Please help I am freaking out! :'(

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Helpme09203
Helpme09203 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone so today I realized that the way I was losing weight was all wrong. I am 5'4 and 121lbs. I used to be 145lbs and was desperate to lose weight and I did. I started at the end of Jan. 2014 but I think that how I lost weight will affect me to maintain my weight. I think that I ate low calories and exercised a lot everyday. Now I read a lot about not eating enough calories and you can gain all the weight back and I really don't want to gain any weight back I worked so hard but at the same time was harming my body.. Please I really understand that what i did was wrong but how can I up my calories without gaining weight... How would this work, how much should I work out? I have a lot of muscle and I seem healthy but I really don't want to eat 600 calories for the rest of my life I know there a better healthies way please help..

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  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    Find out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight and gradually increase your intake till you reach that number.
    Eat a balanced diet with treats thrown in.
    There are many online calculators that will tell you what you need to maintain.
    Or you put into MFP and it will show you what you need to maintain plus you must eat back your exercise calories.
    I'm sure others here now how many calories you should increase per week.
  • tootoop224
    tootoop224 Posts: 281 Member
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    Imma be the first to call troll.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Well, you already acknowledge you cannot live on 600 calories for the rest of your life, so you have one choice, which is to up your calories, accept there may be a little temporary weight gain, and have some patience while your body adjusts to being properly fed again.
    I suggest finding out what your maintenance calories are, and upping your calories by 200 a week until you reach that. This way, there will be less of a shock to your body, and hopefully, minimal weight gain. You will not gain all your weight back, it simply does not work like that... you would need to be eating over your maintenance consistently for that to happen, and 600 is certainly not your maintenance.

    Continue to workout. 60 minutes, 4-6 times a week is perfectly adequate. Ensure you do some form of strength training to protect your muscle mass. Plenty of protein. And try and keep your food 80% nutrient dense, with 20% for treats and less healthy foods.
    If you gain a bit back, so what? Your health is more important, and you can easily lose it again, the right way, once your body has stabilised.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Imma be the first to call troll.
    I was thinkin' the same!

    But just in case - we're gonna need more info if you really want help. Age, height, current weight, exercise...?

    For starters, enter your info into MFP accurately, and start eating more than 600 cals a day. And get your mind around the fact that you might show a gain on the scale at first, but that's okay - your body will adjust (and be thrilled, no doubt) with more food, and you'll be fine, trust us.

    Aim for the daily goal MFP gives you - and remember that goal means GOAL, something you're trying to achieve, not fall well short of. Food is fuel. If you exercise, eat back at least a good portion of those cals - this is how MFP works. You're already at a deficit eating to goal - buring off more cals through exercise leaves you with too large a deficit, so eat. Your daily NET calories should be at or very near goal.

    Drink water, take rest days, get good sleep and be patient. Works like a charm.

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