Does it ever NOT work...?!?!?!?!

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esme1983
esme1983 Posts: 60
in Motivation and Support
I'm wondering... I've given up so many times. I've never stuck at an exercise regime.

Surely, if you go to the gym 3/4 times a week, and eat below your TDEE then you HAVE to lose weight and tone up, right? I haven't been doing the gym thing long - two weeks actually. But I am gaining weight AND inches and it's making me think I shouldn't be doing it. But then, how can it not work?

I know I'm babbling but basically - if I just carry on blinding without worrying that I'm gaining weight and getting bigger - is it certain that at some point it *will* work??? Because if I stay on this path for 12 weeks which is the time I've been told you have to give, and I get fatter and fatter it will be too late!!
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Replies

  • susiegq
    susiegq Posts: 6
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    You are probably gaining muscle and water. What are you doing at the gym exactly? Give it more time at least 3 months to see progress.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    2 weeks is not a long time. It's a blip on the radar. The number one key to losing weight and getting healthy is - PATIENCE. You have to want this more than anything else. Health has to be your priority. You also have to do it in a way that you can continue for the rest of your life. Because that's what it takes. When you are ready to make that commitment, you will be successful. The forums are FULL of people who are doing it. Good luck!!

    ETA - You are not gaining muscle on a calorie deficit in 2 weeks. Being realistic is as important as patience. :wink:
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    You are not gaining muscle. It is more than likely water retention. Also you have to give this more than 2 weeks.
  • esme1983
    esme1983 Posts: 60
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    You are probably gaining muscle and water. What are you doing at the gym exactly? Give it more time at least 3 months to see progress.

    I'm doing classes and running (cardio/ strength combo) for 30 minutes. Am starting weights next week. I'm just so scared because the scales are creeping up daily and if this continues for 12 weeks I will be the size of a house and I'll never shift it. In fact I don't think I can take being over weight again. It was so hard to lose the weight I'm terrified of putting it on again - especiailly while trying to do the right thing.... if that makes sense.

    I lost two stone and now I have started a fresh with the goal of getting strong rather than just losing weight. But it's making me gain the weight again. I've gained 6lbs steadily these past two weeks.
  • esme1983
    esme1983 Posts: 60
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    I know it can't be muscle because I have a deficit of around 500 cals a day. I've gained 1.5 inches on my bum and an inch on each thigh... 2 inches on my stomach :(
  • goodtimezzzz
    goodtimezzzz Posts: 640 Member
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    hey! are gonna be great hun! I was there believe me:) check your inbox
    Kristian Rocco
  • esme1983
    esme1983 Posts: 60
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    Thank you for the advice. Especially about patience. I can do patience if I know it will work eventually - I want this more than anything. I'm just scared and it's soul destroying after taking a year to lose 2 stone, to gain almost a quarter of that back in 2 weeks.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    You are probably gaining muscle and water. What are you doing at the gym exactly? Give it more time at least 3 months to see progress.

    gaining muscle while eating in a deficit...ummmm no .

    a pound of fat weights the same as muscle..

    so jettison this from your mind...

    are you sure you are eating in deficit? Are you weighing/tracking everything???
  • JenniBaby85
    JenniBaby85 Posts: 855 Member
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    Make sure you are staying hydrated. Yes, muscle is denser than fat, but it shouldn't cause you to gain inches. In fact a pound of muscle is SMALLER than a pound of fat in way of size. So you may be gaining or retaining water which can also make you "bloated" which would show an increase in inches. How much to you drink a day? If you're very active, you need more water.
  • jesssi1984
    jesssi1984 Posts: 17 Member
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    Anything that keeps you active cannot possibly make you fat. I absolutely hated tracking my weight right after I joined the gym. I had lost about 10lbs before I joined and it was disheartening to not see any progress at first. But once I stopped swelling so much, drank a LOT of water, swam a couple laps in the pool (helps with water retention for some), weight started coming off again. Don't worry so much about it for now if it bugs you - just keep track of what you take in and burn, and keep yourself at your net calories for the day. You will tone and lose. My legs are not anywhere near puffy from being swollen from running anymore, I have muscle definition in them and I'm starting to see it in my arms (I've only been running and biking so I know all over the cardio is working to burn fat. So it's encouraging once you get over that hump of just joining to becoming a regular!)
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Too late for what, exactly?
  • LoudmouthLee
    LoudmouthLee Posts: 358
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    Certain things in this thread just need to be said:

    #1) 2 weeks isn't enough time to see significant muscle gain. That's a marathon, not a sprint.
    #2) I didn't see anything about your food. Are you logging it? One of the hidden killers of weight loss (and YMMV) is Sodium. When people start to change their diet, they never tend to look at the sodium content of their foods, leading them to retain obscene amount of water.
    #3) Again, YMMV, but how much cardio are you doing? I always find it helpful to get the heart-rate up BEFORE I lift. Helps me see some residual heart rate goals as well.

    Good luck. Let us know how you do!
  • dannyXoxo
    dannyXoxo Posts: 60 Member
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    It's all water weight -_- you just started a workout regime so your using muscles and such that you haven't used in a while. They'll tear and then your body holds/uses water to repair them. Weight gain of about 2-5 pounds is norm for the first 2-3 weeks when a person starts working out. Drink lots of water and teas, and make sure you get enough sleep :) you'll start losing the weight sooner then you think, just make sure you also eat enough. And like everyone else said patience is key! It taks months/years of poor diet and lack of excersize to gain weight so it will take time to lose it.
  • jesssi1984
    jesssi1984 Posts: 17 Member
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    I've been known to gain up to 8lbs in a day/overnight in water, depending on what I eat - tortilla chips & salsa?!?! - and what I'm doing - recently drove 10 hours within a 24 hour period through mountains! With each little water gain, I've noticed it takes a couple days for the swelling to receed.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    I'm wondering... I've given up so many times. I've never stuck at an exercise regime.

    Surely, if you go to the gym 3/4 times a week, and eat below your TDEE then you HAVE to lose weight and tone up, right? I haven't been doing the gym thing long - two weeks actually. But I am gaining weight AND inches and it's making me think I shouldn't be doing it. But then, how can it not work?

    I know I'm babbling but basically - if I just carry on blinding without worrying that I'm gaining weight and getting bigger - is it certain that at some point it *will* work??? Because if I stay on this path for 12 weeks which is the time I've been told you have to give, and I get fatter and fatter it will be too late!!

    Did you recently increased your calories after finding out your TDEE? If you just increased your calories then you may want to stick to it for a month before noticing changes.

    I have personally found that folks usually endup eating alot more than their TDEE. Either they calculated their TDEE wrong or they're tracking their food wrong. I was in the same category. Most of the foods I prep have very wrong calories or portion size so I have to decrease my calories even though I know I should be eating more (as far as numbers go).

    If you don't see a difference in weight, I'd suggest lower your calories. There are too many things we can do wrong with logging and finding our TDEE.

    Good luck :)
  • KeyoriNyte
    KeyoriNyte Posts: 13
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    WOW...this is great support. I am having the same issue... I am rooting for you girl. :flowerforyou: you can do it !!!!!!!!!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    How are you measuring your deficit?

    How are you working out TDEE daily and food consumed?

    500 calories also isn't that hard to 'lose' with over estimated exercise and underestimated food.
  • hartland45
    hartland45 Posts: 53 Member
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    great summary of key points
  • SabrinaLC
    SabrinaLC Posts: 133 Member
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    Very well could be water weight.
    Drink tons of water!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    I lost two stone and now I have started a fresh with the goal of getting strong rather than just losing weight. But it's making me gain the weight again. I've gained 6lbs steadily these past two weeks.


    How quickly did you lose the 2 stone and how? If you were eating a very low cal diet then increasing your cals will often cause people to gain initially after changing to the TDEE -20% deficit. Most bodies adapt to the change in food intake after a few weeks or so and the gain should level off and hopefully you'll start losing.

    It takes time and patience but if you are definite you are eating below your true TDEE and you are accurately logging then sooner or later the fat should fall.

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