Why am I gaining weight and fat?
Mandy72M
Posts: 20 Member
I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
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Replies
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How do you know that you've gained fat?
In all likelihood, something is happening to make you retain water. (Time of month is a likely culprit. As is sodium intake, increased exercise, more carbs than usual...) It will pass.5 -
It's been 5 days...
Scales are pretty much useless for body fat.
Weight loss isn't linear, be more patient18 -
What they said ^
In addition, do you mean TDEE? Or BMR? If you eat at your TDEE you are eating at maintenance, and will maintain your weight.4 -
If you haven't weighed yourself daily until now, you don't know how your weight naturally fluctuates, but it does, by a few pounds from day to day.
You can lose up to 1% of your bodyweight in fat in a week - this is the max if you're obese and diligent. So you need more time, and patience.
I doubt your TDEE is 1600. What's your height and weight?
You can't and shouldn't rely on home scales to measure body composition accurately. But if you're dehydrated, your fat% will increase.
If you count calores, you have to do it correctly for it to work.6 -
Im 5ft 1 weigh 124lbs looking to get to 112. I don’t have a lot to lose but seem to be gaining rather than losing? Thankskommodevaran wrote: »If you haven't weighed yourself daily until now, you don't know how your weight naturally fluctuates, but it does, by a few pounds from day to day.
You can lose up to 1% of your bodyweight in fat in a week - this is the max if you're obese and diligent. So you need more time, and patience.
I doubt your TDEE is 1600. What's your height and weight?
You can't and shouldn't rely on home scales to measure body composition accurately. But if you're dehydrated, your fat% will increase.
If you count calores, you have to do it correctly for it to work.
4 -
I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
You will shift water weight levels, your fat loss/weight loss will eventually be inline with your rate of loss as loss, need more than 5 days trend.
Im 5ft 1 weigh 124lbs looking to get to 112. I don’t have a lot to lose but seem to be gaining rather than losing? Thankskommodevaran wrote: »If you haven't weighed yourself daily until now, you don't know how your weight naturally fluctuates, but it does, by a few pounds from day to day.
You can lose up to 1% of your bodyweight in fat in a week - this is the max if you're obese and diligent. So you need more time, and patience.
I doubt your TDEE is 1600. What's your height and weight?
You can't and shouldn't rely on home scales to measure body composition accurately. But if you're dehydrated, your fat% will increase.
If you count calores, you have to do it correctly for it to work.
If you are sticking to your calorie deficit, you are losing, trust the process. Learning to not react to the scale in this regard will make your weight loss a lot smoother process. Smaller weight losses will be masked by shifts in water weight daily. At home body composition scales are highly inaccurate, they cannot differentiate between varying hydration levels, so you want to watch for a trend in your weight over 4+ weeks.
Be patient, you are losing, the scale weight will catch up. If you are inclined, perhaps look into a weight trending app.
3 -
Home scales are NEVER accurate when it comes to fat percentage.3
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My TDEE at my goal weight of 137 will be 1600. (I'm 52). So depending on her age that could be her TDEE because she's short and at a normal weight. I think recomp with strength training and cardio might make more sense. 12 lbs. Is a lot to lose at that size, 10% of her body weight. To do it by dieting the deficit needs to be small 250 Cal's and very precise.0
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I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?2 -
LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
I can’t see why 1600 would be my maintenance calories? I’m fairly active and do include weight training. I would say my maintenance calories at my current weight are over 2000 as that was how I was eating before. Il weigh in on Saturday and see what happens but I really do think my weight just have decreased even slightly by now. I’m just baffled by it.0 -
LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
I can’t see why 1600 would be my maintenance calories? I’m fairly active and do include weight training. I would say my maintenance calories at my current weight are over 2000 as that was how I was eating before. Il weigh in on Saturday and see what happens but I really do think my weight just have decreased even slightly by now. I’m just baffled by it.
Your OP says your TDEE is 1600?1 -
First of all you may be one of those people who don't fit the norm. I am 5'5" and weigh 145. I maintain on 1450/day. I have been trying to lose 10 pounds more for about a year. No luck. The second thing I noticed was it sounded like maybe you were unsure exactly how many calories you were actually eating. Are you weighing and logging what you eat? This is vital. If you aren't you need to start. Last of all, 5 days is not enough time to tell if you are losing and I can confirm that your weight will bounce around like crazy particularly when you only have about 10 pounds to lose. Be patient and keep going. If you are in a deficit the fat will eventually come off but it is slow when you are that close to goal. Good luck.0
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LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
I can’t see why 1600 would be my maintenance calories? I’m fairly active and do include weight training. I would say my maintenance calories at my current weight are over 2000 as that was how I was eating before. Il weigh in on Saturday and see what happens but I really do think my weight just have decreased even slightly by now. I’m just baffled by it.
maimtanance = TDEE
You said yourself it is 1600 up there
Everyone's weight fluctuates like this. Nothing to do with fat gain or fat loss. It's just water. You are made mostly of water and the body desides how much of it to retain a given day to optimise its functions.
If you keep weighing everyday like most of us you will see that this is how it is. It will go up and down all the time. Download and start using a weight trending app like Libra.0 -
LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
I can’t see why 1600 would be my maintenance calories? I’m fairly active and do include weight training. I would say my maintenance calories at my current weight are over 2000 as that was how I was eating before. Il weigh in on Saturday and see what happens but I really do think my weight just have decreased even slightly by now. I’m just baffled by it.
A couple of things....
The TDEE Calculator that I referenced (via the URL) and the numbers that I copied and pasted into this post from TDEE Calculator are a starting point. Usually, a really good starting point and are really close for most. I am sorry that I did not explicitly state that in my reply. My bad. I failed you there.
What I normally add to that is that "....use these numbers - based on your Physical Activity Level - as a starting point and play with nutrition for a week and see what happens....then adjust up or down as necessary. Then you have a really good idea of what your maintenance caloric intake is. And, it is not a guess, per-se!".
What is your "Physical Activity Level"? Good question. Here is a quick break down:
1. "Sedentary"
2. "Light Exercise"
3. "Moderate Exercise"
4. "Heavy Exercise",
5. "Athlete"
So, if you believe that your Physical Activity Level is "Moderate Exercise" then your thought process of roughly 2,000 Calories would be close (again, based on the details that I plugged into that TDEE calculator).
Keep in mind that TDEE is equal, generally speaking, to four things:
1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
2. NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)
3. PAL (Physical Activity Level)
4. Thermal Effect of Food (aka, Digestion)
There are lots of ways to interpret the above four (well, #2 being the focus of my statement, with #3 adding to it).
Again, the above numbers are a starting point. As everyone is different, it is possible that the above numbers are off for you. The only way to know is to play with them for awhile. I hurt myself in the gym and was out for a few months and used that time to play with nutrition. I know pretty clearly what my maintenance calories are because of this......it really helps *to know* and not to be guessing (no matter how 'educated' we might think that it is).
Does that help to clarify things now? I tend to use a lot of words.....so I ask as my explanations do tend to be lengthy.0 -
gebeziseva wrote: »LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
I can’t see why 1600 would be my maintenance calories? I’m fairly active and do include weight training. I would say my maintenance calories at my current weight are over 2000 as that was how I was eating before. Il weigh in on Saturday and see what happens but I really do think my weight just have decreased even slightly by now. I’m just baffled by it.
maimtanance = TDEE
You said yourself it is 1600 up there
Everyone's weight fluctuates like this. Nothing to do with fat gain or fat loss. It's just water. You are made mostly of water and the body desides how much of it to retain a given day to optimise its functions.
If you keep weighing everyday like most of us you will see that this is how it is. It will go up and down all the time. Download and start using a weight trending app like Libra.
Sorry my calories for losing weight are 1600 this is not my maintenance calories. I’m eating 1600 per day to lose weight and I’m active.0 -
gebeziseva wrote: »LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
I can’t see why 1600 would be my maintenance calories? I’m fairly active and do include weight training. I would say my maintenance calories at my current weight are over 2000 as that was how I was eating before. Il weigh in on Saturday and see what happens but I really do think my weight just have decreased even slightly by now. I’m just baffled by it.
maimtanance = TDEE
You said yourself it is 1600 up there
Everyone's weight fluctuates like this. Nothing to do with fat gain or fat loss. It's just water. You are made mostly of water and the body desides how much of it to retain a given day to optimise its functions.
If you keep weighing everyday like most of us you will see that this is how it is. It will go up and down all the time. Download and start using a weight trending app like Libra.
Sorry my calories for losing weight are 1600 this is not my maintenance calories. I’m eating 1600 per day to lose weight and I’m active.
so be more patient, and the scales will move1 -
LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »I restarted last Saturday and my plan originally was to consume 1500 calories per day however I'm closer to 1600 calories which is what my TDEE is. I've been weighing daily which I don't normally do and the first 2 days my weight dropped and so did my fat level on the scales. However after this my weight has been increasing daily and today I'm heavier than when I started off and my fat levels are higher also. How can this happen?
Mandy, I took some liberties and plugged in your data into https://tdeecalculator.net and, assuming that you are 20yo, here are your TDEE numbers at the different PAL (Physical Activity Level):
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,286 calories per day
Sedentary 1,543 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,768 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,993 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,218 calories per day
Athlete 2,443 calories per day
This is a different method from what MFP uses so please do not be confused by the two different methods. With MFP, you are given your BMR and are supposed to eat back your calories. It is different from TDEE.
What I do is weigh myself every morning, at the same time (roughly) on the same scale that has not been moved . I track that and only worry about the weekly trend. I tend to look at the week as my "measure of time" instead of every day (each day is simply *ONE* data point along that graph).
If it is your time of the month, as others have mentioned , then that will affect your weight (as I am sure that you well know). How are your macros? If you are eating a lot of carbs (read: more than usual) you could be adding to your glycogen reserves. There are lots of potential reasons.
Also, if you are eating at maintenance then you are not going to see any weight fluctuation (outside of the normal human weight fluctuation that we ALL experience). TDEE would likely be your maintenance.
Does this make sense?
Your later post makes me think the bolded was a typo: Yes, MFP expects us to eat back exercise, but it's calculating our NEAT, taking a calorie deficit for weight loss off from that (based on our weight loss target rate), and giving us the result. It isn't giving us our BMR, which is pretty much what we'd burn in a coma.
OP, normal, healthy bodies fluctuate in weight by several pounds. Pre-menopausal women are particularly likely to have substantial fluctuations through the menstrual cycle (at times that can differ for individuals), but fluctuations happen for everyone. Home scales are notoriously bad at "measuring" body fat.
Log and track carefully, but give yourself a full menstrual cycle plus a little (6 weeks, say) to see what your actual weight loss rate is. With so little weight to lose, you should be losing very slowly (0.5 pounds a week) which will make the results very slow to show up.
Like others, I suggest you might want to consider recomposition, especially if your goals are appearance related:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat
Best wishes!
0
This discussion has been closed.
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