Gained 6lb from increasing my intake from 1200 to 1400?

indiamb8

In 6 months I went from 143lbs to 134lbs, losing 9lbs just by eating 1200 a day and light exercise 3 times a week. But around June-July I hit a plateau and stayed at 133-134lbs for around two months? I searched why and a lot of websites said that I should increase my intake to get rid of the plateau so I increased from 1200 to 1400, which is my bmr. But ever since I did that in early July, I have gone from 134lbs to 141... And it's been about 5-6 weeks.

This is really freaking me out and I was wondering whether I should just restrict back to 1200 again? I had a mini breakdown yesterday because it's making feel fat and like I've lost all progress.

Oh and I'm 5'6, my BMR is 1490 and my TDEE is 2010 if that helps at all? I do cardio 3 times a week because that's literally all I can fit in.

Please help!

deevatude

do u eat ur exercise calories?

seems to me ur still eating under ur bmr

vsetter

I increased my calories about 8 weeks ago. I was always at 1200 and then I hit a plateau for a very long time. I bumped up to 1800-2000 calories (my maintenance level). I gained weight. It was expected. It was a shock to my system. My body was used to hanging on to every morsel I fed it --- it didn't know what to do when I was feeding it more.

I gained about 5 pounds. I probably gained most of that within the first 4 weeks and then leveled off. BUT --- I will tell you that with exercise, I have lost inches.

I LOVE eating at this higher level and having more energy and losing inches!!!

Don't worry about the weight gain too much.....your body is just adjusting.

indiamb8

Yeah, say if I eat 1400 and then burn 200, I eat back 200 to stay at my BMR

And it isn't just my weight, I've gained around 3 inches overall...

jadums

Sometimes the body gets used to the type of workout you do. Try changing the way you do cardio. If you walk, do an eliptical. If you bike, try the stairs. You can also try doing cardio cycling using a 10, 20, 30 method - for 10 seconds go hard, 20 seconds go medium, then the last 30 seconds you do normal effort. Repeat 3 times and then take 2 minutes of normal effort before starting the next set. You can also do this in minute intervals (1 min hard, 2 min medium, 3 mins easy - repear 3 times and space with 2 minutes easy until next set of three).

Also, if you have trouble adding exercise to your day to day life in chunks, research shows that just trying to increase your activity in simple ways throughout the day can really help. Park your car further away from the store. Take the stairs (up or down) whenever you can. Every hour or two, get up from your desk and do a lap of your office (or if it's too obvious, go do 2 flights up and down). Walk around the block when you get home. Doing 5 minutes here and there (even if you don't track it) really helps.

Good luck!

simonlcube

Consider intermittent fasting.

geekyjock76

So your TDEE is calculated at 2010 and you were grossing 1200 a day? That's a rather large deficit of 40% and you maintained that for 6 months? Deficits that great by most average persons at your weight should only be maintained for a week or two at the most. After that you should have increased your calories to a more moderate deficit. By prolonging your large deficit, you likely lowered your resting metabolic rate among other things. You will gain some of that weight back but it will level off once your metabolism and hormones get normalized - ie by eating closer to maintenance for two weeks then doing another deficit cut.

funkyspunky872

Yeah, say if I eat 1400 and then burn 200, I eat back 200 to stay at my BMR

And it isn't just my weight, I've gained around 3 inches overall...

Yikes. I'd see a professional -- either a dietician or a nutritionist. That sounds like you've really messed with your metabolism, because eating 1400 NET shouldn't be a problem.

If that's not a possibility for you, maybe you should look into /what/ exactly you're eating. Maybe you're bloating with some kind of food intolerance.

rfsatar

I increased my calories about 8 weeks ago. I was always at 1200 and then I hit a plateau for a very long time. I bumped up to 1800-2000 calories (my maintenance level). I gained weight. It was expected. It was a shock to my system. My body was used to hanging on to every morsel I fed it --- it didn't know what to do when I was feeding it more.

I gained about 5 pounds. I probably gained most of that within the first 4 weeks and then leveled off. BUT --- I will tell you that with exercise, I have lost inches.

I LOVE eating at this higher level and having more energy and losing inches!!!

Don't worry about the weight gain too much.....your body is just adjusting.

I am stuck at around 72-73kg and that was just eating what I wanted and sporadic exercise at best.
I started using MFP and more recently FitBit in anger at the beginning of August, and for the first time since quitting athletics 13 years ago with injury, I have felt motivated to do some exercise almost every day.
This is the first week that I have just below my calorie intake (1200) every day with specific food planning.

BUT I had never thought of the inch-loss aspect as opposed to the weight loss aspect.
So I am going to do that tomorrow when I do my weigh in and thanks for the suggestion.

You_Can_Be

Hi,

This is the same for me too. You can't take for granted the recommended calorie intake. I would reduce back down to 1200 if it were me. I struggle too to lose weight, in fact I have to stick to 1000 a day to lose. I am just about to start the Michael Mosley 5:2 fasting ie. 2 days of fasting at 500 cals a week. manly for health but it will be interesting to see what happens. If you haven't watched it yet do a search on Youtube Michael Mosley Eat,fast and lose weight, it is well worth a watch.

Hang in there you will start to lose again if you do. I also find that when I exercise more I lose more a couple of days later.

cannonsky

It's water weight. Read this...breathe easy.. and be patient

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience?hl=upping+calories+what+to+expect

eating too little calories can slow your metabolism... which causes you to gain weight when you eat more than your body is use to...

jsabet

What are you eating, possibly something that is making you retain water?

geekyjock76

This is the same for me too. You can't take for granted the recommended calorie intake. I would reduce back down to 1200 if it were me.

Uh, no. The last thing she needs to do after maintaining a massive 40% deficit for 6 months is to go back to it and depress her metabolism and resting metabolic rate further.

volume77

i agree that your body gets used to functioning at a certain number of calories. i did 1200 for so long and just recently incresed to 1400-1500.....i dont really trip if i go over... And i say this not to get into any arguments with people or try to convert you but honestly i do low carb and as well as loosing more weight with this way of eating i find i can also eat more calories that what i would eat when i was doing higher carbs. i say this because i honestly was always struiggling with my weight., i used to eat 1000-1200 calories and KILL myself at the gym just to stay the same weight or even gain/. ;( i started atkins induction and follwed with 30-40 net carbs and have lost the most weight...i wish someone had told me sooner........

indiamb8

I suppose I'll just keep eating 1400 then? I should start losing again eventually, right? I didn't really know eating 1200 was bad enough to stuff up my metabolism but I guess it did... I hope I start losing again soon then because gaining weight is really getting me down

suziecue66

I suppose I'll just keep eating 1400 then? I should start losing again eventually, right? I didn't really know eating 1200 was bad enough to stuff up my metabolism but I guess it did... I hope I start losing again soon then because gaining weight is really getting me down

maybe you will lose or maybe you will just keep gaining.