Why am I gaining weight?

corn63

I've gained 2 inches in each thigh (though I have to admit that my thighs are pretty rock solid -- I run, ride bikes and do Pilates) and and inch in each area: chest, waist and hips. I know it can't be muscle, because you can't build muscle eating at a deficit.

Just reread the OP and this jumped out at me. So assuming her BMR is pretty screwed up enough that 1000 cals and her exercise is NOT a deficit, I think this is where the weight is. She's putting on muscle mass. Her diet consists mostly of protein, which is consistent with muscle building experienced here.

Yes, she should eat more calories... a few hundred more every few weeks. And throw out her scale. Its sabotaging her.

You are a dangerous person to give information. She's not gaining 20lbs of muscle mass in a few months on a HUGE caloric deficit.

Listen to the people saying you need to reset your metabolism etc. They're on the correct track.

samammay

I've gained 2 inches in each thigh (though I have to admit that my thighs are pretty rock solid -- I run, ride bikes and do Pilates) and and inch in each area: chest, waist and hips. I know it can't be muscle, because you can't build muscle eating at a deficit.

Just reread the OP and this jumped out at me. So assuming her BMR is pretty screwed up enough that 1000 cals and her exercise is NOT a deficit, I think this is where the weight is. She's putting on muscle mass. Her diet consists mostly of protein, which is consistent with muscle building experienced here.

Yes, she should eat more calories... a few hundred more every few weeks. And throw out her scale. Its sabotaging her.

You are a dangerous person to give information. She's not gaining 20lbs of muscle mass in a few months on a HUGE caloric deficit.

Listen to the people saying you need to reset your metabolism etc. They're on the correct track.

Oh, I dont believe she has gained 20 pounds of muscle mass at a deficit. That would be impossible. I do believe she has gained muscle mass based on the measurements. I dont believe for a second she is at a deficit.

Momjogger

My doctor told me never to eat less than 1500 calories a day if I am exercising. I exercise 7 to 9 hours a week - weights, Zumba, kickboxing, running, biking, swimming, etc. I can't even IMAGINE eating less than that if you are exercising and not feeling like garbage (exhausted, shaky, low energy, etc.). Resetting your metabolism may only be a question of actually following the recommendations of the settings for MFP. Eat the amount of calories the program tells you to when you eat back your exercise calories. For me this is about 1500 calories a day. When I want to eat out with my hubby, I exercise more so I can enjoy a larger meal or a couple of drinks. As a matter of fact I am off to spinning to work off my snack and the glass of Pino Grigio I am going to have after I put my daughter to bed. Be good to yourself and be healthy. Good luck.

debi_f

WARNING: WHINY POST AHEAD!!

Okay, you've been warned.

I read through all the answers again this morning (after sleeping on all the info I'd seen last night), and I have to admit to feeling totally defeated.

For the last year and a half, I've watched every morsel that entered my mouth and counted every calorie to the best of my ability. I worked out, took up new exercises that I liked and even found that I LOVE running.

And for what? Sure, I lost close to 80 pounds, but now I'm finding out that I did it all wrong and in order to fix it, I have to allow myself to get fat again, then start all over.

I don't want to gain back the weight I've worked so hard to lose. I've already gained back 20 pounds, and the thought of gaining back another 20 and another 20 and... well, let's just say that the idea sent me to the cookie jar this morning. (And now my daily net carb intake has been shot. ;-) )

I know I have to change the way I've thought about dieting (you know, that whole philosophy of "eat a little less, move a little more" that so obviously lies...), and I have to grit my teeth and gain the weight back. But I'm not happy about it. Not one little bit.

Okay, end of whining. Time to do something. Something different, I guess.

pkw58

For women 40 and over, I highly recommend reading "The Menopause Makeover" book.. It's available on Amazon Kindle. Changed my life and how I view food, exercise and sleep.

I am almost 55 years old - I can't eat like I did when I was in my 20's, 30's or 40's. I don't believe a calorie of avocado is the same as a calorie in wonder bread. I don't exercise for vanity now, I exercise and move more to feel great and get sleep.

OP, I thought I was at a "good weight" most of my adult life and then it shot up 30 pounds more in 2011... when I started this journey, I just wanted to lose about that but when I got to maintenance 10 more pounds just melted away while I was stabilizing. I find it pretty simple to maintain, but I eat a lot more than 1000 calories a day - I eat 1400 to 2000 each day. Good luck with researching and seeking at that Doctor visit.. you are on the right track to figure it out.

samammay

whoa... no one suggested gaining back 60 pounds. No one suggested gaining back 20. We all (in our own way) suggested that you eat more to help your system adjust to having food in it. No one ever said "eat cookies and candy until you are fat". Increase your calorie intake in small increments using quality foods. You will not get fat. You will get healthy.

tryclyn

WARNING: WHINY POST AHEAD!!

Okay, you've been warned.

I read through all the answers again this morning (after sleeping on all the info I'd seen last night), and I have to admit to feeling totally defeated.

For the last year and a half, I've watched every morsel that entered my mouth and counted every calorie to the best of my ability. I worked out, took up new exercises that I liked and even found that I LOVE running.

And for what? Sure, I lost close to 80 pounds, but now I'm finding out that I did it all wrong and in order to fix it, I have to allow myself to get fat again, then start all over.

I don't want to gain back the weight I've worked so hard to lose. I've already gained back 20 pounds, and the thought of gaining back another 20 and another 20 and... well, let's just say that the idea sent me to the cookie jar this morning. (And now my daily net carb intake has been shot. ;-) )

I know I have to change the way I've thought about dieting (you know, that whole philosophy of "eat a little less, move a little more" that so obviously lies...), and I have to grit my teeth and gain the weight back. But I'm not happy about it. Not one little bit.

Okay, end of whining. Time to do something. Something different, I guess.

I don't think that you have to gain it all back in a reset.
I do think that you would benefit very much from adding strength training and reducing cardio a bit.
Just consider this a learning experience and go on from here.
Good luck to you.

Oh, and the facility where I work uses a telephone interpreter service to deal with language barriers. Maybe look into something like that to help you with your health care provider.

Dragonwolf

WARNING: WHINY POST AHEAD!!

Okay, you've been warned.

I read through all the answers again this morning (after sleeping on all the info I'd seen last night), and I have to admit to feeling totally defeated.

For the last year and a half, I've watched every morsel that entered my mouth and counted every calorie to the best of my ability. I worked out, took up new exercises that I liked and even found that I LOVE running.

And for what? Sure, I lost close to 80 pounds, but now I'm finding out that I did it all wrong and in order to fix it, I have to allow myself to get fat again, then start all over.

I don't want to gain back the weight I've worked so hard to lose. I've already gained back 20 pounds, and the thought of gaining back another 20 and another 20 and... well, let's just say that the idea sent me to the cookie jar this morning. (And now my daily net carb intake has been shot. ;-) )

I know I have to change the way I've thought about dieting (you know, that whole philosophy of "eat a little less, move a little more" that so obviously lies...), and I have to grit my teeth and gain the weight back. But I'm not happy about it. Not one little bit.

Okay, end of whining. Time to do something. Something different, I guess.

Get some professional help. This rant (especially coupled with the way you've lost weight) suggests you might be starting to get into the path of an eating disorder (eating disorders are far more than just "not eating anything," or "always binging and purging," there's very largely a mental component). I recommend seeing a good registered dietician and possibly get some counseling to help get your mindset away from fearing gaining weight and realizing that some weight gain is going to happen and that it's actually progress and a good thing as you retrain your body to run on more calories.

Again, please read the link I posted earlier. It's about a woman who was in the exact same situation as you are right now.

N4ni38

.MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT.
You should check your salt intake. Sodium will cause us to hold on to those extra pounds If you're putting in the work, and still gaining, put the scale down and pick up the tape measure. Lean muscle weighs as much if not more than fat. Sometimes the scale can be frustrating, but a tape measure can't lie. Good Luck

Becky350

Can you be pregnant?

Chenca

Wow- This is really helpful! Thanks on behalf of the rest of us!

If I had to guess, I'd say that you trained your body very well to run on very few kcalories. You may have to start over with a metabolic reset (an initial gain), lose it again slower and then level off into maintenance.

More helpful info here
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

samammay

Can you be pregnant?

She is 49. While it wouldnt be a record, it is highly unlikely.

debi_f

Pregnant? NOOOO! *runs away and hides*

While I did have a late start with kids (I was 32, 36 and 41 when my kids were born), I'm certainly not planning on having any more of my own! Ha ha!

As for the tape measure vs. scale -- neither one is my friend right now.

And for gaining ALL the weight back -- I understand that I won't have to gain it all back to start over, but I've already regained 20 pounds. Another 20 or 30 puts me way up there where I don't want to be. Even now, I can't stand to look in the mirror, because I see the "big me" starting to look back. Just the thought of having to gain anything more... Ugh.

And strength training. Let me just add in a major *groan* here. I gave lifting a try a few months ago (and managed to keep it up for about 6 weeks or so), but it was just AWFUL! Oh my goodness, how do people do that? Not only was it mind-numbingly boring, but just the need to strategize which machine or bench to aim for next while jockying around all the other people trying to get on the same machines/benches. I absolutely HATED lifting. Sure, it would be good for me, but then so are brussel sprouts, and I won't touch them, either.

But, if lifting things and putting them down helps, I guess I could try again.

Just please tell me I can skip the brussel sprouts.

Dragonwolf

Pregnant? NOOOO! *runs away and hides*

While I did have a late start with kids (I was 32, 36 and 41 when my kids were born), I'm certainly not planning on having any more of my own! Ha ha!

As for the tape measure vs. scale -- neither one is my friend right now.

And for gaining ALL the weight back -- I understand that I won't have to gain it all back to start over, but I've already regained 20 pounds. Another 20 or 30 puts me way up there where I don't want to be. Even now, I can't stand to look in the mirror, because I see the "big me" starting to look back. Just the thought of having to gain anything more... Ugh.

And strength training. Let me just add in a major *groan* here. I gave lifting a try a few months ago (and managed to keep it up for about 6 weeks or so), but it was just AWFUL! Oh my goodness, how do people do that? Not only was it mind-numbingly boring, but just the need to strategize which machine or bench to aim for next while jockying around all the other people trying to get on the same machines/benches. I absolutely HATED lifting. Sure, it would be good for me, but then so are brussel sprouts, and I won't touch them, either.

But, if lifting things and putting them down helps, I guess I could try again.

Just please tell me I can skip the brussel sprouts.

Again, please seek professional help.

As for lifting - pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women and look into a program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. No machines involved, and the latter two, at least, advocate high weights (high for your level here, it's not going to tell you to go bench 100lbs or anything like that), low reps, which often isn't as boring as high rep routines.

debi_f

Get some professional help. This rant (especially coupled with the way you've lost weight) suggests you might be starting to get into the path of an eating disorder (eating disorders are far more than just "not eating anything," or "always binging and purging," there's very largely a mental component). I recommend seeing a good registered dietician and possibly get some counseling to help get your mindset away from fearing gaining weight and realizing that some weight gain is going to happen and that it's actually progress and a good thing as you retrain your body to run on more calories.

Again, please read the link I posted earlier. It's about a woman who was in the exact same situation as you are right now.

I went back and read that post. There are definitely similarities! I did manage to lose 70+ pounds, though. Also, I don't live on convenience or pre-packaged foods (I make 90% of my food from scratch), I'm not sedentary (in fact yesterday and today have been my "laziest" in months), and I'm not plateau-ed (I'm Gaining like a mad-woman!).

BUT, that said, the whole idea of working my head around eating more is definitely there. And the idea of gaining more than I already have scares the pants off me (or rather, the pants that I won't be able to pull up over my thighs by then!).

I did just buy the New Rules for Lifting for Women. God, just the thought of lifting makes me want to crawl into bed and stay there, but I know I have to do something different. Eating less and moving more isn't working. I just hope lifting actually does something. Looking at a probably month's worth of weight gain, though... argh.

diannethegeek

WARNING: WHINY POST AHEAD!!

Okay, you've been warned.

I read through all the answers again this morning (after sleeping on all the info I'd seen last night), and I have to admit to feeling totally defeated.

For the last year and a half, I've watched every morsel that entered my mouth and counted every calorie to the best of my ability. I worked out, took up new exercises that I liked and even found that I LOVE running.

And for what? Sure, I lost close to 80 pounds, but now I'm finding out that I did it all wrong and in order to fix it, I have to allow myself to get fat again, then start all over.

I don't want to gain back the weight I've worked so hard to lose. I've already gained back 20 pounds, and the thought of gaining back another 20 and another 20 and... well, let's just say that the idea sent me to the cookie jar this morning. (And now my daily net carb intake has been shot. ;-) )

I know I have to change the way I've thought about dieting (you know, that whole philosophy of "eat a little less, move a little more" that so obviously lies...), and I have to grit my teeth and gain the weight back. But I'm not happy about it. Not one little bit.

Okay, end of whining. Time to do something. Something different, I guess.

I do understand where you're coming from. Weight loss can be a real mental as well as physical struggle and stalls, gains, setbacks, etc. are enormously frustrating.

But, you won't be starting over from nothing. You're starting out with all of the knowledge and know-how about nutrition, calories, and how to do it right. You have a new love of running and way better fitness than you started with, I bet. There are great links and supportive groups being listed here for you as you move forward. You have a lot of tools in front of you that you're not seeing right now.

Ang108

I wonder how correct your food logging is. Half a pita bread 30 calories or three slices of bacon 120 calories ? That seems too good to be true....:o). I don't think it all of the reason why you gained, but is worth checking out.

heybales

I wonder how correct your food logging is. Half a pita bread 30 calories or three slices of bacon 120 calories ? That seems too good to be true....:o). I don't think it all of the reason why you gained, but is worth checking out.

Ditto's to this.

You commented on trusting the food labels and serving size, which is rarely true.

Even if you don't see "about x servings per package" get the scale out and weigh the item. Likely whether the package is supposed to be a serving or not, the weight is over the package weight so they don't get nabbed giving less than stated.

Weigh everything and relate it back to the weight of the serving size. Not the measuring amount which is given for convenience, the grams in a serving.

That inaccuracy is not the reason for your problem of course, but has probably kept your metabolism from being grounded as bad as it could be, though it's still down there buried.

And the problem with grounded metabolism is every bigger meal or vacation time or binge eating time, packs on the fat. One big meal a week 500 over normal, there's a pound in 7 weeks. Throw in a few binge days or meals, easy to get to where you are.

Now, if you are slowing increasing your calories and lifting, all the excess doesn't go to fat.
In fact if you lift right, very little needs to go to fat if increasing a mere 100 extra calories a day for a week at a time.

I'd also suggest that since you likely have less LBM than expected for your age, weight, height as suggested by several, get your Katch BMR using bodyfat %, and base potential TDEE on that value that you'll work your way up to.

No need eating to a TDEE based on avg LBM you don't actually have - that would be a recipe for fat gain.

use the spreadsheet on my profile page for best estimate.
Do the lifting 3 x weekly, not circuit training, not classes with strength added, real lifting, you need muscle mass back you burned off.
Do your running 2 x weekly, stay in the lower Aerobic HR zone (HRM tab in the spreadsheet), for no more than 60 min.
Increase calories weekly, 100 extra daily each week, until you get to TDEG.

Phoenyx01

I would also suggest that you are getting the proper nutrients. With your low caloric intake, I would suggest supplementation. Getting enough fat? You need to eat fat to burn fat. Try taking omega 3 pills if you can, make sure you have a good multivitamin! This should also help your metabolic health! Hope that helps!

debi_f

I wonder how correct your food logging is. Half a pita bread 30 calories or three slices of bacon 120 calories ? That seems too good to be true....:o). I don't think it all of the reason why you gained, but is worth checking out.

The pita is a low fat, low carb version, not your average pita. As for the bacon, i cook it in the oven, which cuts down on the fat a bit. I freely admit, though, that I have no idea on the actual calorie count having merely looked for an average number many moons ago and using that same count whenever I make bacon. It could be off...

Heybales, thanks for all the data! While some of it is completely Greek to me, I'll check out your spreadsheet. Am I supposed to know my body fat % before starting, or do I use those other numbers to calculate it? I've purchased bf calipers and taken all the various measurements and plugged them into various calculators on several different sites and come up with wildly different results (everything from 12 % -- which is crazy -- to 23%-- which seems a bit high). I've also tried finding my TDEE, and have come up with an average between 1600 and 1700. That seems high to me, too.

All the numbers seem to be more subjective than they should be at times.

heybales

Heybales, thanks for all the data! While some of it is completely Greek to me, I'll check out your spreadsheet. Am I supposed to know my body fat % before starting, or do I use those other numbers to calculate it? I've purchased bf calipers and taken all the various measurements and plugged them into various calculators on several different sites and come up with wildly different results (everything from 12 % -- which is crazy -- to 23%-- which seems a bit high). I've also tried finding my TDEE, and have come up with an average between 1600 and 1700. That seems high to me, too.

All the numbers seem to be more subjective than they should be at times.

The spreadsheet gets measurements for 2 bodyfat calculations. You can add in skinfold measurements too and that calculation will be averaged in also.
But calipers in the hands of some inexperienced can be very inaccurate, well outside decent 5% needed, I'd leave them out unless someone got the measurements that does them all the time. Besides there are couple spots you can't reach on your own.

Remember on your opinion regarding calorie levels.

Do you have any experience with them at all to actually have an informed opinion?
Did you ever log the amount you ate prior to starting a diet to have a clue what it used to be?
Or is your only experience what you've been eating, and the 1200 most receive?

1600-1700 sounds rather low for your claimed level of exercise. Could be right if you've really burned away a lot of muscle mass though, but still unlikely.
So be honest in the spreadsheet with the Activity Calculator, especially the daily activity section if you do NOT have a sedentary desk job for 40 hrs weekly. And really get the minutes of exercise weekly decently correct too. If you do 30 to 60 min of certain workout, that is not entered as 30 min, but 45 min.

Don't shoot your body in the metabolism thinking you are doing it better by playing on the safe side and under-estimating - isn't that what you've done already?

Do you really want to eat so low for ever, with it being so easy to gain weight?
Repeating it every year or two, getting harder each time?

Dragonwolf

I wonder how correct your food logging is. Half a pita bread 30 calories or three slices of bacon 120 calories ? That seems too good to be true....:o). I don't think it all of the reason why you gained, but is worth checking out.

The pita is a low fat, low carb version, not your average pita. As for the bacon, i cook it in the oven, which cuts down on the fat a bit. I freely admit, though, that I have no idea on the actual calorie count having merely looked for an average number many moons ago and using that same count whenever I make bacon. It could be off...

Heybales, thanks for all the data! While some of it is completely Greek to me, I'll check out your spreadsheet. Am I supposed to know my body fat % before starting, or do I use those other numbers to calculate it? I've purchased bf calipers and taken all the various measurements and plugged them into various calculators on several different sites and come up with wildly different results (everything from 12 % -- which is crazy -- to 23%-- which seems a bit high). I've also tried finding my TDEE, and have come up with an average between 1600 and 1700. That seems high to me, too.

All the numbers seem to be more subjective than they should be at times.

That TDEE actually looks rather low, given the amount of exercise you do, even for your age. From the looks of your pictures, you appear to be on the tall side. You're what? About 5'7"? Using that number (and the math based on your profile's information of starting weight and how much you lost to put you at 150lb), and this calculator http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ - I come up with a TDEE of 2000-2300 across the board. I estimated about 18% body fat for the one that required it, since you're skinny, but also don't have much muscle definition (which would put your body fat percentage higher, because you don't have much lean body mass). All of them put your BMR (what you should never eat below) at more than 1500.

The calipers are only as accurate as the skill of the person using them, and are best done by someone else (ie - don't measure yourself with them). That said, what might help is to cross-reference the number you get from them with a different measure, such as a tape measure based calculator, or, even better, a DEXA or BodPod screen.

Also, if you're going with low carb, increase your fats. Low carb + low fat deprives you of fuel (protein is favored for building and repairing, not energy unless absolutely necessary), low fat also hinders nutrient absorption (many vitamins and minerals are fat soluble), and too much protein can screw with the kidneys and can cause what's known as "rabbit starvation" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation ). Not to mention all the crap that has to go into a food to make it both low carb and low fat. Your so-called "healthy" foods probably aren't so healthy when you actually look at what's in them.

Fat is not the enemy, especially if you're doing low-carb.

debi_f

That TDEE actually looks rather low, given the amount of exercise you do, even for your age. From the looks of your pictures, you appear to be on the tall side. You're what? About 5'7"? Using that number (and the math based on your profile's information of starting weight and how much you lost to put you at 150lb), and this calculator http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ - I come up with a TDEE of 2000-2300 across the board. I estimated about 18% body fat for the one that required it, since you're skinny, but also don't have much muscle definition (which would put your body fat percentage higher, because you don't have much lean body mass). All of them put your BMR (what you should never eat below) at more than 1500.

The calipers are only as accurate as the skill of the person using them, and are best done by someone else (ie - don't measure yourself with them). That said, what might help is to cross-reference the number you get from them with a different measure, such as a tape measure based calculator, or, even better, a DEXA or BodPod screen.

Also, if you're going with low carb, increase your fats. Low carb + low fat deprives you of fuel (protein is favored for building and repairing, not energy unless absolutely necessary), low fat also hinders nutrient absorption (many vitamins and minerals are fat soluble), and too much protein can screw with the kidneys and can cause what's known as "rabbit starvation" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation ). Not to mention all the crap that has to go into a food to make it both low carb and low fat. Your so-called "healthy" foods probably aren't so healthy when you actually look at what's in them.

I went to the website you mentioned and filled in my numbers (sw was 186; cw 137; lowest weight 117), and the BMR ranged from 1271 to 2065, and the TDEE ranged from 2065 to 2342 depending on the method used to calculate (I also tried a couple of different BF %, since I have no real idea what my BF really is! Ha ha!)

I don't want to sound whiny (did that earlier today, and I'm past that for now), but these types of findings are what confuse me so much. If 200 cals a day make a total of 1400/week, guessing the wrong number will play major havoc with any weight loss/maintenance/reset plans a person tries to implement.

How do you know which sets of numbers to use?

heybales

That is a rather involved calculator for the experienced, I'd skip it. Mifflin, Harris, Katch are BMR formula's, Cunningham and others are RMR, which is 150-250 higher than BMR. Hence the range you got.
You just confused yourself is all.

Again, a BMR based on your actual LBM, or in other words, bodyfat %, will allow you to start with best estimate. That is the Katch BMR.

Vast majority are within 5% of that estimate outside medical issues or suppressing your metabolism, but the BMR can only be suppressed so much.

Your body will make sure your BMR has enough calories by slowing higher functions (hair, nail, skin growth, muscle repair, ect), even to the point studies have shown your whole TDEE can be suppressed by less daily normal movement (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis NEAT), or bad heat generation in winter (getting colder easier).

LeslieLLFH

You need to eat at least 1200 calories a day. Otherwise your body goes into deprivation mode and stores fat...

dunlol

If I had to guess, I'd say that you trained your body very well to run on very few kcalories. You may have to start over with a metabolic reset (an initial gain), lose it again slower and then level off into maintenance.

More helpful info here
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

^This. If you logging honestly, it would seem impossible to gain weight from eating so few calories - but it isn't. Eating less than 1000 calories for a significant amount of time, limiting carbs, while also exercising by doing endless amounts of steady state cardio, you most likely have caused metabolic damage. Your body has gotten increasingly efficient at running on so few calories by slowing down its metabolism. The answer isn't to cut out more calories, because you are already at a dangerously low level. The above link from tryclyn should provide more help. I also recommend searching YouTube for Layne Norton and metabolic damage. You basically have to do a reset by reverse dieting. Increasing your calories by slowly upping carbs and slowing decreasing cardio and training. You will most likely gain more weight, and it isn't an overnight fix. Seek professional help if need be.

The goal is to eat as many calories as possible and manintain weight, not as few calories as possible. In the long run, such a large restriction, coupled with intense training, causes more harm than good. Good luck.

I'll back this from personal experience. I cut to around five % body fat by cutting carbs and being on an extremely low caloric intake. In order to get back I had to up the calories slowly and gained about 10-15 lb before I recovered to around where the balance of TDEE and my caloric intake should be. During the cut and while on those low calories I felt like ****, and it screwed up my relationship with food because I would always want to binge. Eventually, though, I got back to a healthy body fat percentage and a reasonable caloric intake that goes well with my TDEE. If cutting try not to go below 20-25% of your TDEE and remember that weight loss does become harder as you become leaner. Cutting more and more calories without using a percentage based approach will result in metabolic damage and the potential for eating disorders, depression, obsession with only eating certain things in certain amounts etc.

prettylittleliarxx

You're eating too less calories and your body is probably in starvation mode... which makes it hard to burn fat as it stores it. Eat more and have lots of green tea to boost your metabolism and other fat burning foods:)

lonestarb

Having read your post and the long list of replies.... I favor the calling your doctor answer. Something going on with your body that a few medical tests might reveal.

Dragonwolf

That is a rather involved calculator for the experienced, I'd skip it. Mifflin, Harris, Katch are BMR formula's, Cunningham and others are RMR, which is 150-250 higher than BMR. Hence the range you got.
You just confused yourself is all.

Again, a BMR based on your actual LBM, or in other words, bodyfat %, will allow you to start with best estimate. That is the Katch BMR.

Vast majority are within 5% of that estimate outside medical issues or suppressing your metabolism, but the BMR can only be suppressed so much.

Your body will make sure your BMR has enough calories by slowing higher functions (hair, nail, skin growth, muscle repair, ect), even to the point studies have shown your whole TDEE can be suppressed by less daily normal movement (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis NEAT), or bad heat generation in winter (getting colder easier).

This. Find a way to get a reasonably accurate body fat % number and use the Katch-McArdie calculation. That will give you an idea of what you SHOULD be eating, given the amount you exercise and your stats, so you can work up to that, ideally with the help of a doctor who specializes in dealing with metabolic issues from under eating.

nwachim

wow! i think i might have run into the same problem too, the scale has just been going up no matter what i do, i was just about 3 pounds away from maintainance and i decided to up my calories to about 1750, and i started gaining,so i reduced it to 1650 and increased my exercise but even with that i have still have continued to gain unfortunately i cant imagine going lower than 1650 because even with that amount of calories i still sometimes get very hungry,so i just decided i will stop measuring and weighing myself,do cardio moderately,lift heavy weights and continue to eat at 1650.i hope this works for me because reading this post has just opened up my eyes to the problem i ve got myself into.