Gaining weight on 1200cal a day, how?

alitude01

I have been crazy diligent on my Cal intake. I’m at 1200cal on days I don’t work out and around 1800cal on days I do. I cook my own food and weigh everything. This week however I’m Up 2.5lbs! I’m upset at my self b/c I have been killing it at the gym and my diet. I’m only 4 weeks in this new way of life and feeling really down right now. I need some help on what I’m doing wrong. My goal is to loose 2lbs a week till December then .5 - 1 lbs a week after that. I’m 5 3” and right now 154.7lbs. My goal is 130-124lbs. I’m doing 3 hard days of cardio and 1 day of weights when I work out.

TavistockToad

Are you due to get your period?

alitude01

Nope, it’s due in 19 days.

cmriverside

With about 25-30 pounds to lose, set your GOAL at "Lose 1 pound per week."

Log accurately> https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10621050/how-to-use-the-usda-food-database-mfp-food-database-for-accurate-logging/p1

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

Stick with it. http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

Keep it going consistently and you will lose weight.

Make sure you have your Activity Level set correctly and use the Exercise tab for additional purposeful exercise. Eat back those calories.
https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

shadow2soul

How often are you weighing?
Weight will fluctuate for various reasons and 2.5 lbs isn’t really out of the realm of normal fluctuations. Overall trends are important.

Are you sure you are using accurate entries from the database? Even “verified” stuff can be wrong. Always double check what your logging with the package or USDA.

Consider your sodium intake. If it was higher than normal than you could easily be seeing water retention from it.

Consider your workouts. Are you sore? Did you up the intensity recently? Did you do something new? All of these can result in water retention.

Some women retain water during ovulation and/or around their period.

I increased the difficulty of my workouts this week. The result is I’m sore (DOMS) and my average weight this week is 1.5lbs higher than last weeks average. As soon as this soreness starts to subside the extra weight should come back off.

J72FIT

alitude01 wrote: »

I have been crazy diligent on my Cal intake. I’m at 1200cal on days I don’t work out and around 1800cal on days I do. I cook my own food and weigh everything. This week however I’m Up 2.5lbs! I’m upset at my self b/c I have been killing it at the gym and my diet. I’m only 4 weeks in this new way of life and feeling really down right now. I need some help on what I’m doing wrong. My goal is to loose 2lbs a week till December then .5 - 1 lbs a week after that. I’m 5 3” and right now 154.7lbs. My goal is 130-124lbs. I’m doing 3 hard days of cardio and 1 day of weights when I work out.

Gonna take longer then 4 weeks. Have patience...

quiksylver296

I’m on my phone, or I’d link it, but go find the “weird weight fluctuations” thread by @AnvilHead, and read the article there. It explains everything.

diannethegeek

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I’m on my phone, or I’d link it, but go find the “weird weight fluctuations” thread by @AnvilHead, and read the article there. It explains everything.

Here's the link, it's great: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

quiksylver296

diannethegeek wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I’m on my phone, or I’d link it, but go find the “weird weight fluctuations” thread by @AnvilHead, and read the article there. It explains everything.

Here's the link, it's great: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

Thanks, @diannethegeek!

alitude01

I did push myself at the gym this week. I had DOMS for 3 days. I’m feeling really good today but no gym till Monday for me. I’m hoping it’s just extra water weight. I also only weigh my self twice a week. Once in log-in day and once mid week just because my scale is there next to my shower.

Dessilicious

How tall are you? 1800ccal is way too much if you are tiny. What do you mean by hard cardio?
I'd stick to 1400ccal on workout days but that's me and I'm short.
2.5lbs is nothing to worry about though. But watch the tendencies and make alterations as you go.
Good luck!

cmriverside

quiksylver296 wrote: »

diannethegeek wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I’m on my phone, or I’d link it, but go find the “weird weight fluctuations” thread by @AnvilHead, and read the article there. It explains everything.

Here's the link, it's great: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

Thanks, @diannethegeek!

You guys crack me up. Was it not enough that I linked it in the second post in this thread? Or was it lost in my wall o' blue text?

AKDiscer

One thing you'll have to realize is that weight loss is NOT linear and it isn't as simple as just cutting 500 kcals out of your daily diet.

What I have my clients do is weigh themselves every morning after they do their business. This way you have consistent time and a more accurate measurement. The idea is to take your average weight over 7-10 days and see a downward trend. If you were to graph your weight loss it would look like a stock graph...a lot of ups and downs, but should be trending downward. If you have a Fitbit or Garmin and log your weight every day, it will keep a 7-day rolling average and it'll graph it for you. Remember not to trip out and get down on yourself if you see a spike in weight or when you see a massive drop.

The science of weight loss and how your body goes through the process is much more complex that most realize. Without going into a doctoral thesis it can vary because of how much food you still have in your bowels, how hydrated you are, how much sodium you have the day before (water retention) and not enough potassium to flush the water out, stress (cortisol) can spike and cause water retention, not eating enough fiber (or eating too much and not drinking enough water), constipation, monthly cycle, sleep deprivation, etc.

If you're consistent with your exercise regimen and your diet is on point as far as caloric intake relative to your activity, you will lose weight. Don't be too aggressive with calorie reduction because your body will start eating its muscle (catabolism) and that is weight you NEVER want to lose, only adipose tissue (fat).

Another thing to consider when it comes to caloric deficits is your body will get used to the calories you intake vs. your calorie expenditure (exercise and basal metabolic rate). What is necessary when you plateau is you increase your calories slowly for a few weeks and continue exercising like you have been. This is an oversimplified and simplistic way of 'resetting' your metabolism. Stay at the higher intake for a few weeks, then drop a little (50-100) until you start losing weight. When you plateau again, drop your calories again.

bemyyfriend0918

I think that 2lbs a week is way too high of a goal for someone your weight.

There is a really simple calculation that has always worked for me when focusing on weight loss. It is outlined in the beach body lifestyle manual. (the makers of P90x and LIIFT4).

1. On days you don't workout at all, your body will naturally burn 12x your body weight.
   
2. On days you work out moderately, your body will burn 13x your body weight.
   
3. On days you work out intensely, your body will burn 14x your body weight.

So on days you do not work out, at your weight, you are burning 1848 calories.

On days you do work out, you're burning 2156 calories, assuming it is an intense workout.

For you to lose 2lb a week, you need to cut 1000 calories a day every day. So on days you don't work out, you would need to eat 848 calories a day. On days you do work out you would need to eat 1156. This is NOT healthy or advisable.

If you modified your goals to lose 1lb a week, you'd want to stay in the range of 1348 on days you don't work out, and 1656 on days you do.

I have found that the MFP goals for calories never worked for me as they should. The beach body calculation proved to be much more accurate.

diannethegeek

cmriverside wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

diannethegeek wrote: »

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I’m on my phone, or I’d link it, but go find the “weird weight fluctuations” thread by @AnvilHead, and read the article there. It explains everything.

Here's the link, it's great: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

Thanks, @diannethegeek!

You guys crack me up. Was it not enough that I linked it in the second post in this thread? Or was it lost in my wall o' blue text?

I saw your other links but did not spot the fluctuations article. There are so many of these and they start to blur together. I was just trying to be helpful. No need to tag me in to laugh at for a simple mistake.

Running2Fit

How often do you weigh yourself? I find that I get a much more accurate picture of my weight loss when I weigh myself daily and log it into the app Happy Scale which then gives me a moving average of my weight. Your weight can fluctuate up and down for so many different reasons so for all you know it was down yesterday and you just had a bit too much sodium and now you’re holding onto water weight.

shadow2soul

Dessilicious wrote: »

1800ccal is way too much if you are tiny.

Not nessecarily. I lose eating an average of 2000 calories a day. I’m 5’4.5” and not even overweight.

Here’s a success thread from someone who is only 4’10 and eats 2000 a day (she’s maintaining, but that tells me that she would see a very slow loss at 1800 calories a day):

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1032620/410-and-eats-2000-calories-a-day-eeegads-pics

shadow2soul

bemyyfriend0918 wrote: »

I think that 2lbs a week is way too high of a goal for someone your weight.

There is a really simple calculation that has always worked for me when focusing on weight loss. It is outlined in the beach body lifestyle manual. (the makers of P90x and LIIFT4).

1. On days you don't workout at all, your body will naturally burn 12x your body weight.
   
2. On days you work out moderately, your body will burn 13x your body weight.
   
3. On days you work out intensely, your body will burn 14x your body weight.

Those calculations are extremely rough. They are very simplistic calculations that don’t account for things like daily activity and exercise separately.

I’ve tried their calculations in the past and always have to bump up, because they have me losing weight rapidly and it makes me feel icky. I’m fairly active and those calculations just don’t take that into account.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

bemyyfriend0918

shadow2soul wrote: »

bemyyfriend0918 wrote: »

I think that 2lbs a week is way too high of a goal for someone your weight.

There is a really simple calculation that has always worked for me when focusing on weight loss. It is outlined in the beach body lifestyle manual. (the makers of P90x and LIIFT4).

1. On days you don't workout at all, your body will naturally burn 12x your body weight.
   
2. On days you work out moderately, your body will burn 13x your body weight.
   
3. On days you work out intensely, your body will burn 14x your body weight.

Those calculations are extremely rough. They are very simplistic calculations that don’t account for things like daily activity and exercise separately.

I’ve tried their calculations in the past and always have to bump up, because they have me losing weight rapidly and it makes me feel icky. I’m fairly active and those calculations just don’t take that into account.

They are rough, and very basic. However, they worked better for me. MFP suggested I eat 1900 cals a day. It wasn't working. This calculation much more closely got me to where I wanted to be

to each their own!

SoleilxStitch

hmm, you could be eating one food regularly, in particular, that is high in sodium and not realise it? I would check through your food diary and see if there are any days where it seems high.

alitude01

I really don’t know if sodium is the problem. I all ready have extreme low sodium levels and suppose to take meds for it (I don’t). I don’t eat pre-packaged food, I basically make everything. I know sodium can be hidding in all sorts of unexpected places. I’m trying really hard to eat as clean as possible.

greenegoddess1

Have you had your thyroid checked? And have you considered you could be building muscle? Just 2 things I thought of that I didn't see mentioned.

shadow2soul

greenegoddess1 wrote: »

Have you had your thyroid checked? And have you considered you could be building muscle? Just 2 things I thought of that I didn't see mentioned.

No one mentioned building muscle because it isn’t that easy to put on. With the exception of noobie gains, you need to be in a surplus to add muscle. It also requires a strength training program with progressive overload.

Op is only strength training once a week and doing heavy cardio. Muscle gain is not likely. Even people who are specifically trying to gain muscle and doing everything right don’t put it on that fast.

bebuckner21

Hey All....I love the Siamese photo, anyways I'm with Riverside cat person..the kat nailed it. I'm with Bemy too. why is everything a fight or a battler against the bulge, I think you should just chill abit. Pat yourself on the back...the changes you have made may have shocked your body into starvation mode...If you are as diligent as you sound you will do well. I Hate to say it, and I hate to hear it Please be patient Brian

theWODdoll

I’d cut more fats out of my diet. While healthy fats are essential, when you’re trying to cut weight eliminating fats and increasing veggies and maintaining enough protein helps. Sometimes it’s more of what you’re eating vs how much. Plus towards the end losing 2 lbs a week might be difficult to do. 0.5-1 lb a week might be more accurate. Plus if you’re lifting weights and gaining muscle the scale might not budge as much. I only have about 20 pounds to lose and in a month I’ve lost 5, also at a 1,200 calorie limit. Just try different things and see what works best for you. You got this 💪🏼

agatka_the_witch

It's not about calories. Cut your carbs below 50 grams a day and you will be losing weight even with 2000kcal a day. People on keto diets lose weight even with 3000kcal or more - but it must come from fat, never carbs.

LivingtheLeanDream

agatka_the_witch wrote: »

It's not about calories. Cut your carbs below 50 grams a day and you will be losing weight even with 2000kcal a day. People on keto diets lose weight even with 3000kcal or more - but it must come from fat, never carbs.

um no! keto is not magic. Anyone eating less calories than they burn will lose, no need to cut out or reduce one particular macro or another.

LivingtheLeanDream

mistypoison wrote: »

I'm 5ft 3" and 1200 calories is too much for me.

Calories are individual.
I'm 5ft 2 and 1200 wasn't too much for me, I lose eating 1650-1700 calories (lightly active).

Lillymoo01

mistypoison wrote: »

I'm 5ft 3" and 1200 calories is too much for me.

I am 4'11 and was losing on 1200 calories. I am now walking around two hours a day though but maintain on around 2000 calories which is about 1500 calories before intentional exercise.

Just shows that everyone is different, even with similar stats.

cerise_noir

agatka_the_witch wrote: »

It's not about calories. Cut your carbs below 50 grams a day and you will be losing weight even with 2000kcal a day. People on keto diets lose weight even with 3000kcal or more - but it must come from fat, never carbs.

Nope, nope, nope.