Damaged metabolism weight gain

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eelizabethk
eelizabethk Posts: 25
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I was wondering if any of you had struggles with a damaged metabolism and could help me understand the process of fixing it. About 3-4 weeks ago i used to only eat about 900 - 1000 calories. It was not enough for my body and after doing research i wanted to make sure that my body was getting enough nutrients so i could build muscle and look toned. Now i am eating 1300 calories when i am not working out and i try to eat back my exercise calories. I eat as clean as i can and ever since i upped my calories i have gained about 6-7 pounds. I am freaking out! I am still supposed to be able to lose at this caloric deficit and i am gaining! When will i plateau off and be able to lose again? Will I just keep gaining weight? Should i keep upping my calories? Any help is welcomed.

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  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Your metabolism isn't damaged. Just doesn't work that way. You've gained back water and glycogen that you lost doing VLC.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    I highly doubt your metabolism is damaged from a month of extreme dieting. The weight gain is temporary, stick with it for at least a month (I usually wait at least 1.5 months personally). Check the results. 1300 on a non-workout day seems a tiny bit low (I'm assuming you're a decentish height from your pic. 5'5"?) a couple of hundred more calories would be good but checkout your TDEE before you do that. Heres a couple of sites to help you figure it out:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ (but ignore the rest of the site as it's full of bs).

    source: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • RichardFL
    RichardFL Posts: 44
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    If you want, try eating back only 50% of your exercise calories as long as you're not hungry. MFP might be overestimating how many calories you are burning. But always eat over your BMR even if you do no exercise. And readjust if you find you're losing weight too fast doing that.

    Your metabolism will slowly increase as long as you are getting appropriate nutrients, being more active, and getting enough sleep. It sounds like you're doing that stuff right, so don't worry.
  • eelizabethk
    eelizabethk Posts: 25
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    Thank you!! Very Helpful :)
  • eelizabethk
    eelizabethk Posts: 25
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    I highly doubt your metabolism is damaged from a month of extreme dieting. The weight gain is temporary, stick with it for at least a month (I usually wait at least 1.5 months personally). Check the results. 1300 on a non-workout day seems a tiny bit low (I'm assuming you're a decentish height from your pic. 5'5"?) a couple of hundred more calories would be good but checkout your TDEE before you do that. Heres a couple of sites to help you figure it out:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ (but ignore the rest of the site as it's full of bs).

    source: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    The scooby workshop site says my TDEE is 2282.. what do i do with this information?
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    I highly doubt your metabolism is damaged from a month of extreme dieting. The weight gain is temporary, stick with it for at least a month (I usually wait at least 1.5 months personally). Check the results. 1300 on a non-workout day seems a tiny bit low (I'm assuming you're a decentish height from your pic. 5'5"?) a couple of hundred more calories would be good but checkout your TDEE before you do that. Heres a couple of sites to help you figure it out:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ (but ignore the rest of the site as it's full of bs).

    source: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    The scooby workshop site says my TDEE is 2282.. what do i do with this information?

    I am assuming that 2282 is including your workouts? This means that if you want to follow the TDEE, you won't be eating back your workout calories. You can still track your workouts by entering 1 calorie burned for workouts (even if you don't, just simply don't eat back the cals). Now, the 2282 is your maintenance calories. This is the calorie you will be eating if you want to neither gain nor lose weight.

    But since you do want to lose weight, you will want to bring those calories down. you have 19 lbs to go. That isn't a lot (compared to others of course). If you try to go into a high deficit, it won't be as helpful as going for it a bit slow. 1 lb a week (I suggest even less but thats upto you) would mean 500 calories deficit. Which means about 1700 calories while working out and not eating back the calories you burned working out.

    Hope this helps make sense.

    ETA: Anytime you make changes to your calories, try and give it at least 1 month or 1.5 month. This time would be required by your body to adjust to the new calories. During this time, you might see gains, you might see loss. Focus on how you feel energy wise and the loss result a week after the trial period. Re-evalute after the trial period is over. 1700 sounds about right for an active female, though. Specially if you're logging accurately.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    I highly doubt your metabolism is damaged from a month of extreme dieting. The weight gain is temporary, stick with it for at least a month (I usually wait at least 1.5 months personally). Check the results. 1300 on a non-workout day seems a tiny bit low (I'm assuming you're a decentish height from your pic. 5'5"?) a couple of hundred more calories would be good but checkout your TDEE before you do that. Heres a couple of sites to help you figure it out:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ (but ignore the rest of the site as it's full of bs).

    source: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    The scooby workshop site says my TDEE is 2282.. what do i do with this information?

    I am assuming that 2282 is including your workouts? This means that if you want to follow the TDEE, you won't be eating back your workout calories. You can still track your workouts by entering 1 calorie burned for workouts (even if you don't, just simply don't eat back the cals). Now, the 2282 is your maintenance calories. This is the calorie you will be eating if you want to neither gain nor lose weight.

    But since you do want to lose weight, you will want to bring those calories down. you have 19 lbs to go. That isn't a lot (compared to others of course). If you try to go into a high deficit, it won't be as helpful as going for it a bit slow. 1 lb a week (I suggest even less but thats upto you) would mean 500 calories deficit. Which means about 1700 calories while working out and not eating back the calories you burned working out.

    Hope this helps make sense.

    ETA: Anytime you make changes to your calories, try and give it at least 1 month or 1.5 month. This time would be required by your body to adjust to the new calories. During this time, you might see gains, you might see loss. Focus on how you feel energy wise and the loss result a week after the trial period. Re-evalute after the trial period is over. 1700 sounds about right for an active female, though. Specially if you're logging accurately.

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    Well Said Taunto

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