this shouldn't be possible...

CharNordie

I have lost 44 pounds in 4.5 months, by watching what I eat....nothing more. I have two small kids, so other than playing with them, cleaning up after them and 2-4 times a week going for a nice long walk with the kids and my hubby, I don't normally exercise.

So starting on Wednesday my husband and I signed up for the gym and went again on Friday. Both days I burned about 860 calories. I had a deficit in calories both days between 600-800. I've never eaten back all my exercise calories and has obviously worked for me. but still I ate,( the two days I went to the gym) 1660 calories on wednesday and 1440 yesterday.

I have maintained a weight of 130.6-131.2 for two weeks. (since getting to that weight) So when I stepped on the scale this morning and it jumped to 134.4, I was taken back a little. Yesterday I was a little over my sodium for the day but was eating all homemade "real" food, nothing processed.

Could anyone give me a little insight on the gain?

_eislek_

Someone posted an article the other day about when you start a new workout routine your muscles retain fluid or something, and that is why you gain.

Here it is http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=why_the_scale_goes_up_when_you_start_a_new_workout_plan

caeliumspecto

You have a REALLY high calorie deficit. It is possible your body is slowing down its metabolism because it thinks you're starving. Try losing weight more slowly now that you are in a very healthy weight range. Stick to losing 1 lb a week max. Anything more is unhealthy for your body.

I know it sounds counter intuitive, but if you increase your net calories, you'll probably see the weight come off again.

sreece13

I agree. I wouldn't freak out just yet. There are so many factors that play into the flucutating weight gain, not too say it doesn't bother me too because it does. I would say everything will even out once your body gets used to the increased activity level. But, I also want to say that I think these calories burned amounts on here are a bit high. I take the calories burned directly from the machine and log it in for my exercise and they seem to be alot lower than what MFP says my calories burned should be.

auntiebabs

When ever I start working out I always put on 5 lbs., but then after a while I'll lose it. and end up at my start weight, but be more compact. I always figured it was that I was gaining denser muscle, before losing the fluffier fat.

hm_day

Basically what everyone else is saying. It could be the sodium (processed or not, it's still sodium and it will retain water), but you also need to eat back a little bit of your exercise calories. Otherwise, your body will eat them for you .. and not from the good places.

But well done on the weight! But if you're happy where you are, try switching it to maintain or to lose .5/1lb per week.

CharNordie

KCantrell, thanks for the link, it was super helpful.

caeliumspecto, how much of a deficit should I have, now that I'm exercising regularily?

CharNordie

I agree. I wouldn't freak out just yet. There are so many factors that play into the flucutating weight gain, not too say it doesn't bother me too because it does. I would say everything will even out once your body gets used to the increased activity level. But, I also want to say that I think these calories burned amounts on here are a bit high. I take the calories burned directly from the machine and log it in for my exercise and they seem to be alot lower than what MFP says my calories burned should be.

I do take my calories burned from the machine...not from MFP. Mine are always higher than this website.

hillm12345

It could just be excess water weight, or your hormones. Women's weight can fluctuate so much depending on where you are on your cycle. Also it does take your body some time to adjust to a new workout and just remember: muscle weighs more than fat. I know, I know, I hate that old adage too. But sometimes you have to go based on how your clothes fit and now what the scale says.

The first 2 weeks I joined MFP and started tracking calories, I was so frustrated. I would lose 2 pounds then gain it back, lose it then gain it back. After my body adjusted to the exercise and got used to eating around 1200-1300 calories a day, I have seen great progress.

achasnis

I actually had this issue when I started doing the p90x routine... lost a few lbs and it seemed like as soon as I worked out they stopped coming off. Thankfully I took the advice of the program and did measurements... even tho I wasn't losing weight, I was still losing inches. If you weren't active before, this could be a possibility too... I highly recommend taking measurements and going by those!!

rockann16

It could just be excess water weight, or your hormones. Women's weight can fluctuate so much depending on where you are on your cycle. Also it does take your body some time to adjust to a new workout and just remember: muscle weighs more than fat. I know, I know, I hate that old adage too. But sometimes you have to go based on how your clothes fit and now what the scale says.

The first 2 weeks I joined MFP and started tracking calories, I was so frustrated. I would lose 2 pounds then gain it back, lose it then gain it back. After my body adjusted to the exercise and got used to eating around 1200-1300 calories a day, I have seen great progress.

rockann16

I don't mean to make waves...but muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. Muscle is more dense and takes up less space than fat so therefore you may have looser fitting clothes but still weigh the same when you are toning.

caeliumspecto

There are 3,500 calories in a lb of fat. So you should try to have a deficit of around 500 a day. MFP can calculate your BMR and subtract 500 calories based on your goal. (And remember, this is net calories. So whatever you burn exercising gets subtracted from how much you eat.)

It should be under tools or settings. However you calculated your target calories in your food diary the first time. I would just stick with that.

starwhisperer

Every time I hit the weights I weigh more the next day, so I know the muscle holding fluid is true. But then I flex my arms and think... so worth the scale going up for a bit

sreece13

Wow!! That's a great burn. What kinds of exercises are you doing? The most I have burned in one workout is 475 calories... I guess you could call me a beginner lol

cdez80421

Are you using a heart rate monitor? I have found that the machines in the gym generally calulate calorie burn at almost double what my heart rate monitor says that I actually burn, I always, always, always go by the heart rate monitor.