Going over calories daily - Advice?

trogalicious

Sound likes you added body muscles and you can not lose that. Muscle weighs more than fat.

No, a pound is a pound and you don't gain muscle eating at a deficit.

A 1" square cube of muscle weighs more than a 1" square cube of fat because it's more dense. When people say "muscle weighs more than fat," they're comparing volume, not weight.

Yes, but she isn't gaining muscle eating 1200 calories.

...and that advice is often thrown around by folks that don't understand it.

typical scenario is:
OP: "I'm not losing weight because I'm doing it wrong"
Responder: "Maybe you're gaining muscle!!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :smooched: :flowerforyou:!"
OP: "awesome! So I'm doing it right!"
other people: "no."

AmyRhubarb

Any advice, besides "see a doctor"?

Yeah - eat more food! You're hungry, you take two naps a day, and is the crying over adding weights or other workouts because you're exahausted, or because you hate whatever exercise you're trying to add?

This ain't rocket science - your body is asking you to FEED IT! Yes, upping your calories may cause you to gain a little at first, but just ride it out. It can take the body 4-6 weeks to adjust to a new intake, but it's worth the wait and the results.

I'll echo what others have posted - go read this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13 Then read it again and again, because it's a lot of info, but well worth your time to go through and understand it. Find your BMR and your TDEE. Eat in between those numbers. Drink water, get good sleep, exercise - find something that you LIKE to do. If you hate weights, find something that incorporates body weight exercises, because some form or resistance training is awesome.

And have patience. Trust the process. Quit starving yourself. Find your numbers, and eat your calories. Take measurements and photos, because the scale isn't always going to tell you the whole story - it will show you every little bit of water weight, which isn't a "true gain" of fat.

Good luck.

IouliaN

Hi Runfree!

Not sure if you are already doing this, but I have noticed that it not only matters what you eat but when you eat. For example, I try not to eat for 1 hour after exercise, to let the fat burn. Also, and this for me is critical, in the evening I have to eat at least 4-5 hours before going to bed, otherwise I gain weight even if I am below my calorie count (go figure). So I try to keep to this religiously. Also important to get enought sleep.

Hope any of this helps. Good luck! Ioulia

Seesawboomerang

Eat more. And exercise more too. Eat loads more.

technobunny

maybe you're pregnant.

technobunny

You cry doing weights?

My fat cries.

Fullsterkur_woman

Hi Runfree!

Not sure if you are already doing this, but I have noticed that it not only matters what you eat but when you eat. For example, I try not to eat for 1 hour after exercise, to let the fat burn. Also, and this for me is critical, in the evening I have to eat at least 4-5 hours before going to bed, otherwise I gain weight even if I am below my calorie count (go figure). So I try to keep to this religiously. Also important to get enought sleep.

Hope any of this helps. Good luck! Ioulia

No. You don't need to make it so complicated. Also, plenty of people eat just before and just after working out, to make sure there is plenty of protein available to repair the damage to their muscles. The fat will burn when you are in a calorie deficit over time. There's no magic about not eating before bed, over the long term. Sorry.

slim4health56

Any advice, besides "see a doctor"? Unfortunately a doctor can't help me; I can't have blood work done so there's no way of knowing if there's a thyroid issue or other medical issue or anything. I'm very unhappy and very uncomfortable at this weight.

You don't say why a doctor can't help you or why you can't have tests so if you do have hypothyroidism, you can wait until you've gained 60 plus lbs and your hair has turned gray and falls out AND you've lost all control of rationality...sorry, but that's the reality of it.

You're probably going to hear that you aren't eating enough...also possible.

Don't know what you're eating, but some calories can help us feel fuller for longer. For me, string cheese and an apple as a snack really take away the hunger pangs.

There's been a rash of research on insulin spikes recently, and how those spikes can slow metabolism. Google this - might also explain why you're hungry all the time.

If you're dealing with the last 10 lbs, that's a whole new ballgame and you'll need to work through the plateau that many folks hit.

Also, if your "diet" isn't sustainable, it's not going to work...which is why I don't "diet." I just eat a little less, exercise a little more, EVERY day. Excluding medical conditions, your body has no other option but to respond, but it might take some time.

runfree78

Thanks for more advice; I'm reading everything and trying not to freak out at the suggestion I eat more. I will gain weight if I do that, and then it will be like my entire year and a half, bust my *kitten*, constant restriction and working out would be for absolutely nothing. *sigh* I don't know what I would do if that happened. I feel like that would ruin me mentally.

I do weigh everything I eat., I've gotten good at judging meat portions without the scale (though I do double check most times), but I'm still weighing things like peanut butter, or nuts of any kind, or quinoa, or pasta if I eat it, or berries if I eat them, etc.

For those who asked, I have a severe needle phobia that restricts me from bloodwork, surgeries, immunizations ... I spent years in therapy for it, and nothing changed. I almost had a very, very serious problem two years ago when my gallbladder started shutting down and began hardening, because I couldn't go get the tests done to verify what was happening.

And yes, I am typically exhausted so it takes nothing for me to cry. And if I try to do some body weight stuff - push up, lunges, squats, etc - I usually end up in tears because even after consistently doing them I see no improvement in anything. I'm talking weeks, and no improvement, so when I try to do them I just know I'm getting nowhere and end up in tears and feeling very, very negative. It's disheartening. Running is the only thing that makes me feel better; I like getting out there and getting time to myself and usually feel like doing it every day though I force rest days from time to time.

I sleep at least 8 hours a night, sometimes 9. On weekends, I usually sleep 8-10 hours plus a 1 1/2 to 3 hour nap daily. So I must be getting enough sleep, right??

But I will closely read that link.

slim4health56

you don't gain muscle eating at a deficit.

What?:noway:

laylaness

I sleep at least 8 hours a night, sometimes 9. On weekends, I usually sleep 8-10 hours plus a 1 1/2 to 3 hour nap daily. So I must be getting enough sleep, right??

But I will closely read that link.

For what it's worth, your body will be tired if you aren't getting enough nutrients and/or calories.

deksgrl

Thanks for more advice; I'm reading everything and trying not to freak out at the suggestion I eat more. I will gain weight if I do that, and then it will be like my entire year and a half, bust my *kitten*, constant restriction and working out would be for absolutely nothing. *sigh* I don't know what I would do if that happened. I feel like that would ruin me mentally.

I do weigh everything I eat., I've gotten good at judging meat portions without the scale (though I do double check most times), but I'm still weighing things like peanut butter, or nuts of any kind, or quinoa, or pasta if I eat it, or berries if I eat them, etc.

For those who asked, I have a severe needle phobia that restricts me from bloodwork, surgeries, immunizations ... I spent years in therapy for it, and nothing changed. I almost had a very, very serious problem two years ago when my gallbladder started shutting down and began hardening, because I couldn't go get the tests done to verify what was happening.

And yes, I am typically exhausted so it takes nothing for me to cry. And if I try to do some body weight stuff - push up, lunges, squats, etc - I usually end up in tears because even after consistently doing them I see no improvement in anything. I'm talking weeks, and no improvement, so when I try to do them I just know I'm getting nowhere and end up in tears and feeling very, very negative. It's disheartening. Running is the only thing that makes me feel better; I like getting out there and getting time to myself and usually feel like doing it every day though I force rest days from time to time.

I sleep at least 8 hours a night, sometimes 9. On weekends, I usually sleep 8-10 hours plus a 1 1/2 to 3 hour nap daily. So I must be getting enough sleep, right??

But I will closely read that link.

If you are totally exhausted with 8-9 hours of sleep AND a nap, then either your hormones are really screwed up from under eating or lack of nutrition, or you have some other medical problem.

3foldchord

Sound likes you added body muscles and you can not lose that. Muscle weighs more than fat.

No, a pound is a pound and you don't gain muscle eating at a deficit.

Ditto on the "you don't gain muscle while eating at a deficit"

Fullsterkur_woman

Gosh, that's gonna be really tough if you can't get bloodwork done. My little sister is that way.

Take a step back and take a breather. Knowing that you have an issue like that changes the landscape, which we didn't know about before. If you spent years in therapy, then you know that we have to live in reality. And the reality is, if you can't do what everybody else does to get the results they get, you may not be able to get the results they get. Sorry for the hard home truth, but you may need just accept that you cannot weigh 110 pounds, and at 5' 2", that's really ok.

If you're typically exhausted, why not see a doctor who understands about your needle phobia and will endeavor to help you treat your symptoms? It's not normal to be exhausted if you're sleeping enough, which it sounds like you are.

If it were me, I'd be far more concerned about the constant exhaustion and crying so easily than the slow weight gain that's probably due in part to depression.

Do you take an anti-depressant? Are you still in therapy?

If your phobia is confined to needles, perhaps you could get your resting metabolic rate checked. That doesn't require anything except sitting still for a few minutes while breathing through a tube. Or perhaps a sleep study, to make sure that the quality of sleep you're getting is adequate.

I think looking at the bigger picture, your weight is just one more cry for help that your body is giving you. Best of luck.

3dogsrunning

Open your food diary.

3foldchord

Hi Runfree!

Not sure if you are already doing this, but I have noticed that it not only matters what you eat but when you eat. For example, I try not to eat for 1 hour after exercise, to let the fat burn. Also, and this for me is critical, in the evening I have to eat at least 4-5 hours before going to bed, otherwise I gain weight even if I am below my calorie count (go figure). So I try to keep to this religiously. Also important to get enought sleep.

Hope any of this helps. Good luck! Ioulia

No. You don't need to make it so complicated. Also, plenty of people eat just before and just after working out, to make sure there is plenty of protein available to repair the damage to their muscles. The fat will burn when you are in a calorie deficit over time. There's no magic about not eating before bed, over the long term. Sorry.

Yes..and..no.
She said she can't get bloodwork/ testing done.. So she could have some issues that would require her to have timed eating, but won't know it.
It won't hurt her to try meal time planning.if it works it works, if not, then try so etching else.

Though I don't think eating before bed makes a person gain or not, but with blood sugar issues and other issues, eating certain foods before bed or at breakfast will make a person fatigued and hungry (headaches, dizzy, etc.)

brynnsmom

Gosh, that's gonna be really tough if you can't get bloodwork done. My little sister is that way.

Take a step back and take a breather. Knowing that you have an issue like that changes the landscape, which we didn't know about before. If you spent years in therapy, then you know that we have to live in reality. And the reality is, if you can't do what everybody else does to get the results they get, you may not be able to get the results they get. Sorry for the hard home truth, but you may need just accept that you cannot weigh 110 pounds, and at 5' 2", that's really ok.

If you're typically exhausted, why not see a doctor who understands about your needle phobia and will endeavor to help you treat your symptoms? It's not normal to be exhausted if you're sleeping enough, which it sounds like you are.

If it were me, I'd be far more concerned about the constant exhaustion and crying so easily than the slow weight gain that's probably due in part to depression.

Do you take an anti-depressant? Are you still in therapy?

If your phobia is confined to needles, perhaps you could get your resting metabolic rate checked. That doesn't require anything except sitting still for a few minutes while breathing through a tube. Or perhaps a sleep study, to make sure that the quality of sleep you're getting is adequate.

I think looking at the bigger picture, your weight is just one more cry for help that your body is giving you. Best of luck.

Hands down, this is the best reply.

ethompso0105

Okay...have you tried a homeopathic doctor? Or even an applied kinesologist? I know a lot of people think they're not worth anything, but if you have a needle phobia, it may be something to consider--it's better than nothing!

Personally, I see a homeopathic doctor (who's also a certified MD) and an applied kinesologist (who's also a board certified chiropractor). I had my thyroid checked more efficiently with NO needles than with (my basal temperature was extremely low). They're helping to treat very similar symptoms to yours.

Additionally, I was surprised to not see people asking if you're eating back your exercise calories. If you're not, you may want to try that.

Best of luck!!!

JayMri

Can't add much to what others have said but from experience if I eat anything less then 1400 calories I gain so it may be that you need to up your calories. Have you tried work out videos that incorporated weights, lunges, etc.? I've found those to give me faster results then just doing them in the gym.

Sorry to hear about the needle phobia as I was going to suggest getting thyroid tested, I have thyroid problems and what you are describing sounds like what happens to me when my levels are off.

Best of luck.

shivles

I think you need more calories and a heavy weight lifting program, check out the book 'new rules of weight lifting for women'

I also agree with the suggestion you may be depressed though, maybe you should go and see your GP about that?