weight gain after weight loss-why is it so hard for me to maintain my lost weight???

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ktm96
ktm96 Posts: 61 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've currently been dieting for the month of october. I started out at about 134 pounds....went all the way down to 126....and now I'm at 130. My goal was 125. There is no way in this world that I overate 14,000 calories to gain the four pounds. But it is also weird that I was as low as 126, right? I'm eating 1200 calories a day and that should equal to about 2 pounds per week. Now I have not stuck to 1200 EVERY SINGLE DAY. A few days I ate about 1800 or possibly a little above 2000. But it all just dosnt make sense to me! How could I have been at 126 and didn't even really overeat at my maintenance and now be at 130??

I'm not sure if my metabolism is completely screwed up from previous diets (I've been on 2 diet stretches in my life......they both lasted about 2-3 months, 1200 calories a day). Maybe my body is holding onto water weight when I ate at maintenance since it was so used to 1200 calories? Does anyone have any advice or experience with maintaining weight loss?

Also, I do walk everyday, I try to get in about 10,000 steps so its not like I'm not active at all.

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  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    You are eating too little, you are losing at too fast a rate ...what you have lost is mainly water, and some fat and lean muscle and as soon as you stop calorie restricting as heavily whoosh back comes the water weight

    If you have a few pounds to lose, you do it slowly ...no more than 0.5lb a week
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    I'm 5'4 and I weigh anywhere from 134-140. I have been 128 before, but it was way too hard to maintain and I looked and felt like crap. When you don't have much to lose, it's harder to lose.

    I can swing 5 pounds in a week based on water, sodium, TOM....so, I really wouldn't sweat it.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    KTM.

    October is not over yet, which means you've been dieting for approximately four weeks, and you have lost 4 pounds. That's fantastic!

    Weight naturally fluctuates, so what you are experiencing is normal.

    Weight loss is not linear, so you might as well get used to those fluctuations, and sometimes not losing anything for a few days, then seemingly losing more than you anticipate. That is normal as well.

    I doubt you have screwed up your metabolism. You could have some water retention going on, but then again that's normal too.

    You have very little weight to lose. Your goal of 2 pounds per week is too aggressive for the few pounds you have left. Your goal need be to lose .5 pounds per week.

    If you are not losing 2 pounds a week my guess is that you are eating more than you realize. This happens by underestimating food intake via eyeballing, measuring cups and spoons instead of weighing food, as well as overestimating calorie burns by using MFP or internet or gym machine estimations.

    Weigh all your food and make sure you log every single thing you eat, including oils, condiments, and beverages. For calories counts taken from MFP, internet sources, and gym machines make sure you don't eat all of them back.

    Keep up the good work, I personally think you are doing fantastic!
  • ktm96
    ktm96 Posts: 61 Member
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    SLL Runner,

    The thing is, I am crazy about counting calories! I measure everything with my scale, down to the gram. I guess four pounds isnt bad.....maybe I'll up my calories to 1500 and see where that goes? I just like doing the 1200 since I see results pretty quickly. My main goal is to get to 125 by thanksgiving!
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
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    ktm96 wrote: »
    SLL Runner,

    The thing is, I am crazy about counting calories! I measure everything with my scale, down to the gram. I guess four pounds isnt bad.....maybe I'll up my calories to 1500 and see where that goes? I just like doing the 1200 since I see results pretty quickly. My main goal is to get to 125 by thanksgiving!
    Just think 1 pound per week and follow the MFP recommendations for steady, healthy and lasting results. What comes off fast usually piles right back on.
    I reached my weight goals 3 years ago and have worked hard to maintain. I succeeded, but it was every bit as challenging as the weight loss. GOOD LUCK!
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    Someone may have said this, not sure.

    As soon as you start eating at maintenance you will put on 2-4 pounds as your body replenishes its glycogen and water stores. This will be especially obvious with someone smaller like you. So try to diet down to 3ish pounds below where you really want to maintain and be prepared for the permanent addition of a couple pounds when you switch to maintenance. Otherwise you will be yo-yoing those last five pounds forever.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    Someone may have said this, not sure.

    As soon as you start eating at maintenance you will put on 2-4 pounds as your body replenishes its glycogen and water stores. This will be especially obvious with someone smaller like you. So try to diet down to 3ish pounds below where you really want to maintain and be prepared for the permanent addition of a couple pounds when you switch to maintenance. Otherwise you will be yo-yoing those last five pounds forever.

    So if you want to be 125, diet down to 122 and make sure you are really there. Then switch to maintenance. You will probably weight 125 then.
  • ktm96
    ktm96 Posts: 61 Member
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    that makes so much sebse threnjen!!!!! You have answered my question I have been pondering over for the last 8 months! I've maintained 130 for so long but I was lowest at 125 and 125 was always my goal weight!

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