Ok, here's the thing. I've been cutting for a few weeks and everything seemed fine until I've "concluded" that I might have been undereating. I do weight lifting mon,wed,sat and cardio 7 days a week (40-45 min LISS). My caloric intake as of last week used to be ~1970 cal daily (40:40:20).

Now, I used a spreadsheet to figure out how many calories I needed daily (as a matter of fact I started a thread a little while back asking if I used the right activity level). To figure out 1970 calories, I used the "light activity" option because I didn't really do much during the day (if you don't count cardio and weight lifting). After determining that my activity level would be the average of "mod. activity" and "very active" the total came out to 2445.44.

Starting on tuesday of last week, I started to increase my calories by 100 or so every day. Obviously I was still working out and doing cardio.
Here's what happend:

Tuesday: 171.4lbs
Wednesday: 171.4lbs
Thursday: 171.4lbs
Friday: 172.0lbs
Saturday: 173.0lbs
Today: 174.6lbs :d_eek:

Obviously I've been a reader of the forum for a while and I know that most people will say "don't go by the scale, look in the mirror instead". It does not look like I've gained any bodyfat by looking in the mirror. However, I don't really know what to attribute the weight gain to. One thing I can tell you is that most (if not all) of my lifts have gone up as usual (I increase the weight every workout). It's probably not water weight because I drink nearly a gallon of water a day, unless it's the creatine causing water retention. One thing I've noticed is that my lower back got much tighter than it was a week or two ago. I don't know whether to drop the calories down back to 1970 or only drop them by a few hundred. It does not feel like I'm on a cutting diet because it seems that I eat so much. What do you guys think it is? Muscle gain? Fat? Water?

It's probably not water weight because I drink nearly a gallon of water a day, unless it's the creatine causing water retention.

Did you just start using creatine? If so, that's what is causing the water retention.

If it isn't the creatine, then why don't you give yourself a week or 2 and see if that is a good bulking range of calories for yourself. If it is, and you're not gaining fat, you should stick to it for a while. ;)

You can't go by what others tell you or some excel program maps out for you, Go by what your body is telling you!
When your current diet was working what would make you think adding food would be better ? , I know you see that happen here but I really think these people were eating way less then you for their activity level..

Also that weight increase has to be something ..like water or your building up your glycmic(sp?) stores.. which means your eating more then your burning.. and before was the right amount of food to keep it low for fat burning..

Also I started creatine a week or so ago and I didn't gain anything..but I also didn't lose either.. but I didn't load it and I was using only in my pre-meal...yesterday I started using it in both pre and post meals. we'll see about water retention..in the next week ..plus I only use it on weight days.. tue-thur-sat

No, I didn't just start creatine.
Looks like I'll have to start lowering the calories again.

No, I didn't just start creatine.
Looks like I'll have to start lowering the calories again.
:lol: so the thread has been open for less than an hour, and you already decided on your answer?

first of all - you say you've upped your calories by 100 per day.
does that mean you're at 2070 per day?
or did you add another 100 everyday like 1970, 2070, 2170, ....
I'm guessing the first.

also - give more weight stats.
give your weights everyday for the past 10-14 days.
might give us a better idea.

do you use fitday, etc. to count your calories?
when you eat natural peanut butter, are you actually using a measuring spoon, or estimating? are you measuring your meats and oats?
You might be surprised at how much you're ACTUALLY eating...

Any cheat meals since thursday?
out with your friends?
waterweight doesnt come from drinking water - it comes from ... well, i've never been sure, but drinking alot of water usually removes waterweight


i'm assuming you're weighing yourself the same time everymorning after a fasted sleep?
have you tried taking a crap? :lol:

:lol: so the thread has been open for less than an hour, and you already decided on your answer?


Yes, I'm quick like that. ;]


first of all - you say you've upped your calories by 100 per day.
does that mean you're at 2070 per day?
or did you add another 100 everyday like 1970, 2070, 2170, ....
I'm guessing the first.

No, actually 1970, 2070, 2170, 2270, 2370, 2470 and then I went back to 2270 because I can't eat that much.

also - give more weight stats.
give your weights everyday for the past 10-14 days.
might give us a better idea.

The past 10-14 days looked like this: 174.0lbs for like a week, then 173.0lbs for like a week and then 172.0lbs a week.


do you use fitday, etc. to count your calories?
when you eat natural peanut butter, are you actually using a measuring spoon, or estimating? are you measuring your meats and oats?
You might be surprised at how much you're ACTUALLY eating...

I use calorieking and a spreadsheet. When I measure the food, I use a spoon AND a scale (now I do anyways, since I got a new digital scale with 0.01 oz accuracy). I weigh my meats and oats.

Any cheat meals since thursday?
out with your friends?
waterweight doesnt come from drinking water - it comes from ... well, i've never been sure, but drinking alot of water usually removes waterweight

No and no.

i'm assuming you're weighing yourself the same time everymorning after a fasted sleep?
have you tried taking a crap? :lol:
Yes and I'm always regular. Sometimes I even go more than once a day. ;]

do this - go back to doing 1970 cal for 6 days a week, and then every leg day, eat 2400 calories spaced evenly throughout the day.

Good advise!! :) I also cycle hi-Lo days L0= cardio Hi=weights...

do this - go back to doing 1970 cal for 6 days a week, and then every leg day, eat 2400 calories spaced evenly throughout the day.

I would say stick with 2100-2200 for a while and see what happens. If you wish, leg days could be slightly higher. (if you do legs on a its own day that is)

I do legs and back on the same day. It's the most intense workout I have every week.