Raising Calories to Lose Weight

KimALesperance
KimALesperance Posts: 20 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone know about raising calories in order to lose weight. I have heard, and read, that sometimes you body goes into starvation mode if you aren't taking in enough. I think that may be my problem. My question, I guess, is by how much and for how long do you up the calorie. (And I am know that it isn't by eating junk food-likely will be by clean eating on my end).

Replies

  • mynika
    mynika Posts: 312 Member
    bump (would like to see the answers as well on this one, great question)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Safe deficit.
    Here is a good reference, if you have over 100 lbs to lose you can lose more than 2 lbs/week safely, that being said it is best to set a realistic safe weekly loss goal and:
    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 -20 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    The reasons: the less you have to lose the less fat stores you have to pull from. The less fat you have to pull from the less your body wants to take any. So if your deficit is too large given your stats you will burn a large % of lean muscle. Doing the above also helps set you up for maintenance without a large increase in caloric intake all at once.

    Since you have about 20lbs to go your weekly loss goal should be to lose no more than 1 lb/week.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Does anyone know about raising calories in order to lose weight. I have heard, and read, that sometimes you body goes into starvation mode if you aren't taking in enough. I think that may be my problem. My question, I guess, is by how much and for how long do you up the calorie. (And I am know that it isn't by eating junk food-likely will be by clean eating on my end).


    You first need to find out what your TDEE which is composed of:

    BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - Amount of calories you burn if you were in a coma.
    TEF (Thermal Effect of Feeding) - Amount of calories you burn digesting food.
    TEA (Thermal Effect of Activity) - Non-exercise activity (basically everything you do during the day)

    Then you should be eating a 500 calorie deficit (or 20%) under that TDEE number to lose 1 lb per week or so.

    Get 2-4 servings of fruits, 4-6 servings of veggies.

    Take a multivitamin and fish oil

    Drink plenty of water.

    Get plenty of sleep.

    Lose the weight.

    /The end.
  • jennajava
    jennajava Posts: 2,176 Member
    yes, you need to always eat at least 1200 cal a day. that's what your body needs just for normal cell function, etc.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    yes, you need to always eat at least 1200 cal a day. that's what your body needs just for normal cell function, etc.

    This is not true -- there are people and situations who need less, and most people need more.
    1200 is not a magic number -- its just the LOWEST number MFP will ever give -- and usually it's because people chose the wrong goals in the first place.

    The poster above you gave the numbers based on how much you need to lose is correct.
  • jessica_mom343
    jessica_mom343 Posts: 61 Member
    Yes it works. I was told his first in weight watchers. I lost more on WW the weeks I ate most if not all my points + my extra 35 points they gave me each week. Now using MFP I usually lose more the weeks I eat all my calories and even go over a day.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Safe deficit.
    Here is a good reference, if you have over 100 lbs to lose you can lose more than 2 lbs/week safely, that being said it is best to set a realistic safe weekly loss goal and:
    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 -20 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    The reasons: the less you have to lose the less fat stores you have to pull from. The less fat you have to pull from the less your body wants to take any. So if your deficit is too large given your stats you will burn a large % of lean muscle. Doing the above also helps set you up for maintenance without a large increase in caloric intake all at once.

    Since you have about 20lbs to go your weekly loss goal should be to lose no more than 1 lb/week.

    These are good guidelines. And make sure your activity level is set high enough. If sedentary isn't working, lightly active could be a better fit.
  • Rachaelluvszipped
    Rachaelluvszipped Posts: 768 Member
    :wink:

    Plus if you hit a plateau..it is probably because you have a need to change up your exercise routine as your body will get use to the one you are doing..I change up my exercise routine each week..whether it be more cardio in..or a mix the following week of every other day of strength training...with cardio in..depending on where you are at this moment...what your body can handle, but do confuse your body with exercise changes..as this will help as well and you won't have the boredom set in either..hope this helps :flowerforyou:
  • paperpromisesx3
    paperpromisesx3 Posts: 67
    BUMP
  • heidiberr
    heidiberr Posts: 643 Member
    Safe deficit.
    Here is a good reference, if you have over 100 lbs to lose you can lose more than 2 lbs/week safely, that being said it is best to set a realistic safe weekly loss goal and:
    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 -20 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    The reasons: the less you have to lose the less fat stores you have to pull from. The less fat you have to pull from the less your body wants to take any. So if your deficit is too large given your stats you will burn a large % of lean muscle. Doing the above also helps set you up for maintenance without a large increase in caloric intake all at once.

    Since you have about 20lbs to go your weekly loss goal should be to lose no more than 1 lb/week.

    These are good guidelines. And make sure your activity level is set high enough. If sedentary isn't working, lightly active could be a better fit.

    This--they are both right.
  • siabevis
    siabevis Posts: 811
    i eat every few hours
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Safe deficit.
    Here is a good reference, if you have over 100 lbs to lose you can lose more than 2 lbs/week safely, that being said it is best to set a realistic safe weekly loss goal and:
    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 -20 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    The reasons: the less you have to lose the less fat stores you have to pull from. The less fat you have to pull from the less your body wants to take any. So if your deficit is too large given your stats you will burn a large % of lean muscle. Doing the above also helps set you up for maintenance without a large increase in caloric intake all at once.

    Since you have about 20lbs to go your weekly loss goal should be to lose no more than 1 lb/week.

    I agree completely. Too many people try to lose weight as fast as possible (I am guilty too) by setting MFP at a 2 lb/week loss which isn't realistic when you aren't obese or very overweight. I plateaued due to my impatience to get the weight off. With 15 pounds to go until goal after a 2 month plateau, I set MFP for a 0.5 lb/week loss and the weight started coming off again.
  • KimALesperance
    KimALesperance Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks everyone. Perhaps I should shift the goal to the .5 - 1 pound range. I know that the closer I get to my goal the slower it is going to come off. I've just had a tough time going at it. I try to stay under my calories...which I usually do and I usually get in at least an hour of kickboxing and/or running in 5 to 6 days a week with some strength training usually 3 days. I did a low cal plan and intense workout this week and did see a couple of pounds-which was good, not upset, just frustrating I guess when I know how fast I had put some of this weight on. So trying to trick my body I guess. I have gotten this far with determination and will power...just getting hard on myself because I have been stuck here for so long.!!!!

    Any more advice? I will take it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    The more weight I lose, the more calories I consume. Athletes eat all day long and consume huge quantities of food, and since I want to look like an athlete and perform like one, why wouldn't I eat like one. I eat 2800 calories or more in a day and have continued to lose weight and gain muscle.

    Kimmer,

    The below link has helped me a lot throughout my journey. In fact, it's the reason i went from 2000 calories a day to 2600 calories a day and now 2800 calories. Also, using this approach, you don't have to worry about exercise calories as it's factored into your daily caloric needs.

    http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
  • vjsardina
    vjsardina Posts: 5
    The first thing you need to do is be sure that your calorie count remains at what you set it for in the beginning, then add 350 calories for a week and see if that will allow you to start loosing again, also are you increasing your exercises as you loose weight? This to is an essential part of the plan, you can increase your cardiovascular exercises to kick in your metabolism again, try it and check the results.
    Victor
  • shesaint_real
    shesaint_real Posts: 1 Member
    Facing this problem too :(
This discussion has been closed.

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