Gaining Weight With a Calorie Deficit

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I have been having some issues with my current weight loss and I am hoping to find some answers here. I have searched the internet and read every article I could find on this topic but none of them are truly answering my questions. Hopefully someone here can help!

At the beginning of May I started this diet and began exercising. I eat 1200 calories a day and make sure that I never go over on carbs, sugar, fat, sodium, etc. While ensuring I hit my protein and fiber goals daily. I am a 5'4" female and when I began I was 173lbs. It has now been 3 months since I began and as of this morning I weigh 149.4lbs which I am super happy about. The problem is, the weight loss completely stopped about a month ago and as of a few days ago, I am actually gaining weight. A week ago I weighed 148.2 and then suddenly I started gaining weight every day. I thought it was a weird fluctuation but I am getting on the scale every morning and seeing this increase slowly. I'm not sure what I could be doing wrong. This worked for me for so long and suddenly it's doing the opposite.

I've read a lot about this online but all of the tips are for people who are eating too much or not drinking enough water and that is not me. I eat 1000-1200 calories a day and log absolutely everything. I never snack on little things and then leave it out. Everything is measured out. I am very precise. I eat around 105g of protein, 105g of carbs, and 40g of fat a day. Most days I will go over on my protein so my carbs and fat will end up being lower. I tried having a cheat day once a week for a little while because I heard a calorie spike could help but it did not help at all so I stopped doing that a couple of weeks ago. I work out 1-2x daily, cardio 5x a week for 30-60 minutes and weight lifting 5x a week. I do not have a sedentary job. I drink over 12 8oz glasses of water every day. I monitor my potassium and sodium intake to make sure they are balanced in order to prevent retaining water. I rarely pass 1200mg of sodium daily and if I do it's never even close to 2000mg.

What am I doing wrong? Why and how could I be gaining weight? I have put so much work into this and it is really frustrating that suddenly I seem to be going backwards. Any and all tips and advice is appreciated. Thank you!!
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Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
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    Consider where you are in your cycle. I track my weight, CI, and CO every day and make notes of things like excess sodium or if I drink alcohol, etc. Even when I'm doing everything correct with no indulgencies or over calorie days, I'll gain about 2-3 pounds over the week during ovulation and again before my TOM. It all comes off and then drops to where it should be based on my deficit. A week of slight gain is perfectly normal over the long run. If you're logging accurately, your body will eventually catch up to the deficit you've been maintaining.

    Based on your activity level, though - it does sound like you're eating too few calories.
  • DanielleMazziotti
    DanielleMazziotti Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you all for the responses. Yes, I measure out everything that I eat. I am confident that I am not underestimating calories in or overestimating calories out. I do not eat back exercise calories so it could be possible that I am eating too little which is causing water retention as one of you suggested. Also, I am ovulating and did not consider weight gain from that as I never have gained while ovulating in the past but I suppose it is possible!
  • misnomer1
    misnomer1 Posts: 646 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I suggest you set goals to .5 pound loss per week and consume the net calories. At this rate you're losing muscle as well, and are starving yourself.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Thank you all for the responses. Yes, I measure out everything that I eat. I am confident that I am not underestimating calories in or overestimating calories out. I do not eat back exercise calories so it could be possible that I am eating too little which is causing water retention as one of you suggested. Also, I am ovulating and did not consider weight gain from that as I never have gained while ovulating in the past but I suppose it is possible!

    So you eat 1200 daily and have to exercise for more calorie burn even to maintain right now?

    Ouch - hope you don't get sick or go on vacation or family responsibilities - your eating level would have to drop terribly low just to maintain then.
    That's too bad.

    Plus the fact when you weigh less you need to eat less anyway.

    I'm going to suggest your body has adapted by slowing you down daily.
    Your workouts are probably no where near what they could be.
    Your daily activity level is probably less movement than you are aware.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    If it were me, I would try eating about 1500/day for 2 weeks (which I'm guessing is going to be close to maintenance since you are only 5'4" and female)...then go back to what you are doing after a 2 week break...keep the workouts, keep the logging, just up the calories for a few weeks...give your body and your mind a bit of a rest, then get back at it!!!
  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
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    Have you dropped your calories in relation to your weight? You lost a good percentage of bodyweight so your calories should decrease accordingly.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    joemac1988 wrote: »
    Have you dropped your calories in relation to your weight? You lost a good percentage of bodyweight so your calories should decrease accordingly.

    she says she is only eating 1200 so there is no way to drop calories as 1200 is the least you are supposed to eat for a female. now if she weighs food and finds out she is eating more then she can possibly drop a bit.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    joemac1988 wrote: »
    Have you dropped your calories in relation to your weight? You lost a good percentage of bodyweight so your calories should decrease accordingly.

    That's a very bad idea - she's only eating 1000 - 1200 calories as it is.