Increased food yesterday and...

bradthemedic
bradthemedic Posts: 623 Member
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
It's been over 24 hours and I feel like a different person. I increased my calories by about 900 per day according to my activity level (BMR/TDEE). My Strength Training today didn't drain me (when it normally does and I usually can't finish) so I went for a run and hike to boot for a total of an hour.

I've also suffered for YEARS of being completely DRAINED all day every day. I yawn daily and rarely have the energy to do anything. Today is the first day in a long time I have been able to really feel like I have a TON of energy.

So I don't know how this will all translate in terms of weight loss or gain, but what I can tell you is that I feel a lot better. My brain feels more active and my body was able to pump out 2.5x the normal exertion during my workouts.

Replies

  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
    Good for you!! It IS possible to eat a lot, feel great, AND lose weight! Ain't it great?!?! :drinker:
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    Eating more seems to be the hardest concept for so many people who start this journey but drop their daily calorie intake far too low. Congrats to you for seeing this and trying it out.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    :drinker: Fantastic!
  • LesaDave
    LesaDave Posts: 1,480 Member
    Sounds like a good start! Good for you!
  • BandForAlyAnne
    BandForAlyAnne Posts: 321 Member
    im excited to see how this works out for you. i've been curious to see if this is the better working/healthier way to do this, but im too scared to try it myself right now. i'm almost at 50lbs down and the idea of gaining weight right now (which i hear you do in the beginning) sounds awful. . good luck! cant wait to see what happens. :)
  • bradthemedic
    bradthemedic Posts: 623 Member
    im excited to see how this works out for you. i've been curious to see if this is the better working/healthier way to do this, but im too scared to try it myself right now. i'm almost at 50lbs down and the idea of gaining weight right now (which i hear you do in the beginning) sounds awful. . good luck! cant wait to see what happens. :)
    Live through me for now then :) I'm just going to keep on it for a month or more and see how it goes. So long as I see change in the mirror I will be happy.
  • grex1949
    grex1949 Posts: 125 Member
    Actually, I did the same thing yesterday, but not by 900 calories. I cranked my caloric intake up so that I was at my BMR after my usual exercise routine (rowing), which usually expends 750-800 kcal. I feel better, too. I thought it might be the placebo effect, but your post makes me think, "maybe this is the right direction for me to go."
    It makes sense, really. Naturally, you're going to be tired if you're not getting enough food. That BMR number is important.
  • terri0527
    terri0527 Posts: 678 Member
    Sounds like a winner to me...upped mine a cpl weeks ago, best move I've made so far! :drinker:
  • grex1949
    grex1949 Posts: 125 Member
    im excited to see how this works out for you. i've been curious to see if this is the better working/healthier way to do this, but im too scared to try it myself right now. i'm almost at 50lbs down and the idea of gaining weight right now (which i hear you do in the beginning) sounds awful. . good luck! cant wait to see what happens. :)

    I should have added that my weight was down today, as well. I didn't think it was important, though, because my weight does fluctuate a bit.
    You have to remember that a pound equals 3500 kcal. So, you aren't going to put on a bunch of weight in a matter of days if you give increasing your calories a try for a few days. Also, make sure to watch your sodium intake. I have a heck of a time with that, and I think it makes a difference on the scale the day after my sodium intake goes through the roof, and not in a good way.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
    im excited to see how this works out for you. i've been curious to see if this is the better working/healthier way to do this, but im too scared to try it myself right now. i'm almost at 50lbs down and the idea of gaining weight right now (which i hear you do in the beginning) sounds awful. . good luck! cant wait to see what happens. :)
    Live through me for now then :) I'm just going to keep on it for a month or more and see how it goes. So long as I see change in the mirror I will be happy.

    When I started eating more I gained 3 lbs (big deal) and plateaued for 4-5 weeks...BUT inches went down and I felt FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC the entire time! After that little bump, I've been losing steadily...totally worth it.
  • mamitosami
    mamitosami Posts: 531 Member
    Good for you!! I always felt the same and have increased my calories also, by about 600. I feel better and not drained of energy too--what a concept! I was eating wayyyy too little for a long time too. I just got the BodyMedia FIT recently and am surprised by my TDEE... So, we'll see how it goes. So far I've lost about 5 pounds (it's been two weeks)! We'll see if it continues. I don't really need to lose any more weight, but I want to lower my BF%, we'll see how that goes....
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
    im excited to see how this works out for you. i've been curious to see if this is the better working/healthier way to do this, but im too scared to try it myself right now. i'm almost at 50lbs down and the idea of gaining weight right now (which i hear you do in the beginning) sounds awful. . good luck! cant wait to see what happens. :)

    Try it for a month, give yourself that. That's what I'm doing. I tossed out the scale for the time being and besides the mental block and struggling to get that many calories down, it isn't so bad. A month isnt so long when you think about it. I'd rather give a month and try then risk starving my body for the rest of my life. :smile: Oh and Im totally with you, I lost 65lbs and my calorie intake was so low that I eventually blew it and binged for 4 months. I am now RE-losing 15lbs I gained. So, it feels like a lot at stake for me too. Reading the literature though, it makes total sense. Try it. :flowerforyou:
  • Hernandeak11
    Hernandeak11 Posts: 351 Member
    Good for you!

    I upped my calories by 300 a while ago, and my energy has improved, and my weight-loss even kick-started
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
    Oh and the first day I lost a pound and the first week I lost 3.25". Then I took the scale to the garage. :tongue:
  • Denjo060
    Denjo060 Posts: 1,008
    great going i increased mine too about a month ago I havent weighed in for a while but I did but a new bathing suit for vacation today and it actually looks good :bigsmile:
  • bradthemedic
    bradthemedic Posts: 623 Member
    All I know is that if I have more energy to lift more weight and more frequently I will be building muscle which is really my goal anyway. And that muscle in time will burn fat. So this entire theory and system makes perfect sense to me.

    If anyone wants to follow my progress just add me as a friend. Let's do this together!
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
    I increased mine a few days ago from 1800 to 2100-2300. I am exercising 5+ days a week and had only lost 3.3 lbs in over 3 weeks. It is a work in progress and I am finding it difficult to meet these calories. I am forcing myself to eat more, even if I don't feel that hungry in order to jump start my metabolism. My TDEE is around 2783. I am 5'10".
  • kiku76
    kiku76 Posts: 352 Member
    This thread is great. I just decided to increase my calories to 2000 today so we shall see how it goes. I was losing at 1300, but its probably because before that I was eating mostly crap. I do find myself very hungry when I eat 1300 calories.
    I was remembered when I was in high school, I barely ever ate. one weekend, I ate a lot (for me) and I was sure I would gain. I was surprised to see I lost more than I had been. Now I understand why
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    im excited to see how this works out for you. i've been curious to see if this is the better working/healthier way to do this, but im too scared to try it myself right now. i'm almost at 50lbs down and the idea of gaining weight right now (which i hear you do in the beginning) sounds awful. . good luck! cant wait to see what happens. :)

    The weight gain in the beginning is really minor. Plus its not really fat being added but water weight. The body releases it in no time. I started April 9th. Retained water from upping calories and then had a release in my 3rd week of eating more. Even though the scale went up my inches went down. Weight loss went like this: 192.6 to 196.6 to 188.8 all in 3 weeks. So in actually I lost 3.8 lbs in three weeks.
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    I increased mine a few days ago from 1800 to 2100-2300. I am exercising 5+ days a week and had only lost 3.3 lbs in over 3 weeks. It is a work in progress and I am finding it difficult to meet these calories. I am forcing myself to eat more, even if I don't feel that hungry in order to jump start my metabolism. My TDEE is around 2783. I am 5'10".

    3.3 lbs in 3 weeks is good. You are using "only" like its nothing to be celebrated.

    Now to eat up those calories. Nuts are easy calories. Adding olive oil to some meals or to cook in can add calories. Add sauces to meals can add calories. Cheese sticks are easy calories. These things shouldn't make you feel overly stuffed but give you the calories need to make your cut. My TDEE can get that high as well. It changes from day to day because of my job and non working days.
  • teenasbody
    teenasbody Posts: 212 Member
    I upped my calories yesterday as well this is a great read to give you a realistic idea of what to expect.

    Look Luck

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
    I increased mine a few days ago from 1800 to 2100-2300. I am exercising 5+ days a week and had only lost 3.3 lbs in over 3 weeks. It is a work in progress and I am finding it difficult to meet these calories. I am forcing myself to eat more, even if I don't feel that hungry in order to jump start my metabolism. My TDEE is around 2783. I am 5'10".

    3.3 lbs in 3 weeks is good. You are using "only" like its nothing to be celebrated.

    Now to eat up those calories. Nuts are easy calories. Adding olive oil to some meals or to cook in can add calories. Add sauces to meals can add calories. Cheese sticks are easy calories. These things shouldn't make you feel overly stuffed but give you the calories need to make your cut. My TDEE can get that high as well. It changes from day to day because of my job and non working days.

    Thanks for the encouragement. I guess what I have lost is in the healthy weight loss range. I have lost 4-6 lbs in a week before (thru diet) so that sticks out in my mind. I am sticking with it as it makes me feel better to be more active and the weight loss or inches loss will come in time. This eating more, weigh less is a new concept as I have been use to food restriction and feeling weak and hungry in past weight loss attempts. I am eating plenty of healthy snacks like fruit, string cheese, yogurt, and almonds. Trying to get an adequate amount of protein too.
  • mel128
    mel128 Posts: 81 Member
    Bump for later
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