Increased calories=gained weight

MIM49

OK--due to so much insistence that noone should eat less than 1200 calories/day and the statement "you have to eat calories to lose calories, I increased my calories to 1200-1500/day and I HAVE BEEN GAINING WEIGHT!! Every one of the pounds I have loss has been a struggle. My intake has been 1000 calories/day--sometimes less--but rarely more. However since I have increased my exercise and effort and weight has come off no faster I decided to try increasing calories. In 2 weeks I have regained 5 pounds. It has never taken much food for me to maintain weight or to gain weight. Portions the rest of my family eats just packs on the pounds for me. I think it is true--some people can gain weight just looking at food and I am one of those people. So back to 1000 calories for me.

Mokey41

Same here, I'm small and 55. If I got much over 1200 I start gaining. I never eat exercise back and make sure most of my food is nutritious. I tried 1500 for a few months and now I'm working on getting 6 lbs back off again. I keep hearing that you'll gain a bit, your body adapts and it's all good but it has never worked for me. My body is very happy with 1200 to 1350 a day food intake regardless of what I do.

deksgrl

OK--due to so much insistence that noone should eat less than 1200 calories/day and the statement "you have to eat calories to lose calories, I increased my calories to 1200-1500/day and I HAVE BEEN GAINING WEIGHT!! Every one of the pounds I have loss has been a struggle. My intake has been 1000 calories/day--sometimes less--but rarely more. However since I have increased my exercise and effort and weight has come off no faster I decided to try increasing calories. In 2 weeks I have regained 5 pounds. It has never taken much food for me to maintain weight or to gain weight. Portions the rest of my family eats just packs on the pounds for me. I think it is true--some people can gain weight just looking at food and I am one of those people. So back to 1000 calories for me.

Your body takes more than 2 weeks to adjust to the new calorie amount, if you have been restricting calories for a long time. If you want to eat 1000 calories for the rest of your life, then do that. Or give this more time for your body to reset.

rainbowbow

May just be initial. I increased to 1600 gained like 2-3 pounds over a couple week and then BAM i started losing like 1.5 pounds a week from then on and busted through my plateau. May want to give it some time.

deb3129

I went back and looked at your diary back to around the first part of November, and I saw only 3 days that you actually made it up to 1200 calories. Most days were only around 800 or 900. That is not enough for anyone

_stephanie0

Your body takes more than 2 weeks to adjust to the new calorie amount, if you have been restricting calories for a long time. If you want to eat 1000 calories for the rest of your life, then do that. Or give this more time for your body to reset.

THIS THIS THIS!! if it were true that everyone eating more than 1000 calories gained weight, we would pretty much be extinct dying from obesity. your body is grabbing onto the calories youre giving it saying THANK GOD, FINALLY SOME FOOD! your body WILL adjust!! even 1200-1500 isnt a lot!!

take me for example. 5'4 140 lbs. i decided instead of trying to lose weight (1600 calories for months) i needed to put on some muscle. so now i eat 2000+ calories and i lost 2 lbs in the past 3 weeks.

seriously....do you want to live the rest of your life eating 1000 calories? this needs to be a lifestyle, not a temporary fix. patience.

DanaDark

Since you had a lower calorie amount, THIS is what has happened:

1. Your body depleted glycogen energy stores in the muscles
2. Your body got rid of the water that stored that energy
3. Since you upped your calories, your body was able to restore some of the glycogen stores
4. In storing those, it had to retain more water
5. Processing more food also requires more water

You didn't gain fat. You gained water.

Shorter people and people with less to lose have to go slower with weight loss or they do interesting things to their hormones (which will effect their daily energy expenditure greatly) more easily than those that are larger.

bcattoes

I went back and looked at your diary back to around the first part of November, and I saw only 3 days that you actually made it up to 1200 calories. Most days were only around 800 or 900. That is not enough for anyone

That is simply not true. While I would suggest anyone eating that low be under a doctor's supervision, it is possible to eat that low safely.

bcattoes

OP have you seen a doctor? There are medical conditions that can cause weight loss to be more difficult that are easily treated.

gsager

I think your food measurements and/or your exercise (calories burned) must be off. Too loose 81lbs at that kind of calorie deficit I would think that your lean muscle % is very low. When you say exercise what is that?

inside_lap

Current weight and height are factors. As is age. Unfortuately our metabolism tends to slow with age. 1200 may not be a good number for you if you are shorter, slighter, and older. If in doubt, consult a physician or other professional!

Mokey41

Did anyone notice the OP is 63 yrs old? I know I need a lot fewer calories now to maintain my weight than I did 20 years ago.

Koldnomore

BMR for a female aged 63 weight 220lbs height 4'11 (all estimated) is still at least 1500.. Even with the chronic under eating. Thus eating <1000 is not cool. However this is why it is important to DO THE RESEARCH yourself.. IF we assume that your BMR has now been suppressed to around 1500 (for a normal metabolism it's actually closer to 1600 at your age/weight) then a 20% cut would put you at 1200. So you are a perfect example of someone that probably should be eating 1200 - 1300 ..BUT NOT 800

I would suggest making sure you are eating 1200 and give it more than 2 weeks. That is not nearly long enough to make a determination.

tnloser1970

I am not saying that this will help you. But, I found I was gaining weight because of my carbs. My Fitness Plan recommended I eat 362 carbs a day. I was averaging 237 a day (difference of 125). I have now been averaging 55 to 65 carbs a day and I have lost 17 pounds since doing that.

I am not saying this will work for you. But, it is worth a try. Good luck

FrugalMomsRock75

OK--due to so much insistence that noone should eat less than 1200 calories/day and the statement "you have to eat calories to lose calories, I increased my calories to 1200-1500/day and I HAVE BEEN GAINING WEIGHT!! Every one of the pounds I have loss has been a struggle. My intake has been 1000 calories/day--sometimes less--but rarely more. However since I have increased my exercise and effort and weight has come off no faster I decided to try increasing calories. In 2 weeks I have regained 5 pounds. It has never taken much food for me to maintain weight or to gain weight. Portions the rest of my family eats just packs on the pounds for me. I think it is true--some people can gain weight just looking at food and I am one of those people. So back to 1000 calories for me.

Your body takes more than 2 weeks to adjust to the new calorie amount, if you have been restricting calories for a long time. If you want to eat 1000 calories for the rest of your life, then do that. Or give this more time for your body to reset.

/thread. This

DanaDark

I am not saying that this will help you. But, I found I was gaining weight because of my carbs. My Fitness Plan recommended I eat 362 carbs a day. I was averaging 237 a day (difference of 125). I have now been averaging 55 to 65 carbs a day and I have lost 17 pounds since doing that.

I am not saying this will work for you. But, it is worth a try. Good luck

Glycogen. Water.

DebbieLyn63

I went back and looked at your diary back to around the first part of November, and I saw only 3 days that you actually made it up to 1200 calories. Most days were only around 800 or 900. That is not enough for anyone

That is simply not true. While I would suggest anyone eating that low be under a doctor's supervision, it is possible to eat that low safely.

The poster is 63. If she is short and somewhat sedentary, then that might be the calorie level that works for her. Yes, it IS possible.

cocolo89

I used to only be able to lose weight eating less than 1200 as well, but then I increased calories, not for a few days, but permanently . I am currently eating 1800-2000 and maintaining/gaining a healthy weight(not trying to lose weight right now, I am 8 months pregnant), as soon as I eat 1700or less, I start losing weight. I actually enjoy my extra calories and would never go back to the 1200cal diet thing, 1600 is the lowest I will eat BEFORE exercise calories. I usually eat 1/2-if not ALL of my exercise calories and I typically average 400+ cal burn.

believe22

I upped my calories from 1200-1300 to around 1600-1700 (sometimes more) for the past almost year, and I never once lost, only maintained. Sometimes I'd gain a couple pounds then lose a couple pounds but I've been stuck right at about 163 all year long. I believe, you do have to have a deficit in order to lose, I don't understand this eat way more to lose nonsense, it might work for some, but for me, I need to restrict in order to lose.

wswilliams67

Current weight and height are factors. As is age. Unfortuately our metabolism tends to slow with age. 1200 may not be a good number for you if you are shorter, slighter, and older. If in doubt, consult a physician or other professional!

Metabolisms slowing with age is a myth. You can manipulate your metabolism at any age. You can speed it up, slow it down , or completely destroy it. it all depends on your food intake and activity level. This of course assumes you have no health issues.

To the OP... please read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

You need to calculate out your BMR and TDEE and then plan your caloric intake accordingly.

I used this since I know my BF% using an Omron meter: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

When you DO up your calories... you must allow your body time to adjust to the new intake levels. If you've been eating sub-1200 levels for months it will take your body up to two weeks to realize it no longer needs to be in famine mode and can start up the metabolism again. Someone else had posted about water retention and upped calories and this is true as well.

Also remember, your body can hold like 3-5 pounds of undigested food within your GI tract. If your metabolism is shut down your body will try and squeeze every nutrient it can out of what it has in its system. When you upp calories you are increasing the amount of food to process and until your engine is firing on all cylinders again you may gain weight from simply water and food.

I highly recommend getting a body composition meter. It will help you determine if your weight gain is actual fat or if you are just retaining water.

wswilliams67

I upped my calories from 1200-1300 to around 1600-1700 (sometimes more) for the past almost year, and I never once lost, only maintained. Sometimes I'd gain a couple pounds then lose a couple pounds but I've been stuck right at about 163 all year long. I believe, you do have to have a deficit in order to lose, I don't understand this eat way more to lose nonsense, it might work for some, but for me, I need to restrict in order to lose.

What's your BMR and TDEE? Randomly increasing your caloric intake without knowing your numbers is russian roulette. Yes you DO need a deficit to lose. But if your TDEE is1650 and you are eating 1600-1700 then of course you will maintain. :ohwell: