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RachelSRoach1
RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been losing weight steadily for a little while, officially getting back on track around my birthday (Jan. 30th) and doing okay. I read "In Defense of Food" and have been trying to eat relatively "clean" although I am not strictly sticking to it.. I do have an occasional craving day.
My friend and I have also been going to the gym for the last week and a half (4 times so far but I have been trying to work out every day) and we work out hard.

The typical workout looks like:
40 mins Elliptical
1hr or so lifting various weights
10 mins rowing machine.

I understand that this takes time. I don't mind waiting and I know it is worth it... but I haven't ever had this problem before.

See I had been losing very steadily up until I started my rigorous routine and I haven't really lost anything since.

Yes I know that measurements are more accurate.. and I will take them. But I didn't realize how tempting it was to mess with what I am doing! My immediate response is to want to eat less. It's not like I was eating 1200 calories, despite being tempted to. I am a really heavy woman. 270 pounds (which is where I was at when I first started back up!!!) so I don't feel like I should be stalling out this fat. Am I eating too much?

The facts:
I weigh and measure everything, so as to get the most accurate diary possible
I didn't eat the best stuff this week but I always made sure to balance it out and stay under calories!
I always underestimate the calories that MFP says I burn.. just in case.
My diary is public

I feel like I should really be dropping the weight!

I had to repost this... I never seem to get any answers!
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Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    > My friend and I have also been going to the gym for the last week and a half (4 times so far but I have been trying to work out every day) and we work out hard.

    Starting a new work out routine can cause you to retain water. It's just glycogen. Don't worry about it, you'll. Start losing again within the next couple of weeks. The water weight is masking your fat loss.
  • lisa483
    lisa483 Posts: 105 Member
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    what is your height??

    Current weight??

    You should be eating above your BMR which could be more than what your eating
  • kgb6days
    kgb6days Posts: 880 Member
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    Don't give up. I noticed the same when I started working out really hard. I don't have anything to back this up, but I think when we work out hard our muscles swell from the 'damage' done during the workout. Keep it up. Drink lots of fluids. Don't watch the scale so hard - watch your body shape and your measurements. That's where you will see the most change right now. Be proud of what you are doing and don't be discouraged.
  • stackhsc
    stackhsc Posts: 439 Member
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    nothing is for sure but a few possibles/combinations

    you are gaining some muscle mass
    you are retaining fluids for any number of reasons
    you are excercising and burning enough calories that the combination of the calories you burn combined with the already reduced diet has your body slowed down (i hate to use the term.. starvation mode) people debate this i think more because of the terminology but i have experienced this myself.. was losing weight, added exercise and stopped losing... started eating my exercise calories back and started losing again.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Had the same issue when I started exercising alot, it was just from retaining fluid.
  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    Thank you so much for the input, guys! I'm 5'7" and weigh 270 by the way.
  • stackhsc
    stackhsc Posts: 439 Member
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    whats your mfp designated daily caloric intake and how much are you burning in excercise
  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    whats your mfp designated daily caloric intake and how much are you burning in excercise

    It is about 1700 or so.. and I don't count the weight training as calories lost, so generally between 350-450 calories burned per session depending on how hard I work.
  • MJH2
    MJH2 Posts: 55 Member
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    My top weight was 328lb and I remember right about 270lbs I had the same issue, when I broke 200lbs it did it again. I changed from the Elliptical to the Treadmill and increase my caloric intake to eat my exercise calories. That combination was just enough to get my metabolism moving again.

    I hope that helps.
  • Wickedone1973
    Wickedone1973 Posts: 43
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    This is Normal. I had the same question after losing for two weeks then gaining the next 2 weeks. A forum member posted an article about how we gain up to 4lb or don't lose when starting a new exercise program. Sure enough the following week I droped almost 4lb's. Just hang in there and give it about 4 weeks to see what happens.
  • stackhsc
    stackhsc Posts: 439 Member
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    many may say its not the exercise thing but if you noticed this stall after starting the exercise id say try to eat at least half if not all of the calories burned in exercise back for a few weeks and see what happens
  • stackhsc
    stackhsc Posts: 439 Member
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    also given your weight and the time you spend on the machines (depending on the intensity) 350-450 may be low for calories burned.....
    and also keep in mind a week or 2 stalled isnt a huge deal in the long run though it does feel it at the time
  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    many may say its not the exercise thing but if you noticed this stall after starting the exercise id say try to eat at least half if not all of the calories burned in exercise back for a few weeks and see what happens

    I really appreciate all the feedback. I will definitely keep in mind that no matter what I do I need to give it some time to truly test whether it works or not. But I was beginning to wonder if maybe I needed to eat a bit more. Perhaps I should invest in a HRM to keep things accurate.

    Thank you everyone.
  • MJH2
    MJH2 Posts: 55 Member
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    This is Normal. I had the same question after losing for two weeks then gaining the next 2 weeks. A forum member posted an article about how we gain up to 4lb or don't lose when starting a new exercise program. Sure enough the following week I droped almost 4lb's. Just hang in there and give it about 4 weeks to see what happens.

    Great point! I've lost 171lbs and the first 100lbs was by loosing 5lbs one week, gaining 3lbs the next. It was crazy!
  • lisa483
    lisa483 Posts: 105 Member
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    your BMR is around 2031

    Try eating more than that but stay under 3000 as this would maintain your weight find your sweet spot inbetween those numbers

    This is your TDEE based on being moderatley active excercise 3-5 times per week

    If you will be less active say 1-3 times per week stay under 2700

    I would shoot for around 2200, maybe gradually add 100 cals each month from 1700 see how you do. And dont eat back excercise cals

    Keep me posted on how u do

    Good Luck :0)
  • RachelSRoach1
    RachelSRoach1 Posts: 435 Member
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    your BMR is around 2031

    Try eating more than that but stay under 3000 as this would maintain your weight find your sweet spot inbetween those numbers

    This is your TDEE based on being moderatley active excercise 3-5 times per week

    If you will be less active say 1-3 times per week stay under 2700

    I would shoot for around 2200, maybe gradually add 100 cals each month from 1700 see how you do. And dont eat back excercise cals

    Keep me posted on how u do

    Good Luck :0)

    Wow I can't believe I should be eating that much! That is unreal! I will definitely be giving this a try.
  • stackhsc
    stackhsc Posts: 439 Member
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    Great point! I've lost 171lbs and the first 100lbs was by loosing 5lbs one week, gaining 3lbs the next. It was crazy!

    i weigh daily, sometimes multiple times a day just for interest. but just watching my morning base line is crazy.. now that ive lost a fair bit it doesnt jump around as much. When i first started it would be nothing to be something like this. 260, 259, 259.5, 258, 260, 257.5, 257, 257, 256, 259 257.5 etc etc etc you get the idea, all over the map. it still is but not in as big a swings, more half pound swings day to day as opposed to multiple pound swings. I weigh at the same time every day before i eat anything just after i shower.
  • LisaGirlfriend
    LisaGirlfriend Posts: 493 Member
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    your BMR is around 2031

    Try eating more than that but stay under 3000 as this would maintain your weight find your sweet spot inbetween those numbers

    This is your TDEE based on being moderatley active excercise 3-5 times per week

    If you will be less active say 1-3 times per week stay under 2700

    I would shoot for around 2200, maybe gradually add 100 cals each month from 1700 see how you do. And dont eat back excercise cals

    Keep me posted on how u do

    Good Luck :0)
    \

    This is good advice!! I totally agree!
  • TLTucker80
    TLTucker80 Posts: 123 Member
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    I don't have the answer for you. I am just like you. I don't ever get answers on here either ... But I am also in pretty much the same boat as you. I started my weight loss journey Jan.4th. I weighted 255 pounds when I started. I had and still is on meds for bipolar and 2 of them caused me to gain weight like 80 pounds. i was overweight when I started taking the meds. so after the doctor got my doses right he then started me on amp injections and a diet pill to at least try and work against me gaining weight. The first 10 days I lost 12 pounds but for every week since then I have only lost 1 or 1/2 or 0 pounds a week.I eat about 1000 to 1200 calories a day and work out at the gym 5 days a week, I coach 2 basketball teams and we have practice every week for 2 hours each. I have basketball games on Saturday and Sundays so I work out at home on those 2 days. I'm not telling you to eat that low of amount of calories. Everyone is different and other people have been telling people the are not eating enough that's why they are not losing. I have over 100 pounds to lose and I also thought just like you that the weight should be dropping off faster. I have found that the closer to 1200 calories I eat the less I loss, but you should do your measurements also along with weighing. I have noticed by my measurements that I am losing inches. I forgot to mention that i weigh 239 pounds now so I have lost 16 pounds in 40 days. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR JOURNEY AND FEEL FREE TO ADD ME
  • lisa483
    lisa483 Posts: 105 Member
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    your BMR is around 2031

    Try eating more than that but stay under 3000 as this would maintain your weight find your sweet spot inbetween those numbers

    This is your TDEE based on being moderatley active excercise 3-5 times per week

    If you will be less active say 1-3 times per week stay under 2700

    I would shoot for around 2200, maybe gradually add 100 cals each month from 1700 see how you do. And dont eat back excercise cals

    Keep me posted on how u do

    Good Luck :0)

    Wow I can't believe I should be eating that much! That is unreal! I will definitely be giving this a try.

    Yes your BMR is based on height, weight and age. This is the safest most sustainable way to lose weight

    You probably didn't fuel your body enough with 1700

    Check this out http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

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