trouble maintaining ideal weight

JaniceB8445

I am a 72-year-old woman. I am 5'2" and 111 lbs. I want to maintain 111 lbs. I walk 4-5 miles per day at 3.0 mph. I eat from 1350-1450 calories per day. I have trouble maintaining 111 lbs. It seems unlikely that I would gain weight but if I go over 1350 calories I gain a pound. What am I missing?

sijomial

You might be eating more than you think - logging inaccuracies.

You might be attempting to maintain in too narrow a band - people don't normally weigh exactly the same every day.

You might be reacting too soon to what is a tiny change that would have resolved itself without intervention. Why not set yourself to 1450 average (1400-1500 per day) and keep to that for a month as an experiment?

TavistockToad

Weight fluctuates so you should have a range not a single weight when you maintain. So 109 to 114 might be a good range for you?

WinoGelato

Weight normally fluctuates from day to day, for women I think 3-5 lbs is fairly normal. As such, when most people transition to maintenance they have an acceptable range that they fluctuate within, not trying to hold constant to a single number. I'm also 5'2 and my maintenance number is 118 +/- 2 lbs.

Did you recently lose weight to achieve that 111 lb target? If so, a lot of people also experience a temporary spike in scale weight when they go from eating at a deficit to eating at maintenance cals. It's the opposite of the whoosh that many people have when first dieting.

RogerToo

JaniceB8445 wrote: »

I am a 72-year-old woman. I am 5'2" and 111 lbs. I want to maintain 111 lbs. I walk 4-5 miles per day at 3.0 mph. I eat from 1350-1450 calories per day. I have trouble maintaining 111 lbs. It seems unlikely that I would gain weight but if I go over 1350 calories I gain a pound. What am I missing?

Hi
I only worry about it if I fail to maintain within 5 pounds of my lowest weight, if I go over that then I will go back to a weight loss diet.

FWIW in some people to much salt causes water weight, in others Sugars and Carbs have the same effect, I am on of the latter FWIW. I may have a weird metabolism as to many carbs in any form per day and I feel the heat worse.

I do get out and walk in the morning after having either a protein or piece of fruit and before having Breakfast.

Good Luck
Roger

deannalfisher

weight fluctuates - I can go from 145 to 150 overnight if I eat a higher sodium meal or get crappy sleep

maybe setting a range (109-113) would work better - since its highly unlikely you are eating enough to actually gain a 1lb of fat

lorrpb

Others give you great advice. I just wanted to say CONGRATS on being 70 and super fit and healthy!

kommodevaran

I agree to all the above - I just want to add that 111 pounds may be your ideal weight, but not your optimal weight. There is no reason why you can't have a healthy, normal weight, but your goal is a BMI of 20.3, which is at the low end, and your healthy, normal weight range goes up to 136 pounds. The lower the weight, the less you have to eat to maintain it, it's just the way it is. You have to weigh(!) the pros and cons and decide for yourself.

jrwms714

HI. I am also 70 and 5'0", so I know how little it takes at this age and this height to gain. I have been on maintenance for 3 years, work out 5 days a week, weights, circuit, cardio. But I can still go up about 4 lbs. from a salty restaurant meal or high humidity. I set myself a 3 lb. weight range (we are small, so any more than that, and it would be too much) and I would also suggest that you get a trending app. I use Happy Scale, and it really helps me to see where my weight average is rather than freaking out when I weigh myself, which I am prone to do. Also remember, at our age, a few extra pounds is smart, should we get a prolonged illness. Not a LOT of extra weight, but we shouldn't weight what we did at 20 or even 50. I agree with everyone else here ... set yourself a range, not a number. You will always fluctuate. Again, I truly recommend a trending app. It really helps!!

ninerbuff

Unless you gain more than 5lbs and it keeps going UP, then I wouldn't worry due to how the body's weight fluctuates on a daily basis.

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