Can Increasing Calories Possibly Increase Fat Burning and Metabolism?

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TossaBeanBag
TossaBeanBag Posts: 458 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I increased my calories from 1800 to 2000 keeping 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fat. I do 40 minutes of cardio and weight train 6 days per week. Perhaps, my metabolism has just been increasing, but along with the increase in calories, I have been experiencing faster weight loss and fat burning. I also make sure my water intake is plenty. Any explanations as to why increasing calories may lead to a faster metabolism of fat? Thanks.
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Replies

  • mizaditude
    mizaditude Posts: 12 Member
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    No explanation but i experience the same thing. The 1200 calories on here doesn't work for me. When i eat closer to 1700 calories I lose weight without being any where near hungry and love it! I eat paleo/primal
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    99% of the time, this is due to increased adherence and more accurate logging. The other 1% of the time there is some extenuating health issue at play.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    Nope. If you eat over yours maintenance you gain, under you lose. Unless you have medical problems it really is that simple.
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
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    had my blood tested no medical reason for why I am having to eat alot of calories back to stop dropping weight was maintaining lower then my weight started dropping again I do spend alot of time in the gym or working have an outside active job..
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    steff274 wrote: »
    had my blood tested no medical reason for why I am having to eat alot of calories back to stop dropping weight was maintaining lower then my weight started dropping again I do spend alot of time in the gym or working have an outside active job..
    punctuation is your friend.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    99% of the time, this is due to increased adherence and more accurate logging. The other 1% of the time there is some extenuating health issue at play.
    This. And taking in a small number of extra calories gives you more energy, so you move around more during the day and push harder during workouts.


  • dgroulx
    dgroulx Posts: 159 Member
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    Protein helps your metabolism. Maybe you are eating more protein, which you should be if you are working out. I know after a workout, I crave protein.
  • dgroulx
    dgroulx Posts: 159 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    steff274 wrote: »
    had my blood tested no medical reason for why I am having to eat alot of calories back to stop dropping weight was maintaining lower then my weight started dropping again I do spend alot of time in the gym or working have an outside active job..
    punctuation is your friend.

    lol
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
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    steff274 wrote: »
    had my blood tested no medical reason for why I am having to eat alot of calories back to stop dropping weight was maintaining lower then my weight started dropping again I do spend alot of time in the gym or working have an outside active job..


    You have to be accurate with both calories in and calories out. If you are logging your food correctly, then you might think back to your activities around the time things changed. Are you using a fitness tracker or any device to know how many calories you burn each day? Did you add any new activity or have any life change which might have made you a bit more active? Even something like starting a new relationship or getting a new car so that you park further back in the parking lot can make a difference.
  • SpecialKH
    SpecialKH Posts: 70 Member
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    Odds are because you burn a lot of calories, your deficit was so large you were putting your body into calorie conservation mode. Often called "starvation mode" our bodies DO conserve calories when your net caloric consumption is below your basic metabolic rate. Maybe due to your highly active lifestyle or could be hormonal/chemical, perhaps your BMR is relatively high so the deficit takes the net down too low.

    I know when I have a few days where I break even with calories in/calories out, I tend to drop a pound or two. My theory is my body sees I'm not going to starve it so it releases some fat stores. I don't know. But it happens to me, too.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    SpecialKH wrote: »
    Odds are because you burn a lot of calories, your deficit was so large you were putting your body into calorie conservation mode. Often called "starvation mode" our bodies DO conserve calories when your net caloric consumption is below your basic metabolic rate. Maybe due to your highly active lifestyle or could be hormonal/chemical, perhaps your BMR is relatively high so the deficit takes the net down too low.

    I know when I have a few days where I break even with calories in/calories out, I tend to drop a pound or two. My theory is my body sees I'm not going to starve it so it releases some fat stores. I don't know. But it happens to me, too.
    Starvation mode doesn't exist.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    The short answer is no.

    The notion of increasing your metabolism by anything other than simply gaining weight is usually bogus. Adaptive thermogenesis (conservation) can be a thing, but it's pocket change, not enough to negate your deficit. And you can probably default to assuming it wasn't a factor to begin with.

    jacksonpt said it pretty well with the bit about increased adherence and accurate logging.

    How long has it been since you increased calories?
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    edited October 2014
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    dgroulx wrote: »
    Protein helps your metabolism. Maybe you are eating more protein, which you should be if you are working out. I know after a workout, I crave protein.

    TEF plays a very minimal role in increasing metabolism. And increasing from 1800 to 2000 calories isn't a large increase. As was stated previously, increased adherence and more accurate logging is a good guess. The other factor is increased movement. If you feel that you have more energy to train harder and longer, or mentally want to train harder and longer because you increased your calories, you are creating a bigger deficit by doing so.

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Sometimes too the time frame is too short to really attribute one result to one calorie level. I mean, if you just raised your calories this week and lost 2 lbs. instead of your usual one, it could be any number of things besides 'more calories = more loss'.
  • PinkyQT
    PinkyQT Posts: 56 Member
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    Same with me. If i ear 1200 i lost weighht.. then gain in a week
    when i eat 2000 i lose weight.

    No idea why!
  • JZ_Evolution_Mark2
    JZ_Evolution_Mark2 Posts: 63 Member
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    Each week you have a varying activity level based on work, sleep, life... So no formula for caloric intake and burn can be perfect. Also, some weeks your body is in need of more repair and you have varying homronal levels... attributed to stress both mental and physical.
    If you can fluxuate you caloric intake to a range that works for you then it will help you to lose and cut. Remember by doing so you'll also be fluxuating your macros.. that also plays a role. So you may have to adjust your workout as a result. Ultimately what this results in is muscle/body confusion... and thats what keeps your body burning fat and calories.. thats what gets you past those humps...
    Dont listen to those who feel that they have the right formula. Each person is different and knows there body. If you have a formula thats worked for you... try using that as a baseline and find a caloric range from there... taking into account the macro variation and workout.
    Be sure to not always do anaerobic exercise also...
  • Vina4
    Vina4 Posts: 23 Member
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    I know since i upped my calories this week I have had a lot more engry and dont feel like I am starving all the time. Before Inwas eating 1500 to 1800 calories. So yes, no matter what anyone else says. I believe it is the right choice for me. A In the end you can be the only one who says if it is right for you or not.

    And, yes there is something called starvation mode. If your body is NOT getting enough calories it does make it harder to lose weight and when you do lose weight you are not doing healthy way. Again, just my feelings and two cents..
  • bokaba
    bokaba Posts: 171 Member
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    Whether starvation mode exists or not, 200 calories probably wouldn't make much of a difference. I find I lose the much more weight when running a horrendous deficit (upwards 3000 calories a day) than a reasonable deficit, but I feel horrible, have no energy, and can't sleep among other disturbing symptoms--surprisingly, most of the weight returns, too.
  • TossaBeanBag
    TossaBeanBag Posts: 458 Member
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    JZ_Evolution_Mark2 wrote: »
    Each week you have a varying activity level based on work, sleep, life... So no formula for caloric intake and burn can be perfect. Also, some weeks your body is in need of more repair and you have varying homronal levels... attributed to stress both mental and physical.
    If you can fluxuate you caloric intake to a range that works for you then it will help you to lose and cut. Remember by doing so you'll also be fluxuating your macros.. that also plays a role. So you may have to adjust your workout as a result. Ultimately what this results in is muscle/body confusion... and thats what keeps your body burning fat and calories.. thats what gets you past those humps...
    Dont listen to those who feel that they have the right formula. Each person is different and knows there body. If you have a formula thats worked for you... try using that as a baseline and find a caloric range from there... taking into account the macro variation and workout.
    Be sure to not always do anaerobic exercise also...

    That sounds like a lot of lessons learned. Good advice.

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