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

Jacwhite22

My fat turns into muscle and the scale wont budge.

Since I'm not reading through all the comments.....and I'm sure nobody has said it yet.....No. Just no....This does not happen.

hiker359

3. The scale can only really measure trends, not precise weight loss. The average person's weight can fluxuate by as much as 6-10 lbs per day depending on all the things in #2.

I read this and laughed since a good #2 will always lead to a good drop in weight for me.

lyndakentie

1200 calories is the lowest you should go. 800 is way too low and will mess up your metabolism. Sometimes when you deprive your body too much it will go into starvation mode and will store up what ever it can. When you hit a plateau like that sometimes it is good to add calories, up to 1400 or 1500 for a few days then go back to 1200. You will start losing again.

toberdawg

Have you researched what might be the problem before coming and asking?
Did you study what your plan would do to you biologically before you started?
Did you just jump in with little knowledge and go full speed ahead and now you are frustrated?

I'm sure all these apply to her, unfortunately. The main reason people fail at fat loss is a lack of understanding of thermogenesis and human physiology. She's echoing the same misunderstandings as most people who struggle with their goals: I gained two lbs of muscle by going to the gym after just a few days - you gained water weight; I gained two lbs of fat by eating consistently well under my maintenance range - you gained water weight; I'm not hungry thus don't feel the need to provide the calories my body needs - my leptin concentration levels have plummeted and alter satiety thus I am not hungry even if eating 800 calories and exercising like crazy.

I am not saying that the 2lbs I "gained" is due to muscle gain. Maybe I was not clear in my post 2nd attempt . . .

When I was in college (a few years ago) I went to the gym for 2hrs 5 days a week. I kept this up over several months and developed more muscle on my body than I like. I do not want this to happen again. I KNOW the 2lbs I gained over this week is NOT muscle. I understanf that and never thought it to begin with!

What I needed was someone to tell me that it (the weight gain) is probobally nothing to be concerned about at this time.I had an inkling that it was water/swelling. i was asking for confirmation on this.

What is the point of this forum, if not to ask questions and seek support?!

Jacwhite22

Have you researched what might be the problem before coming and asking?
Did you study what your plan would do to you biologically before you started?
Did you just jump in with little knowledge and go full speed ahead and now you are frustrated?

I'm sure all these apply to her, unfortunately. The main reason people fail at fat loss is a lack of understanding of thermogenesis and human physiology. She's echoing the same misunderstandings as most people who struggle with their goals: I gained two lbs of muscle by going to the gym after just a few days - you gained water weight; I gained two lbs of fat by eating consistently well under my maintenance range - you gained water weight; I'm not hungry thus don't feel the need to provide the calories my body needs - my leptin concentration levels have plummeted and alter satiety thus I am not hungry even if eating 800 calories and exercising like crazy.

I am not saying that the 2lbs I "gained" is due to muscle gain. Maybe I was not clear in my post 2nd attempt . . .

When I was in college (a few years ago) I went to the gym for 2hrs 5 days a week. I kept this up over several months and developed more muscle on my body than I like. I do not want this to happen again. I KNOW the 2lbs I gained over this week is NOT muscle. I understanf that and never thought it to begin with!

What I needed was someone to tell me that it (the weight gain) is probobally nothing to be concerned about at this time.

Muscle is not gained by time spent in gym alone. It also requires a caloric surplus.

FitFabFlirty92

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.

This. I don't know why half the people who come here start off by starving themselves to lose weight...it's just not necessary.

lallaloolly

even if you aren't hungry, you should eat at least 1,200 calories per day (it is likely you aren't hungry because you've trained your body to accept less food, but that doesn't mean your body is still performing at optimal levels). 1,200 is considered the minimum of what your body needs to be healthy and to able to burn fat. if you consistently stay between 800 and 1200, your body is likely going to hang on to whatever weight it can because it's hovering in starvation mode.

it is frustrating to not see the scale go down, i am experiencing that right now, too. i work out 4-6 times per week and i walk two miles per day with my dog. some days i also do a 20 minute PM yoga routine. i am building muscle, increasing my flexibility, metabolism and endurance, and i have to admit my body looks better and i feel better, so, i have to remember to focus less on scale numbers and more on my general fitness level and how my clothes fit.

just remember, if you do something good for your body every single day, it will respond (just not always in ways that can be counted on the scale).

baptiste565

bump

yoovie

Have you researched what might be the problem before coming and asking?
Did you study what your plan would do to you biologically before you started?
Did you just jump in with little knowledge and go full speed ahead and now you are frustrated?

I'm sure all these apply to her, unfortunately. The main reason people fail at fat loss is a lack of understanding of thermogenesis and human physiology. She's echoing the same misunderstandings as most people who struggle with their goals: I gained two lbs of muscle by going to the gym after just a few days - you gained water weight; I gained two lbs of fat by eating consistently well under my maintenance range - you gained water weight; I'm not hungry thus don't feel the need to provide the calories my body needs - my leptin concentration levels have plummeted and alter satiety thus I am not hungry even if eating 800 calories and exercising like crazy.

I am not saying that the 2lbs I "gained" is due to muscle gain. Maybe I was not clear in my post 2nd attempt . . .

When I was in college (a few years ago) I went to the gym for 2hrs 5 days a week. I kept this up over several months and developed more muscle on my body than I like. I do not want this to happen again. I KNOW the 2lbs I gained over this week is NOT muscle. I understanf that and never thought it to begin with!

What I needed was someone to tell me that it (the weight gain) is probobally nothing to be concerned about at this time.I had an inkling that it was water/swelling. i was asking for confirmation on this.

What is the point of this forum, if not to ask questions and seek support?!

whoa lady I was just asking those questions before I COULD help you - no need to get a bad attitude at me. I asked those questions so I wouldnt be giving you blind impersonal advice. I asked first cause I actually wanted to help you.

toberdawg

I'm sorry. I was not upset in my last post. People just keep saying its not muscle I gained. I am aware of that.

I just assumed I was not clear enough in my original post. I really didn't mean to seem upset. I was just trying to exercise clear communication through typing.:)

I'm not even "frustrated". I just had questions. I am not worried that I am not losing weight fast enoung. I was just surprised to see a gain and wanted to discuss it. I have not held the same weight long enoungh to become frustrated.

yoovie

well i cant discuss it with you if i dont understand where you are coming from so I asked.

best of luck to you.

hydelaa

Try taking your measurements instead of relying solely on the scale number...

csplatt

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

What she said

kareinlib

When you plateau like that you need to switch around your calorie intake. In your case, I suggest upping it. Especially if you are exercising, you need to be consuming AT LEAST 1,200 calories a day and not going under (MFP calculates in a deficit for you, so even when you are eating all of the calories it gives you as a goal you will still lose weight). Your metabolism right now is probably really messed up from eating so little, so try eating more. It sounds weird but that's probably just what you need. Do it soon so you don't have to do a total metabolism reset and take twice as long to lose weight.

MrDelts

Hi.. I've been a personal trainer for the last 8+ years. I took a look at your food diary. The thing that stands out to me is that you are not evenly distributing your calories throughout the day. I see many days where there are only 2-3 meals and the biggest meal is usually dinner. Regardless of your caloric intake, eating mass calories at night will store as fat. ESPECIALLY CARBS. You are eating waaaayyyy too many grams of carbs at night. In the evening your meals should really contain some sort of lean protein source with veggies and/or salad. No starches at night.

And remember.. Not all calories are created equal. Eating the cleanest healthiest calories possible will help with the weight loss.

AmandaD100

Fitness is so confusing...everyone always says maybe the scale stopped moving because muscle weighs more than fat. But doesn't a pound of fat and a pound of muscle both weigh a pound?

mellieyeg

I dont lose any weight either when i go to the gym, i went regularily and did cardio for 7 weeks 4 - 5 times a week. I stopped working out for 2 weeks and lost 8 lbs i was so floored. my body hadnt had time to properly recover for me to shed the weight. this just baffles me. maybe u need to give your body a few days of rest one week and see how you do, i didnt change my eating between when i worked out and when i didnt.

Jorra

http://m.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=how+much+does+2L+of+water+weigh&x=0&y=0

Two liters of water weighs 4.41pounds.

deksgrl

Fitness is so confusing...everyone always says maybe the scale stopped moving because muscle weighs more than fat. But doesn't a pound of fat and a pound of muscle both weigh a pound?

Yes, the difference is that muscle takes up less space than fat. But when you are working out, your muscles retain water in their repair process so the scale is not always your best indicator of progress. Use a tape measure instead.