Raised calories to my BMR and gained ~ HELP

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Justacoffeenut
Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So from what I've gathered from the boards is you should eat at least your BMR. So I raised my calorie intake to my BMR instead of what MFP had me on. I was stuck for a week at the same weight eating what MFP had me on. I raised and now I have gained weight.

I still worked out and drank my water (not as much I was at the lower calories) I stuffed myself trying to eat that many calories my BMR is supposed to be.

Anyone suggestions???
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Replies

  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
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    How long did you try it for? From what I read you might see a gain at first but after a couple of weeks you should see a loss.
  • Mskraizy
    Mskraizy Posts: 138 Member
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    I wanna know this too because this is what I'm afraid of happening.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
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    Yes, a week is NOT enough to time to judge any sort of loss. Three or so is better.

    Stick with it and don't fret! If it doesn't work after three weeks, your BMR might be lower than the average for your age/weight/height. Adjust as necessary and then wait three more weeks.
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
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    How long did you try it for? From what I read you might see a gain at first but after a couple of weeks you should see a loss.
    ^^^ Gotta give it a month month and a half. Take measurements though cause those might go down before you see a change on the scale. Mine did.
  • YouKnowWhoThisIs
    YouKnowWhoThisIs Posts: 16
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    First, give it time. It has only been a week. Your system is likely all jacked up and you likely are going to have to repair your metabolism...
    What are you doing for exercise?
    What is your BMR? You can multiply that by your activity level, but than depending on how much you have to lose, you could safely minus 500 calories.
    For example, my BMR is 1700. I was told to multiply that by 1.6 (a good workout 3-4 days a week)=2720 calories. Now minus 500, I could have as much as 2200 calories a day as long as I am genuinely pushing those 3-4 days consistently.
    Also have you considered quality as well as quanitity? What is your calories made up of?? Not all calories are created equal really.
  • YouKnowWhoThisIs
    YouKnowWhoThisIs Posts: 16
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    I was told the magic really doesn't start to happen til week 5-week 8.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Understand what BMR is. People use it interchangeably with TDEE and there is a vast difference.

    BMR means Basal Metabolic Rate. The number of calories your body needs for basic functions if you laid in bed all day.

    TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. The number of calories you need for all of your activities based on how active you are. This is also called Maintenance because it is the number where you would not gain or lose, you would stay the same.

    Nobody should eat below their BMR. They should eat 15-20% less than TDEE for safe weight loss.

    If you were truly eating below BMR then your body needs to adjust, you will initially gain some before losing the healthy way.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    Using the BMR calculator on MFP they are saying my BMR is 1598. I got sick trying to eat that much food. My gain wasn't major but for me any gain is a big deal. I was stuck soooooo long at this weight. I am about 60-70 lbs from my ideal weight range. Been trying to reach it now for almost 3 years. Ive lost 40 but still have this 60-70 more to go. I just want to see an improvement not a gain. I'm more active then I was but still along way to go. Do to an injury I couldn't do to much beyond normal daily activities for a long while. Now trying to build that up as well.

    So confused and overwhelmed
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    What does this tool say your TDEE is?
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    What does this tool say your TDEE is?
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    This said it is 2231

    So I guess my BMR 1598.2
    BMI 33.7
    Ideal weight 120.3
    TDEE 2231

    I'd like to be 125-130 but right now just like to be 20 lbs less by end of June and at least 140 by end of Feb 2013 now 195.5
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
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    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ This is a good site to find out what you need to eat to lose fat. If you find out your body fat % using this link http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/ the find your BMR using the first link I gave you you will see a chart that tells you how much to eat according to your activity levels to see a nice steady safe weight loss. Check it out and see what it says. Either way you need to give it longer than a month to see if it works for you. You should take your measurements too. You will see your body fat % drop this way and will need to recalculate your numbers as your body fat % drops.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    How long did you try it for? From what I read you might see a gain at first but after a couple of weeks you should see a loss.
    ^^^ Gotta give it a month month and a half. Take measurements though cause those might go down before you see a change on the scale. Mine did.
    [/quote]

    I did take measurements yesterday. Boy that was depressing. Hope my husband don't log on here and see them. :blushing: But he is good to me he keeps telling me I'm great the way I am but if I need to for me fine. I don't think he will let me get to 120. So just trying for what I was when we married. 140 then if he will let me I'll go for the 125-130
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Okay, 2231 x 20% is 446.2.

    2231 - 446.2 is 1784.8

    So if you eat between 1700 to 1800 calories you should start to see weight loss. If you have been eating a lot less for a long time it might take several weeks to start seeing a change as your body adjusts to the new amount of food.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    If you are having a hard time eating more, search the boards for some calorie dense snacks. Nuts, olives, cottage cheese, peanut butter are a few I can think of. It doesn't take much of those to make up the few hundred extra calories you need.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ This is a good site to find out what you need to eat to lose fat. If you find out your body fat % using this link http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/ the find your BMR using the first link I gave you you will see a chart that tells you how much to eat according to your activity levels to see a nice steady safe weight loss. Check it out and see what it says. Either way you need to give it longer than a month to see if it works for you. You should take your measurements too. You will see your body fat % drop this way and will need to recalculate your numbers as your body fat % drops.

    Per this i need to eat 1847. Just trying to eat 1598 made me so sick I thought I was going to get sick.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    Okay, 2231 x 20% is 446.2.

    2231 - 446.2 is 1784.8

    So if you eat between 1700 to 1800 calories you should start to see weight loss. If you have been eating a lot less for a long time it might take several weeks to start seeing a change as your body adjusts to the new amount of food.

    I had been eating a lot less then the 1200 they had me eating I believe. Someone told me I eat to little most days. So they told me of this site cause I have been trying for so long to loss the weight going nowhere. So I don't really know how much I was eating before starting MFP. I just know I seem to ALWAYS be eating now. Before I only ate when I was hungry.
  • YouKnowWhoThisIs
    YouKnowWhoThisIs Posts: 16
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    If you are working out, you are going to need those calories.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    Thanks everyone I will continue to try. Have you guys seen improvement doing this eating your BMR? How long did it take you? I just know if the scale keeps going up I'm really going to panic.
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    If you are working out, you are going to need those calories.

    I am just not high levels. Some small strength training and trying to up my walking. Nothing formal or major just more then I was doing.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    You probably need to take the increase gradually adding 100 more every week. 1 ounce of almonds, about a handful, is 164 calories. 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese is 90 calories. A half cup is not very much, measure. Chobani greek yogurt is 170, a 6 ounce container. 94 calories in 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter. Check that with a measuring spoon, not a serving spoon type.

    Spread it out throughout the day and you can start upping the calories without adding a lot of filling bulk.

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