I gained weight

macstuhr2006
macstuhr2006 Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I gained 3 lbs. I eat 1200 calories a day. I weigh 113 (I used to be 110) 5'1" and my goal is 105 at .5lb weight loss per week, but its not working. My fitness pal told me to eat 1200 a day. I work out everyday and burn anywhere between 400-650 (depending on what I do) What am I doing wrong. I do not eat back my calories. I am afraid if I eat more calories I will gain weight. Any advice??

Replies

  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Did you recently start a new workout program?

    Are you weighing every calorie accurately? (i.e. food scale)

    How long have you been doing this?

    How many times are you weighing yourself?

    You most likely did not gain 3 lbs. I wouldn't weigh yourself more than once a week, if that, and at the same time (morning) without clothes and without eating yet. Make sure you get an accurate assessment.

    Also, it takes 4-6 weeks to really see a change. Give it atleast that before you start questioning yourself. You're already on the small end, it takes more time to lose those last pounds.
  • TaniaB_79
    TaniaB_79 Posts: 52 Member
    Over what period did you gain 3lbs? Have a search of the forums and they will tell you if you are using MFP set goals you should eat back your exercise calories, your body may take a couple of weeks to adjust but if you are logging everything and hitting your goals then you should start to lose. If you are close to your goal it will take longer.
  • delekium
    delekium Posts: 40 Member
    bump
  • lbesaw
    lbesaw Posts: 267 Member
    I am showing a +3 this morning too. Just allowed MFP to adjust my calories down last week -100 per day. Had a few sick days and missed two workouts but calories on track. I'm not stressing, staying my course and praying for positive results next week.
  • macstuhr2006
    macstuhr2006 Posts: 4
    I have been doing this for over 3 months and I weigh everything and count everything. I weigh myself once a week every Friday, but sometime I weigh myself once or twice during the week. Since I started my weight has fluxuated from 107-113. I don't have a steady weight loss it seems to go up and down. Should I be eating more? But then I feel like I will gain but am I not eating enough?
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    I would say you are under-eating. I put your numbers in and estimated your bodyfat % and it said that your TDEE was 1865 which means what you would eat to just maintain where you are right now, and to lose weight... since you don't have much to lose would be like 1500-1600.
  • LDiScipio
    LDiScipio Posts: 11 Member
    Not eating enough will cause your metabolism to slow down.
  • SamanthaClarexo
    SamanthaClarexo Posts: 353 Member
    I would say you are under-eating. I put your numbers in and estimated your bodyfat % and it said that your TDEE was 1865 which means what you would eat to just maintain where you are right now, and to lose weight... since you don't have much to lose would be like 1500-1600.

    This. Eat more.
  • macstuhr2006
    macstuhr2006 Posts: 4
    Should I set my goal at 1500? So if MFP tells me my goal is 1200 and if I exercise and burn 472 should I be looking at my net and what should I make sure it should be at the end of the day. I am alittle confused and I just want to do this the right way.
  • borgenhaust
    borgenhaust Posts: 1
    If MFP tells you to have a net 1200 calories per day and you're eating 1200 and burning off 600 then you're not netting 1200 per day. If you drop your net intake too far your body will work to try and conserve its stores of body fat and start working against your efforts. When I started changing my eating and exercise a couple months ago, I lost 10 lbs and then hit a plateau because I was eating less than the minimum my body wanted to maintain basic function and also not eating back my exercise. Once I started eating a couple hundred calories more and then ate back what I exercised I started losing weight again. I had (and have) a lot of excess weight though so my body was ok to dispose of a chunk of it before it stopping. If it's any help, I used a basal metabolic rate (bmr) calculator to calculate the base of what I should eat, and then also eat back my exercise.
  • Annelies11
    Annelies11 Posts: 174 Member
    I would say either do 1200 but eat back exercise calories. Or, up it to about 1500 and don't eat them back, or eat them back partially. I gained 3 lbs when I upped my cal intake but it was just water weight... sometimes that just happens. Eat more, and give your body at least 6 weeks to adjust.
  • macstuhr2006
    macstuhr2006 Posts: 4
    Thanks for the advice. I changed my goal to 1400 (to see how that works) and I probably will not eat back my exercise calories and see where that takes me. I guess my fear is eating more means I will gain weight. If anyone else has any other advice to offer I would really appreciate it.

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