Should I eat more tonight?

mamitosami
mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to gain muscle and lose fat. I'm 5'11" so my daily calorie goal is HUGE! Which is awesome, 'cause I'm pretty much always hungry! I've gone from about 1800 calories to about 2200 calories in the last 6 weeks.

I've done all the calculators etc, and I still can't believe I should really eat all 2600 calories it says I should eat today.... Any input? I've been maintaining for almost 7 months and I'm terrified to gain weight. There was another thread about eating more--I'm afraid that it's just because I want to eat more and that's my habit... should I stick to a certain amount of calories per day, or change them around as I exercise (I eat all of my exercise calories generally)?

I know this is redundant because this has been addressed a lot lately, but whenever I read anything about this, my calories seem enormous compared to most (I'm generally taller than most though, too), and of course this goes against my most fundamental thoughts on weight loss--eat less, weigh less.

Thanks for any input and patience as I work through this.

Replies

  • Cathleenr
    Cathleenr Posts: 332
    I'm trying to gain muscle and lose fat. I'm 5'11" so my daily calorie goal is HUGE! Which is awesome, 'cause I'm pretty much always hungry! I've gone from about 1800 calories to about 2200 calories in the last 6 weeks.

    I've done all the calculators etc, and I still can't believe I should really eat all 2600 calories it says I should eat today.... Any input? I've been maintaining for almost 7 months and I'm terrified to gain weight. There was another thread about eating more--I'm afraid that it's just because I want to eat more and that's my habit... should I stick to a certain amount of calories per day, or change them around as I exercise (I eat all of my exercise calories generally)?

    I know this is redundant because this has been addressed a lot lately, but whenever I read anything about this, my calories seem enormous compared to most (I'm generally taller than most though, too), and of course this goes against my most fundamental thoughts on weight loss--eat less, weigh less.

    Thanks for any input and patience as I work through this.

    to lose fat, you will need to be in a caloric deficiet. to build muscle, the caloreis you do get should include enough protein. what are your macros now?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    There's a Group called something like "Women who eat 2000+ calories per day"... You should find them. They seem to know what's up.
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
    There's an Group called something like "Women who eat 2000+ calories per day"... You should find them. They seem to know what's up.

    :bigsmile:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/17-women-eating-2-000-calories-per-day

    Also, I am 5'10" and I tend to burn around 2500-2800 per day, depending on exercise.
  • foodeeee
    foodeeee Posts: 50 Member
    Yes, eat more. I am 5'3", I burn about 250-400 cals with exercise 5-6 days per week, and I eat about 1800 a day. I have maintained by weight of 120 lbs! I eat plenty of avocado, almond butter, and a little chocolate every day! Enjoy your extra cals!
  • aguill
    aguill Posts: 7 Member
    Really? I am 5"10 and I was told to eat a max of 1500 calories, which is not working by the way... I lost about 2 pounds (took for ever) and gained it back in a second! Could it be water retention? That period of the month? My bodes' way of telling me that at 155pounds I'm ok? They all sound like excuses...
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    Make small adjustments. If you have stopped losing, and want to build strength and muscle, you are going to have to feed the muscle some protein. If you are at the goal, and can maintain at 2000, stop thee. If you can do it at 2200, then stop there. For myself, I can't eat anywhere near that amount of calories without gaining. I am taller than you, and I am at about 1600 average per day with 4 workouts a week.
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
    Really? I am 5"10 and I was told to eat a max of 1500 calories, which is not working by the way... I lost about 2 pounds (took for ever) and gained it back in a second! Could it be water retention? That period of the month? My bodes' way of telling me that at 155pounds I'm ok? They all sound like excuses...

    155 lbs at 5'10" sounds healthy to me. My goal is 160-165, and I'm eating at a 500 calorie deficit per day, so never any lower than 1900 usually, unless I'm really lazy, which certainly has happened. :smile:
  • foodeeee
    foodeeee Posts: 50 Member
    Really? I am 5"10 and I was told to eat a max of 1500 calories, which is not working by the way... I lost about 2 pounds (took for ever) and gained it back in a second! Could it be water retention? That period of the month? My bodes' way of telling me that at 155pounds I'm ok? They all sound like excuses...

    I'm no expert, but 155 sounds about right for your height. I feel that the QUALITY of the food I eat affects my weight, not the quantity. When I worked at summer camp I ate what they fed me and gained to 143 in 2 months. Now I eat pretty cleanly and my weight has stabilized at 120.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Really you are going to have to chose, which do you want to do first, lose fat or gain muscle? It's hard to do both at the same time.

    My plan is to gain muscle over the winter. I'm 5'9". I'm trying to average about 2500 NET calories a day. My maintenance is 2200 or so. So 2500 is about 10% over that.

    And yes, go to the 2000+ group.
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    muscle gain = weight gain :)
  • mamitosami
    mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
    WOW! Thanks for your responses! I will check out that group too. Wow! Rachel--I can't believe you NET 2500!! That is AWESOME! I do love to eat, and in great quantities! I guess I'm still on a bit of a deficit. I only netted 2000 today. So maybe I will lose a little of the fat. I don't want to lose weight, per se, just the fat. My diary is open if anyone has time to check it out.
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