Just starting out and GAINED weight

cyork10

Hi All,

I haven't been keeping track of my calories on here because I'm more of a paper and pencil type of girl when it comes to that, but I cut my calories down to 1200/day. I am currently at 230 lbs which is the heaviest I have ever been. I went from not working out at all to running 5x/week and burning 300+ calories and lifting. After the first week I gained 4 lbs. I decided to push through to the second week and gained another 4 lbs. I portion all my food out using a food scale and stick to my 1200 calories a day. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening and how I can change it?

I'm trying to be optimistic because I have lost a lot of weight in the past without difficulties, but if I am making a healthy lifestyle change, I would like my body to reflect on that.

Thank you for your help!

firstsip

If you are being accurate with your calories consumed, as well as your calories burned, then I'd say it's probably just water retention; depending on your height, 4-8 lbs could all be water weight from your body adjusting to a new routine If you went from nothing to WHAM, weight lifting/cardio, your muscles are going to be retaining water until they become more acclimated to your exercise program.

To avoid it? Give your body time. Keep doing what you're doing, try upping water intake, make sure you're tracking more than calories (which is why MFP diary system is nice to have), as sodium, and even sugar and/or carbs, can contribute to bloating/water retention.

However, you've been on here for more than two years, and you're saying you "just started out"; were you perhaps having issues NOT tracking on here? Was there a lack of exercise? Was 1200 calories too steep a deficit to sustain?

cyork10

I created the account 2 years ago when I first started working full time, but due to a job where I was working 80 hours a week I stopped tracking everything because it was too time consuming and after a year and a half there put on too much weight so I quit for health reasons. I am now trying to get back into shape so I can run a half marathon next fall. My height is 5'9 so I'm not sure how much that would impact water weight.

Robin_Bin

Why are you eating that little? I doubt MFP or any of the alternative roadmaps suggested that. As firstsip suggests, it's probably water retention -- either due to the muscle work or perhaps you're eating too much sodium or not drinking enough fluids.

If you want to make a healthy lifestyle adjustment and maintain it long term, it's probably best to do it more gradually and not to make drastic, unsustainable changes.

At your weight and the exercise levels you describe, you are not eating nearly enough.

Here's a collection of advice and links to good posts: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/how-to-use-myfitnesspal-427993 Hope it helps!

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

If you are being accurate with your calories consumed, as well as your calories burned, then I'd say it's probably just water retention; depending on your height, 4-8 lbs could all be water weight from your body adjusting to a new routine If you went from nothing to WHAM, weight lifting/cardio, your muscles are going to be retaining water until they become more acclimated to your exercise program.

To avoid it? Give your body time. Keep doing what you're doing, try upping water intake, make sure you're tracking more than calories (which is why MFP diary system is nice to have), as sodium, and even sugar and/or carbs, can contribute to bloating/water retention.

However, you've been on here for more than two years, and you're saying you "just started out"; were you perhaps having issues NOT tracking on here? Was there a lack of exercise? Was 1200 calories too steep a deficit to sustain?

^^ this! When you start a new regime of increasing exercise it tears the muscles (not dangerous like it sounds) and with the way they heal (which helps muscles strengthen and over time grow) they retain water to help them along the way. I personally think 1200 calories may be a little low as from past experience I suffered with this and eventually hit a plateau, I can't say you should increase because it's your body, would just be my recommendation.

Another thing I would suggest is measuring body fat levels so you can keep track of the progress you are making and also take measurements. The scales do not always define all the successes you're making. Just keep it up for a while and avoid the scales for a couple more weeks and you will see a change in no time

firstsip

I created the account 2 years ago when I first started working full time, but due to a job where I was working 80 hours a week I stopped tracking everything because it was too time consuming and after a year and a half there put on too much weight so I quit for health reasons. I am now trying to get back into shape so I can run a half marathon next fall. My height is 5'9 so I'm not sure how much that would impact water weight.

Well, depending on how tall you are can help us reading your story know what your weight means; a 5' woman who weighs 80 lbs is most likely not going to gain 4-8 lbs in water weight unless edema, or serious PMS, is involved. 5'9" at 230 makes more sense for bloat/water retention at that number (as opposed to actual weight gain in 1-2 weeks).

primal7

Sounds like you might not be consuming enough calories so your body has gone into starvation mode.
Remember you are now building muscle which weighs more than fat with the increase of exercise.
I would look at increasing your calorie intake with "real food" and go with measurements as another possible way of measuring your weight loss.

Iron_warrior33

Just curious, do you know you're body fat % and what type of work do you do?

blanhe2

You are not eating enough unless you are eating your exercise calories.

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

Just curious, do you know you're body fat % and what type of work do you do?

I would recommend going to a pharmacy where they usually have scales that will measure body fat levels and they are usually pretty accurate. You should be able to keep an eye on it.

Or try http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/ Might not be as acurate but it's an idea of where you are right now.

I personally doubt you would hit starvation mode so soon since it would take a few weeks for your body to go into "Survivor" mode, but still your body may not be happy with such a drastic change, make sure you log EVERYTHING. This is including any oil or sauces you may use, and drinks you may have etc to make sure you really are hitting your quota and if you feel comfortable enough try and higher them a little. Your BMR (Basic metabolic rate) should be the bare minimum of net calories you consume a day and mine is a little over 1400 so I make sure to never eat under. These calories are needed to keep all your organs ticking over such as heart, brain etc. They can't run on very little fuel.

Check your BMR here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator and remember, BMR Is the minimum you should be eating, I usually eat around 1600 to 1900 depending on how much I exercise and lose weight pretty well in this, but every body is different so can't swear to you that would work.

MoreBean13

I agree with what the above posters have said- it's probably not enough calories, you should follow the roadmap, and it's likely water retention. Another possibility is that sometime when adjusting to a new diet our bodies have trouble at first with digestion that could leave you constipated, which could cause temporary weight gain. A specific example would be if you increased your fiber but didn't increase your fluid intake enough, that could leave you with some extra...baggage, lol.

That said, is there any chance you have insulin resistance, hypertension, PCOS or similar metabolic condition that might benefit from a specialty diet?

My recommendation would be to drink a good amount of water, readjust your calories based on the roadmap, and keep an eye on your sodium.

MoreBean13

Sounds like you might not be consuming enough calories so your body has gone into starvation mode.
Remember you are now building muscle which weighs more than fat with the increase of exercise.
I would look at increasing your calorie intake with "real food" and go with measurements as another possible way of measuring your weight loss.

This is all pretty unlikely. Starvation mode is a long-term condition, that certainly would not cause weight gain in a week. Muscle gain never happens at the same time as starvation mode- muscle can't be made of thin air, and if you're starving the whole idea is that your body is prioritizing calories for essential body function and slowing down unnecessary functions to conserve calories- for sure NOT building new tissue. And under ideal muscle building conditions, the best that could be expected would be less than 1 lb in a week (likely a lot less), certainly never 4 lbs. Even with steroids 4 lbs would be unreasonable for a woman in a week.

It's either water or undigested food if her calorie tracking is accurate.

I agree with getting a tape measure to take other measurements to track progress though. In my first 6 weeks I didn't lose a single lb, but I lost several inches from my waist. Without knowing that, I might have erroneously fiddled around and cut my calories too low, messing with a plan that was actually working.

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

Maths time! (always makes me feel better if I see a rise on the scales )

You gained 8 lbs is 2 weeks
A lb of fat is 3500

8 x 3500 = 28000
28000 divided / 14 (days) = 2000

Now unless you haven't been counting your calories right and have been consuming around 4000 calories a day, there is no way this is weight gain through fat, so just up your calories as suggested, measure inches and body fat and you'll be fine. Good luck!

cm190

Quite in the same predicament, though I guess I've more or less been off and on here on MFP for a few months. Gained a lot of weight this year, and in the past few months my weight has fluctuated.

Definitely try to stay on track and consistent with updating your daily report and check your math. Don't feel like you have to restrict yourself to 1200 especially if you've started exercising! I find my weight fluctuated the most when I cut myself to 1200 (though I cheat a lot).

If you need a friend, add me! I've just started trying to be a part of the online community here, looking forward to it! Keep up the work outs!!!