Freaking out

bharani1008

I've been working on a maintenance diet for about 2 weeks. I am tracking faithfully and almost never go up to 1600 calories. Most days it's between 1300 and 1500. I go to a gym and work with a personal trainer 3 times a week and on other days I ride a recumbent bike for 1 hour. I've gained 6 pounds.
What should I do??? Do i need to stay on 1200 cal for the rest of my life???
Please advise
Marsha

sijomial

No-one knows your stats Marsha so whether 1600 sounds appropriate can't be answered.

How confident are you in your food logging accuracy?

Do you weigh daily or weekly? Confident your scales are accurate or at least consistent?

Did you come off a severe deficit and/or severe carb reduction two weeks ago? (Can cause a water weight bounce.)

Two weeks simply isn't long enough, normal weight fluctuations skew figures dramatically in the short term.
Give it more time. Log carefully and completely without making a knee-jerk reaction. Reassess when you have more data to go on.

Do i need to stay on 1200 cal for the rest of my life???

What happened to your weight when you did eat 1200 cals will give you a big clue!

bharani1008

How do I give my stats?
Let me try.
66 yrs
5 ft 6 in
Current wt. 138
Was only 133 when I started. Lost 2 lbs over several weeks then like I said, I started eating what was suggested as maintenance of 1600. I never ate that much and stopped weighing until it became clear that I was gaining. My clothes got tighter. I am as honest as I can be. with tracking calories . If you look at my log you can see
I really feel uncomfortable . How can there be 5 pounds of water weight?
Sorry to be so weird but I'm kind of scared
Thanks so much for responding

bharani1008

I was on 1400 calories a day and lost slowly but steadily. That's why I'm so mystified.

LivingtheLeanDream

When we increase our calories to maintenance our glycogen levels replenish and it looks like we have gained, its actually water weight and it will subside when you keep eating at maintenance over a few weeks. Just be patient.
Of course this applies only if you are still tracking those calories as accurately as possible...

sijomial

bharani1008 wrote: »

I was on 1400 calories a day and lost slowly but steadily. That's why I'm so mystified.

Just this bare fact tells you that your maintenance MUST be more than 1400.
Let's say you lost 2lb of fat in four weeks. 7000 cals / 28 days = 250 calorie daily deficit.

So a maintenance level of around 1600 isn't likely to be far out.

Try not to freak out - the anxiety does recede with time!
Remember you own the bathroom scales - don't let them own you..

katepig54

my maintenance daily calories is 1200! if i eat more i will gain. i go to the gym. i have to eat 1000 a day to lose. It is not possible to eat so little and have a life. I like food.I like wine. i cannot eat so little every day! i feel your frustration!

Gamliela

I learn more about weight loss and the future I can expect from the Maintenance section on mfp than anywhere else.

Francl27

If you just started exercising, it's probably water retention. I mean, there's no way you gained 6 pounds of fat in 2 weeks from eating just a little bit more.

ARGriffy

RunRutheeRun wrote: »

When we increase our calories to maintenance our glycogen levels replenish and it looks like we have gained, its actually water weight and it will subside when you keep eating at maintenance over a few weeks. Just be patient.
Of course this applies only if you are still tracking those calories as accurately as possible...

This information changed my life when it came to maintanance. Think about the first week of a new diet, the first 5-7 lbs drops off in a few days and it's not fat, it's "water weight" , unfortunately that needs to replenish once you stop the deficit! Your body will balance out but not necessarily to your GW, keep maintaining and after a month or so see where your weight is resting. I did this, discovered I'd settled at 2-5 lbs over my GW so lost about 3lbs under my GW so when I ate at maintenance again I would be up at my GW!