Feeling frustrated & defeated with my progress

Sweetface421

I started MFP the week before Christmas, so I've been here for about a month.
I did really well in tracking my food and began working out at the gym again. Then we all got sick over the holidays (I had the flu & pneumonia and both my kids had the flu) and I dropped the ball in tracking food, but wasn't really hungry anyway. I lost 5 pounds by the end of December. I've stayed there for a week or so with no movement, even though I was conscious of what I was eating.

This past week I've really upped my exercise - I've committed myself to taking four classes a week at the Y that are at least 45-60 minutes long and only ones that will kick my azz - and I've been tracking my food intake and drinking my water and always have a deficit but I have lost NOTHING this week.
In fact, I've GAINED back 2 pounds of the 5 that I lost.

Is there something I'm doing wrong?
Note: all the terms like TDR and BMR and TDEE and whatnot are like a foreign language to me - layman's terms, please

AnvilHead

...This past week I've really upped my exercise - I've committed myself to taking four classes a week at the Y that are at least 45-60 minutes long and only ones that will kick my azz - and I've been tracking my food intake and drinking my water and always have a deficit but I have lost NOTHING this week.
In fact, I've GAINED back 2 pounds of the 5 that I lost...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/595473-why-the-scale-goes-up-with-a-new-workout-program-must-read

lawandfitness

...This past week I've really upped my exercise - I've committed myself to taking four classes a week at the Y that are at least 45-60 minutes long and only ones that will kick my azz - and I've been tracking my food intake and drinking my water and always have a deficit but I have lost NOTHING this week.
In fact, I've GAINED back 2 pounds of the 5 that I lost...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/595473-why-the-scale-goes-up-with-a-new-workout-program-must-read

Great Article!! Thanks for posting, this is very encouraging for anyone who has upped their fitness at the beginning of 2013!!!

DeanBurrows

Do you weigh yourself first thing in the morning after your wee?
DOMS is another reason this could happen like the article states.

Not only that, the Flu would of removed your water and possible Glycogen levels which in turn would of made you lose that much weight that fast.

I started the Keto diet a few weeks back and i lost 6lbs in 2 days of Water.
Don't worry about the weight so much, it's how you look.

Greenrun99

You were sick and lost 5 lbs, when you get back into your routine normally you are going to regain some if not most of that.. your body was fighting an infection and you weren't really eating.. Gotta give it time, be patient.

GrnEyes839

Just my .02 here but I had the exact same problem. I tracked, exercised and it went up. I was so ready to give up and just go back to eating what I wanted and not worrying about it.
But, after researching a bit and asking the doctor he said.. "Throw that damn scale away! It's not about pounds, go by how your clothes fit. Can you run without wanting to die? How do you feel? More energy?" And after I thought about it, he was right. I had lost inches, not necessarily pounds. My clothes were loose. People had started asking if I was losing. I kept at it, and since have gone down 4 pants sizes, and the only reason I weigh is because my health insurance requires anyone over 30 bmi to go to Weight Watchers or use a pedometer. I opted for Weight Watchers for the recipes and not having to plug in the darn pedometer every day.
Keep up the good work, it will pay off.

Skratchie

Looking at your diary, you're not really eating enough to keep you going at the levels you're trying to exercise. Eat a little more, lose a bit of weight. :-)

MightyDomo

Just my .02 here but I had the exact same problem. I tracked, exercised and it went up. I was so ready to give up and just go back to eating what I wanted and not worrying about it.
But, after researching a bit and asking the doctor he said.. "Throw that damn scale away! It's not about pounds, go by how your clothes fit. Can you run without wanting to die? How do you feel? More energy?" And after I thought about it, he was right. I had lost inches, not necessarily pounds. My clothes were loose. People had started asking if I was losing. I kept at it, and since have gone down 4 pants sizes, and the only reason I weigh is because my health insurance requires anyone over 30 bmi to go to Weight Watchers or use a pedometer. I opted for Weight Watchers for the recipes and not having to plug in the darn pedometer every day.
Keep up the good work, it will pay off.

:flowerforyou: Well said.

You cannot always tell weight loss by looking at the scale, if clothes fit more loose and you have more energy and feel stronger, not to mention have better endurance then it is working. Your diet and exercise have been doing it's job.