Getting discouraged!

green_eyes_99

Hello, I've been back on MFP for 2 weeks now and I lost three pounds the first week. I weighed myself yesterday and I've gained it all back!!! I've been doing cardio and strength training three days a week. I've been eating 1390 calories a day and logging in most of my food. I'm just getting discouraged and I can't seem to keep the weight off even when I've tried this site in the past. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!!!

DetroitDarin

Hey kid - F the scale. It happens that the scale is evil. You know I gained 4lbs in two days? yup. Today I saw a reduction of 5lbs. It's stupid. RELIGIOUSLY count your calories. Don't rely on MFP estimates of 'calories burned' because I think they tend to be crap. Always over-estimate your calories taken-in, and underestimate by maybe 30 percent what the site tells you.

purplesevens

Try eating 1200 cals a day and exercising and still gaining! Happens to me every month. Don't worry about small fluctuations--I can look at my charts and see that some weeks I go up and some weeks I go down, some stay the same. Look at it over the long term, and remember your body is adjusting, it will take some time. I do what DetroitDarin says, and overestimate the calories (I'm on 1300 a day now but I'm sure I'm taking in more). I rarely eat back my exercise calories unless those were several hours of intense labor out in the FL sun. It's too soon to be discouraged! I know from personal experience that I will never be able to stop counting calories, as soon as I think I can just "eat healthy" I take in too much and start regaining. I've accepted this as a way of life for me. I lost 35, stopped tracking, gained 20. Sucks. Now back on, have lost the 20 AGAIN plus 21 more. I'll do this forever if that's what it takes. Stick with it girl! The rewards are worth it even if it seems like you're not making progress, you are treating your body better and it will show.

queenliz99

"Logging in most of food", what does that mean? You need to log all of it. Weight loss takes time and if you are accurate it makes it easier.

Jessie24330

Any chance it's about that time of the month? It could be fluid retention. Personally, I tend to gain 4 to 5 pounds.

ItsyBitsy246

Weight loss takes time. My calorie intake and activity averages out the same each week, but as you can see from my 90-day chart my weight goes up and down all the time (I weigh daily). The plateau you see is when I was on vaca for 10 days without a scale, I was up about five pounds when I got back, but that fell off right away because it was likely mostly water retention from all that yummy beer I drank.




TL;DR: Weight loss is not necessarily quick or linear, and your scale weight will vary for many reasons (don't use the scale as the only tool you use to judge your progress, it often is not your friend).

DetroitDarin

That's a GREAT post @ItsyBitsy246 - Taking a 'weight trends' view is more healthy - mentally - than focusing on specific weigh-ins and all that.

Spliner1969

Welcome to water weight.
1) Log everything that passes your lips. Otherwise you can/will gain weight unexpectedly.
2) After beginning a new or harder workout routine your body will retain water during the muscle repair process.

To combat #1, the answer is simple. Log it all.

To combat #2, drink more water and watch the sodium intake and wait a week before weighing in again. Sounds counter-intuitive but trust me, it works.

green_eyes_99

Thanks everyone for your good tips!!!

Meg_DeLaCruz

Don't forget if you are exercising and haven't in a while the first few months take into consideration muscle tone and/or building. It takes a while for your body to go into fat burning mode. Water weight can trick you with the few lbs fluctuations. DON'T GIVE UP! Once your body kicks into gear, you'll see it and it will all be worth it. Good luck!