If I have a caloric deficit, how am I gaining weight?

violaninja · August 2014

Earlier this week, I had a pretty big caloric deficit each day – around 1000 calories, since I was doing a lot of hiking as well as working out and was following a very restricted diet (I tried not to meet my 1200 calories, since I can do so without being hungry or tired). However, yesterday, I didn't exercise and I ate way, way past the point of satiety, and I've gained half a pound. I only ate 1100 calories and still had a deficit of 700 calories. Since my mom doesn't want me to be on a diet (she thinks I'm anorexic, but I'm not), it can be really hard for me to count calories. Do you think I'm miscalculating my caloric intake?

BombshellPhoenix · August 2014

It's probably water retention. I fluctuate as much as 5 lbs throughout the day and up to 3 lbs from one day to the next. It's not true gain. There are many factors to scale weight. It's why I trust measurements and mirror over scale and only take weekly averages of my weight and not day to day fluctuations.

Though, you should be eating more than 1200 calories. It Sounds like you're not sedentary and are quite active. Fueling your body is important for muscle retention and overall health.

ETA: and it looks like you only have 13 lbs to lose and are only 18. Your body is still finishing growing and you're being overly aggressive with your deficit for such little weight left to lose. With less weight to lose, taking weight loss slower will be much more beneficial than rushing.

nicsflyingcircus · August 2014

I think it's normal fluctuation but also that your mom may be right that you may have disordered thinking towards food.

trogalicious · August 2014

It's probably water retention. I fluctuate as much as 5 lbs throughout the day and up to 3 lbs from one day to the next. It's not true gain. There are many factors to scale weight. It's why I trust measurements and mirror over scale and only take weekly averages of my weight and not day to day fluctuations.

Though, you should be eating more than 1200 calories. It Sounds like you're not sedentary and are quite active. Fueling your body is important for muscle retention and overall health.

ETA: and it looks like you only have 13 lbs to lose and are only 18. Your body is still finishing growing and you're being overly aggressive with your deficit for such little weight left to lose. With less weight to lose, taking weight loss slower will be much more beneficial than rushing.

exactly this.

100% this.

blueberrykitten · August 2014

You need to eat more. How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

puddy29 · August 2014

I'm not gaining but I am not losing either. It has taken me just about a month to lose 8lbs. I think that is nothing expecially when you are a bigger person but I digress.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · August 2014

You ate 1100 calories and that's way more than you have been eating? Is that right?

holly1283 · August 2014

By going up and down as to food intake (not deficit) Your body does know how to interpret when it is getting food. At your age you still have physical maturing to do. The above comments seem to be spot on. Gradual is better than vascillating so much.

RavenLibra · August 2014

If you want legitimate help from the community you need to share your current stats... all too often young folk focus on weight when they should be focussed on Body composition... IF you want to know yours look for a college or university near you that offers degrees in kinesiology, or Human performance. for little or zero fee they will run you through a series of measurements and tests and give you some solid metrics that you can build upon. No judgement it's all just based on unbiased and impersonal scientific methods...

as it is... the closer you get to a "realistic" body weight the tougher it becomes to loose those last few lbs... from what I read here on the boards... the best thing to do is to run some bulk and cut cycles over the next 3-6 months...

Good luck

_Zardoz_ · August 2014

Earlier this week, I had a pretty big caloric deficit each day – around 1000 calories, since I was doing a lot of hiking as well as working out and was following a very restricted diet (I tried not to meet my 1200 calories, since I can do so without being hungry or tired). However, yesterday, I didn't exercise and I ate way, way past the point of satiety, and I've gained half a pound. I only ate 1100 calories and still had a deficit of 700 calories. Since my mom doesn't want me to be on a diet (she thinks I'm anorexic, but I'm not), it can be really hard for me to count calories. Do you think I'm miscalculating my caloric intake?

I've bolded the bits that leap out to me. 1200 Net calories is recommended as the level to get a sufficient nutrients the body needs. The Net bit is important as it means eating back the calories you use exercising so you will actually be eating more than 1200 calories. I'm not saying you have an ED but the way you are approaching this is worrying and I can understand your mothers concerns

If you wish to do this in a healthy and sustainable manner and fuel your exercise I suggest looking at the link below lots of great advice in there . Good luck

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594

barricade321 · August 2014

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BombshellPhoenix · August 2014

Hey there, I see you're trying to loose weight. well this product is an absolute must have for anyone trying to loose weight. Hundreds and hundreds of women have lost weight with this program. You should really check it out and pass this link on for everyone to check it out [snip]

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MelRC117 · August 2014

Earlier this week, I had a pretty big caloric deficit each day – around 1000 calories, since I was doing a lot of hiking as well as working out and was following a very restricted diet (I tried not to meet my 1200 calories, since I can do so without being hungry or tired). However, yesterday, I didn't exercise and I ate way, way past the point of satiety, and I've gained half a pound. I only ate 1100 calories and still had a deficit of 700 calories. Since my mom doesn't want me to be on a diet (she thinks I'm anorexic, but I'm not), it can be really hard for me to count calories. Do you think I'm miscalculating my caloric intake?

I've bolded the bits that leap out to me. 1200 Net calories is recommended as the level to get a sufficient nutrients the body needs. The Net bit is important as it means eating back the calories you use exercising so you will actually be eating more than 1200 calories. I'm not saying you have an ED but the way you are approaching this is worrying and I can understand your mothers concerns

If you wish to do this in a healthy and sustainable manner and fuel your exercise I suggest looking at the link below lots of great advice in there . Good luck

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594

My exact thoughts. If you purposely try to eat less than 1200 calories a day when you're hiking, and considering you said you ate 1100 calories in a day and ate way way past when you felt full, this puts up a lot of red flags.

reachingforarainbow · August 2014

I would say go up to maintenance for a bit of time, till you are actually maintaining (you might even lose a little) because this will even out your body fluctuating. Then once it evens out a bit, try to aim for only 1 lb of weightloss a week (only drop calories 500 calories below maintenance)