[aphimira]

Yeah I'm aiming for 1800 I think. It's still my first week and I truly had no idea where to start so I'm trying to up my calories this week to 1800 is what I'm looking for. But not mindless calories, I'm trying to eat healthy calories and feel fulfilled. I'm also trying to break it up instead of eating it all at once which is proving to be much more fulfilling.

But following sakurasky's question.....if we up our calories to what is expected should we expect any kind of weight gain before the loss? Or will it just be improved losses?

My husband the aspiring bodybuilder said that upping it shouldn't cause gains if it's healthy calories. Don't try to up the calorie intake with junk food and mt. dew (that's a quote from him) try to up it with lean protein, good carbs like a baked sweet potatoes, and of course lots of vegetables. Any other advice? Or is he telling the truth.

[Madison]

I am a total fan of getting enough lean protein where I differ from others is that I dont ascribe to having to hit a magical number at the high end to continue losing weight.

I definitely agree that you need to plan, plan, plan what you will eat and while you are starting out weighing and measuring the food is great to get an idea of what a "portion" looks like.

As Robin said you may already be consuming some extra calories unless you are measuring everything out and logging it.

My concern is seeing people get so frustrated by "am I eating at the right level to continue to lose weight" when they are losing quite nicely and have already made some amazing changes from the way that they used to eat. (to me, if I weigh less at the end of one month than I did in the previous one then that is a success . . . I have done the superstar weight loss and halved my bodyweight in 9 months but I dont need to be a superstar anymore . . . I like this place of calm much better and that is the way that I will get to my real goal - of peace around the body/food/mind issues)

Ultimately if you are getting a good selection of fresh foods, enough 'good' carbs (if your body can cope with them) and lean protein and are taking in some sort of exercise (walking is a great start!), get to the end of the day and feel like a rockstar and not deprived by what you are eating AND the scale is co-operating, why change it?



jmho

I'd like to see more celebrating of fabulousness by all of us who have made huge changes.

[cfmama]

For what it's worth ladies... I was losing weight nicely on 17-1800 calories at that weight

[aphimira]

That was wroth alot cfmama It really helped actually! Ease my brain...

[cfmama]

Originally Posted by aphimira

That was wroth alot cfmama It really helped actually! Ease my brain...

Glad that I could help!

[Rosinante]

I started allegedly at 1400 but kept slipping down to 1200 and 1100, because I believed that lower was better.

I listened, with a degree of 'but it wouldn't work for me' to people here but when I visited sparkpeople and put my goal weight and date in, I decided that I had nothing to lose by believing the calories it gave me - 1200 - 1550. It made clear how much I HAD TO eat, not just an upper limit.

Since then, I've stayed at the upper end, and, to answer the question, the weight began moving instantly. I definitely did not get a blip up.

[sakurasky]

Thanks again! I'm sticking with 2000 calories for a while until I hit some kind of plateau, then I'll start lowering it 100-200 calories after that to see how it goes. I made a mistake of buying a lot of "100 calorie junkfood", but now I'm going to try eating fruit and things like butternut squash fries as my "junkfood". So far so good!

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by sakurasky

I made a mistake of buying a lot of "100 calorie junkfood", but now I'm going to try eating fruit and things like butternut squash fries as my "junkfood". So far so good!

A LOT of people make that "mistake". And then you realize, ummm, this stuff - not so satisfying. Not so filling. Makes me just want more of it. I need to get more from my precious calories and make them work for me. And then they switch over to more satiating fare. Your food choices will evolve. That's just part of the process. So glad you're open to it.

Keep us updated and let us know how you're doing.

[kellie105]

You know I have done the exact same thing with that 100 calorie stuff. I am just starting again- a few years ago I lost 60 pounds in 3 months by only eating 950 calories a day. Not a good idea because it all came back with a vengence!! I want to start out with a higher calorie count but I feel so odd thinking that there is no way that I could lose weight eating 1700 calories a day but then I remember I probably eat that in one meal somedays. I am also one of those "all or nothing" people because if I go even a smidge over my limit then in my mind its all over and I give up for the day. Sorry to ramble but I wanted to let you know that this thread was very helpful!!

[dietcokehead98]

The 100 calorie packs are good in the sense that they're just portion controlled. That being said, if you CAN buy a pack of oreo's, and only eat 2, good on you. I, however, cannot....
Sometimes it's good to sit down with a 100 Calorie pack of Cakesters and a nice hot cup of tea, and feel indulgent. Even if it's just for a moment