is this possible?

honu18 · October 2011

Is it possible to gain weight when you eat less than what is supposed to be your maintenance level when you haven't done so in about 4 months? I've been netting about 1,200 for the last 4 months, which resulted in a decent loss, but not one that was even or normal. I've plateau-d a bunch and haven't really lost much recently. Anyway, I've been eating at maintenance-ish for the last week or so and scaled back my workouts a lot, basically stopped for the last week because of doctors orders. I had mono and ended up passing out and getting a concussion about a week ago, so I was ordered to take it real real easy. I wanted to give my body enough fuel to fight the bug too. Well, I've tried my hardest, but I ended up gaining. I didn't want to, but I had a birthday in there in which I ate a lot of crap and did not go work it off the next day, because I couldn't and so forth. I don't think I ate 3,500 or 7,000 calories over maintenance, but rather probably ate that many more than I normally have been eating over the period of 1-2 weeks that I was really sick and just didn't have the energy or access to work out (at home for doctors appts, etc).

I know it's not a big deal, because I needed to get healthy. But I'm just wondering if this can happen when your body isn't used to that much food. Also, I've noticed my appetite has GREATLY increased since I started eating more. I feel more hungry all the time, which is weird. Is this normal? Thanks!

MikeDailyIntake · October 2011

gaining weight and eating under your reccomended caloric intake is impossible im pretty sure lol

im sorry i didn't read the whole thing, im to tired

candylw · October 2011

depends on what you body fat percentage is...the less fat u have the more likely that will happen but only when you get very low on body fat otherwise i dont think so.

ShabbyBobo · October 2011

I think that it is poss to gain weight if you eat under your calorie intake exspecially if you are not working out. If you re working out muscle weighs more than fat so sometimes you can't go by weight you have to go by the way your clothes fit.

StevLL · October 2011

No not impossible for the situation you described. Your body could be holding water to deal with the inflammation from being sick. If your body is already working to combat an illness and you reduce your calories below normal, your body is going to hold onto everything because it wants to survive and is worried about getting enough. What's your salt intake been like? Meds can make you gain as well, even on reduced calories. I've plateaued several times, but always head back down after a week or two. Just had a three week plateau and this week boom 3.2 down. Good luck, don't sweat it too hard. The goal is to string more good days together than bad and it'll happen.

stimpackus · October 2011

This happened to me when I got to my smallest. I was receiving radiation for pre-cancer, then afterwards lost nearly 10lb by accident. I was told by my Dr. to up my calories slightly so I could "slowly" put on weight, but I had so much of a problem not being able to hold down food properly that I knew I wasn't getting my daily calorie needs. At the time I was only 103lb (47-48 kilos), but I'm also 5'1. Over a few months after the treatment stopped, I was still getting stomach upsets and not eating enough. At the same time I started physically intense employment as a truck/delivery driver, and was constantly missing lunch because there was never any period where I felt I could fit in a break.

Instead of losing weight (and I'm glad I didn't), I started packing it on and to this day it is still going on even though I now weight between 110-120lb which I'm now fine with. I wouldn't want to put on anymore though, as it would totally reverse the effort I put into my original weight loss two years ago. My daily calorie needs sit at around 1600 a day for maintenance, but I still have problems eating that much on days that I work. My Dr. has warned me to increase food consumption, and he explained that the body will hold on to all fluids and fat that it can in order for the body to preserve its energy. Once you up your calorie intake higher he mentioned that the body will store that as fat as well, before metabolism will adjust and return back to normal. Only then will the weight come off.

On the other hand I have suffering from a severe plateau in exercise due to constant amateur athletics for the last two years. My pituitary gland is double the size it should be due to overtraining, and I now have to take an extended break from exercise no shorter than 8 weeks (from what I'm told). After that point I was told to slowly introduce it again.

I had mono in my teens. The condition can alter your endocrine system causing hormonal imbalances as well which can aid towards weight gain. Maybe see your Dr and talk to him about it? There are just so many reasons for weight gain while on calorie control.

auntie_missy · October 2011

Some of it may be water weight. Some maybe actual weight. It's hard to say. Of course it's possible - it happened. Don't worry too much, just focus on getting healthy.
One reason why you may be having problems is that it's possible your metabolic rate is significantly different than the online calculators are guessing, and so when you are healthy again, you may find it helpful to get your metabolic rate tested either at a medical facility or a fitness club that offers the service. This would help you come up with a better calorie goal for weight loss.
Good luck!

Lauren5280 · October 2011

If you're spending more calories than you're consuming then no it isn't possible. I would take a look at your intake and verify that it is not underestimated and change your BMR to sedentary which is probably what it is if you're sick. I'm guessing you'll find that you're exceeding your calories each day.

is this possible?

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