Too many calories in Maintenance diet?

[JackCat]

I met my weight goal a week ago and now the dashboard says can eat a LOT of calories, but I'm gaining weight (4 lbs in one week).  This doesn't seem right.  Can I adjust (down) the number of calories Fitbit thinks I should eat?

[SteveH]

Where in the dashboard are you seeing your calories target (in the food plan tile or the calories tile)?

If the calories tile then you can set this to anything you want by hovering your mouse over the tile and clicking the settings icon that pop up.

If the food plan tile then this should be set to maintenance and, if it is, it is set right. If this is case are you entering all your calories into the food log?

[JackCat]

I see the 1770 calories alloted on my Food Plan (log page).  Since meeting my goal last weekend, I've only consummed my "plan" number of calories last night, been 200-300 below the other nights, but still gained 4.4 lbs in 5 days.  I'm guessing I can't really eat that many calories in a day.  (I'm still putting in over 10K steps a day).

[Naomi94]

If you gained 4.4 pounds in the last five days, there are two possible reasons for this happening. 

Reason One: you ate 19,800 extra calories than your body requires. Simply put: 4500 calories = 1 pound of fat. 4500 x 4.4 = 19,800

Reason Two: You ate processed foods that are high in sodium. High consumption of salt only results in temporary weight gain. Do you watch The Biggest Loser? In the past, contestants did something called "throw the weigh in". When the contestant has immunity, the day or so before the weigh in eating more sodium rich foods and water so the water stays with them and they gain weight. The following week they eat normally, and show a huge weight loss on the scale ensuring they will not be eliminated. On the show this is seen as cheating, and now against the rules. Perhaps you unknowingly did the same thing. 

My advice: determine your Basal Metabolic Rate with this online calculator On your own, determine how many calories your body naturally burns at a resting state. When planning your meals, stay within that calorie range. Spread those calories over 4-5 meals. With your main breakfast, lunch and dinner, drink two cups of water. Avoid processes foods as they are loaded with sodium. Watch this YouTube video: LINK

1700 calories looks like too many calories. As I do not know how tall you are, your age, or how much you weigh, I cannot determin your BMR for you. I do suggest that you go to your account settings and make your food logging public. If you know people are watching what you eat, you will be more likely to eat responsably. 

Good Luck

[JackCat]

Naomi94, THANK YOU!  I suspected the allowed calorie count jumped WAY to high.  My BMI on the calculator provided is 1310, so I would gain a lot of weight.  I'm still exercising, so do I aim for the 1310 or a bit more?  When I was losing weight the day started with about 1000 calories and I could earn up to 12 or 13000.

When I look at my calories burned history I am usually about 2000 in a day.  Do I manually set the calories burned on the dashboard to .... 13000?  2000?  something in between?  Or maybe some other approach?

Thank you so much!

[WaltTN]

Naomi is almost right...

1lb = 3500 calories

[Naomi94]

Opps, you are right! Thank you 

[Naomi94]

I wish I could help there, but my Dashboard does not properly set my BMR either. 

I still do not know how to fix it. I just focus on my calorie limit of 1365 per day, and stay mindful of it.