weight gain under calories

dr3am3r

Okay so i have been experiencing weight gain the last 3 weeks. I am at a 1200 calorie budget and burn around 600 calories 5-6 days a week (usually zumba or elliptical) so why have i been gaining weight? I started thinking it was water weight because i upped my water intake to around 12 glasses whereas i was probably only getting in 4-6 normally, but that should have passed by now! hand i know it could be muscle but it doesn't seem likely....i've gain 8lbs the last 3 weeks....i need help please i am getting so discouraged :sad:

livinginwoods

Eat more and eat your work out calories.

becjerami

Simple answer: you're not eating enough. 1200 calories per day is fine if all you do is lie in bed all day, but you're working out a lot and should be eating more, otherwise your body only has around 700 calories per day to survive which is killing your metabolism. You should be netting at LEAST 1200 calories per day after exercise. I made the same mistake myself and am now eating around 2,000 calories a day and losing 1 lbs per week.

You might want to check out the group 'Eating For Future You'. There are lots of us who have had the same issues as you and there is plenty of information on the group page about how to calculate a healthy level of calories based on your BMR and beat the plateau effect.

Good luck!

kathleennf

What determines water weight gain is sodium intake, not water intake.
Having said that, you are right- if you have water weight gain for 3 weeks you should have swollen ankles by now! It's probably not it. I have been there and have the following suggestions:

1> Eat your exercise calories, BUT make sure they are fairly accurate. If you don't have a HRM (I don't), compare your estimates to various online sites. Also if you do things that have a speed, make sure you are really going that fast. I thought I was walking 4mph, untill I measured it one day and realized it was really usually 3.
2> Check portion sizes. That's an absolute killer! The cereal box for example usually tells me it has 8 servings, but I only get about 5.
3> Check your activity level and be really truthful with yourself.
4> Look at how you space out your meals during the day as it really affects your metabolism. Do you eat a good breakfast?
If you go through all this and still can't lose weight- get a medical checkup to check your thyroid etc.

dr3am3r

i have my thyroid checked yearly (both types of thyroid disease run in my family) and i have a HRM and my breakfast is usually my best meal (higher in proteins) but what i don't get is eating the exercise cals back....i can see it in terms that i think they set my calorie budget too low but if it is set right i still wouldn't eat the cals back would i?

What determines water weight gain is sodium intake, not water intake.
Having said that, you are right- if you have water weight gain for 3 weeks you should have swollen ankles by now! It's probably not it. I have been there and have the following suggestions:

1> Eat your exercise calories, BUT make sure they are fairly accurate. If you don't have a HRM (I don't), compare your estimates to various online sites. Also if you do things that have a speed, make sure you are really going that fast. I thought I was walking 4mph, untill I measured it one day and realized it was really usually 3.
2> Check portion sizes. That's an absolute killer! The cereal box for example usually tells me it has 8 servings, but I only get about 5.
3> Check your activity level and be really truthful with yourself.
4> Look at how you space out your meals during the day as it really affects your metabolism. Do you eat a good breakfast?
If you go through all this and still can't lose weight- get a medical checkup to check your thyroid etc.

dr3am3r

thanks! where do i find this "Eating For the Future You"?

Simple answer: you're not eating enough. 1200 calories per day is fine if all you do is lie in bed all day, but you're working out a lot and should be eating more, otherwise your body only has around 700 calories per day to survive which is killing your metabolism. You should be netting at LEAST 1200 calories per day after exercise. I made the same mistake myself and am now eating around 2,000 calories a day and losing 1 lbs per week.

You might want to check out the group 'Eating For Future You'. There are lots of us who have had the same issues as you and there is plenty of information on the group page about how to calculate a healthy level of calories based on your BMR and beat the plateau effect.

Good luck!

deekaydee

I'm a huge proponent of eating more (including eating your exercise calories) ... but not eating enough tends to STALL your weight loss, or dramatically slow it --- not reverse it. You won't gain 8 lbs over 3 weeks by eating in a calorie deficit.

I can't see your diary, and I don't know your stats, but I'm guessing your problem is one of the following:

a) You are over-estimating your calorie burn. What type of HRM do you have, does it contain your accurate measurements?
b) You are under-estimating your calorie intake. Are you truly logging everything?
c) You don't have your activity level set correctly.
d) You have some kind of metabolic disorder and need to see your doctor.

becjerami

Hi, I just sent you an invite to the group. Hope we can help!

kathleennf

I'm a huge proponent of eating more (including eating your exercise calories) ... but not eating enough tends to STALL your weight loss, or dramatically slow it --- not reverse it. You won't gain 8 lbs over 3 weeks by eating in a calorie deficit.

Exactly.