people who have had success by upping their calories!

I started last week and am up 4 pounds this week. Will hang on 2 more weeks to see if my body adjusts as they say it will. If not I am going back down to the 1200 calories I was initially on.

Just curious did anyone else experience a weight gain after increasing their calories?? I am 5'11 and was only on 1200 cal a day... I thought I would die. I went up to 1400 and am eating back my exercise calories... I am so worried my weight will skyrocket!

Do you know what you were eating before that caused weight gain or maintained your weight before you want to lose?

That's what you would have to eat more than to start gaining real weight.

Otherwise you'll be gaining energy stores finally topping off, which holds water too. All needed and safe.

What you should do if concerned is the week you eat at 1400, don't exercise except for walking. Don't have to eat back walking 3mph or slower, because that is just more daily activity, which is exactly where the deficit is coming from anyway.
This lets body see it is getting energy it needs for normal BMR, and no exercise, so BMR can go up.

Thanks for the help. Right now the only exercise I do is walking/hiking. I walk 25-30 miles a week on my days off. I do not count any walking I do at work etc.. Should I be not eating any of the calories for my walking and hiking? I just want to succeed with both being healthier and lower in weight!

i am trying to lose about 20 pounds or so (i'm about 145-150 right now) and it reccomended i eat 1200 a day so do you think i should up this? or just eat more on a day that i am working out?

up it up it up it!!!!!!!!! check out the link in the OP's post, it will help you figure out how many you really should be eating. Imho, MFP should never tell anyone to eat 1200 calories. EVER. At least eat your BMR, if not more. please!!!! AND eat back your exercise cals!!!

Well, that's not exactly true. My BMR is only 1215. So, 1200 is really okay for me--and others like me. As long as I net 1200 per day, I am netting my BMR. This is incredibly sad for me, because I would love to eat more to lose. But, my TDEE is around 1500. So, I can't really afford to eat more.

I know that most people aren't as short as me, but to say NEVER just isn't the truth.

Fair enough, you are right. But to have a BMr that low you have to be very short which most of the population isn't. And honestly, with my knowledge of statistics, I'm guessing tha there is a larger margin of error for people at the ends of the curve 9on these calculators. Ie very short or very tall. Which would mean that they're averages would not be correct and that is why the calculators set you at 1200 for BMr. Even if you are short, your cells and organs still need the same amount of calories as everyone else, so I find it harder to believe that below 1200 is accurate. But I could be wrong, it'd be interesting to hear from someone short who has tried wearing a hrm all day to find our their actual TDEE.

What does "Bump" Mean ??

See this

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518533-major-sucess-with-higher-calories


And this

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

i am trying to lose about 20 pounds or so (i'm about 145-150 right now) and it reccomended i eat 1200 a day so do you think i should up this? or just eat more on a day that i am working out?

up it up it up it!!!!!!!!! check out the link in the OP's post, it will help you figure out how many you really should be eating. Imho, MFP should never tell anyone to eat 1200 calories. EVER. At least eat your BMR, if not more. please!!!! AND eat back your exercise cals!!!

Well, that's not exactly true. My BMR is only 1215. So, 1200 is really okay for me--and others like me. As long as I net 1200 per day, I am netting my BMR. This is incredibly sad for me, because I would love to eat more to lose. But, my TDEE is around 1500. So, I can't really afford to eat more.

I know that most people aren't as short as me, but to say NEVER just isn't the truth.

Fair enough, you are right. But to have a BMr that low you have to be very short which most of the population isn't. And honestly, with my knowledge of statistics, I'm guessing tha there is a larger margin of error for people at the ends of the curve 9on these calculators. Ie very short or very tall. Which would mean that they're averages would not be correct and that is why the calculators set you at 1200 for BMr. Even if you are short, your cells and organs still need the same amount of calories as everyone else, so I find it harder to believe that below 1200 is accurate. But I could be wrong, it'd be interesting to hear from someone short who has tried wearing a hrm all day to find our their actual TDEE.

Actually, I said 1215, not below 1200. And my TDEE is 1503. I have worn a bodybugg to find it.

bump

i am trying to lose about 20 pounds or so (i'm about 145-150 right now) and it reccomended i eat 1200 a day so do you think i should up this? or just eat more on a day that i am working out?

up it up it up it!!!!!!!!! check out the link in the OP's post, it will help you figure out how many you really should be eating. Imho, MFP should never tell anyone to eat 1200 calories. EVER. At least eat your BMR, if not more. please!!!! AND eat back your exercise cals!!!

Well, that's not exactly true. My BMR is only 1215. So, 1200 is really okay for me--and others like me. As long as I net 1200 per day, I am netting my BMR. This is incredibly sad for me, because I would love to eat more to lose. But, my TDEE is around 1500. So, I can't really afford to eat more.

I know that most people aren't as short as me, but to say NEVER just isn't the truth.

Your hormones dont agree that 1200 is a good idea.
They will pull you aside in about a month and have a conversation with you.
You wont like the outcome.

Actually, 1200 is the REAL number. Maybe, if you become a doctor and actually do some tests on me then I'd believe you have something relevant to say. For now, I'll trust what I KNOW to be true. Just because you don't want to believe that some people's BMR can be 1200 is no reason to call me a liar.

He is not saying that your BMR is not 1215, he is saying that it is not a good idea to eat at that level.

I dont know if I am alone here but the idea of upping my calories scares me a little. FOr almost a year I have been netting at 1200 (yes i eat back my exercise cals) and i have had 22;bs of success.

However for the last 2.5 months i have been stuck at the same weight.

MFP says my BMR is 1347, so if i have this right am i suppose to eat the 1347 + my excercise cals?

a girl recently posted on one of my statuses and said "One of my friends working on her master's degree in health and personal fitness suggested eating 80% of your daily TDEE to preserve muscle and maximize fat loss."

so take your TDEE
heres a website:
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

and multiply it by .8

i'll do mine as an example

my TDEE=2327

2327 x 0.8 = 1861

Yikes, this says I should be eating closer to 2200.