Should I bump up my calories?

Vurzix
Vurzix Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been dieting for a while now at about 1200 calories or less a day. I haven't really had a problem with it till I read the recent posts here about how bad it is. I was thinking of bumping it up to about 1600 but every time I go over 1200 in a day, I put on weight.

I don't understand how to get to 1600 a day either. I struggle with getting to 1200 a day as it is.

I try to exercise about 3+ days a week. Currently have lost about 44 pounds in 8 months.

Any suggestions would be great :)

Replies

  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    How did you come up with 1600? As an 18 year old male, you should probably be eating well over 1600 to lose. As far as how to up your calories, that easier than you think. Add in lots of lean meat, peanut butter, avocados, olive oil, nuts, etc. Hell have a cookie if you feel like it (just make sure you're getting plenty of protein).

    If you want information on how to make an educated decision on how many calories you should be eating, read this post:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • Vurzix
    Vurzix Posts: 3 Member
    Oh thanks for the info :) I got 1600 because I heard a lot about just multiplying your goal by 10. So, I want to get 160lbs so 160x10=1600. Is this not a good way?
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Oh thanks for the info :) I got 1600 because I heard a lot about just multiplying your goal by 10. So, I want to get 160lbs so 160x10=1600. Is this not a good way?

    Nope because it doesn't take in a lot of factors like age, sex, current weight, activity levels, etc. It's actually kind of stupid. :laugh:

    ETA: Not saying you're stupid for listening to it, but people shouldn't throw that around because it may work for one specific kind of person, but not for a lot of others.
  • Vurzix
    Vurzix Posts: 3 Member
    haha alright, well according to fat 2 fit I should be consuming 2581 (well 2281 to lose weight) calories a day.. That just seems a little much.

    Age : 17
    Sex : Male
    Height : 73.2in (6ft 1in)
    Current: 171lbs
    Goal: 160lbs
    Fat: 14.4%
  • Livinz
    Livinz Posts: 9 Member
    As a male you should definitely be upping the calories above 2000. I'm a 5'9" female and eating 1700cal (and increasing to 2000 at the moment to reset my metabolism).

    You should be having plenty of protein (1g-1.5g per pound of bodyweight), low carbs, mid fat. For a 6 foot guy you're actually on the skinny side. You should be eating excess calories and gain muscle mass. at 6 foot you'd be wanting to be 180-190lb. Gaining muscle will also help you shred the rest of the fat off so your BF% will get down low. Do heavy lifting (squats, bench presses, lat pulldowns, pull ups, all compound movements - get a couple of personal training sessions to get a program sorted for you).

    Don't be scared to up the calories - you're a guy, guys need far more calories than girls, and you want to have lean muscle mass rather than no muscle mass. Good luck!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Agreed. I'm a female that's 5'8" and 217lbs. I eat 1900 calories a day, and I'm losing 1.5 to 2 pounds a week.
  • BreakingOath
    BreakingOath Posts: 193 Member
    When I was cutting calories to lose weight I was eating 2250 calories a day and losing 2-3 lbs a week. I'm 22 yrs old 5'11" and 172 now. I was working out 5 days a week lifting weights all 5 days. Doing 90 minutes of cardio a week. Your body is still growing. It needs more calories.

    And now that I think back on it I wish I would have ate more and dropped the weight at a slower pace.

    increase the calories brother :)

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