Increasing Calories - What to expect & why you need patience...
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I started upping my cals after coming across this group at the beginning of the month. At first i was so scared to eat so much as i used to stick between 1000-1200 cals a day even on days i did huge workouts. Now i eat so much better and finally this week the weight has started going down again. I noticed the difference in my energy levels first and feel great. Thanks so much for putting this info out there.:happy:
Makes my heart smile every time! Congrats:-)
Lucia0 -
On no my friend...trust me use the MODERATE Activity level!
Even though now I'm just walking a few miles 3-4 times a week and doing light weights?0 -
Thanks for adding me to the group!! I can't wait to get my body back to where it needs to be - HEALTHY!!0
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On no my friend...trust me use the MODERATE Activity level!
Even though now I'm just walking a few miles 3-4 times a week and doing light weights?
Yes.0 -
Day 1 of upping my calories, very new to this idea and just learning a lot. I'm more of a jump right in kinda girl so i have changed my settings from 1300 to 1900. The difference isn't that much from what I had been actually eating (after eating back exercise calories) but still a decent enough that I was totally not eating enough calories while thinking I was.
Thank you all so much for sharing your vast knowledge and making it easier to understand!0 -
This is a great explanation! Thanks0
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Just wanted to say I started gradually upping my cals around mid-March, and the scale wouldn't budge. Altho it scared me to death, last week I upped it again, to 900 below my TDEE. Since then, I've lost OVER a pound! I'm hoping this is the beginning of many more losses!
I truly believe adding strength training into my routine, and mixing up my cardio, have all helped too. I also don't freak out if I only make it into the gym 3 days a week because I know the strength training is buildlng my little fat-burning muscles (I do circuit training, so both cardio and strength at same time)...it's nice to have my life back again!
THANK YOU for your amazing posts and no-nonsense approach!0 -
..it's nice to have my life back again!
THAT is what it's all about :drinker:
~Kiki0 -
Started upping my cals in mid-march. Upped it to TDEE-15% and went up to TDEE-10% a few weeks after (at 1900 now). I stopped the cardio to give my body time to realize that this is not a binge...I really needed to reset my metabolism. In doing so, I bloated, gained, had to force myself to eat, time myself to eat every 2-3 hrs, etc. It was VERY uncomfortable. I didn't know how or what to eat. I've gained a total of 3-4 lbs overall and have stabled off after just a week or so. Now I can eat without discomfort. Of course, I have room for improvement like changing my ratios to eat more protein and less carbs I'm - finding this hard, and drinking more water.
Now that I'm in my 6 th week and seem to be stable on the scale (no change in measurements, I'm actually feeling tight and somewhat uncomfortable in my clothes:ohwell: ), I'm thinking of upping my cals all the way to maintenance (2100) for a couple more weeks. My question is, since my body weight seems stable, should I even bother upping again? Should I continue for a few more weeks at 1900 or should I start cutting? My initial thought is to up again to 2100 so that my cut will create a bigger deficit (rather than going from TDEE-10% to TDEE-15%)
(As for exercise, I plan on starting to lift weights...reading NROLFW.)
Any constructive feedback would be welcomed!
Nadia0 -
thank you for this post, and especially this:
"*If you've been a low cal "binge-er" (eating low cals for an extended period of time, then having a "binge" ever so often in moments of "weakness"), then expect your body to react negatively at first. It will assume that this is just another one of your "binges" and that "starvation" is just around the corner, thus the desire to hold on to everything that comes through. Once it senses that it will receive regular feedings, it will react accordingly by actually letting go.. "
I may need to come back and read THAT ^^^ a few times over the next month or so!!!
Oh my gosh, I know exactly how you feel. I too shall have to reread that quote many times. I'm waiting for the light at the end of this tunnel, haha.0 -
Started upping my cals in mid-march. Upped it to TDEE-15% and went up to TDEE-10% a few weeks after (at 1900 now). I stopped the cardio to give my body time to realize that this is not a binge...I really needed to reset my metabolism. In doing so, I bloated, gained, had to force myself to eat, time myself to eat every 2-3 hrs, etc. It was VERY uncomfortable. I didn't know how or what to eat. I've gained a total of 3-4 lbs overall and have stabled off after just a week or so. Now I can eat without discomfort. Of course, I have room for improvement like changing my ratios to eat more protein and less carbs I'm - finding this hard, and drinking more water.
Now that I'm in my 6 th week and seem to be stable on the scale (no change in measurements, I'm actually feeling tight and somewhat uncomfortable in my clothes:ohwell: ), I'm thinking of upping my cals all the way to maintenance (2100) for a couple more weeks. My question is, since my body weight seems stable, should I even bother upping again? Should I continue for a few more weeks at 1900 or should I start cutting? My initial thought is to up again to 2100 so that my cut will create a bigger deficit (rather than going from TDEE-10% to TDEE-15%)
(As for exercise, I plan on starting to lift weights...reading NROLFW.)
Any constructive feedback would be welcomed!
Nadia
Nadia,
We always recommend going up before going down. Especially if you aren't at maintenance yet. Remember that just because your weight is stable doesn't mean that you're at true maintenance. Our bodies adapt to every cal level, high or low. So if you're just gonna maintain anyway before dropping down to start cutting, then go to your actual maintenance first. Make sure your body knows what maintenance really is so that it doesn't think that this is it.
Remember that even if a person lowers their cals and starts seeing results again, it's because they first raised them in the first place. Raising cals makes your metabolism work harder to process food, so when you first lower them again, your metab is still revved and will react, at first. But the continual lowering of cals reduces metabolism rate. So always go up first.
Whenever I hit a plateau I take a maintenance break for a week, then resume my deficit. 8 times out of 10 my loss will come during that week of higher cals, lol...
~Kiki0 -
Hi everyone, so this is my fourth day upping my calories. I went from around 900-1200 a day to now trying to eat at least my BMR which is 1644. Yesterday I actually ate above that by about 80 cal. On Sunday I did a 45 min. cardio/strengthening workout in the afternoon and a 25-30 min. Brazil Butt Lift workout that evening. I weighed the next day and didn't lose anything but didn't gain either. My husband was shocked that I didn't lose anything after working out twice but I suspect I didn't eat near enough. I ate around 1550 which wasn't even up to my BMR. The thing I am struggling with is that I feel so full all of the time eating up to my BMR I can't imagine eating anymore. I don't really like feeling this full all of the time. When it comes time to eat lunch I don't even want to eat at all because of being so full from breakfast and a snack. Is this normal? Is there anything I should change? I still have quite a bit of weight to lose. I just want to make sure I am doing this right. I also want to add some lifting but I don't really know how to do that. Thanks.
CW: 200.8 lbs
GW: 160.0 lbs
I'm 5'6
(Anything else you need to know?)0 -
Love it! I just upped my calories after a 3 month weight loss stall. Although I havent lost anything yet, I do feel leaner, and much more mentally sharp! Getting over the anxiety of eating more was the tough part but Im sticking to this! Thanks for this!0
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This honestly was amazing! Exactly what I needed! Thank you so much! I smiled like a freak at the phone part.0
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OK, so I just read the "what to expect" post again and I'm thinking I need to eat maintenance calories for 4-6 weeks to repair my metabolism. What are maintenance calories again? I have tried the low/no carb diets as well as been a binger on low calorie diets. The worst for me was the HCG diet. I felt awful and had no energy. It was 500 calories a day and I took the HCG drops. Talk about horrible!! I'm done with fad diets and ready to get my body healthy. I know you all have probably answered these questions a million times but I appreciate your input. Thanks!!0
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Started upping my cals in mid-march. Upped it to TDEE-15% and went up to TDEE-10% a few weeks after (at 1900 now). I stopped the cardio to give my body time to realize that this is not a binge...I really needed to reset my metabolism. In doing so, I bloated, gained, had to force myself to eat, time myself to eat every 2-3 hrs, etc. It was VERY uncomfortable. I didn't know how or what to eat. I've gained a total of 3-4 lbs overall and have stabled off after just a week or so. Now I can eat without discomfort. Of course, I have room for improvement like changing my ratios to eat more protein and less carbs I'm - finding this hard, and drinking more water.
Now that I'm in my 6 th week and seem to be stable on the scale (no change in measurements, I'm actually feeling tight and somewhat uncomfortable in my clothes:ohwell: ), I'm thinking of upping my cals all the way to maintenance (2100) for a couple more weeks. My question is, since my body weight seems stable, should I even bother upping again? Should I continue for a few more weeks at 1900 or should I start cutting? My initial thought is to up again to 2100 so that my cut will create a bigger deficit (rather than going from TDEE-10% to TDEE-15%)
(As for exercise, I plan on starting to lift weights...reading NROLFW.)
Any constructive feedback would be welcomed!
Nadia
Nadia,
We always recommend going up before going down. Especially if you aren't at maintenance yet. Remember that just because your weight is stable doesn't mean that you're at true maintenance. Our bodies adapt to every cal level, high or low. So if you're just gonna maintain anyway before dropping down to start cutting, then go to your actual maintenance first. Make sure your body knows what maintenance really is so that it doesn't think that this is it.
Remember that even if a person lowers their cals and starts seeing results again, it's because they first raised them in the first place. Raising cals makes your metabolism work harder to process food, so when you first lower them again, your metab is still revved and will react, at first. But the continual lowering of cals reduces metabolism rate. So always go up first.
Whenever I hit a plateau I take a maintenance break for a week, then resume my deficit. 8 times out of 10 my loss will come during that week of higher cals, lol...
~Kiki
Thanks Kiki. I will up to 2100...but do I just go the additional 2 weeks or should I stay there for longer? Do I do another 6-8 weeks at 2100?
Thanks :-)0 -
I am on board! I am eating around 1800-1900 cals a day depending on my exercise levels. I am netting 1390 as it is my sedentary TDEE -250 cals for 1/2 pound a week.
Am I doing this right? Feel I have more control doing it this way instead of a general moderate or active. Maybe I will be braver in the future but hey I'm eating 1900 cals a day... Can't complain.
Using a hrm to determine cals burnt to eat back.
This is day 3 of high gross cals and I must say I'm feeling bloated.
Is what I've explained correct!? X0 -
Does anyone here zigzag calories based on TDEE? I found a site somewhere on these boards (brain dead as to exactly where but I think in this group somewhere...maybe not)...www.superskinnyme.com and it has a TDEE calculator and then an option for zigzagged calorie goals. I'm interested in this, but on the lower calorie day mine is 1340 which is 60 below my BMR so I was thinking of going for the full 1400 on that day. Just curious your thoughts on this.
I did up my activity level to moderate so my TDEE is 2255 and I plan on minus 15-20 for the cut.0 -
Does anyone here zigzag calories based on TDEE? I found a site somewhere on these boards (brain dead as to exactly where but I think in this group somewhere...maybe not)...www.superskinnyme.com and it has a TDEE calculator and then an option for zigzagged calorie goals. I'm interested in this, but on the lower calorie day mine is 1340 which is 60 below my BMR so I was thinking of going for the full 1400 on that day. Just curious your thoughts on this.
I did up my activity level to moderate so my TDEE is 2255 and I plan on minus 15-20 for the cut.
In one of the videos...the one on consistency, I think...Kiki talks about this a bit. Basically, if you are just starting out then you should wait to try this method, as your body needs to learn to trust you. If you have been at this long enough to be settled into it, then it can be done. (at least this is how I took it)
HTH0 -
In one of the videos...the one on consistency, I think...Kiki talks about this a bit. Basically, if you are just starting out then you should wait to try this method, as your body needs to learn to trust you. If you have been at this long enough to be settled into it, then it can be done. (at least this is how I took it)
HTH
Thanks for the info. I am new to the concept of eating more to lose weight, but I am not new to the concept of eating way too much more (junk) and gaining weight. I have been eating way more calories, so I wasn't sure if I could just jump right in to zigzagging based on my TDEE/cut. I think I may just hold off on it for a while and see how it goes.0
