I should be losing weight??

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eelizabethk
eelizabethk Posts: 25
in Health and Weight Loss
I used to be eating only about 800 calories a day. Since then i have realized that eating so low under my goal is not healthy. I now eat around 1300 but i have gained around 8 pounds in the span of 2-3 weeks. At this deficit i should still be losing weight! Does anyone have a explanation for this??

Replies

  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    How long did you eat at 800 calories? Your body is likely scrambling to put on weight (mostly water weight, in the form of glycogen) because it's so glad that you're feeding it an appropriate amount and doesn't want to miss out on the opportunity to stock up.

    It happens with people who switch from maintenance to a deficit, too. The body is replacing the glycogen stores that was shed at the beginning of eating at a deficit.

    Your body will likely balance out, and start to shed again, but it will take time.
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
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    Water weight for sure, Elizabeth

    I can have a huge huge huge meal some days and wake up 10 lbs heavier :-) - just give it time to level out, if its still happening give me a pm or something and we'll fix it!

    ritch
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    I'd go with water weight as well. When you up your calories there tends to be a period of gains before weight levels off and then begins to drop again. It looks like you have about 15 lbs to go if your ticker is accurate so give it a month or so.
  • Wilhellmina
    Wilhellmina Posts: 757 Member
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    When you have been undereating for quite a while (how long did you eat only 800?) you can be sure you will gain when you start to eat more. Your body has been in the starvation mode and just to be sure you got enough reserves when that happens again it starts to store food. Should be well again after a while. My husband had underweight and gained over 20 lbs within a year, but after that it stabilised. I must say tho I think 1300 is still on the low site for a young, most likely active girl.
  • Alisha28
    Alisha28 Posts: 406 Member
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    Water weight for sure, Elizabeth

    I can have a huge huge huge meal some days and wake up 10 lbs heavier :-) - just give it time to level out, if its still happening give me a pm or something and we'll fix it!

    ritch

    I like to know what is the fix to water weight I have gained 6 pounds over night just to be down 8 in the next few days weird and annoying!
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
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    Water weight for sure, Elizabeth

    I can have a huge huge huge meal some days and wake up 10 lbs heavier :-) - just give it time to level out, if its still happening give me a pm or something and we'll fix it!

    ritch

    I like to know what is the fix to water weight I have gained 6 pounds over night just to be down 8 in the next few days weird and annoying!

    There is no fix to water weight. If you eat carbohydrates, you hold water - thats it. It doesn't matter it isn't fat gain, so its irreleevant. As long as you weigh yourself under the same conditions each week on the same day each week, no issue.
  • eelizabethk
    eelizabethk Posts: 25
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    Thank you all!! So helpful and reassuring! For those concerned I would eventually like to up my calorie intake even more but i don't want to do so all at once! Thanks again :)
  • guidothecat
    guidothecat Posts: 141 Member
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    I under ate for a long time (we won't go into that here) but once I upped my calories (following my registered dieticiancist plan~so as not in get a bunch of ill intentioned PM's about ED's) I did gain weight, about 8 pounds...but after eating at my goal the weight has dropped off, and chunks at a time. I am down about 10-15 from where I started, and without evening meaning to the weight dropped off. But I feel strong and healthy now.

    As to how long it takes, depends on how long you were being restrictive. Your body will attempt to 'hang on to' whatever calories it can right now, and I am sure someone will pop in with the 'science' and all of that.

    But in my experience, once the body stabilizes, you will lose the weight, but from looking at your profile pic, you are doing ok?

    And upping the calories can be intimating (I know) but keep your fats up (helps us metabolize proteins, vitamins and such like that) carbs are energy too, slowly increase your intake (so as not to upset the tummy) by 100-200 calories per day (and weekly averages vs daily intake can help with the mindset) a bit of cheese, a hard boiled egg, peanut butter off the spoon, not too filling, but help with the calories uptake?

    And water weight can be a huge factor too. Keep increasing the calories, get to your BMR and then to your TDEE and once you stabilize, you can go from there. :flowerforyou: and it may take a few months? (and throw the darn scale out for a few months)
  • hereitgoesagain
    hereitgoesagain Posts: 9
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    I'm having the same problem! And I have no idea how much I should be eating right now.

    When my weight loss plateaued in May, I picked up a more rigorous workout routine and was netting less than 1000 calories a day. When I realized that wasn't doing anything, I began eating back the exercise calories to net around 1500, but I put on ten pounds in the past six weeks. I've also found myself binging more, which I'm sure has contributed a good deal.

    Unfortunately, as a result of the more rigorous exercise, I did damage to my knees, some of which is permanent and will likely prevent me from running again (Scary, as that's how I lost most of my weight). I had a knee arthroscopy on August 1st, so I'm not allowed to do much in the way of exercising for another week yet. More intense exercise could be a couple months out.

    I hate just sitting around all day, knowing I've put on 10 pounds, but not being able to exercise. I'm also unsure of how much I should be eating... My BMR is 1450, but I'm scared of eating that much, given what happened the last time I tried to net 1500.

    Any suggestions?

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