Should I boost my calories up?

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MaddyT122
MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been here at MFP since early July. I have lost 7 pounds, most of it in the very beginning and most of that was when I got a bought of food poisoning. Not pleasant. Since then, I have joined Planet Fitness, which I absolutely love! I'm not new to a gym as I worked out for a couple years with a trainer but hadn't been active for some time. That has changed. I am now going to the gym about 5 days per week and I love how I feel!

I also cannot seem to lose any weight nor any inches. Since I am working out hard at the gym, I'm thinking that maybe I am eating too little? I'm not really sure. I just know that the scale is not moving and when I took my measurements today, they had not changed in several weeks. At the gym, I am doing at least 30 minutes of cardio (on week 2 of C25K) or the Arch machine and about 30 minutes of weights. Some days, I do more cardio than that. I also have started lifting weights again, which I did years ago and really missed. I just purchased a book by Brett Challenger (do I have his name right?) for working out your butt. My butt is my biggest problem so I intend to incorporate that into my workouts.

So, to sum it all up, I am doing at least 1200 calories (MFP set for me) and 1-1.5 hours at the gym 5 days per week and not losing weight. More on days I hit the gym, usually about 1300-1400. Is it because I'm not eating enough? I did the Scooby calculator which tells me to eat 1788 calories per day. Does that sound about right? I am female, 46 years of age, 5'2" and 165 pounds. I'm afraid I might start to gain weight on that many calories.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. I am using a Fitbit One to track my activity.

Thank you!

Replies

  • PatriciaRicotta
    PatriciaRicotta Posts: 7 Member
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    I was eating 1200 calorie a day diet I was losing muscle and not body fat. I upped my calories to 1500 a day and lost 3.5 pounds in a week plus 1% body fat. Since your eating 1300-1400 I would up calories by 100 a week to see what your body needs.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    How accurate is your food logging? Are you consistent - as in doing it every day and logging everything you eat/drink? Do you weigh solid foods and measure liquids? If you're doing a lot of guessing, you could be underestimating the amount you're eating which will make it difficult to lose weight. If this is the case, upping your calories won't help.

    If the exercise is new (within the last couple weeks) part of the problem could just be water retention as your body adjusts to the increase in activity.
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
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    How accurate is your food logging? Are you consistent - as in doing it every day and logging everything you eat/drink? Do you weigh solid foods and measure liquids? If you're doing a lot of guessing, you could be underestimating the amount you're eating which will make it difficult to lose weight. If this is the case, upping your calories won't help.

    If the exercise is new (within the last couple weeks) part of the problem could just be water retention as your body adjusts to the increase in activity.

    I am weighing and measuring but using an old scale. I ordered a new one and am waiting for in to get here. I overdid it on the Arc machine and my muscles are a bit sore so maybe it's some water retention as you said. Let's hope so!
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
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    I was eating 1200 calorie a day diet I was losing muscle and not body fat. I upped my calories to 1500 a day and lost 3.5 pounds in a week plus 1% body fat. Since your eating 1300-1400 I would up calories by 100 a week to see what your body needs.

    Thanks! I will try 1500 and see how that goes.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I just purchased a book by Brett Challenger (do I have his name right?) for working out your butt. My butt is my biggest problem so I intend to incorporate that into my workouts.

    Bret Contreras? Strong Curves? There's a group for that here, although it's not that active. I found that it's similar to the kind of workout I'm doing to try and better build up my glutes, hips, and core, so I have started it, although I'm kind of mixing it in with some similar workouts with a personal trainer. It's a great companion to running, IME so far.

    Oh, on calories I'm always skeptical about the concept of not losing because you are eating too little, but you can certainly lose on more than 1200 if you are working out. I probably average around 1600 (depends on workouts, has been more likely because I've been doing loads of cardio and I do a weird mix between TDEE and MFP that I won't bore you with), and I'm 5'3, 44, 150 at the moment, and have been losing well. I'd pick a number around that (or the 1700 or so from Scooby) and just be really consistent with your logging for a couple of weeks and take the exercise estimates out of it and see what happens. If you don't lose go back down a bit until you do. If it still doesn't, bring the logs to your doctor.
  • DerekVTX
    DerekVTX Posts: 287 Member
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    How accurate is your food logging? Are you consistent - as in doing it every day and logging everything you eat/drink? Do you weigh solid foods and measure liquids? If you're doing a lot of guessing, you could be underestimating the amount you're eating which will make it difficult to lose weight. If this is the case, upping your calories won't help.

    If the exercise is new (within the last couple weeks) part of the problem could just be water retention as your body adjusts to the increase in activity.

    I think you should strongly consider MinnieinMaine's advice. Also don't forget to count those condiments. For instance some Veggie dips have 130 calories in one tablespoon. Count, Weigh, Measure everysingle thing you eat. Good luck and stay strong.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    If you're in a deficit you'll lose weight. Like others said, it could be you're taking in more than you realize and that's causing the issue.
  • kangaroux92
    kangaroux92 Posts: 188 Member
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    i was in a similar position im 22 5'4" 185 lbs and i was eating about 1500 cal and working out 4/5 days a week. i lost some inches but no weight at all after about 2 months. i knew i could be stricter with my diet but i wasn't ready to bite the bullet because its hard work dieting. but i recently reduced my calories to 1200/1300 day and lost 1 pound after 2 days. i personally don't believe in too little calories, not that i recommend having less than 1,000 or anything i just don't see much evidence to support increasing calories with weight loss. switch up your workout body's adapt to exercise really fast you need to push harder at the gym. i would not increase calories.just my opinion im not a professional by any means.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    OP, can you open your food diary?

    Also, do you have any medical conditions?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    i was in a similar position im 22 5'4" 185 lbs and i was eating about 1500 cal and working out 4/5 days a week. i lost some inches but no weight at all after about 2 months. i knew i could be stricter with my diet but i wasn't ready to bite the bullet because its hard work dieting. but i recently reduced my calories to 1200/1300 day and lost 1 pound after 2 days. i personally don't believe in too little calories, not that i recommend having less than 1,000 or anything i just don't see much evidence to support increasing calories with weight loss. switch up your workout body's adapt to exercise really fast you need to push harder at the gym. i would not increase calories.just my opinion im not a professional by any means.

    If you are not strict with your logging, then you were probably eating a lot more calories than you think. The average person misrepresents calories in by as much as 400 calories a day. Honestly, if you are not logging all your foods, using quick adds and/or not logging daily, then your numbers are off.
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
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    OP, can you open your food diary?

    Also, do you have any medical conditions?



    I opened my diary. Sorry, I forgot to check my settings before posting this. And no, no medical conditions.

    Thanks!
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
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    Bret Contreras? Strong Curves? There's a group for that here, although it's not that active. I found that it's similar to the kind of workout I'm doing to try and better build up my glutes, hips, and core, so I have started it, although I'm kind of mixing it in with some similar workouts with a personal trainer. It's a great companion to running, IME so far.

    Oh, on calories I'm always skeptical about the concept of not losing because you are eating too little, but you can certainly lose on more than 1200 if you are working out. I probably average around 1600 (depends on workouts, has been more likely because I've been doing loads of cardio and I do a weird mix between TDEE and MFP that I won't bore you with), and I'm 5'3, 44, 150 at the moment, and have been losing well. I'd pick a number around that (or the 1700 or so from Scooby) and just be really consistent with your logging for a couple of weeks and take the exercise estimates out of it and see what happens. If you don't lose go back down a bit until you do. If it still doesn't, bring the logs to your doctor.

    ok, thanks for the info! I think I am going to boost my calorie target up a bit and see if that helps.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    1788 sounds high. What does your Fitbit suggest you burn?

    Eating more is a valid choice but if you're retaining water from the new workouts and that reverses, you're going to think you lose more weight at higher calories if you've just upped them. Unless eating more improves your logging or adherence or activity levels, it's not going to result in more weight loss, though. Not past the water weight losses that would've occurred at any calorie level, that is.

    Good luck!
  • MyMalfunction7
    MyMalfunction7 Posts: 61 Member
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    I would just try to log as accurately as possible for a few weeks while continuing exercising. Use weight instead of cups, slices, rolls, breasts, etc. for solids to make sure that your intake is accurate. If you don't see results from your current course in a few weeks, then you can be sure that it's not just water retention from increasing exercise/occasionally underestimating intake, and you can choose a new course :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I would think that some of your inputs are off. There seems to be several generic entries, some solids that are measured by cups and some entries that don't make sense (country green beans with ham). Honestly, I think if you tighten up the logging practices (all solids with a food scale, liquids with a measuring cups/spoons.
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
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    Ok, thanks for the input everyone. I am using a scale but it's not a digital one. I am waiting for my new scale to get here that I ordered from Amazon. But, yes, I can be more diligent with the measuring and see if that works.
  • MaddyT122
    MaddyT122 Posts: 152 Member
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    I would think that some of your inputs are off. There seems to be several generic entries, some solids that are measured by cups and some entries that don't make sense (country green beans with ham). Honestly, I think if you tighten up the logging practices (all solids with a food scale, liquids with a measuring cups/spoons.


    Will do. Thanks for taking the time to review my logging.

    But, if you don't know what ham and beans are, you are missing some good Pennsylvania Dutch food! :smile:
    I'll have to figure out a better way of logging it though. I do most of my own cooking at home.

    Thanks!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I would think that some of your inputs are off. There seems to be several generic entries, some solids that are measured by cups and some entries that don't make sense (country green beans with ham). Honestly, I think if you tighten up the logging practices (all solids with a food scale, liquids with a measuring cups/spoons.


    Will do. Thanks for taking the time to review my logging.

    But, if you don't know what ham and beans are, you are missing some good Pennsylvania Dutch food! :smile:
    I'll have to figure out a better way of logging it though. I do most of my own cooking at home.

    Thanks!

    I know PA dutch food fairly well (mothers side is PA Dutch) and I used to live outside of Philly :wink: . Having said that, your entry noted it was 100 calories, but only had 4 carbs (no fat or protein). Considering 2 oz of ham is usually 60 calories (or more depending on the brand) and green beans can be 60 calories or more, I would suggest it's off. I would recommend when you have a meal, try to type out all of the ingredients.
  • huggymama
    huggymama Posts: 12 Member
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    OP - have you tried yoga?

    I'm not bendy at all. My legs shake and I struggle to keep them straight for some poses - if I can keep my balance! But when incorporated into an exercise program that combines cardio, weights and stretching (yoga being the stretching), it combines to aid weight loss.

    Find a beginner class and it will be full of other non-bendy people. You might have to try a few until you get an instructor you click with!

    Good luck

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