Gaining on a deficit

If it was calories in, calories out all the time you wouldn't have gained anything on 1200-1400 a day. Its definitely a touchy topic here on MFP, but I'm actually a believer in the so called "defensive mode" because I've experienced it. I've been using a bodymedia fit armband for the past 8 months, and surprisingly, started losing weight when I increased my calorie intake. Before using the armband I was trying to cut down to 1400-1500 a day and I would see no change, and I felt miserable all the time because my metabolism needed the extra energy to continue burning. Yet I lost weight eating 2000 a day, sometimes more, depending on how much my body really burned

there are differences between Adaptive Thermogensis and Stavation mode. Read this: could be what happened

Adaptive Thermogenisis:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1077746-starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss

You can't gain on a deficit. It means you're not in a deficit (or you're not gaining fat).

Ive also had a good experience with increasing my calories

How long were you bulking for in order to reach 140lbs and how much weight did you gain?

Set your food diary to public.
Do you use a food scale?


You are not in "starvation mode" and additionally, AT is not likely to be a big issue here because you just came off of a gaining phase where you added weight. (EDITED -- not sure where I got that previous number from -- it's early) You shouldn't be under any adaptive stresses from weight loss after coming off of a lengthy period of weight gain.

Your trainer sounds like he doesn't have a clue if he's suggesting that low calorie intakes cause fat gain.

Yup. Any trainer that says your gaining weight because your not eating enough, should have his language center altered, so as to not effect other people around them.

I agree, after bulking your body is actually primed for weight loss. It has only been three weeks, my guess is you are holding onto some water and you will start droping soon if you are indeed at a deficit. You might try a spike day with calories over your est. maintenance to see if that can get you to flush the excess water if you are that worried about the scale.

If you are gaining, you aren't in a deficit.

Unless it's water.

If you are using a BIA scale to assess BF, don't--they aren't accurate and while some may give water weight measurements, there are so many variables it is not useful except as a general guideline (and that is only so when you have a well-established baseline, which requires months at a constant level).

As others have said, water weight. Take it easy and disregard your trainer.

As for more calories = more fat loss, this is often confused by confounding variables. For instance, when I ate 2200 calories a day, I felt lethargic and non-energetic. I slumped in my chair when sitting, moved slower when walking, walked less, did not twitch, and generally tried to avoid physical exertion. At 2700 calories, I sit up straight, stand and walk more, and I do everything with zest and gusto. The cumulative effect is that one may actual end up with a greater deficit with more calories IF (and only IF) it increases their activity and other weight-changing factors GREATER than the difference in calories consumed. Thus, with deficits, it is not the absolute numbers of calories in, but the difference in calories in versus calories out.