Weight fluctuations at maintenance calories?

kjoy_
kjoy_ Posts: 316 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've had a lot of big changes in my life lately (moving, new job) so I have been at maintenance calories or slightly below for about two months, which for me is about 1730. I have still been logging everything; I end up between 1400-1650 per day 55 of the last 60 days, the other 5 I have been between 1700-2000 net.

My question is: I have seen a huge jump in the scale numbers (about 6-8 pounds worth). Before this I was steadily losing at 1250-1350 net per day. So, I am wondering if anyone else has seen scary scale numbers when switching from a larger deficit to close to TDEE?

The rational part of me is saying that it's my body getting used to higher sodium levels, more water retention, yadda yadda. The irrational part of me is yelling HOLY MOTHER I RUINED MY ENTIRE WEIGHT LOSS MY TDEE MUST BE HORRIBLY WRONG!

Replies

  • Reeceybaby1988
    Reeceybaby1988 Posts: 91
    do your clothes fit different now?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    With moving and a new job you have been under a lot of stress. Cortisol is a great and horrible hormone and could be causing some of the problem. Try to get back into an exercise routine as soon as possible to lower your stress levels. Also try not to stress too much about the scale numbers right now.
  • dimsumkitty
    dimsumkitty Posts: 120 Member
    If you've been in fat burning mode, you'll put on a few pounds when you start eating maintainence again because you'll replenish your glycogen supplies, etc. If the jump doesn't stop within 10 lbs it's probably not this and you've miscalculated your calories, but you know you can lose the weight if you need to so there's no need to worry! :)
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    Are you getting enough sleep? Sleep deprivation messes with all your metabolism hormones and is associated with weight gain...
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    do your clothes fit different now?

    this

    to start with, you should have a maintenenace range of about 5lbs to account for fluctuations, not just one number. so you have really only put on 1-3 lbs.
  • kjoy_
    kjoy_ Posts: 316 Member
    Thanks guys. I've taken my measurements about every two weeks since day one and the only fluctuations i see are between .5-3 inches around my waist, which now that you bring up Cortisol makes perfect sense. When I was prescribed Prednisone 20 mg for two weeks my waist ballooned by 4 inches and went back down after I got off it, so natural Cortisol may be the culprit. I see .25-.5 fluctuation in my thighs but I think that is because I am putting the tape at a difference place on my thigh each time I do it.

    I'm going to be on deficit from now on, now that I'm settled into a routine. Hopefully I see the scale go down relatively quickly with the change.

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