two steps forward...two steps back. advice?

ep2175

has anyone else struggled with backsliding for unknown reasons? i was making slow, but steady, progress on my weight loss goals by working out 6 days a week (two days HIIT, two days of heated yoga, one day cycling or running outdoors, and one day weight or resistance training). but last week / week and a half i wasn't feeling well, and so took it pretty easy -- did yoga a couple times, went for a run outside, but that's about it. plus i don't own a car and get around by bike, so even a trip to the grocery store or post office involves some light exercise. i am a careful and healthy eater, and kept that up as well. while i didn't log everyday, i doubt that i surpassed 1400 calories on any given day.

to my surprise, when i returned to the gym and weighed myself, i found that i had gained 3 pounds (all the weight i had lost up until that point was back)! so disappointing.

i am a realistic person, and i realize that 1) off-days or off-weeks will happen and they are not that big of a deal; 2) i'm in this for the long-term -- it's not just about short term weight loss but about cultivating healthy habits for diet and exercise; and 3) i shouldn't expect to slack off and still shed pounds. BUT given my calorie intake and moderate exercise, i definitely didn't expect to gain weight--i should have maintained and maybe even lost a few ounces.

this isn't the first time this has happened to me. what am i doing wrong? has anyone else had this problem? it doesn't seem right that if i skip a day or two of exercise but still eat right, i will gain weight. is it possible i'm not eating enough? not doing enough weight training? some other x-factor i'm overlooking?

hrbonner

has anyone else struggled with backsliding for unknown reasons? i was making slow, but steady, progress on my weight loss goals by working out 6 days a week (two days HIIT, two days of heated yoga, one day cycling or running outdoors, and one day weight or resistance training). but last week / week and a half i wasn't feeling well, and so took it pretty easy -- did yoga a couple times, went for a run outside, but that's about it. plus i don't own a car and get around by bike, so even a trip to the grocery store or post office involves some light exercise. i am a careful and healthy eater, and kept that up as well. while i didn't log everyday, i doubt that i surpassed 1400 calories on any given day.

to my surprise, when i returned to the gym and weighed myself, i found that i had gained 3 pounds (all the weight i had lost up until that point was back)! so disappointing.

i am a realistic person, and i realize that 1) off-days or off-weeks will happen and they are not that big of a deal; 2) i'm in this for the long-term -- it's not just about short term weight loss but about cultivating healthy habits for diet and exercise; and 3) i shouldn't expect to slack off and still shed pounds. BUT given my calorie intake and moderate exercise, i definitely didn't expect to gain weight--i should have maintained and maybe even lost a few ounces.

this isn't the first time this has happened to me. what am i doing wrong? has anyone else had this problem? it doesn't seem right that if i skip a day or two of exercise but still eat right, i will gain weight. is it possible i'm not eating enough? not doing enough weight training? some other x-factor i'm overlooking?

Hiya
I get the same- I exercise loads and dont lose weight... but when you exercise lots you are gaining muscle, which weighs more than fat.
Think positive- dont just rely on weight.... measure yourself round the waist, hips etc. You will probably find that you are still shrinking!
Also- water/ hydration levels are important.
Dont give up.
Even if you've hit a plateau, think positive- you are smaller now than you were. Maybe at the gym, or your classes, just up the tempo a little?

Fatmitch10

Sounds like you're thinking too much in the short term, and chances are you're also eating more than you think.

Count calories, hit your goal caloric deficit everyday and see where you're at in 3 weeks.

saeede83

Are you weighting yourself in the morning before eating or drinking? Your weight fluctuates during the day, maybe even up to 5 lbls.

shadow2soul

Look at your sodium count for the past couple days. Sodium can cause me to gain water weight for several days (until the sodium is flushed out).

ep2175

thanks all for advice + encouragement --- probably a bit of truth to what each of you is saying. i hadn't really thought about the sodium thing, so i'll keep an eye on that. it's also true that i'm inconsistent on when i weigh myself --my scale at home is cheap and unreliable, so i use the one at the gym the 2 days a week i am there. usually this keeps me from getting too hung up on the numbers, but i guess i got momentarily caught up in the short-term numbers game. anyway thanks!

RobynLB83

If you just ended up back where you started, the reality is that you probably never lost any weight to begin with. You just depleted your glycogen and had less food and water in your system (for me this is 3-6 lbs). So as soon as you returned to your normal intake / activity levels your body replenished itself and you're right back at your start weight. Sorry.