help!! getting discouraged!!
jamileed
Posts: 9 Member
I am 5'4 & started at 218.5 @ 2 months ago. I was counting calories for a month & got down to 213.6. Then I took the next step & started low impact exercising every morning for 30 mins. I had my husband hide the scales because I was becoming obsessed with weighing myself. Well 2 weeks went by & I decided to weigh myself thinking I had to have at least lost a couple lbs. Nope I gained 1 lb. I have weighed myself several times since that day & once it even showed 217. What the hell I'm I doing wrong????
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Replies
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It could be water retention from the new exercise...but
Do you use a food scale for your solids and measure your liquids?
Do you log everything accurately and consistently?0 -
@jamileed have you been weighing your food on a digital scale? If you aren't losing weight then you are eating more calories than you are burning. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, exercise is for your overall health.0
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I suggest comparing weight in monthly increments. Could be water weight from new exercise routine, from too much sodium, from stress, or from TOM/hormones. Keep going - assuming you're accurately logging all, weighing food, etc. - and check again in a few weeks.0
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1. Do you weigh your food?
2. Do you eat back your exercise calories?
3. What's your calorie intake?
4. Is your diet high in sodium?0 -
Sometimes when I exercise hard I GAIN weight. But only temporarily. If I keep eating right (fewer calories in than out) and continue with regular exercise the scale goes down.
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Ignoring the troll...are you accurately weighing/measuring/logging your food? Are you nearing TOM? Did you eat anything high in sodium in the past couple days?0
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If you've been logging consistently and accurately, it's just normal fluctuations. Only a percentage of your total weight is fat... a LOT of it is water and lean tissue, as well as waste (food and liquids moving through your system). So you should expect fluctuations in a 5 lb range or so.
Fluctuations can sometimes be predicted -- certain times in your menstrual cycle, after upping your sodium or carbs (like going out to eat at a restaurant), changing your exercise (more frequency, more intensity, etc), things like that.
So look to your overall trend over time. Key word being time ... measured over many weeks, not a few days, not even just a couple weeks. If you're logging, and you're logging everything, every day, and you're logging it accurately (ideally with a kitchen scale in grams, carefully selecting database entries, as many are wrong), and you're hitting target, then you're fine, no matter what the scale says in the short term.
(Your body *cannot* store energy you didn't give it. And it can't store what it needs -- if it needs 2000 and you give it 1200, it still needs to burn 800 out of your tissues, so you stay alive. It can't store any of the 1200 long term). So if you ARE eating below maintenance, you WILL lose weight. You can just trust this, you don't always have to be looking at the scale to validate it.)
Every 4-6 weeks is a good time to review your data and weight loss. If you were trying to lose 1 lb a week, and you've only lost 3 over 6 weeks, AND your numbers say you did in fact create a deficit of 3500 a week, every week, over those 6 weeks, then something else is up. (Maybe you have some bad database entries you've been using regularly, or some packaged items you haven't been weighing, or your restaurant food guesses are low, or your exercise burns are inflated, or you have a lower than avg BMR -- meaning the calculators are overestimating your calorie target.)
ETA: The usual: Weigh in the morning, after using the toilet, before ingesting anything, naked, with your scale in the same place as always. You will still see fluctuations, but this will give you the best comparable data. Obsessively weighing throughout the day will only be weighing your jeans and your lunch and so on.0 -
Yes I log everything I eat. I keep my calories around 1380. No I do not weigh or scale my food but I do use measuring cups. I do not eat my calories back that I burn from exercising because I was hoping it would help me lose faster.0
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If you're using cups, you're probably eating more than you think.Yes I log everything I eat. I keep my calories around 1380. No I do not weigh or scale my food but I do use measuring cups. I do not eat my calories back that I burn from exercising because I was hoping it would help me lose faster.
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Mind opening your food diary?0
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Yes I log everything I eat. I keep my calories around 1380. No I do not weigh or scale my food but I do use measuring cups. I do not eat my calories back that I burn from exercising because I was hoping it would help me lose faster.
Measuring Cups are not accurate. How do you measure a cup of steak or a cup of broccoli for example? You're probably eating more than you think. Inaccurate logging is the biggest reason for gains on the scale. Make sure you're using a food scale, using accurate entries, using the recipe builder, logging everything you eat and drink.
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Yes I log everything I eat. I keep my calories around 1380. No I do not weigh or scale my food but I do use measuring cups. I do not eat my calories back that I burn from exercising because I was hoping it would help me lose faster.
Measuring cups can be very inaccurate. How many calories are in a cup of watermelon? It depends on how small you cut the pieces and how tightly you jam them in there. If, however, you weigh 100 grams of watermelon the calorie count will be the same every time whether it's a single piece of watermelon or teeny tiny pieces. This becomes even more important for foods that are more calorie dense.0 -
You could have gained some muscle as well if you're exercising everyday so I wouldn't let it discourage you. Have you been taking body measurements? It's probably a more accurate representation of progress.0
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abetterluke wrote: »You could have gained some muscle as well if you're exercising everyday so I wouldn't let it discourage you. Have you been taking body measurements? It's probably a more accurate representation of progress.
No...she's not. Stop peddling this nonsense please.0 -
ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »You could have gained some muscle as well if you're exercising everyday so I wouldn't let it discourage you. Have you been taking body measurements? It's probably a more accurate representation of progress.
No...she's not. Stop peddling this nonsense please.
How is anything I said nonsense?
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abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »You could have gained some muscle as well if you're exercising everyday so I wouldn't let it discourage you. Have you been taking body measurements? It's probably a more accurate representation of progress.
No...she's not. Stop peddling this nonsense please.
How is anything I said nonsense?
Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.0 -
ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
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abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
Sorry, not trying to be a jerk...just that 'newbies' come in and spout the 'you're building muscle' excuse all the time. It just gets tiresome. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time just today I've seen it.
My apologies for the snarkiness.0 -
ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
Sorry, not trying to be a jerk...just that 'newbies' come in and spout the 'you're building muscle' excuse all the time. It just gets tiresome. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time just today I've seen it.
My apologies for the snarkiness.
I understand. But we're all here to learn right?
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I agree with what was said previously... I think weight fluctuates day to day, but in the long run, if you're burning more calories then you intake, it should go down. I'm scale obsessed and weigh myself multiple times a day for fun, but I only log it for the record on Tuesdays and Fridays.0
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abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
Sorry, not trying to be a jerk...just that 'newbies' come in and spout the 'you're building muscle' excuse all the time. It just gets tiresome. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time just today I've seen it.
My apologies for the snarkiness.
I understand. But we're all here to learn right?
Yes, so read through posts for a while. This is the best way to learn.0 -
ruggedshutter wrote: »@jamileed have you been weighing your food on a digital scale? If you aren't losing weight then you are eating more calories than you are burning. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, exercise is for your overall health.
This a thousand times.
I know it sucks, but the above is the most likely answer. You are underestimating what you're eating. If you're using measuring cups and *think* you're doing everything right, i suggest you watch this. It's incredibly easy to underestimate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLQO2YGo9mA
In the second video, for reference that is 49 extra calories. That doesn't include anything she puts in them like milk, fruit, etc.0 -
abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
Sorry, not trying to be a jerk...just that 'newbies' come in and spout the 'you're building muscle' excuse all the time. It just gets tiresome. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time just today I've seen it.
My apologies for the snarkiness.
I understand. But we're all here to learn right?
Yes, so read through posts for a while. This is the best way to learn.
If questions like mine weren't asked there wouldn't be any posts to read through. Seriously do you guys think it's being helpful or motivational to be complete jerks? No wonder people get discouraged. Get off your high horse and maybe understand that not everyone is a pro at this.
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abetterluke wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
Sorry, not trying to be a jerk...just that 'newbies' come in and spout the 'you're building muscle' excuse all the time. It just gets tiresome. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time just today I've seen it.
My apologies for the snarkiness.
I understand. But we're all here to learn right?
Yes, so read through posts for a while. This is the best way to learn.
If questions like mine weren't asked there wouldn't be any posts to read through. Seriously do you guys think it's being helpful or motivational to be complete jerks? No wonder people get discouraged. Get off your high horse and maybe understand that not everyone is a pro at this.
not to nit pick but you didn't ask the question...you stated it like it was fact. Now we all understand it's a common myth that needs dispelled...along with starvation mode and I can only lose weight if i eat below 1200...etc.
When I got here I read responses, checked studies sited, watched people who had success etc...that was 2 years ago...I give advice now...0 -
abetterluke wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »abetterluke wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Doing low impact exercise and eating at a calorie deficit is not going to build muscle, which requires a caloric surplus and lifting heavy weights.
I'm just starting out as far as exercise goes so the terms "low impact" etc don't mean a whole lot to me as well. I offered a suggestion. Maybe next time you could give an explanation of why you disagree rather than being a jerk right off the bat.
With that said I retract my statement about muscle. My point about body measurements still stands.
Sorry, not trying to be a jerk...just that 'newbies' come in and spout the 'you're building muscle' excuse all the time. It just gets tiresome. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time just today I've seen it.
My apologies for the snarkiness.
I understand. But we're all here to learn right?
Yes, so read through posts for a while. This is the best way to learn.
If questions like mine weren't asked there wouldn't be any posts to read through. Seriously do you guys think it's being helpful or motivational to be complete jerks? No wonder people get discouraged. Get off your high horse and maybe understand that not everyone is a pro at this.
You didn't ask a question. If you're so sensitive that you think pointing out that what you said was inaccurate "is being complete jerks" how will you ever learn? You have to take a step back and look at it for what it is; a correction, not a personal attack. You do not know everything, and we do not know everything. But the things we DO know we share. Its unhelpful to all users if we do not correct you as it builds ignorance.
It's okay to be wrong...0 -
So doing low impact exercising will not build any lean muscle? I will be getting a food scale to start weighing my food. I still think if I am taking in less calories then what it takes to maintain my current weight plus exercising I should have lost some lbs & not gained within over a months time. I'm not going to give up. I need to better myself.0
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Ignoring the troll...are you accurately weighing/measuring/logging your food? Are you nearing TOM? Did you eat anything high in sodium in the past couple days?
What? (as to the bold)
Otherwise, either water retention or unintentional inaccurate logging resulting in a dead deficit.
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