Losing faster without exercise

Thriceshy

I'm not starving--my daily MFP allowance, calories-wise, is 1,600, and today I'll hit at least 1,430, possibly 1,510, depending upon whether or not I snarf a couple of Fudgesicles after dinner. I eat more when I work out--not all my exercise calories, but at least half most days. Yet it seems I struggle and claw for every ounce lost when I'm working out. But a vicious UTI, two courses of hateful antibiotics, a 4 day vacation, feeling all-around crappy, TOM, and the advice of a doctor who warns that intense exercise after taking Cipro can result in ruptured tendons has left me not climbing on the recumbent for almost two weeks--and the weight is moving faster than it has in months.

What am I missing?

Kris

songbyrdsweet

That UTI and those antibiotics definitely played a role in your weight loss. An infection + killing off many of the bacteria in your gut = some muscle loss and poorer nutrient absorption. Not all weight loss/gain is fat. You'll lose water if you're not giving your body a reason to store glycogen (sugar) for exercise because glycogen binds water when stored.

NightOwl1

I imagine you are losing because of the infection and the anti-biotics. That would be my best guess. Also, when you lose weight, you lose some muscle in addition to fat, so working out helps prevent muscle loss so you have a better muscle to fat ratio. So if you lose more muscle while not working out, it would read higher on the scale.

If you want, when everything is back to normal, try working out for a couple of weeks, then try a couple of weeks of eating right but not working out, and see which works best for you.

Elizabeth_C34

Infection fighting requires a lot of energy by your body. You could also be losing lean muscle mass from not working out.

Thriceshy

Thankfully, I haven't wound up with the runs that so often plague folks on abx--in fact, I've got something of the opposite going on. I did get a few good walking sessions in, but my exercise is way down. Even my wrists are measuring smaller, and my bra size is down from 42 to 40. My water consumption is quite high--higher than recommended because I have a UTI and am on macrobid now.

You're likely right--being as sick as I have, I'm probably losing both fat and muscle. Not a lot I can do about it, other than keep eating and hope I feel better soon.

Thanks for the response!

Kris

bjohs

I know exactly how you feel. Read two of my blogs linked below. The first explains how I dropped more weight after I had to give up exercise due to an injury. The second is how chocolate got me off a plateau. I saw your fudgesicles and thought you might find it interesting!

My journey: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/down-30-pounds-response-to-questions-114202

Chocolate experiment: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/plateau-vs-chocolate-who-won-116497

songbyrdsweet

Thankfully, I haven't wound up with the runs that so often plague folks on abx--in fact, I've got something of the opposite going on. I did get a few good walking sessions in, but my exercise is way down. Even my wrists are measuring smaller, and my bra size is down from 42 to 40. My water consumption is quite high--higher than recommended because I have a UTI and am on macrobid now.

You're likely right--being as sick as I have, I'm probably losing both fat and muscle. Not a lot I can do about it, other than keep eating and hope I feel better soon.

Thanks for the response!

Kris

Feel better! I have had a UTI/kidney infection and it put me out for 2 weeks. I was miserable!

bjohs

Thankfully, I haven't wound up with the runs that so often plague folks on abx--in fact, I've got something of the opposite going on. I did get a few good walking sessions in, but my exercise is way down. Even my wrists are measuring smaller, and my bra size is down from 42 to 40. My water consumption is quite high--higher than recommended because I have a UTI and am on macrobid now.

You're likely right--being as sick as I have, I'm probably losing both fat and muscle. Not a lot I can do about it, other than keep eating and hope I feel better soon.

Thanks for the response!

Kris

I will suggest maybe that you have your diet under control now, where before you started your journey you may not have been eating very well. Remember, weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Because you have a better handle on your intake now... exercise is secondary. Just an alternative point of view.

Elizabeth_C34

Kidney infections are horrible, and sometimes they take a while to go away. Hang in there and don't worry bout the workouts. Go back when you're all better.

Hope you feel better soon!

Thriceshy

I know exactly how you feel. Read two of my blogs linked below. The first explains how I dropped more weight after I had to give up exercise due to an injury. The second is how chocolate got me off a plateau. I saw your fudgesicles and thought you might find it interesting!

My journey: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/down-30-pounds-response-to-questions-114202

Chocolate experiment: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/plateau-vs-chocolate-who-won-116497

I love the chocolate experience--I have chocolate every day--amazing how a builder's bar or a couple of low-cal fudgesicles can keep me off the chocolate chip cookies, you know? I had a funny similar experience, though--mine was with eggs. I couldn't get an ounce to drop off, I was getting frustrated and worried. I wound up at Denny's (ew, I know) and the only thing on the menu that looked like it wouldn't kill me was the light omelet. So I had it. It wasn't very good, but it totally whet my appetite for a REAL omelet, so the next day for breakfast I had a three egg omelet (no milk, no butter) with 1/3 cup of "fiesta blend" cheese and three tablespoons of salsa.

I was down almost 3 pounds the next day.

Possibly unrelated, but the only thing that changed was two days of eggs--everything else, from exercise to intake, stayed the same. Of course, I can't go back in time and do it all over again without the eggs to see if the weight would have come off anyway, but I like to think the eggs helped. I'll save them for the next plateau, then try it again and see if it works.

Kris

countingitall

I have a long ways to go. But years ago when I took off about 30 pounds I was not excersising much and lost!

Nana_Anne

Antibiotics are necessary to help treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics work by killing the bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal flora, thereby eliminating disease. However, antibiotics are known to eliminate some of the intestine's good bacteria as well. Consuming yogurt, with its live, active cultures, assists the body in restoring a healthy and balanced intestinal tract.



Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/310295-why-eat-yogurt-with-antibiotics/#ixzz1QoHe9Rrv

I always have some yogart when I am on antibiotics. This could possible explain why your body changed too.