Set the plan for maintenance but I am gaining weight

emeraldlightningsky
emeraldlightningsky Posts: 4 Member
edited 5:43AM in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I have set the MyFitnessPal program so that I can maintain my weight. After a year of maintaining my weight on these settings, I am now gaining 5 pounds. Why is this happening?

Replies

  • emeraldlightningsky
    emeraldlightningsky Posts: 4 Member
    Actually, no. I have increased my activity. Maybe I need to cut down on my carbs but I have been within the calorie limits for the day.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Over what period of time did you gain?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,450 Member
    Were you doing low carb and now you've changed that? That in itself will do it. So will alcohol, lack of sleep, stress, salt, new exercises, etc.

    It's common to see a bump up when increasing calories. Your choices are either ride it out for a couple months or cut back a couple hundred calories again. I personally had quite a lot of scale fluctuations in the beginning of maintenance. You know what to do. Trust your numbers, track accurately. Five pounds is a reasonable fluctuation in maintenance.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    emeraldlightningsky wrote: »
    Actually, no. I have increased my activity. Maybe I need to cut down on my carbs but I have been within the calorie limits for the day.

    Water weight?
  • emeraldlightningsky
    emeraldlightningsky Posts: 4 Member
    I have gained the weight back in November and have been dreading gaining more. I was never doing low carb. I was always calorie focused. The increased activity I have been doing is just more moderate walking, nothing that would cause muscle build-up that would cause weight gain.
    Maybe I will cut back on the calories by a little and see what happens, I guess.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2019
    emeraldlightningsky wrote: »
    I have gained the weight back in November and have been dreading gaining more. I was never doing low carb. I was always calorie focused. The increased activity I have been doing is just more moderate walking, nothing that would cause muscle build-up that would cause weight gain.
    Maybe I will cut back on the calories by a little and see what happens, I guess.

    TDEE can be a moving target, a +/- weight range of 5 pounds is a good thing to have when maintaining. See weight creep, adjust calories as needed.

  • C_Duffin
    C_Duffin Posts: 5 Member
    Move more; eat less.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    edited January 2019
    It’s common and normal to gain 3-4 pounds when transitioning to maintenance. 5 is in that ballpark.

    That’s why it’s important to keep a goal range in mind, not a single number. If you really want to be that single number, you should lose to 3-4 pounds below it.
  • emeraldlightningsky
    emeraldlightningsky Posts: 4 Member
    Yes, that is true..... when you equate portion creep to weighing everything on a food scale, well, then, perhaps, this is where it came from. I will take this advice and start again regarding everything I eat to weigh it. I do, for the most part, but I have let go a bit on this. Also, I am not at the beginning of maintenance, but a year into it.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    The research says portion creep gets you. I also know that the research says that reasonable exercise is critical for maintenance. I know it is for me - if I don't walk my weight creeps up no matter how little I eat.

    I also know for my body - I don't know about yours - carbs are key. If more than 40% of my calories are from carbs my weight creeps up, no matter how few calories I eat, how carefully I measure, or how much I exercise. My body seems to respond to them that way. Everyone in my family is diabetic, so that may be why.

    40% is NOT low carb. But it does mean I need to consciously work at upping my protein. Following a Whole30 diet (recommended by my doctor for non-weight related reasons) has really helped because it naturally lowers your carbs and ups and protein. I've always been chronically low on protein anyway.
  • admaarie
    admaarie Posts: 4,297 Member
    I feel like a 5 lb weight gain is still within the alley of maintenance. It could just be a little holiday weight?
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    It absolutely could. Follow your hunger and eat healthy for the next few weeks and see what happens. But the holidays are over. Back to real life.
  • moogie_fit
    moogie_fit Posts: 280 Member
    emeraldlightningsky wrote: »
    I have set the MyFitnessPal program so that I can maintain my weight. After a year of maintaining my weight on these settings, I am now gaining 5 pounds. Why is this happening?

    It is not maintenance then? Decrease by 100 calories until you stop gaining
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Good advice here. When I get over my range I swap out higher calories food for greens. So cut nuts and nut butters, cut higher calorie veg like avocado and potatoes and replace with spinach, kale, mixed greens. And cut back on oils.
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