Low maintenance calories?

Options
2»

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    I thought you were supposed to raise your calories by 100 a day for a couple of weeks and ride out the weight increase then repeat until it doesn't drop down again

    Did you do that?

    Have you been following low carb and started introducing higher carb because you've got up to 10lbs of water weight just sitting there
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    GetLessFatYay wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Over what amount of time?

    6 weeks. Every time I've tried to raise it my scale went up, so I freak out and drop back down again. I run 5k every other day, and I eat about 1500 on those days.

    Stats:
    23, female, 5'2", 128 lbs.

    In bold is what you need to stop doing, it could be you are over reacting to a water/glycogen bounce plus extra bulk of food.
    Small increase and keep it there for a few weeks to see the real trend rather than fluctuations.
  • GetThatRunnersHigh
    GetThatRunnersHigh Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    Diary now open. For the foods I couldn't find, I noted the weight in my food notes and tried to find something close in the database. I have a tendency to stress out over anything more than a 1/2 pound fluctuation, so I immediate cut my intake whenever I see an increase.
  • GetThatRunnersHigh
    GetThatRunnersHigh Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    sijomial wrote: »
    GetLessFatYay wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Over what amount of time?

    6 weeks. Every time I've tried to raise it my scale went up, so I freak out and drop back down again. I run 5k every other day, and I eat about 1500 on those days.

    Stats:
    23, female, 5'2", 128 lbs.

    In bold is what you need to stop doing, it could be you are over reacting to a water/glycogen bounce plus extra bulk of food.
    Small increase and keep it there for a few weeks to see the real trend rather than fluctuations.

    Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
  • GetThatRunnersHigh
    GetThatRunnersHigh Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I thought you were supposed to raise your calories by 100 a day for a couple of weeks and ride out the weight increase then repeat until it doesn't drop down again

    Did you do that?

    Have you been following low carb and started introducing higher carb because you've got up to 10lbs of water weight just sitting there

    I didn't, kept below 1200 throughout my journey and "celebrated" by eating 1800 calories in pure junk. Weight jumped up the next day, decided dropped down to 1350 from there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    Your stats and activity all play a roll. My TDEE varies with the season...it is lower in the winter months as I still work out and I'm active, but don't get out and ride as much...so in the winter I might maintain on 2600 - 2800 calories per day whereas the rest of the year I can maintain on 2800 - 3000 calories per day because I'm simply out there doing more.

    Also, going up three pounds when you increase calories isn't unusual...think about it logically...you are inherently going to have more waste in your system at a higher intake than at a lower intake...waste has mass and thus weight. Also, you do have to consider glycogen and other fluid retention. Not all weight is fat mass.
    GetLessFatYay wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Over what amount of time?

    6 weeks. Every time I've tried to raise it my scale went up, so I freak out and drop back down again. I run 5k every other day, and I eat about 1500 on those days.

    Stats:
    23, female, 5'2", 128 lbs.

    You need to stop with the knee jerk reactions to the scale. Hell, I can be up or down 3-5 Lbs day to day just with natural body weight fluctuations...I'm up 2 Lbs from yesterday and I can guarantee you that I did not put on 2 Lbs of fat overnight.

    Personally, I'd do a little research in regards to weight fluctuations...body weight isn't static.
  • GetThatRunnersHigh
    GetThatRunnersHigh Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    Quick update, just whooshed this morning. You guys were right, water weight and etc. Going to take a sanity break from the scale for a week or two..
  • SR_86
    SR_86 Posts: 58 Member
    Options
    I have been on MFP for about 7 weeks doing maintenance. I eat 1800 a day but I have lost 2lbs so I could probably increase to 1900. I exercise 3 days a week and burn about 600-700 calories on my exercise days. It's all about finding out what works for you.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    GetLessFatYay wrote: »
    Diary now open. For the foods I couldn't find, I noted the weight in my food notes and tried to find something close in the database. I have a tendency to stress out over anything more than a 1/2 pound fluctuation, so I immediate cut my intake whenever I see an increase.

    anything up to 4 pounds is a natural fluctuation... you are WAY over reacting over half a pound.
  • paradi3s
    paradi3s Posts: 343 Member
    Options
    I think it's your weight fluctuating? It usually does that throughout the day (Mine is usually at the 105-108lb range). I'm 5'4, 18 years old and maintaining at 1,750 a day (And that's without exercise). Am still experimenting with these numbers and will either cut down or increase it after a week or two, depending if I gain or lose. When you try to increase your calories, how long do you stick with it? You should probably increase it by 100 calories a day for a week or so, without looking at the scale until the week ends. It's most likely water weight. Think about this: A pound is 3,500 calories. Unless you ate 3,500 calories the previous day, you will NOT gain
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Options
    GetLessFatYay wrote: »
    Diary now open. For the foods I couldn't find, I noted the weight in my food notes and tried to find something close in the database. I have a tendency to stress out over anything more than a 1/2 pound fluctuation, so I immediate cut my intake whenever I see an increase.

    This is not a healthy attitude towards weight loss. Everything you've posted screams disordered eating patterns. Please consider a longer break from the scale and maybe see a therapist to see where these patterns come from.
  • GetThatRunnersHigh
    GetThatRunnersHigh Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone for your input and taking the time to read/reply, going to try +100 a week to figure out my actual maintenance. Odd thing is, I barely fluctuated while losing and only weighed every 2 weeks, so seeing the scale move around day by day was somewhat scary. Again, thanks!
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Options
    I maintain at 1450 when sedentary... being short sucks, so yeah, I'm with ya lol
  • bunnypy
    bunnypy Posts: 109 Member
    Options
    I maintain at 1350, I'm 28, 5'1 at 108lbs, u should be able to eat a couple of 100 calories more since u are younger, taller and heavier than me. Go ahead and play with the numbers, all the best!
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    Options
    MFP says my maintainance cals are around 1440. I'm eating around 1500 and I'm 30 and 5"2 around 106lbs.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Options
    I find it surprising how low maintainance calories are (actually I'm surprised how high other people's are). But that's what they are. It's also why I gained weight - my metabolism slowed down and my eating didn't as I got older. I also get to eat a lot more when I exercise more. It's been a long winter.

    I've maintained for 3 years so I know this is where I am. I am also satisfied when I eat this much.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited March 2015
    Options
    GetLessFatYay wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Over what amount of time?

    6 weeks. Every time I've tried to raise it my scale went up, so I freak out and drop back down again. I run 5k every other day, and I eat about 1500 on those days.

    Stats:
    23, female, 5'2", 128 lbs.

    You need to give eating more time before you change things, e.g two weeks at a time on the higher cals, increase cals by 100 -200 cals every fortnight, see what the scale says after 1 month. It takes times to find proper maintenance cals, it took me 5 months! 4 months steadily increasing cals, weight fluctuating madly, a slight gain at month 5 so I know I was now eating too much...it takes time. I'm 5ft 2"/ 45yrs/ and eat 2100 to maintain, I'm very active.

Categories