Worried, confused and generally scared of becoming big again

Goldilukes
Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on a couple of questions I have.

First question
has me on 1200 calories and usually it can get by on that, can't say it's hugely enjoyable but doable now and again. I do often go slightly over just from my coffees which I am ok about since I can still lose weight this way for now. However I have been becoming incredibly more hungry since this past few weeks and I'm eating well above what mfp wants for me.
When I do overeat even by just 200 cals I am gaining back slowly what I'd lost over the few months. This scares me because I assume I'd be on that amount 1400 just to maintain. But this has me gaining and I am worried I have to keep my cals lower to maintain when I'm ready. I am 15lbs from goal and I am happy to take it slow.
Will I continue to gain weight if I up my cals from 1200 or will it eventually balance out?

Second question

I've been walking approx 3 miles per day sometimes more than that and I add my exercise cals in and eat them back mostly. I also have been using leg and arm weighs with small dumbbells for my sit ups, press ups, plank, squats, leg raises and crunches. I don't do hundreds like some people but do enough to make me feel winded and sick. I also take it nice and slow believing quality over quantity. I've noticed my stomach feels more solid but bloated as a whole which has had me worried with the weight gain mentioned above. I'm confused because I now fit comfortable in my smallest jeans which I couldn't do up comfortable this time last month. I do feel a lot more bulky and even feel like Im waking more cumbersome. Is it possible I've built muscle in just 3 weeks but I cant see it because of my fat stomach? And is this also why I am more hungry throughout the day?

Sorry to make this rather long, it's just I am really confused and have no one that is in the slightest bit interested close to me that I can ask the questions to and talk about with.

Replies

  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    I've spent the last seven months upping my calories. it takes my body three weeks to adjust when I change anything, so I would add 200 calories a day, gain 15 pounds, then as my body adjusted, I would lose it again, and repeat the process. the body adjusts to anything and everything. do what makes you feel good, be consistent about it, and everything will balance out when it's ready. :)

    best of luck!
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
    I've spent the last seven months upping my calories. it takes my body three weeks to adjust when I change anything, so I would add 200 calories a day, gain 15 pounds, then as my body adjusted, I would lose it again, and repeat the process. the body adjusts to anything and everything. do what makes you feel good, be consistent about it, and everything will balance out when it's ready. :)

    best of luck!

    Thank you for replying. I knew things took a while it's just such a worry for me right now as I am scared to go on maintanance cals incase I gain even more weight since just going over my 1200 per day can lead to a gain as it is.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    OP, please read this post:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1071202-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut

    It should help to explain what's happening when you raise your calories. More people who lost their weight on 1200-calorie diets seem to post about this happening to them than people who lost their weight on mild deficits.

    MFP doesn't "want" you to restrict to 1200 calories. MFP does simple math based on the stats and goals you provide. Did you specify that you wanted to lose two pounds a week? If so, I'd suggest you re-evaluate your goals as you don't have that much to lose.

    You will not get "bulky" by walking three miles a day and doing calisthenics with light weights. Even on a heavy lifting program and eating at a surplus, you wouldn't add significant muscle in three weeks. If you're doing insane amounts of reps, perhaps you are noticing inflammation. That's normal after intense exercise. It's not instant muscle gain; it's just fluids moving into the muscles to repair and recover.

    Here is another post you may find useful.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
    Unless you are 4'10" sedentary and over 50 you 99% do not maintain at 1400 calories.

    You do not look older, and state that you walk 3 miles per day. The most likely thing is a miscalculation. Do you weigh your food? How do you figure your exercise burn? Without weighing and measuring intake, you could be off by 30%. Being near goal means you have a smaller deficient to work with and it could easily be canceled out by a simple math error.


    Try this.....


    *Log EVERYTHING

    *Weigh Solids

    *Measure liquids

    *Exercise for fitness
    (weight lifting is my recommendation)

    *Be Honest with Yourself

    *Measure yourself, take silly pictures and then enjoy your progress.

    And............

    *****MOST IMPORTANTLY******
    READ THIS


    ======================================================================================================
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    ======================================================================================================

    THEN READ IT AGAIN........ :drinker:


    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
    OP, please read this post:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1071202-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut

    It should help to explain what's happening when you raise your calories. More people who lost their weight on 1200-calorie diets seem to post about this happening to them than people who lost their weight on mild deficits.

    MFP doesn't "want" you to restrict to 1200 calories. MFP does simple math based on the stats and goals you provide. Did you specify that you wanted to lose two pounds a week? If so, I'd suggest you re-evaluate your goals as you don't have that much to lose.

    You will not get "bulky" by walking three miles a day and doing calisthenics with light weights. Even on a heavy lifting program and eating at a surplus, you wouldn't add significant muscle in three weeks. If you're doing insane amounts of reps, perhaps you are noticing inflammation. That's normal after intense exercise. It's not instant muscle gain; it's just fluids moving into the muscles to repair and recover.

    Here is another post you may find useful.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Thank you very much for your reply and links. I will read them with interest. I think you are right and I need to change my goals as I am very worried about what I'd have to be on cal wise at goal at this rate.
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
    Unless you are 4'10" sedentary and over 50 you 99% do not maintain at 1400 calories.

    You do not look older, and state that you walk 3 miles per day. The most likely thing is a miscalculation. Do you weigh your food? How do you figure your exercise burn? Without weighing and measuring intake, you could be off by 30%. Being near goal means you have a smaller deficient to work with and it could easily be canceled out by a simple math error.


    Try this.....


    *Log EVERYTHING

    *Weigh Solids

    *Measure liquids

    *Exercise for fitness
    (weight lifting is my recommendation)

    *Be Honest with Yourself

    *Measure yourself, take silly pictures and then enjoy your progress.

    And............

    *****MOST IMPORTANTLY******
    READ THIS


    ======================================================================================================
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    ======================================================================================================

    THEN READ IT AGAIN........ :drinker:


    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Thanks for the reply. I do add correctly sometimes I overestimate my cals and I underestimate my waking times because I don't believe the cals burned are what mfp says. I have a feeling I'm not eating enough and it's become more noticeable since walking more and weightlifting. I'm going to change my goals and take it from there for a bit to see if I can find a happier balance.
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
    I've spent the last seven months upping my calories. it takes my body three weeks to adjust when I change anything, so I would add 200 calories a day, gain 15 pounds

    This is quackery at best. In 3 weeks eating 200 cals more a day you'd have eaten an excess of 4200 calories in 3 weeks which only equates to 1.2 lbs gained if in a surplus.

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