Weight loss is usually a math equation. If you burn more calories than you eat, you'll lose weight. You'll lose 1 pound for each 3,500 calories you burn beyond what you've consumed, the Ask the Dietitian website explains. This isn't always the way it works in practice, however, due to variables like metabolism, body size and type. There is nothing more frustrating than restricting calories and gaining weight, but it can happen. Knowing why may help you devise a plan to reverse weight gain and start losing again. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise regimen, or if you believe a medical condition may be responsible for your weight gain.
Features
A low-calorie diet is usually defined as one that takes in fewer calories than are burned off. In general, the number can be anywhere from 1,200 to 1,800 calories per day, Ask the Dietitian reports. Very-low-calorie diets are defined as being fewer than 800 calories and should only be undertaken with medical supervision. The average daily calories needed to maintain a healthy weight vary based on age, height and activity level, but in general, the recommended daily intake of calories per day is about 2,000 for women and 2,600 for men. Once you've established the number of calories you currently consume, you should be able to subtract 500 per day to lose 1 lb. per week.
Considerations
A diet of 1,500 calories per day might be too much for a petite woman to lose weight. For instance, a 5-foot-3 female weighing 140 lbs. needs only 1,200 calories to maintain her weight. To lose weight, this woman would need to drop her calories below the safe limit or increase her exercise. She could also work on building muscle mass which, the Mayo Clinic explains, will also increase the number of calories she needs per day. If this woman were to eat 1,200 calories per day, she might still gain weight. Other potential reasons for weight gain include water retention, the use of medications or a thyroid problem.
Misconceptions
It is generally untrue that consuming fewer calories will slow your metabolism down into a starvation phase and cause weight gain, the Mayo Clinic reports. Weight loss does, however, usually include the loss of some muscle, and since muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat, it's possible that your new metabolism may be slower. Moreover, as you lose weight, the number of calories you need to move your body will diminish. For example, a 200-lb. woman burns more calories taking a walk than a 150-lb. woman taking the same walk at the same pace.
Solution
If you are on a reduced-calorie diet and you are gaining weight, dietitians suggest building muscle mass to burn more calories while at rest. You can also try to vary your exercise routine to get a greater aerobic benefit, the Mayo Clinic suggests. If you have been dieting for some time, you can also reassess the number of calories per day you are eating, to make sure you are still consuming calories at a rate conducive to weight loss. Calculators such as LIVESTRONG's MyPlate will enable you to count you daily calorie intake and make adjustments.
Warnings
If your doctor approves, take a multivitamin if you are on a low-calorie diet that might not contain enough nutrients to meet the relevant recommended daily allowances. Further, the Mayo Clinic warns that diets with fewer than 1,200 calories may leave you too hungry and this trigger overeating. Low-calorie diets can cause headaches, dizziness and fatigue, so if you are thinking of cutting calories to get through a plateau or weight gain, keep those side effects in mind.
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