Exercise = No weight loss! What gives!?!

lauralou23

So when I was just dieting I lost 10lbs without exercising.
Well, I thought wow if I am losing this much by just dieting I bet with exercise I will really start to drop the weight. I started hitting the gym, doing cardio, videos, and walking outside more. And I have not lost anything... in fact I am gaining!!!

I'm still staying around 1200 cal/day and drinking my water.

Why am I gaining!?

Sooo frustrated!

joejccva71

Most likely because you burning more calories now and your TDEE went up. You need to eat more to compensate. Also make sure you hit your macros every day as well.

efarester

Hi!

Hang in there - this does happen and it is okay!! Here is a great article about why the scale sometimes goes up when you start a new workout routine. Hope it helps!!

http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_planj


Erika

lind3400

Im having the same problem I exercise like mad and I put on 2pds!

loseatonlady

Building muscle - give it some time. I had same thing happen when I started excercising! Lost & lost, then added movement & gained! Don't quit - PUSH on & this will change! PROMISE!

allenlisa

I have the same problem. Some weeks are good some aren't. I have no idea why. I was doing great doing cardio, and running. I started P90X and have actually gained weight. Let me know if you find any good answers! I'm at a loss.

doinme2011

i recently was going through the same thing!! i was working so hard and scale was not moving at all. i do a lot of weight training so i realized that i was gaining muscle. i imagine that is what is going on with you as well. i had to learn to be patient. i love the way my arms and legs look now that i am gaining muscle. you don't want to just lose and not tone because then you look flabby. you want to tone so when you lose you will look and be lean. i have been at this for two months now and only have lost 4 pounds, BUT my body fat has gone down 10% :-) i used to be so dependent on the scale(i would weigh every morning) but now i will weigh only once every two weeks. do not obsess over the scale, just look at "the total package". i know it is hard not to get on the scale but i had to tell myself over and over again that i am toning
hope this helps!! whatever you do, stay motivated and DON'T GIVE UP

catwrangler

forget the scale and take your measurements.....I bet your clothes are fitting better

luckyandme

That can be completely frustrating. I had a good two years like that one time. Was going to the gym faithfully 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights as well as various classes offered at the gym I belonged to at the time to help keep things from getting repetitive and my body from getting use to things. 2 years and although my waist size got a little smaller my actual weight didn't change what so ever...maybe a pound or two here or there but it was like I was playing with the same pound or two. It's not like I was plateauing yet or something because I hadn't lost any weight. People told me it was because I had gained muscle from working out so much...idk. I know you do but is it enough to make it appear to be making no progress? Frustrating. Good Luck.

So when I was just dieting I lost 10lbs without exercising.
Well, I thought wow if I am losing this much by just dieting I bet with exercise I will really start to drop the weight. I started hitting the gym, doing cardio, videos, and walking outside more. And I have not lost anything... in fact I am gaining!!!

I'm still staying around 1200 cal/day and drinking my water.

Why am I gaining!?

Sooo frustrated!

Pete_Mann

My own personal experience has been the first weight loss comes off big and fast, then it will slow down as you continue to work out. It's important to eat back your exercise calories, or at least most of them, to keep your metabolism going. When you hit a plateau, and we all do, it's time to switch things up.

Do you also have a "cheat day" in your schedule where you go over in calories?

AZTrailRunner

Building muscle - give it some time. I had same thing happen when I started excercising! Lost & lost, then added movement & gained! Don't quit - PUSH on & this will change! PROMISE!

You won't build muscle with a calorie deficit. Actually this topic is posted here daily. Read through the Fitness section of the forum and you'll quickly learn that you aren't eating enough.

And yes, try the Scientology, I hear it's delicious! :-)

kaymac1908

Have your % Body fat measured and take it again in 4 weeks. I bet you are building muscle, which weighs more than fat. I also bet your clothes fit differently. Keep up the good work!

Happy0326

i recently was going through the same thing!! i was working so hard and scale was not moving at all. i do a lot of weight training so i realized that i was gaining muscle. i imagine that is what is going on with you as well. i had to learn to be patient. i love the way my arms and legs look now that i am gaining muscle. you don't want to just lose and not tone because then you look flabby. you want to tone so when you lose you will look and be lean. i have been at this for two months now and only have lost 4 pounds, BUT my body fat has gone down 10% :-) i used to be so dependent on the scale(i would weigh every morning) but now i will weigh only once every two weeks. do not obsess over the scale, just look at "the total package". i know it is hard not to get on the scale but i had to tell myself over and over again that i am toning
hope this helps!! whatever you do, stay motivated and DON'T GIVE UP

nukehiker

if your net calories are at or below 1200 then most likely you need to add some calories. 1200 is what is commonly referred to as starvation mode. if your at or below that level your body will store that as fat and nut burn it off since you do not have enough fuel to keep the fire going so to speak. like a previous poster mentioned make sure your getting enough of your daily carbs, proteins and fat.

PJilly

Have you ever thought about trying Scientology?

Is that a workout program or a meal plan? Or is it injections? I'm so confused.

Happy0326

I'm soooo glad you shared this. I have started Tae Bo last week & been faithful & have not LOST one pound. So I will just keep it up & see how it goes. BE PATIENT! cause I do FEEL better.

fishburp

I had the same problem when i changed my exercise routine. It turns out I was doing too much (maxing on cardio) and have dropped 2 more pounds since I switched back to a fat burning heart rate instead of the more intense routine. I also don't feel so fatigued, actually I don't feel fatigued at all but the weight loss is there so I know it works. There was an excellent blog post about anaerobic vs aerobic exercise about a week ago, I can't find it now :-(

aippolito1

Your NET needs to be 1200, not how much total you consume. So if you're working out, you're probably not eating your exerise calories back and if you don't have a lot of weight to lose, not doing that will make you gain because your body isn't getting enough fuel and it's holding onto what you are giving it.

lcoreo5

Have you ever thought about trying Scientology?

Is that a workout program or a meal plan? Or is it injections? I'm so confused.

i thought it was a religion! lol

rybo

Eat more. Plain and simple. You are attempting to hold FAR too large of a caloric deficit now that you are exercising.
You aren't gaining muscle, don't hang in there & keep doign what you are doing, just eat more.

GreenGettingLean

Net at least 1200 calories a day, drink at least 8 glasses of water daily or more during a workout, and watch your sodium levels. Having TOO large of a calorie deficit is incredibly detrimental to weight loss, unless you have a hundred lbs to lose or more.

Jenscan

Eat more.

www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

BeLightYear

Have you ever thought about trying Scientology?

Is that a workout program or a meal plan? Or is it injections? I'm so confused.

i thought it was a religion! lol

So you just pray to lose?? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

ek724q

That actually is I think they are talking about SHAKEOLOGY! that is a Beachbody product, it is like a protein shake.

shashaz2002

So when I was just dieting I lost 10lbs without exercising.
Well, I thought wow if I am losing this much by just dieting I bet with exercise I will really start to drop the weight. I started hitting the gym, doing cardio, videos, and walking outside more. And I have not lost anything... in fact I am gaining!!!

I'm still staying around 1200 cal/day and drinking my water.

Why am I gaining!?

Sooo frustrated!

I dropped 80 pounds without any form of exercise, and now that I have been exercising 5 days a week, I have gained 5 pounds but my clothes aren't fitting any tighter so I am assuming (secretely hoping) that I am replacing/burning fat and gaining/building muscle.

I would also try bumping up your calories a few days a week ? I know that when I lost my weight, I didn't eat "x" amount of calories every day, I had days where I ate only 1200 and then days I would eat more.

shashaz2002

Have you ever thought about trying Scientology?

Is that a workout program or a meal plan? Or is it injections? I'm so confused.

i thought it was a religion! lol

So you just pray to lose?? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

HAHA, I wish it was just that easy :laugh:

jbdowns35

i recently was going through the same thing!! i was working so hard and scale was not moving at all. i do a lot of weight training so i realized that i was gaining muscle. i imagine that is what is going on with you as well. i had to learn to be patient. i love the way my arms and legs look now that i am gaining muscle. you don't want to just lose and not tone because then you look flabby. you want to tone so when you lose you will look and be lean. i have been at this for two months now and only have lost 4 pounds, BUT my body fat has gone down 10% :-) i used to be so dependent on the scale(i would weigh every morning) but now i will weigh only once every two weeks. do not obsess over the scale, just look at "the total package". i know it is hard not to get on the scale but i had to tell myself over and over again that i am toning
hope this helps!! whatever you do, stay motivated and DON'T GIVE UP

You are right. At one point in my life I weighed 7 pounds more than I do now & I was smokin hot! Toned & rockin a bikini! I was doing alot of weight training & weighed 145 with 17%BF. Now, I weigh 138 with 24%BF, & I wouldn't put on a bikini if someone paid me!! Trying to get back to a toned body now. Throw away the scale & take measurements, measure your body fat.

RunHardBeStrong

Have you ever thought about trying Scientology?

Is that a workout program or a meal plan? Or is it injections? I'm so confused.

i thought it was a religion! lol

LMAO! Me to!!

lauralou23

Thank you everyone!!! What I'm hearing is that I should eat more of my exercise calories, keep going, not to focus on the scale...

And measure my body fat %, I know when I had a personal trainer (years ago) I think he did that with a little thing I held out in front of me?

I've never seen anyone at my new gym with that, is there another way to measure my body fat %?

lauralou23

Have your % Body fat measured and take it again in 4 weeks. I bet you are building muscle, which weighs more than fat. I also bet your clothes fit differently. Keep up the good work!

How do I measure my % Body fat?