Please Help... Please Read.

joesan563

Hi

I have been dieting since January 7,2011. I exerciese 4 times a week starting two weeks ago I went from doing 4 days of cardio to at the advise of another MFP member now do 2 days cardio and 2 days stregnth training do John Basedow's 45 minute fat burning weight lifting cd using 10lb dumbels. I am very accurate with my calorie counting even to the point of measuring alot of items.

My problem is I gained two pounds this week and I am aving a hard time getting the weight off. I am following the calories based on if I want to lose two pounds a week and I am lucky if I loose a pound a week.

Can somebody please elp me figure out what I am doing wrong? to date I have only lost 14 pounds and I am beginning to think that it is not worth all the trouble of exercising and calorie counting only to get on the scale and see that I have gained two pounds.

My wife says it is from the weight lifting, so should I stop lifting weights and go back to all cardio?

Someone please respond as I am totally ready to quit doing all this. My diary is open to public if you think I should do something else.

Thanks

Joe

Ashalahn_LMT

If you are performing weight lifting now, you are possibly seeing an increase in muscle growth which will appear as an increase on the scale. This is why watching the scale is not necessarily a good indicator of progress. Body fat % and body part measurements are a more accurate way of determining fat loss, which is really the goal (not weight loss). Don't stress over the scale. Follow your other measurements. How do your clothes fit? How do you look in the mirror? Keep going. Don't give up. You will get there.

sarah307

1. Depends on what your goals are???
2. how much more weight of fat do you want to lose??
3. (you are doing great by the way!) hang in there!!
4. Weight lifting is good because is gives you muscle that will burn more calories per fat when you are just sitting there or sleeping!
5. keep on going... if you don't have much weight left to lose - change your goals to 1 lb/week ...
6. maybe just go to 3 days a week cardio and one day a week strength training??

yanicka

Did you mesure yourself? The scale is NOT a good tool to know what is going on. Also when you change your routine, your body might freak out a bit and retain more water. I say forget the scale for now. Start using a mesuring tape and you might be surprised of the results. I know that I have gained a few pounds but lost inches many time since I started this new lifestyle.

sittingduck180

I think this is where the "weight loss is just a number" theory comes in. Have you noticed clothes fitting better or increased endurance? Like your wife said, when you replace fat with muscle, you actually GAIN weight -- but you still get stronger and take up less space physically.

When in doubt, you could try the P90X meal plan idea where you start playing with your food-- some people react differently to carbs and protein and different kinds of foods. So try cutting out one each week and see if that makes a difference.

Salt and sodium intake can also cause water retention, in case you're eating a lot of salty or frozen food. When in doubt, eat a bunch of green stuff.

Good luck!

sarah307

If you are performing weight lifting now, you are possibly seeing an increase in muscle growth which will appear as an increase on the scale. This is why watching the scale is not necessarily a good indicator of progress. Body fat % and body part measurements are a more accurate way of determining fat loss, which is really the goal (not weight loss). Don't stress over the scale. Follow your other measurements. How do your clothes fit? How do you look in the mirror? Keep going. Don't give up. You will get there.

haha yes! thats what i meant!!

warmachinejt

Unless you're way shorter than me (5'8") you're eating waaaay too few calories. I would say a good starting point (without knowing your height or weight) to lose weight is around 2000 calories a day.

erickirb

Hi

I have been dieting since January 7,2011. I exerciese 4 times a week starting two weeks ago I went from doing 4 days of cardio to at the advise of another MFP member now do 2 days cardio and 2 days stregnth training do John Basedow's 45 minute fat burning weight lifting cd using 10lb dumbels. I am very accurate with my calorie counting even to the point of measuring alot of items.

My problem is I gained two pounds this week and I am aving a hard time getting the weight off. I am following the calories based on if I want to lose two pounds a week and I am lucky if I loose a pound a week.

Can somebody please elp me figure out what I am doing wrong? to date I have only lost 14 pounds and I am beginning to think that it is not worth all the trouble of exercising and calorie counting only to get on the scale and see that I have gained two pounds.

My wife says it is from the weight lifting, so should I stop lifting weights and go back to all cardio?

Someone please respond as I am totally ready to quit doing all this. My diary is open to public if you think I should do something else.

Thanks

Joe

When you start strength training your muscles will retain water to protect them and to aid in recovery. Keep doing what you are doing and drink plenty of water and eventually this water will leave your muscle once you get use to the workouts.

smartin0619

I agree with your wife, I would think it is from weight lifting. Weight adds more muscle mass which obviously is more weight. It is best to keep cardio and strength training to maximize your workouts! Lifting actually keeps burning calories post workout. I would step away from the scale for a few weeks and focus on how your clothes are fitting. Do your measurements and keep track that way, just an idea! You could also use a HRM to make sure you are in your max zone for burning calories and in that "fat burning" stage during your cardio workouts. Best of luck to you!

Skolls081102

I looked back over 5 days of your diary, and there were a few days you were way over on your sodium. It could be muscle, it could be something as simple as too much sodium, causing you to retain water. There are alot of factors that go into the gain. I say keep doing your exercises, but watch the sodium.

jhamlin6668

Muscle weighs more than fat. Your measurements (and how your clothes are fitting) are the truest guide. Don't be discouraged. Your doing great!!

sandynx820

Did you take your measurements before you started all this?? Muscle weighs more than fat so you could be showing a weight gain on the scale, but actually be "smaller" than you were when you started. Are you noticing your clothes fitting differently! Sometimes when your working out a lot and "getting in shape" you need to avoid the scale for a while!

JulieBoBoo

Your sodium is little up and down which can be an issue. I also wonder if you're getting enough calories. Is your activity set to sedentary? Because if you're working out that often you're at the very least "lightly active."

When I got stuck changing my activity level up made a huge difference. I also tried calorie cycling which has been very helpful.

Hopefully you'll figure out what works best for you.

Don't give up on the strength training. The muscles you build are SOOOO much more important than a simple number on a scale.

Good Luck.

psb13

i am pretty new to this, so i am not expert. i just took a look at you food diary for the past week or so and there were several days that you didn't log any food in and several that you were way over in your sodium. the sodium will definitely cause fluid retention. are you meeting your nutritional goals on the days you don't log in? it might be more about nutrition than exercise??

rljohnson11

My question to you is: what is your goal? To just lose the weight, or to change the shape of your body? If you just want to make the numbers on the scale go down, cardio can help with that. If you want to improve your overall fitness level and make your body look more "cut" I would say stick with the weightlifting.
I, too have recently added weight training to my workout routine and find the scale going up. However, my body is changing shape and I'm starting to see the results in the mirror (particularly my "wings" aka triceps).

I hope this helped. Don't give up!

nhendri

Joe

Please remember that muscle weighs more than fat!!!! If you are weight lifting you will gain muscle and in most cases the scale will go up. Please do not stop what you are doing. Muscles will help you loose weight (in the end). Do not focus on the scale it can be deceiving you need to take measurements. I have recently gone through the same thing. Instead of 5 days of just cardio I now to 3 with weight lifting (toning) in between. I have talked to several nutritionist, doctors and trainers about this. When I saw the scale go up I about died!!! Just keep moving and drink lots of water and try to eat some protein an hour before your weight lifting and shortly after. I have an egg before and a protein shake after.

chanstriste13

Can somebody please elp me figure out what I am doing wrong? to date I have only lost 14 pounds and I am beginning to think that it is not worth all the trouble of exercising and calorie counting only to get on the scale and see that I have gained two pounds.

Someone please respond as I am totally ready to quit doing all this.

first of all, 14 pounds is nothing to shake a stick at - it's a substantial loss, so congratulations!

if you quit, you'll gain it all back and then some and have much more to complain about than at present.

bodies are organic - they work in different ways, and no matter how much you want to plug in data and get the expected feedback, it just doesn't work that way because bodies are not mechanical.

tweek what your doing, play around with your workouts and calories, but stay the course. it might take time, but it will happen. have patience. but if you're not prepared to put in the time (as in years, not months or weeks), you'll just have to decide if it's worth it or not for you. best of luck to you!

Skolls081102

Unless you're way shorter than me (5'8") you're eating waaaay too few calories. I would say a good starting point (without knowing your height or weight) to lose weight is around 2000 calories a day.

No offense, but do not listen to this advise. If you admit to not knowing his height or weight, why would you give him a 200 calorie goal???? I am not a Dr, or nutritionist. I will tell you a little about me. I'm 6' 225 lbs. I started losing weight at 305. For the past 7 1/2 weeks, I have been doing Insanity- 6 days a week. MFP has my calorie goal at 1740 calories a day...and yes, I eat back my exercise calories. I have lost 22 pounds since starting Insanity.

Please do not listen to someone giving you advice to up your calories, when they know nothing about you.

julest25

When you start building muscle at first you will put on weight - the extra muscle weighs more than fat. I t'd say you are doing the right kind of workouts, give it a few more weeks to really kick in. You might want to occasionally go over your calorie limit to "fool" your body into thinking you're not on a diet. Other than that keep at it. Oh and make sure you're drinking enough water and watch your salt intake. These two things can have a great impact on weight loss. It will start to come off soon and in the mean time you're toning up your muscles in preparation./ Good luck!

hiltonheadagain

I looked at your food diary. Many days you aren't eating all of your calories. And it appears you aren't tracking Friday lunch thru Sunday or at least for the last few weeks. Try for the next few weeks to be diligent at eating all of your calories (even the exercise calories) and stay on track throughout the entire weekend. Don't give up though. As someone else already said--this is a process and a lifestyle change. Keep at it, it will come. And in the meantime, rejoice in 14 lbs gone!! That is a success and even that is already better for your heart.

KayleighDawn13

i am pretty new to this, so i am not expert. i just took a look at you food diary for the past week or so and there were several days that you didn't log any food in and several that you were way over in your sodium. the sodium will definitely cause fluid retention. are you meeting your nutritional goals on the days you don't log in? it might be more about nutrition than exercise??

I agree. You should strive to at least log your food consistantly. Watch your sodium!!! On the days you happen to go over, drink A LOT more water so you don't retain as much. I looked at your diary and you seem to be going over on sodium quite a bit. I would start with nutrition before changing your workouts. You need to do both cardio and strenght training.

muriah2

How many calories are you netting each day? My first guess would be that you're not eating enough, and your body is holding on to everything it can for energy. How often are you eating? Our metabolism needs fuel from the moment we wake up in the morning, and for twelve hours after that. Ideally you should be eating every 2.5-3 hours. That would be the first two things Id look at.

TheDeviation

My wife says it is from the weight lifting, so should I stop lifting weights and go back to all cardio?

The strength training you mention seems light to me. So I wouldn't be blaming that for all of it. As has been mentioned, your muscles will retain water. Watch your sodium intake like a hawk and drink plenty of water.

Get a body fat measurement. While you're at it, get ALL your measurements. Use this rather than relying on the scale.

Skolls081102

One last one- Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. However, you may put on a pound of muscle, faster than you shed the pound of fat. They weigh the same- a pound is a pound. Muscle just grows a little quicker- especially when weight training.

Eat all of your calories (as close as you can) and eat back your exercise calories- obviously with healthy food. Watch the sodium, drink plenty of water. The weight will come off. I also reccomend measuring yourself- neck, chest, bicep, waist, hips, and thigh. And keep tracking them. You may notice no weigh loss, but a loss in inches which would indicate toning. Good luck!!!

JulieBoBoo

Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. HUGE pet peeve!

http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html

a pound is a pound is a pound.

rosiedoes

Well, firstly, don't forget that muscle weighs more than fat, so if you're turning the fat to muscle through the strength training, that may be part of why you're not seeing an active loss as much as you'd like.

The other thing I would check (and I'm an amateur, so please don't assume I'm a knowledgeable professional!) is your water intake and which foods you're eating to make up those calories.

Don't lose hope. Some people will progress at different speeds from others and if you don't have a huge amount to lose to begin with you body will want to relinquish the excess much more slowly than it would if you were say, 300lbs.

You can totally do it.

rosiedoes

Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. HUGE pet peeve!

http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html

a pound is a pound is a pound.

A pound of fat and a pound of muscle are absolutely the same, you're right.

However, muscle is more dense than fat and so the same volume of muscle would logically weight more than the same volume of fat.

Dnsnyder

Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. HUGE pet peeve!

http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html

a pound is a pound is a pound.

Thank you! I, too, get tired of reading that muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle is more dense than fat!

JulieBoBoo

Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. HUGE pet peeve!

http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html

a pound is a pound is a pound.

A pound of fat and a pound of muscle are absolutely the same, you're right.

However, muscle is more dense than fat and so the same volume of muscle would logically weight more than the same volume of fat.

"Muscle is more dense than fat" is not the same as "muscle weighs more than fat." Neither is saying that the same volume of muscle weighs more than that of fat. Saying muscle weighs more than fat implies that one weighs more than other. If you mean that muscle is denser than fat, then say muscle is denser than fat. If you mean that muscle is heavier by volume than fat, then by all means phrase it that way as well. But saying muscle weighs more than fat is ambiguous and misleading at best.

hroderick

If you've lost some weight, let MFP recalulate your goals. It will drop your suggested calories depending o your curent weight. This does not happen automatically

MinnieInMaine

When you start strength training your muscles will retain water to protect them and to aid in recovery. Keep doing what you are doing and drink plenty of water and eventually this water will leave your muscle once you get use to the workouts.

This ^^^ as well as the advice to track your food more consistently and watch your sodium.

Also, muscle does NOT weigh more than fat...