Losing weight on 2,800 calories a day... what is this?!

zarrr7
zarrr7 Posts: 5
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Currently trying to gain weight by bulking... I'm eating 2,800 calories a day, and yet somehow I'm still losing weight... down almost 3kg in 2 weeks. What even!?!?! 2,800 is already so much food, I don't know if I can eat any more :(
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Replies

  • angelicatoo
    angelicatoo Posts: 7
    are you on any medication that might be affecting this? Are you eating a balance of the macronutrients? Are you male and doing lots of exercise? Are you using protein powder? getting enough fat? Are you doing that thing where you exercise one day then rest the next day to give your muscles time to heal.?
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    I think I just about maintain, depending on how active a week I have had work-wise on that number. I wouldn't worry, keep upping your calories until you gain - you'll get used to the eating.
  • FromHereOnOut
    FromHereOnOut Posts: 3,237 Member
    Maybe have your thyroid tested.
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    Currently trying to gain weight by bulking... I'm eating 2,800 calories a day, and yet somehow I'm still losing weight... down almost 3kg in 2 weeks. What even!?!?! 2,800 is already so much food, I don't know if I can eat any more :(

    It may be shocking, but the amount you can eat when you're active and lifting weights (particularly in your early 20s) is enormous. Try drinking more calories (protein shakes, milk, even just sugary coffee drinks) or adding in more snacks. Your stomach does get used to the extra food in time.

    By the way, feel free to add me as it's good to have other girls bulking around... there are so many stresses that you never think about until you try!
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
    Clearly your numbers are off and you remain in a deficit. Over estimating fitness, under estimating nutrition. Raise by 100 over a week and see how it goes. Repeat until you get the "bulking" results you want.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I can't see your diary, but guessing you do a reasonable bit of exercise?
    Basically I just love doing it, and when I go to the gym it's like an escape from reality for me
    Also want to be the healthiest, fittest, and strongest I can be
    With weights and a little cardio I can maintain on around 3000.

    I had a run this morning.
    According to my diary, I have 2,828 calorie to eat today. Today is a 'rest' day where I eat 1000 calories less than a weights workout day!
    I'm still losing 1.5-1.75lb a week at the moment. I've been doing a fair bit of running this week, including on weights workout days, which means some days I eat 4000. And I'm STILL losing.

    In the end, the scales are the true measure of weight gain/loss. Me? I'm having a whole large pizza with extra toppings to myself for breakfast :D.
    So, as above, keeping raising until you find the scales slowly going up.
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    I can't see your diary, but guessing you do a reasonable bit of exercise?
    Basically I just love doing it, and when I go to the gym it's like an escape from reality for me
    Also want to be the healthiest, fittest, and strongest I can be
    With weights and a little cardio I can maintain on around 3000.

    I had a run this morning.
    According to my diary, I have 2,828 calorie to eat today. Today is a 'rest' day where I eat 1000 calories less than a weights workout day!
    I'm still losing 1.5-1.75lb a week at the moment. I've been doing a fair bit of running this week, including on weights workout days, which means some days I eat 4000. And I'm STILL losing.

    In the end, the scales are the true measure of weight gain/loss. Me? I'm having a whole large pizza with extra toppings to myself for breakfast :D.
    So, as above, keeping raising until you find the scales slowly going up.

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  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    Story of my life.
  • harphy
    harphy Posts: 290 Member
    You don't have to eat more, just eat more high calories food! Peanut butter, avocado, pasta, bread, nuts, olive oil, butter, pizza! And opening your diary would help as well.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,302 Member
    Um, OP if you are losing over 3pounds per week for 2 weeks you are at a 10,500 calorie deficit each week for the last 2 weeks and you'd like to gain. OP--->slowly increase your intake and find your 'bulk' calorie number; 3kg or 6.6 pounds is a fair amount of weight loss, so continue to consume larger quantities of foods of all types. Best of luck.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    1200 calorie diet, just for breakfast.
    Tesco - Ultimate Dark Chocolate Cookie, 2 Cookie 600 89 22 8 3 0
    Fenbank Farm - Cooked Chicken Tikka Breast, 100 g 140 7 2 22 0 0
    Morrisons - Smoky Sausage & Bacon Stuffed Crust Pizza, 1 Pizza 1,200 123 47 64 15 0
    Morrisons Premier Deli Corned Beef - Corned Beef Slices, 4 Slice (25g) 203 1 10 26 1 0
    Add Food
    Quick Tools
    2,143 220 81 120 19 0

    I have left 1/3rd of the pizza for later :).
  • cwsreddy
    cwsreddy Posts: 998 Member
    Story of my life.

    samesies. If I'm not eating 3200+ cal a day I don't gain jack, and even that is really slow.
  • Ulwaz
    Ulwaz Posts: 380 Member
    Your obviously just doing too much exercise and burning the calories off you are eating, try drinking more of your calories :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Clearly your numbers are off and you remain in a deficit. Over estimating fitness, under estimating nutrition. Raise by 100 over a week and see how it goes. Repeat until you get the "bulking" results you want.
    This.
  • milileitner
    milileitner Posts: 98 Member
    I can maintain happily on 2800 and i'm a 5'1 female. Eat more. Or look at your calorie expenditure and minimise it without compromising growth.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    go up to 3000 a day and see how that works for you …

    one serving of ice cream is 230 calories, giver or take, so I am sure you can find room in your day for daily ice cream…right, right, right…????
  • cupcakes_and_cardio
    cupcakes_and_cardio Posts: 369 Member
    all I can say is...I wish I were you! I'd love to lose weight while eating that much!
  • louisgeodarno
    louisgeodarno Posts: 1
    How are your macros?

    An easy ( but gross ) and healthy way to add alot of calories is to throw in some olive oil. It's a super healthy fat and it's very calorie dense. 2 tbs is 240 calories. A shot of olive oil is probably around 400 calories. Add a table spoon first thing in the morning and one before bed. That is an easy way to add another 240 to what you are already eating.

    I am trying to gain weight too. I have some trouble putting on quality weight. If you are doing alot of cardio, stop it. Focus on lifting. Make sure and give yourself recovery time. On workout days up your carb intake. On recovery day focus on protein and fat. Your workouts should last no more than an hour. Have a recovery drink IMMEDIATELY after working out. Like in the locker room.

    Make sure and weigh in at the same time every day. I usually do it in the morning right before I shower.

    If you still can't gain, I would honestly see your doctor. There are numerous problems that can cause an inability to gain weight. From thyroid disorders to food allergies to pancreatic issues.
  • steve0820
    steve0820 Posts: 510 Member
    I agree with what other posters have said. It's probably a combination of not eating enough and under-estimating your exercise. MFP tells me I need 3000 cals for a gain, I know that's wrong, I need at least 3500-4000 daily, and even at that, I barely gain anything. I work steady nights at a desk job, so I figured, I dont burn much there. I strength train mostly, no cardio, but at home, i'm constantly moving with housework and 3 kids.

    So I added 2 whey protein shakes a day, and ice cream, and its slowly started to help.
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
    You can lose weight at 2800 calories easily if you switch your diet & depending on your workouts.

    I probably average around 3kcal/week and I'm losing about 0.8 - 1kg/week... and I'm losing fat while gaining muscle. What others say is 'hard' or 'impossible'(well, it's not if you have a lot of fat to use as fuel btw).

    I was at a 1800 - 2100kcal diet while dropping weight from 127kg --> 113kg or so. I lost about 3-5kg/month.

    At 113kg, I upped my kcal intake to around 2500kcal / week. I lost about 3-4kg/month.

    Then at 111kg, I upped my kcal intake to around 2800 - 2900kcal/week. I am losing about 3kg/month.

    Now I'm at around 108 - 109kg. I upped my intake to about 3kcal/week and I'm still losing.

    Why?

    because as I lost weight, my training got more and more intense. Before I could barely finish a bootcamp class. Now I do crossfit, then run or row 5k immediately after.

    Therefore, I require more kcal(carbs, fat, protein). It's impossible to fit that into a 2kcal diet.

    Am I looking better and getting fitter?

    yes.

    I'm at 6' 109kg now and I can see abs , I got a lot stronger, and I can run 5k in 27 min quite easily now... hoping to run a 15k by march 30....

    --

    Just gave an example to show people that it's not thyroid or some mishap that OP is losing weight at 2800kcal/day diet.

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