How long until the scale will start going down?

Hi everyone! was losing weight on too low calories because I miscalculated my TDEE and started feeling really tired, dizzy, anxious, racing heart rate etc so I bumped my calories up by 300. I feel much better but the scale has gone up. It’s quite frustrating but I’m trying to trust the process as I want to lose weight slowly (0.5-1 lb per week). So I wanted to ask realistically when will I start seeing the scale go down again? I know it’s water weight because it jumped up quickly. My measurements are the same too.

Replies

  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 307 Member
    Share some more information—how much do you weigh, how tall are you, what did you first calculate your calories, how much do you want to lose, what kind of activity levels do you have?
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,884 Member
    edited December 6
    How much did the scale go up and what period are we talking about since you increased intake?
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    And when did you increase your calories? If those contain more carbs then your body is holding onto more water = scale fluctuation. More salt? More fluid retention. Those 300 calories more also have a weight in your digestive tract = more weight on the scale. And neither means that weightloss has stalled. It only means that other factors might currently be hiding your weightloss.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    So I’m 5” 4” F and I weigh 205 lbs. I used to weigh 222 lbs but lost 17ish lbs. I was initially eating approx 2100 calories But I wasn’t moving much then and now I’ve started exercising and being more active so I didn’t realise but my TDEE went up. I’m aiming for 2400 calories now.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    avatiach wrote: »
    Share some more information—how much do you weigh, how tall are you, what did you first calculate your calories, how much do you want to lose, what kind of activity levels do you have?

    I’ve added the info in a comment
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    And when did you increase your calories? If those contain more carbs then your body is holding onto more water = scale fluctuation. More salt? More fluid retention. Those 300 calories more also have a weight in your digestive tract = more weight on the scale. And neither means that weightloss has stalled. It only means that other factors might currently be hiding your weightloss.

    Mid October is when I increased my calories
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    How much did the scale go up and what period are we talking about since you increased intake?
    The scale went up by 4 lbs and I increased calories in mid October
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    When did you start exercising? And finally: How are you measuring your food intake? Do you use a food scale or other means?
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    When did you start exercising? And finally: How are you measuring your food intake? Do you use a food scale or other means?

    I started more intense workouts on 29th October and yes I use a food scale.I’ve counted calories for many years on MyFitnessPal. I’m more wondering when the scale will go down.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    Thanks a lot :) Then I would just suggest to give it a bit of time. Wait it out a few more weeks. If you've not lost any more weight then I'm afraid you've found your maintenance calories. What you can do is to re-evaluate how you eat: smaller amounts more often for example, or you need a different % of macros to feel full, strong and comfortable with a deficit.
  • sandspauldublin3
    sandspauldublin3 Posts: 1 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    When did you start exercising? And finally: How are you measuring your food intake? Do you use a food scale or other means?

    I started more intense workouts on 29th October and yes I use a food scale.I’ve counted calories for many years on MyFitnessPal. I’m more wondering when the scale will go down.

    Your weight increase could be due to your more intense workouts. What type of training are you doing? If your doing weight training it is possible your weight gain could be due to building more muscle and not actually fat gain. If you notice that It is actually fat gain take your calories intake down by 50 calories a day for a few weeks and see how that works out for you. But if you are putting on more muscle then just stay at what your doing now.