Meeting my goals...gaining weight?

michmango5
michmango5 Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently started running and doing strength training every day. I have been sticking strictly to my 1200 calorie diet, counting and weighing everything. After 20 days of this, I have gained seven pounds. I am 5'11" female 25 years old and I could use some advice to help the weight come off.

Thanks!

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Wow, please tell me you eat back your exercise cals?? :tongue:

    1200 is the bare minimum for women. If you are running and strength training every day, and only eating 1200, I would say your body is probably not getting enough fuel, and has started wanting to store fat rather than burn it.

    I'm 5'8" and 44 years old, run three days a week and strength train the other three, and I'm losing on 1950 calories a day.

    You say you started recently - how long has it been?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    2 things come to mind...

    1) You're logging is off... .eating more than you think and/or burning less than you think.

    2) You're basing your progress on 20 days of scale weight. 20 days isn't very long, and scale weight is HIGHLY variable, with daily fluctuations of 5lbs or more being normal.
  • michmango5
    michmango5 Posts: 5
    I do eat back the calories. According to my tracking, I've been burning about 250 with my runs (about 30 minutes at 5 mph) and I eat about 1400-1450 a day after accounting for that.

    Also, I started about 20 days ago.
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
    I think there is something a little off here. How much do you weigh currently?
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
    Ahem, perhaps open your diary as well?
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Has your elimination cycle been regular? A lot of weight can back up right there. I lost 7-9 pounds the last time I prepped for a colonoscopy.
  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
    You could be experiencing water retention - that is common after starting to work out, especially if you are doing strength. The same thing has happened to me and it can make it seem like you've "gained". I recommend starting to take measurements if you haven't been!!!

    Also, how accurately are you logging? Are you putting specific brands of food that you eat, measuring, literally tracking everything that crosses your lips?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    How intense is your strength training? Are you sore from your lifts? Do you really do strength and run 7x weekly?

    What you could be experiencing is loads of water retention. When you're new to a routine, your body requires a lot of water to repair muscles. Do you do splits with your strength training....i.e. do you give your muscles/groups rest? Rest is just about as important as the workout itself in RE to getting the results. If you aren't giving your muscles adequate rest, you will be "repairing" constantly and retaining a ton of water as your body tries to keep up.

    I would suggest Lifting 3x weekly and aerobic cardio 3x weekly. If you want to do more lifting I would recommend 2 on (splits so you're not working the same muscles/groups) 1 off, 2 on, 1 off, etc. It sounds to me like you're over training and retaining a lot of water.
  • michmango5
    michmango5 Posts: 5
    Thanks, everyone. All of this information is very helpful! I'm going to try to rework my routine to allow for a day in between strength.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Thanks, everyone. All of this information is very helpful! I'm going to try to rework my routine to allow for a day in between strength.
    Sounds like you're missing the point.

    How will that help with weight gain issues? Sure, might reduce a little bit of water retention, but water retention shouldn't be your focus... fat/mass loss should be.

    I get that scale weight is very important to some, but it's not really an indicator that your body is changing (i.e. getting smaller).
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    How intense is your strength training? Are you sore from your lifts? Do you really do strength and run 7x weekly?

    What you could be experiencing is loads of water retention. When you're new to a routine, your body requires a lot of water to repair muscles. Do you do splits with your strength training....i.e. do you give your muscles/groups rest? Rest is just about as important as the workout itself in RE to getting the results. If you aren't giving your muscles adequate rest, you will be "repairing" constantly and retaining a ton of water as your body tries to keep up.

    I would suggest Lifting 3x weekly and aerobic cardio 3x weekly. If you want to do more lifting I would recommend 2 on (splits so you're not working the same muscles/groups) 1 off, 2 on, 1 off, etc. It sounds to me like you're over training and retaining a lot of water.

    Cardio can cause a lot of water retention as well depending on the duration and intensity.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
    How intense is your strength training? Are you sore from your lifts? Do you really do strength and run 7x weekly?

    What you could be experiencing is loads of water retention. When you're new to a routine, your body requires a lot of water to repair muscles. Do you do splits with your strength training....i.e. do you give your muscles/groups rest? Rest is just about as important as the workout itself in RE to getting the results. If you aren't giving your muscles adequate rest, you will be "repairing" constantly and retaining a ton of water as your body tries to keep up.

    I would suggest Lifting 3x weekly and aerobic cardio 3x weekly. If you want to do more lifting I would recommend 2 on (splits so you're not working the same muscles/groups) 1 off, 2 on, 1 off, etc. It sounds to me like you're over training and retaining a lot of water.

    When I'm in an intense training cycle it is not uncommon for me to gain 5 lbs overnight.
  • michmango5
    michmango5 Posts: 5
    I think there is something a little off here. How much do you weigh currently?

    I weigh 147 right now.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    I think there is something a little off here. How much do you weigh currently?

    I weigh 147 right now.

    So, at 5'11 and 140, (A BMI of 19.5, at the bottom end of the "healthy" range), you went on a 1200 calorie diet with a rigorous training schedule?

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