Am I being impatient?

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jentyler2001
jentyler2001 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?
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  • neretete
    neretete Posts: 30
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    I know that when I started REALLY working out, as opposed to just walking, I also picked up a bit of weight. I researched it online and found a bunch of places that stated that your muscles will retain water to try to protect themselves when you first start. That could last a few weeks. Give it another week or so and I'm guessing you will see some nice losses! Also, do your measurements so you can see if you're making progress there. That is really more important than your actual weight!
  • jentyler2001
    jentyler2001 Posts: 5 Member
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    I have considered measuring but then I figured if I was losing inches I would be able to tell by how my clothes were fitting. I guess its worth a shot!
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Probably. 3 months is 12 weeks. 1 lb/week is excellent sustained progress. I'd adjust your expectations.

    First, 1200 calories sounds like way too little for you, if you're working out that much and "sometimes" eat back 1/3 of the calories.

    Second, forget the scale variations. I can vary 161-167 in a single day, and still be the exactly same size. Take measurements and pics. They're far more important than the scale. Lots of people do the the 30DS and the change is amazing, often without a single pound lost.

    It sounds like you're trying to lose as fast as possible in order to hit 20 pounds in 3 months by undereating and overworking.
  • jentyler2001
    jentyler2001 Posts: 5 Member
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    Hmmm, yeah you're probably right. I have the 30DS but haven't used it yet. So tonight I will take measurements and pics and maybe eat a few more calories. I would be happy with 12 pounds, or even ten pounds but seeing the +2 is just so discouraging. I think I am too scale obsessed and I should probably stop that. Do you think 1 liter of water is enough?
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    If a minor fluctuations like +2 bug you like this, then stop weighing so often, or at all.

    That's only 1% of your body weight. I wish I could come up with an analogy, but your body is supposed to make these adjustments. You eat and store food, you store and excrete water, all that stuff is normal and it's what keeps you alive.

    Say this until it sinks in: "A pound of weight is on the scale NOT A POUND OF EXCESS BODYFAT."

    (I took a strange approach - for the longest time, I didn't weigh at all. I would go to the doctor's office quarterly, and then realize I lost another 5-10 pounds each time. Then I did the opposite, bought a scale and went all in. Weighed every day and realized how the fluctuations work, so they don't bug me at all. My pants fit just fine even if I'm up +7 pounds.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
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    I was eating 1200 cals for a long time then my weight loss grinded to a hault for 3 months i was working out daily and still not losing weight i upped my cals to 1500 and eating back my cals wham the weightloss started again
  • mamosh81
    mamosh81 Posts: 409 Member
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    Hmmm, yeah you're probably right. I have the 30DS but haven't used it yet. So tonight I will take measurements and pics and maybe eat a few more calories. I would be happy with 12 pounds, or even ten pounds but seeing the +2 is just so discouraging. I think I am too scale obsessed and I should probably stop that. Do you think 1 liter of water is enough?

    i dont think 1 liter is enough specially with working out so much i drink around 3-4 liters but i also dont drink anything else but water

    "edit" could be also the reason why you feel constant hunger its that you are really thirsty i upped my water intake pretty much from 0 to that amount and i feel so much better, hair looks better, skin looks better (i never drank enough).

    Ohh and i am same hight as you and eat roughly same calories
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Your expectations are a bit unrealistic.

    Are you 100% sure you're eating 1200 calories? Weighing and measuring everything and all that?
  • Ashshell
    Ashshell Posts: 185
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    Don't eat back your exercise calories. But yes...you will see weight fluctuation due to water retention during muscle recovery.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
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    i agree on the water. I drink at least 4 liters a day, but I'm a thirsty girl. If I had a choice, I'd take fluids over food.
  • Ashshell
    Ashshell Posts: 185
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    Also, a lot of people will tell you that your expectations are unrealistic and you should be eating more than 1200 calories. If it works for you, it's perfectly fine. I eat 1200-1300 calories per day and am completely satisfied. I never eat back my exercise calories and I typically lose 1.5-2lbs. per week. I am down 16lbs in 6 weeks and I am definitely not undereating or starving myself. I'm also not in a rush to lose weight, but I'm not going to complain about it coming off easily. Everyone is different and you just have to find what works for your body.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?
    Your BMR is 1661. If you include your exercise along with your daily activity, you're probably well over 2100+ TDEE. Try eating your BMR.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • mamosh81
    mamosh81 Posts: 409 Member
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    i agree on the water. I drink at least 4 liters a day, but I'm a thirsty girl. If I had a choice, I'd take fluids over food.

    heh i am now the same way i carry around my little 0,5 water bottle with me all day just sucking on it

    and yeah everybody his own way i tried upping my calories and found my "maintains calories of 1500" i didnt move the scale for almost 2 months but later i found out i got tyroid problems and insulin resistent pcos. But i am doing fine on 1200 not starving and losing about 2lbs a week.

    So try what works for you, up your water and see if you still always hungry you should up the calories a bit
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    of course youre always hungry if you are on 1200 calories LOL
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
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    So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?

    Are you ONLY doing HIIT's? your body can get used to the high intensity, maybe try slowing it down and adding some weight training. MIX it up.
  • whiteoutpen
    whiteoutpen Posts: 212 Member
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    I don't think you're eating enough. I started at 230 5'6 F, and my beginning calories at a sedentary activity rate were over 1800. Now, at 210, my goal to maintain weight when working out 5 days per week is 2772. At a 25% deficit, I should still be eating 2079 and losing weight.

    Assuming you're a female, you should be eating around 1900 calories at least. That's a 30% deficit, which is a lot. That includes your exercise calories, I believe. So I think your body is probably going into starvation mode. You're not really helping yourself lose weight. You're just making it harder on your body.

    Plus, if you were to lose all your weight eating 1200 cals per day, do you really think you could keep that up for the rest of your life? How you lose weight is how you're going to maintain it.
  • Julesbait
    Julesbait Posts: 190 Member
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    So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?

    Off topic question - what DVDs do you use?
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
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    Your expectations are a bit unrealistic.

    Are you 100% sure you're eating 1200 calories? Weighing and measuring everything and all that?

    I disagree... 3 mos and lose 20 pounds? 3 mos is 12 weeks... she can average 2 pounds a week... its VERY realistic
  • nicolie81587
    nicolie81587 Posts: 75 Member
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    I had to up my calories in order to start loosing more weight because I was working out also, maybe that's what you need to do?
  • jhstroebel
    jhstroebel Posts: 49 Member
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    If a minor fluctuations like +2 bug you like this, then stop weighing so often, or at all.

    That's only 1% of your body weight. I wish I could come up with an analogy, but your body is supposed to make these adjustments. You eat and store food, you store and excrete water, all that stuff is normal and it's what keeps you alive.

    Say this until it sinks in: "A pound of weight is on the scale NOT A POUND OF EXCESS BODYFAT."

    (I took a strange approach - for the longest time, I didn't weigh at all. I would go to the doctor's office quarterly, and then realize I lost another 5-10 pounds each time. Then I did the opposite, bought a scale and went all in. Weighed every day and realized how the fluctuations work, so they don't bug me at all. My pants fit just fine even if I'm up +7 pounds.

    This... all this. If you are just starting out you can choose to take 1 of 2 approaches... 1. weigh yourself weekly, this way you will see progress through the fluctuations that happen throughout the week OR 2. weigh yourself more often and realize your bodyweight will fluctuate for any number of reasons and it might help you not worry about the ups and downs. I went with #2 and now weigh myself daily, every morning after my shower before any food or drink. Doing it at the same time right at the beginning of the day seems to help with the fluctuations and will have me weighing in likely at my lightest.

    As for your intake, listen to ninerbuff... You need to eat more to begin with and then eat back most of your exercise calories. Most people (me included) think that the bigger the deficit, the faster you will lose the weight, but it doesn't really work that way... Your body will hold on to fat and start breaking down muscle which will leave you as a skinny fat person... Surely not what you want either! You'll lose weight and probably stay at the same BF%...

    Remember, this is a journey that doesn't have any shortcuts either in exercise or diet. Put in the work, eat the right things in the right amounts to fuel your body while still eating at a deficit to help you lose the weight you want to lose. You'll get there, don't worry about it. Good luck!

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