Gained a pound and did everything right

ieatabean

I have exercised and been under my 1200 cal goal every day........and I gained a pound........Is this ever going to work......I should have lost 2lbs the first week..........hmmmmmm:noway:

ajbeans

The problem was being under 1200 cals and exercising. You need to NET at least 1200 calories. If you burn 200 exercising, you need to eat 1400 that day. If you don't net at least 1200 cals per day, your body thinks yo'ure starving and tries to store fat for emergencies.

Hananiah

Don't get discouraged! I had that happen many times back when I was a member of W***t W****ers. Anyhow, I'd have weeks where cheated and went above my points and I'd lose. Then, I'd have weeks where I followed the routine perfectly and I'd either stay the same or gain.

My advice, if you haven't done it already, is mix things up with your workout routine. If you keep doing the same things your body can get used to it. Keep drinking plenty of water.

You Can (and Will) Do It!

R:happy:

sauza

maybe you are "shrinking" muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space

kwardklinck

Watch your sodium, drink your water, and try eating some of your exercise calories. Also know that weight loss isn't consistent. I went 3 weeks without losing and then lost 4 pounds in a week. It's hard to explain why we lose some weeks and don't lose other weeks. Getting proper sleep and drinking lots of water helps. Also, if I feel bloated, I will put a little lemon juice in my water every now and then. It helps flush out my system.

ieatabean

Thanks......I feel a little better now.....will try some different stuff......:grumble:

MelissaL582

The problem was being under 1200 cals and exercising. You need to NET at least 1200 calories. If you burn 200 exercising, you need to eat 1400 that day. If you don't net at least 1200 cals per day, your body thinks yo'ure starving and tries to store fat for emergencies.

Patience is key too.

LindaSueBakk

Make sure you eat 1200 calories and drink lots of water. You should also take your measurements because scales can be so fickle. Look into eating your exercise calories-it's so important!

xonophone

Read this, it explains everything.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

izaaksmom

Don't starve yourself. It's true-- your body can go into starvation mode and will store fat. Eat when you're hungry but don't overeat. That's another thing that can happen if you starve yourself. Counting calories has some benefits, but if your calorie goal for the day is unrealistic, you may want to reconsider your goals. The more important thing is that you are making healthy choices when you are eating- stay away from refined sugars and floury breads, for instance. Stick to your fruits and veggies, whole foods, and healthy fats. And if you are already exercising, you should be getting a lot more than 1200 calories per day. I set my goals in mfp and my limit is just over 1500. Honestly, I go over that most days, but I'm still losing weight because I eat the right foods in the right amounts and I commit to working out. Don't give up! You probably just need to adjust your goals to something more realistic.

newjmf

I had to quit relying on the scales to measure my success. Take your measurements and gauge your success on inches lost, not pounds.

DisneyAddictRW

Watch your sodium, drink your water, and try eating some of your exercise calories. Also know that weight loss isn't consistent. I went 3 weeks without losing and then lost 4 pounds in a week. It's hard to explain why we lose some weeks and don't lose other weeks. Getting proper sleep and drinking lots of water helps. Also, if I feel bloated, I will put a little lemon juice in my water every now and then. It helps flush out my system.

thanks for sharing! I'll have to remember the lemon juice trick maybe it will come in handy for me.

adriayellow11

Yes I went 3 weeks without losing a lb, actually gained one too! And this week I finally dropped 2.2 lbs. There's no rhyme or reason to what the scale says sometimes, that's why measurements are always better!

gdotman

Actually I'm also in this rut right now thanks for the post. I have lost 21 lbs. I think alot of it is food intake and portion size, excercise, stress, and sleep. I'm also trying to figure out is that on the days that I don't work out to justify my calories, cause maybe that is why I'm not losing. I feel like I have to go to the gym everyday to just start losing anything, but strill under my calorie goal. Maybe that could be it to?

ieatabean

Thanks everybody for the info......looks like I need to stop looking at the scale and look at measurements.....my clothing does feel like it is fitting better and I can tell a diff in my shape......will drink more water and try to eat my exercise calories.......:blushing: