I need help, I will starve myself before I let myself back slide.

Beths_Angels

I started my journey a back in Feb of this year. I've been following the Obese to Beast common senses diet and changed how I eat. I stopped eating processed foods, sugary drinks, sweets and started cooking my own meals. I am eating 1200 calories a day and now I'm feeling better I started exercising for an hour a day last week(Bike rides). I'm drinking the right amount of water and have not broken my new healthy living life once since I started. I have managed to go from obese to overweight and i'm working to getting healthy weight but now it's all going wrong.

I have gained 4 pounds in 4 days, I am now up back up to 12.8. I have posted my stages below so it might help someone tell me where I'm going wrong. I'm so upset right now cos I have worked SOOOOO hard and its all undoing itself.

0 Weeks - Obese!!! So it starts

22nd Feb
Thigh 28 inch
Waist 39 ½ inch
High Lip 44 inch
Weight 13.11 ½ Stone

29th Feb
Thigh 26 ½ inch
Waist 37 inch
High Lip 43 inch
Weight 13.09 Stone

7th March
Thigh 25 inch
Waist 37 inch
High Lip 41 inch
Weight 13.7 Stone

14th March
Thigh 25 inch
Waist 36 inch
High Lip 41 inch
Weight 13.3 Stone

21st March
Thigh 25 inch
Waist 35 1/2 inch
High Lip 40 1/2 inch
Weight 13.1 Stone

28th March
Thigh 25 inch
Waist 35 inch
High Lip 40 inch
Weight 12.11 Stone

4th April
Thigh 24 ½ inch
Waist 34 inch
High Lip 39 inch
Weight 12. 9 Stone


7 Weeks - Over Weight !!!!! Lost – 16 Pounds (1 Stone 2 pounds)

11th April
Thigh 24 ½ inch
Waist 33 inch
High Lip 37 inch
Weight 12.7 Stone

18th April
Thigh 25 inch
Waist 32 inch
High Lip 37 inch
Weight 12.4 Stone

missysippy930

First question, are you weighing and measuring everything that you eat and drink accurately, using a food scale?
Weight loss will not show up daily, or even weekly, or monthly. The closer you get to goal, the slower weight loss will be. Also. Where you are in your cycle can show gains. Best advice, keep on doing what you are doing, and know weight loss isn’t linear.

BTW, good job, you look great!

lululapagaille

Hey, you look amazing, well done ! Don’t let the stall get to you, weight loss isn’t linear. Maybe you’ve already started losing again.

Lietchi

Four pounds in four days, that is most likely water weight.
Think about it: 4lbs of fat equals 14,000 calories above maintenance. There is no way that you ate that much over maintenance
I've been there myself, weight spiking up for no good reason. The best thing is not to panic and wait it out.

Beths_Angels

I haven't changed what I eat or the amount. I wouldn't mind if it had just slowed but now its working it way up, it's not even leveling out just climbing. I measure everything and don't eat outside of meal times, if anything I might be a little under 1200 now and then. I get that at some point i'd hit a plateau but then I should level out not gain.

I started cycling about a week ago and before that I was using an at home rowing machine. My legs are a little sore from the bike but i'm not too sore to keep going. It's so disheartening right now.

quiksylver296

Where are you in your menstrual cycle? I gain 2-3 pounds in the couple days before my period, and also during ovulation. Read this article...

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

nutmegoreo

When is your period due? Did you eat something salty recently?

Beths_Angels

My period isn't due for weeks. Last time I knew it was coming and I put on an extra 2 pounds but I knew it was coming so didn't worry when it showed on the scales.

quiksylver296

nutmegoreo wrote: »

When is your period due? Did you eat something salty recently?

Beat ya!

Beths_Angels

I wish I had something salty lol. Nope the same meals I had the over weeks before, I alway try stay low sodium.

quiksylver296

Beths_Angels wrote: »

My period isn't due for weeks. Last time I knew it was coming and I put on an extra 2 pounds but I knew it was coming so didn't worry when it showed on the scales.

What about ovulation? Do you track your period on an app like Clue?

And did you read that article?

nutmegoreo

quiksylver296 wrote: »

nutmegoreo wrote: »

When is your period due? Did you eat something salty recently?

Beat ya!

I'm on mobile, makes me slow :P

nutmegoreo

Beths_Angels wrote: »

My period isn't due for weeks. Last time I knew it was coming and I put on an extra 2 pounds but I knew it was coming so didn't worry when it showed on the scales.

Some people gain with ovulation. 4 pounds over a couple days is not fat. It's a water weight swing for some reason or other. Read the article the annointed one posted and I suggest to keep doing what your doing for a while longer. If you're confident about how much you are eating, the downward trend will start again.

missysippy930

BTW, OP, I showed weight loss every week for 11 months, (290 pounds starting), so I sympathize. Trust the process, stick with it, and weight loss will continue.
It really works❤️
A new exercise routine could cause water retention as well. Hang in there, you’ve got this!

Beths_Angels

I might of found out why. On health cleveland clinic they said if you started new a exercise you can swell and hold water as your body heals. Can you get this after a few days or does it take months? What do you think?

"A new exercise regimen puts stress on your muscle fibers. This causes small micro tears, also known as micro trauma, and some inflammation. Those two conditions in your muscle fibers are the reason you may gain some weight.
Your body responds to the micro tears and inflammation in two ways that cause temporary water weight gain."

Beths_Angels

missysippy930 wrote: »

BTW, OP, I showed weight loss every week for 11 months, (290 pounds starting), so I sympathize. Trust the process, stick with it, and weight loss will continue.
It really works❤️
A new exercise routine could cause water retention as well. Hang in there, you’ve got this!

I think you might be on the right lines

Beths_Angels

Thank you everyone I was close to tears before when I thought it was all just going wrong. I feel so much better now. It's really appreciated

Lietchi

With regards to water retention after a change in exercise: I gained about 4lbs of water weight over several weeks by forcibly upping my step count during lockdown. So yes, I definitely do think it could be linked to starting to cycle daily

yirara

Beths_Angels wrote: »

I haven't changed what I eat or the amount. I wouldn't mind if it had just slowed but now its working it way up, it's not even leveling out just climbing. I measure everything and don't eat outside of meal times, if anything I might be a little under 1200 now and then. I get that at some point i'd hit a plateau but then I should level out not gain.

I started cycling about a week ago and before that I was using an at home rowing machine. My legs are a little sore from the bike but i'm not too sore to keep going. It's so disheartening right now.

So you started a new exercise. This usually means that your body stores more waterweight. Your muscles need that fluid for repair. This could take up to 2 weeks. With some people it never really goes away. But it's not fat, it's water. So chill!

quiksylver296

nutmegoreo wrote: »

Beths_Angels wrote: »

My period isn't due for weeks. Last time I knew it was coming and I put on an extra 2 pounds but I knew it was coming so didn't worry when it showed on the scales.

Some people gain with ovulation. 4 pounds over a couple days is not fat. It's a water weight swing for some reason or other. Read the article the annointed one posted and I suggest to keep doing what your doing for a while longer. If you're confident about how much you are eating, the downward trend will start again.

??? :laugh:

Beths_Angels

Lietchi wrote: »

With regards to water retention after a change in exercise: I gained about 4lbs of water weight over several weeks by forcibly upping my step count during lockdown. So yes, I definitely do think it could be linked to starting to cycle daily

I might have to hide my head in shame a little here but after i got the bike I did go out for about 3 1/2 hours. I was just happy about getting out and about so I think I might be that. Its making sense now we are a talking about it. I wouldn't of linked it myself. I've just never been this small, i've been overweight all my life and I think i just went right to panic.

quiksylver296

Tons of things cause water weight. It's good to know those things ahead of time to prevent freak-outs like you had.

Sunburn or other injury
Travel (especially flying)
New exercise
Hormones

The list goes on. Again, I'd urge you to read the article linked above.

psychod787

Is 1200 cals enough? What's your activity level.

nutmegoreo

quiksylver296 wrote: »

Tons of things cause water weight. It's good to know those things ahead of time to prevent freak-outs like you had.

Sunburn or other injury
Travel (especially flying)
New exercise
Hormones

The list goes on. Again, I'd urge you to read the article linked above.

The article really is worth a read.


(I was torn between anointed one or exalted one )

Beths_Angels

psychod787 wrote: »

Is 1200 cals enough? What's your activity level.

I don't know, I'm going off what MyfitnessPal told me when I signed up. I do over an hour a day (bike riding, rowing machine, some sits up and such) as of now but before (last week)it was about 40min of rowing a day. How can I find out what I should be on? I still want to aim for 2 pounds a week.

janejellyroll

Beths_Angels wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

Is 1200 cals enough? What's your activity level.

I don't know, I'm going off what MyfitnessPal told me when I signed up. I do over an hour a day (bike riding, rowing machine, some sits up and such) as of now but before (last week)it was about 40min of rowing a day. How can I find out what I should be on? I still want to aim for 2 pounds a week.

MFP gave you that calorie goal with the intention that you would also eat back the additional calories you're burning through exercise.

Beths_Angels

quiksylver296 wrote: »

Tons of things cause water weight. It's good to know those things ahead of time to prevent freak-outs like you had.

Sunburn or other injury
Travel (especially flying)
New exercise
Hormones

The list goes on. Again, I'd urge you to read the article linked above.

I wouldn't of thought about sunburn but it makes sense

Beths_Angels

"MFP gave you that calorie goal with the intention that you would also eat back the additional calories you're burning through exercise. "


Does it matter that much if i'm only losing 2 pounds a week, I can't be that under if i'm not losing more than that can I.

janejellyroll

Beths_Angels wrote: »

"MFP gave you that calorie goal with the intention that you would also eat back the additional calories you're burning through exercise. "


Does it matter that much if i'm only losing 2 pounds a week, I can't be that under if i'm not losing more than that can I.

I can't speak to the specifics of how you're estimating your calorie intake, so it's certainly possible that you're eating more than you think you are. I was speaking more generally about how MFP operates. If someone is doing an hour of intentional exercise a day, 1,200 is not an appropriate goal. There are lots of people who shoot for a low goal and wind up eating more. When you have a lot of weight to lose, as many of us do at the beginning, this isn't that big of a deal. As you get closer to goal, you may want to adopt some strategies to more accurately estimate your calorie intake as continuing weight loss will be harder if your calorie estimates are signficantly off.

SnifterPug

I would blame the cycling. Don't give it up! I find my muscles grab onto a lot of water weight, often at slightly unexpected times, and then drop what they don't need, giving me a sudden downturn in the weight. Hang in there.

yirara

Beths_Angels wrote: »

"MFP gave you that calorie goal with the intention that you would also eat back the additional calories you're burning through exercise. "


Does it matter that much if i'm only losing 2 pounds a week, I can't be that under if i'm not losing more than that can I.

Only?!? Hun, you really need to sit down and think of what you're doing. 2lbs per week is the absolute maximum, and that is for seriously obese people, not for people who are overweight. You seem to have some serious disordered thinking about food. I would consider talking to your GP about it and seek help.