Discouraged :(

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ajedrd
ajedrd Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have hesitated to make a post...but today was my motivation to reach out! Just this past week I have gained 3 pounds:sad: . I made a commitment on 9/1 to train for a 5k in 30 days. I did this!:happy: At that time I wasn't tracking my food just hoping the exercise was enough. 11/1 I decided to make my next 30 day goal and that was to continue exercising and track my eating. I have stuck to my calorie limit (most days). On the few days I am over I do extra exercise. I do take 1-2 rest days per week. I do a variety of workouts...Wii Active (cardio and band use), Wii Fit plus, running, zumba, volleyball (in the summer), hiking (in the winter), running. Now that I am on track I just don't understand why I am not making any progress. I understand muscle weighs more than fat...but it should also take up less space, but there is no difference in the way my clothes fit. The only thing I am not able to do is join a gym...the only one near me closes to early for me to make it there. Most of my workouts are done at home between 8-10pm.

HELP!!! Any suggestions/advice would be great!!!
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Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    You didn't gain 3 lbs of fat in one week. That would require an excess of 10,500 calories and it's unlikely you ate that much. Also a lb of fat is the same weight as a lb of muscle. Muscle is denser and takes up less space than fat so you might lose inches but not weight although gaining muscle while in a calorie deficit is hard to do.
  • heth120
    heth120 Posts: 32 Member
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    It could just be water retention - us girlies do tend to suffer from it. I've found my weight can vary by as much as 6lb over the course of a few days. Good luck and don't despair...its a long road we travel! :smile:
  • LovelyLifter
    LovelyLifter Posts: 560 Member
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    Muscle does not weigh more than fat.

    It could be water retention

    You could have hit a plateau

    Are you eating enough daily?
  • Belliny
    Belliny Posts: 66
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    I'm positive and absolutely sure it's not a bad weight gain! It sounds like muscle to me, you might not notice it now but if you keep going you will later, it's like weight loss, if you lose 3 lbs you are not going to notice it in you clothes at all, not until you lose a lot. do i make my point?
  • j9riter
    j9riter Posts: 20
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    No answers, but I feel your pain. I have gained 5lbs since joining a gym in September and tracking my food. My clothes don't fit any better, either. Hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel. Just now starting to bump up my calories to compensate for extra exercise, so we will see how that goes!
  • ajedrd
    ajedrd Posts: 5 Member
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    I eat roughly 1500 calories per day...and I am starving! Maybe it could be water retention? I have been drinking extra tea at work both because I am starving and my office is cold. My job is not a sitting job though, I am up walking around often. I have always been a big water drinker, so no change there.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    It is extremely unlikely that it's muscle weight. It is virtually impossible to gain that much muscle in such a short period of time. And it is impossible when eating at a deficit.

    It's more than likely fluid retention.
  • healthyformeanMona
    healthyformeanMona Posts: 143 Member
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    how's your sodium intake? hang in there, something is bound to give. like the bamboo tree. if you want more MFP friends, feel free to add me. I am on daily. MFP has been a timely godsend for me. take care. :smile: don't give up. you'll start seeing progress.
  • GypsySoul_74
    GypsySoul_74 Posts: 152 Member
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    are you able to set your diary to public so we can see it? that may give people a better place to start from when it comes to food/exercise advice. i see you say you're eating 1500 cals/day--did you establish a baseline when you first started logging food so you knew what calorie level you were starting at? i can't imagine (at that level) that you're eating more now than you did before, but it's always good to double check these things :)

    everyone is right--you haven't gained three pounds of fat in a week. it's not possible. but water-weight fluctuations that size are definitely a concern for a lot of people (especially women, especially during that time of the month). don't stress it! there could be lots of causes that have nothing to do with true weight gain. if the extra weight sticks around for a few more weeks, then i'd start to be concerned about making dietary changes. make sure you keep logging accurately so if that does happen, you have a good solid baseline to work from. good luck to you--wishing you the best!
  • justmyalias
    justmyalias Posts: 153 Member
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    If you are eating 1500 calories a day, and you're starving, you need to take a look at the kind of food you are eating, and probably re-evaluate your numbers... you may need to eat more.
  • deadmittens
    deadmittens Posts: 536 Member
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    It's very hard at times to not get discouraged. Sometimes it helps to look at old fat photos, or think about how far you've come. It also really helps to post here and talk to other's to get reencouraged and get back on track.

    Just talking about fitness/healthy living makes it easier.


    edit: OH! I almost forgot

    Look at Eat This! Not That! on twitter. It helps me IMMENSELY when I need to get back on track.
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
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    It could very well be water weight, or even a natural flux in your weight, hang in there if your doing the work it WILL pay off!!! Also I've heard that some people log their exercise at 1 calorie, apparently the estimated calorie burn from exercise is often inaccurate. So try just sticking to your calorie intake without including your exercise??

    Do you weigh yourself in the morning before breakfast? if not you should, this will help with consistency

    Good luck! Try not to be discouraged out bodies are complex and ever changing, and scales are not always reliable, hang in there things will turn around!!
  • hanniejong
    hanniejong Posts: 556 Member
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    I agree with couturekitten, if you opened your diary to the public we might be able to help you better.
  • ajedrd
    ajedrd Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks all for the feedback! As far as hitting a plateau I can't say that is happening. I have been the same weight for 5 1/2 years now, when my youngest was born. Not all bad seeing that many people creep up slowly year to year. So, the exercise I am doing is keeping me stable. I as for looking at "fat" pictures I am at my heaviest. I know I am getting healthier because my endurance is greater! I am not stuck on a number on a scale, just looking for positive change. When I started on MFP I entered all the data and to loose 1# per week it calculated my calorie needs to be 1490. I track my exercise calories burned using MFR, not 1 cal per exercise. I will try and make my food diary public. I am not ready to give up...in it for as long as it takes:happy:
  • tinytemple
    tinytemple Posts: 87 Member
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    Looking at your food diary you are definitely eating way to many carbs and far too little protein and fat! No wonder you are starving - it's the protein and fat that keeps you feeling full! Also with the exercise you are doing you are not eating enough protein to rebuild your muscles and boost your metabolism.

    Remember not all calories are equal, it's as much about what food you eat as it is about how much food you eat. I think you really need to re-evaluate the type and quality of food that you are eating. I personally am at the point where I don't have to worry about counting calories everyday because I know that I can't go too far wrong with the kinds of food I ate (I follow the primal/paleo way of eating).

    Hope that helps a bit:)
  • tntgal2
    tntgal2 Posts: 26
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    I just browsed your diary over the past few weeks and have a few suggestions. First, don't give up! I spent the last few years " resolving" to lose weight but it was this past May when I started recording everything, substituting high fiber veggies for junk, and exercising more. At 55 years old, it's been slow but steady.

    I THINK from your diary that you're a vegetarian (vegan?)? Most days you seem light on protein, and protein helps you feel fewer hunger cravings. If you have a smartphone get the Whole Foods app - it has lots or vegetarian recipes and each has nutritional content. I know those nutrigrain bars are fast, but try to set yourself up at breakfast with something more filling. I like FiberOne cereal with almond milk. Whole wheat tortilla with fat free refried beans and a sprinkle of cheese is good. If you eat eggs, it's quicker than you think to scramble an egg plus a few egg whites , fill a wheat tortilla, and some salsa.

    I like pears too, but consider apples, blueberries, peaches (available frozen), citrus.. And you've got to amp up those veggies!! They're packed with nutrients and low in calories, which helps fill you up. Try a big green salad for lunch - add hard boiled egg or some chickpeas for protein, and dress it with a bit of salsa plus sour cream and a TINY bit of sweet relish - it's like a 1000 island dressing with far fewer calories. Try an apple instead of the applesauce.

    Be sure to WEIGH your food. I use a digital kitchen scale and I realized my version of an ounce of cheese was way off. I love cheese but limit it and try to pile on lettuce and tomatoes when I have a sandwich. I also always underreport my calorie count from exercise because I don't want to overcompensate. That said, I do a 2 hour workout most weekends and eat more then so I don't feel deprived. I've learned to love my big salads and veggies and rarely feel starved. The occasional times my stomach growls at me, I drink a full glass of water before eating.

    Stick with it and try to eat a little healthier by slowly subbing more natural, high fiber and nutrient foods, and you'll start to see results. Good luck!
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    I can "gain" (or lose!) 3 pounds from one day to the next, more over the course of a week, just because of water retention / too much sodium / alcohol / whatever. You've got to look at the long term trends in your weight, and not get hung up on a single week. If your endurance is improving I'm sure you're doing awesome!

    But like other people have said, protein and fat are what keeps you full longer, so if you're starving I'd consider add more of that to your diet. If that doesn't work, you could always consider adding an extra 100-200 calories to your day. I did that - I went from grumpy and miserable at the lower amount to energetic and (still losing, albeit slowly) at the higher amount. You'll be fine :)
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    Do you eat your exercise calories back? I have found that when I do, I don't lose anything. I eat them back on the weekends only (and usually stay under my cals during the week) and I lose an average of 4 pounds per month. It's different for everyone though, and might not work for you since you're already starving. Play around with it a little, and just know that it takes a long time. I know it's frustrating.
  • mstocks80
    mstocks80 Posts: 16 Member
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    If you are eating 1500 calories a day, and you're starving, you need to take a look at the kind of food you are eating, and probably re-evaluate your numbers... you may need to eat more.

    This. Your metabolism is telling you something! Feed it and it will work for you :)
  • Jdeq48
    Jdeq48 Posts: 2
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    Sounds like water weight to me. About a month ago I did a 150 mile bike race, after the race i was 13 lb heavy, i was back to normal in 3 or so days. when you subject your body to lots of stress, its response is water. Limit your sodium and HFCS intake, be consistent in your diet, work out at least 3X a week and I promise you will lose weight. As some encouragement, i did just that and went from 295lb to 203lb in a year. the key is consistency, no compromises!

    Good Luck!

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