TERRIFIED to increase my calories....

spynoodle
spynoodle Posts: 404
edited December 16 in Health and Weight Loss
But I'm doing it!!!!

1200 ---->1400!!!! Wish me luck!!!
«1

Replies

  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Best wishes. I'm super happy I increased mine. 1450->1700. Losing at the same rate and doing more energetic workouts.
  • spynoodle
    spynoodle Posts: 404
    Thank you! It feels so wrong!!! :wink:
  • AmeChops
    AmeChops Posts: 744 Member
    I was nervous about the move from 1200 to 1400 but it turned out to be a good thing. Good luck to you :-))
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
    I went from 1200-->1400 and now 1400-->1650ish. Love it!
  • maggiepz
    maggiepz Posts: 141 Member
    My weight was pretty much at a standstill, and sometimes climbing UP until I upped my calories for a week. Now I'm losing again!
  • dirtbikegirl5
    dirtbikegirl5 Posts: 391 Member
    I keep hearing that you lose weight from the increased calories, but I am too scared to do it.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    BAM! me too, although I never really had a set in stone calorie goal. mines is my BMR 1800+ ish
  • Specialkayrina
    Specialkayrina Posts: 242 Member
    I just did it yesterday!!
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
    I went from 1200-->1320 and just last week up to 1560.
    I am not going to weigh myself for a few weeks, give my body a chance to adjust, but I can tell you I FEEL way better netting the 1560 than I did at either of the other levels. I guess we'll see how it goes! Best of luck!!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I just want to tell you that when you've severely restricted your calories for a long period of time, it is NOT uncommon to see a gain on the scale when you initially up your calories. It is normal and expected. Please, do not decrease them again to try and get the weight back off. Give your body time (and it can take up to a month!) to adjust and adapt to the higher calorie intake. Once it realizes it is consistently getting more food, it will stop panicking and start losing weight!
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 270 Member
    See what works for your body, increased energy, stamina, and more flexibility with being able to eat treats and not be so strict with eating certain food groups.
    I have a healthier perspective on my losses and gains because it's all relative and I can always go back down to a larger deficit if I start gaining excessively.
  • miss_lizz
    miss_lizz Posts: 49 Member
    i went from 1200 to 1350 and still lost 2.2 this week!! its a good thinggg trust me!!!
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    I don't know if this will help, but here's what my journey has looked like. Maybe it will make you feel better...

    For 7 months I ate 1200 - 1300 calories a day - Massive weight loss.

    Adjusted up to1600 - 1800 a day for 3 weeks - was still loosing ~2 lbs a week

    Adjusted up to 2000 - 2200 a day for a month - still loosing ~2 lbs a week

    Adjusted up to 2300 - 2500 a day for a month - loosing 1 lbs a week after a 2 week "stall"

    Adjusted up to 2500 - 2700 a day for the last three weeks - still loosing about 1 lb a week after a 2 1/2 week "stall"

    Don't be afraid of the calories. Adjust up a little, give it a couple weeks and see what happens. I "gained" 1 - 2 lbs the first week of each adjustment, but them started blasting through it.

    Eat more to lose more, awesome concept. I can now, because of my LBM and exercise levels, eat as much or more than I used to if I wanted.

    -M
  • downsizinghoss
    downsizinghoss Posts: 1,035 Member
    No reason to be scared. Try it for a couple of weeks.
    Even if it didn't work, nothing would happen that couldn't be fixed.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    I was scared at first too. I was eating 1200-1300 and doing entirely too much cardio. Then I went up to 1500. And still wasn't really losing. Now I'm at 1800 and doing strength training 3 times a week and cardio twice a week, building muscle and I haven't gained weight! The scale was stuck around 158 for the last few weeks, and it's dropped down to 156.5 this morning. It's finally starting to move again, but you can go up a pound or two at first as your body adjusts to the extra food. But honestly, I'm eating 1800 a day and not gaining pounds a week, so it doesn't hurt!
  • lorihalsted
    lorihalsted Posts: 326 Member
    I just did yesterday....I was starving on 1200! Best of luck to you!!!!!!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I keep hearing that you lose weight from the increased calories, but I am too scared to do it.


    <---- Is proof eating more to lose more works.

    When I upped my calories to 2000 a day, I lost 17lbs in 5 weeks. It works. Your body NEEDS food in order to function properly. Low calorie "diets" work short term, but once your body realizes that it isn't getting adequate nutrition, weight loss usually slows way down or stalls.
  • stacymama5
    stacymama5 Posts: 391 Member
    I ssssooooo agree!!!! It scares me to death but I'm about to do it after losing 3 more pounds.
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    I'm increasing as well! I'm really scared! Gone from 900 to 1300 in the past month, and started this week hitting my BMR, which is 1443.

    I'm just like you - really really scared!!!!

    Good luck <3
  • Janda06
    Janda06 Posts: 168 Member
    I just want to tell you that when you've severely restricted your calories for a long period of time, it is NOT uncommon to see a gain on the scale when you initially up your calories. It is normal and expected. Please, do not decrease them again to try and get the weight back off. Give your body time (and it can take up to a month!) to adjust and adapt to the higher calorie intake. Once it realizes it is consistently getting more food, it will stop panicking and start losing weight!

    Listen to all this great advice!! I once thought maintenance was 1400 for me...nope 2600 :)
  • vabrewer33
    vabrewer33 Posts: 185
    I was the same way-it just did not compute in my mind but I involuntary started eating more and noticed my mood and energy has increased (its only been 1 week)...I have not checked weight or inches yet but my clothes are feeling looser so i'm thinking its a good thing. Throw your concerns to the wind and try it! :)
  • kedwardspcm
    kedwardspcm Posts: 45 Member
    Your body needs sufficient calories to run efficiently, especially if you are exercising. If your body has been in starvation mode, dont be alarmed if you gain a pound or two right off the bat. It will be a result of your body's way of preparing for the "starvation" it has grown accustomed to. However, with sufficient and steady ample caloric intake your body will not hold the fuel in reservation and you will begin to lose again
  • jkt1127
    jkt1127 Posts: 6
    So glad you posted this---it is exactly how I've been feeling. But I did it---went from 1300 to 1400. Just saw a loss, too. Crossing fingers this is the key! :-) Nice to know I'm not alone!
  • manic4titans
    manic4titans Posts: 1,214 Member
    I ate my BMR and gained 2.5 pounds that week. I stuck with it and upped my cals last week to 1440 . I lost the 2.5 gained and another half.

    I was terrified to but willing to try it out. I was tired of being tired and irritable.
  • kerriBB37
    kerriBB37 Posts: 967 Member
    I increased mine from 1200 to 1800 on Jan 1, 2012 just to see (it was recommended by a biochemist friend of mine...) and I've lost almost 16 pounds!!!!! I'm now at 1650 per day. :)
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    I don't know if this will help, but here's what my journey has looked like. Maybe it will make you feel better...

    For 7 months I ate 1200 - 1300 calories a day - Massive weight loss.

    Adjusted up to1600 - 1800 a day for 3 weeks - was still loosing ~2 lbs a week

    Adjusted up to 2000 - 2200 a day for a month - still loosing ~2 lbs a week

    Adjusted up to 2300 - 2500 a day for a month - loosing 1 lbs a week after a 2 week "stall"

    Adjusted up to 2500 - 2700 a day for the last three weeks - still loosing about 1 lb a week after a 2 1/2 week "stall"

    Don't be afraid of the calories. Adjust up a little, give it a couple weeks and see what happens. I "gained" 1 - 2 lbs the first week of each adjustment, but them started blasting through it.

    Eat more to lose more, awesome concept. I can now, because of my LBM and exercise levels, eat as much or more than I used to if I wanted.

    -M

    That's really helpful - I haven't seen people's own "stats" like this and it really does help. When people say eat more, I know one has to trust them, but seeing this kind of quantified helps a lot. Thank you for sharing :)
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    I had really good results (both physically and psychologically) when I increased my calories. :)

    Just think, if it doesn't work out, then you can always go back to what you were doing before. At least you have the opportunity to see success here rather than stagnation.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
    There's no reason to be afraid. If you aren't in a calorie surplus you just simply can't gain weight ( in fat, anyway... can't say the same about water-weight. But that's easily regulated. )
  • Carrie3B
    Carrie3B Posts: 45 Member
    I just increased mine too after doing metabolic testing last week. I increased from 1200 to 1350 on rest days and 1700 on workout days. Eeeekk--I'm nervous but following the "protocol" that my trainer has me on. This is my first week and I haven't seen a loss yet--hoping that it's right around the corner! Good luck! PS--it's great to hear the advice and positive feedback from others--esp regarding the fact that there might be a slight gain at first!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    You will not regret this!
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