What am I doing wrong?

HelloImKelsey

So I started my fitness journey about 3 weeks ago. I've been at or under my calorie deficit everyday, I've been to the gym three-four times a week, and I've been drinking loads of water. In the first week I lost 3 pounds, awesome. In the last two weeks I've gained the three pounds back and can't seem to lose any weight. Is this normal when starting a new diet/fitness routine?

malibu927

Since most of what you lost that first week was water weight and you can also retain it from starting a new exercise program, yes. However, it could be that you need to take a closer look at your intake. How many calories do you eat? Do you eat back all/some/none of your exercise calories? How do you measure your food?

TimothyFish

It is typical to lose several pounds the first week, but I would've expected you to lose more than three pounds. You probably need to cut your calories more than you have, because it sounds like you may be eating at maintenance.

ana3067

malibu927 wrote: »

Since most of what you lost that first week was water weight and you can also retain it from starting a new exercise program, yes. However, it could be that you need to take a closer look at your intake. How many calories do you eat? Do you eat back all/some/none of your exercise calories? How do you measure your food?

this

HelloImKelsey

I'm eating 1300 a day and I religiously measure my foods and alway slightly over estimate my calores to be safe. I eat back most of my exercise calories (eat back 500 cals from a 700 cal workout). I'm going in for thyroid testing Monday so that may help.

ana3067

HelloImKelsey wrote: »

I'm eating 1300 a day and I religiously measure my foods and alway slightly over estimate my calores to be safe. I eat back most of my exercise calories (eat back 500 cals from a 700 cal workout). I'm going in for thyroid testing Monday so that may help.

Make your diary public. You're probably eating more than you think, especially since you measure instead of weigh AND you are eating back a lot of calories. I'd suspect that you are not accurately logging exercise, because I highly doubt you are burning 700 calories. Even when I do 30 minutes of cardio I only get up to like 250 MAX calories on the elliptical, which is clearly inflated.

guamchick75

You may be underestimating food calories and overestimating exercise calories.

MyFitnessPal's exercise calories seem to be inflated, so I use a calorie burn calculator (e.g., http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc). Also, if I take an hour-long class, I enter 50 minutes of actual exercise time. I also make sure my exercise calories aren't double counted (e.g., the calories I calculated for Zumba shouldn't be added to the calories estimated by my FitBit during Zumba).

BWBTrish

Maybe you eat more calories than you think. And maybe your "burned calories" are too high. I only eat a 1/4 back from my burned calories because of they very reason.

Difference between measuring your food and weighing your food

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

ArkMom35

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

Maybe you eat more calories than you think. And maybe your "burned calories" are too high. I only eat a 1/4 back from my burned calories because of they very reason.

Difference between measuring your food and weighing your food

VIDEO URL

Thank you for sharing that, I had no clue.

mumblemagic

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

Maybe you eat more calories than you think. And maybe your "burned calories" are too high. I only eat a 1/4 back from my burned calories because of they very reason.

Difference between measuring your food and weighing your food

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

This is so cool.

pinksneakers1

gotta say - I've been measuring almost all my foods except meat and cheese, which i weighed. think its time to keep the scale on the counter!