Calorie Deficit Everyday and Still Gaining Weight

nicolewalter16
nicolewalter16 Posts: 22 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all, I am a female, 29 yrs old, 5' 4" tall.

I have my calories set to the lowest possible and try not to use my exercise calories. It is rare that I eat more than 1400 calories a day. I am fairly active getting an average of over 10,000 steps a day. And I have gained weight over the last week, gain of 2.3 lbs ! 2021 not looking so hot for me.

I am using a food scale and weighing each ingridents in my recipes. I am eating whole foods and cooking mostly all of my meals, so I shouldn't be eating too much sodium.

Help !

Replies

  • nicolewalter16
    nicolewalter16 Posts: 22 Member
    Mathematically I should have to eat A LOT more calories to gain weight so I doubt small weight variances would make a huge enough difference to gain weight.

    The one time in the past week I ate out, out of desperation when I missed breakfast, I checked the restaurants website and double checked the calories.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    Trust the process.

    I don't know how much you weigh, but if you are significantly over-weight you can expect water weight swings of up to about seven pounds. Don't put too much energy into small fluctuations, but instead focus on a downward trend over TIME. Not a week, more like over a period of a month.

    I find weighing daily to be the best thing, but only looking to follow the monthly trend. Do you have a trending App or a spreadsheet? Even looking at the Reports section here on Myfitnesspal will show you graphs of your weight broken into weeks, months, yearly.

    Here's an explanation of fluctuations:

    https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/


    Keep going. Patience and faith.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,834 Member
    edited January 2021
    You've gotten great advice on your other threads. Patience is important. If I remember correctly, you lost 8 lbs the first few weeks, and now you've had an increase of 2.3 lbs in a short period. That all points to:
    - you're in a deficit
    - you're experiencing weight fluctuations - these can be related to your cycle, salt intake, stress, exercise,... There isn't always a clear cause, but looking at the long-term weight trend and being patient is what's required.

    PS: stress can cause water retention, try to relax :wink:
  • nicolewalter16
    nicolewalter16 Posts: 22 Member
    Stress and patience is a big life shift for me. Probably 10x harder than the limiting of calories for me.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    nicolewalter16 wrote: »
    Stress and patience is a big life shift for me. Probably 10x harder than the limiting of calories for me.

    They are all tied together.

    Master one, master them all.

    Have you tried meditation? Exercise? Those two things really help settle my anxiety and responses to stress.
  • SunnyBunBun79
    SunnyBunBun79 Posts: 2,228 Member
    Im just starting back and these explanations are such a relief! thanks!
  • MercuryForce
    MercuryForce Posts: 103 Member
    nicolewalter16 wrote: »
    Mathematically I should have to eat A LOT more calories to gain weight so I doubt small weight variances would make a huge enough difference to gain weight.

    The one time in the past week I ate out, out of desperation when I missed breakfast, I checked the restaurants website and double checked the calories.

    The eating out could have a lot to do with it, they tend to have a lot of sodium. Some people are more sensitive to sodium than others; I'm one where it will really make me hold on to water weight. It's possible you are too.

    Over Christmas I stayed within my calories, but ate Chinese food and a lot more snacks like salted nuts than I usually do. After 4 days of that, my weight went up 5 lbs. But, after a few days of drinking more water and eating less sodium laden foods, my weight was back to where it "should" be.

    I think my personal record for weight swing was the time I went cross-country skiing then came out and at a giant chicken parmesan sandwich. Between all the water weight from exercise and the sodium from the sandwich, I "gained" 10 lbs overnight.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    And unless the restaurant has machines in the back preparing everything to specific portions, the info on the website should be used as a very general guideline
  • Angela937
    Angela937 Posts: 514 Member
    Remember if you're exercising then you are likely building your muscles. Muscles add weight, but in the long run they will help to burn fat. Sometimes people gain before they lose.

    Just concentrate on being healthy and active, keep up with your food goals, and you will get there. It took us all a long time to get as fat as we are, it will also take a long time to lose it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,985 Member
    If you just started and added in exercise, your body is acclimating to STORING GLYCOGEN in anticipation of you continuing exercise. That flux can last up to 2-3 weeks in the beginning. Just be consistent and your body will adapt.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Travelerraven
    Travelerraven Posts: 42 Member
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    sorqy1ak0e9b.jpg

    I like this it is very simple but helpful.

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