Gaining weight while eating under calorie goal
Replies
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I have an digital kitchen scale so like I said, everything is measured and weighed. I use the barcode scanner on everything that has a barcode so I'm not guessing. I know how easy it can be to underestimate how many calories you consume that's why I'm so anal about being accurate on what I'm eating. And luckily doing paleo I'm making all of my food, so there's no surprises.
Then I go with my last comment in my first quote...
Weight loss is not linear...Hang in there I've gone weeks without weight loss...and even gained (on vacation and over holidays) but then bam I had a big loss...just remember you have lost 2lbs a week...that's great...
As I said probably just miscommunication on words...weigh vs measure...I still say make sure your entries are the correct ones this too often gets people...I've seen people log 150g of chicken at 123 calories...:noway:
with entering your own recipes it does make it a lot easier....:happy:0 -
There are, like, 4 days in a row with exactly the same calories.
I'm not sure how...accurate...this is likely to be.0 -
I think you are doing great...good for you for weighing and measuring, that is key as you know. I am concerned that you aren't eating enough and you should eat back your exercise calories, that is how MFP is designed, unless you customize your calorie goal using your TDEE and BMR (which is what I have done).
I've always wondered why people say you're supposed to eat back your work out calories. Now if I'm going to go to the gym and do a big workout or go on a hike I'll eat a bigger breakfast than normal for more energy, but why eat back the calories I just worked so hard to burn? Right now the only exercise I do is on my work days where I usually get between 4-5 miles in on a 12 hour shift.
Because MFP has the deficet you need already built into your calories. You will lose weight on those ...you add in exercise and you have a bigger deficet...and have burned a lot of your fuel for the next workout...or not eating enough fuel for the next workout.
That is why you need to eat some of those exercise calories back.
The other thing you mentioned you are an ER Nurse...make sure your activity level is set correctly...to at least lightly active if not more to ensure you are accounting for that as well.0 -
I have an digital kitchen scale so like I said, everything is measured and weighed. I use the barcode scanner on everything that has a barcode so I'm not guessing. I know how easy it can be to underestimate how many calories you consume that's why I'm so anal about being accurate on what I'm eating. And luckily doing paleo I'm making all of my food, so there's no surprises.
Then I go with my last comment in my first quote...
Weight loss is not linear...Hang in there I've gone weeks without weight loss...and even gained (on vacation and over holidays) but then bam I had a big loss...just remember you have lost 2lbs a week...that's great...
As I said probably just miscommunication on words...weigh vs measure...I still say make sure your entries are the correct ones this too often gets people...I've seen people log 150g of chicken at 123 calories...:noway:
with entering your own recipes it does make it a lot easier....:happy:
Yep paleo can be a pain cause you have to make everything yourself, but at least I know what I'm eating and how much.0 -
There are, like, 4 days in a row with exactly the same calories.
I'm not sure how...accurate...this is likely to be.
As I said in a previous post I work 12 hour shift as an ER nurse, so the day before work I cook large batches of food. My meals are exactly the same on my work days. I have chocolate protein muffins for breakfast, carrots and jerky as snacks and chicken thighs with brussels sprouts for lunch. Makes it easy when I work such long days.0 -
Weight bounces around like a yoyo for no obvious reason sometimes. I've gained weight in a day on nothing but water and that maple syrup/hot lemonade/cayenne pepper stuff. Bodies just do that. It's not easy to understand, but it looks to me like your overall results have been good so just keep doing what you're doing and don't let stuff like this knock you off course.0
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I think you are doing great...good for you for weighing and measuring, that is key as you know. I am concerned that you aren't eating enough and you should eat back your exercise calories, that is how MFP is designed, unless you customize your calorie goal using your TDEE and BMR (which is what I have done).
I've always wondered why people say you're supposed to eat back your work out calories. Now if I'm going to go to the gym and do a big workout or go on a hike I'll eat a bigger breakfast than normal for more energy, but why eat back the calories I just worked so hard to burn? Right now the only exercise I do is on my work days where I usually get between 4-5 miles in on a 12 hour shift.
Because MFP has the deficet you need already built into your calories. You will lose weight on those ...you add in exercise and you have a bigger deficet...and have burned a lot of your fuel for the next workout...or not eating enough fuel for the next workout.
That is why you need to eat some of those exercise calories back.
The other thing you mentioned you are an ER Nurse...make sure your activity level is set correctly...to at least lightly active if not more to ensure you are accounting for that as well.
I have it set to sedentary with 3 workouts a week, since my work days I clock approx 4 miles a shift but my days off I don't do much...yet. So right now I'm counting my work days as my workouts if that makes sense.0 -
Weight bounces around like a yoyo for no obvious reason sometimes. I've gained weight in a day on nothing but water and that maple syrup/hot lemonade/cayenne pepper stuff. Bodies just do that. It's not easy to understand, but it looks to me like your overall results have been good so just keep doing what you're doing and don't let stuff like this knock you off course.
Thanks. I guess I'm just so frustrated since this is the first time I've actually stuck with the "lifestyle" change and really want it to be successful. I've lost weight before but that was with diet pills and pretty much not eating, but other than that I've been fat my whole life and really really want to change that. I know it takes time since I didn't gain it all at once, just hate set backs.0 -
It sounds like you are very motivated and doing a great job. I do have to agree that 1,000 is not enough food for you, even on your inactive days. You will be losing muscle along with fat if you continue eating very low calorie, resulting in your metabolism slowing down. You should try eating back your fitbit calories for a while and see what happens. You can easily add some more calories by eating some almond butter with your apple, some chopped bacon with your brussels sprouts (so yummy) and a baked sweet potato. A Paleo diet can be very filling so adding some calorie dense foods might help you up your calories.0
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From you OP and your diary this is not obvious which is why you got those responses, and why I tried to explain it to you. Good luck on your WL journey :flowerforyou:0
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I don't have any real advice to offer, but thank you for your post. I am dealing with this same issue this week -- gaining 3 lbs and not having an explanation why that happened. If I had blown off the whole week, I would understand, but like you, I had one lousy cheat meal and BAM! Like I said, I can't offer any advice at this point, but just know there are others out there dealing with the same issue. I am trying to just be consistent and patient, but it is SO HARD! :sad: :laugh:0
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I don't have any real advice to offer, but thank you for your post. I am dealing with this same issue this week -- gaining 3 lbs and not having an explanation why that happened. If I had blown off the whole week, I would understand, but like you, I had one lousy cheat meal and BAM! Like I said, I can't offer any advice at this point, but just know there are others out there dealing with the same issue. I am trying to just be consistent and patient, but it is SO HARD! :sad: :laugh:
Ha ha yeah it sucks. I would totally understand too if I gave up on my diet and was eating like crap, but nothing has changed in what I eat or activity level. I've actually had other cheat days but the weight came back off in a couple days. Hopefully it will come off soon, I just have to learn patience....which I really lack!0 -
Few questions that may help some of us direct you. Why have you chosen Paleo as your strategy? How have you determined your caloric intake? What are you goals? How much do you wish to lose each week? Why have you not included a workout program?0
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Just a thought, but if you've been eating paleo and suddenly eat a nice, modern carb and sodium-filled meal it's quite possible you've gained a crapload of water weight. The lousy 500 extra calories certainly didn't do it. Should drop off as suddenly as it packed on.
While I hate to mess with a working system (and you've managed to drop an impressive amount of weight in a short time), but you don't seem to be eating enough. I had to make some assumptions about weight and such, but I figure your TDEE on work days is in the 3400 calorie range, which would put you eating at around a 2000 calorie day deficit. That's more than a little on the unhealthy side.0 -
Few questions that may help some of us direct you. Why have you chosen Paleo as your strategy? How have you determined your caloric intake? What are you goals? How much do you wish to lose each week? Why have you not included a workout program?
I chose Paleo because I feel it's a good clean way to eat and honestly I've found it much easier to stick to this diet than anything else. I let MFP pick my calories. My goals are to get down to about 140, I'm not stuck on the number, more about shape at that point. I would like to shoot for 2lbs a week, which is what my goals are set at. I work out here and there, but its hard at this weight and I'm looking to start it more once some weight has come off.0 -
Just a thought, but if you've been eating paleo and suddenly eat a nice, modern carb and sodium-filled meal it's quite possible you've gained a crapload of water weight. The lousy 500 extra calories certainly didn't do it. Should drop off as suddenly as it packed on.
While I hate to mess with a working system (and you've managed to drop an impressive amount of weight in a short time), but you don't seem to be eating enough. I had to make some assumptions about weight and such, but I figure your TDEE on work days is in the 3400 calorie range, which would put you eating at around a 2000 calorie day deficit. That's more than a little on the unhealthy side.
Your assumptions were way off, my TDEE is 2538 and for my deficits my daily calories should be 1320 for a two pound a week weight loss. I thought the same thing about the weight coming off but the cheat meal was on Tues, so it should have come off by now, hence my frustration. I've had other cheat meals, heck even a cheat weekend, and bounced back. But thanks for the input and advice.0 -
Your assumptions were way off, my TDEE is 2538 and for my deficits my daily calories should be 1320 for a two pound a week weight loss. I thought the same thing about the weight coming off but the cheat meal was on Tues, so it should have come off by now, hence my frustration. I've had other cheat meals, heck even a cheat weekend, and bounced back. But thanks for the input and advice.
If your TDEE is 2538, then your daily calories should be 1538 for a two pound a week weight loss.0 -
Your assumptions were way off, my TDEE is 2538 and for my deficits my daily calories should be 1320 for a two pound a week weight loss. I thought the same thing about the weight coming off but the cheat meal was on Tues, so it should have come off by now, hence my frustration. I've had other cheat meals, heck even a cheat weekend, and bounced back. But thanks for the input and advice.
If your TDEE is 2538, then your daily calories should be 1538 for a two pound a week weight loss.
Hmmm I've just been going by the calorie goal from MFP for a 2lb week weight loss...0 -
Your assumptions were way off, my TDEE is 2538 and for my deficits my daily calories should be 1320 for a two pound a week weight loss. I thought the same thing about the weight coming off but the cheat meal was on Tues, so it should have come off by now, hence my frustration. I've had other cheat meals, heck even a cheat weekend, and bounced back. But thanks for the input and advice.
If your TDEE is 2538, then your daily calories should be 1538 for a two pound a week weight loss.
Looks like when I drop my activity from exercise 3 days a week to couch potato my TDEE is 2215 which would put me at 1215 for a two pound a week weight loss.0 -
I've had it set up according to my activity level and weight loss goal. It has me at 1320 a day which I think is very reasonable.0 -
So, basically... You know exactly what you are doing, have everything set up perfectly, couldn't possibly be logging anything incorrectly, shoot down every piece of advice offered to you.. Why did you post in the forums asking for advice in the first place if you got it all figured out?0
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So, basically... You know exactly what you are doing, have everything set up perfectly, couldn't possibly be logging anything incorrectly, shoot down every piece of advice offered to you.. Why did you post in the forums asking for advice in the first place if you got it all figured out?
Wow, what the hell?? Why are you so angry and aggressive? People have asked how I have things set up and I've clarified how and what I'm doing. I've thanked multiple people for their input, but that's not good enough for you? People told me to measure and weigh my food, I let them know that I do. Someone made assumptions as to what my TDEE is which was wildly incorrect so I put in the correct stats and posted what my TDEE actually is. So giving correct information is not accepting help? I should have just let people assume I wasn't doing everything in my power to lose weight? Sorry but I feel giving all details is important. You told me to change my calorie goals based on my TDEE and I posted what the two different calorie goals should be based on my two different activity levels and that MFP has me in the middle of those two. I guess that's just not good enough for you. Good bye.0 -
I'm not angry in the least. I'm curious and already stated why. I didn't tell you to change anything but offered a resource. What you do with it from there is all you.0
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I've always wondered why people say you're supposed to eat back your work out calories. Now if I'm going to go to the gym and do a big workout or go on a hike I'll eat a bigger breakfast than normal for more energy, but why eat back the calories I just worked so hard to burn? Right now the only exercise I do is on my work days where I usually get between 4-5 miles in on a 12 hour shift.
Because MFP has the deficet you need already built into your calories. You will lose weight on those ...you add in exercise and you have a bigger deficet...and have burned a lot of your fuel for the next workout...or not eating enough fuel for the next workout.
That is why you need to eat some of those exercise calories back.
The other thing you mentioned you are an ER Nurse...make sure your activity level is set correctly...to at least lightly active if not more to ensure you are accounting for that as well.
I have it set to sedentary with 3 workouts a week, since my work days I clock approx 4 miles a shift but my days off I don't do much...yet. So right now I'm counting my work days as my workouts if that makes sense.
There's the confusion - which MFP doesn't help.
There is your DIET goal - with activity level and weight loss amount goal.
There is your FITNESS goal - with hoped for frequency, duration, and calories burned goal. It only shows on your Exercise Diary.
The Fitness goal has NOTHING to do with the diet goal.
Nothing with fitness is done until you log it. That is exactly why your eating goal goes up.
As others have said, you have a deficit built in with NO exercise expected.
You tell MFP sedentary and 1 lb goal loss or 500 calories off, it calculates your maintenance as say 2000 - with NO exercise account for. You eat that, no gain or loss, hence maintenance.
(but you aren't sedentary are you, not by a long shot with your job - were you honest with that?)
2000 - 500 = 1500 eating goal on non-exercise days.
You exercise 600 calories one day. Your maintenance for that day just went up.
2000 + 600 = 2600 (if you ate that, no gain or loss)
2600 - 500 = 2100 eating goal for that day.
See - same deficit in place.
If you think a bigger deficit is better - why don't you just stop eating until you've lost all the weight?
Probably because you realize that is dumb.
Do you have ANY experience with calorie levels outside what MFP assigned per your selections?
Did you ever log what you used to eat that got you in to trouble to see how much that was - likely without the same exercise being done now.
How do you know reasonable or not without something to compare too?
So, I can tell you've been using the tool wrong (selecting sedentary, really?).
What happens at work when tools are used incorrectly? At the least, it doesn't do what it was expected to do, unless pure lucky. At worst it can cause harm.
Guess which one you are getting using this tool wrong?0 -
Just keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about the 3lbs. It's only a week, give it a little more time. If you haven't eaten over your TDEE, (and you seem pretty sure that you haven't) then you cannot gain fat and have nothing to worry about. You have to consume approximately 3500 calories MORE than you burn to gain 1lb of fat. Did you eat 10,500 over your TDEE? If not, you're probably retaining water for one reason or another.0
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I've always wondered why people say you're supposed to eat back your work out calories. Now if I'm going to go to the gym and do a big workout or go on a hike I'll eat a bigger breakfast than normal for more energy, but why eat back the calories I just worked so hard to burn? Right now the only exercise I do is on my work days where I usually get between 4-5 miles in on a 12 hour shift.
Because MFP has the deficet you need already built into your calories. You will lose weight on those ...you add in exercise and you have a bigger deficet...and have burned a lot of your fuel for the next workout...or not eating enough fuel for the next workout.
That is why you need to eat some of those exercise calories back.
The other thing you mentioned you are an ER Nurse...make sure your activity level is set correctly...to at least lightly active if not more to ensure you are accounting for that as well.
I have it set to sedentary with 3 workouts a week, since my work days I clock approx 4 miles a shift but my days off I don't do much...yet. So right now I'm counting my work days as my workouts if that makes sense.
There's the confusion - which MFP doesn't help.
There is your DIET goal - with activity level and weight loss amount goal.
There is your FITNESS goal - with hoped for frequency, duration, and calories burned goal. It only shows on your Exercise Diary.
The Fitness goal has NOTHING to do with the diet goal.
Nothing with fitness is done until you log it. That is exactly why your eating goal goes up.
As others have said, you have a deficit built in with NO exercise expected.
You tell MFP sedentary and 1 lb goal loss or 500 calories off, it calculates your maintenance as say 2000 - with NO exercise account for. You eat that, no gain or loss, hence maintenance.
(but you aren't sedentary are you, not by a long shot with your job - were you honest with that?)
2000 - 500 = 1500 eating goal on non-exercise days.
You exercise 600 calories one day. Your maintenance for that day just went up.
2000 + 600 = 2600 (if you ate that, no gain or loss)
2600 - 500 = 2100 eating goal for that day.
See - same deficit in place.
If you think a bigger deficit is better - why don't you just stop eating until you've lost all the weight?
Probably because you realize that is dumb.
Do you have ANY experience with calorie levels outside what MFP assigned per your selections?
Did you ever log what you used to eat that got you in to trouble to see how much that was - likely without the same exercise being done now.
How do you know reasonable or not without something to compare too?
So, I can tell you've been using the tool wrong (selecting sedentary, really?).
What happens at work when tools are used incorrectly? At the least, it doesn't do what it was expected to do, unless pure lucky. At worst it can cause harm.
Guess which one you are getting using this tool wrong?
My weightloss goal is 2lbs a week, not one. So my TDEE is 2215-2542 depending if my level is couch potato or light exercise. So to lose 2lbs a week I need a 1000 calorie deficit per day which puts my calories at 1215-1542. As for my "exercise" yes I get some walking in but that's over a 12 hour period so I'm not going hard. MFP has my calories per day at 1320 right in the middle of what it should be so how am I using this tool wrong? I didn't get to 268 by eating right or even acknowledging how much I was eating so I didn't count those calories. I think it would have broken me to actually see how many calories I was eating a day, safe to say it was easily 3000 or more. How is my diet not reasonable? How am I causing myself harm? Your post comes across pretty harsh so I'm trying not to be too defensive here, I really want to know why you think I'm harming myself.0 -
Just keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about the 3lbs. It's only a week, give it a little more time. If you haven't eaten over your TDEE, (and you seem pretty sure that you haven't) then you cannot gain fat and have nothing to worry about. You have to consume approximately 3500 calories MORE than you burn to gain 1lb of fat. Did you eat 10,500 over your TDEE? If not, you're probably retaining water for one reason or another.
Ha ha I'm pretty sure I would have noticed if I ate that much!! I know it will come back off, but damn it just sucks right now. Especially with people picking apart everything you say and eat. I know I asked for advice but some of it is just mean. Sigh. Back to my salmon and asparagus for dinner! Thanks for the post!0 -
I have it set to sedentary with 3 workouts a week, since my work days I clock approx 4 miles a shift but my days off I don't do much...yet. So right now I'm counting my work days as my workouts if that makes sense.
There's the confusion - which MFP doesn't help.
There is your DIET goal - with activity level and weight loss amount goal.
There is your FITNESS goal - with hoped for frequency, duration, and calories burned goal. It only shows on your Exercise Diary.
The Fitness goal has NOTHING to do with the diet goal.
Nothing with fitness is done until you log it. That is exactly why your eating goal goes up.
As others have said, you have a deficit built in with NO exercise expected.
You tell MFP sedentary and 2 lb goal loss or 1000 calories off, it calculates your maintenance as say 2320 - with NO exercise account for. You eat that, no gain or loss, hence maintenance.
(but you aren't sedentary are you, not by a long shot with your job - were you honest with that?)
2320 - 1000 = 1320 eating goal on non-exercise days.
You exercise 600 calories one day. Your maintenance for that day just went up.
2320 + 600 = 2920(if you ate that, no gain or loss)
2920 - 1000 = 1920 eating goal for that day.
See - same deficit in place.
If you think a bigger deficit is better - why don't you just stop eating until you've lost all the weight?
Probably because you realize that is dumb.
Do you have ANY experience with calorie levels outside what MFP assigned per your selections?
Did you ever log what you used to eat that got you in to trouble to see how much that was - likely without the same exercise being done now.
How do you know reasonable or not without something to compare too?
So, I can tell you've been using the tool wrong (selecting sedentary, really?).
What happens at work when tools are used incorrectly? At the least, it doesn't do what it was expected to do, unless pure lucky. At worst it can cause harm.
Guess which one you are getting using this tool wrong?
My weightloss goal is 2lbs a week, not one. So my TDEE is 2215-2542 depending if my level is couch potato or light exercise. So to lose 2lbs a week I need a 1000 calorie deficit per day which puts my calories at 1215-1542. As for my "exercise" yes I get some walking in but that's over a 12 hour period so I'm not going hard. MFP has my calories per day at 1320 right in the middle of what it should be so how am I using this tool wrong? I didn't get to 268 by eating right or even acknowledging how much I was eating so I didn't count those calories. I think it would have broken me to actually see how many calories I was eating a day, safe to say it was easily 3000 or more. How is my diet not reasonable? How am I causing myself harm? Your post comes across pretty harsh so I'm trying not to be too defensive here, I really want to know why you think I'm harming myself.
I used 1 lb as an example for the math. In case that incorrect value made you skip understanding it, I've redone the math above to review so it fits better for you, might reread if you did skip understanding it.
You said in prior post you have MFP set to Sedentary level for your non-exercise daily activity. That is described as desk-job.
What was your work again?
What do you do?
And for how many hours a week?
No, 1320 is NOT right in the middle of what it should be.
Were you exercising when you used to eat around 3000, or just the active job?
So do you log and eat back your exercise calories now?
You seemed to have said no or perhaps a slightly bigger breakfast on those days in prior posts.
Are you aware of what you can do to your body with extreme deficits?
Well, your body will adapt, and it won't be so extreme anymore. Do it really well, and you could have no deficit anymore.
Now you have to eat even less and less to show any loss.
How low can you go? And how ugly do you want your maintenance to be if you finally get there?
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales/view/reduced-metabolism-tdee-beyond-expected-from-weight-loss-616251
Wasn't meant as harsh, but I was sensing by reading many posts at once a definite tone to your posts, the idea that certainly you couldn't be do anything wrong.
And at least 2 simple things stood out as very obviously using the tool wrong.
Also, don't get TDEE method confused with what MFP is doing. non-exercise TDEE is what they do. So it is correct only for someone doing no exercise. But at least MFP lets you say what rest of the day outside exercise is like. Those TDEE tables with 5 rough levels speak to only exercise, no increased work like you do.
If you want to count workdays as exercise and still go for Sedentary, then you still aren't logging and eating it back, those are actually your lightest eating days according to you.
But honestly, 4 x 12 is easily Lightly-Active if not more actually. You aren't standing much I'd wager, but actually moving and lifting, ect. You are Active.0 -
Having seen the Op's responses to other posts, talking to a brick wall comes to mind.
I am glad others have more patience than I do.
I am surprised that a nurse would not have the common sense to realise she is eating far too little for her needs. It is actually quite scary.0
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