Starting maintenance without putting on water weight.

Pearlaceous
Pearlaceous Posts: 9 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Is this possible? I am 4 pounds from my goal weight of 110 pounds and I am still losing at a rate of between half a pound and a pound a week. My MFP calories were set at 1200 at sedentary to lose half a pound a week, but I actually lost more, although I actually averaged 1100-1150 daily because I allowed for miscounting calories.
I do not want to suddenly increase my calories by several hundred as I do not want to suddenly gain a lot of water weight. If I increase my calories by only 50 a day the first week, and then another 50, will I gain a lot of water weight again? Also, should I start eating 50 calories more now, or wait until I get to 110 pounds?

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    If you are glycogen depleted you will gain that back along with water - either slowly or fast. It's just your body returning to its normal state. But it's a good thing not a bad thing, means you are fully fuelled.

    However, it's not guaranteed you are glycogen depleted or to what degree.
    Carbs, size of deficit and eating patterns all play a part. I ensured I wasn't glycogen depleted to maintain as much exercise performance as possible and didn't have any weight bounce when I came off deficit.

    If you want to avoid a sudden increase (not sure why the speed is an issue TBH) then increase your calories slowly before you get to goal weight range.
  • Pearlaceous
    Pearlaceous Posts: 9 Member
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?
  • myfitnesspale3
    myfitnesspale3 Posts: 276 Member
    Glycogen is out of your control so ignore it.

    Every time you add calories, you also retain water to digest them. It's a short-term effect that will level out at a normal and necessary balanced level over 2-3 days. It is Useless to be concerned about managing water - it will manage itself quickly.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?
    That makes no sense at all.

    You work out your maintenance calories over a period of weeks if not months.
    Stop worrying about something that is out of your control.

    Maintenance is a long term commitment and a few pounds of water weight is meaningless. You will have a totally stressful and unhappy maintenance if you try and micro manage your weight. Give yourself a happy weight range and enjoy life.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?
    That makes no sense at all.

    You work out your maintenance calories over a period of weeks if not months.
    Stop worrying about something that is out of your control.

    Maintenance is a long term commitment and a few pounds of water weight is meaningless. You will have a totally stressful and unhappy maintenance if you try and micro manage your weight. Give yourself a happy weight range and enjoy life.

    ^^ this
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?
    That makes no sense at all.

    You work out your maintenance calories over a period of weeks if not months.
    Stop worrying about something that is out of your control.

    Maintenance is a long term commitment and a few pounds of water weight is meaningless. You will have a totally stressful and unhappy maintenance if you try and micro manage your weight. Give yourself a happy weight range and enjoy life.

    Very much this.

    However - strict adherence to macros amounts (particularly carb limits), salt monitoring and no alcohol can lead to less fluctuation for short periods like a transition. I personally do not think it is necessary and stick to what sijomial stated above in bold.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    You are destined to have to fine tune your eating for a few months if not longer. I am not sure anyone just magically made the switch and never gained/lost a few lbs before finding their 'happy place'. Adding 200 cals may be exactly what you need to do, then again..maybe not. If you were careful with logging, and consistently eating the recommended amount it may be easier. You mentioned that you lost at a faster rate, which means you may have to up your calories even more than suggested.
    I would hope by now you know that water weight isn't really true weight!
  • Pearlaceous
    Pearlaceous Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you all for your responses. Of course I realise it will take several weeks/months of fine-tuning calories to find my maintenance level. Since I lost another pound during the last week, and am now only 3 pounds above my goal weight, I think I will start to add some calories each week - reverse dieting, I think it is called? - rather than adding several hundred all at once when I reach my goal weight.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?

    it is not real weight in the sense that it is fat it is just water.

    If you are that worried about a two to five pound gain then you may have some other underlying issues that need to be addressed.

    When in maintenance your weight is going to fluctuate anywhere from +/- 5 pounds, it is just a fact of life.

    I would suggest finding a way to accept and cope with this fact.
  • Pearlaceous
    Pearlaceous Posts: 9 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?

    it is not real weight in the sense that it is fat it is just water.

    If you are that worried about a two to five pound gain then you may have some other underlying issues that need to be addressed.

    When in maintenance your weight is going to fluctuate anywhere from +/- 5 pounds, it is just a fact of life.

    I would suggest finding a way to accept and cope with this fact.

    No - I don't have any "other underlying issues" - just maybe didn't phrase that as well as I might have!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    I want to avoid a sudden increase, because I am worried about suddenly putting weight back on again before I know what my actual maintenance calories should be. And ... how would I know if I was glycogen depleted?

    it is not real weight in the sense that it is fat it is just water.

    If you are that worried about a two to five pound gain then you may have some other underlying issues that need to be addressed.

    When in maintenance your weight is going to fluctuate anywhere from +/- 5 pounds, it is just a fact of life.

    I would suggest finding a way to accept and cope with this fact.

    No - I don't have any "other underlying issues" - just maybe didn't phrase that as well as I might have!

    then why are you worried about water weight gain?
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    edited November 2015
    OP, I'm sorry that some are trying to imply your questions are more than they are. I took them to be quite straightforward and reasonable.

    FWIW, I think your plan to start "reverse dieting" is a good one.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    OP, I'm sorry that some are trying to imply your questions are more than they are. I took them to be quite straightforward and reasonable.

    FWIW, I think your plan to start "reverse dieting" is a good one.

    so being fearful of a water weight gain that is not real weight should not set off alarm bells or red flags?
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    edited November 2015
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    OP, I'm sorry that some are trying to imply your questions are more than they are. I took them to be quite straightforward and reasonable.

    FWIW, I think your plan to start "reverse dieting" is a good one.

    so being fearful of a water weight gain that is not real weight should not set off alarm bells or red flags?

    Note I'm answering this as someone who had a diagnosed eating disorder 25 years ago. It took me several years to recover and almost cost me the chance to have kids -- No. Nothing in the OP's post raises any red flags in my mind. I don't "hear" any fear. Her questions are common ones that are asked on here frequently.

  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    edited November 2015
    Double post
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    i will never understand this irrational fear of glycogen replenishment.
  • Pearlaceous
    Pearlaceous Posts: 9 Member
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    OP, I'm sorry that some are trying to imply your questions are more than they are. I took them to be quite straightforward and reasonable.

    FWIW, I think your plan to start "reverse dieting" is a good one.

    Thank you. I thought this was a friendly place, but seems not. To clarify, I have no history of eating disorder and no eating disorder now. There are no red flags, warning bells or any other. Maybe I do not have such a perfect understanding of calories, fat/water weight, dieting, reverse dieting as some, but that is all.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Pearlaceous wrote: »
    Pawsforme wrote: »
    OP, I'm sorry that some are trying to imply your questions are more than they are. I took them to be quite straightforward and reasonable.

    FWIW, I think your plan to start "reverse dieting" is a good one.

    Thank you. I thought this was a friendly place, but seems not. To clarify, I have no history of eating disorder and no eating disorder now. There are no red flags, warning bells or any other. Maybe I do not have such a perfect understanding of calories, fat/water weight, dieting, reverse dieting as some, but that is all.

    the primary thing that you have to understand is that when you diet, you deplete glycogen stores (not fully, but you're not fully of glycogen as you would normally be)...this is immediately available energy that is stored in your muscles and liver...it not only provides immediately available energy for you to crush any manner of workout, but also aids in recovery and repair of your muscles. it is a good thing...depleting glycogen stores is one of the downsides of dieting as you don't function optimally when dieting...replenishing your glycogen stores is a good thing.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Reverse diet as you plan to do..sounds a sensible approach...but you may as well wait until you're at goal

    I actually lost an additional 5lbs trying to get to maintenance ...I now fluctuate by about 5lbs around my new lower goal weight

    But I still occasionally add additional calories as even though my weight range is fairly stable ...I've yet to start putting on weight by eating more

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