Is it possible for me to gain weight on 1600 calories a day?

Im not completely happy with my body right now (I weigh about 110 and am 5'2) , but I'm at a very busy point in my life where perfect calorie counting and working out every day is not possible. I am in college full time, working quite a bit, and need to make time for my boyfriend and best friend a little bit.

My friends, family, and boyfriend are all worried of my compulsiveness of going to the gym adn counting my calories, but I'm just worried about gaining weight. I can make it to to the gym about 4 days a week, and 1600 calories seems to be about what I end up at every day. I'm just wondering if it's possible to get fat on 1600 calories a day? I'm 18 years old.

Thanks.

At even a sedentary-ish activity level it would be pretty much near impossible.  If mostly all you did every single day was sleep all day -- MAYBE in like 10 years or so you might gain a few pounds.

 Otherwise 1600 may be a bit low for your activity level.  So if you are hungry please eat.  Its good for you.  Just sayin. 

This question can only be answered by you. Keep track of your current weight in a log, track your exercise, calories, and see if your weight increases. If so, we should turn back to this question to find out why.

1600 calories for your height, weight, age, and activity, seem right on the money. If you are losing, we may want to increase a bit. I can't see you gaining on 1600.

Of course your intake will be different on days you work out vs. days you don't. Eat accordingly. 

1600 seems way too low to me.

At that age, and at that same weight and exercise level I was eating way more than that.

Ok, so hear me out:

I am now at about the same point as you are; in college, really busy, and seriously afraid of gaining weight (I'm about 5'1'' and weight around 98 lbs.), and I really wish I wasn't so afraid.

In my senior year of high school, I weighed around 111 lbs, which isn't overweight, but I began to think I looked fat and that I weighed way too much for my height. I then began to attempt to lose weight, just by simply eating less and excersizing more (even though is retrospect I didn't really need to lose any weight at all). After I lost a couple lbs. I started counting calories, losing even more weight. the more weight I saw drop off, the more I would restrict my calories. It gets to a point where you just aren't losing fast enough so your brain tells you to just keep cuting your calories because it just has to work.

At my lowest, I was down to around 92 lbs., and I must have looked wretched. Counting calories became an unhealthy obsession, food became the enemy. Counting your calories doesn't have to become that, it can be a great tool to figure out just what your body needs to stay healthy.

I realize now that you probably didn't need to know all that, but the bottom line is, PLEASE do NOT stress about gaining weight or how many claories you are eating, that can lead you down a really unhealthy road. You are young, active and at a very healthy weight. If you aren't happy with your body, then maybe start doing some weight training to tone up a little bit, but losing weight and restricting calories won't make you happy with your body.

EAT when you are hungry, EXCERSIZE when you can and BREATHE through it all; the goal is to be happy with yourself and where you are at in your life.

I agree with finallymeagain.  I say keep going to the gym - it's good for you.  You don't need to do 90 minutes (seriously... these studies that say it takes 90 minutes a day of exercise to maintain?  they're usually talking about moderate-paced walking).  But go 30-60 minutes a few days a week and have clear fitness goals for yourself.  Run faster, lift more, work up to a higher resistance level on the elliptical.

And then eat when you are hungry.  Someone pointed out to me recently that we're not supposed to be hungry to stay healthy.  We're supposed to move around enough and eat enough healthy foods to train our bodies to maintain without starving.

Also, if you possibly, possibly can, STOP counting calories.  I know, it's hard.  I'm trying.  But calorie counting should be a tool.  The true way to judge how much to eat is hunger.  Don't eat if you're not hungry.  And it's REALLY hard to tell when you're hungry and when you're not if you're counting calories constantly.