I didn't track the past few months and because of that I fell to undereating again. My scale weight was staying the same, so I thought all was well since I was maintaining but what was really happening is my metabolism was slowing down to accommodate what I was giving it. I also struggled with debilitating fatigue! Is it any wonder why!? My body was trying to make me quit moving so much to conserve energy since I was barely giving it enough to survive each day.
I decided a few weeks ago to track and lose weight at 1500 calories (a very low deficit for me in the past). I stuck to it all week and the scale didn't budge - and I realized I was actually eating about the same I had been doing when I wasn't tracking and then it occurred to me... I have been undereating for months.
So, here I go again repairing my metabolism by increasing my calories. I'm up to 2000 calories a day and it was VERY hard to eat enough each day and I had to succumb to junk food several times to just make it happen because I had no appetite. After a week, I FINALLY regained strength and the fatigue is fading thankfully. I just can't go without tracking anymore because I have a great tendency to undereat. I can't fathom eating more than 2000 calories a day right now and I need to eat at least 2100 and I'm working towards that.
Of course, I have put on a few pounds as the glycogen stores, water and extra weight of the increased food is settling out. Once I have repaired my metabolism and my weight stabilizes for a while, I'm going to do a deficit to try and lose the last of my weight. I have noticed whenever I have switched to maintenance in the past, I gain 3-6 pounds initially before it settles and maintains.
I came across a great explanation online from a commenter that put the maintenance initial gains into words better than I could:
