What have people found when increasing calories

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littlemegzz
littlemegzz Posts: 292 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So we hear time and time again how increasing your calories can lead to better weight loss (rather than doing only 1200 cal a day). I was wondering if people who have increased their intake from 1200 could tell me what they found weight wise over the course of increasing.

Did you find you gained weight over the first few weeks/stayed the same/ continued to decrease in weight?
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Replies

  • AcampoGirl
    AcampoGirl Posts: 52 Member
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    I was wondering the same thing. Well last week I upped my calories. Now I want to eat more, but bad stuff. When I'm at 1200 it's easier for me to stay motivated. I am in a group called Road Map and it talks all about eating more and losing weight. I'm going to try it for another week or two and see how I feel.
  • welfeln
    welfeln Posts: 58 Member
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    Bump
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,863 Member
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    I experimented for a week by eating most of my exercise calories back and for three days at the end of that week I lost just over 2lbs in that three days. So far this week I haven't lost anything so I will see what weigh-in day brings for this wek, which is tomorrow.
  • littlemegzz
    littlemegzz Posts: 292 Member
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    I experimented for a week by eating most of my exercise calories back and for three days at the end of that week I lost just over 2lbs in that three days. So far this week I haven't lost anything so I will see what weigh-in day brings for this wek, which is tomorrow.

    Please let us know how tomorrow goes, if you don't mind.

    I increased my calories last week, but lost nothing. However, I did have one bad day at the start of the week. I have been eating more than 1200 still, but not eating all of my exercise cals back.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    Upping my calories gave me more energy during the day and more motivation to push myself during workouts.
  • ChunkieNuts
    ChunkieNuts Posts: 135 Member
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    i used to eat 1200 before i knew any different, i wish i didnt waste my time...i now eat more and lose weight..
    its more about what you eat, not all about the calories (personally works for me anyway)

    eating more - i lost more weight, i feel better, i workout harder, im never hungry.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    I increased from 1600 to 1800 on net calories - my working consumed calories tends to be at about 2200-2500 with activity (for an actual TDEE of 2700) and I feel great and I'm still losing. I'll be increasing to 2000 net by the end of the year or before as my bf% decreases. My goal is to have a TDEE of about 3000 in 6 months or so.

    Differentiate between BMR, Net and TDEE and it will help you understand how you can eat well and lose.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    I hit a plateau for a couple of months, then I upped my calories about 6 weeks ago, I showed an initial gain of about 2lb, but it didn't hang around long and I dropped 4lb the next week. I only weigh in once a month so I can't say how it's worked since then, but I feel happier, healthier, slimmer, and with more energy,
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I uped my calories from 1200 which I was on for many months to around 1700 more or less and I lose pretty much the same as I did eating 1200. No I had no weight gain when I changed over and I didn't change over slowly I did it in one go because I was over trying to eat like a bird. I didn't know any better till my doctor, exercise phyisologist and some of the wise people on here said 1200 was too low and I'm glad I listened. I'd never do that again.
  • luzmidd
    luzmidd Posts: 154 Member
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    I started eating back my exercise calories, about 200 a day, so went from 1200cals to 1400 cals a day. I never ate my exercise calories back, but since I started losing again. Now average about 1.5 lb weight loss a week.
  • littlemegzz
    littlemegzz Posts: 292 Member
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    thanks for the replies guys
  • Arexxx
    Arexxx Posts: 486 Member
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    I don't binge as often because I'm eating more, it's easier to fit things into your goal (going out for dinner isn't as huge of a deal now) and I feel healthier :)

    And I didnt really notice a change in my weight loss. Still a pretty consistent 1-3 pounds a week
  • Nix_
    Nix_ Posts: 94
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    I'm about to up my calories, because I am pretty close to my goal and preparing for maintenance! On a podcast by Jillian Michael's she recommended doing it by 100 calories a week, so that' my plan :D
  • LuluProteinFueled
    LuluProteinFueled Posts: 261 Member
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    Muscle growth, fat loss, and a food diary that makes me drool from just looking at it.
  • c2111
    c2111 Posts: 693 Member
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    Hi I ve gone up to 1350 from 1200, and nearly at my goal, thnx for the tip nix I'll see how I go , don't want to gain.
  • mabelbabel1
    mabelbabel1 Posts: 391 Member
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    I have been increasing my cals since the beginning of this month, having read and joined Dan's In Place of a Roadmap group and filling in Heybales's calorie deficit sheet.

    I had stalled eating lower cals, felt tired even when I woke up and generally rubbish.:yawn: :frown:


    Now I feel great, have more energy and am losing weight, I lost 3.2lbs last week and 2.6lbs this week. :bigsmile:

    I am still upping my cals and tend to have a calorie range as opposed to a single goal.

    I don't see the point in starving myself and living off 1200 cals when i don't need to and when it makes me feel so rotten.

    The other point to note is as I lose weight, i will have to decrease my calories......if I was eating 1200 cals now ....how on earth would I drop my intake as I got smaller and still be healthy and able to function?? :noway:


    It is difficult to get your head around initially but I can honestly say it makes complete sense and it works. :smile:
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Muscle growth, fat loss, and a food diary that makes me drool from just looking at it.

    What she said :) Plus I never binge or get cravings any more as there's room in my diary to eat a little of what I fancy. I never feel guilty for eating. My maintenance is currently at 2750 which I've been at for 2 months. My weight is stable at this intake but as I'm lifting 3 x a week I'm still losing body fat. If I decide to try lose a bit more weight I can make a small deficit cutting to 2400-2500 and lose.
  • wrentrotter
    wrentrotter Posts: 36
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    I started on 1200 and never ate back exercise calories, I now eat 1400ish and eat back most of my exercise calories, some days I eat over 2000, it hasn't slowed down my weight loss (1 - 2 lbs a week) and it's great incentive to exercise. I kind of look forward to exercise now, knowing I can eat more on those days.
  • libbymcbain
    libbymcbain Posts: 206 Member
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    Hello

    Went from 1200 to 1500 a day and lost at the same rate (plus had a splurge meal once a week), so on one day a week I would estimate I was roughly doubling my calories).

    Thinking about going to 1700, but eliminating the splurge meal- it will work out about the same amount of calories a week, and would be what Dan's Roadmap system would recommend.

    If that works I will probably switch between 1500 a day plus splurge and 1700 a day no splurge. I have to travel one a week a month and the slightly higher calorie count per day would be useful- more energy to cope with the upheaval and just more margin when not able to cook for myself for 3 or 4 days in a row. whereas with weeks at home, my husband likes to either go out to a good restaurant or cook a special meal at the weekend and it's really useful to be able to enjoy that and not be too restrictive with him.
  • Sambo004
    Sambo004 Posts: 549 Member
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    Thanks for posting this comment. I know that everyone recommends upping your cals once you start plateauing, but I struggle to reconcile this in my mind. I have maintained my weight for 8 months now. Just short of the last kg I would like to lose to reach my ultimate goal weight. But generally I am very happy. Many people have advised I should be eating more because I exercise 5 - 6 times a week and have started to increase to eating back half my exercise calories, but my weight hasn't changed. I'm very nervous about upping because it seems to good to be true. LOL. Very interested to hear how long it took to start losing weight after the increase.

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