Eating 1,200 calories and putting on weight

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Replies

  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    Okay, maintenance of 1800, that's about right for a 30 year old lightly active woman weighing 115. Whether that's an appropriate weight for her height is another question.

    RMR has been found to drop 25% or more with prolonged VLCD.
    The Minnesota Starvation Experiment subjects averaged a 40% drop in RMR.

    1800-25% = 1350. That's close enough to 1200 that a few logging errors could make the difference.
    1800-40%= 1080. That's low enough that she would regain on 1200.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    If she really did eat 50% of her TDEE for months, she could have caused the 40% drop in RMR that they found in the MN experiments.

    If so, 1800-40% = 1080
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Colorscheme wrote: »
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    I don't think it appropriate to recommend anyone at a healthy weight eat under 1200, even coming off extreme and dangerous calorie restriction. The priority must be to meet nutritional needs with some immediate urgency, water weight scale increases be damned. Anything else is irresponsible.

    Actually, it is ok if you're under 5 feet. I am not, but users here have said that they need to eat around 1k calories to lose weight at that height. Not everyone's TDEE is the same.

    Okay, I will add a small caveat of "unless under 5' and ensuring nutritional needs are being met". I still think it's not advice to be giving to someone who has managed to drop 5lbs per month for more than one month (we don't know how many) eating 800-900 calories per day. They need nutrition and sharpish.

    And in light of further investigations above, I'll reiterate my views.
  • ellamroberts873
    ellamroberts873 Posts: 19 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    How tall are you OP? What's your activity level like? Were you weighing your food and logging accurately when losing? Are you still?

    Maintenance is a range, not a set weight. Most people, myself included, have a 3-5 lb range in which weight naturally fluctuated. Additionally, when transitioning to maintenance, especially after being at such an aggressive deficit, people often see a temporary spike due to water retention from glycogen stores being replenished. That usually settles back down.

    Also where did the 1800 cal maintenance level estimate come from? Was that MFP or a TDEE calculator? Answering the questions I asked above will help determine if that is appropriate but I would be more likely to believe a TDEE of 1800 than 1200...
    Thanks. I am 5ft 4 and a petite build. I go the gym every other day to use the elliptical trainer and bike for 30mins. I also walk no less than 5,000 steps a day and swim for 60mins once a week. I measure my food very precisely and still do. I got a quote of 1,800 from TDEE.
  • ellamroberts873
    ellamroberts873 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you for all you're replies! When I wrote my last post I was in a completely different state of mind and VERY unhappy with my body. However each day I have become happier with it and have recently become determined to build muscle and maybe even that number on the scales. However I was very worried to see the number building on the scales as soon as I started to eat more without properly building any muscle yet. I understand what some of you say about water retention and I think that may be the case, particularly as I do feel slightly more bloated than usual. Thank you all for you're helpful comments and different view points!
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited August 2016
    RobD520 wrote: »
    From another post, OP is 5'4''.

    Her BMI at 111 is 19.1. It was NOT outside the normal range when she started losing weight. Yet she ate 800-900 calories per/day for ~four months.

    She started a thread earlier that inspired a large number of people to urge her to seek professional help. After reading that thread, my sense is that this is likely the best advice any of us could offer.

    Going back down to 1000 calories is not something anyone should suggest.

    Good catch. OP, you have a very skewed understanding of calories and your body's needs. Professional help should be your first step before you go any further. Even with the help in MFP, you still should seek help to prevent these "bad points" to cause restriction.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    MommyL2015 wrote: »
    My goal is actually about 5 pounds less than what I want my maintenance weight to be, because I usually gain a few pounds whenever I up my calories to maintenance levels. It's mostly just water that was lost. That's why all these fad diets say you can lose 5 pounds your first week or whatever. It's all water.

    I did the same thing. My original goal was 190 so I hit my goal and kept going until I hit 185 before ramping back up slowly to maintenance calories over a month or so. After being at maintenance for a while now I bounce between 185 and 189 which is still exactly where I want to be (I'm 6'2). I've been working on recomp since then but notice that sodium, digestion, activity, exercise, water intake, all fluctuate my weight. The OP didn't say how tall they were but my guess is the increased calories will simply increase water retention for a while plus increase waste (gross but true). Many factors can increase your weight, especially if you are a woman. I wouldn't panic at any sudden 5lb gains, hell I've lost more than 4 lbs in one day many times just by drinking a ton of water (by flushing high sodium intake out of my system). I say keep on with the extra calories, don't quit on any exercise you're doing, and increase your water intake if it's not sufficient and don't sweat it. Muscle gain really take a long time, so don't assume that it's causing weight gain that fast, it takes months to gain just a little unless you're very aggressive with weight training and increase your calories.

    Consider also going over to IIFYM and use their calculator to figure your BMR and TDEE both by entering your exercise and by leaving it blank (sedimentary) so you know where you should be.
  • md523083
    md523083 Posts: 37 Member
    It is either water weight or you weren't counting accurately and were actually eating over 1200. Don't listen to people who say a low calorie diet has slowed your metabolism. It will not slow enough to keep you from losing weight. That is only a myth!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    OP How did you feel eating 800-900 calories a day? Were you constantly hungry, did you have much if any energy, how was your nutrition, were you getting adequate amounts of protein/fats and vitamins/minerals?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ellamroberts873 wrote: »
    Thank you for all you're replies! When I wrote my last post I was in a completely different state of mind and VERY unhappy with my body. However each day I have become happier with it and have recently become determined to build muscle and maybe even that number on the scales. However I was very worried to see the number building on the scales as soon as I started to eat more without properly building any muscle yet. I understand what some of you say about water retention and I think that may be the case, particularly as I do feel slightly more bloated than usual. Thank you all for you're helpful comments and different view points!

    Where are you in your menstrual cycle? I gain at ovulation and right before my TOM.

    Have you been having regular periods?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    @ellamroberts873 In your last thread http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10422651/lost-nearly-a-stone-and-im-fatter-than-ever/p1 a lot of posters were concerned you had body dysmorphia and urged you to seek professional help. Did you?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    It is literally impossible to put on 3 pounds of fat eating 1200 calories a day for 2 weeks. 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories of energy. Even if your body required no calories to sustain itself you did not eat 3 pounds worth of fat.

    If you weigh 3 pounds more what makes you think that is 3 pounds of fat and not say, 3 pounds of water?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Also I think this needs to be said. Low weight is not equivalent to healthy. You are right, you probably should eat more to be healthy...and you know what if you eat more and are healthier and as a result you gain some weight I don't really see the problem. Don't be too focused on your scale.
  • ellamroberts873
    ellamroberts873 Posts: 19 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    @ellamroberts873 In your last thread http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10422651/lost-nearly-a-stone-and-im-fatter-than-ever/p1 a lot of posters were concerned you had body dysmorphia and urged you to seek professional help. Did you?

    I didn't receive any help because i still have fat on me and it is very clear I am not 'anorexic' or underweight- any medical help would laugh me away. Anyway I seem to have got past my low stage and I am kind of thankful for it as it made me more determined than I have ever been to better myself and my body.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    ellamroberts873 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    @ellamroberts873 In your last thread http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10422651/lost-nearly-a-stone-and-im-fatter-than-ever/p1 a lot of posters were concerned you had body dysmorphia and urged you to seek professional help. Did you?

    I didn't receive any help because i still have fat on me and it is very clear I am not 'anorexic' or underweight- any medical help would laugh me away. Anyway I seem to have got past my low stage and I am kind of thankful for it as it made me more determined than I have ever been to better myself and my body.

    If you were to speak to an eating disorder specialist and allow them to read every one of your posts on this board, they WOULD NOT laugh you away.

    I am not suggesting anyone can diagnose you from reading your posts. But seeking a consult would be time well spent.

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