frustrated! started eating calories to maintain. help plz.

hi there. 16. 5' 3". 121lbs (before calorie increase). for a few months (since mid may) id been eating around 1250-1400 calories a day. before that, was even worse, like under 800/day which lasted about a yr and a half. the past few days, ive been eating 1650-1850 calories a day to try to be more healthier and give my body what it needs and help my metabolism out.

i exercise everyday. on A days i do 30 mins of cardio on elliptical. on B days i do about 15 mins of abdominal/pushups calisthenics, 18 mins of cardio on elliptical, and 15 mins of weight lifting on my arms.

i know that someone my age, when sedentary, should eat 1700 a day (calorie count says so). but when active, like me, it says i should eat 2400 a day! which is way more than i could ever down.

my diet is not poor. i eat barely any fat, except for the fat in pb, nuts, and oatmeal. i eat a high protein diet. i get my carbs through oatmeal and sweet potatoes. i do not put salt on any of my foods and eat around 800mg a day. i also do not add sugar to anything. and i eat fruit everyday.

i also eat 5-7 meals a day. 1.5-3 hrs in between them.

but since ive been eating this amt of calories ive gained almost two lbs and i feel so bloated. it could be my period. i get really bad pms. so that could be it.

im just very paranoid about it. i just really dont wanna gain ANY weight.

anyone have any comments?? is my weight gain normal?? is it expected?? is it anything to flip out about, like i am majorly??

It could be your period, however, it might be that you are exercising and not eating your recommended intake and your body is holding on to everything. Try to eat your 2400 for one week and see what happens. I have done this and I stablized my weight eating more. I was gaining eating less with exercise.

Yes this gain is normal, maybe just a fluctuation or water weight. Don't flip, just aim for a higher number!

Wait out your period and then come back to talk to us :)No i'm only kidding, but when I am about to start/or am on my period, I normally gain 3-5 pounds.

Your calories may not be enough.. and it might take easing your body up in cals to get things where they need to be.

It could also be as positivelinny suggested, that your body is holding on to fat because it feels it's starving.

Or on the other hand, it could be increased muscle mass.

Gaining weight (especially since you're 16 and still growing, even in height) is normal. Don't get this fear of "OMG I can never weigh more than 121 pounds or I'll die!" out of your head :) You can start by logging measurements instead, or just letting your body naturally develop.

If you're a teen, I suggest talking to a nutritionist for information on how you need to maintain your weight, what a good size for you should be, and what your diet should relatively consist of.

And hang in there! It's probably just your period weight :) Isn't it lovely being female?

ugh its hell. i take a birthcontrol for it. =( im off my period as of today and i didnt weigh myself as it takes me like a few days after my period for everything to resume to normality. plus, the water retention positivelinny mentioned should recede after a few days, so i will weigh myself in a few days.

thx for all the help though. =D <<333

When you increase your calories at first you may retain water from the extra carbs and from your body adjusting. Try to stay of the scale for a few weeks and focus on eating healthy. You are very young and you want a natural period and no other health issues. You are still growing,maybe not in height but the rest of your bones etc.You may want to look into adding more fat in your diet if you feel it is too low. Add pb to oatmeal,stir fry veggies in olive oil etc.Be proud of yourself for getting healthy.

i am a believer in eating the right amount of calories! i weighed myself this morning, after 4 days of eating my right amount of calories, and i didnt gain any weight! i am so happy. and relieved. thank u guys sooo much! <<3

Since I've started trying to "maintain" I've gained 25lbs and rising.. Don't feel too bad about 2.