I'm following every rule but gained this week...

tagresa

I have been using FitnessPal App religiously and have not cheated or slacked off in any way. I did a cleanse when I started and have been keeping my cals at 1200 a day plus a little more when I exercise 6 days a week. I switched between treadmill and elliptical but mostly elliptical. So far I have lost weight but for last two weeks I've upped the resistance and have been sore for a couple of days. Thursdays are usually my weigh in day but my scale says I only lost a pound last week and gained 1 this week! I don't understand. Also, I read online where it says to eat a minimum of 1200 calls a day and more if you exercise. I have Noom App too. Well Noom and Fitness pal don't agree evidentially. One says I'm eating to few cals (on days I exercise) and one says that after I eat 1200 a day, plus exercise, that the extra cals burned are a good thing. Questions I have..... Is it normal to gain after having success if I added resistance? Is it good to stop eating after 1200 cal mark if I exercise? Should I add more fat into my diet considering I've been eating clean since day one? My hubby says my body is being deprived by only healthy stuff and that I need the splurge day once in a while. I dink a lot of water regardless, should I up my intake to balance my new diet and exercise? I have been feeling bloated like I'm pms-ing this week too. But My last period was a week ago. Should I try to max out daily intake goals for fat, carbs, etc or just eat within cal range recommended? Typically, when can I expect to see results from all of my effort, in other words how long does it take for my body to realize this is a lifestyle change and transform better? I went from approx 1600-3000 cal a day with a couple of those days being fast food to straight clean and no temptation to go back. Thank you!!!

brianpperkins

Let's go to the basics here ....

How did you come up with 1200 calories as your intake goal?
What is your current height, weight, and planned loss per week?
What is your activity level before exercise?
What do you do for exercise? Exactly how much?
Do you weigh your foods?

tagresa

My app says 1200 daily. I am 4"11, 176 pds, hope to lose 2 pds a week. I am a stay at home soccer Mom but exercise now 6 days a week min 35-60 min a day. I weigh food and cal count.

tagresa

I want to go back to weighing 120

brianpperkins

You're eating too little before factoring in exercise and your weekly loss goal is in the range normally reserved for those needing to lose triple digit amounts.

acogg

Yes, it is very normal to retain water when starting resistance training. Heck, it very normal to retain water for a variety of reasons. My limited understanding is the water cushions the cells, so this is a protective function of the body. Do not stress over a pound or two of fluctuation. It will happen many, many times as you lose. Just put your head down and charge ahead anyway!

tagresa

I've lost 22 pds since January but upped my workouts and resistance. Is the gain on the scale a result of muscle or not enough calories or what someone wrote on another website "retaining water for sore muscles",

tagresa

Even after I reach my goal the BMI indicators still say I will be obese for my height at 4"11! I'm 37, mother of three. I wouldn't look right if I go back to my pre-pregnancy size of 98-106 pds.

tanyelacombe

You are eating WAY too little of calories for that kind of activity....You can't go by what MFP reflects for your daily calories. 1200 is not realistic for anyone. Your body is experiencing metabolic adaptation (aka metabolic damage). You are gaining weight because your body is going into preservation mode and your metabolism is slowing down.

daybehavior

No one EVER gains weight from eating too little. Please ignore all the talk about metabolic slowdown. it's most likely water retention from muscle repair or underestimating calories.

brianpperkins

Rough numbers based on age, height, current weight, and a sedentary lifestyle put your maintenance calories at about 1822 without exercise. Using a one pound per week goal, more logical based on your current weight remaining, means 1322 per day. The fact you're exercising means you need to NET MORE CALORIES.

tagresa

But every weight website says I should have 1200 cals a day to get to my old size of 120pds. I understand having more cals on days I exercise but I tend to keep it under 1700 if I get in a great workout still. When I look at my weekly nutrition log on app, it always says lower than what my daily calories were. ?

flippy1234

Hi there,
It is very frustrating. The same thing happens to me. Remember that muscle is like 4 times denser than fat. What is likely happening is that your muscle is taking over the fat. Since muscle is denser, it will actually weigh more. Sounds strange but it's true. You are losing the fat, don't worry. You will see it in how your clothes fit. Try and forget about the scale. Just eat right, lots of protein and guage your success by how you feel and how your favorite jeans fit. Not by what the scale says. I have to remind myself of this all of the time. My jeans will fit better, my face looks thinner, I have more energy and feel leaner over all, but the scale either goes up or does not budge! Forget numbers!!!! Eat right and exercise.

ciaokk

muscle weighs more than fat.....are your measurements changing for the good? Then it's an okay thing.....

tagresa

I just checked my net for week so far. It says I'm averaging 744 cals a day. But my calorie intake is at least 1200. ???

brianpperkins

But every weight website says I should have 1200 cals a day to get to my old size of 120pds. I understand having more cals on days I exercise but I tend to keep it under 1700 if I get in a great workout still. When I look at my weekly nutrition log on app, it always says lower than what my daily calories were. ?

It's easy to get a web site to give you the number you want when you max out the weekly loss goals beyond what is normal for the amount you have to lose. Gotta lose two per week ... gotta eat the minimum the app will give as a goal ... forget the math behind the process ... gotta be fast.

Good luck in your endeavors.

pseudomuffin

No one EVER gains weight from eating too little. Please ignore all the talk about metabolic slowdown. it's most likely water retention from muscle repair or underestimating calories.

This.

Plus, OP, you're 4'11, you may want to ask your doctor their opinion on minimum calorie intake for someone so petite to lose weight. I've heard of some people who are very small needing a lower intake due to a childlike stature and MFP won't go lower than 1200 unless you set it lower manually.

I'd ask your doctor, though, since this is just hearsay on my part.

ecw3780

When I was shooting for 2 pounds a week, nothing happened. When I shot for 1 pound a week, nothing happened. When I shot for 1.5 pounds a week and ate all my exercise calories, magically weight came off. So the system works, you just don't have the right settings yet for your body. Make sure you are weighing and measuring your foods, accurately measure your exercise calories, eat back your exercise calories, and shoot for 40% carbs/ 40% protein/ 20% fat (you won't always hit that, but at least try to). It takes 6 weeks for change to happen.

pammiejean40

Some people say eat more eat more eat more… that 1200 calories is to little… then others push the eating at a deficit. It makes a lot more sense if you want to lose weight to eat a deficit than eat all these calories.

tagresa

I have noticed a difference for sure and feel better but get caught up in the feeling of failure or not doing enough. I feel like if I'm not completely wiped out or not starving, then I'm not doing enough. I sweat for sure when exercising but not puddles. I don't eat any junk. I do eat Protein bars though. Is there a such thing as too much protein?

pammiejean40

Hi there,
It is very frustrating. The same thing happens to me. Remember that muscle is like 4 times denser than fat. What is likely happening is that your muscle is taking over the fat. Since muscle is denser, it will actually weigh more. Sounds strange but it's true. You are losing the fat, don't worry. You will see it in how your clothes fit. Try and forget about the scale. Just eat right, lots of protein and guage your success by how you feel and how your favorite jeans fit. Not by what the scale says. I have to remind myself of this all of the time. My jeans will fit better, my face looks thinner, I have more energy and feel leaner over all, but the scale either goes up or does not budge! Forget numbers!!!! Eat right and exercise.

Totally agree!!!

brianpperkins

Some people say eat more eat more eat more… that 1200 calories is to little… then others push the eating at a deficit. It makes a lot more sense if you want to lose weight to eat a deficit than eat all these calories.

She is eating at a deficit ... a NET DEFICIT OF OVER 1000 OFF HER MAINTENANCE LEVEL ... her average intake is only 40% of her maintenance level. There is a difference in eating at a healthy deficit for rational weight loss and plugging in numbers until one gets the lowest possible from the app.

flippy1234

You may be thinking too much.
Just eat clean and real food. Make sure to have protein at every meal and with every snack. Simple as that. Use your hands as measurements...the palm for size of protein, closed fist for vegetables and carbs like quinoa. Obsessing is counterproductive and will lead to frustration. You should not feel worn out after working it. Rather, euphoric and energized. I went through this...I use to have to come home from working out and take a nap. That's not the way it's suppose to be.
Just a side note, protein bars may not be the best thing...full of sugar. Have a protein shake (get one that's low calorie, low in sugar and carbs but high in protein. Take it about 20 minutes after working out. Helps repair muscles.
Are you taking any supplements like fish oil? Magnesium?

LeahFerri

LOTS of questions here. I'm going to try to condense things into a concise and simple post.

Even at your height, I wouldn't recommend eating under 1200 for a variety of reasons. Your basal metabolic rate (the calories you would need to maintain your weight if you were comatose) is likely at least 1500 calories. It's generally recommended that you not eat less than your BMR except if you have a lot of weight to lose and are under close medical supervision.

You're getting the 1200 number everywhere you go because you're saying "lose 2 pounds/week" and 1200 is the minimum recommended intake. A 2lb/week loss requires a deficit of 1000 calories/day, which with what I estimate as your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE, probably about 2000 calories) would require a net calorie intake of 1000 calories/day. NOT sustainable and NOT healthy.

I feel like if I'm not completely wiped out or not starving, then I'm not doing enough.

I'm not an exercise expert, but I generally disagree with this. You shouldn't exercise to the point of weakness. It's unsafe.

As a final note, fluctuations of a pound or two are VERY normal even in people who are maintaining weight.

ETA: There is no magic formula for what you should eat to lose weight. I'm in the "if it fits your macros" camp, more or less, although I don't have my macros adjusted perfectly for the intake I like. You can look at my diary to see what I mean. I don't eat "clean," whatever that means, and I don't cut out anything I really want. I make it work for me. The only recommendation that I would make is to up protein and probably up fat and definitely lower carbohydrates from the recommended MFP macro settings. Carbohydrates tend to be less sating; you may notice feeling less full on days that you have more carbohydrates if you shift your diet to favor protein and fats. I eat protein bars. Yup, the protein bars I eat have more carbohydrates and possibly more sugar than protein. I like them. They make me happy. So I eat them. Still lose weight.

tagresa

Thank you for advice

tagresa

No supplements and no fat loss diet packaged foods. Organic and healthy foods only.

flippy1234

Another thing to think about...like you aren't confused enough...
Muscle burns fat even at rest. So, maybe change things up and start lifting heavier weight. Stop worrying about burning the calories on a treadmill, etc...lift weights. The idea that you will bulk up lifting heavy weight is very untrue.
The protein really comes into play here. your body needs it to build muscle so the muscle can burn the fat. The fat burning takes place for hours after you stop working out. Stop the endless treadmill stuff and try weights.
Cardio is good but you will see faster results working with weights.

flippy1234

I don't do diet stuff either but I do take fish oil, vitamin D and magnesium.
What are you having for dinner?
Im not bring nosey, just curious. Knowing what other people eat helps.

tagresa

I prefer the elliptical over everything. I went from resistance (Jillian Michaels led workouts) 3 being highest to now 11. Should I also add weights in or is the resistance on elliptical doing the job?

flippy1234

Add weights, the elliptical is not enough.
Free weights are the best. You need to target your muscles.

Also, don't forget your MUFA's. Good fat as in nuts, avocados, etc...I learned recently that the good fats actually eat the bad fats. Who knew?

Robin_Bin

Weight varies. Drink a pint of water and the scale will say you gained a pound. Salt or exercise makes you retain water -- same result.
Did you do the cleanse before your starting weight? That would artificially lower it.
Basically anytime you weight yourself, whatever's in your digestive track will be included. But it takes time to actually integrate the calories into your body.
In my case, there is often a delay between how I eat and exercise and when I see results. Usually I see the results of however I ate a week later. If I eat well for week 1-3 and week 5, and poorly on week 4, I'll lose on weeks 2-4 and 6, but gain on 5. I haven't seen any research or medical reports about this delay, so I'd be interested in hearing what others have experienced.