just switched to almost maintenance

moment_to_arise
moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had my calories set to lose 1 lb a week, but i started heavy lifting since i was real close to my goal and just had a bit of flub left to lose. i am not sure if it is me being crazy, or muscle building underneath and pushing it out or if it is actually happening but i feel like my stomach has gotten a little bigger, my pouch seems a little bigger. is this normal when you switch to higher calories? I was at 1550 a day, now i am doing around 1600-1800ish on days i don't work out and on days i do work out (MWF) i try to get up to 2000-2100. i think my maintenance would be like....2200 ish?


what do you think? it may just be in my head since i see myself eating more so i automatically think i am going to gain, but i think i heard somewhere that it does happen at first?

Replies

  • kjoy_
    kjoy_ Posts: 316 Member
    You might be unintentionally eating over maintenance calories, there's really no way to tell your exact number if you're just using an online calculator to calculate TDEE. Also, it is very, very hard and a very specific science to gain significant muscle mass while eating at any caloric deficit. I'm not a trainer but if it were me I'd stay at my deficit until I lost the last bit of weight I wanted, then research muscle building/bulking for women.
  • al369
    al369 Posts: 170 Member
    Same boat.

    I just lost today though...down .8 lbs. Before that I was up 2 lbs. Eating at maintenance is so tricky. And I still feel a little fatter, even down the .8. my jeans seem just a bit tighter in the waist.
  • Nic620
    Nic620 Posts: 553 Member
    Curious as to what responses you get. I'm doing TDEE -20% and I'm basically at my GW but just want to get rid of those last few pounds I keep yo young up n down .

    Bump bump
  • cmcmommy
    cmcmommy Posts: 197 Member
    i tried maintenance for a week at 2200 and i gained 3 lbs now back to trying to lose it , currently at TDEE -20% 1730 I'm on a plateau and will try anything to break it ,But everyone is different it may work for you.
  • moment_to_arise
    moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
    You might be unintentionally eating over maintenance calories, there's really no way to tell your exact number if you're just using an online calculator to calculate TDEE. Also, it is very, very hard and a very specific science to gain significant muscle mass while eating at any caloric deficit. I'm not a trainer but if it were me I'd stay at my deficit until I lost the last bit of weight I wanted, then research muscle building/bulking for women.

    this is why i am avoiding being on deficit on workout days, i am trying to build muscle in order to burn off the last bits of remaining fat. also why i am kinda going back to deficit on days i don't workout.

    i dunno... i just wish i could be effortlessly hot.... :)
  • BCSMama
    BCSMama Posts: 348
    How long since you made these changes? Give your body a few weeks to get used to the heavy lifting and increased calories and reevaluate from there. It could be your muscles hanging onto more water for repairs.
  • moment_to_arise
    moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
    How long since you made these changes? Give your body a few weeks to get used to the heavy lifting and increased calories and reevaluate from there. It could be your muscles hanging onto more water for repairs.

    this makes sense.... i only started 2 weeks ago. and i have been drinking a lot MORE water than i had been... *crosses fingers and hopes for water retention to be the cause*

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