weight increase?!

lobogris11

For a while I was using my fitness pal and I have gotten frustrated so I don't log in some days. I have gained about 20 lbs in the last year and I can not figure out how to loose them. I eat approximately 1,200 calories a day and on the days I work out I burn about 1,000 calories (based on my heart rate monitor/watch thing). For the last couple of months I have managed to maintain between 155 and 160, but I have not budged from there. I do not know if this has anything to do with net calories (which after reading other post I still don't understand. My net calories tend to be under 600 after working out. I don't know what to do, just looking at the calories in vs. out is not working. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

CyeRyn

You need to eat. Fuel those work outs.

Nikachelle

Eat more. You're not consuming enough.

michellechawner

It has a lot to do with what types of calories you are inputing (eating). Are you getting enough protein? Veggies? Fruits? Or are you drinking Beer? Empty calories are still calories!

You've probably hit a plateau... Maybe try changing up your exercises. Are you drinking enough water? Water has a lot to do either weight gain/loss/plateau, at least I've noticed it does.

If it's that time of month, you're going to plateau or even gain, no matter how many calories your netting with or without exercise.

LisforLee

If you eat 1250 and work out for 1000, that's a net of 250.

I think you should be eating more, especially the days you work out.

CMB1979

If you eat 1200 and exercise off enough to have a net of 600, then you need to eat more. You should have a net of no less than 1200 (generally the lowest cal count allowed for most people). If you eat 1200 and burn 1200, you'll have a net of zero. That means that if you are going to burn 1200, you must eat 2400 cals to get a net of 1200.

If you burn 600 cals daily, you must eat at least 1800 cals each day to net 1200.

Sounds like you're slowing your metabolism by eating so little; your body is holding on to each precious calorie because you're not giving it enough to survive those workouts and still release precious fat.

See: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less
See: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4472-metabolism-repair-mode

ldrosophila

you live off of 200 calories? Infants eat more than that

lobogris11

THANK YOU so much everyone this really helps. So this means that my net calories need to reflect the 1200 not the calories consumed. That is good to know. I also try to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, and I drink about a gallon of water a day. I will increase my calories and hopefully this will help. I feel like I should have asked 20 lbs ago.

jukyu

Calculate your TDEE instead of just defaulting to 1200 for weight loss. The body is very smart; it will adapt and compensate when in a deep deficit.

Also, 1,000 calories seems like a LOT, which HRM are you using? Many are notorious for their large margin of error...

lobogris11

I am using the polar FT4. I burn about 900-1000 in 90 minutes of work out. Can you tell me what the TDEE is please.