This stinks...

krishildy

I know we're not supposed to expect results overnight. But after ten days, I would think that I'd at least stay the same, if not go down a little teeny bit. I actually weigh one pound more than I did ten days ago.

I even thought about taking off my shoes, just so I could see the needle move down a little bit (don't worry, I didn't).

I can't decide if I just need to give it more time, or if I need to add more calories to my recommended intake in case my body is/has been in starvation mode. Speaking of which, while I'm counting calories, what do I do when I start nearing my limits for protein, fat, sodium, etc.? Do I just stop eating altogether, or do I try to look for stuff that will fill out what I have left, without pushing me over on the other things that I've reached my limit on?

I have learned so much in the past few days, but I clearly have a lot more to learn... I'd just enjoy this learning process so much more if I started seeing some results...

Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

julsofdenial

It took me a few weeks to see any result.. just keep working at it.
I find things to fill in the missing parts if I have more calories left. If I am out of carbs but need more protein I find something to fill that if at all possible.
I am still learning too. I have been here a month and learn more everyday. Just hang in there.

starrieeyedkat

This might help:


"Why the Scale Goes Up When You Start a New Workout Plan



By Chalene Johnson



Probably the most common question I get when I release a new exercise program is, "Help! I'm gaining weight! Am I doing something wrong?" This is a common phenomenon with any new exercise program, such as Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, or others! It's especially common (and temporary) with intense strength training programs like ChaLEAN Extreme or Tony Horton's P90X.



The motivation to start a new exercise program is almost always to lose weight. However, what most personal trainers know--and most at-home exercisers do not--is that a new exercise program often can cause an immediate (and temporary) increase on the scale. (Notice I didn't say weight gain! I'll explain.) This common increase in the scale is also the reason why perhaps millions of people start and then quickly quit their resolution to get fit.

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The temporary weight gain explained:

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When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and "unfamiliar" the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to "protect and defend" the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.



This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.



Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated, become discouraged and quit!



When I worked with a group of 70 test participants during the development stages of ChaLEAN Extreme, this happened. Who was the most upset and discouraged? You guessed it... the women! I'm happy to report absolutely for every single woman (and man) in our group, the weight increase was temporary and never lasted more than two weeks before they started to see a major drop in the scale. However, these people had the advantage of working with someone who was able to explain to them why this was happening and assure them the weight would come off if they stuck to the nutrition plan and stayed true to the program.



If you follow a multi-phase exercise plan, such as ChaLEAN Extreme, keep in mind that when you start each phase, your body will be "in shock" again. Don't be surprised or discouraged if you experience a temporary gain on the scale the first week of each phase.



My own personal example of this is running 10Ks. I don't do it very often, maybe once or twice a year. Even though I run on a regular basis, when you run a race, you push much harder. It's natural for me to be insanely sore the next day. It’s also very common for me to see the scale jump 4 pounds the next day from forcing fluids post race and the resulting DOMS. Even though I know the cause of it, it's still a bummer. We're all human and hard work should mean results. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break. Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.



The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!

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When to be concerned:

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If you experience a significant weight gain (exceeding 5 pounds) that does not begin to decrease rapidly after the second week, guess what it is? I'll give you one hint... you put it in your mouth and chew it. You know it! Your food (or calorie-laden beverages). News flash, friends… exercise doesn't make you gain weight. Consuming more food than you burn makes you gain weight!



So if after two weeks you are not losing weight and have gained weight that's not coming off, it's time to take a close and honest look at your food intake. Start using a Nutrition Tracker regularly, and be honest."

farmgirl88

For me, whenever I'm getting back into shape, I always gain a few pounds first because I put on muscle before I lose fat, and muscle is heavier than fat. I try to track my progress other ways--inches lost, body fat loss, etc.

http://www.livestrong.com/tools/body-fat-calculator/

mkennedym

you should weigh yourself once a day, in the morning, no clothes (or shoes) on, before you eat or drink anything. make sure you are at least weighing yourself at the same time on different days. otherwise the scale could be lying to you.

also, you could forget about the scale and just take your measurements (waist, thighs, arms, neck, hips) and then track your progress with your measurements rather than with the scale. your measurements won't lie to you. if you are improving your physique, it will be apparent in your measurements.