gaining weight after exercising more & eating less

missegarcia
missegarcia Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
Can someone explain why I am gaining weight (5lbs. to be exact) if I am eating less than 1200 calories a day and working out 4-5 days a week? I am a vegetarian who eats a pretty healthy diet devoid of meat and almost all processed foods (with the exception of chips once in awhile). I have never worked out this hard in my life. I run 3.5 miles at least 3-4 times a week, I walk a mile to warm up and cool down, and I also do the Tracy Anderson Mat workout using 1.5 weights four times a week. Using this app to tabulate my caloric intake I am consistently below 1,200 on my workout days and usually eat 1500 calories on my non-work out days. Can someone please provide me with an explanation because my motivation now is lacking. I slowly lost 20lbs, but I am now up 5lbs. This leads me at a 135lb weight at 5'2''. I am desperate to hear some expert advice. Please help. This is so frustrating. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Replies

  • AliceRabbit13
    AliceRabbit13 Posts: 138 Member
    1. Numbers on a scale are just numbers. They are, at best, a vague indicator of how you are doing.
    2. TAKE MEASUREMENTS! This far more accurate, especially as you gain dense muscle and lose the fluff.
    3. Your clothes are a good measuring tool - better than scales and more satisfying. Are your clothes fitting better than they did? More loose? Can you get into that pair of jeans that you had when you were at a good weight?
    4. You might be throwing yourself into starvation mode - when the body has too much of a deficit, it thinks it is in trouble and will try and hold onto each calorie in case it is needed. Your body doesn't know the diffference between,say, hard winter living in a cave vs hard core attempts at losing weight. It doesn't know when it's going to get its next meal, even though your mind does.
    5. Don't get discouraged! It isn't about weight, it's about being healthy, it's about feeling good, it's about taking control of your own life's choices instead of the other way around. It is NOT about what some crappy scale says.

    Good luck :)
  • ShaunShaunphenomenon
    ShaunShaunphenomenon Posts: 141 Member
    I'm not an expert in this area, but if you are losing that much weight and you are not taking in that many calories and you are doing any type of strength training then you are putting on muscle and not putting on weight rather than what you would think. I am not sure if you're aware of this but the body as a natural 'weight' which it goes between in the run of a day. I usually weigh in at 260-264 or there about depending.

    I would also start to ensure that you're not taking in too much protein as this can have adverse effects as well. I hope this helps in some way.
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
    How long have you been doing this workout schedule? If it is recent, it may be due to water retention and will go away once your body is used to the exercise.
  • surromom2010
    surromom2010 Posts: 457 Member
    1. Numbers on a scale are just numbers. They are, at best, a vague indicator of how you are doing.
    2. TAKE MEASUREMENTS! This far more accurate, especially as you gain dense muscle and lose the fluff.
    3. Your clothes are a good measuring tool - better than scales and more satisfying. Are your clothes fitting better than they did? More loose? Can you get into that pair of jeans that you had when you were at a good weight?
    4. You might be throwing yourself into starvation mode - when the body has too much of a deficit, it thinks it is in trouble and will try and hold onto each calorie in case it is needed. Your body doesn't know the diffference between,say, hard winter living in a cave vs hard core attempts at losing weight. It doesn't know when it's going to get its next meal, even though your mind does.
    5. Don't get discouraged! It isn't about weight, it's about being healthy, it's about feeling good, it's about taking control of your own life's choices instead of the other way around. It is NOT about what some crappy scale says.

    Good luck :)

    Ok, I've been in the same situation as well, I bumped up my calories like everyone else said to. (about 300ish) and keep exercising but I've now gained 2.5 lbs and my measurements are staying exactly the same..how long do you let this go before you crawl back to 1300 calories a day with your tail between your legs? My body composition looks the same as it did as well, I don't see any difference. Pretty bummed right now.
  • Telugammayi87
    Telugammayi87 Posts: 170 Member
    Eaaatttt morreee...
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Oh honey you are not eating enough, you can not sustain weight loss with your regime.

    You need to up your calories to meet your exercise.

    This is the short answer!
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    too many carbs, too little protein? also probably not eating enough calories if you're working out heavily.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    I'm only saying this because this is what they always say when I go to the doctor with any kind of ailment: Any chance you could be pregnant? LOL. Sorry but they always ask that. Oh that was to surromom since she mentioned no change in composition.

    RE OP: Have you taken actual measurements?
  • Telugammayi87
    Telugammayi87 Posts: 170 Member
    I'll add... I was working out 6 days per week about 3 hours per day (cardio and strength...) and eating 1200 calories. I would gain 5, lose 5 and repeat. Talk about frustrating. I upped my calories to 2000... YES 2000... and lost 5lbs the first week... and have been losing since... Actually when I'm going to the gym I eat about 2600 calories per day and STILL lose. I'm 5'8 and 190lb.
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
    Bump
  • wildfirediva
    wildfirediva Posts: 212
    Eat more [increase your calories]....especially protein [80-100g /day or preferably 1g protein per 1lb lean body mass]....

    Step away from the scale and take your measurements to measure progress...

    You have entered starvation mode and the body is freaking out and holding on to any calories you give it....
  • Unbruisedpeach
    Unbruisedpeach Posts: 40 Member
    bumb
  • iamyari
    iamyari Posts: 3
    So totally on the same boat here.....haven't gained but 1-2 lbs I just want to drop my final 20 lbs. seriously help!:sad: i have even been considering getting a personal trainer/gym membership

    i allow my calories to fluctuate 1200-2300, i eat vegan diet workout 5-6 times a week
  • Hadunka
    Hadunka Posts: 59 Member
    Eat more...if you log everything you eat and your exercises than your diary shows you the calories you can eat...in no case only 1200 kcal daily. I eat about 2200 kcal daily. And I´m losing...
  • Katemarie34
    Katemarie34 Posts: 144 Member
    You sound proud of eating below 1200 calories a day ON your work out day? you should be eating more. Bump up your calories, switch your work out around (if you've been doing the same thing for awhile) and you should see results. Scales are a nasty thing too- try weighing every couple of weeks, and rely on your clothes like other people have been saying as well.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    too many carbs, too little protein? also probably not eating enough calories if you're working out heavily.

    ^^^ This! Your body thinks you're starving because your calorie deficit is too big. When this happens, your body slows it's metabolism and stores what calories you are eating as fat. You need to up your calories. As a vegetarian, are you getting alternative sources of protein? A lot of vegetarians I know are protein deficient and lack muscle..muscle is necessary to burn the fat.
  • ilikecatz123
    ilikecatz123 Posts: 1
    You could be gaining muscle, Muscle weighs a lot more than fat.
  • missegarcia
    missegarcia Posts: 5
    Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I do feel more relieved and motivated.
  • missegarcia
    missegarcia Posts: 5
    Thank you so much for responding. I greatly appreciate it.
  • missegarcia
    missegarcia Posts: 5
    Great advice. Thank you!
  • missegarcia
    missegarcia Posts: 5
    I do struggle with protein intake. I know I need more. Thank you for your advice.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    super high deficit = stress = water retention masking weight loss. Also, in the long term you'll cause hormonal changes that will make your body fight against fat loss by reducing your energy expenditure. Not good.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    Many people gain as much as 10 pounds when they stat working out. The muscles retain water for healing. It will level off in about 2-3 weeks.

    So the too many carbs have been addressed. Time for beans & nuts!
  • ltkasmala
    ltkasmala Posts: 109 Member
    I agree with those who said your body is now in starvation mode. I just read an email from WebMD within the last week or two on this very topic and as crazy as it sounds, your body is holding on to whatever energy source it can because it "thinks" you are starving by eating less and burning up calories. Oddly, my daughter was here over Thanksgiving break and while I didn't eat absolutely horrible, I certainly did not eat my usual way either. I think my body needed the shock, as I have already lost two pounds from where I was prior to her visit, so eating a little more and throw in a couple pieces of candy or something along the way. I, too, am a vegetarian and those nachos and ice cream didn't hurt me a bit! :)
  • ashleysuperfly
    ashleysuperfly Posts: 44 Member
    Definitely need to eat more. You are actually supposed to eat MORE on workout days and LESS on off days. Your body could be going into starvation mode due to a deficit, and therefore holding on to calories. Also, that deficit can cause a loss in lean muscle mass which is a metabolism booster, so it's possible your metabolism is slowing down as a result. I'm not a doctor but my brother is a personal endurance trainer, and this is what he told me when I encountered something similar. Good luck!!
  • lar4290
    lar4290 Posts: 55 Member
    I think the poster meant that she netted 1200 on workout days and more on non-workout days after subtracting out the workout calories. This makes sense if you try to eat a constant amount every day.
  • krhn
    krhn Posts: 781 Member
    If you workout at a high intensity but restrain your food intake, it's possible that body may latch on to as much fat as possible as your body may think the host is starving....fight for survival basically if not, maybe water intake maybe too high but for 5 lbs that is a bit strange.... If you meet the requirements of your intake it may also mean a good thing eg. Muscle gains.... Muscle do weigh a bit as well .

Categories