not losing...

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nycolemullins
nycolemullins Posts: 23
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been logging my calories and working out everyday for the past week. I'm on the lose 1.5 pounds a week plan, but have actually gained .5 pounds! Any possible explanations?
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Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Can you make your food diary public? Chances are the answer is in there but if we can't see it, we can't help!
  • dupaboo
    dupaboo Posts: 174 Member
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    It's hard to say since your food log isn't open and you don't disclose height, weight, what you've been eating, what kind of exercise you're doing, etc. That being said, it took my body a couple of weeks to adjust to the new changes and start doing its job. Keep at it and you'll start seeing the positive changes.
  • nycolemullins
    nycolemullins Posts: 23
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    I made my food journal public! Also, I'm 20 years old, 250 pounds and about 5'9"
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    It's been a week. Give it time.
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
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    It's been a week. Give it time.

    This:)
    weight loss is not linear
  • serenamaki
    serenamaki Posts: 37
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    Patience grasshopper!
    I've been exercising for 3 months, and I was eating ok-no weight loss but I've dropped 3 clothing sizes. Now I've cleaned up the food. I am hopeful for scale movement this week.
  • DestinationFitnessChick
    DestinationFitnessChick Posts: 76 Member
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    I would say that you need to watch your sodium. Try to limit packaged and frozen foods. Such as soups, pizzas and macarronies. I try to limited processed foods in my diet. I know it is difficult, but these foods can limit your weight loss due to sodium and other ingredients. Add in more fruits and veggies.
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
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    It's the sugar, sodium and carbs.

    Plus if you are working out you could have gained some muscle. but more than likely you are holding water.
  • nycolemullins
    nycolemullins Posts: 23
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    I do tend to be very impatient! I also wondered about the sodium...I'm a college student so prepackaged foods are easier to prepare but I will have to learn to wean myself off of these.
  • Marie31450
    Marie31450 Posts: 96 Member
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    Sometimes it's too much sodium ..try logging your sodium intake, and make sure you're drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day!
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    Do you weigh and measure everything? Do you log every bite you put in your mouth? You need to log every single day good or bad. At least at first this is important because nearly every one underestimates calories eaten and over estimates calories burned.

    I see a few of your days your over by 300-400. If your goal is to aggressive then drop your goal. That's what I did, I was consistently going over and struggling with feeling hungry when I wasn't so I changed it to 1lb a week which gave me a more reasonable number each day which made it much easier to follow the plan. You didn't put the weight on in a month your not going to get it off in a month.

    The key is "calories in < calories out = weight loss", exercise will not lose weight, diet will. Exercise will help on the calories out side of the equation and exercise will determine what your body looks like when you lose the weight but exercise can not over come a bad diet.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    It's the sugar, sodium and carbs.

    Plus if you are working out you could have gained some muscle. but more than likely you are holding water.
    In a week your not building muscle. It's difficult to build muscle on a deficit. You can make strength gains which is not the same as building new muscle.

    It takes time for your body to adjust to changes. Stick to the plan a little closer than you currently are. If eating right was easy we wouldn't all be trying to lose weight.
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
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    I do tend to be very impatient! I also wondered about the sodium...I'm a college student so prepackaged foods are easier to prepare but I will have to learn to wean myself off of these.

    Try to find Williams Country Store 60% less sodium soup mix. You can make a pot of soup and put it into containers and eat it throughout the week. It's good and is the lowest sodium soup I can find. I have a sensitivity to sodium and have to watch my intake.

    Also, opt for fruits like oranges and berries rather than bananas. they have less sugar and less carbs.
  • dschassie
    dschassie Posts: 192 Member
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    I know everyone is different when it comes to weight loss and how fast your body is catching on. Personally, I do better when I eat a really light dinner (300 calories or less) and I try to eat rather early, around 6pm. Maybe you can shift your calorie intake to a more substantial breakfast and lunch and slow things down in the afternoons?
  • c_tap77
    c_tap77 Posts: 189 Member
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    I do tend to be very impatient! I also wondered about the sodium...I'm a college student so prepackaged foods are easier to prepare but I will have to learn to wean myself off of these.

    I'm not too far out of college so I understand how you feel about the ease of prepackaged food. I'm still incredibly busy working and going for my MBA and although I'm guilty of eating Lean Cuisines when I haven't had time to prep a lunch or dinner, I've started taking a couple hours (usually on a Sunday afternoon) and baking some chicken (just throw it in while you're studying or relaxing) and steamed veggies and putting it into some plastic containers for the week. Voila! I have just made my very own prepackaged foods with a ton less yucky processed garbage in them (plus it's usually cheaper to make meals this way that to buy TV dinners!)

    Good luck!!!!!
  • DestinationFitnessChick
    DestinationFitnessChick Posts: 76 Member
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    Pre packaged for are always easier, but not as healthy. You can buy grapes, carrots, apples, and other fruits, wash them, slice them up and put them into zip lock bags. Those are easy to grab when you are in a hurry. Also you can grill a large amount of chicken or other proteins and bag those as well to eat later. Also try to make salads and put them in containers so you can grab those as well. Home made soups are a good ideas as well, you can use fresh ingredients, thus limiting your sodium. If you like pizza you can use high fiber english muffins with low fat cheese and pizza sauce for a healthy option. One of my favorite go to dinners is brown rice, zuchinni, squash and low fat cheese. I throw all this together (I use organic microwaveable rice) in a dish and bake til squash and zuchinni are tender. I divide this out in 1 cup servings and freeze. I mixed with ground turkey yesterday for a filling dinner!

    If you need other ideas I will be glad to help.
  • drnegro23
    drnegro23 Posts: 4
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    I just wanted to add that, maybe you want to measure yourself and compare those numbers to your previous measurements.
    I think this can help you track your progress. I know you want to see progress but, don't only measure it by the scale.
    I hope this helps.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    Don't eat back exercise calories. Be patient.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    You've only been at it a week.

    During the first week or so, given you're doing many changes, there is quite a bit that could be going on.

    Sodium intake will simply retain water. The only way it'll make you retain MORE water is if you increased your sodium intake. It is very rare for people to begin restricting calories and up their sodium intake. So, I will be one of the few here to say that that is not your issue at all. It is fluctuations in sodium intake that cause fluctuations in water retention.

    Exercising will generally cause extra water retention as well. This is because the body has to make extra repairs to itself and requires water for this task, as water is how most things in our body move around. Cells don't have legs.

    Stick to what you are doing now, be 100% honest with logging, try to measure everything, and ensure you get plenty of protein (25 to 30 percent of your calories should be from protein).
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    Don't weigh yourself for a couple more weeks. Weight loss isn't linear. Time of day, water retention, going to the bathroom, etc. causes weight fluctuations by as much as 5 pounds, even between morning and evening.

    When I started, I never weighed myself. The only thing I worried about was my waist-band. Too tight, not good; loose, good. Then when I finally did weigh myself, I was okay with a couple pounds lost. It will eventually add up if you stick to it.

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