I didn't believe it...

ForbiddenFruit
ForbiddenFruit Posts: 62 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
but it's true.

Eating more calories is better.

I've previously done lots of 'fad' diets as well as following MFP's advice that my calorie intake should be 1200 calories and lost a chunk of weight in the first week but then nothing after that, in spite of being horribly hungry. It's also made me more inclined to go 'oh sod it' and binge because I found it so hard to sustain.

I've bitten the bullet this time round and, in consultation with a nutritionist, I've upped my intake to 1480. It's early days yet but my weight loss has been a steady 2lbs a week. Monday was my 3rd weigh in (the first one being my starting point). It took a bit to get my head round the first week as I was disappointed that I didn't have that 5 or 6lb first week drop that I'd been used to, but it feels so much more sustainable. I could potentially go even higher and still lose weight but I've committed to 6 weeks at this level and then I may start to play around with it a bit. I'm also still learning and trying to get my macros better. I have things to learn about how to get my protein levels up without raising my fats too high. I'd like to eat cleaner too but that's just one more thing to get my head around and I'm sure it will come.

I just wanted to post this because I've read so much here about upping calorie levels and still losing and not really believed it could work.

Replies

  • dmcb24
    dmcb24 Posts: 56 Member
    Just curious, how tall are you? I am thinking of upping my cals too. I am just too darn hungry to sustain 1200 cals a day.
  • ForbiddenFruit
    ForbiddenFruit Posts: 62 Member
    I'm 5ft 8 and have about 35lbs to lose :-)
  • Maquillage_
    Maquillage_ Posts: 194 Member
    I'm 5'2 and have had the same results! I was losing about 2-3lbs a week for a while on 1200 calories, but I'd often cheat and snack and felt miserable! I never really felt hungry, but I didn't have a lot of energy and my workouts were very half-arsed and I couldn't push myself. I eventually stopped losing weight on 1200 calories a day and found myself skipping exercise routines and just wanting to lie in bed all day!

    I upped my calories to 1530 to lose 1lbs a week to see how it went. I instantly felt 100 times better and could exercise even more, and push myself a lot harder!

    Now I net at 1350 (I eat about 1500) and I exercise twice a day and have never felt better! My weight loss on the scale is usually 1 to 1,5lbs a week.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Great. I upped mine, too. 1200 was too hard for me to stick with long term.
  • ForbiddenFruit
    ForbiddenFruit Posts: 62 Member
    It's good isn't it? I'd read so much about eating more to lose but never really believed it. It took quite a leap of faith to do it and I'm still not sure I would have done if it hadn't been for the nutritionist telling me to do it. I was always too scared before, convinced that it couldn't possibly work
  • missjazminenicole
    missjazminenicole Posts: 379 Member
    I started off at 1400 even though other sites tell me I will lose weight at about 1600. MFP also suggested 1200 for me but I lost 6lbs my first week at 1400 and 2 inches or so. Tomorrow is weigh in and I'm pretty sure I'll be down some more. But MFP is probably just not the most accurate. Do what works for you. A lot of days I don't hit 1400 at all...I eat clean. But other days it's nice to squeeze in a few extra calories and have the room to do so if I want.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    edited October 2014
    ForbiddenFruit wrote: »
    I'm 5ft 8 and have about 35lbs to lose :-)

    Then why are you trying to lose 2lbs a week...that is why MFP gave you 1200.

    I am an inch shorter and started here at 178 with 1lb a week and MFP gave me 1400...

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    I have almost lost 60lbs and started with 1400+exercise calories, lost weight

    Moved to 1600 which was TDEE-20% lost weight

    Moved to 1800 lost weight

    Moved to 2k and I am still losing weight...

    exercise.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    ForbiddenFruit wrote: »
    It's good isn't it? I'd read so much about eating more to lose but never really believed it. It took quite a leap of faith to do it and I'm still not sure I would have done if it hadn't been for the nutritionist telling me to do it. I was always too scared before, convinced that it couldn't possibly work

    Congrats! Feels good, right? I could "never" be a 1200 (or whatever low number) dieter. It just sets so many of us for "failure" (i.e. cheating). I love food (duh, we all do). Losing while getting to eat almost as much as we're used to (and, hey! There's room for treats without cheating) is a glorious revelation.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    williams969 wrote: »
    ForbiddenFruit wrote: »
    It's good isn't it? I'd read so much about eating more to lose but never really believed it. It took quite a leap of faith to do it and I'm still not sure I would have done if it hadn't been for the nutritionist telling me to do it. I was always too scared before, convinced that it couldn't possibly work

    Congrats! Feels good, right? I could "never" be a 1200 (or whatever low number) dieter. It just sets so many of us for "failure" (i.e. cheating). I love food (duh, we all do). Losing while getting to eat almost as much as we're used to (and, hey! There's room for treats without cheating) is a glorious revelation.

    Yes I agree...I often say your goal should be to eat as much food as possible and still lose a reasonable amount of weight....
  • LilyOfTheValley008
    LilyOfTheValley008 Posts: 95 Member
    I'm really glad I saw this thread! I've been plateaued for about 3 weeks now and have decided it's time to up my calories from 1200 to somewhere more reasonable HOWEVER I'm incredibly afraid of gaining again but I want to do my body right by it.
    I've maintained 1200 cals for about 3-4 months now so my plan is to up by either 50-100 and see how that goes for 2-3 weeks.
    Congratulations on getting past your wall!
  • ForbiddenFruit
    ForbiddenFruit Posts: 62 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    ForbiddenFruit wrote: »
    I'm 5ft 8 and have about 35lbs to lose :-)

    Then why are you trying to lose 2lbs a week...that is why MFP gave you 1200.

    I am an inch shorter and started here at 178 with 1lb a week and MFP gave me 1400...

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    I have almost lost 60lbs and started with 1400+exercise calories, lost weight

    Moved to 1600 which was TDEE-20% lost weight

    Moved to 1800 lost weight

    Moved to 2k and I am still losing weight...

    exercise.

    The nutritionist set 2lb a week for me. Given that I am substantially heavier than you, with a start weight of over 200lbs, it's not an unreasonable target to start with. And it appears I can do it while eating more calories than the 1200 that MFP thinks I would need to eat.

    We review every 2 weeks and if I need to change it I will.

    Oh, and I do exercise :-)
  • ForbiddenFruit
    ForbiddenFruit Posts: 62 Member
    LilyOfTheValley008 wrote: »
    I'm really glad I saw this thread! I've been plateaued for about 3 weeks now and have decided it's time to up my calories from 1200 to somewhere more reasonable HOWEVER I'm incredibly afraid of gaining again but I want to do my body right by it.
    I've maintained 1200 cals for about 3-4 months now so my plan is to up by either 50-100 and see how that goes for 2-3 weeks.
    Congratulations on getting past your wall!

    From your profile, it seems you're close to target anyway so it wouldn't hurt to start taking your calories up. You'll need to be starting to look at maintenance soon anyway and you're unlikely to sustain 1200 calories for good.

    I hope it works for you :-)



Categories