Eating less than 2000 but not losing weight?

tkubed

Hello everyone,
I've been using MFP for about 2 weeks now. I started with the intention of 1200 a day and felt too hungry to sustain it so I went to 1350 a day. There are days when I've gone over that but I'm definitely still eating less than 2000 and I'm exercising 3 times a week.

I was losing weight the first week but now I've been gaining again. I noticed the huge jump when I had chinese food for dinner one sunday night a week ago and the scale hasn't crept back down since. I know I'm not drinking as much water as I should be but I do drink a fair amount.

Is there something about chinese food that triggers water weight? I eat a fair amount of sodium so I can't imagine that that one meals sodium would have triggered water retention.

Looking for some insights and wondering if anyone has had similar difficulties.

Thanks,
Andrea

Rilke

Restaurant Chinese food has an inordinate amount of sodium, so that certainly could have triggered water retention. However, I don't think it would have hung on for a week.

Could you open your diary so we could give you more specific advice?

FaithHopeTrust

You might not be getting a balanced diet... if you're lacking in a nutrient you might not lose.
You could just have water weight from the Chinese. Try get ahold of some waterpills and have one?

Larius

I don't think you're drinking enough water to flush out the sodium from the chinese food.

1985ldm

if youve started exercising, youll be putting on muscle, which weighs more than fat. happened with me too, as i felt more toned i put on a little, now i think i might lose some. drinking plenty water is a good plan too. stops you feeling hungry when youre actually thirsty!

jward04

Try Hot Lemon Water as a natural diuretic. 2 tbsp (or more) of lemon juice to 8oz of water or you can use fresh lemon slices. Shoot for 16oz a day. It works.

Jeneba

How much do you think you want to lose? Smaller amounts take waaaaayyyyyy longer to get off your body....

jujubugs22

Sodium alone can cause weight gain. Try cutting back on the soduim, even just a little bit will help. Also, how long do you usually work out for? If you work out for 20 mins and hit a slump, try working out for a hour, 4 days in a row and then go back to your 20 min work outs. Just that small amount could get you over the slump. It's worth the try and you will feel a lot better doing it. Also, eat bigger meals at breakfast and lunch and smaller meal at dinner. That will help keep the hunger away. Especially things like Egg whites, oatmeal or very lean proteins. They take longer for your body to break down so you won't feel hunger an hour after you eat like other foods can do. Aslo, if you like veggies, try eating things like cauliflower and celery. They also take a long time to break down and they are pretty much considered a free food.

I hope this helps a little. Good luck and stay positive!

summertime_girl

It depends on what you weigh currently, and your level of activity, and your true BMR, but I would gain an inordinate amount of weight eating around 2000 (or even slightly less) calories per day.

amazing_grace♥

At home I only use sea salt, and I've always eaten a lot of salt, so I don't really watch that too much. The only way I've been able to lose weight consistently is to do some kind of exercise EVERYDAY - even if it's just walking! If I wanna eat more, then I have to exercise more to "earn" some more calories. I drink 10-14 glasses of water a day (more water really does help with weight loss), and really do try to stay under my 1200 calorie/day goal. (Every once in awhile I'll have a day that I go over, but they are rare). I've lost 32 pounds in 100 days. I hope you can figure out what seems to be holding you up.... and best of luck to you!! :drinker:

shapestocome

It depends on what you weigh currently, and your level of activity, and your true BMR, but I would gain an inordinate amount of weight eating around 2000 (or even slightly less) calories per day.

I agree - I would say weigh yourself this morning and then eat 1350 a day for a week without going over AT ALL, weigh yourself in a week and see what happens.

dad106

if youve started exercising, youll be putting on muscle, which weighs more than fat. happened with me too, as i felt more toned i put on a little, now i think i might lose some. drinking plenty water is a good plan too. stops you feeling hungry when youre actually thirsty!

Arg! Muscle does NOT weigh more then fat.. it weighs the exact same, it is just denser then fat. Her muscles may be holding on to water because she's exercising more, but thats about it.

Honestly, up the water intake and keep at it.. it will come off eventually. It just takes a little while.