Advice Needed Please

Hello.  I need some advice about how many calories I should be eating.  I am a middle school teacher, and I am 5'3"-5'4".  I got a personal trainer and started working out again and counting calories starting Jan. 2.  I was 177.6 then.  I started out eating between 1200-1400 calories a day.  I then increased to average about 1550 as I started to work out more. 

I currently weigh 166-167.  Problem is, for the last 13 days, I have been gaining and losing this same pound.  I don't know whether that means I am eating too much or too little.  I don't want to go in the wrong direction and make things worse.

I work out 5-6 days a week.  I do an hour long pilates class twice a week.  On days I do pilates I try to get between 10-20 minutes of a hill program on the elliptical.  Other days, I do at least 30 minutes of the hill program on the elliptical(which I have been increasing).  Once a week I meet with my trainer for 1/2 hour (plus riding the bike/walking on the treadmill for 10-30 minutes afterwards).  Once a week, I also meet for a 60 minute group class which has been interval/circuit training.

In an effort to end my plateau, I decided maybe I should increase my calorie intake since I've been increasing my workouts (1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours the past few days), so I ate 1735 calories last night.  I gained 1.2 pounds!  I know weight fluctuates everyday, so I'll probably go back down tomorrow, but I am just frustrated by not knowing whether or not I should be increasing or decreasing my calories to start losing weight again.  Can anyone help me please?

Edit:  I forgot to add that this past week I have been REALLY hungry.

Maybe you are gaining muscle weight from your extraordinary workout instead of fat pounds! This is a good thing. Muscles burn fat. Muscles make you feel and look better (and they make you burn calories, so of course you are hungry!).

Fat makes your feel cruddy so it's much better to have muscle weight. Try not worrying so much (ok, much easier said than done I know) and give yourself a few weeks and many pats on the back for your efforts.

Important - Don't weigh yourself for a while. Transitions are a pain, but you can do it! Once a week max for weigh ins.

Have you asked your trainer what he or she thinks? You do need to consume more calories (in my only slightly learned opinion) to support your health while working out so much.

Do your clothes fit better? I bet they do! That might be a better thing for you to focus on right now rather than weight. Eat the healthiest low calorie foods you have available wherever you are and the pounds will melt off you one of these days!

Go you! Tell yourself that every day!

Yes, jannid is right; it sounds like you are in a transitional period. You can be losing fat while gaining a little muscle and so the scale confuses you. It's a time like this to drink lots of water, keep with the program, take your measurements (if you haven't already; do it again and compare if you have), and take a deep breath! Now let the air out slowly and remember all the amazing benefits of the changes you've made even if you are not losing at the moment. I hope you feel better about it all!

Original Post by dukie46:

Hello.  I need some advice about how many calories I should be eating.  I am a middle school teacher, and I am 5'3"-5'4".  I got a personal trainer and started working out again and counting calories starting Jan. 2.  I was 177.6 then.  I started out eating between 1200-1400 calories a day.  I then increased to average about 1550 as I started to work out more. 

I currently weigh 166-167.  Problem is, for the last 13 days, I have been gaining and losing this same pound.  I don't know whether that means I am eating too much or too little.  I don't want to go in the wrong direction and make things worse.

I work out 5-6 days a week.  I do an hour long pilates class twice a week.  On days I do pilates I try to get between 10-20 minutes of a hill program on the elliptical.  Other days, I do at least 30 minutes of the hill program on the elliptical(which I have been increasing).  Once a week I meet with my trainer for 1/2 hour (plus riding the bike/walking on the treadmill for 10-30 minutes afterwards).  Once a week, I also meet for a 60 minute group class which has been interval/circuit training.

In an effort to end my plateau, I decided maybe I should increase my calorie intake since I've been increasing my workouts (1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours the past few days), so I ate 1735 calories last night.  I gained 1.2 pounds!  I know weight fluctuates everyday, so I'll probably go back down tomorrow, but I am just frustrated by not knowing whether or not I should be increasing or decreasing my calories to start losing weight again.  Can anyone help me please?

Edit:  I forgot to add that this past week I have been REALLY hungry.

First off, the weight gain would not occur overnight....1.2 pounds would be equal to 4200 ADDITIONAL calories..and you only increased 200 calories so logically..it is not possible that the extra weight was due to actual fat increase...it takes time to gain real weight and now water weight or simply more food in your stomach. you are being too reactionary and changing your routine too quickly..give it time when you make changes so that you can properly assess the effectiveness and effect. so, i would keep your intake at 1735 for a week or two and then see what happens...you can always adjust after that...whatever you do remain consistent for a few weeks and see how your body responds =]