Diet + Exercise = weight gain?

ashleyjea1985
ashleyjea1985 Posts: 190
in Health and Weight Loss
I lost about 10 these past couple months due to diet alone.


I try to eat around 1200 calories. I have joined a gym recently and work out.

I started on Monday at 141 lb and now I'm at 143. How is that even possible?!

Replies

  • AnnDenny
    AnnDenny Posts: 172 Member
    My weight fluctuates around 5 pounds in a few days.... even more during a certain time of the month. Even if I weigh myself every day, I only count for once a week so that these fluctuations don't upset me.
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
    water weight .. stop weighing yourself so much ... maybe try once every other week or once a month
  • vendygirl
    vendygirl Posts: 718 Member
    You probably are retaining water. Besides it is 2lbs. The body weight goes up and down. Don't stress too much.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    water weight .. stop weighing yourself so much ... maybe try once every other week or once a month
    agreed.

    Are you taking progress pictures and measurements? If not, I recommend it. Far more effective for measuring progress and far better for the ego.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
    totally normal, it is water. As a result of the new exercise routine your muscles are a little inflamed and holding more water. Relax, don't worry, keep working out.

    The day after a hard work out I've been up 4-5 lbs.
  • spramn
    spramn Posts: 67 Member
    Agree with all of above, scales should not be your only tool in measuring progress. So many factors!

    I personally think the Mirror is the best tool we have to measure progress, followed by weekly photos =)

    However i am curious, are you eating back the calories you supposedly burned in the workout? Is the 1200 calories the Gross amount of calories that are inbound to your body?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Water weight and under eating.. If you are active, 1200 calories is NOT enough for a person. You should probably be closer to 1700 calories once you eat back exercise calories.

    BTW, if you haven't started weight training, it's a good idea.. This is where you will see the greatest changes in your body composition.
  • ashleyjea1985
    ashleyjea1985 Posts: 190
    my muscles are SOOO sore, so that makes sense. Thanks!!
  • ashleyjea1985
    ashleyjea1985 Posts: 190
    <<<<<<However i am curious, are you eating back the calories you supposedly burned in the workout? Have your increased anything with your calorie intake?>>>

    I try not to eat them back, if I do, its only like 1/2. I dont see the point in working out if im just going to eat extra calories and waste the time i devoted to BURNING calories???
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    Are you strength training?
    Are you eating alot of sodium?
    Did you weigh yourself at the same time of the day each time?

    There's alot of reasons why you could have a 2 lb weight fluctuation.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    <<<<<<However i am curious, are you eating back the calories you supposedly burned in the workout? Have your increased anything with your calorie intake?>>>

    I try not to eat them back, if I do, its only like 1/2. I dont see the point in working out if im just going to eat extra calories and waste the time i devoted to BURNING calories???

    Diet is weight loss, exercise is fitness and muscle retention. If you don't want to eat back exercise calories, then set your account to moderately active. You have greater caloric requirements when you exercise.
  • abbybean11
    abbybean11 Posts: 122 Member
    If you are trying to lose weight, only eat the calories back that you burned if you're hungry. Otherwise, you're fine not eating them (I lost 50 pounds on 1200 cals a day while working out).
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    <<<<<<However i am curious, are you eating back the calories you supposedly burned in the workout? Have your increased anything with your calorie intake?>>>

    I try not to eat them back, if I do, its only like 1/2. I dont see the point in working out if im just going to eat extra calories and waste the time i devoted to BURNING calories???

    MFP (or wherever you got the 1200 calorie goal from) already calculated a deficit for you. That deficit is where the weight loss comes from. When you exercise, you increase that deficit. Depending on how big the deficit gets, this may or may not be a bad thing. Considering you are already eating low, increasing the deficit probably isn't helping you. Eat them back.


    *** edited for type-o ***
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    If you are trying to lose weight, only eat the calories back that you burned if you're hungry. Otherwise, you're fine not eating them (I lost 50 pounds on 1200 cals a day while working out).

    Surely if it worked for you it's got to be good advice.
  • serenapitala
    serenapitala Posts: 441 Member
    <<<<<<However i am curious, are you eating back the calories you supposedly burned in the workout? Have your increased anything with your calorie intake?>>>

    I try not to eat them back, if I do, its only like 1/2. I dont see the point in working out if im just going to eat extra calories and waste the time i devoted to BURNING calories???

    MFP (or wherever you got the 1200 calorie goal from) already calculated a deficit for you. That deficit is where the weight gain comes from. When you exercise, you increase that deficit. Depending on how big the deficit gets, this may or may not be a bad thing. Considering you are already eating low, increasing the deficit probably isn't helping you. Eat them back.

    I swear it seems counterintuitive but this ↑↑ is right. It takes energy to burn energy. Sometimes I have to remind myself to eat those calories back. I do 1200+ whatever I burned off. I'm down 49 lbs so far.
    I wouldn't worry about the two pounds. Weight fluctuates like that.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member


    I try not to eat them back, if I do, its only like 1/2. I dont see the point in working out if im just going to eat extra calories and waste the time i devoted to BURNING calories???

    MFP sets your calories so that you would lose the weight without doing any exercise, just by modifying your diet alone. When you do exercise, you need to eat extra for fuel.

    Edit: for typo
  • jeanine89
    jeanine89 Posts: 95 Member
    WATER/ TIME OF MONTH / TIME OF DAY WEIGHING YOURSELF / FAT TURNING TO MUSCLE

    * try taking your measurements these are more accurate, I only lost 0.6 pounds this week even though I went to the gym everyday and was eating under my calories but I lost 3.5 inches total
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    If you are trying to lose weight, only eat the calories back that you burned if you're hungry. Otherwise, you're fine not eating them (I lost 50 pounds on 1200 cals a day while working out).

    Have you tracked your body composition? Do you know how much is fat vs lean body mass? Weight loss is not all the same. Look at the link below. ON the left, weight loss, on the rate, fat loss. Unfortunately, too many women get involved in picking an erroneous number and don't realize the benefits of having more muscle. Because muscle = lean.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • LittleMissRainey
    LittleMissRainey Posts: 440 Member
    Have you pooped yet?
  • derekj222
    derekj222 Posts: 370 Member
    Also, eat more since you are working out now, too.
  • tclay3167
    tclay3167 Posts: 5 Member
    Have you pooped yet?

    THAT is the best post I have seen in awhile. LOL!
  • hanniejong
    hanniejong Posts: 556 Member
    It is more likely fluid but when first exercising we gain muscle and muscle weighs, however it soon levels out so don't worry about it.

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