This worries me a little. 5 months out. Normal?

So I'm 5 months out and down 73lbs. My goal each day is to keep my protein up above 80 or 90, carbs below 50 although it's usually higher I have such a hard time keeping it below 50. It's more often 60-65. My calories I keep to 800. I don't really have any sugar in my diet besides from yogurt. So anyway that's my baseline of what I do for my plan. Now there have been a few times I've gone over or had a bad day, and I instantly gain a lb or two the next day. And my definition of a bad day is like carbs closer to 100, and calories up to 1100, I think that's the worst it's been and that's only happened a couple times. But I wonder, is that how it's going to be once I'm at goal and trying to maintain? If I get up to 1100 calories I'm instantly going to gain weight? That's pretty scary how quickly it comes back with just one bad day. I'm an RN and we've been taught that your body goes into starvation mode with less than 1200 calories and most normal people can't believe we live on such low carbs and calories everyday. Now I don't really buy it as I've done well and felt fine with far less calories and this is my new way of life but for most normal people 1200 calories is not extravagant, so it makes me wonder why I gain if I barely reach 1000 calories. I wonder if my maintenance caloric intake will forever have to be super low under 1000? Just wonder if things balance out and how many calories you guys maintain on? I've got about 30 lbs to go til goal so I'm starting to think about these things. And it worries me greatly how fast stalls come or how quickly a lb or 2 comes back if my calories reach above 800. I walk for exercise too, and bike ride but that's about it if that helps with the bigger picture.....

"Starvation mode" is a myth and does not exist.

Most folks average 1100 - 1200 calories/day in maintenance.

If you have one day at 1100 and then drop back to 800, does the scale move back after a day or two? Fluctuations are absolutely possible (water weight, TOM, etc.) and it could be complete coincidence that it matches the days when you have 300 calories extra. Remember, one pound is 3500 calories. 300 extra is NOT going to cause a 1lb gain.

I do know that logically about the 1lb= 3000 cals. But I just don't understand it's been very consistent. Every time I'm good and meet my goals or below goal I lose weight. 

Carbs cause a mild inflammatory reaction in some people. (Check out Dr. Lustig, MD and read his research.) You could be one. You know as an RN that when there is inflammation, there is also water retention. That's my guess as to what's going on with you on those "day after"s!

Congratulations on your 73lb loss in 5 months!!!  GOOD FOR YOU!!! 

Thank you!

You're doing great.  And you're not "instantly" gaining pounds the day after a cheat.  You're retaining fluid.  I kept my carbs under 100 a day, which is still considered low carb, and did fine.

As far as your baseline is concerned, that depends on your metabolism.  Most of us fall somewhere between 1200-1500 calories a day to maintain - some more, some less.  You're going to have to experiment when you get to where you want to stop to figure out what you need to do to stay there.

I hope I can do as well in 5 months I'm ready to be there 5months from tomorrow I'll keep you posted.

If you are eating that much carb (and I'm assuming you have to be eating some bread/crackers/fruit to get up to 100 carb grams per day), then your body is NOT going into starvation mode (which is a crock of crap anyway), it's going into "inflammation mode" from the carbs.  Inflammation = lots of water retention.  Water retention = scale going up.  

If you gain 1 lb. in a day on 800-1000 calories it is NOT fat!  I promise you it's from water retention.  And water retention can occur because of hormonal fluctuations and quite often because of inflammation issues (starting a new exercise routine, eating sugar/white flour/gluten products).  

I routinely eat 1500 calories per day in maintenance and have no problem maintaining - IF (big IF) those calories don't include sugar and white flour.  If the make-up of those calories starts tilting toward carbs of 100 or more per day, I will absolutely start gaining.  

I get between 80-100 g of carbs with veggies and dairy, and very limited fruit.  You don't need bread to get the carbs!