At what point do I up my caloric intake?

butlera8
butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started off dieting by taking in 1200 calories a day and I've lost about 25lbs. This loss puts me within 10-15lbs of my goal weight. I've been told that the closer I get to my goal weight, the higher my caloric intake should be. Does anyone have any advice on this? I'm currently 5'1 and 143lb.

Replies

  • enadnire
    enadnire Posts: 4
    I too am curious about this. I've only got about 5 pounds left to lose and I know exercise is the key but sometimes it's rough to accomplish it.

    I have a question and haven't found the answer to it:

    Can anyone tell me (or give me a link) to when we should eat our exercise calories? Before, after, half and half? I've been reading for hours and haven't found the answer. I can find info on what foods to eat before and after but nothing tells you when to eat it. If I cycle before dinner and burn 500 calories then I think it would be obvious I don't want to eat all of my calories then as eating too many calories before bed will cause you to gain weight. Any insight is much appreciated.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    To calculate calorie goals

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

    To calculate macro goals

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    About exercise calories


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • enadnire
    enadnire Posts: 4
    Thanks for the link but that doesn't say when to eat your calories.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    It doesn't matter when you eat.
  • chonji4ever
    chonji4ever Posts: 120 Member
    Several so called Dr shows on the matter say you can eat your calories anytime of the day, so I guess you could eat them all at supper if that's what you want. I think it also averages out over several days with my metabolism. I can completely blow my calories one weekend and stay on track pretty good with loosing weight when I look at the two week period results.
  • Sarah0866
    Sarah0866 Posts: 291 Member
    Thanks for the link but that doesn't say when to eat your calories.

    Doesn't matter when as long as you adhere to your cal/macro goals
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,744 Member
    If I cycle before dinner and burn 500 calories then I think it would be obvious I don't want to eat all of my calories then as eating too many calories before bed will cause you to gain weight. Any insight is much appreciated.

    Also, as long as you're still under your tdee, you can eat your full day's worth of calories right before bed and still not gain weight. Of course, if you're not used to doing that, don't weigh yourself the next day because it'll freak you out. :smile:
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member

    eating too many calories before bed will cause you to gain weight.

    Lol, what?

    Your body doesn't know what time it is, you aren't going to put on weight because you eat at night!

    If you know you are going to do the exercise, then eat them before if you want, it doesn't really matter. Just don't fall into the trap of eating them and then changing your mind about the exercise.
  • butlera8
    butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
    Can anyone answer my question though? Lol
  • butlera8
    butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
    To calculate calorie goals

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

    To calculate macro goals

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    About exercise calories

    This helped the most. Thanks!


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • sphira
    sphira Posts: 132 Member
    Look on the first link. It tells you how to adjust your goals as you get closer to your goal weight. I believe it should to about 1/2 pound per week.
    Can anyone answer my question though? Lol
  • eyeshuh
    eyeshuh Posts: 333
    Can anyone answer my question though? Lol

    When I got to 10-15lbs left I changed MFP to calculate a half pound a week loss for me. That upped my calories and with setting my activity to "lightly active" it came pretty dang close to my TDEE -15% estimate.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    Set your profile to .5lbs/week, eat those calories plus half of your exercise calories for the day - your body will thank you when you get to maintenance. Trust me...
  • Siege_Tank
    Siege_Tank Posts: 781 Member
    It's a cut, or a cutting cycle if you cycle. You transition to maintenance once you reach your goals, add a few more calories per day until you see your weight equalize. Transitioning from a cut to maintenance is one of the hardest parts of weight loss.

    Losing it is easy, keeping it from creeping back in over months is the hard part.
  • Absonthebrain
    Absonthebrain Posts: 587 Member
    I upped my calories when I had 5-10lbs left to goal. I found that I reached that "plateu" and stopped losing even with exercise and diet so I upped my cals and started lifting weights and now im losing inches and I can tell the difference in my body by my clothes. I no longer worry too much about weight just inches and the leaness of my body from lifting.
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
    Just tried to figure out some numbers for you based on your weight, height, and age. Assuming you work out between 3-5 times a week, your TDEE is 2211. That's how much you could eat if you wanted to maintain. Since you want to lose, I took 20% off of that number and rounded it down a bit to 1700. You can eat up to 1700 and still lose weight. I would gradually increase your calorie intake by 100 each week until you find a number that works for you. If you have any more questions, let me know!
  • shawnachaffins
    shawnachaffins Posts: 11 Member
    Thank you for sharing the chart that shows the amounts and the info on how much you should lose. I have only been averaging around a pound a week and I am starting into week three. My friend is doing a low carb diet and lost 12 pounds in just two weeks so I was worried I wasn't losing like I am suppose too. Thanks
  • butlera8
    butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
    Just tried to figure out some numbers for you based on your weight, height, and age. Assuming you work out between 3-5 times a week, your TDEE is 2211. That's how much you could eat if you wanted to maintain. Since you want to lose, I took 20% off of that number and rounded it down a bit to 1700. You can eat up to 1700 and still lose weight. I would gradually increase your calorie intake by 100 each week until you find a number that works for you. If you have any more questions, let me know!

    Thank you! I appreciate this!
  • butlera8
    butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
    I upped my calories when I had 5-10lbs left to goal. I found that I reached that "plateu" and stopped losing even with exercise and diet so I upped my cals and started lifting weights and now im losing inches and I can tell the difference in my body by my clothes. I no longer worry too much about weight just inches and the leaness of my body from lifting.

    I've started weight lifting too, in hopes of losing inches.
  • butlera8
    butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
    Set your profile to .5lbs/week, eat those calories plus half of your exercise calories for the day - your body will thank you when you get to maintenance. Trust me...
    Thanks!
  • butlera8
    butlera8 Posts: 130 Member
    Can anyone answer my question though? Lol

    When I got to 10-15lbs left I changed MFP to calculate a half pound a week loss for me. That upped my calories and with setting my activity to "lightly active" it came pretty dang close to my TDEE -15% estimate.

    Thanks! I didn't really think about changing my pounds loss per week

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