Losing weight on 2,800 calories a day... what is this?!

seriously wish this was my problem

Just as annoying as people complaining about not being able to eat 1200.... Actually , this is far worse... Poor you and your fantastic genetics.

Yeah, it reminds me of a thread not long ago of people complaining, "I'm tired of being told I have a pretty face." Get over your lucky DNA! :laugh:

Too jealous to help. Just about maintaining on approx 2500-2800kcal a day (notorious at underestimating) and would love to eat moooarrrr. Sadly I also work a full time job and can't physically devote any more time to exercising sob sob.
Okay I can help. Two words - peanut butter.
If I had my way I'd eat half a jar every day. Oh wait...

Thanks for the replies all some helpful advice!
I've decided to cut back on the exercise, while also lowering my calories slightly, see how that goes for a few weeks and then slowly start to raise my calories from there.. I think I was doing way too much exercise. I've recently just started pre-season for soccer, add onto that weight training 5-6 times a week, and that's a ****load of calories being burned.

"I'm losing weight and I want to gain. I'm going to cut calories to remedy the situation"

Did I really just read this?

She's going to cut back on the exercise as well. Bring it all into sustainable levels and then build from there. There's some sense in that.

I'd really like to know what you're doing to lose weight while eating 2,800 calories a day...

She's obviously a young athlete. She plays soccer, weight trains and is 20 yo. So many say well it's a nice problem to have seem to not know you do have the ability to change your metabolism. Guess what, I'm 34 to female at 5'2 and during my bulk I had this same issue. Dropping weight until I increased to over 3000. Not everyone believes in eating the bare minimum number of calories but moreso in eating more to make your body work better for you and your workouts. Train smarter, not harder.

OP-You want to bulk but just replied back you will reduce calories. This is not going to reflect the scale to go in the direction you want it.

This is the Gaining Weight forum. The OP is bulking to build muscle. Dropping weight when first raising calories seems to be pretty common. I'm eating north of 3000 calories myself including exercise calories (5'9" 175).

Let's be more supportive. If you are in this forum, you should realize that some people are actively trying to get bigger and understand that this can be a challenge as well.

Are you directing this towards me? Because quite frankly I'm one of the few who actually understood what the OP was saying/asking and know very well what section this is posted in.

I was actually directing it at just about everybody but you. I should have put ^^^agreed before I posted. I didn't intend to be so judgy - I guess I was a little more annoyed than I thought I was and was unclear. Sorry about that.

I thought so but wanted to be sure. ☺️ Didn't see the new responses, and yes the annoyance with people not understanding where they're posting is shared.

GOMAD bro. Gallon Of Milk A Day. Cheap way to get a ton of calories that cover all three macros.

Evidently, Lolo Jones ate 9,000 calories a day to bulk and build muscle for the winter Olympics. Really, 2,800 calories isn't even that much food. I don't need that many calories most of the time, but I sure wouldn't have a problem eating them if I needed it. One of the things I enjoy most when I go backpacking is eating 4,000-5,000 calories a day. It's fun - food is good!

Thanks for the replies all some helpful advice!
I've decided to cut back on the exercise, while also lowering my calories slightly, see how that goes for a few weeks and then slowly start to raise my calories from there.. I think I was doing way too much exercise. I've recently just started pre-season for soccer, add onto that weight training 5-6 times a week, and that's a ****load of calories being burned.

"I'm losing weight and I want to gain. I'm going to cut calories to remedy the situation"

Did I really just read this?

She's going to cut back on the exercise as well. Bring it all into sustainable levels and then build from there. There's some sense in that.

Yes, but it sounds as if she's sacrificing her goals. If she's going into a soccer season, she won't be able to cut back there--leaving only the lifting to be cut back (besides for the soccer cross training). So how can she gain lean muscle if she's cutting back on food and lifting?

I think a better solution that wouldn't sacrifice her goals would be to listen to some of these experienced bulkers and eat more peanut butter, ice cream, drink more milk, etc. I've never bulked per se, but if I were trying, and were that active, I'd probably go with adding frequent snacks of trailmix of nuts, raisins, m&ms, that sort of thing and high-carb/cal drinks/juices during cardio (ie soccer practice).

Evidently, Lolo Jones ate 9,000 calories a day to bulk and build muscle for the winter Olympics. Really, 2,800 calories isn't even that much food. I don't need that many calories most of the time, but I sure wouldn't have a problem eating them if I needed it. One of the things I enjoy most when I go backpacking is eating 4,000-5,000 calories a day. It's fun - food is good!

It's not difficult once in awhile. Try it for a month, then come back and tell us how you feel on those days when you have to eat that much and you never, ever want to look at food ever again. Gaining is just as difficult for some people as losing is for others.

OP, liquid calories are your best friend. Chocolate milk. If you like coffee, drink it with heavy cream. I just discovered that chunky peanut butter on cookie dough ice cream is amazing.

I can't see your diary, but guessing you do a reasonable bit of exercise?

Basically I just love doing it, and when I go to the gym it's like an escape from reality for me
Also want to be the healthiest, fittest, and strongest I can be

With weights and a little cardio I can maintain on around 3000.

I had a run this morning.
According to my diary, I have 2,828 calorie to eat today. Today is a 'rest' day where I eat 1000 calories less than a weights workout day!
I'm still losing 1.5-1.75lb a week at the moment. I've been doing a fair bit of running this week, including on weights workout days, which means some days I eat 4000. And I'm STILL losing.

In the end, the scales are the true measure of weight gain/loss. Me? I'm having a whole large pizza with extra toppings to myself for breakfast .
So, as above, keeping raising until you find the scales slowly going up.

NICE!!!

Chocolate milk!

Eh, that pushes the macros a bit towards carbs doesn't it? I'd stick with plain myself.

I do 45% carbs, so it's all good. :drinker:

Does it matter? Once you get 1g/LBM protein, .6g/LBM fat, and 1g/lb carbs (I'm guesstimating on the minimum recommendations for fat and carbs to be honest) does it matter where the rest of your cals come from?

^^^ So true. Bulking is great for 3 days? 4? Then it becomes a struggle at least half the time. There are always days where it is awesome, but many days when you think: Really? More?

I'll have to try the PB on cookie dough ice cream! I'd probably put a bit of chocolate syrup over the pb too. Yum. Have you tried cookie butter?

That's what happens when it's 10pm and I realize that I have another 500-600 stupid calories left to eat. I haven't tried cookie butter yet, but I keep walking by it in Trader Joe's and drooling! I guess if I'm ever going to try it, now's the time.