Tried to maintain but gained?

cecilia813
cecilia813 Posts: 5 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello! I am 5'5 and I was 118lb. My body was perfect! So I continued cardio at the gym and didnt watch my cals so closely but made sure to stay around 1500-1800. Well.. I gained 5lb within a month. How is that possible? But not of muscle, I can see the culprit in the mirror. I thought it was only bloating from salt/sugar or period but it didnt go away. I feel like all my efforts put to waste! Help?

Replies

  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    Glycogen stores from reurning to maintenance. It's suggested to work your cals up 100 a week until at maintenance.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    when you diet you deplete your glycogen stores to some extent...when you increase calories to maintenance you top those off. Glycogen is fluid...it has mass and thus weight that shows up on the scale.

    If that's not it then you were eating quite a bit more than you think you were.
  • cecilia813
    cecilia813 Posts: 5 Member
    edited April 2015
    How long does Glycogen stay? I know I didnt eat enough to gain 5lb in 3-4 weeks.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,082 Member
    cecilia813 wrote: »
    How long does Glycogen stay? I know I didnt eat enough to gain 5lb in 3-4 weeks.

    Until you use it for energy.
  • Vcorz
    Vcorz Posts: 75 Member
    It could be that 123 pounds is a more natural and maintainable weight for you than 118....the body needs SOME energy storage....
  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
    It sounds like you also didn't log everything as you said you didn't watch your calories as closely. I'd keep logging to make sure you aren't accidentally eating at a surplus. 123 or 118, you look gorgeous!
  • lahurrah
    lahurrah Posts: 9
    This happened to me too! I worked out hard (6 days a week, 1-2 hours a day) for 6 months, lost 17 pounds and was at my ideal weight. I went on vacation, still exercised - ran, swam, lifted a little - and by the time I got back, 10 days later, I had gained 8 pounds! I refreshed my workouts to include more lifting with heavier weights, slightly less cardio, but still working out 6 days a week. My thinking was I had slowed my metabolism down by eating too little and doing too much cardio. After 5 months of the new workouts, I'm much stronger and toned. My weight has only gone down a few pounds. But, I'm enjoying the way I feel (and look) more now than when I was 5 pounds lighter and not nearly as strong. I guess it really isn't just about one number.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I was maintaining nicely for over 4 months having upped my cals slowly every few weeks ..was eventually eating at 2200 gross when boom suddenly two months ago I gained 3lbs and it didn't go away (i gave it 3 weeks just in case) so I'm currently cutting again.

    Maintenance needs as much attention paid to it as when we were cutting.
  • cecilia813
    cecilia813 Posts: 5 Member
    Today I woke up and I was back down to 120. I looked at my diary the day before and was low on carbs. I definitely think its water weight fluctuating. I guess ill just have to watch it more closely then I thought
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    5lbs is actually a pretty good range. You won't always be one number.

    I hit 116 and have bounced around between there and 123 (one time as high as 127) ever since.

    Yesterday 125

    Today 121.8

    It happens.

  • vfit10
    vfit10 Posts: 228 Member
    Lower Cals by 100 or increase work
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    This sounds like natural weight fluctuation to me. My weight range goes from 138 to 142, but mostly stays at 139/140. Ideal weight is not a single number, it's a range.

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