Increased calories and weight is up

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bologna111
bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello mfp friends! I have a question for you. I changed my setting from losing 1 pound a week to .5 pound a week since I'm on the last 10 pounds. I currently weigh 130 and I started at 150 last July. Since I changed my settings and have been eating at the higher calorie I have gained a pound. Is this water weight? When can I expect the weight to start dropping again? It's very tempting to go back to the lower calorie but I want to do things the right way. Thanks in advance!

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  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    Never rely on a one pound difference to tell you anything significant. You can weigh even 3lbs up or down within the same day, depending on your hydration levels and other things. Give yourself a couple weeks to a month at your new calorie goal and see what happens. If you are on an upward trend, scale the calories down a little. On a downward trend, you may be able to add a little more.
  • MickeyCastello
    MickeyCastello Posts: 269
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    That happened to me too. Except I went from 1.5 lbs/wk to 1 lb/wk. It took about 2 or three weeks for my body to adjust and then I started losing again. I hope that's all it is for you too.
  • ksloop00
    ksloop00 Posts: 144
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    I don't mean to sound like a smart *kitten*, but increase calorie intake=weight gain. Plain and simple.
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    I'm still 200 calories under maintenance so I shouldn't gain weight. The reason I changed from 1 pound a week to .5 is I have read on these forums that it's recommended when you get to the last 10 pounds so you retain as much lean body mass as possible. I don't mind losing the last of it slow as long as it's mostly fat. I just need some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing. It's mentally hard to see that number up.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    by
    I don't mean to sound like a smart *kitten*, but increase calorie intake=weight gain. Plain and simple.
    Not if you increase but you are still within a deficit.

    Could be underestimation of calories and/or overestimation of calories burned, but it's really too soon to tell.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Hello mfp friends! I have a question for you. I changed my setting from losing 1 pound a week to .5 pound a week since I'm on the last 10 pounds. I currently weigh 130 and I started at 150 last July. Since I changed my settings and have been eating at the higher calorie I have gained a pound. Is this water weight? When can I expect the weight to start dropping again? It's very tempting to go back to the lower calorie but I want to do things the right way. Thanks in advance!
    Weight naturally fluctuates. Don't worry about it.
  • Jkn921
    Jkn921 Posts: 309 Member
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    Try it for a month, that's what I'm doing and even that may not be enough but be patient with it. I'm also increasing calories.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    If you regularly do cardio exercise, it could be that your muscles are storing more glycogen, now that the deficit is less severe and there's some extra carbohydrate available. Since glycogen is stored along with four times its weight in water, that can account for gain. For that reason, many people recommend bringing your weight down to 3-5 lb. below your goal, or very gradually going from a deficit to maintenance once you're at goal.
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    Thanks for the help! I'll give it a few more weeks and see where I'm at. I'm really good at tracking calories and I log my excercise at 100 calories off of what my hrm says I burn. I was really sore this week from my workouts so hopefully it was just extra water weight.
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    If you regularly do cardio exercise, it could be that your muscles are storing more glycogen, now that the deficit is less severe and there's some extra carbohydrate available. Since glycogen is stored along with four times its weight in water, that can account for gain. For that reason, many people recommend bringing your weight down to 3-5 lb. below your goal, or very gradually going from a deficit to maintenance once you're at goal.

    I'll definetly keep that in mind when I get down to goal. Thanks!
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    Hello mfp friends! I have a question for you. I changed my setting from losing 1 pound a week to .5 pound a week since I'm on the last 10 pounds. I currently weigh 130 and I started at 150 last July. Since I changed my settings and have been eating at the higher calorie I have gained a pound. Is this water weight? When can I expect the weight to start dropping again? It's very tempting to go back to the lower calorie but I want to do things the right way. Thanks in advance!


    How long has it been since you changed? What calorie change was it? If the time elapsed means that you ate 3500 calories more than you would have, then yes it COULD be weight gain. But honestly one pound really doesn't mean much. It definitely could be water weight.
  • Paindoesnthurt
    Paindoesnthurt Posts: 51 Member
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    There's a few factors involved, such as what did you eat but then again I'd say it's nothing to worry about. Weight isn't what you should focus on. How you look is what you should focus on. Tape measure is also more accurate that the scale I have found.
  • JennyKCarty
    JennyKCarty Posts: 457 Member
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    Thanks for the help! I'll give it a few more weeks and see where I'm at. I'm really good at tracking calories and I log my excercise at 100 calories off of what my hrm says I burn. I was really sore this week from my workouts so hopefully it was just extra water weight.

    Yes, keep going. You've done the right thing. 1lb fluctuation is nothing.
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    How long has it been since you changed? What calorie change was it? If the time elapsed means that you ate 3500 calories more than you would have, then yes it COULD be weight gain. But honestly one pound really doesn't mean much. It definitely could be water weight.
    [/quote

    It's been a week. I went from 1200 net to 1400 net. I eat back all the calories my hrm says I burn minus 100. There is no way I ate 3500 calories above my maintence, thanks that does put it into perspective. I guess I just need more patience.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    How long has it been since you changed? What calorie change was it? If the time elapsed means that you ate 3500 calories more than you would have, then yes it COULD be weight gain. But honestly one pound really doesn't mean much. It definitely could be water weight.
    [/quote

    It's been a week. I went from 1200 net to 1400 net. I eat back all the calories my hrm says I burn minus 100. There is no way I ate 3500 calories above my maintence, thanks that does put it into perspective. I guess I just need more patience.

    Don't eat at 1200 cals. It is a miserable choice. I made that choice and it was the worst one possible. Stick with 1400 and stick with it for 4 to 6 weeks. Only then you can know if you are truly gaining, maintaining or losing. I'm with ya!
  • bologna111
    bologna111 Posts: 57 Member
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    Thanks! I'll stick with it and see what happens. I need to remember that the scale doesn't matter as much as my body fat. That's what I'm going to try and focus on :)

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