Not sure why I am not seeing any results...

I've been going to the gym and trying to eat better for the past few weeks...my net calories are rarely over 1200, and yet I am gaining weight...what is going on?
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Replies

  • Amber1070
    Amber1070 Posts: 106 Member
    Muscle adds weight as well. Try measuring your body and see if you see results that way. If that doesn't work take away some calories slowly until you start to see results. But don't starve yourself.
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
    Muscle adds weight as well. Try measuring your body and see if you see results that way. If that doesn't work take away some calories slowly until you start to see results. But don't starve yourself.

    Uhm... No.
    She's right, don't starve yourself.

    Muscle and fat weigh the same, muscle just takes up less room.
    If you really want some help.... let me know. I'm part of the eat more to weigh less motion. It works. ...... Unless you're short, eating that little is not a smart idea. Just sayin'. Msg me and I can help ya :flowerforyou:
  • ceceoplaymate
    ceceoplaymate Posts: 63 Member
    I am going through the exact same thing as you! Im getting sooooo annoyed!!!
  • RainbootsToBikinis
    RainbootsToBikinis Posts: 465 Member
    It's not muscle, you can not build muscle on a calorie deficit. If you're gaining you are either not in a deficit or you are retaining water. What kinds of workouts are you doing and how are you tracking your calorie burn? If you are eating back all of your exercise calories and you're over estimating what you burn then you could be eating at a surplus.

    Also if you make your diary public we can see what you are eating and be able to offer better advice.
  • Jbarbo01
    Jbarbo01 Posts: 240 Member
    It takes months to put on muscle weight not weeks so thats probably not it, but you need to give us more details. How much are you exercising and what are you eating? If you've lost almost 70 lbs already, you may just be hitting a plateau and adding a new exercise routine like HIIT training or a completely new workout can help bust through a plateau. You could also be exercising too much and eating too little, but you need to add more details for people to give you really good advice.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    Did you pick 1200 cause that's what MFP said? Figure out your BMR and TDEE then go from there. Losing takes time but you need ot make sure you're eating enough. Also, do you wear a HRM and know that you're really burning what you think you are? Food scale?

    Check out Dan's post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • arlenem1974
    arlenem1974 Posts: 437 Member
    I have read of this thing happening before. When they started eating more they started losing weight.
  • FitForeverAgain
    FitForeverAgain Posts: 330 Member
    I am going through the exact same thing as you! Im getting sooooo annoyed!!!


    STOP! Don't overthink this process. You're going to hear one hundred ideas here, some correct, some flawed some simply false. But in the end, you're doing the right things. Keep working, keep sweating, eat as cleanly as possible. The results aren't fast in the mirror, but they should be in your heart and head. It's a long, tough journey. You've just started, so don't expect the physical until you're 90 days in.

    Now stop reading posts, and go get an extra workout in.
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member

    THIS.

    It works. I am one of them.... !

    I rarely, if ever, eat less than 1700 calories a day.
  • I do cardio 3 days a week, and strength 3-4 as well. Some days I do both. I go by the machine which probably isnt the most accurate, but I'm not eating that much....the only time I have ever lost weight was eating 500 calories a day and working out 2 hours a day 4 times a week..and i gained that back.
    PLus, I'm on a birth control that is notorious for causing issues with weight :/
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    PLus, I'm on a birth control that is notorious for causing issues with weight :/

    So am I but I'm still losing-I feel like that's a myth. I think part of your problem is the 1200 calories-if you're working out that much you need to be giving your body enough fuel. Read the post I did the link for before
  • I fight this every day. But I have found when I think the scale is never going to budge. It drops. Your body takes time to work out this diet change. and I lost a bunch at first and now lucky to lose 1 lb in two weeks. Keep it up and watch your protein it will fool you. :smile:
  • I am going through the exact same thing as you! Im getting sooooo annoyed!!!


    STOP! Don't overthink this process. You're going to hear one hundred ideas here, some correct, some flawed some simply false. But in the end, you're doing the right things. Keep working, keep sweating, eat as cleanly as possible. The results aren't fast in the mirror, but they should be in your heart and head. It's a long, tough journey. You've just started, so don't expect the physical until you're 90 days in.

    Now stop reading posts, and go get an extra workout in.

    This!!

    Your body will catch up with you, just keep going!!
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
    I do cardio 3 days a week, and strength 3-4 as well. Some days I do both. I go by the machine which probably isnt the most accurate, but I'm not eating that much....the only time I have ever lost weight was eating 500 calories a day and working out 2 hours a day 4 times a week..and i gained that back.
    PLus, I'm on a birth control that is notorious for causing issues with weight :/

    Sooooo... then what are you aking? it seems like you've got it all figured out! You know that apparently, you're a unique snowflake and that starving yourself and working out like a fiend are the ONLY things that work for you. Just do that, then! Besides, birth control makes us fat...

    *sigh* :noway: :noway:
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    i wish that 1200 number would fall off the planet.

    Its like people think weight loss is on imperial measurements. 12 aint magic just cause it looks like ti fits well with days and months.

    we're all different sizes, we all need to eat different amounts.

    stupid 80s scientists
  • alexroet
    alexroet Posts: 65 Member
    Most likely you are eating more than you think. MEASURE your portions and track EVERY SINGLE THING that goes in your mouth, for starters. 1tbsp of peanut butter easily turns in to two if you don't measure, but you want it to be one, so you track one, and before you know it, you say you're eating 1200, but it's really 1800...
  • I'm only 5'1 and a half, so my BMR is only like 1588....so 1200 sounded about right for me o.o
  • I do measure what I eat; we have a food scale. ha
  • alexroet
    alexroet Posts: 65 Member
    and more importantly- give it time. You're not going to see major changes in a couple weeks.
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    As you gain muscle, your body hoardes water temporarily. It's not a gain of fat you see on the scale, don't worry. You've only been at it for a few weeks, give yourself more time. Also watch your sodium intake, it can make to retain water and blat, making you look and feel bigger than you are.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    I'm only 5'1 and a half, so my BMR is only like 1588....so 1200 sounded about right for me o.o

    If BMR=sustenance for vital organs while comatose then what dies 1200=?
  • alexroet
    alexroet Posts: 65 Member
    I do measure what I eat; we have a food scale. ha

    then maybe ask a doctor? random people on the internet can't really tell you exactly why something is or isn't working for you... all we can do is offer tips and things that have worked for us.

    But I will say that working out 2+ hours a day and eating 500 calories is NOT healthy, and is absolutely not the only way you can lose weight.
  • GurleyGirl524
    GurleyGirl524 Posts: 578 Member
    could be what you are eating. can't see your diary, but make sure you are eating the right foods. Sometimes I have to up my calories and my exercise to get the scale moving again.
  • I know it's not healthy..hence why I haven't done it since...but I havent been able to lose weight since without some serious calorie deficit. :/
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
    I'm only 5'1 and a half, so my BMR is only like 1588....so 1200 sounded about right for me o.o

    If BMR=sustenance for vital organs while comatose then what dies 1200=?

    But, DAN! She's a SNOWFLAKE!
  • mikeschratz
    mikeschratz Posts: 253 Member
    I worked out your numbers and you need to be eating more (to weigh less), you would have to be eating 2500 calories a day to be building serious muscle. Check your diary for sodium (processed foods) which will make you retain water along with lifting.

    "Mifflin-St Jeor
    (FOR WOMEN)" BMR 1,457 (you should be at least eating this)
    Maintenance 2,185 (If you want to maintain your weight)
    Cut (@ 15%) 1,857 (to lose the weight)
    Cut (@ 20%) 1,748
    Build (@ 15%) 2,513 (to gain muscle and weight)
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
    Net calories is the key... If your workouts are not as calorie burning as you are calculating and if you are off on calorie counts then you may actually be at excess calories rather than a deficit. If this is a single week that you gained after some loss then perhaps you have a rebound water retention, TOM, or your sodium intake was too high and that is causing water retention. Remember 3500 calories lost does not equal one pound its the energy in one pound of fat and it takes adipose tissue a while to diminish.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    I worked out your numbers and you need to be eating more (to weigh less), you would have to be eating 2500 calories a day to be building serious muscle. Check your diary for sodium (processed foods) which will make you retain water along with lifting.

    "Mifflin-St Jeor
    (FOR WOMEN)" BMR 1,457 (you should be at least eating this)
    Maintenance 2,185 (If you want to maintain your weight)
    Cut (@ 15%) 1,857 (to lose the weight)
    Cut (@ 20%) 1,748
    Build (@ 15%) 2,513 (to gain muscle and weight)

    This is gold!
    Perfect!

    OP when you use this set of numbers you won't eat back any cals and be sure you have rest days.
    PM any of us if you need suggestions.
  • im in the same boat too :( i havent had a real loss in months.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Wow, lots of rude people out today.

    She is eating 1200 NET and is quite small. That's entirely different than a straight 1200. She's eating back her exercise calories, so probably eating VERY close to TDEE minus 15% anyway (when I calculated it both ways, they came out VERY close).

    My suggestions are that your BMR could be overstated by the calculators. Mine, once I had it tested, was actually 10% higher, but what if yours was actually 10% lower? It very well could be.

    If you are confident in your measuring skills with your food, that just leaves your calorie burn. Possibly exaggerated by the machines. Can you get an HRM (like a Polar FT4) for any cardio workouts? Or even borrow one from someone for a week to see if the machines are off for you.

    Lastly, water retention is a possibility too. Keep at it, you're doing the right things (from what I can see on this thread anyway).