For all the girls that are scared to up their calories...

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cjv428
cjv428 Posts: 124
in Success Stories
So I am still a good 9 pounds away from my goal weight, but I just wanted to share my results so far after having upped my caloric intake from literally negligible amounts (under 1200 everyday) to ~1500 calories consistently about 4 weeks ago. I also cut out processed carbohydrates about 3 weeks ago. Although I haven't lost a serious amount of weight in those 4 weeks (3 pounds maximum), I am definitely seeing a difference in the composition of my body. I believe this can be attributed to my clean diet and the inclusion of strength training in my routine. Basically if you're a girl and you're eating under 1200, please please please consider eating more. I am very petite (5 feet and 1.75 inches) and have still managed to lose weight while eating enough to sustain my body and be healthy. It really works. I lost 12 or so pounds while eating under 1200 and while that was great, it wasn't sustainable and began to take a toll on my mental and emotional health. I feel much stronger, healthier, and empowered eating more and exercising more. Just give it a shot for a couple of weeks. I waited until I hit a plateau because I was stubborn. Maybe you are too, but trust me, that plateau will come and hopefully you remember this then.

Before:
33ykqyx.jpg2i7bo.jpg

Current:
a9u70w.jpg308lbid.jpg

Funny enough, I'm wearing the same shirt in each set, haha. Good luck to everyone! I know I'll need it to get to my afters.
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Replies

  • tbskipp
    tbskipp Posts: 184 Member
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    Thank you for posting this. You are so right! Our bodies are machines that need to be fed!! I recently 'upped' my calories and am hoping to see some results soon.

    You look great!!!
  • dcazll
    dcazll Posts: 65 Member
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    Wow you look great

    I'm also petite (5" 2) and I find it really hard to only eat 1200 calories a day. According to my BMR on fat2fitradio I should eat 1750 calories a day to get to my goal weight. I fell that is too much though so I am going to aim for 1500 a day. I'm starting my mfp journey again tomorrow.

    One question, do you eat your exercise calories back when you eat at 1500?
  • jealous_loser
    jealous_loser Posts: 395
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    I just started upping my calories to 1600 from 1300 a day and I don't eat back my exercise calories. I have not weighed in since doing that (well I have, but it had only been 2 days) so we'll see how it goes this Saturday. I have a feeling I will gain a bit, but I want to see if that is just my body resetting or not. I will give it a couple weeks and maybe lower a bit or something.
  • cmccorma
    cmccorma Posts: 203 Member
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    I think this may work for those very close to goal weight as you seem to be.
  • cjv428
    cjv428 Posts: 124
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    Wow you look great

    I'm also petite (5" 2) and I find it really hard to only eat 1200 calories a day. According to my BMR on fat2fitradio I should eat 1750 calories a day to get to my goal weight. I fell that is too much though so I am going to aim for 1500 a day. I'm starting my mfp journey again tomorrow.

    One question, do you eat your exercise calories back when you eat at 1500?

    I most certainly do. :) I have a HRM and I add my exercise calories back into MFP religiously (except for yoga, weight lifting, and other strength training exercises). Whether I eat all of them or not depends on the day, but I usually eat at least some portion of them.
  • cjv428
    cjv428 Posts: 124
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    I think this may work for those very close to goal weight as you seem to be.

    Well, I don't think anyone should really be eating less than 1200 calories per day because it really does depress your metabolism and slow down weight loss. Plus it breeds really unhealthy habits. I am not trying to attack anyone's diet and this is all coming from someone who maintained less than 1200 for about two months straight (late March to mid-May). Even if someone is overweight, they would need to eat more than 1200 to sustain himself or herself. I'm specifically trying to reach out to girls who think that eating the least amount possible is the way to the fastest weight loss, much in the same way that I did. It's really not the fastest way because your metabolism eventually crashes and burn. Not to mention that you're wrecking your body and mental/emotional health in the process, at least in my case.
  • SpydrMnky27
    SpydrMnky27 Posts: 381 Member
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    You look great!! Nice definition starting to show up! Thanks for posting!
  • Anthonydaman
    Anthonydaman Posts: 854 Member
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    Well said, and the proof of your pics shows that upping your calories was the right choice. Great job, looking good.
  • sweetpotatofry
    sweetpotatofry Posts: 209 Member
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    You look great!!
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
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    You look amazing!!! I'm in the higher cal group too... :)
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
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    I think this may work for those very close to goal weight as you seem to be.

    Just wanted to say that it's working for me too, and I have just as far as you to, it seems. ;)


    ETA: Although I don't now, nor will I ever, look as good as the OP. :p
  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
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    Maybe I'm sad but I would be happy if I looked like the first pictures! :) However well done, you look great. I agree about the calories. I eat more and some of my exercise calories too and am losing about 1lb a week. I'm in it for the long haul since I still have 45lbs to lose. If it takes me a year so be it. At least I can stick to it and not be starving.
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,277 Member
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    Thanks for posting, I'm going through this right now. I've lost 38 pretty easily, but these last 18 are tough. I was eating 1200 cals, netting 650-750. I was having dizzy spells, mood swings, I could not concentrate on anything. After some wonderful advice I've upped my calorie intake and I'm feeling so much better.

    It's been stressful, but I know that it's the best decision I have made since I started this journey.

    By the way...you look fabulous :smile:
  • LTGPSA
    LTGPSA Posts: 633 Member
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    Great sharing of information and great work on taking care of you! :flowerforyou:
  • kaydensmom12
    kaydensmom12 Posts: 338
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    You look great:)
    I am 5'1 and ate 1500 calories for over 2 months and gained inches as well as weight. I kept waiting, thinking that eventually my body would get used to it, but it didn't. I wasn't going to wait 6 months to see if my body would then, I would possibly be back to where I started. It was just too much for my body, every body is different, and not everyone that is petite can "eat more to lose more" because even though we are the same height, our metabolisms are all different! I am back to 1300 and feel great at that!
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    You look fantastic, especially your tummy, wow.

    I too have jumped on the "eat more to lose more" bandwagon.

    Started my journey on 1200 hit a plateau jumped it to 1400 lost some more and hit another plateau so a couple of weeks ago I upped it to 1600 and increased excercise and I eat some if not all of my excercise cals back, so far haven't gained but haven't lost either but I am certain the scale will start to drop in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime things are tightening up and I feel so much stronger.

    I didn't believe eating more would work and I was depressed at the thought of having to spend my life at 1200 or under just to maintain but holy cow, it does work and I feel so much better. I can see a yummy future ahead.

    Thanks for posting, hopefully it will make other people realise you don't have to be hungry to lose weight. :flowerforyou:
  • ben_running
    ben_running Posts: 48
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    Good job! Doing it right.
  • cjv428
    cjv428 Posts: 124
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    I didn't believe eating more would work and I was depressed at the thought of having to spend my life at 1200 or under just to maintain but holy cow, it does work and I feel so much better. I can see a yummy future

    You just described to a T exactly how I felt. I couldn't believe that I had to spend the rest of my life eating so little!

    Thanks for your encouragement, everyone. :)
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
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    amazing :)
  • usedasbrandnew
    usedasbrandnew Posts: 300 Member
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    You look so so good! Congrats! I completely believe in the eating more, I think some people give up on it too fast... I know I lost very slowly when I fist upped mine about 8 weeks ago. In the last two weeks the pounds have been coming off finally... I might have given up, but my measurements have been going down steadily. :) Trust the tape measure. ;)

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