12,000 calories per day and exercise and I am GAINING?!

toberdawg

I have been trying to lose about 40lb. I have lost 27lb with diet alone and no exercise. I eat 800-1200 cal a day depending on how hungry I feel. I figured when I stayed at the same wt. (plateu) for one week I would start and ecercise routine.

So, I am down to 177 from 204, stayed at 177 for a week then started jogging and going to the gym. I am using wt. machines (low wt., many reps). And, started jogging (either outside or on treadmill). I have been to the gym 3x and been jogging 3x in the past week. When I jog it is a slower pace and I usually get about a 10 min mile, for 2 miles, for a calorie burn of about 200.

I stepped on the scale yesterday to find to my dismay I weighed 179-180. I had not eaten yet at that time and had consumed abou 2L of H20.

This has been an issue for me in the past. When I go to the gym my body will not shed pounds. My fat turns into muscle and the scale wont budge.

I don't know what to do! I am so discouraged. I am trying to be healthier all around and would like to get into shape. But, not if that means sacrificing my wt. loss! Anyone else have this problem? Advice?

MissMormie

Time for a reality check.

Which is more important:
1. the number of the scale
2. Increase in muscles and decrease in fat

I'd go with number 2. That means you're increasing your health, still losing inches, but getting in better shape at the same time, as well as toning your body.

Also, you drank 2l of water. That's 2kg or about 4 lbs. Meaning your weighed about 175-176, ie less than the 177 before. And that while starting a exercise routine, which generally starts with you retaining more fluids.

I'd say your doing great, not gaining but losing, and getting fitter and more toned.

Don't worry

toberdawg

Opps! That is supposed to 1,200 cal a day NOT 12,000!

Excuse my foolishness, I just woke up!

hypocrisy8

I am having very similar issues- it is extremely frustrating, I know how you feel. Unfortunately I do not know how to overcome this either, I really wish I did. I do know that muscle weighs more than fat though, I have been doing a lot of muscle building/cardio combo. I am hoping that the reason the scale isn't budging is because of the gain in muscle. If I find any more info I will let you know. But, don't be discouraged, just keep with it

Arexxx

Not eating enough.

And you gain muscle? Don't complain about that! That's a great thing

jcpmoore

Drink more water, weigh less often and on a consistent day and time. And weigh *before* you work out, not after.

mcleff58

I have read that you should never weigh yourself right after exercise. I think that's your mistake. Are you keeping track of inches? I bet that would surprise and delight you! Keep up the good work.

deksgrl

800-1200 calories is not enough fuel. Your BMR (the amount of calories they would feed you in a coma, making no movement) is certainly higher than 1200. Plus you are trying to work out.

BeckySBowen

I hear ya! My scales have not budged for over a week. But, I know something is happening. My clothes are fitting and I feel better. I've just decided to forget the scales and look in the mirror.

lauren3101

Why would your body burn fat when you are exercising like crazy and eating 800 - 1200 calories a day? It wants to live.

AngryDiet

Looks a bit like you might be eating a few too many net calories. Try eating back some of your exercise calories. What you are doing might not be sustainable in the long term. Your body will be fighting you if you are eating 800 cals and exercising an additional couple hundred a day. Many here will say that what you are doing seems dangerous. Of course I don't know your TDEE, so I can't say anything definitively... except that there's a strong belief that females should not eat less than 1200 NET cals a day, long term.

That aside, weight loss is intermittent. The pattern is nothing for a while, then a sudden drop, then nothing for a while, etc. The nothing can last a frustratingly long time, but if your persevere the weight will eventually go.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Sorry to be the barer or bad news, but fat does not turn to muscle. You could be retaining water, and your body is working inefficiently because you're not feeding it enough. More food, more water, more pictures and measurements, less stress.

toberdawg

Thank you for the encouraging words! Maybe right after exercise and drinking a ton of water is not the best time to weigh myeslf. But after seeing the number on the scale go down/stay the same but never go up for a couple months, seeing the wt. gain really burst my bubble.

I have a history of the gym not being my friend. I love to go and get exercise, but it seems when I work out i cant lose wt.

In college I went for 2hrs a day 5 days a week and ended up 170lbs of solid muscle. It's nice, but im still considered obese at 5'3 and 170! Despite not having much jiggle at that time.

In my profile picture (the blond girl way over to the left) I weighed about 170, pre exercise. I could have used some toning but I do not consider myself fat in that picture. I am just built bigger than your average girl. And, my body builds muscle WAY too readily.

Thalcomb83

I have had problems loosing weight no matter how much i exercise. I would loose some but not much. I finally talked about it all with my doctor and with my family history of not being able to loose weight he finally knew why i am not able to loose. My metabolism is really slow so when i eat a lot of carbs it usually ends up sitting there and turns into fat and doesn't get burned off. so I have to cut out all my carbs well at least bread and grains. I eat more veggies and fruits and eat more meat. I also buy almond meal and almond flour and use that when i want to bread something. it has helped and I have seen a change in my energy level since i have done that. I just wanted to share that with you :-)

AngryDiet

Given what you've said, your TDEE should be around 2200, give or take, given light exercise. Assuming you want to lose 2 lb a week, which is about the most you should safely plan for, you are at 1200. So I would suggest that you eat 1200 calories a day, and stick to maybe 3 exercise sessions a week.

toberdawg

I hear ya about the calorie defecit. But, I dont eat more than that because I do not feel hungry. I hardly ever fell hungry and if I do I eat.

If I eat when not hungry I feel like I am defeating the purpose of dieting. Honstly I am not starving myself intentionally, if my body says "Im hungry" I eat. I usually eat something small before exercise and I eat something after as well.

AngryDiet

edited my previous reply in case you had read the first version.

rml_16

Opps! That is supposed to 1,200 cal a day NOT 12,000!

Excuse my foolishness, I just woke up!

If it were 12,000, you would have your answer right there! lol

I don't have any good advice. I have had the same problem for a long time, though I suspect it was related to my birth control method. I changed that last week, so I should know for sure in the next month.

toberdawg

I have read that you should never weigh yourself right after exercise. I think that's your mistake. Are you keeping track of inches? I bet that would surprise and delight you! Keep up the good work.

Yup, waist went from 41in to 30in!

impyimpyaj

Fat does not turn into muscle. They are different cell types.

You are likely retaining water. If you are experiencing any soreness, you definitely are.

If you're going to do weight training, you need to eat more. Fuel your workouts. Eat whole foods and try to watch your sodium levels to help decrease water retention.

toberdawg

Given what you've said, your TDEE should be around 2200, give or take, given light exercise. Assuming you want to lose 2 lb a week, which is about the most you should safely plan for, you are at 1200. So I would suggest that you eat 1200 calories a day, and stick to maybe 3 exercise sessions a week.

Yes, I try to stick to 1200 cal a day. But, sometimes I just dont feel like eating the extra calories if my stomach feels satisfied. I usually end up closer to 1200 cal a day than 800.

toberdawg

Fat does not turn into muscle. They are different cell types.

You are likely retaining water. If you are experiencing any soreness, you definitely are.

If you're going to do weight training, you need to eat more. Fuel your workouts. Eat whole foods and try to watch your sodium levels to help decrease water retention.

I have been quite lame actually!

For some reason I LOVE salt! I can cut almost anything else from my diet. But, I cannot get rid of the salt. When I try I become tempted to purchase myself a salt lick. I am trying to work on this though!

LeidaPrimal

Well, you are starved and you drunk 2 L of water, and your muscles are retaining water after training. It is very common to gain 2-3 lbs (big guys gain as much as 10 lbs) after really good lifting session. You are not growing muscle, you are getting 'the pump'. Still, you might want to consider eating.

Don't get rid of salt. Just use coarse salt that was not processed to smithereens and augmented by artificial crap. Drinking salt water or liquids (broth) actually helps you with your deficits.

AngryDiet

Given what you've said, your TDEE should be around 2200, give or take, given light exercise. Assuming you want to lose 2 lb a week, which is about the most you should safely plan for, you are at 1200. So I would suggest that you eat 1200 calories a day, and stick to maybe 3 exercise sessions a week.

Yes, I try to stick to 1200 cal a day. But, sometimes I just dont feel like eating the extra calories if my stomach feels satisfied. I usually end up closer to 1200 cal a day than 800.

I had suggested 3 exercise sessions a week because that was what was factored into the calculation for the 2200 TDEE. If you exercise more than that, I would eat back those calories from those extra sessions.

What's your target weight?

toberdawg

Sorry to be the barer or bad news, but fat does not turn to muscle. You could be retaining water, and your body is working inefficiently because you're not feeding it enough. More food, more water, more pictures and measurements, less stress.

I know fat does not literally turn into muscle. But the weight that your body carries can turn from weight from fat to weight from muscle.

toberdawg

Given what you've said, your TDEE should be around 2200, give or take, given light exercise. Assuming you want to lose 2 lb a week, which is about the most you should safely plan for, you are at 1200. So I would suggest that you eat 1200 calories a day, and stick to maybe 3 exercise sessions a week.

Yes, I try to stick to 1200 cal a day. But, sometimes I just dont feel like eating the extra calories if my stomach feels satisfied. I usually end up closer to 1200 cal a day than 800.

I had suggested 3 exercise sessions a week because that was what was factored into the calculation for the 2200 TDEE. If you exercise more than that, I would eat back those calories from those extra sessions.

What's your target weight?

So far that is what I have done exercise 3x this week.
I just had my yearly physical last week and my doctor said I should aim for 150lbs. I think that is reasonable for me. according to all the weight/height charts it is overweight though.

As a side note, I really wish people would stop telling me I am starving myself. If my tummy feels empty I eat until I feel satisfied. I HATE feeling hugry. I do not understand the "eat even if you are not hungry" stuff. I can see and understand the concern about lack of calories, but if i feel satisfied and have a good energy level, why consume more calories? I am so confused! -_-

Really, I feel better than I have in years!

KatLifter

Since I started working out more the last couple weeks, doing p90x, first I lost about 5 pounds, now I've gained about 2.5 back. Since my weight has gone up I've lost an inch in my waist, 1/2 inch in my hips, and some in my thighs. In the end that is what will make us healthier, and you will burn more base calories if you have higher lean muscle mass.

Good luck!
Kat

AngryDiet

So far that is what I have done exercise 3x this week.
I just had my yearly physical last week and my doctor said I should aim for 150lbs. I think that is reasonable for me. according to all the weight/height charts it is overweight though.

As a side note, I really wish people would stop telling me I am starving myself. If my tummy feels empty I eat until I feel satisfied. I HATE feeling hugry. I do not understand the "eat even if you are not hungry" stuff. I can see and understand the concern about lack of calories, but if i feel satisfied and have a good energy level, why consume more calories? I am so confused! -_-

Really, I feel better than I have in years!

Ah, sorry, when you said, "I have been to the gym 3x and been jogging 3x in the past week" I read that as 6 workouts in the past week.

People are coming at you from the perspective of calories in versus calories out. Your deficit is calories in - calories out. How hungry you feel has no bearing on that simple equation, and the equation is a basic truth of responsible weight loss. The other aspect is the belief that females should never net below 1200 cals a day. Again, no bearing on how hungry you feel. You may not agree with these people, but hopefully you can at least understand where they're coming from.

Hendrix7

stop thinking about the scale and think about body composition.

my body builds muscle WAY too readily.

hmmm, I really doubt that.

toberdawg

I do understand. When it is put into those terms. But, I guess I would THINK that if my body needed more calories it would say to my brain, "feed me, you fool!".

Yes, three total workouts this week including weights and jogging.

toberdawg

stop thinking about the scale and think about body composition.

my body builds muscle WAY too readily.

hmmm, I really doubt that.

Or at least it LOOKS like it does. When your 5'3" and of stocky build wt. loss/gain is very different.