1200 cals I lose....1400 cals and I gain!!! WTH??

I am getting really annoyed with my body...if I eat 1200 cals than I lose fast 1-2 pounds a week. If I eat 1400-1500 I gain and don't lose. My doctor is checking my thyroid cause its obviously not normal. I burn 400 cals of exercise 5-6 days a week so he said I should be able to eat like 1600-1800 and lose. Im not what to do. I don't want to only eat 1200 cals....Ive done it and lost 65lbs but I want to up my cals to at least 1500. Anyone have any advice or been in my shoes?? What did or would you do??

Replies

  • How much do you gain and how quickly? i made the mistake of eating 1200 calories and sure i lost too but i was always hungry and tired. I upped to 15-1600 and initially i did have weight gains but it steadied and i started to lose again. Weight training helps too i can eat so much more since i started that.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    I did that and added weights a,d it's great.......
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    how much do you gain from 1400 cals? mayb its just water weight and after you eat like that for a while you'll start losing. if it was me i would eat like that for a few weeks and see if i keep gaining.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    How much do you gain and how quickly? i made the mistake of eating 1200 calories and sure i lost too but i was always hungry and tired. I upped to 15-1600 and initially i did have weight gains but it steadied and i started to lose again. Weight training helps too i can eat so much more since i started that.

    ^^^ this

    it's glycogen and water weight. If you've been eating at a deficit for a while, especially if it's quite a big deficit, your glycogen stores are depleted. When you raise your calories, your body starts storing more glycogen. Glycogen is stored with water, so you gain weight quite quickly, but as soon as your glycogen stores are refilled, the gains will stop (your body can only store a limited amount of glycogen). You may even find that you start losing weight again, if your new calorie goal is still a deficit.

    Having more glycogen in your system is good for you, you should find that you have more energy and your workouts improve.

    everyone freaks out about glycogen/water weight gains. but please don't freak out. Give your body a chance to settle down (i.e. refill those glycogen stores) and then take it from there. If you're at maintenance your weight will be stable, if you're still at a deficit you will start to lose weight again after a while.
  • casy84
    casy84 Posts: 290 Member
    how much do you gain from 1400 cals? mayb its just water weight and after you eat like that for a while you'll start losing. if it was me i would eat like that for a few weeks and see if i keep gaining.

    This happened to me. I stalled for a few weeks and then surprise, I lost :)
  • dqgirl1
    dqgirl1 Posts: 39 Member
    Im am like that....but i do have endocrin issues...pretty messed up right now too....In 3 weeks of not working out due to crazy schedule( sick kids, being sick, 2 weekend trips and a wedding and my job got busy because Im training new people) In that time I wasnt logging. I was eating pretty good but not like I usually do. I gained 11 lbs!!!! No kidding. I feel like my weight is too tough and go. I also am having trouble again with my periods( PCOS) They are coming too early and now I got it less then 2 weeks from my last one:/