Weight Gain on 1200cal and 5 Miles a day?

newmanc0299
newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay...
I am 5'5 and 20. I began at 135lbs and I weighed in this morning (before breakfast, after bathroom, etc) at 142lbs. For the last two and a half weeks, I have been running 5 miles 6 times a week and eating 1200 calories...someone please explain this. I am so confused.

I have no idea what is going on--- I was 110lbs in August. I eat completely clean with one dessert a week. I weigh and measure everything, and I watch my sodium intake....help meeeee!!!!
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Replies

  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    When you say you're eating 1200 calories, is that net or supposed to be gross?
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    RGv2 wrote: »
    When you say you're eating 1200 calories, is that net or supposed to be gross?

    Sorry-- 1200 a day.
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    could be a couple things...holding onto water for repair of muscle with new running regimen...and if you're eating very low calories and then doing all of that running and not fueling that activity, you're putting a major stress on your body and raising cortisol levels which will inhibit and slow weight loss...my guess would be a combo of both things.

    Are you eating some of your exercise calories back to account for your running activity? 1200 calories assumes sedentary...if you're running 5 miles per day, you're not sedentary.

    I really just stick to the 1200 and don't really eat anything back...fitbit has a tracking part for daily calorie expenditure (so it creates a 1000cal deficit), and it tells me I'm in the target zone when I eat 1200 and burn off 2250 cal a day, which I seem to only be able to do with exercise.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Period weight gain?
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    cwolfman has a very good point. If your body is not used to the idea of doing so much exercise, it will take some time to settle down and to become happy with all you are expecting of it. Not eating back calories earned or part is adding stresses to your systems and may impeded your recovery from these runs. It is possible one rest day is insufficient for yourself.

    I question how over weight you are because if you are close to a good weight for your height it is going to be more difficult to loose 1 or even 1/2 a lb a week. You are taller than myself and at less than my goal, (if this makes sense to you). I would be inclined to change my activity level from sedentary to active, and loss to half or one lb a week. Then out of interest, see what calorific level would enable you to maintain to achieve a good all round view, so you can define your actual goals.

    Possibly running is not the exercise you need, some find resistance helps, low weights and that sort of thing helping achieve a more sculpted look.

    Also if you are female, the dreaded event can have a dramatic impact on those scales.
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    I'm 5'5" and 135 (but not 20 lol). I find the water weight I retain from exercise at this weight is a lot more significant than when I was heavier (aka I had more fat). That said though, I would agree that it would seem you are probably drastically undereating if you are only eating 1200 (and you are sure you are eating 1200 because you are appropriately weighing and measuring your food intake) and doing that much exercise, you risk loss of muscle along with the fat that will eventually come off.

    It would probably help if you opened up your diary for others to take a look. Often the answers are found in the logging.
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    Period weight gain?

    nope, I don't have one (active pill) so that is definitely not the case
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Not only losing muscle but heading for a hospital visit inducing collapse.

    I expect not only are you retaining from the sudden increase in exercise but also from cortisol due to the amount of stress you're putting your body under.

    oh wow, thank you so much...I had no idea I was eating so much under what I should be...
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    Fuzzipeg wrote: »
    cwolfman has a very good point. If your body is not used to the idea of doing so much exercise, it will take some time to settle down and to become happy with all you are expecting of it. Not eating back calories earned or part is adding stresses to your systems and may impeded your recovery from these runs. It is possible one rest day is insufficient for yourself.

    I question how over weight you are because if you are close to a good weight for your height it is going to be more difficult to loose 1 or even 1/2 a lb a week. You are taller than myself and at less than my goal, (if this makes sense to you). I would be inclined to change my activity level from sedentary to active, and loss to half or one lb a week. Then out of interest, see what calorific level would enable you to maintain to achieve a good all round view, so you can define your actual goals.

    Possibly running is not the exercise you need, some find resistance helps, low weights and that sort of thing helping achieve a more sculpted look.

    Also if you are female, the dreaded event can have a dramatic impact on those scales.

    thank you :) I used to be a ballet dancer, but I stopped recently, so maybe I will reincorporate some of those activities.
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    FlyingMolly wrote: »
    1200 calories isn't nearly enough for a 20-year-old woman who's 5'5 and runs 5 miles almost every day. It's not even close to enough. And when you try to eat so much less than your body needs, your brain does everything it can think of to force you to eat more.

    What you "think" 1/4 cup of something looks like when you're starving, hungry, or sated actually changes--by a lot. When you're underfed you forget things and overlook things and underestimate things, and you also wind up moving more sluggishly and cutting out more activity, often without even realizing it. Your brain's job is to keep you alive, and it doesn't really care what you think you look like in a bikini. It will lie to you all day long if it has to.

    So, you know...stop fighting with it. Put your real, actual stats into MFP, and set a reasonable weight-loss target, like 1lb/week. Then weigh and measure all of your food and eat as much as you're supposed to. Eat more on days you move more. You can't beat your subconscious; you have to work with it.


    thank you! I do put everything into a measuring cup before I eat it, especially with soups and what not, so I really am very exact on what I eat, but with that still in mind, I'll definitely take into account that this is too little...I just originally thought that I was basing it on the 1000 calorie deficit. Thank you
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Why are you eating so little?


    I didn't realize it wasn't enough! Even my nutritionist told me to stay around 1200 because we don't really realize how little we burn.
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    newmanc0299 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    could be a couple things...holding onto water for repair of muscle with new running regimen...and if you're eating very low calories and then doing all of that running and not fueling that activity, you're putting a major stress on your body and raising cortisol levels which will inhibit and slow weight loss...my guess would be a combo of both things.

    Are you eating some of your exercise calories back to account for your running activity? 1200 calories assumes sedentary...if you're running 5 miles per day, you're not sedentary.

    I really just stick to the 1200 and don't really eat anything back...fitbit has a tracking part for daily calorie expenditure (so it creates a 1000cal deficit), and it tells me I'm in the target zone when I eat 1200 and burn off 2250 cal a day, which I seem to only be able to do with exercise.

    2 lbs a week at a normal BMI is a recipe for all sorts of badness.

    You'll need to adjust your expectations.

    good to know. thank you!
  • speedingticket
    speedingticket Posts: 73 Member
    Did you build up to 5 miles, 6 days a week? If not, please cut back and start building up slowly! You're at high risk of an overuse injury. If you did build up, then I would recommend looking into a proper running programme rather than just running 5 miles every day. It wont effect your weight, but it will improve your performance. And if you are gonna run 6 days a week, you might as well get good at it, right? I would also recommend adding in (or replacing 1-2 runs) resistance training. It will help you hold onto as much muscle as you can, reduce injury risk from running, and improve your running performance.
  • newmanc0299
    newmanc0299 Posts: 16 Member
    speedingticket wrote: »
    Did you build up to 5 miles, 6 days a week? If not, please cut back and start building up slowly! You're at high risk of an overuse injury. If you did build up, then I would recommend looking into a proper running programme rather than just running 5 miles every day. It wont effect your weight, but it will improve your performance. And if you are gonna run 6 days a week, you might as well get good at it, right? I would also recommend adding in (or replacing 1-2 runs) resistance training. It will help you hold onto as much muscle as you can, reduce injury risk from running, and improve your running performance.

    yes I did...in fact, I started last year around this time running 2-3 times per week and ended up with a stress fracture, so I've had to build up to it. Thank you for your help!!!
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