Apologies in advance - I am cross-posting this from the Exercise! forum, so that you helpful ladies here might have some input as well...

As I lose weight, and exercise more - I now run at least four times a week - I am wondering if I should UP my calories to continue to lose effectively without being hungry. I was down to 1400-1500 calories, but I am wondering if maybe that's not enough anymore, based on running 15-20 miles/week and doing strength-training 2-3x/week...

Has anyone been in this situation, where you actually RAISED your calories to continue to lose BECAUSE the amount of exercise you were doing increased?

Heather

With that much exercise (good for you!) I think that upping your calories sounds very reasonable. You could try 1700-1900 cals/day on a trial period for say three weeks or a month. You might find that you lose quicker or that you hit a plateau, but you definitely won't gain anything back. My philosophy has always been to eat eat eat, as long as it's the right food.

Heather, how do you feel and how are you losing? Are you hungry and lethargic? Energetic and happy? At what rate are you losing at the moment?

Your calories are low for that quantity of exercise, and I always advocate eating as many calories as possible, so you certainly could increase them. Perhaps give yourself a month at 1700-1800 calories and see how you do?

Last time (6 years ago) when I was near goal of 139, I ran into this exact situation. I had to up my calories to about 1600 calories. So it was counter to most recommendations that the smaller you get the less calories you need. That might have been true if I was not active but I found as I became more (better?) fit, I focused on exercise intensity and as a result needed more calories.

Right now I am close to your same size and activity level an my calories are about the same (1400-1500). It works for me now but everyone is different and should adjust accordingly for themselves. I am 46yrs old so age could be a difference. But I do fully expect to increase this number in the future.

Lori

Thanks so much for your replies, all of you! I'm grateful for your feedback. Baffled, I've been binging in the evenings (this is new for me ) since late January - hopefully under control now, but it occurred to me that I might ACTUALLY be hungry, and have forgotten what that feels like! As a result, I have not gained, but I have not lost. I am tired a lot, and sometimes find my running harder than it should be... hmmm, reading that sentence, it makes sense to up those numbers a bit!

I think I WILL up my cals to about 1700-1800 for the rest of February and see how that goes. And if I don't lose, then I can always drop them by 50 a week until it feels right!

Thank you!!
Heather

A few years ago I lost 60 pounds by doing about as much running as you're doing, and I *definitely* upped my calories, because I was burning so darned many that I had to. Just pay attention and be reasonable, make good food choices, listen to your body. Running a lot can boost your metabolism so much that if you restrict too much, you end up starving and feeling crappy. If you increase, just pay attention to the scale and how your clothes are fitting, and if you still don't gain anything, you must be doing something right. ^_^

Ooh, I think if you're binging then upping the cals is definitely in order. I think it's important to feel in control of food--much, much better (psychologically) to have a planned 200 or 300 cal snack in the evening than to binge and feel out of control (even if the total calories are the same).

So yeah, bring them up, stick with your fabulous running and play it by ear with the weight loss. Good decision.

Totally agree with Baffled - binging or uncontrolled eating is never a good thing.

Lori