Success stories by upping calories PLEAS

jackieomara · March 2013

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dangerousdumpling · March 2013

Don't be afraid! I hit a plateau that wouldn't budge for nearly 6 months. I recently did my TDEE minus 20% through Scooby's Calorie Calculator, ate at 1800 for 3 weeks combined with kickboxing once or twice a week, and guess what? I lost 11 lbs.

I will always calculate my calories on his website because it killed my nasty plateau I had been struggling with for months. I almost gave up. I will also note that I didn't weigh myself for the 3 weeks. I don't believe in weighing myself every day like I used to -- it would just drive me nuts. Plus, when I was lifting and jogging, my body was changing but my weight wasn't. Don't be afraid to up your calories and take a break from the scale. Just remember to exercise and be dedicated to logging what you eat. The scale WILL budge.

Also, don't forget to adjust your calories for whenever you lose 5 lbs or more!

I started upping my calories this week. I'm glad you suggested taking a break from the scale for a while. While I understand that I have normal weight fluctuations, I don't think seeing them while I'm trying to make this change will help me. I'll give it a week or two and then check in but I'd really rather pay more attention to how my clothes feel.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your experiences. It is kind of hard to have complete confidence in making this change so it helps to know that it's working for other people.

jaz050465 · March 2013

I am within my healthy weight range and just couldn't lose weight despite cutting calories and exercising. I then got the BMF and bought into a system which gave me analysis by phone call from a sports scientist. We tried a few different things but FINALLY I am losing weight. What I am doing is eating just above my BMR and then exersising more to give me a 1000 deficit. I'm 5ft 8 and weigh 146 pounds. I'm eating 1600 and burning 2600 throughout the day. I thought I'd never lose weight but its happening.

Also try Chalean Extrem. It's strength training but something you can do at home.

carfamily08 · March 2013

Before and After pics in my profile (between 170 and 138, I need to update with new ones soon!). When i started I was at 170 after 3 years and 3 kids. I did get down to 157ish before coming to MFP but had stalled out, I'm breastfeeding and figured it was just due to that. A friend challenged me to do the 30 Day Shred with her and I decided to start logging food too. Got back on MFP, found the road map thread. Started bumping up my calories and working out almost daily (Jillian Michaels and Leslie Sansone videos at home). The weight just started coming off. I was down to under 140 by New Years Eve and am now at 130.8 - my pre kid weight is 130 so I've just about lost all the baby weight I gained with my first and didn't lose through the following two pregnancies. Almost a 40lb. loss. I eat upwards of 1800 calories a day easily, usually around 2000 (with nursing calories factored in there). I've had a loss every week since I started - some weeks are small losses (less than 1/2 pound) some are bigger but still a loss. I feel fantastic, satisfied, energetic and SO confident.

learnerdriver · March 2013

bump- a bit scared, given TOM, but will come back tommorrow with weigh-in result

MN4US · March 2013

Very helpful. Thanks people. I don't think I could ever eat only 1200 cals a day, unless I was tied to a chair in my basement.

bahahaha burst out laughing mid yawn!

SRH7 · March 2013

I started off on MFP eating 1200kcals plus eating back exercise calories, I lost weight, consistently, but after about 6 weeks, I panicked about where I would go from 1200 to keep on losing weight.

I then read Dan's in place of a road map, started eating TDEE -20% so averaging 1750 calories a day, I haven't looked back, I lose on average 1lb a week. I don't lose every week, sometimes I stay the same for a fortnight, and then lose 2 or 3 pounds in quick succession, slowly but surely the weight is coming off.

I don't eat clean, or watch my macros (not even sure what they are?) but I have always cooked from scratch, rarely eat processed meals, love baking (and eating the results).

I am looking forward one day to posting my own success story when I reach my goal weight.

:flowerforyou: A flower for you for having such a great attitude!

This is not that different to my own story. I struggled to lose weight on 1200 net calories, was lethargic, grumpy and on a "diet".

I read the roadmap, now eat to my TDEE-20% and have the energy to run and lift weights. Result? An average of 1lb a week fat loss - but more impressively fantastic inch loss. I don't eat clean, I drink alcohol and rarely hit my macros but do cook mainly from scratch and eat tonnes of vegetables.

The thing I'd really like to say to the OP is to be consistent and have patience. Some weeks I lose 3lbs then I can go for another three weeks with no loss. It all averages out and I'm certain my body is undergoing fat loss changes even when the scale doesn't budge (my belly has gone from taut to squishy while the fat cells shrink - the scales will catch up soon).

Doing other things to change your body that are non scale-related will also help - I'm doing a weight routine that is having great results (combined with running using the C25K programme). Give me inches over lbs day of the week!

produmbbellworkouts.com/dumbbell.../full-body-high-volume/

SRH7 · March 2013

Very helpful. Thanks people. I don't think I could ever eat only 1200 cals a day, unless I was tied to a chair in my basement.

:laugh:

desiv2 · March 2013

That's me! I upped it to 1620 from 1200 and lost a lot, now I make sure I'm active enough to still eat 1500 even though MFP says I should be eating 1200

kegbail · March 2013

bump for later

DebbieLyn63 · March 2013

You can peek at my profile pictures. I'm down almost 60 pounds and averaging 2200 calories a day. And no, I don't burn a zillion calories in cardio. In fact, I do very little cardio. The only purposeful exercise I do on a regular basis is strength training. I do pushups, squats, and planks, for a total of about 15 minutes every other day. (And I have a desk job!)

@Wendy- I don't know HOW you pull it off, but you seem to defy almost every conventional rule of weight loss. You must have inherited some awesome genes. Most everyone else in your situation would be on here crying that they are doing everything 'right' and not losing any weight. You definitely are unique, and I must say I am a little bit jealous!
I am doing fine on my calorie level and am losing a pound a week fairly steadily, but it would be nice to be able to not have to count every calorie like I could do in my 20s. And to be able to eat whatever I wanted without waking up in pain the next morning. Enjoy it!:happy:

firstsip · March 2013

I've hit plateaus twice now already (started 6 weeks ago) where I didn't lose or gained over a period of a week even though I was doing all the same things. Both times, I tried a "cheat day" where I ate to gain for one day and then went back to eating to lose. Both times, after a slight initial gain, my weight quickly dropped off. There is one caveat, and that is that if you are really obese and insulin resistant, that won't work for you, but for normal people, cheat days can work really well as plateau busters. I have not tried eating more every day, and wouldn't unless I was increasing activity commensurately. Hope this helps -:

... Those aren't plateaus. Everyone reading: not losing weight in a week is NOT a plateau. Not losing weight, inches, or having any noticeable or unnoticeable change for more than 6 weeks (some say 8 weeks) is a plateau.

To the main topic: I gained weight very quickly from a hormonal issue after years of being low weight/underweight from anorexia. I had lost LBM much over the years, etc. I started to lose the weight once my levels were corrected by eating 1200 or less and probably netting 1000 or less everyday. I lost maybe 7 pounds over 6 months doing that... then I began to lift heavy, gradually increased my calories to roughly 1500, and I lost more inches and more weight during this time than before.

Case in point: I'm someone who could have really suffered from upping my calories since had lost so much LBM (and existing endocrine issues) that could have resulted in fat gain. I didn't gain muscle, but I started maintaining what I did have and losing the fat around it. I plan on gradually increasing my calories even further come summer when I'll be even more active.

cedebrooks · March 2013

Heya! Bumping to continue following, but I'll share my experience too.

I started off on here at 1200, like most of you, it seems. I'm fairly active, with running, karate, yoga, and 30DS, and I felt like my muscles weren't recovering between workouts. I then bumped up my calories to 1500/1600, and still felt like my body wasn't getting enough fuel. I'm bumping it up to 1800 after reading this thread, as I continuously eat fruits, veggies, lean meats, and healthy fats. I've mostly cut out the "nutritionally bankrupt" foods (as my Eat to Live book calls them

) but obviously still treat myself to cheeseburgers and the like on occasion. I've been plateaued for about a month, bouncing back and forth between 158 and 162 :grumble: (right across that line!) Now I've decided (and have been told my the supportive boyfriend

) to not weigh or measure myself for a while, and just see if I start to feel better/clothes fit better/etc. Here's to giving it a go! :drinker:

lindaw66 · March 2013

So after reading all of your posts I've learned that you need to eat clean, and lift weights and eat enough calories (15-20% below TDEE). My problem is getting both of these things to happen consistently!

carfamily08 · March 2013

So after reading all of your posts I've learned that you need to eat clean, and lift weights and eat enough calories (15-20% below TDEE). My problem is getting both of these things to happen consistently!

Out of those three I pretty much only do the last. I don't eat pure junk, but not pure clean either and the 5lb. dumbells I use for Jillian videos are the extent of my weight lifting ;-) Almost 40lbs. down so far! I'm sure weight lifting and eating clean would help me even more but this is working and more sustainable for me right now so I keep on keeping on :-D

KAbena · March 2013

This thread is music to my ears!

dym123 · March 2013

I lost about 30+ lbs doing 1200 calories, losing about 2lbs per week, then lost only 3lbs in one month, upped my calories to 1500 calories and in less than 2 weeks, lost 4lbs.

kazitykaz · March 2013

Interested in this topic. This week upped my calories from 1200 to 1400. Slowly upping my calories because scared it may cause me to put on weight. Loving all the comments of people losing by eating more, makes me believe upping my calories will work.

learnerdriver · March 2013

Upped calories a fortnight ago from around 1200- wasn't eating back exercise, to 1700- built to 1500 then upped to 1700. I have about 40 lbs/19kg to lose. I expected to gain as I've been at the previous level for months.

week 1. PMS. down 3 lbs/1.5kg
week 2. Period. down 2 lbs/1 kg.

lh1626 · March 2013

Bump for later

Success stories by upping calories PLEAS

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