Upping calories..advice?

Shabbyrose
Shabbyrose Posts: 35
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm currently on 1200 cals a day. I was thrilled in the first week when I lost 6 lbs. However, I've only lost a pound this week so I'm feeling a little deflated. I have been under eating my cals on most days. I don't do it on purpose, I try to set some back for an evening snack, but I'm never usually hungry.

I've read the roadmap thread, and I'm wondering if I should up my calories to 1300. According to m calculations at a TDEE of 2400 I can still loose 2lb a week on 1300. It would just give me something a little higher to aim for.

Or should I stay on 1200 this week and see how it goes. I don't do any extra excercises at the moment. I suffer from fibromyalgia, so I find it difficult, especially at my current weight.

Really grateful for any feedback.

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    You're under eating with a target of 1200 cals, but somehow setting that target to 1300 is going to help?
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
    Do not forget to up your exercise
  • chimp517
    chimp517 Posts: 185 Member
    If i read that correct you've lost a total of 7 pounds in 2 weeks time. I think you should start seeing the glass half full.
  • mycrobemini
    mycrobemini Posts: 122 Member
    First, you need to decide if you want to follow the advice in the Roadmap thread or not. Upping yourself to 1300 isn't even close to the guidelines presented there.

    Second, you need to do some research on calorie rich foods that are good for you, and stop undereating.

    Third, your calculations are based on what you put into the calculators (if you say you're sedentary vs moderately active, etc.). Once you get your numbers, and set your consumption levels based on those numbers, there is no need to "up your exercise" if you "up your calories". Use the science to help you, trust in it, and follow the plan you've set for yourself.

    Fourth, stick with a plan for a month, whatever plan it is, before you decide it isn't working, or it isn't the optimal one for you. Give your body a chance to understand what you're doing and get on board before you change things up again.

    My two cents. In the end, the decision is yours. It's your body.
  • Shabbyrose
    Shabbyrose Posts: 35
    Thanks guys
  • Shabbyrose
    Shabbyrose Posts: 35
    You're under eating with a target of 1200 cals, but somehow setting that target to 1300 is going to help?

    Yes, because I always save some for the night, anywhere between 100 and 200. If I'm not hungry I don't eat them.
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
    Your TDEE is 2400? My TDEE is 2300 and I am eating 1800 - 1900 a day and losing... :noway:
  • Shabbyrose
    Shabbyrose Posts: 35
    If say I was on slimfast, which I've been on and will never do again I would be consuming no less than 1350 CPD. I lost weight on that easy, but it came straight back on. All because it doesn't teach you portion control and how to eat properly.

    It's really hard coming from a lifetime of yoyo diets, and bad learned food habits. I want to do it right this time, but I feel so confused. What's to little and too little to no lose weight and what's too much for my size.

    My goal is to let my body be in control and tell me what it wants, but a lifetime of eating wrong I completely need to be retrained. It's frustrating.

    It's fine to listen to people on what's worked for them and so forth, but I'm really small, 5'3.

    The dr said its fine for me to be on 1200, but is this right for me...I don't know.
  • Shabbyrose
    Shabbyrose Posts: 35
    Your TDEE is 2400? My TDEE is 2300 and I am eating 1800 - 1900 a day and losing... :noway:

    It's confusing because I only work 2.5 days a week. That's what I calculated at fat 2 fit radio. I'm pretty active at work but due to my condition I'm pretty much sedentary the rest of the time.
  • Antonella64
    Antonella64 Posts: 15
    It'a different for everyone but if I ate more cals I did not lose weight I ate around 1200 and exercised everyday and am happy to say I'm at goal weight ! Sometimes I plateaud but measured and never gave up I enjoyed my food ate what I liked and just cut down ! I eat healthy most days ! It's not going to be the same for us all it depends on age metabolism and many factors but I think that increasing my food intake did not work for me while I was losing
  • mycrobemini
    mycrobemini Posts: 122 Member
    Your TDEE is 2400? My TDEE is 2300 and I am eating 1800 - 1900 a day and losing... :noway:

    It's confusing because I only work 2.5 days a week. That's what I calculated at fat 2 fit radio. I'm pretty active at work but due to my condition I'm pretty much sedentary the rest of the time.

    You'll find this issue on the Roadmap thread frequently. Most people that have inconsistent work/exercise schedules set themselves as sedentary and then eat back their exercise calories to make up the difference. Since you've been yoyo dieting for a long time your body is probably pretty confused. I know mine was when I started this because I had a tendency to not eat at all, which slowed down my metabolism to ridiculous levels and pretty much freed me of ever "feeling" hungry. Until your body gets on a normal pattern and understands what you're doing, you may have to force yourself to eat, even when not hungry, to ensure you maintain your caloric intake, and give your body something stable to base your metabolism on.
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member

    My goal is to let my body be in control and tell me what it wants, but a lifetime of eating wrong I completely need to be retrained. It's frustrating.

    whoa. whoa! not so fast. you have to control your body...not let your body tell you what it wants. that's probably what gets most people into a pattern of bad eating. tendencies, cravings, etc...your body is betraying you and has before!

    you will tell your body what to do. you will be in control of it, instead.

    that being said..7lbs in 2 weeks...for all intents and purposes..you probably dropped 3-5 lbs of water from starving. the second week, maybe your body is more used to it, and holding onto more water..so net body tissue lost = 2-3 (some fat), weight lost =7 (4-5lb water).

    You are on the right track to losing 1-1.5lb/week. but if you stay at 1200, i don't see this as a long term thing you can stick to. unless you really can, but then why have you been yoyo-ing?

    Let's assume you cant stick to severe deficits for more than 8 weeks. You should probably do not as severe deficits for like 20 weeks. then find maintenance again, and go from there.
  • kcallas88
    kcallas88 Posts: 192
    Definitely up! Don't set your activity level at sedentary...i eat 1600 calories a day and still loose weight. My tdee is 2400. By not feeding your body you just hurt it. I know some days i struggle eating 1600 calories a day and sometimes i have to force myself to do it but the numbers on the scale keep dropping so I'm happy!

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