increasing calories to lose weight?

ahouva575
ahouva575 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
okay so for the past year or so my calories have stayed around 1500 a day and I have been gradually gaining weight (because I was recovering from an ED at the time and was afraid to eat a lot but still managed to gain weight from this amount of calories). So for the past 3 months I've tried losing weight by eating 1200 calories or less a day and a month ago started going to the gym 4 times a week for 45-60 min. However, I haven't lost a single pound. It's like my body maintains at 1200 calories. I want to lose 20 pounds but I don't know what to do and I'm going on vacation in a month and by then I would like to have lost 10 pounds.
I have heard that if you eat too little calories, your metabolism slows down to get used to that amount. I'm afraid that because I've been eating this many calories for so long that I slowed my metabolism. I've read several different articles that said that if you increase your calories, the weight will start to come off.
Is this true? Has this happened to you or anyone you know? I really want to lose weight before vacation but I'm afraid that increasing my calories will make me gain even more weight. I am planning to increase my calories to 1500 and then maybe 1600 but I need reassurance that it will work.
Please Help!!

Replies

  • pinkiemarie252
    pinkiemarie252 Posts: 222 Member
    okay so for the past year or so my calories have stayed around 1500 a day and I have been gradually gaining weight (because I was recovering from an ED at the time and was afraid to eat a lot but still managed to gain weight from this amount of calories). So for the past 3 months I've tried losing weight by eating 1200 calories or less a day and a month ago started going to the gym 4 times a week for 45-60 min. However, I haven't lost a single pound. It's like my body maintains at 1200 calories. I want to lose 20 pounds but I don't know what to do and I'm going on vacation in a month and by then I would like to have lost 10 pounds.
    I have heard that if you eat too little calories, your metabolism slows down to get used to that amount. I'm afraid that because I've been eating this many calories for so long that I slowed my metabolism. I've read several different articles that said that if you increase your calories, the weight will start to come off.
    Is this true? Has this happened to you or anyone you know? I really want to lose weight before vacation but I'm afraid that increasing my calories will make me gain even more weight. I am planning to increase my calories to 1500 and then maybe 1600 but I need reassurance that it will work.
    Please Help!!

    Why do you want to lose 20 lbs? If you're recovering from an ED I'm concerned that you shouldn't be attempting to lose weight without consulting your doctor.
  • ahouva575
    ahouva575 Posts: 6
    I had an ED 2 years ago and fully recovered a year ago. The problem is, I gained too much weight in recovery, 25 pounds over what my doctor wanted. The last time I saw him, in May, he said that I needed to lose weight and could not understand how I put on so much weight only eating 1500 calories. So now I'm at a loss for what to do. I really want to lose these 20 pounds and I just don't know if the low amount of calories slowed my metabolism to make me maintain at 1200 calories.
  • davenporter
    davenporter Posts: 30 Member
    Consider investing in a scale to measure your food intake more accurately. Increasing your calorie intake will not help you to lose weight.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Welocme, ahouva575.

    What is your height and weight now?

    It takes awhile to recover from an eating disorder, but I it also seems like you should not be gaining weight on 1,500 calorie after a year. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

    You don't increase calories to lose weight. The only way to lose weight is to eat at a calorie deficit.

    What this boils down to is that you are probably eating more than you think you are. Here's a wonderful conversation you might want to read:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1135499-eating-more-than-you-think?hl=eating+more+than+you+think

    Trying to lose 10 pounds in a month is way too aggressive. If you have not already done so, set up your profile in MFP to lose .5 pounds per week. Eat the calorie allowance given to you (which could very well be 1,500 or more, depending on your height and weight and the fact that you are very young) AND eat a good portion of those exercise calories back.

    Weigh all solid food and measure all liquid foods. Log everything you eat and all exercise.

    Also, the fact that you want to lose 10 pounds in a month and 20 more pounds altogether makes me wonder if you are not mentally and emotionally covered from your editing disorder. Perhaps talk to a professional.

    The best of luck!

    Edited to add: 25 pounds is not that much to lose. Take it slow and easy. :smile:
  • ahouva575
    ahouva575 Posts: 6
    I've been an avid calorie counter for 2 years. I weigh and measure everything so that I know exactly how many calories, grams of carbs, protein, and fat are going into my body.
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
    Something doesn't sound quite right. 1500 calories would just be a step along the way of repairing your metabolism back to normal.

    Go see a doctor regarding your eating disorder, it's not something you recover from on your own.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    I didn't lose any at 1200 either. I then increased to 1350 & started losing. For some of us, 1200 is way to low....:noway:
  • AmykinsCatfood
    AmykinsCatfood Posts: 599 Member
    If you gained 25lbs more only eating 1500 calories I suspect you were actually eating a lot more than you think you were. Were you weighing and measuring EVERYTHING? I mean everything- butter, oils, peanut butter, meat, etc etc etc. If not then chances are you were eyeballing portions and it's really really easy to eyeball a 30g portion of cheese and have it end up being 60 or 80g instead.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    10lbs in one month is a big ask unless you've got lots and lots to lose. It's more realistic to aim for a pound a week and see what eating at this site's guidelines does for you. Weigh all your foods for best record keeping but if you lose slower than you hoped don't see that as failure, it may just take a while longer for your metabolism to regularise but eating too little isn't going to do your long term health much good.


    .
  • cmbancroft
    cmbancroft Posts: 8 Member
    Try using the built-in Goals tool, and input no more than 1.5 lbs. a week loss... then set alarms to make sure you eat something every 2.5-3 hours, and drink enough water. Water intake calculator: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/water_calculator.htm

    I notice I have much more luck on my weekly weigh-in when I've been eating more often and drinking more water. I also notice my body fat % going up when I don't, because my body's eating my muscles out of starvation, or whatever science is behind that.
  • ahouva575
    ahouva575 Posts: 6
    I have a food scale so I measured everything. When I had the ED I was eating around 600 calories a day so when I increased it to 1500 I gained all the weight back and more in a year and half. Now I suspect that my body is stuck maintaining at 1500 since the weight gain stopped
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I've been an avid calorie counter for 2 years. I weigh and measure everything so that I know exactly how many calories, grams of carbs, protein, and fat are going into my body.

    No offense intended, but something is not right. At first, you would have gained weight eating at 1500 calorie but not continually after a year.

    Have you had your thyroid checked?

    Please go see your doctor.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I didn't lose any at 1200 either. I then increased to 1350 & started losing. For some of us, 1200 is way to low....:noway:

    I've lost on 1,200, 13,60, 1550, and now 1640, as well as eating most of my exercise calories back.
  • ahouva575
    ahouva575 Posts: 6
    Oh I forgot to mention that when I log my food, I leave about a 200 calorie space for error. So I log like 1000-1100 calories but I consider it like 1200-1300 calories because of possible errors
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member

    I notice I have much more luck on my weekly weigh-in when I've been eating more often and drinking more water. I also notice my body fat % going up when I don't, because my body's eating my muscles out of starvation, or whatever science is behind that.

    Sorry, but starvation mode is not at play here unless you are severely under weight, in which case you should not be trying to lose weight.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    okay so for the past year or so my calories have stayed around 1500 a day and I have been gradually gaining weight...So for the past 3 months I've tried losing weight by eating 1200 calories...It's like my body maintains at 1200 calories.

    That all sounds pretty consistent. If you're gaining slowly at 1500, then your maintenance was somewhere around 1200. If your weight gain subsequently stopped while eating 1500, then it's now around 1500.

    Given where you are, there is no healthy way to lose 10 pounds in a month or less.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Oh I forgot to mention that when I log my food, I leave about a 200 calorie space for error. So I log like 1000-1100 calories but I consider it like 1200-1300 calories because of possible errors

    You are playing games with yourself. That is eating disordered behavior.

    Log EVERYTHING (caps used for emphasis only :smile:) you put in your mouth and ALL calories burned.

    Weigh ALL solid foods and measure ALL liquid foods no matter what they are. When you log, read packages or look up nutritional information on your computer. No guessing games allowed.

    I will also say again to please talk to your doctor.
  • cmbancroft
    cmbancroft Posts: 8 Member
    (keep scrolling...)
  • cmbancroft
    cmbancroft Posts: 8 Member

    I notice I have much more luck on my weekly weigh-in when I've been eating more often and drinking more water. I also notice my body fat % going up when I don't, because my body's eating my muscles out of starvation, or whatever science is behind that.

    Sorry, but starvation mode is not at play here unless you are severely under weight, in which case you should not be trying to lose weight.

    There is definitely a reason behind your body eating its own muscle. I have a personal trainer, who reminds me all the time that I need more eat more often because of this.. I tend to skip snack time a lot, which hurts. I still eat normally otherwise.
  • ShadeyC
    ShadeyC Posts: 315 Member

    Why do you want to lose 20 lbs? If you're recovering from an ED I'm concerned that you shouldn't be attempting to lose weight without consulting your doctor.

    THIS! If you are recovering from an eating disorder why would you want to lose 20lb's? That's almost 10kg. That's ALOT.
    I think you should be talking to your Doctors and a nutritionist.

    EDIT: Just read the bit about how you've spoken to your Doctor. Perhaps instead of just telling you to lose it he could actually HELP you. I'm not sure I like your Doctor.
  • ahouva575
    ahouva575 Posts: 6
    I stopped going to that doctor a long time ago because he just kept telling me that I had to lose weight but never actually told me how. So now I'm on my own.
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    what are your stats? Height, age, weight? This will help provide context.
  • pinkiemarie252
    pinkiemarie252 Posts: 222 Member
    I stopped going to that doctor a long time ago because he just kept telling me that I had to lose weight but never actually told me how. So now I'm on my own.

    Go see a different doctor. Recovery from ED doesn't necessarily happen and then you're just ok forever. Going on a diet could really trigger you back into the same behaviors. If your old doctor wasn't helping you, see a new one.
  • jessigoct17
    jessigoct17 Posts: 57 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist or a biologist but i have studied both subjects my whole life. Since i've experienced eating disorder issues myself i think you kind of messed up your metabolism by putting your body into shock from starving yourself than going to increasing calories.. now you are exercising which is awesome but if its something you are not used to along with sticking at 1200-1500..

    i would think your body is still trying to recover from being in starvation mode, and also depending on how much you sleep and stress levels this may be why you arent losing weight

    my best advice would be to workout 3x a week (every other day) and just eat healthy and no less than 1300 calories.
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
    I also think you should seek out another doctor to provide you guidance on your journey. I know you don't want to hear this But EDS are nit so easily over. Please keep an eye on it.

    Also, you will nother lose 20lbs in a month. That is virtually impossible, and definitely not healthy to attempt. I know you want to look great for the holiday pics, But your overall health is more important.

    If during your ED phase you've been eating 600 calories per day for a long period of time, then Yes, your metabolism could have slowed and it can take months and even years to readjust. This means that 1500 might be your maintenance or even a bit over. At the same time you should not play games with your body trying to diet this off and then look for maintenance. This could have further negative impact in my opinion. I would suggest going on maintenance now, and with the exercise you do, focus on recomposition.

    I am Blythe a scientist or anything, this is my opinion based on what I have read here, I am happy for others to correct me if I have gone wrong somewhere.
  • JJJJ25
    JJJJ25 Posts: 37
    When you were actively anorexic your muscle mass was depleted, if not completely wasted away. Lean muscle mass is what determines a higher or lower BMR; you put on weight at 1500 calories a day because your body adjusted to maintaining on a tiny bit of fuel.

    You need to reverse diet, not cut calories further. Meaning, you need to add back 100-200 calories per week until you maintain your weight at a caloric intake that fits your activity needs. Ignore MFP - for most people - even short petite women - this is at least 1800.

    You might gain a few pounds doing this, you might not. The point is to get your body back to eating a normal amount. Do you really want to live on 1200 or less forever?

    I speak from experience. The first time I restored weight from anorexia I did zero weight training, had no muscle, and gained mostly fat quite easily.

    The second time (relapse) I lifted heavy weights and immediately increased my intake from 800 to 1800-2000. I gained 20 (desperately needed) pounds over a year, but it looks different when some of that is muscle weight. I now maintain this weight eating the same amount, which is more than I ever thought possible.

    Stop cutting calories, you're just making it worse.

    Here are some resources:

    http://gokaleo.com/stop-dieting/

    http://www.sweatlikeapig.com/2013/08/28/overcoming-metabolic-damage-part-one/
  • JJJJ25
    JJJJ25 Posts: 37
    P.S. Your doctor is foolish to tell a person recovering from an ED that they need to lose weight. Any professional knows that it is common for a person recovering from an ED to originally overshoot their body's set point and THEN, after a little while of eating ENOUGH and exercising a reasonable (not excessive) amount, the weight will come off on its own.
  • maybyn
    maybyn Posts: 233 Member
    ED aside, I really don't buy into the "eat more to lose" ideology.

    When I eat at 800 cals, I lose fast, when I eat at 1200 cals, I lose moderately and when I eat at 1500 cals, I lose much slower.

    Of course, sustainability is another thing altogether.

Categories