Confused about upping calories

missbirrell
missbirrell Posts: 133
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
I am 26 and 5ft 4 (or 3, depending which doctor you ask!). In the past 13 months using MFP I've come down from 201 to 139, my goal weight is 126 (maybe lower). I've been on 1200 calories for most of these 13 months, with a few trials on 1400, but my loss dropped off or stopped completely. I'm currently on 1295 and I eat back some exercise calories. My exercise is only swimming and walking. Health issues mean weight lifting or body weight exercises are not possible, at all, for the foreseeable future, although I hope they'll be on the cards one day because I'm very conscious of being skinny fat and still have a podgy belly and flabby arms and thighs.

Anyway, everything I've read on here this past year says that as you get closer to goal, you should up your intake. Is this only for the famous last 10lbs? I still have 13 to go, or so - should I go up now? Is it only important for those doing weights, which I'm not? Should I stick with what I'm doing? My weight loss is up and down at present... I'm a bit confused.

Replies

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Your maintenance is not likely 1400. if you stopped losing after at least a month on 1400 it's because a) you were eating more than 1400 (do you weigh your food?) or b) you didn't wait long enough for your body to readjust.

    up them if you want. I have maybe up to 20+lbs to go and I upped mine because I was hungry. Weight loss isn't linear. Since you aren't lifing and are eating very low cal, you'll still likely have skinny fat issues unless you get down VERY very skinny.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Awesome job on your loss. I agree with Ana, you were either eating more than you thought OR didn't wait a sufficient amount of time, when you raised to 1400. Remember, the less you have to lose, the smaller the deficit and the harder it is.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    OR it could have just been normal stalls. i'm in a mini stall atm, need to wait a few more weeks to let things settle - I highly doubt I'd maintain on 2000 calories at my weight and activity, but my weight hasn't gone down (it has gone up!). It all takes patience.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Good job, but you should have upped your calories awhile ago-and even taken a diet break for a couple of weeks.

    People on here will say a lot of things, my opinion-start upping them now. I'm 5'4" and 140 as well...I'm losing really slowly at 1600 but was doing pretty well just over 1400
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    vismal has a really good video about diet breaks, anyone know which I mean?
  • missbirrell
    missbirrell Posts: 133
    I weigh everything, so maybe I just didn't do 1400 for long enough? I got impatient when I stopped losing.

    I should go up to 1400 now then? And not wait until I can start using weights (which will not be for a good few months more at least).
  • missbirrell
    missbirrell Posts: 133
    Also - I take diet breaks fairly often, weekends off for events and weeks off now and then when I go away somewhere. Is that doing good, or doing harm?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    missbirrell wrote: »
    Also - I take diet breaks fairly often, weekends off for events and weeks off now and then when I go away somewhere. Is that doing good, or doing harm?

    Diet breaks are good, especially if you've been at a deficit for a long time. How long did you try 1400?
  • missbirrell
    missbirrell Posts: 133
    A fortnight, a few times.
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