How Many Calories?
Panda_Poptarts
Posts: 971 Member
Hi folks!
After a recent 6+ week plateau, in which I continued to lose inches but not scale weight, I've upped my calories closer to BMR. I went from 1400 - 1800 calories to eating 2000, and promptly dropped 5 pounds.
I figure that I have had water weight masking my progress.
Now that I've lost a few pounds of water weight, would you recommend continuing to eat at 2000 calories, or dropping back down to 1600 - 1800?
After a recent 6+ week plateau, in which I continued to lose inches but not scale weight, I've upped my calories closer to BMR. I went from 1400 - 1800 calories to eating 2000, and promptly dropped 5 pounds.
I figure that I have had water weight masking my progress.
Now that I've lost a few pounds of water weight, would you recommend continuing to eat at 2000 calories, or dropping back down to 1600 - 1800?
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Replies
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Eat at what MFP tells you you should eat!
The other appears closer to your maintenance so you might not see any additional loss eating that high. 0 -
MFP actually puts me at 1990 net for a 1lb per week loss.
2000 is several hundred below my maintenance
I guess the question is moreso, should I be cycling? 1800 for awhile, then bump up to 2000 for a few days? Or stay closer to 2000 (or satiety if lower) long term?0 -
Just go with what MFP gives u.0
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I'd be surprised by you losing water weight by upping your calories unless you had lowered your carbs at the same time? If you are still losing on the higher amount you should stick with it. Why not!! I ate a higher amount for quite a while before I needed to reduce, and even then I would only do it by about 50cals at a time..2
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Weight loss isn't linear. It probably wasn't just water weight you lost, especially if you upped your calories. Just use your own data and judgement. If you can eat more, great. See if you lose eating 2000. If not, drop them a little.2
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@Mirabelle1983 I think I had a whoosh, but I have a feeling the upped calories may have triggered the whoosh? I've been steadily losing inches and body fat for the past 2 months, just no scale weight. It all fell off at once, and I'm okay with that!
My carbs have been pretty steady. I'm rather religious with my carb macro.
I'll see if I keep losing at 2k. I like food.0 -
Well you know what they say - if you eat too little to start with your metabolism slows down.. maybe the extra cals sped it up again and suddenly the weight came off again.. Alot of people disagree with what I just said, but I think there's truth in it. If you like food there's NO reason to cut the calories before you even know they're detrimental to your weight loss
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Mirabelle1983 wrote: »Well you know what they say - if you eat too little to start with your metabolism slows down.. maybe the extra cals sped it up again and suddenly the weight came off again.. Alot of people disagree with what I just said, but I think there's truth in it. If you like food there's NO reason to cut the calories before you even know they're detrimental to your weight loss
I really don't care if people disagree with you or not I've seen it happen to my own body! I was working out very regularly, not eating back exercise calories, and I weigh everything, liquids and solids, and still not losing weight, just some inches. If higher calorie gave me a boost, I'm good with that. I'll reassess in a week. Thank you! 1 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Mirabelle1983 wrote: »Well you know what they say - if you eat too little to start with your metabolism slows down.. maybe the extra cals sped it up again and suddenly the weight came off again.. Alot of people disagree with what I just said, but I think there's truth in it. If you like food there's NO reason to cut the calories before you even know they're detrimental to your weight loss
I really don't care if people disagree with you or not I've seen it happen to my own body! I was working out very regularly, not eating back exercise calories, and I weigh everything, liquids and solids, and still not losing weight, just some inches. If higher calorie gave me a boost, I'm good with that. I'll reassess in a week. Thank you!
This happens to me after a high day as well. No idea why, unsure of the science, but it is definitely a thing for some people. Now it doesn't mean you'll continue to lose at that same rate but who knows...worth a shot.1 -
arditarose wrote: »
This happens to me after a high day as well. No idea why, unsure of the science, but it is definitely a thing for some people. Now it doesn't mean you'll continue to lose at that same rate but who knows...worth a shot.
It's so random! There's clearly no science to it. Lol. I was down another pound this morning after several pounds suddenly disappearing yesterday. I figure I'll keep it up for a week and re-assess, and if I need to cut back again and just have a higher cal day cycled in once every week or so, that'll be my on-plan "cheat" day.0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »arditarose wrote: »
This happens to me after a high day as well. No idea why, unsure of the science, but it is definitely a thing for some people. Now it doesn't mean you'll continue to lose at that same rate but who knows...worth a shot.
It's so random! There's clearly no science to it. Lol. I was down another pound this morning after several pounds suddenly disappearing yesterday. I figure I'll keep it up for a week and re-assess, and if I need to cut back again and just have a higher cal day cycled in once every week or so, that'll be my on-plan "cheat" day.
I don't think a weekly high day does much for weight loss, more so for adherence. Having a maintenance/high day after going for weeks and weeks and weeks at a time in a deficit is a different thing. I always have a maintenance/surplus day and has done nothing for my weight loss. Just brings me happiness and makes me feel less stressed on the weekends which is definitely a plus.
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I would just like to say that losing weight for me is always a Work In Progress. I continually shift my experimentation and fine tune until I am doing very well. The SECRET is to give yourself the time to experiment! Don't be in too much of a hurry because that leads to unhealthy, quick weight loss and yoyoing.0
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Mirabelle1983 wrote: »I'd be surprised by you losing water weight by upping your calories unless you had lowered your carbs at the same time?
It's actually been noted before in research, for example Ansel Key's famous Minnesota starvation experiment on conscientious objectors during WW2. Often, even on severe calorie restriction, fat loss would continue but weight loss would stall, and a larger meal often triggered a sudden reduction in water.
It's true that reducing carbs can cause some water weight to be lost, but there's a lot of places apart from glycogen that can affect water weight.1 -
arditarose wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »arditarose wrote: »
This happens to me after a high day as well. No idea why, unsure of the science, but it is definitely a thing for some people. Now it doesn't mean you'll continue to lose at that same rate but who knows...worth a shot.
It's so random! There's clearly no science to it. Lol. I was down another pound this morning after several pounds suddenly disappearing yesterday. I figure I'll keep it up for a week and re-assess, and if I need to cut back again and just have a higher cal day cycled in once every week or so, that'll be my on-plan "cheat" day.
I don't think a weekly high day does much for weight loss, more so for adherence. Having a maintenance/high day after going for weeks and weeks and weeks at a time in a deficit is a different thing. I always have a maintenance/surplus day and has done nothing for my weight loss. Just brings me happiness and makes me feel less stressed on the weekends which is definitely a plus.
I have had many a high day, and I have never ever weighed less the next day, or lost more than usual that week. I wish...1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »arditarose wrote: »
This happens to me after a high day as well. No idea why, unsure of the science, but it is definitely a thing for some people. Now it doesn't mean you'll continue to lose at that same rate but who knows...worth a shot.
It's so random! There's clearly no science to it. Lol. I was down another pound this morning after several pounds suddenly disappearing yesterday. I figure I'll keep it up for a week and re-assess, and if I need to cut back again and just have a higher cal day cycled in once every week or so, that'll be my on-plan "cheat" day.
I don't think a weekly high day does much for weight loss, more so for adherence. Having a maintenance/high day after going for weeks and weeks and weeks at a time in a deficit is a different thing. I always have a maintenance/surplus day and has done nothing for my weight loss. Just brings me happiness and makes me feel less stressed on the weekends which is definitely a plus.
I have had many a high day, and I have never ever weighed less the next day, or lost more than usual that week. I wish...
I am mostly thinking back to my first diet break. I wasn't losing. I was stressed and tired. I upped my calories for a week or two and boom, back in action. It doesn't happen if I just have random high day.1 -
My personal viewpoint is to eat as much as you can with a loss you're happy with. No point in pointless restrictions.
So if you're happy with losses at 2000, eat 2000. It's 400 more calories of food than 1600. Bonus.
If after a few weeks you aren't happy with the losses you can always knock your calories down a little.
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Jeffrey300050 wrote: »I would just like to say that losing weight for me is always a Work In Progress. I continually shift my experimentation and fine tune until I am doing very well. The SECRET is to give yourself the time to experiment! Don't be in too much of a hurry because that leads to unhealthy, quick weight loss and yoyoing.
Definitely not in a hurry. I've been at this for more than a year. It took me a hell of a lot longer than that to put this weight on, so I'm not expecting quick results.0 -
arditarose wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »arditarose wrote: »
This happens to me after a high day as well. No idea why, unsure of the science, but it is definitely a thing for some people. Now it doesn't mean you'll continue to lose at that same rate but who knows...worth a shot.
It's so random! There's clearly no science to it. Lol. I was down another pound this morning after several pounds suddenly disappearing yesterday. I figure I'll keep it up for a week and re-assess, and if I need to cut back again and just have a higher cal day cycled in once every week or so, that'll be my on-plan "cheat" day.
I don't think a weekly high day does much for weight loss, more so for adherence. Having a maintenance/high day after going for weeks and weeks and weeks at a time in a deficit is a different thing. I always have a maintenance/surplus day and has done nothing for my weight loss. Just brings me happiness and makes me feel less stressed on the weekends which is definitely a plus.
This makes sense. I have very little trouble adhering to 1600 to 1800 calories, as long as I'm eating enough fat. However, if I can lose consistently on 2000 calories I'm gonna go for it. I'd be happy even with .5 lb a week, as long as the weight loss is consistent. I haven't seen consistent loss at all this past year.0 -
My personal viewpoint is to eat as much as you can with a loss you're happy with. No point in pointless restrictions.
So if you're happy with losses at 2000, eat 2000. It's 400 more calories of food than 1600. Bonus.
If after a few weeks you aren't happy with the losses you can always knock your calories down a little.
If 2k will give me consistent loss, no matter how small, I'll take it. I've been struggling to have consistent loss. I suppose I'll have a better idea of where I'm going in a week or two.0 -
You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.0
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frugalshrimp wrote: »You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.
I can't reduce carbs any further without totally eliminating vegetables i also mix my work out routine up pretty regularly. My body mass is still very appropriate for my current calorie intake. I'll definitely keep adjusting as I go. 0 -
frugalshrimp wrote: »You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.
If her body mass requires fewer calories, why drop carbs specifically? Why not protein? Or fat? Why is it always carbs? Additionally, if she increases protein by as much as she decreases carbs, the net effect on her calories will be 0, as they both have the same number of calories per gram.1 -
You lost weight eating more, well that's just jammy
I would say keep eating at that amount unless you find you're not losing again. I love hearing about people losing and eating a decent amount of calories 0 -
My take on this is that water is denser and heavier than fat. We don't lose our fat cells when we are at a calorie deficit but we do lose the light-weight fat that fills them. Water then fills the cells. Since water takes up less space and is heavier, we lose inches but not weight. When we suddenly eat more calories than we use, the water in our fat cells goes "whoosh" and they fill up with lighter fat. We suddenly lose weight.
My advice is to keep an eye on the scale and cut back again only as needed to stay successful.0 -
ClosetBayesian wrote: »frugalshrimp wrote: »You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.
If her body mass requires fewer calories, why drop carbs specifically? Why not protein? Or fat? Why is it always carbs? Additionally, if she increases protein by as much as she decreases carbs, the net effect on her calories will be 0, as they both have the same number of calories per gram.
I don't care if you eat carbs, why do you care if I dont? For the record, I'm insulin resistant, have PCOS, and had pre diabetes teetering into the diabetic range. I now have better managed PCOS, less migraines, and a NORMAL A1C. Carbs and i don't agree with one another right now. thanks for caring so much about my health!0 -
RunRutheeRun wrote: »You lost weight eating more, well that's just jammy I would say keep eating at that amount unless you find you're not losing again. I love hearing about people losing and eating a decent amount of calories
I see absolutely no point in starving myself. I gained a lot of weight over a couple years of a starve - binge cycle. Part of my calorie increase was about respecting my body. If I keep losing at this range, I see no reason to keep cutting lower.0 -
CaptainJoy wrote: »My take on this is that water is denser and heavier than fat. We don't lose our fat cells when we are at a calorie deficit but we do lose the light-weight fat that fills them. Water then fills the cells. Since water takes up less space and is heavier, we lose inches but not weight. When we suddenly eat more calories than we use, the water in our fat cells goes "whoosh" and they fill up with lighter fat. We suddenly lose weight.
My advice is to keep an eye on the scale and cut back again only as needed to stay successful.
I'm not sure about the filling up with fat bit. That would be virtually impossible, to gain fat, if still at a deficit, right? I definitely agree with the idea of a whoosh. I'm down another pound today, so my body is shedding something.0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »ClosetBayesian wrote: »frugalshrimp wrote: »You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.
If her body mass requires fewer calories, why drop carbs specifically? Why not protein? Or fat? Why is it always carbs? Additionally, if she increases protein by as much as she decreases carbs, the net effect on her calories will be 0, as they both have the same number of calories per gram.
I don't care if you eat carbs, why do you care if I dont? For the record, I'm insulin resistant, have PCOS, and had pre diabetes teetering into the diabetic range. I now have better managed PCOS, less migraines, and a NORMAL A1C. Carbs and i don't agree with one another right now. thanks for caring so much about my health!
People needlessly demonize carbs, excluding legitimate medical conditions, which you did not mention you had in your original post; without that knowledge, there's no reason to suggest cutting carbs as opposed to one of the other macros; rarely do you see someone suggest cutting protein as a way to lose weight. My point about a net change of zero calories if someone replaces carbs with protein is still valid.
That said, you did not mention the PCOS or the insulin resistance in your original post.0 -
ClosetBayesian wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »ClosetBayesian wrote: »frugalshrimp wrote: »You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.
If her body mass requires fewer calories, why drop carbs specifically? Why not protein? Or fat? Why is it always carbs? Additionally, if she increases protein by as much as she decreases carbs, the net effect on her calories will be 0, as they both have the same number of calories per gram.
I don't care if you eat carbs, why do you care if I dont? For the record, I'm insulin resistant, have PCOS, and had pre diabetes teetering into the diabetic range. I now have better managed PCOS, less migraines, and a NORMAL A1C. Carbs and i don't agree with one another right now. thanks for caring so much about my health!
People needlessly demonize carbs, excluding legitimate medical conditions, which you did not mention you had in your original post; without that knowledge, there's no reason to suggest cutting carbs as opposed to one of the other macros; rarely do you see someone suggest cutting protein as a way to lose weight. My point about a net change of zero calories if someone replaces carbs with protein is still valid.
That said, you did not mention the PCOS or the insulin resistance in your original post.
Your protein point is absolutely valid
As a disclaimer, I have absolutely no problem with carbs. In fact, I really, really like them, and have every intention of eating moderate carb eventually. That being said, right now it's just not working out for me. I'll take the reduction in symptoms- keto had allowed me to get completely off of my maintenance meds!! However, I am not one of the demonizers who push keto on everyone. I'm totally good with different folks doing what works best for their body.0 -
ClosetBayesian wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »ClosetBayesian wrote: »frugalshrimp wrote: »You need to adjust your calories as you lose weight. Simple: lower body mass requires fewer calories. I would also change your exercise routine --if you typically do just cardio, add strength training. Try HIIT. Mix it up. I would increase protein, reduce carbohydrates.
If her body mass requires fewer calories, why drop carbs specifically? Why not protein? Or fat? Why is it always carbs? Additionally, if she increases protein by as much as she decreases carbs, the net effect on her calories will be 0, as they both have the same number of calories per gram.
I don't care if you eat carbs, why do you care if I dont? For the record, I'm insulin resistant, have PCOS, and had pre diabetes teetering into the diabetic range. I now have better managed PCOS, less migraines, and a NORMAL A1C. Carbs and i don't agree with one another right now. thanks for caring so much about my health!
People needlessly demonize carbs, excluding legitimate medical conditions, which you did not mention you had in your original post; without that knowledge, there's no reason to suggest cutting carbs as opposed to one of the other macros; rarely do you see someone suggest cutting protein as a way to lose weight. My point about a net change of zero calories if someone replaces carbs with protein is still valid.
That said, you did not mention the PCOS or the insulin resistance in your original post.
I think the reason people always state to cut carbs is not because they are demonizing them at all - it's the fact that many people experience great health benefits, improvements in blood sugar spikes, and lower carbs and higher fat/protein helps satiety therefore if people struggle to lose weight and ask for help - carbs are often the first thing mentioned., but for the above, not because they think they are "bad" so to speak.0
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