Will upping my calorie intake cause me to gain weight?

jessicapple36
jessicapple36 Posts: 12
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
So I have come to the conclusion I seem to be not eating enough, I only just started logging my food intake and I have put in my past couple of weeks and on average they are about 800-1100. I have read some forums on MFP and everyone has jumped ship when someone says they are on a 1200 diet so I got a bit worried. My question is I can't seem to comprehend that eating more than I do now will not cause me to gain weight? I am lightly active, walk a lot haven't gone to gym for a week but normally I got 5 times a week for half an hour. I'm 5'4 and 51 kilos how much calories should I eat to maintain this?

Replies

  • ntg13
    ntg13 Posts: 10
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.
  • westmor
    westmor Posts: 38 Member
    I am almost at my goal weight (2.5lbs to go) and must admit I was thinking the same thing. I want to try and lose a few more pounds and then find a realistic daily calorie intake to maintain it. Happy to be added as a friend if you would like some support maintaining.
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.

    thanks, it says 1800 calories whaaaaaaaaaaaaat
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    I am almost at my goal weight (2.5lbs to go) and must admit I was thinking the same thing. I want to try and lose a few more pounds and then find a realistic daily calorie intake to maintain it. Happy to be added as a friend if you would like some support maintaining.

    glad I'm not the only one! haha. I started at a healthy weight and really only wanted to get more fit and incorporate more physical activity as I thought the weight I was at (4 kilos more) just didn't feel right for me so maintenance for me isn't as flashy as someone who has lost like 50 pounds haha, how much have you lost?
  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.

    thanks, it says 1800 calories whaaaaaaaaaaaaat
    Don't forget you also eat back your burned exersize cals if you are wanting to maintain.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    I hit my goal and maintained for over a year. I tried to increase calories but found that at my height and weight, added some calories and started to gain. Backed off and found where I maintain. I still exercise and if. Eat too much, I cut back for a few days and get back to goal wt. I find maintenance harder than losing as u think u can have a little of this or that but, it causes wt gain. I have to log weight, exercise and food daily and read these posts to stay motivated. I always try to eat good with good food choices at home or out. No fried foods, no sauces, etc.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.

    thanks, it says 1800 calories whaaaaaaaaaaaaat

    eat like 1300 for a week and see how you feel …800-1100 with exercise is definitely not enough …

    You might have slight gain from water retention/bloat the first week, but that will go away …

    If you are scared to eat, then you need to re-exaine your relationship with food.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    If you gain any weight from upping calories but are still in a caloric deficit, most likely is a replenishment of some of the glycogen in your muscles. and glycogen retains water. So any gain would be water weight.
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.

    thanks, it says 1800 calories whaaaaaaaaaaaaat

    eat like 1300 for a week and see how you feel …800-1100 with exercise is definitely not enough …

    You might have slight gain from water retention/bloat the first week, but that will go away …

    If you are scared to eat, then you need to re-exaine your relationship with food.

    But I used to have water retention and I was always bloated and once I changed what I ate and such that stopped, maybe I just need to make my portions bigger and not actually change the food that caused me to be bloated in the beginning. Thanks for replying.
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    If you gain any weight from upping calories but are still in a caloric deficit, most likely is a replenishment of some of the glycogen in your muscles. and glycogen retains water. So any gain would be water weight.

    this makes me feel better about upping calories, I'll try 1300 for a while and see if it works for me.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.

    thanks, it says 1800 calories whaaaaaaaaaaaaat

    eat like 1300 for a week and see how you feel …800-1100 with exercise is definitely not enough …

    You might have slight gain from water retention/bloat the first week, but that will go away …

    If you are scared to eat, then you need to re-exaine your relationship with food.

    But I used to have water retention and I was always bloated and once I changed what I ate and such that stopped, maybe I just need to make my portions bigger and not actually change the food that caused me to be bloated in the beginning. Thanks for replying.

    it sounds like you have issues with perceived weight gain and eating..please seek professional help.
  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
    Please know that when going from losing to maintaining you will see a weight gain of 3-5 lbs as your body replenishes the glycogen stores in your body. This is not fat, it is your bodies easily accessible energy that you have kept depleted in order to force your bodie to burn fat. If you are set on a scale number than you must lose 3-5 lbs below that so when this happens you are at your goal when this increase happens.
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    Set your diary to maintenance calories and it will tell you what you need to maintain your current weight.

    thanks, it says 1800 calories whaaaaaaaaaaaaat

    eat like 1300 for a week and see how you feel …800-1100 with exercise is definitely not enough …

    You might have slight gain from water retention/bloat the first week, but that will go away …

    If you are scared to eat, then you need to re-exaine your relationship with food.

    But I used to have water retention and I was always bloated and once I changed what I ate and such that stopped, maybe I just need to make my portions bigger and not actually change the food that caused me to be bloated in the beginning. Thanks for replying.

    it sounds like you have issues with perceived weight gain and eating..please seek professional help.

    it's not that I intentionally ate low calorie, it's not until I logged it in that I noticed and even knew how many calories a day we needed. I don't have a problem with eating I just would like to know more about bmr and how much we need..
  • mumof5
    mumof5 Posts: 328 Member
    omg, your daily feed is my breakfast. eat lift sleep live ;)
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    Please know that when going from losing to maintaining you will see a weight gain of 3-5 lbs as your body replenishes the glycogen stores in your body. This is not fat, it is your bodies easily accessible energy that you have kept depleted in order to force your bodie to burn fat. If you are set on a scale number than you must lose 3-5 lbs below that so when this happens you are at your goal when this increase happens.

    awesome, thank you.
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    omg, your daily feed is my breakfast. eat lift sleep live ;)

    oh god really, yep okay tomorrow the feast will begin haha
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Please know that when going from losing to maintaining you will see a weight gain of 3-5 lbs as your body replenishes the glycogen stores in your body. This is not fat, it is your bodies easily accessible energy that you have kept depleted in order to force your bodie to burn fat. If you are set on a scale number than you must lose 3-5 lbs below that so when this happens you are at your goal when this increase happens.

    this is why you should have a maintenance range not one number that you have your heart set on... its not realstic to think you will be the same weight every day forever!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    omg, your daily feed is my breakfast. eat lift sleep live ;)

    oh god really, yep okay tomorrow the feast will begin haha

    my lunch yesterday was 1300 calories...
  • Rosannajo88
    Rosannajo88 Posts: 212 Member
    Aww, you're so pretty bless you, with your huge bambi eyes. Thats all I wanted to say really lol.

    Seriously though you could eat a little more and not worry about gaining, try the 1300 for a couple of weeks and if you dont gain then you could add another 200 cals and so what happens there. You need to feed your body to keep it happy and healthy :) xx
  • jessicapple36
    jessicapple36 Posts: 12
    omg, your daily feed is my breakfast. eat lift sleep live ;)

    oh god really, yep okay tomorrow the feast will begin haha

    my lunch yesterday was 1300 calories...

    I'm guessing my Christmas lunch was around 1300 haha, I was stuffed
  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
    Please know that when going from losing to maintaining you will see a weight gain of 3-5 lbs as your body replenishes the glycogen stores in your body. This is not fat, it is your bodies easily accessible energy that you have kept depleted in order to force your bodie to burn fat. If you are set on a scale number than you must lose 3-5 lbs below that so when this happens you are at your goal when this increase happens.

    this is why you should have a maintenance range not one number that you have your heart set on... its not realstic to think you will be the same weight every day forever!
    Absolutely! My point was if you want your goal weight to be in that range you have to lose below that or always keep yourself in a glycogen deficit. Shrug*
  • brimin101
    brimin101 Posts: 31 Member
    Upping your calorie intake initially will cause a gain in weight, but not fat. Your body will store it as glycogen. I agree though you need to eat more, if this says your BMR is 1800 slowly get up to 1600-1800 daily and then add around 60 minutes or more of vigorous exercise burning 500-700 cals and the weight should start to melt off (if you're looking to lose weight)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Your BMR would be 1352 according to the site I use for these calculations (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) so as suggested above, definitely try to eat at least that much, if not more like 1400-1500 per day.

    The 1800 MFP came up with is your TDEE (not BMR as some have said). This is the number of calories you need to support your lightly active lifestyle. You still need to eat earned exercise calories on top of that! So it would be a good idea to try to get as close to that number as you can.

    You may see a slight increase at first while your body adjusts to the increase in calories but please give it a couple of months before you decide to lower again or anything like that. It takes our bodies a lot longer to react than we think.

    BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate - the estimated # of calories your body needs to survive at the basest level as if you were in a coma - blood circulation, cell repair, breathing, etc.

    TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure - includes day-to-day activities - sedentary folks have desk jobs, active folks are on their feet all day, etc. This should also include regular exercise if you're consistent with workouts.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Are you sure you are measuring accurately and logging everything? Little things can add up to 100's of calories.

Categories