, that if I cycle my calories, high 2 days, low 1 day, high 1 day, low 2 days, high 2 days.. I personally have best results.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,436 MFP Moderator
    If you legitimately want to increase your metabolic rate, then weight training and gaining new lean body mass can do this... not food. Now if you want to baseline your true maintenance calories so you can create a 20% deficit, you can do that by slowly increasing your calories.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    FWIW, you can't "reset" your metabolism. You can increase it slightly by having more lean body mass because muscle requires more calories for maintenance than fat does but the whole eating more to boost metabolism is bunk.

    If she's been eating 800-900 calories, she most likely HAS suppressed her metabolic rate. So there really is such a thing as resetting to your "normal" rate after undereating for a long period.

    There's been lots of studies done and the reduction in metabolic rate is minor. The big difference is that most people living on very low calorie diets are lethargic and do much less so they aren't expending the energy to burn off anything beyond body function. People don't starve to death because their body has learned to make do with no fuel.

    As already stated you increase your metabolism slightly by increasing your lean body mass, not by eating more, not by magic beans, not by drinking cold water, not by eating spices or green tea.
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    FWIW, you can't "reset" your metabolism. You can increase it slightly by having more lean body mass because muscle requires more calories for maintenance than fat does but the whole eating more to boost metabolism is bunk.

    If she's been eating 800-900 calories, she most likely HAS suppressed her metabolic rate. So there really is such a thing as resetting to your "normal" rate after undereating for a long period.


    There's been lots of studies done and the reduction in metabolic rate is minor. The big difference is that most people living on very low calorie diets are lethargic and do much less so they aren't expending the energy to burn off anything beyond body function. People don't starve to death because their body has learned to make do with no fuel.

    As already stated you increase your metabolism slightly by increasing your lean body mass, not by eating more, not by magic beans, not by drinking cold water, not by eating spices or green tea.
    Who's gonna give me money back for these damned beans then???
  • VastBreak
    VastBreak Posts: 322 Member
    Thanks for so many responses! Some are very helpful!

    Right now I am working with a nutritionist. However I am only able to do phone consults until my physical appointment in January. I am keeping a written journal so they have physical accounts of my regular eating. It was based on my nutritionist advice that I double my calorie intake. Just based on my typical schedule of home and work and 4 kids.

    This week I have been adding in strength training into my routine. Twice at the gym and once at home with a Cathe video. I know i am slowly getting in better shape so that is the great news! I am willing to take things slow, I understand that I did not get fat over night and I do not expect to lose the weight quickly.

    Just a little background....I am 5'2 and currently weigh 168. I had 2 kids in my early 20's and dropped my weight after having them pretty quickly however I exercised everyday. Running with crunches and pushups and things like that thrown in. I was just active regularly and met friends to play tennis and go hiking and all that sort of stuff. Then I partially ruptured my Achilles. My activity level was basically non existent! I Immediately started gaining weight so I cut back in food. Leveled off the weight. Then I changed. Careers and was less active and cut back on my food again! Then had 2 more kids and gained a few more pounds and here I am today out of shape and overweight!
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