Gaining weight in a calorie deficit

Becka_94

I've been trying to lose weight for a couple months, and have managed to lose 38 pounds so far.

I stepped on the scale and saw that I've gained 3 pounds back.
But I'm in a calorie deficit, not cheating or anything.
I weigh out all my meals and exercise over an our a day (which I don't input since I don't want to be tempted to re- eat those burned calories")
I'm just really confused.
I haven't lost a single pound in almost 3 weeks and now I'm gaining.
I eat around 1840cals a day, but thinking about going back to 1500.

harper16

Have you recalculated your calories to make sure you are still in a calorie deficit?

Becka_94

Yes, I was doing 1500 before and MFP said to do 1840.
So I dunno maybe upping my calories

cmriverside

So, if I'm understanding you - you've lost 38 pounds in a "couple months."

You recently raised calories from 1500 (that you had chosen somehow) to 1840 which MFP chose.


Questions:

1. How long have you been at 1840?
2. Over what period of time did your scale show an increase of three pounds? Like, it's been at that for how long? Sounds like three weeks? Three pounds is a normal reasonable weight fluctuation for anyone. Did you change anything else? New exercise, less sleep, more stress?
3. How much weight do you still have to lose?
4. Are you using this app and a digital food scale to track your food and exercise? If so, how many days of records do you have logged? Your FOOD page is not viewable to us. If you want us to take a look at your logging to see if we can spot errors, go to FOOD > Settings, click "Public" at the bottom and save.

And, yes. You are supposed to eat more on exercise days.

SeanD2407

If you are gaining weight you are not in a caloric deficit.
If the long term trend has been down, and you start to go up that's normal.
My weight can be up or down 5-6 lbs depending on many things. Eventually if I keep eating what MFP tells me too, i'll get the lower # more consecutively.

You are down 38 lb's in a couple months. That's the important story here.

yirara

Also important: Did you do anything new, like a new workout? Or what about TOM? You might simply retaining water. Also, if you eat more there's more waste in your intestines, which of course also has a weight.