Questions about upping calories…

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LilRiver
LilRiver Posts: 81 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
If you upped calories - did you do it gradually in order to find that "sweet spot" of being healthy, satisfied, and losing or did you just go directly to where you thought was best? Was there an initial gain before your body adjusted to the increase? Any other thoughts/advice?



I am in the process of upping my calories… based on my TDEE (and history) I think 1600-1800 is probably a decent range for me, but for the last 6 weeks I've only been eating about 1200-1300 (and occasionally struggling to hit 1200). I don't think that the lower numbers are healthy, but I just did not feel hungry even though I know I had to have been. It was a mental thing - I very much wanted to hit 100 lbs lost by my year date. So while I didn't like that I was eating so little, I didn't want to add to my stress and completely sabotage myself. I've hit the 100 pounds lost (yay!) and so now it's time to get back to doing things the in a healthier manner.

If a gain is likely, I'd like to prepare my brain for it. When I broke 200, I immediately gained 5lbs and that sent me into a funk that took me most of the fall to recover from… which then led to the craziness of the last 6 weeks. Unlike many who up their calories, I'm not doing it because I'm in a plateau. I'm still comfortably losing. I'm a bit terrified to mess with what's working (if it ain't broke…) but I can't imagine that 1200 is all that healthy (that and I really hate getting the "you are not eating enough!" warning from MFP when I end the day under 1200).


Details if you want/need em…
SW: 270
CW: 170
height: 5'3
Diary is open but, yeah, I know I don't eat the healthiest. You can take my ice cream from my cold dead hands! ;)

Replies

  • kellehbeans
    kellehbeans Posts: 838 Member
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    I have recently just upped mine from 1400. I am only on 1533 calories, but I am 5'4 and since I have been on this I have lost 6lbs (over 3 weeks). I just upped them. I just took my value from my BMR and used that as my calorie goal, and it seems to be working. I am considering upping them again as I feel I am losing too quickly - I am also still pretty hungry at 1533 on most days. I think a good starting point is your BMR though. I weigh 153.4lbs.

    EDIT: Btw, your diary isn't open.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    Based on your stats I got a current BMR of 1451. So eating at 1200 isn't ideal, no.

    I upped my cals too and went directly to what I thought was best. I initially gained but then lost that and more after.

    I would up your cals to 1600 and give it a month.
  • LilRiver
    LilRiver Posts: 81 Member
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    Thanks!

    And, oops, must have switched my diary to friends only at some point. Public now :)
  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
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    I plan on upping 100 calories at a time. I was set at 1230 by MFP and had been losing weight - then my weight loss hit a plateau. I increased it to 1300 calories a couple of weeks back and am still stalled out. If nothing changes, I plan to increase by 100 more calories on Mar 1. I'm slowly trying to find the sweet spot.
  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
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    I have nearly the same stats as you. I weigh 169 and am 5 ft 3". Have been using 1220 and eating exercise calories back but it's not working and I have hit a plateau. I have just upped mine to 1400 ( based on TDEE -20% not including exercise) and will eat exercise calories back. I prefer to do it this way because my exercise is a bit irregular and some weeks i do loads more than others. Hoping it will work!
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    I think you can definitely just do whatever feels right to you. Up them all at once, or gradually, I think it's mostly just a preference

    1200 is probably currently too low (as you already know). I'd consider upping it to at least about 1400-1500 right away, and consider adding another 200ish calories a few weeks later

    Just be aware, when you change up your routine, it's not unusual to see an initial gain (or rarely, a loss) of a couple pounds. I'd stick with your new calorie levels for at least a month before seriously worrying about what the scale says. There are a lot of threads posted here that are like "I upped my calories last week and I've gained 2 pounds! OMG! I'm cutting back to 1200 now!" ...and it's like, you gave it a week or two and immediately are giving up. Why even bother? I think you have to rationally know that your TDEE is something much higher, and that this slight raise is calories is not enough that you'll put on weight in the long term

    Good luck!

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