What am I doing wrong!?

ashleehenda

Hello,

I started using MyFitnessPal 2 weeks ago after using other sites/tools to help with weight loss but seemed to have hit a brick wall!!

My daily calorie allowance is 1200 which I am sticking to (I have went over by a few here and there) but mostly sticking within my allowance. I exercise: 3x 45 minute Spinning, 1x 30 minute swim and possibly 1x 60 minute circuit training and 1x 60 minute boxercise class.

However, the past two weeks I have actually gained weight!!!! :sad: Although the scales have increased, my middle seems more toned!

I dont understand where I am going wrong. I am exercising and sticking withing my calorie allowance, eating my exercise calories when accumulated.

I am going on holiday in September and wanted to lose 10 pound by then..... but something is telling me that this WILL NOT HAPPEN.

Any help/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated !:flowerforyou:

Thanks

jpooley1988

Do you eat back your exercise cals? You need too!

tbisca1

It also sounds like you are gaining muscle if your mid-section is more toned. It may take another couple of weeks before the pounds start dropping but if you are eating right and exercising then you should see results. But maybe you should eat more calories since you are doing intense exercises!

YMTaylor

Not sound mean but you're too impatient. Two weeks is not a long time in a life-long healthy living lifestyle change. If your middle is more toned, then you are making progress. Your body is probably buidling muscles which is leaner (takes up less space) but is denser (heavier for the space it takes up). Keep doing what you're doing and see where you are in another month or so. Good Luck and don't give up! This is for life.

mrshickey

as far as I'm aware muscle weighs more than fat so you may not see a difference in the scales but you will see and feel the difference in your body.

butterfly0589

have u kept track of your measurements? you sound like you could b losing fat but gaining muscle, which weighs more xxx

mybigphatcomeback

I was gonna say! You are Totally Gaining Muscle! I recently Finished P90X and only lost 10 lbs. You would have thought I would have lost a lot more, but if you see my pictures, I'm obviously more Toned and Tight. Muscle Takes up Less space in your body, than Fat Does so that's why You look trimmer but weigh more. Jump For Joy! You need Muscle to keep burning fat! Don't just rely on the scale. That only tells you half the story!

healthychelsea

Not sound mean but you're too impatient. Two weeks is not a long time in a life-long healthy living lifestyle change. If your middle is more toned, then you are making progress. Your body is probably buidling muscles which is leaner (takes up less space) but is denser (heavier for the space it takes up). Keep doing what you're doing and see where you are in another month or so. Good Luck and don't give up! This is for life.

^ exactly what I was thinking! Don't lose motivation, keep doing what you're doing! Instead of stepping on the scale, do measurements! You might lose inches before anything shows up on the scale.

CARNAT22

If you are only eating 1200 cals but burning *say* 400 of them in a spin class you are eating too little!

RaeannePemberton

it is imperative that your net calores (input - exercise cals = net) does not go below 1200. this is the minimum amount required for most humans (women) to live at a basic level. if you go too far below, you can damage your metabolism and thus slow down your "burn" despite your efforts.

not sure about the gain on the scale... likely not a true gain, probably water. the whole "muscle vs fat" thing is true but not likely that you are going to gain that much muscle mass over 2 weeks.

if you have been working out more the body tends to hold more water, add a slow metabolism plus any extra salt or sugar and you are guaranteed to hold more water....

i am not sure of your weight or goals, but i would up my calorie intake if i were you.

Bootzey

Maybe your body went into starvation mode and you need to eat more

ashleehenda

Wow guys, thanks for the quick replies

I am eating my exercise allowance, I make sure that I update with all the food I have eaten to try and not 'under' eat! Trying to not put my body into starvation mode.

I was just a bit worried about the fact that I'm actually putting pounds on, I wouldn't mind staying the same but feel disheartened when I step on the scales and it's creeping up :frown:

xxx

ashleehenda

Would i up my daily allowance regardless? x

jayb0ne

Eat your exercise calories. 1200 *NET* is the minimum you should be taking in, any less and your body will think it's starving and hang onto anything it can get in the form of fat stores.

Water, water, water. If you don't drink enough water your body will dehydrate and retain all the water it can get (which leads to a gain on the scales).

Sounds counter-intuitive - eat more calories to lose weight, drink more water to reduce the water in your body - but these are some of the most common mistakes which can sabotage your progress.

10 lbs by September is very achievable if you need to lose it. Of course if you're at a healthy weight already then losing pounds is a little harder but don't give up. It's the first step to a lasting lifestyle change.

ashleehenda

Ok, so I've just measured myself and actually lost 4cms off waist and 2cm off hips so not too bad actually.

Jayb0ne.... you are right about my water intake, I usually 'forget' to drink and then get thirsty at night-time but dont wanna drink 9 glasses!

I'm within my healthy weight range, but at the higher point!

Again, thanks for all the help! x

LushLoni

From experience I would say that some of your exercise will show on your body but not on the scales. I used to go to spin class and neither myself nor my friend saw our effort reflected on the scales, but we did find our body shape changing.

I would also say do be a little more patient with your weightloss, stay dedicated and motivated and you should see a difference, your holiday is in September, you have plenty of time to achieve your goal.

joejccva71

Am I the only one that finds it interesting that probably 90% of the users on this site MFP tells them their calorie intake goal should be 1200 calories?

I mean seriously. I use MFP for food and calorie tracking. I don't use it to tell me what my intake should be or what I'm burning each day. I use other tools for that information.

jayb0ne

Mine had me down as 1200 a day. I didn't think that was right at all so I tweaked it to a more realistic target. Also tweaked my nutrient split as MFP had it as a lot of carbs daily and not much protein.