Gained 4 lbs in 2 days eating 1600 calories a day

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bteeter2
bteeter2 Posts: 8 Member
in Motivation and Support
So, I'm 6'2" about 230. I'm a strict vegan so my diet is normally very clean.

I'm only on day 11 of reducing my calories. In the first week I lost 7 days eating about 1600 calories per day. I've continued to do that since, and in the past two days I've gained back 4 lbs. I've been active, moving furniture, playing baseball, coaching Little League and exercising.

I don't get it. I'm eating almost nothing, and yet I'm not seeing any real results. I have no idea how I'm gaining weight. This is very frustrating...

Replies

  • ashleyjea1985
    ashleyjea1985 Posts: 190
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    Are you intaking a lot of sodium??? you could be retaining water from it

    also..

    "I've been active, moving furniture, playing baseball, coaching Little League and exercising. "

    Is this a new thing? are you losing fat and increase muscle??? start checking your measurements to see real results for now...
  • ashleyjea1985
    ashleyjea1985 Posts: 190
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    dont weight yourself so much.....

    one big mean ( even healthy ) can add weight.

    Ie. 1 pound of caulitflower sitting in your stomach.. is 1 lb added to your weight until it processes.

    weight yourself once every week or 2 weeks. or you will go crazy.

    also 1600 isnt a drastic calorie cut...... dont expect to lost 5 lb a week. 1-2 is more realistic eating at 1600 calories
  • hilarysgiants
    hilarysgiants Posts: 132 Member
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    I am 5'3" and eating 1700 calories. That is my TDEE - 20% for weight loss. Why are you eating so few calories?
  • Angie_1991
    Angie_1991 Posts: 447 Member
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    Are you drinking enough water? Going to the bathroom? (BM)?
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    Water and ONLY water is the only thing gained that fast. Not muscle, not fat.
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,354 Member
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    You didn't gain 4lbs of fat in 2 days with your intake way below what a man your size should be eating. It's water weight.
  • lovinmyselfagain
    lovinmyselfagain Posts: 307 Member
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    Your weight fluctuates several times during the day and several times a week, which is why you WILL go crazy weighing yourself everyday. Fluctuations are normal. If you're eating within your calorie goal, watching your sodium, drinking plenty of water, and exercising then you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Weigh yourself just once a week, same time of the day every time, before you eat/drink anything, and AFTER you've gone to the bathroom.
  • dsmpunk
    dsmpunk Posts: 262 Member
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    1 pound of fat = 3500 kcal. You are either eating way more calories than you think, or you are putting on water weight of some sort.

    More than likely its nothing to worry about.
  • bestbassist
    bestbassist Posts: 177 Member
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    I'm 2 inches shorter than you and if I eat around that same amount of calories I start gaining it back too. My calories are set for 1350 and it seems to work. But you have to re adjust your calories quite often. Plateaus are common and happen all too often.
  • S108HAN
    S108HAN Posts: 30 Member
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    dont weight yourself so much.....

    weight yourself once every week or 2 weeks. or you will go crazy.

    also 1600 isnt a drastic calorie cut...... dont expect to lost 5 lb a week. 1-2 is more realistic eating at 1600 calories

    Agreed. If you weigh yourself to often it's not real weight loss you're seeing. It's fluctuation in hydration or even what you're carrying in your digestive tract. 1600 is roughly what I eat every day that I don't go to the gym, which has got me an average 1.5 - 2 lb per weigt loss for 14 weeks. That's widely conceded to be a healthy rate. Note the use of the word 'average' though - I weigh myself twice a month max.
  • holly3585
    holly3585 Posts: 282 Member
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    Two reasons:


    I'm only on day 11 of reducing my calories.



    I don't get it. I'm eating almost nothing, and yet I'm not seeing any real results. I have no idea how I'm gaining weight. This is very frustrating...

    It will takes months and months of up and down and sideways and up and down before you reach your goal. You should probably pack away your scale since an 11 day period bothers you so much!! To the second issue- You need to fuel your body, or else your body doesn't want to lose weight! Your body doesn't care how you look in your pants, it's #1 priority is maintaining function of vital organs, which is why most will tell you to NEVER eat below your BMR. These #'s MFP throws out are just very impersonal suggestions. You need to look into your personal BMR, and never eat below that. It is awesome that you eat really clean, so as long as you don't go to low, and don't be scared to eat a lot extra on your super active days. give it a few months and be good. You will get there.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
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    3500 calories = 1 pound
    4 pounds = 14000 calories
    1600 a day X 2 = 3600
    Subtract your TDEE (which I don't know) and you're way less than 14000

    The math doesn't add up.

    For what it's worth, if you keep a log of what you weigh when you get up in the morning, naked, first thing after the morning bathroom "ritual", and then again at night, naked, before you jump in bed, you will notice that you can fluctuate upward to 8 lbs in one day on some days and some days you'll break even, I even had one day where I lost one pound.

    You will also notice that you will always weigh less when you wake up than you did when you went to bed.

    The scale is a very bad way to keep track of your weight loss...I know, it sounds ironic, but it's true. There are a ton of variables from muscle gain, water, how you stand on the scale, to having to "use the bathroom".

    This is a good read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/758160-reminder-the-scale-does-not-define-you?hl=new+jeans+scale
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    i have had success with eating how i feel on that day.

    if it's closer to my 1900 calories, then that's how hungry i am, i'll eat that

    if it's on the low end of 1300 or 1400 calories, i'll eat that

    you're a vegan so whatever you consider a treat or may be restricting yourself from, try having some every now and again

    for me i gained weight after the first two weeks of a loss, it happens
  • snowgrrl83
    snowgrrl83 Posts: 242 Member
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    Seriously, its water weight. WATER WEIGHT!!!
    I'll say it again, WATER WEIGHT!!!

    I'm about half your size and my weight can fluctuate from one day to the next by 5 lbs.... you are twice my size, so it is likely that your body is able to retain even more water....so, you could probably fluctuate by even more than 5 lbs per day due to water!!
    On average, I will fluctuate 2 lbs from one day to the next..depending on what I ate, sodium, water intake, workout, what I ate.

    I was 5ft2 and 105lbs.
    If I did moderate activity (walked 5-6 miles per day)
    and ate 1600 calories per day
    I was still able to lose weight in the long run.
    That's why they don't recommend that you weigh yourself daily, but that you do it once per week and that you take the average of the month to see if you've in fact lost weight.

    -- NOTE: I'm not 105lbs anymore because I'm 5 months pregnant ;)

    As others mentioned above, do the math 1 lbs = 3500 calories.
  • coolvstar650
    coolvstar650 Posts: 97 Member
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    You are way under eating for your age, height and weight.

    For Extreme Fat Loss your calories should be more like this....1840 and that is only if you work out 3 times a week.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • bteeter2
    bteeter2 Posts: 8 Member
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    Thanks for the tips everyone. To answer some questions, my activity level is pretty high normally so that is nothing new. Baseball 3-4 times a week either playing in an adult league or coaching kids. (I know baseball is not running, but I am a pitcher/catcher, so I get one of the best workouts on the field when I play.) I also have been doing a lot of equipment moves lately too (I own an arcade business, among other things.)

    I have been weighing myself in the morning after the morning bathroom ritual, naked, about every 2 days. So, I will probably be doing that less often.

    Regarding food, I've been eating very little and I'm not feeling starved or hungry. Lots of pure veggie salads with no dressing, lots of vegan protein bars and shakes.

    I hope it is just water weight. I'm sick of being this big and want to get back to 200!

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