Can't lose the weight gained during maintainence

Wingg_
Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
edited November 12 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
hello I have increased my maintenance cal from 1300 + fitbit cal to 1400 + fitbit cal for like a week or two but I've gained a kg so I dropped my cal to 1200 cal for 1 month close to two moths now but I can't seem to lose the weight I gained. Why is that so??
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Replies

  • rayfu75
    rayfu75 Posts: 209 Member
    was the gain muscle perhaps? true gain?
  • marialy21
    marialy21 Posts: 60 Member
    Funny I just read an article how fitbit has helped people gain weight. Hopefully it's not really the case. Maybe amp up ur workouts and don't eat back too much exercise call? ?
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    rayfu75 wrote: »
    was the gain muscle perhaps? true gain?

    How do you determine if it's true gain?
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    marialy21 wrote: »
    Funny I just read an article how fitbit has helped people gain weight. Hopefully it's not really the case. Maybe amp up ur workouts and don't eat back too much exercise call? ?


    When I was eating 1300+ fitbit cal I was maintaining ...
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    You aren't in a calorie deficit.

    Maybe your fitbit is exagerating?
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited February 2015
    Nothing is exact. You have to find what works for you.
    I do not use my fit bit for anything except to motivate me to move more. I log my food and any exercise I do on MFP and monitor my weight. If I gain a little I cut back on calories consumed for a few days. It has worked for me so far and I have been maintaining for 15 months. I give myself a 5 pound cushion, but will cut calories consumed @ a 3 pound gain.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited February 2015
    If you are gaining then you are simply eating back too many exercise calories. I find my Fitbit pretty accurate but even in maintenance I don't eat back all the calories it gives me, I eat back 70% of them. The scale will always fluctuate but it will always come back down again if you aren't eating over TDEE.

    ps it takes a few months for our bodies to adjust to maintenance and having more calories to use up, but it does get used to the extra. It took my weight a few months to settle at higher cals. I currently am able to eat at 2200 and maintain. It took time to reverse diet up from 1800 cals to get to 2200 but sticking with it was worth the patience/wait :)
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    I'm not gaining now... Just can't seem to lose the 1kg so I'm thinking if i should go back to the original plan of eating 1300+ fitbit cal... Any suggestions?
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    My husband and I walk together and he gets literally 75% more steps than I do. He takes little tiny steps. He doesn't use 75% more calories than I do. I love fitbit, but you have to work your calories and your steps to fit your maintenance. For my first year in maintenance I was at a 250 calorie deficit according to MFP. I didn't lose weight, so obviously I wasn't (I also ate back my fitbit calories). After a year I lost weight so dropped to 0 calorie deficit. I've maintained now for another year. You just have to figure out how YOUR calories match YOUR weight gain.

    If you can't lose, I would suggest looking at your macros. I can't lose weight unless I'm at under 40% carbs (that's high protein and fat, not low carbs). That's true for lots of folks, especially those who have been heavy for a while or have a tendency towards insulin resistance. High protein won't do you any harm anyway.
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    Quite some time ago I was eating 1200 cal + fitbit cal before upping to 1300+ fitbit cal after I upped my cal I lost weight. So I'm wondering if I should do the same now.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    When you've lost weight you need to recalculate your calories because smaller people use fewer calories.
  • rayfu75
    rayfu75 Posts: 209 Member
    Wingg_ wrote: »
    rayfu75 wrote: »
    was the gain muscle perhaps? true gain?

    How do you determine if it's true gain?

    body fat % perhaps.

    @nxd10 has a good point as well. Recalcuating every so often when you've dropped 5-10lbs ?
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    That was when I was trying to figure out my maintenance cal and not trying to lose weight. However, either way I did not hit the maintenance cal given by MFP because I gained a kg when I upped to 1400cal + fitbit cal it was an immediate gain so I waited for a week or two but it didn't drop so here I am eating 1200+ Fitbit cal for almost 2 months now but the weight didn't go away.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Did you change anything ie cut back on your exercise ? Your body should have got used to the extra cals, and it would have done if you'd given it more time, it takes patience and allowance for fluctuations in weight...what are your total average cals eaten in the day?
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Did you change anything ie cut back on your exercise ? Your body should have got used to the extra cals, and it would have done if you'd given it more time, it takes patience and allowance for fluctuations in weight...what are your total average cals eaten in the day?

    How much time would I need to give it? I normally eat close to 2000cal pr more on my exercise day.
    I'm wondering if I should lose more weight because I'm having a 4days trip to Taiwan. So I am thinking that I should lose some weight in advance but seems like it isn't working.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    @wingg_ I usually try to lose a few pounds before a holiday knowing that it gives some leeway for eating more, you must be eating just slightly above maintenance calories if you aren't staying the same/losing - how about for this week you eat 1900 cals total, see how that works for you? its a matter of playing around with calories to find our sweet spot.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    edited February 2015
    1. A kg is hardly worth worrying about and should fall within the normal range of fluctuations (I usually maintain about a 5 lb range)
    2. If 1300 + fitbit had you maintaining then that was your maintenance. Go back to that and you should be fine
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    @RunRutheeRun‌ I'm trying to lose some weight but it is not happening I don't know why... So I'm thinking should I continue trying to lose weight or just go back to 1300 + Fitbit cal
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    1. A kg is hardly worth worrying about and should fall within the normal range of fluctuations (I usually maintain about a 5 lb range)
    2. If 1300 + fitbit had you maintaining then that was your maintenance. Go back to that and you should be fine


    But I want to lose some weight to prepare for my trip so I don't know what to do...
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited February 2015
    @wingg_ so reduce your calories just a little bit and try and change up your exercise, circuits work great for getting the scale moving, they always do for me - anything to get calories burned etc :)

    What does your fitbit gives you as a daily average total burn ?
    and what do your workouts look like? or your average steps? and your height/age etc?
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    edited February 2015
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    @wingg_ so reduce your calories just a little bit and try and change up your exercise, circuits work great for getting the scale moving, they always do for me - anything to get calories burned etc :)

    What does your fitbit gives you as a daily average total burn ?
    and what do your workouts look like? or your average steps? and your height/age etc?

    Sometimes it varies from 500-1000 cal I walk a lot I use it when I jog as well. Currently I'm having school holiday so I'll work to the gym which is pretty far and back home. I would jog and brisk walk on the treadmill. I'm 19, 159-161 cm.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    @wingg_ you're young so thats in your favour, how many steps? I do an average of 17000 steps in the day, 5miles/10k steps are ran and my total burn is never higher than 2400, my BMR is just under 1500, so the cals according to fitbit aren't likely to be out too much. You're a similar height to me but as I'm older I wont burn as much as you. I would say for you to eat 1300+75% of your fitbit calories, Which is around 2000 cals. Just stick with it, the scale will move again, it really will :)
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    @RunRutheeRun‌ I walk like 30000-40000 steps. So after I've lose some weight and after the trip I should maintain at 1300+ all fitbit cal? Like I used to?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    @wingg_ then you really DO NEED TO EAT lol, thats a heck of a lot of steps. I don't understand why you are not losing with all that activity. But your body is refusing to let go and it must think you aren't eating enough - I have found this to be true - I used to stall eating at 1500 total cals and then I upped, was at the point I was losing on 1800 cals and now at maintenance I eat 2100 - 2300. Give your body more fuel in the form of some more cals for a few weeks, this plateau will pass, just give it time.
    - I take it you are meticulous about measuring/weighing your food?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    have you taken your measurements? are they still the same, or smaller? how do your clothes feel?
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
    @RunRutheeRun‌ I weigh everything I put into my mouth even bread. So I think it's pretty accurate. I think they're the same my clothes fit like it used to. So I'll go back to 1300+ Fitbit cal after the trip. For now I shall continue with 1200+ Fitbit cal.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    wishing you success, and have a great trip :smile: )
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    rayfu75 wrote: »
    was the gain muscle perhaps? true gain?

    not on 1300 calories a day with no progressive heavy lifting program ...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP - you are overestimating your calorie burns which is leading you to eat more than you think.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    Trying to fine-tune that last vanity kilo/couple of pounds when you're already at a healthy weight seems as hard as losing the first 25, I swear! I don't have any suggestions because I'm still struggling with a couple of stubborn holiday pounds myself, but I wish you luck. And try not to worry about it too much. As I often need to remind myself, that while that small gain above what felt like the perfect number is annoying, as long as you're not continuing to gain and your clothes still fit, it's not really a big deal. :-)
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