I know its been asked
 

a thousand times, but I need some advice.

I have been losing a pound a week for the last 4 weeks or so. Well this week my eating has been a bit on the bad side. I usually stick to an average of 1450 calories, but this week my average has been closer to the 1700 range and I have lost 2 pounds this week. Is it a fluke? or should I give the 1700 a try? I haven't really been hungry on the 1450 until this week.

Any changes in exercise this week?

Hi, I can't speak to your specific circumstances. There are so many factors that come into play, but I do know that there are a number of people that have experienced additional weight loss by increasing their calories.

I'm one of them.

Enjoy it! :D

Actually my exericise this week has been on the low side, I usually work out everyday for about an hour, but the last couple of weeks have been very light workouts.

I think I will go up to the 1700 and make sure I get my workouts and see what happens.

I think you un-intentially calorie-cycled/calorie zig-zagged so it jump started your metabolism. It's a good idea to toggle your calories to avoid plateuing as much as possible.

I actually already calorie cycle, I usually do two 1200-1300 calorie days; two 1400-1500 calorie days, two 1700 calorie days and the 7th day I adjust to make sure my average is 1450 or so. I actually think I am going to go up to an average of 1600 and see how it works for me. I think my body wasn't liking the amount of exercise versus calories in on my average week. (I cut back on exercise and increased my calories for the last two weeks) I think I am going to go back to my regular workouts: 30 minutes of cardio, 20 minutes pilates, then every other day 20 minutes with weights (plus I walk 45minutes 3 nights per week). I will increase my calories to 1600 on average and see were it takes me.

I think it's impossible to know on a one-shot basis what's going on. It seems to me that sometimes it takes a little while for my "good behaviors" to show a loss and for my "bad behaviors" to show a gain. So it could be that as well: timing.

I'm a big advocate of eating a goodly number of calories, but I honestly don't think you're going to continue losing an extra pound a week by increasing the number of calories by several hundred each day.

jcatron243 well you are in my halloween challenge so you know that since I have been actually tracking cals this month, one wek was an average of 1880, next week, 1850, I lost 2.5 pounds both weeks each. :D (I also walk 60 minutes 6 days a week) This last week I got sick and inadvertently wound up at a 1567 average and lost 3.25 pounds this week! (Still walked my 6 days ) So I am thinking of sticking to around 1600 or so next week and see what happens. :D Just remember to keep it at small meals thruout the day to keep your metab going. Thats what I do!

(disclaimer, I also have more to lose than some of you ladies so my cal needs may be different!)

Anyhow I do know that Glory got down to 140 and plateaud for months! She wound up eating 1600-1800 and started losing the last weight! She is now maintaining at 127 pounds!! She had to eat more to lose more. I do think that happens sometimes. Where the body feels like it is getting sufficient food and you start losing as a result. Just make sure they are good cal choices and not adding junk. Try the 1600 for a week or two and see what happens!! Good luck!!

Thanks for the Advice and kind words everyone.
wyllenn, After I re-read my original post I saw that I put going up to 1700, I actually meant going up to 1600 as a weekly average. I will increase each day probably by 50-60 calories, and just see what happens in the next couple of weeks.