Upping calories- Suggestions?

Sparkie134
Sparkie134 Posts: 65 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been trying to lose weight all year with very little luck. I eat healthy foods. I am 5ft 5 inches. I have been reading recently that some people had better luck at raising their calories. Last week I upped mine to 1500 per day. I gained a pound. I know a pound could be a lot of things such as hormone change or water weight. But it was very discouraging to me. I am just wondering if the people out there that upped their calories saw an immediate improvement, or if it took a little while for the body's metabolism to catch up to what's going on?

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    This might be worth a read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/993576-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Almost nothing happens immediately, certainly nothing good.
  • Sparkie134
    Sparkie134 Posts: 65 Member
    Thank you!
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
    Well people are going to say your diary is closed so they can't see what you're eating to give you proper advise.

    Also, you do not mention what your exercise level is or any other stats about yourself (ie weight, age, net calories you eat, do you eat your exercise calories back, etc.)

    Also interested in seeing what people have to say
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    No matter what people may have told you, increasing calories will not increase weight loss, by the laws of thermodynamics, it will decrease weight loss. The reason people are often told to increase calories is because once your calorie deficit becomes too big, you will start losing a good amount of muscle along with fat during your weight loss. The best bet is to go with TDEE - 20%. This takes time and patience. In order to do this, calculate your TDEE, eat at your TDEE for 3 weeks while tracking your weight. Your weight should remain the same. If your weight increased, then the calculation was above your true TDEE, if your weight decreased, then the calculation was below your true TDEE, if your weight remained constant, then your calculation was accurate. Once you find your TDEE, subtract 20% of the calories from it and eat at that caloric intake to lose weight. Eat plenty of protein for muscle preservation during weight loss.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You cannot gain 1 Lb of fat in a day. It's scientifically and mathematically impossible. I fluctuate a good 3-5 Lbs day to day...your weight isn't static...you have water retention/release...food and liquid in/out...waste, etc...could be that you weighed at a different time of day or something or the scale wasn't in it's normal spot.

    I can tell you emphatically, it is NOT fat...again...it is actually impossible.

    Also, the reason people have greater success with increase calories is because they usually have better adherence. If you've been trying for a year and nothing has happened I'd suggest that you have never really had your calories right in the first place and that you are overestimating your intake. If you've been spot on as you can with weighing and measuring everything and logging every little thing and not having binges and cheat days, etc...then you might want to go see your doctor as well. Barring medical issues, this is just simple math and science....expend more energy (calories) than you take in and your body burns fat.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    No matter what people may have told you, increasing calories will not increase weight loss, by the laws of thermodynamics, it will decrease weight loss. The reason people are often told to increase calories is because once your calorie deficit becomes too big, you will start losing a good amount of muscle along with fat during your weight loss. The best bet is to go with TDEE - 20%. This takes time and patience. In order to do this, calculate your TDEE, eat at your TDEE for 3 weeks while tracking your weight. Your weight should remain the same. If your weight increased, then the calculation was above your true TDEE, if your weight decreased, then the calculation was below your true TDEE, if your weight remained constant, then your calculation was accurate. Once you find your TDEE, subtract 20% of the calories from it and eat at that caloric intake to lose weight. Eat plenty of protein for muscle preservation during weight loss.

    Another reason people suggest increasing cals is to make the diet less restrictive and thus lessen cheating. Many people restrict too much, then cheat like crazy, and end up eating more than they would if they were on a sensible diet.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    You cannot gain 1 Lb of fat in a day. It's scientifically and mathematically impossible. I fluctuate a good 3-5 Lbs day to day...your weight isn't static...you have water retention/release...food and liquid in/out...waste, etc...could be that you weighed at a different time of day or something or the scale wasn't in it's normal spot.

    I can tell you emphatically, it is NOT fat...again...it is actually impossible.

    Also, the reason people have greater success with increase calories is because they usually have better adherence. If you've been trying for a year and nothing has happened I'd suggest that you have never really had your calories right in the first place and that you are overestimating your intake. If you've been spot on as you can with weighing and measuring everything and logging every little thing and not having binges and cheat days, etc...then you might want to go see your doctor as well. Barring medical issues, this is just simple math and science....expend more energy (calories) than you take in and your body burns fat.

    Seeing how you said it's scientifically and mathematically impossible, I'd like to see some evidence to support this...
  • Sparkie134
    Sparkie134 Posts: 65 Member
    Just to clarify. I gained a lb in a week. I think preventing cheat days by having a slightly higher daily intake makes a lot of sense. I have an office job- I work out 3x a week- which could be increased, but 1500 cals still seems low enough to lose weight for a 30 year old with a 5ft 5inch frame. I think my calorie intake was too low before. Some days I eat back my workout calories, but I try not to.

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