I must be doing something wrong!

aguilpul
aguilpul Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Diet and exersise for the last two weeks and the result is...one extra pound -_-
I feel terrible. If I were eating whatever and doing nothing I would understand, but when you have actually worked out,
when you've been sticking to the number of calories you're supposed to eat. Logging on the food diary and even
starting to feel good about yourself and then to see that stupid number on the scale...aggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.
I'm so mad, so disapointed at myself. Sorry for the rant.

Replies

  • Suedlotofem
    Suedlotofem Posts: 4
    Same!

    I haven't actually gained anything, but have been on or just over 1000 cals for about 3 weeks, and am doing a lot more excercise than I ususally do (usually do nothing) - and have only lost 3lbs. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Same!

    I haven't actually gained anything, but have been on or just over 1000 cals for about 3 weeks, and am doing a lot more excercise than I ususally do (usually do nothing) - and have only lost 3lbs. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.

    Why are you eating at 1000 calories?
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Find your numbers and eat the appropriate amount. Find your TDEE and your BMR. Ensure you are eating in between there. Also ensure you are getting adequate protein and water.

    When changing your diet and/or work out routine, you will retain a lot of water for a couple weeks as your body adjusts.
  • quietlywinning
    quietlywinning Posts: 889 Member
    It sounds like natural fluctuations - water weight - not real weight gain. Just keep going and weigh again next week. You'll probably be down 2 pounds by then.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    Diet and exersise for the last two weeks and the result is...one extra pound -_-
    I feel terrible. If I were eating whatever and doing nothing I would understand, but when you have actually worked out,
    when you've been sticking to the number of calories you're supposed to eat. Logging on the food diary and even
    starting to feel good about yourself and then to see that stupid number on the scale...aggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.
    I'm so mad, so disapointed at myself. Sorry for the rant.

    The only thing you are doing wrong (that I can see) is that you aren't giving it enough time
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Open your diary so people can actually help.
  • Classyandra
    Classyandra Posts: 74 Member
    Give it more time and make sure you Log everything! It will come off!
  • kcallas88
    kcallas88 Posts: 192
    You're definitely not eating anywhere near the calories you should be eating. Your body is going into what a lot of people refer to as "starvation mode" where you metabolism drops dramatically and your body stops using fat for energy. I got stuck in the same plateau and started eating 1600 calories a day, sometimes more. And BAM, the weight started dropping again. i've only been doing it two weeks but its been a two lb difference.
  • Nelkie
    Nelkie Posts: 2 Member
    Its happened to me before but then the following week I started to lose a lot of weight and continued to do so with the diet and exercise. Don't forget that some of the newly acquired weight might not be fat. Also make sure you're not eating too little calories as your body will start storing these. Just stick with what you're doing. I'm sure it will be ok
  • paulywoo
    paulywoo Posts: 169 Member
    Same!

    I haven't actually gained anything, but have been on or just over 1000 cals for about 3 weeks, and am doing a lot more excercise than I ususally do (usually do nothing) - and have only lost 3lbs. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.

    You should be eating a "minimum" of 1200 calories a day and extra for the calories you're burning through exercise. I don't know how you can cope on 1000 calories a day but it isn't healthy.
  • Rachlmale
    Rachlmale Posts: 640 Member
    January 2nd - lots of new members
    January 23rd - lots of people weighing too often and disappointed in their lack of loss.

    Give it time! 2 weeks is not long enough for your body to show dramatic changes. You felt good about yourself... but then weighed and now feel demotivated? Then don't weigh, surely the point in all this is to feel good about yourself. Keep that good feeling!
  • mlm56415641
    mlm56415641 Posts: 6
    You're not doing anything wrong. If you started a really hard exercise program that's just how she goes. For 10 days nothing happened except I spent a lot of time doing Insanity. Then boom 3 pounds in 5 days. Weight loss is strange sometimes. But keep up the hard work even though its frustrating and focus on how much stronger you're getting rather than how much you're losing for now.
  • meredithaloring
    meredithaloring Posts: 9 Member
    Don't get too hung up on the number on the scale, as your weight can fluctuate majorly because of hormone levels and water retention. If I were you I would focus on the diet and exercise, try to find a combo that makes you feel GOOD and stick with it. The weight will come off eventually. It does take some time to feel good with a new diet and exercise routine, make sure you stick with it for a couple of weeks before you write it off completely.

    Also, you may be overestimating your burn and underestimating your calorie intake (most people do).

    Last, the types of food you eat matter! Stay away from simple carbs (SUGARS and most STARCHES) and eat lean protein, good fats and, of course, VEGGIES! The simple carbs spike your blood sugar, which makes the calories get stored as fat. They also give you highs and lows that effect your willpower in a serious way. Once you detox from the sugars, I bet you will feel MUCH better.
  • LouPsych
    LouPsych Posts: 30 Member
    Sounds like too few calories and your body is in survival mode! From past experience (and subsequent failures) I am anal about measuring every single thing - everything. I even measured out 1/16th of a cup of dried blueberries for my breakfast today. And water, water, water.
  • jasonp_ritzert
    jasonp_ritzert Posts: 357 Member
    I would first make sure you are actually eating the portions you indicate in your diary. I found that at the beginning my estimates were way off. Investing in a food scale (approx. $20) will help you gauge what a portion size is because often the most accurate way is by weight.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Same!

    I haven't actually gained anything, but have been on or just over 1000 cals for about 3 weeks, and am doing a lot more excercise than I ususally do (usually do nothing) - and have only lost 3lbs. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.

    3 pounds in 3 weeks is GREAT. I do agree that you are probably not eating enough (especially if you're exercising and not eating more than 1000 cal or so total). This isn't a sprint. Think of the tortoise and the hare. The hare took off really fast, but burned out and quit, essentially. That's what you're looking for right now - a fast start, but one that will probably burn you out before you're done, and certainly won't help you keep it off (Do you really plan on eating 1000 calories a day for the rest of your life?) The tortoise started out slowly, but kept steady, and won the race but not giving up. That's what this should be about.

    OP: sometimes when you start a new plan, especially if you are exercising with weight/resistance, you can retain some water to start. Give it time. Also see the above - make sure you aren't cutting calories too far. Keep going, and think about how this is making you healthier (more active, better food choices - both are better for you!) rather than numbers on a scale - which can vary as much as 5 pounds in a single day!

    If you open your diary, we may be able to help more. … Also - make sure you weigh at the same time of day, in the same state of dress, each time. Clothes can add 2 or more pounds and we don't even realize it!
  • chipsanddip68
    chipsanddip68 Posts: 2
    I was thinking the same the other day when after a week I got on the scale and was the same, however I can see a difference in the way my clothes are fitting and don't see quite the large muffin top when I look in the mirror. I have been walking every morning and going to the gym 2-3 times a week. I am not eating diet foods per se, just trying to keep what I am eating under the recommendations on here because I am not a fruits and vegetables girl and I love my red meat...instead I am trying to modify the overdoing part and I feel better about that and the fact that I am getting my a** outta bed every day at 5 am and walking....I keep telling myself it's a lifestyle change. Even though it's a small one...so we keep chugging on=)
  • Windy_
    Windy_ Posts: 1,012 Member
    1. Eat MORE
    2. Give it MORE than 2 weeks.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I understand. I've been sticking to 1600 cal/day and getting in gym/sports/dog walking almost every day. I'm feeling great and don't want to weigh in because I feel like I'll be DEmotivated if the scale doesn't read what I THINK it should. My WI is tomorrow and I'm actually debating upon only weighing in once every two weeks or so. It sounds dumb...but I'd rather see a drop of 3 lbs over two weeks vs 1.4/wk when I THINK it should be more. I'd rather see bigger numbers of weight loss on the scale over more time vs smaller numbers every week. That reads a bit odd, but you get my drift. :bigsmile:
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I was thinking the same the other day when after a week I got on the scale and was the same, however I can see a difference in the way my clothes are fitting and don't see quite the large muffin top when I look in the mirror. I have been walking every morning and going to the gym 2-3 times a week. I am not eating diet foods per se, just trying to keep what I am eating under the recommendations on here because I am not a fruits and vegetables girl and I love my red meat...instead I am trying to modify the overdoing part and I feel better about that and the fact that I am getting my a** outta bed every day at 5 am and walking....I keep telling myself it's a lifestyle change. Even though it's a small one...so we keep chugging on=)

    YES!
  • aguilpul
    aguilpul Posts: 6
    Thank you so much everybody. I'm slowly started to feel better. I just felt so disapointed. If it would have been the same as last week I would have been ok, but an extra pound after all that effort (I even worked out on the weekends) made me so mad.

    I promise I'm eating at least 1300 calories a day. And I will follow everyone's advice and give it extra time, look out for my portions, etc.

    You know? I'm even considering getting rid of my scale. Well, maybe that's too much.
  • aguilpul
    aguilpul Posts: 6
    One more thing, any advice to get rid of water weight? I am hoping that's what it's going on.
  • Rachlmale
    Rachlmale Posts: 640 Member
    You know? I'm even considering getting rid of my scale. Well, maybe that's too much.

    I wouldn't get rid of my scale... after all in the end you're going to want to know your weight loss. But if you're going to get hung up on the weekly losses perhaps just put them away for the time being.
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
    I do one of these replies a day.

    you cannot go into survival mode if you have fat stores that you are trying to lose. you go into survival mode when you no longer have enough fat on your body to keep your body running, so the body stops burning fat. that's the whole point of us storing fat...to avoid this "mode".

    that being said..the scale number shifting up or down by up to 5 lb a day is no biggie. It's water, it's other stuff that you can't control. What matters is the number is going down per month or per two months!
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    IMO the scale is SOMEWHAT a indicator but not completely..I judge by the way my clothes fit...unless you shrink them.....
  • ImmaZombie
    ImmaZombie Posts: 84
    I do one of these replies a day.

    you cannot go into survival mode if you have fat stores that you are trying to lose. you go into survival mode when you no longer have enough fat on your body to keep your body running, so the body stops burning fat. that's the whole point of us storing fat...to avoid this "mode".

    that being said..the scale number shifting up or down by up to 5 lb a day is no biggie. It's water, it's other stuff that you can't control. What matters is the number is going down per month or per two months!

    That's a very helpful post. Thanks so much.

Categories