Upped my calories and gaining weight

wordena

I've recently upped my calories and I've gained all the wieght I lost at 1200 calories a day. (5 pounds) I shoot for around 1400 a day now and I exercise 3 to 5 times a week. Its discouraging because I do not want to live a life commited to eat only 1200 calories a day. I'd eventually love to eat more. Any advice?

Marquettedominos

What type of exercise are you doing? You may be gaining LBM(muscle) from the upped calories. Which is a good thing....

wordena

I've been running, biking, and weight lifting. I've only been weight lifting for 2 weeks though. But I've also increased my calories in the last 2 weeks. Gained all 5 pounds back.

Marquettedominos

I would not worry about it yet. It has only been a short time. Your weight can fluctuate 5-10 daily. A better measurement would be a by measuring tape on key body parts..

mrykyldy2

Also keep in mind that when you start exercising, you sweat extra water so afterwards your body will retain the water you lost while sweating and then retain a little more. In time it will even out and the extra water will go away.

Mokey41

If you've been undereating for a while your muscles will be glycogen depleted and once you start eating again it refills. One of the good reasons for not eating 1200 calories a day! You didn't gain 5 lbs of fat back in that short of a time by eating an extra 200 calories a day.

melbatoast917

It could be muscle, it could be diet fatigue. I wouldn't stress about it much.

McBully4

I would not worry about it yet. It has only been a short time. Your weight can fluctuate 5-10 daily. A better measurement would be a by measuring tape on key body parts..

Yes

Also keep in mind that when you start exercising, you sweat extra water so afterwards your body will retain the water you lost while sweating and then retain a little more. In time it will even out and the extra water will go away.

no

If you've been undereating for a while your muscles will be glycogen depleted and once you start eating again it refills. One of the good reasons for not eating 1200 calories a day! You didn't gain 5 lbs of fat back in that short of a time by eating an extra 200 calories a day.

YEA

It could be muscle, it could be diet fatigue. I wouldn't stress about it much.

It's not muscle. But it could be that your muscles are holding onto water to help repair after the weight lifting, this will even out soon. Put the scale away for a month and see what happens. As long as you are working out you will be pleasantly surprised.

FlaxMilk

It's highly unlikely you are gaining weight at 1400 calories a day. If it continues for too much longer, you may want to go to the doctor and explain the situation and get some blood tests. Even for very light, petite people, 1400 is unlikely to cause weight gain, especially with exercise. For now, I'd agree that it's your fluids shifting around. Make sure you get a proper balance of electrolytes. The last time I felt terribly bloated, I looked at my potassium intake and wasn't getting enough, so I bought some low sodium V8 and that helped a lot. Are you anywhere close to your period? I don't think it's possible to gain 5 lbs of fat weight in 2 weeks from 200 calories more, especially since you were losing at 1200, so that isn't even your maintenance number.

FlaxMilk

Are you eating your exercise calories back? You could be overestimating if you are, but even so, I'd be shocked if you gained 5 lbs of fat in two weeks from that.

wolfchild59

Are you eating 1400 calories or netting 1400 calories?

kenazfehu

I gained weight when I started the MFP fitness protocol also. 9 pounds lost now up to only 4 pounds lost.
I decided to put away the scales, took measurements, and focus on my eating and exercise habits. If I keep doing the right things most of the time, I have faith it will show up as weight loss and/or decrease in measurements.

November 1 is the recheck day. I so much hope it's working because I can't face the idea of life on only 1200 calories per day. In fact, 1400 calories per day would be depressing.

bumchicken

Hi love, just to say I agree with what most of the above posters have said - it's unlikely that what you've gained back is adipose (fat) tissue, assuming your cals/day is accurate.

If you're feeling disheartened, try taking your measurements every couple of weeks - then you'll see that even if the scales show a gain, your body shape will reflect that you've been losing fat. Keep on doing what you're doing!

wordena

Not near my period. Eating 1400 net calories. I know that exercise calories are over estimated on MFP so i will not eat all of those calories back, ex: I know I dont burn 89 calories on my bike rides to class. But I will eat the 270 I burned from running 2.5 miles.

wordena

I have been doing extreme weight lifting, where I lift very heavy weights. could be some water stored. I could also accept that 1200 calories was doing me any good. The reason I stopped was because I had a constant headache and muscle ache that wouldn't go away. 1400 calories and magiically I feel better! However I have to admit I'm terrified of eating lots of calories because I've never been a person who eat lots of calories. Perhaps could I build my calories up slowly over time? Or do you think it would be better to eat 1600- or however many I should eat immeaditely?

Mokey41

If you eat 1400 then quit eating your exercise back. Unless you're doing extreme amounts you don't need those extra calories.

phyllisbobbitt

Please don't get discouraged! Continue to keep at your 1400 cal diet & excercise it may take a while (give at least a couple of weeks). You may want to look over what you have been eating/carbs/fat content Let us know how things go.

wordena

Thanks everyone! I've measured myself and I have lost some inches I think to the best of my measuring abilities. But I think might have slightly less wide hips. Anyone know a goods way to measure one's thigh circumference?

vabchloser

I started p90x and haven't lost a thing. Word is, my sore muscles are holding onto water making it seem like I'm not losing any fat.

Measurements and pics. It's how I keep my sanity.

geekyjock76

I have been doing extreme weight lifting, where I lift very heavy weights. could be some water stored. I could also accept that 1200 calories was doing me any good. The reason I stopped was because I had a constant headache and muscle ache that wouldn't go away. 1400 calories and magiically I feel better! However I have to admit I'm terrified of eating lots of calories because I've never been a person who eat lots of calories. Perhaps could I build my calories up slowly over time? Or do you think it would be better to eat 1600- or however many I should eat immeaditely?

You will always gain weight when you go from a calorie deficit towards maintenance. The composition of weight gain depends mainly on whether you have lost a lot of weight too quickly, restricted calories chronically or restricted calories moderately and for a short duration. If you lost weight too rapidly, or through chronic calorie restriction, a lot of the weight gain will come from fat and water due to the body wanting to regain a lot of the weight lost. However, if you lost weight gradually and assumed a short-term calorie deficit, then nearly all of it will come from water weight.

After I ended my cutting cycle, I slowly upped back to maintenance - 2500 calories to 2850 calories. In the first two weeks I gained nearly 6 lbs of water. Afterwards, my weight stabilized when the excess water was removed.

meshashesha2012

Thanks everyone! I've measured myself and I have lost some inches I think to the best of my measuring abilities. But I think might have slightly less wide hips. Anyone know a goods way to measure one's thigh circumference?

a tape measure?

wordena

I think this is water weight. Yes I have a tape measure, but sometimes I like to be extra accurate, thighs have differing widths at different heights of your leg. I guess I'll slow increase my calories overtime. I suspect I've been on a calories restricted diet for years. And recently lost all that weight very quickly.