why am I busting my @ss to gain weight?

MarsChallenge

My weight loss is always slow. so...I joined a gym, where I go 3x a week, and burn 800-1000 calories each time. I was finally down to 137.4 last week, only to find myself at 138.4 the last 3 days.
WTF.
I am angry at that damn scale and angry at what my body is putting me through.
Please take a look at my diary (food and exercise should be open to public) and let me know what I can add/change.
I'll take any advise...
I do arm weights, arc trainer and spinning. I eat around 1200 - 1300 calories which are mostly clean.
Thanks!
Marlene

girlypop

sometimes weight loss just takes time, Relax you'lll get there eventually. And gaining 1lbs is nothing!!!

grobbygru

way too many calories left at the end of most days!! Starvation mode?

Elleinnz

You are not eating enough on the days that you are going to the gym..... not eating exercise calories might work for people that has lots of weight to lose, but when you only have 10lbs to lose you need to eat more of your exercise calories...

Time and time the people that has been on here for a while and that has figured it out the hard way will tell you that the moment they started eating more the weight started coming off....

PBmaria

I took a quick look at your diary. Having 900 leftover calories is NOT good. Yout body needs fuel and if you don't do it for it, it'll find ways to get you back.
Also, (and I mean this in the nicest way possible), are you sure you're burning that much every time you work out? I mean, I know I'm pretty small but I don't think I burn 900 calories even when I run 10 miles. So idk...just saying.

Elleinnz

Have a read of this to understand the concept of eating your exercise calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

CherylM2015

Are you tracking the inches that you're losing at all?

I busted my *kitten* for a couple of months and the numbers on the scale literally didn't budge. I did, however, keep track of the inches I lost (a trainer measured me before and after) and I lost 33 inches over my whole body. I had shifted my weight rather than lose it.

If not, you might have hit a plateau which is normal. A lot of us have been there and it's SUPER frustrating. Try switching up your exercise routine - confuse your body! Don't keep doing the same things over and over. Maybe sign up for a new fitness class...just something different and keep your body guessing.

Be patient, stay positive and keep working hard. You'll get there

CherylM2015

P.S Make sure you are eating enough!!!! Otherwise, your body will NOT burn the food you're eating. Instead, it will hold onto everything that it can.

erickirb

when starting anew program you muscles will retain water to protect them and aid in recovery, so don't worry it is just water weight, once you get use to the exercise your muscles will shed the water.

Other than that EAT MORE!!! You MFP goal is your net goal, so if you are set for 1200 cals you should be eating 1200 plus eating back most of what you burn from exercise, otherwise you are not giving your body enough fuel. If you eat 1300 and burn 900 it would be the same as eating 400 and not working out as 1300-900=400-0. 400 is not enough to kep your regular body functions running and after time you may experience things such as weak nails, loss of hair, loss of muscle etc.

13hirteen

It is harder when you don't have much to lose in the first place.

First off, don't worry too much about 500g fluctuations - I know it's frustrating; my weight fluctuates by up to a couple of kg from day to day. I use daily weighing to work out overall trends, but that's not for everyone.

Secondly, and I know it's an ages-old MFP debate, but I don't think you're eating enough on your exercise days. YMMV, but you might want to try eating back some of your exercise calories, particularly in the form of protein. When I plateaued, I only got past it when I increased my calorie consumption on both active and rest days, and switched my eating pattern around.

Also, you say you're doing arm weights - do you mean bicep curls and the like? If so, I'd be inclined to switch to composite lifts (squats, bench presses and deadlifts being the heart of such a routine). Lifts that target smaller specific muscle groups are really most useful for tweaking existing muscular development. And remember to EAT after lifting, otherwise there won't be anything to help grow the muscle that'll increase your BMR that'll burn more calories on a daily basis.

I'd also recommend working out with an HRM - exercise machines and MFP estimates can both be seriously off. For example, although my strength work burns far more than the MFP estimate, I don't get anywhere near the calorie burn I used to from cycling because my body has become more efficient at it. The same applies to most forms of cardio. For similar reasons, it's worth changing up your routine and doing different types of exercise that you're less used to.

Um. Okay. Long ramble there. Hope it's of some use.

Usual disclaimer: I have no qualifications and speak only from personal experience. Take all advice from strangers on the internet - including me - with a pinch of salt.

msrobinson77

Right there with ya hon! It's suck a slow process and our friend Flo can really screw up the scale. Your diary looks pretty good from what I can tell. Although, I assume you are drinking water and just not logging it. Maybe start keeping track of your water to make sure you are flushing out your system. Maybe try keeping a closer eye on your sodium for a couple weeks and see how you feel. I went to Panera the other day and ordered what I thought was a healthy choice (1/2 sandwich and cup soup for 410 calories.) When I stepped on the scale the next morning I was up a pound. I was sooooo bummed and couldn't understand why-I've kept myself under calories consistently for the last few weeks. When I looked at the sodium in that meal it was pretty high. I am going to try to be more mindful of my sodium this week, too. Feel free to add me as a friend and take a peek at my diary:-) I will also take any advice.

patiencez2

I am having same problem. I to was not eating enough calories back.
Now gaining muscle can also mean getting heavier for a while. It will all be ok in the end.

rush2875

I have 1200 cals to eat each day. On days i Know I am going to workout I eat more. I try and keep my calories 1200-1500. Also only step on the scale every 2 weeks or once a month. I take measurements of my waist, neck and hips.

balancebean

I took a quick peak at your diary. In the past few days you logged no water. Plus, you have been eating processed meats (genoa salami and turkey breast). These are loaded with sodium which makes you retain water weight. Since you're not drinking water, your body may be holding on to it. Try reducing sodium intake and increasing water intake. See if that helps.

surfrgrl1

sometimes weight loss just takes time, Relax you'lll get there eventually. And gaining 1lbs is nothing!!!

Completely agree. We tend to forget that the extra weight didn't find us overnight, so we can't expect to lose it overnight. Granted it is aggravating to have a gain, (happens to all of us) but it could be due to an increase in muscle, or water retention, or some unusual food choices, or the weight loss fairy is being mean. All in all, I think looking for and celebrating the NSVs along the way are just as important as making the number on the scale move.
Hang in there! Don't beat yourself up. :flowerforyou:

ical50

Wow! So many great,helpful replies! Thank you all! You just helped me too!

MarsChallenge

I took a quick look at your diary. Having 900 leftover calories is NOT good. Yout body needs fuel and if you don't do it for it, it'll find ways to get you back.
Also, (and I mean this in the nicest way possible), are you sure you're burning that much every time you work out? I mean, I know I'm pretty small but I don't think I burn 900 calories even when I run 10 miles. So idk...just saying.

I do have a polar chest strap hrm. 900 calories is about 1.5 hrs in spinning class with core exercise that follow after spinning class. I have heard to eat more.. but not sure which food group to incorporate....

jjclem07

Food choices are pretty good and so is the number breakdown per meal. I don't see how much water you drink in a day and that water helps a ton!! I drink 1 gal a day. Plus eating back some of your work out calories helps with the body removing unwanted pounds. I know that is seems weird but it does!! I hit my first plateau and started eating back 1/2 of my workout calories ans now I am back to losing again.

So, I would say that eating back some workout calories and drinking 8+ glasses of water might help you.

Plus some of that weight gain could be due to muscle mass increase.

MarsChallenge

when starting anew program you muscles will retain water to protect them and aid in recovery, so don't worry it is just water weight, once you get use to the exercise your muscles will shed the water.

Other than that EAT MORE!!! You MFP goal is your net goal, so if you are set for 1200 cals you should be eating 1200 plus eating back most of what you burn from exercise, otherwise you are not giving your body enough fuel. If you eat 1300 and burn 900 it would be the same as eating 400 and not working out as 1300-900=400-0. 400 is not enough to kep your regular body functions running and after time you may experience things such as weak nails, loss of hair, loss of muscle etc.

humm.. i always assumed if I ate back the calories, what would be the point of exercising. Thanks for the tip, I will try it this
week.

LorinaLynn

I absolutely agree with everyone who said to eat more. I don't think you can really gain muscle mass on so few calories, but your body does retain fluid in your muscles with heavy exercise, especially if you're new to it. Add some high sodium foods, and you've easily got a couple pounds extra in water.

Heck, I had pizza and boneless wings and some vodka last night, and I'm "up" five pounds from where I was last week. But I know, realistically, that I didn't eat enough to gain weight, and it'll be gone in a few days. Because to gain 5#, I would have had to have had 17,500 calories above what it takes to maintain my weight, and I sure as hell didn't do that!

If I were you, I'd set my goals to lose a half pound a week, manually increase the protein (some days you get a lot, which is good, some days hardly any), eat the exercise calories, and eat a little bit more at each meal. I personally try to get over 100g of protein a day. I don't fuss about carbs or fat, but I feel better and perform better when I get plenty of protein.

Also, realistically look at something that weighs one pound. A 16oz glass of water, for instance. That one pound, spread out over your entire body, is NOT worth feeling bad about!

MarsChallenge

I do drink about 1 gallon of water a day. I just don't log it, because I'm always drinking. Coffee and water and sometimes herbal tea or green tea. I love OJ, don't get me wrong.. I just know better not to drink it (or any other juice, or soda).
Salami was bad.. sodium is high.
Great tips from all. I'll pump up my calories, eat less sodium... and not give up. Thanks everyone!