Weight gain if I eat over 1200 calories

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  • jenmom2myboys
    jenmom2myboys Posts: 311 Member
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    Thank you guys for your wonderful advice. I try to log my foods as accurately as possible, but I have not invested in a food scale just yet, I'm still looking into it. I am not totally new to dieting, I have lost about thirty pounds on my own before using MFP, but it came off extreme,y slowly, over the course of a few years. I find that most of the time I stay well below my goal during the week, and i do find that my weight has actually dropped, and my mind automatically thinks I should "celebrate" and eat all the leftover calories I didn't eat during the week on the weekends. I also have an extremely sweet tooth, which doesn't help at all. So basically, it's a never ending cycle of losing weight during the week, then gaining it back over the weekend, and going through a pattern of losing or gaining the same few pounds. It's very frustrating to me

    So then don't go crazy on the weekends, spread it out so your daily caloric amount is the same.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Hi all!
    I've noticed that in my past year or so of dieting, whenever I eat over 1200 calories, I gain weight. Meanwhile, I read on here that people are losing weight eating 1800-2000 calories. I don't really understand how it works, and I'm confused as to how that works lol. I'm 5,6 and about 145 pounds or so. Anybody know why this happens to me?
    After viewing your diary, my presumption is that you don't weigh your food. You use entires that go by "slice" and "cup" and "teaspoon", etc. Be sure you are weighing all your solid food and measuring your liquids. It's rare that the measurement and the gram/ounce as indicated on the packages match. In other words, 1/2 cup of mixed nuts is generally more than 28 grams. There are no medium bananas at 110 calories--you need to weight those.

    Where do you get exercise burns from? MFP and machines and internet sources render overestimated numbers. A properly calibrated heart rate monitor is best, but if you use other methods i would eat only about 70-75 percent of those calories back.

    Good luck!
  • ggluvbug1
    ggluvbug1 Posts: 87 Member
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    Just one thought I had because it is an issue for me. I have an elevated A1C, so I have to watch my sugar intake. If I don't, the scale will creep up despite the fact I am at or under my calories for the day. You have a lot of sugar in your diet on the days you are logging.
    Also, because the sugars you are eating are simple and refined, you are probably getting a sugar crash and that is pushing you to crave more of the same kind of stuff. It will also cause you to overeat because you get those hunger pains that lead to binging.
    There is nothing wrong with a little of that kind of stuff, but try monitoring your sugars and get them from fruits and complex carbs rather than cookies and such. See if that makes a difference.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    You can only eat white meat, eggs and veg, fruit if you want to lose weight.

    You must eat lots of protein to burn fat 120 g. of protein a day

    NO.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    Hi all!
    I've noticed that in my past year or so of dieting, whenever I eat over 1200 calories, I gain weight. Meanwhile, I read on here that people are losing weight eating 1800-2000 calories. I don't really understand how it works, and I'm confused as to how that works lol. I'm 5,6 and about 145 pounds or so. Anybody know why this happens to me?

    I feel your pain!! I see people eating all sorts of calories and I also cant do that...some of us have slower metabolisms and or exercise much less. Im also 5'6 and 138..so close to your weight...I *average* 1225 calories a day...some days 400 and others 1600...I go by the weekly average. I have only lost 2 pounds in 6 plus months, I measure accurately and use a HRM. I was told to stop eating my exercise calories back.....Just a suggestion...I have also done the "increase your calories, your dying and starving to death" and went slowly up to 1700 and gained weight quick...not the way to go for me....bodies react differently to the use and abuse over the years....as well as genetics:ohwell:

    Im curious to hear what others think...:flowerforyou:
  • jsuaccounting
    jsuaccounting Posts: 193 Member
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    This is the way I have seen it explained. When dieting you reduce your glycogen (and water ) stores. Therefore, as soon as you go to a less-restricted diet you should gain between 2-5 pounds. This is not fat. You can still lose weight on a higher calorie diet but you'll have to take the initial hit. So, if it is only a few pounds - you might try ignoring it and staying with the higher calorie for a few weeks to see if you start losing again.

    Good luck - hopefully, you will not have to stay on 1200 cals.
  • nmwss
    nmwss Posts: 2
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    I agree with the person who said invest in a heart rate monitor. I too didn't start loosing weight on MFP until I started accurately tracking the calories I burned through exercise, and accurately tracking my food.
  • One_Last_Time
    One_Last_Time Posts: 125
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    Your logging is off. I don't think your being honest with yourself to what or how much your eating. Like someone said about the cheese steak...368 or something like that? No those are at LEAST 500 MIN! 1.33 would be more like 600+ calories. Your probably eating closer to 2,000 a day.
  • amirahdaboss
    amirahdaboss Posts: 921 Member
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    Where can I find a heart rate monitor?
  • amirahdaboss
    amirahdaboss Posts: 921 Member
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    Your logging is off. I don't think your being honest with yourself to what or how much your eating. Like someone said about the cheese steak...368 or something like that? No those are at LEAST 500 MIN! 1.33 would be more like 600+ calories. Your probably eating closer to 2,000 a day.
    Everybody is mentioning that sandwich haha. I actually ate a little less than 3/4 of the sandwich, and was looking for a food result that looked like it was somewhere near the actual calorie amount, so it was more of an educated guess. I didn't actually eat 1.3 sandwiches haha
  • 424a57
    424a57 Posts: 140 Member
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    Where can I find a heart rate monitor?
    Sporting goods store, Amazon... Lots of places.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    Looking at the past 6 days(mon-sat)...you have eaten on average 1406 calories per day...you exercised 1833 calories, so net calories would be 1101 average a day....Do you measure your food? water weight? They say a calorie is a calorie...however I have started to severely restrict alcohol and ALL refined sugar and noticed a slight drop in weight....Hope someone can shed some light on this for you...Keep up the great work and stay motivated!!
  • 1stday13
    1stday13 Posts: 433 Member
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    I have to comment, I jumped throughout your diary for the past 5 months. I saw very few healthy choices.
    You also went over more than you stayed under 1200. I agree with others, you probably are underestimating the calories you do consume. ( Don't just think about buying a scale.. BUY IT !!) You can pick one up for around $20.00 ( About a weeks worth ( in cost )of all the unhealthy things you eat.
    So get real & good Luck :drinker:
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
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    That statement about losing weight eating only white meat fruit and veg.
    What a load of crap.

    edited because I hit reply and not quote... ooops
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/another-look-at-metabolic-damage.html#more-9313


    Cliff notes:

    When someone complains about not losing at X number of calories there's several possibilities.

    1. They aren't really eating X calories. They are logging incorrectly, either not weighing, forgetting binges, or not logging on the weekends, etc.

    2. They are losing weight but due to messed up stress hormones they could be retaining an incredibly large amount of water, masking their weight loss.

    3. They aren't really eating at a deficit because the weight they've already lost has resulted in a lower TDEE.

    4. They aren't really eating at a deficit because their activity level has dropped considerably due to the fatigue caused by eating less calories and/or stress hormones.

    5. Or some kind of combination of points 1-4.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    You have since said you don't own scales, I'd start there before worrying about bigger changes.
  • MelonJMusic
    MelonJMusic Posts: 121 Member
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    Honesty is always the best policy, especially when it comes to being honest with yourself. Track accurately. Like someone said earlier, it would be better to over estimate the calories you take in and underestimate the ones you burn rather than vice versa. But accuracy and truthfulness (even when you know it's not going to be pretty) will do you no wrong.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Your logging is off. I don't think your being honest with yourself to what or how much your eating. Like someone said about the cheese steak...368 or something like that? No those are at LEAST 500 MIN! 1.33 would be more like 600+ calories. Your probably eating closer to 2,000 a day.
    Everybody is mentioning that sandwich haha. I actually ate a little less than 3/4 of the sandwich, and was looking for a food result that looked like it was somewhere near the actual calorie amount, so it was more of an educated guess. I didn't actually eat 1.3 sandwiches haha
    That's fine then. Your doing everything perfectly and you you obviously don't need help at all (so not sure why you started this topic) and all these people telling you the same thing that your logging is off are obviously totally wrong.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    Your logging is off. I don't think your being honest with yourself to what or how much your eating. Like someone said about the cheese steak...368 or something like that? No those are at LEAST 500 MIN! 1.33 would be more like 600+ calories. Your probably eating closer to 2,000 a day.
    Everybody is mentioning that sandwich haha. I actually ate a little less than 3/4 of the sandwich, and was looking for a food result that looked like it was somewhere near the actual calorie amount, so it was more of an educated guess. I didn't actually eat 1.3 sandwiches haha
    That's fine then. Your doing everything perfectly and you you obviously don't need help at all (so not sure why you started this topic) and all these people telling you the same thing that your logging is off are obviously totally wrong.


    +1 :ohwell:
  • amirahdaboss
    amirahdaboss Posts: 921 Member
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    Your logging is off. I don't think your being honest with yourself to what or how much your eating. Like someone said about the cheese steak...368 or something like that? No those are at LEAST 500 MIN! 1.33 would be more like 600+ calories. Your probably eating closer to 2,000 a day.
    Everybody is mentioning that sandwich haha. I actually ate a little less than 3/4 of the sandwich, and was looking for a food result that looked like it was somewhere near the actual calorie amount, so it was more of an educated guess. I didn't actually eat 1.3 sandwiches haha
    That's fine then. Your doing everything perfectly and you you obviously don't need help at all (so not sure why you started this topic) and all these people telling you the same thing that your logging is off are obviously totally wrong.


    Thank you, I just think I have a huge problem with water weight when I do go over my calories I guess

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