Weight Gain On Deficit, Stick With Deficit Or Recalculate?

[xRyanSwanson]

I recently started a spreadsheet log since I'm back to tracking my nutrition more intently, and from April 15th to now my weight has gone up, on average, from 181/182 to 188/189.

I'm a male, 24, 6'1, weight lift 5-6 times a week (45-60 minutes), and have been eating roughly 2100-2250 calories a day. I weight everything I eat by the grams/oz/milliliter, so my realm of error shouldn't account for more than 50-100 calories (not enough to justify steady weight increase around my current intake).

Should I stick with the consumption, maybe my metabolism is all out of whack and it will balance itself out soon, or readjust?

[Luclin999]

Simple answer.. If you are consistently gaining weight then you aren't in a deficit.

Complex answer, sodium, carb load and other factors can cause water retention which can cause weight gains, however that generally does not apply to a person just starting a diet and rarely holds up over several weeks.

Most probably you are eating more than you think you are.

[xRyanSwanson]

Simple answer.. If you are consistently gaining weight then you aren't in a deficit.

Complex answer, sodium, carb load and other factors can cause water retention which can cause weight gains, however that generally does not apply to a person just starting a diet and rarely hols up over several weeks.

I suppose I should have prefaced with I was already on a pretty big deficit for like a year before this due to work, just not as accurately tracked. Eating this much now is more than what I was currently on.

Has my metabolism dropped down that far to where ~2300 will be a surplus?

[shbli]

I recently started a spreadsheet log since I'm back to tracking my nutrition more intently, and from April 15th to now my weight has gone up, on average, from 181/182 to 188/189.

I'm a male, 24, 6'1, weight lift 5-6 times a week (45-60 minutes), and have been eating roughly 2100-2250 calories a day. I weight everything I eat by the grams/oz/milliliter, so my realm of error shouldn't account for more than 50-100 calories (not enough to justify steady weight increase around my current intake).

Should I stick with the consumption, maybe my metabolism is all out of whack and it will balance itself out soon, or readjust?

Can you post your diet details.

You said roughly 2100-2250 but you weight everything so it shouldn't be roughly.

I suggest also lower it to 1800 or 1700, but at your height and weight your BMR should be high enough and able to lose a pound a week, carbs can increase water weight don't forget that.

[xRyanSwanson]

Can you post your diet details.

You said roughly 2100-2250 but you weight everything so it shouldn't be roughly.

I suggest also lower it to 1800 or 1700, but at your height and weight your BMR should be high enough and able to lose a pound a week, carbs can increase water weight don't forget that.

By roughly I mean it ranges from 2100-2250 depending on how my energy levels are, but don't go over the 2250 mark.
I aim for 1g/lb of lean mass for protein, 60g of fat, rest carbs.

[WaterSnatcher]

2,250 seem a bit high, maybe lower it a bit?
When I was around 190lb I was cutting on <1900cal and that was with lifting 4-5 times a week.

[xRyanSwanson]

2,250 seem a bit high, maybe lower it a bit?
When I was around 190lb I was cutting on <1900cal and that was with lifting 4-5 times a week.

I suppose I could lower it a bit. Last time I would lower it any my weight would stay stagnant, to the point where I'd have to lower it to like 1500..

So I was trying to stay close to my calculated TDEE for more than a month to see what happened.

[WaterSnatcher]

I suppose I could lower it a bit. Last time I would lower it any my weight would stay stagnant, to the point where I'd have to lower it to like 1500..

So I was trying to stay close to my calculated TDEE for more than a month to see what happened.

Yeah I get that.
Now that you know that your TDEE is around the 2100-2250 you can start lowering it from there by 300-500cal.

[xRyanSwanson]

Yeah I get that.
Now that you know that your TDEE is around the 2100-2250 you can start lowering it from there by 300-500cal.

Yeah this is true. Just want some external opinions on if it was just finding out my actual TDEE or if my metabolism was jet lagged or something.

I'll try some things and just monitor over the next few weeks.

[benh2]

Sounds to me just like you were consuming too much. I'm three inches taller but a similar weight and my cutting calories are 2077 at the moment, which aims for 1lb/week but I think I'll have to recalculate downwards if I'm to get that.

[xRyanSwanson]

Sounds to me just like you were consuming too much. I'm three inches taller but a similar weight and my cutting calories are 2077 at the moment, which aims for 1lb/week but I think I'll have to recalculate downwards if I'm to get that.

I suppose. Just getting an initial calculation of TDEE online to work from, at my stats and working out 5-6 times a week (underestimating activity level) it says maintenance is like 2700-3100, so trying out 2200 and gaining weight like clockwork is just weird to me.

I went for a year and a half on a slight deficit last year without losing a single pound. Started at 181, ended at 181. So this concept is quite foreign to me haha.

[Znik]

Are you having any cheat meals/days , out drinking with the guys etc. ? And what's your activity like outside of the gym ?

[xRyanSwanson]

Are you having any cheat meals/days , out drinking with the guys etc. ? And what's your activity like outside of the gym ?

I had one refeed day. As for cheat meals/days, I always try to be within like 5 grams of my macro goals. Went out drinking once, only had 2 beers, but still came out within 15g of my carb limit.

Outside of the gym, not much activity. Mowing the lawn, tennis for like an hour twice a week, etc.

[Znik]

I had one refeed day. As for cheat meals/days, I always try to be within like 5 grams of my macro goals. Went out drinking once, only had 2 beers, but still came out within 15g of my carb limit.

Outside of the gym, not much activity. Mowing the lawn, tennis for like an hour twice a week, etc.

Then I would lower calories to like 1800 and see where that takes you.

[RipROCK713]

If I were you I would keep the calories and try to workout 1.5 hrs/day and add cardio in there. Also, eat more protein than you think you should. If you do that and keep the carbs to a minimum after 4 p.m. I guarantee you will lose weight!