Anybody have an idea?

chaarlotte289
chaarlotte289 Posts: 84 Member
edited November 27 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I'm a little bit confused...
I was maintaining on 2500 calories (light-moderately active) for a good month or two. I recently started a new job at the begining of November and have upped my exercise to very active (I'm a preschool teacher and constantly running after kids and on my feet now) and have been taking in 2000-2250 calories a day. I was expecting to have lost but I gained 2lbs?! How could this be? I have been watching for about 3.5 weeks but have not gone down (at first I thought it was TOTM but that has come and gone). My macros have been consistent, I count calories accurately, and I have not taken in more than 1500mg of sodium. Any idea why this could be? Is it possible to loose on a high intake and gain on a lower one?
Should I increase back up in hopes of loosing the two pounds?

Replies

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    You are running a small deficit, and it's only been 3 weeks, and it's only 2lbs. My weight fluctuates by more than that in a given day, much less 3 weeks. It's possible that it's a little bit of water retention from being on your feet more. I wouldn't worry about it yet.
  • BikeTourer
    BikeTourer Posts: 167 Member
    Very active? Kids tire you out but I seriously doubt that a Fitbit would register any active minutes over a school day... I have to get in 10K steps at 4.5mph or higher to move into that category..

    Yes I had very active kids when they were young and had to work in me active time. Kid active isn't adult active...
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Give it a few more weeks, it's just the change in routine I reckon....
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    BikeTourer wrote: »
    Very active? Kids tire you out but I seriously doubt that a Fitbit would register any active minutes over a school day... I have to get in 10K steps at 4.5mph or higher to move into that category..

    Yes I had very active kids when they were young and had to work in me active time. Kid active isn't adult active...

    100% agree. Toddling around after little kids doesn't constitute "active" IMHO

  • chaarlotte289
    chaarlotte289 Posts: 84 Member
    Even if that was the case I lowered my calories and upped my exercise but gained...
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    Give it some time to level out. You may be slightly more stressed and cortisol does crazy things to your body, you may be retaining water if you are working out more. There can be many factors. Anyone who says chasing after a classroom of kids is not active has not done it. That is not stay at home parenting, I have done that. When I subbed in our daycare I could not believe how much my feet hurt at the end of the day. Chasing after littles is work! Keep up the great food choices, keep up the exersise, make sure you are getting enough sleep and just give it a bit of time.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I work with kids too, and live in a large city. I'm lightly active for sure. They take small steps, and aren't quite as fast as you think.
  • Valrotha
    Valrotha Posts: 294 Member
    Whenever I see people run into trouble when everything else seems right, it's usually about water intake (or the lack thereof). Are you getting enough water throughout the day?
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    Stress will do it to me. Everything can be exactly the same and if I'm stressed, seems I gain regardless. Are you worried, or a bit anxious by any chance?
  • OnU2nite
    OnU2nite Posts: 23 Member
    You changed two important factors at the same time. Activity level and calories. The Calculator that helps you figure out your activity level is "Meh" at best. You found something that worked and then messed with it because you got a new job. My suggestion is go back to what you were doing and listen to your body. If you really are more active in your new job you might start to lose weight. At that time you would want to adjust your food based on your goals.

    Adjusting one factor at a time will help you determine whats is causing the change. Wait for your body to tell you when change is needed. Not your mind.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    Were you doing any exercise before the job? I would say go back to eating what you were before. There is no reason you should "gain" by decreasing calories and upping activity. It is probably the stress on your body causing fluctuations. 2lbs is a fluctuation. A few weeks is nothing, you should go back to where your body was happy because obviously it was maintaining and you had a good routine going.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Get a fitbit. I move around a lot teaching and thought I was very active, but measure much lower than that. I have to actually exercise to hit my numbers.
  • ilovesweeties
    ilovesweeties Posts: 84 Member
    nxd10 wrote: »
    Get a fitbit.

    I second getting a FitBit, if you are keen for a better estimate of calorie burn. I do not move about much at work in an office, but my average burn is 2400/day, according to FitBit (which is 'Active' according to MFP). I would never have set MFP to 'Active', because of the 8 hours/day on my desk chair, but my CICO is reflected in my weight changes over the last few months, so I guess FitBit must be right!

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Give it a few more weeks, it's just the change in routine I reckon....
  • xKoalaBearx
    xKoalaBearx Posts: 181 Member
    cloudi2 wrote: »
    Stress will do it to me. Everything can be exactly the same and if I'm stressed, seems I gain regardless. Are you worried, or a bit anxious by any chance?
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Give it a few more weeks, it's just the change in routine I reckon....

    I agree with these. Stress of a new job and change in routine can alter your stress hormones and cause water retention/weight gain. I would keep doing what you're doing (eating at a deficit) and wait a little longer.

    Good luck!
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    @chaarlotte289 did you figure it out?
  • chaarlotte289
    chaarlotte289 Posts: 84 Member
    @Noreenmarie1234 not rly :/
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    I work with kids too, and live in a large city. I'm lightly active for sure. They take small steps, and aren't quite as fast as you think.
    This.op- I'm going to bet your job doesn't put you in the highly active category.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    your job is not highly active. lightly at best. for best results either get a fitbit to figure it out, or set it to sedentary and adjust calories as needed.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    thorsmom01 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    I work with kids too, and live in a large city. I'm lightly active for sure. They take small steps, and aren't quite as fast as you think.
    This.op- I'm going to bet your job doesn't put you in the highly active category.

    The problem isn't that she isn't "highly active". The problem is that she was eating more and maintaining with less activity and now she is doing more activity eating less and gaining.
  • cookielover_96
    cookielover_96 Posts: 177 Member
    That's because it's not your maintenance calories. It depends on your metabolism. Mine is slow so if I were to eat at mine recommended amount (2,300), I'd gain weight. I maintain my weight by keeping track on average what I eat daily and with that making sure my weight isn't fluctuating. I did that and found my real maintenance calories is 1,300. I now eat at about 1,800 calories and still weigh the same.
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