What am I doing wrong????

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sunshine79
sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Once again I've gained another pound in weight, so that's three wekks running now. I am very very annoyed. I calculated my BMR and it said I needed 1405 caloried per day. As I'm trying to lose weight I reduced my calories to 1200. I have done at least 4 hrs of exercise so far this week and I've only exceeded my calories once this week and that wasn't by much? How come I'm still gaining weight???? It's really getting me down. I now weigh 152lb!!!!!!! and I want to get down to 140lbs or less. I really need help and advice on this one as I'm truly fed up and on the verge of giving up.

Replies

  • atombud
    atombud Posts: 38 Member
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    Your body has gone into starvation mode. That happened to me also, eat the calories or some of them that you burn during exercise and you should start losing again.
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    Are you eating your exercise calories?
  • verelley24
    verelley24 Posts: 1
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    If you're exercising, you could be replacing fat with muscle...and since muscle weighs more than fat you'd gain some weight. Maybe instead of going by the weight on the scale, take some measurements (of your waist, chest, arms, legs, etc.) and then use the measurements to see how you're doing.
  • sexyvirgo911
    sexyvirgo911 Posts: 29
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    Hey Girl, I am the same way. I just gained almost 2 lbs this week. I thought i was doing really good & then weighed in, yuck. But I looked back & I think it was my fat content. Ive been in a range of 137 to 140 for a freaken 1yr and seem to cant loose, So im with you. Just dont get discourage, Start out right today & say your going to this, do it right 1 week at a time, set your self for small steps. I rcvd this bit of advice on email - This is from Tommy Eroupe:

    So you have a weight problem.

    Pounds have added up over the years, slowly accumulating on your hips, thighs and belly.

    When you look in the mirror you don't like what you see. Yet you feel stuck.

    You're stuck because...

    You've gained too much weight to ever lose it all.
    You're too old to make a change.
    You'd be lost in a gym.
    You simply don't know where to start.
    And so, if you are like most people, you give up on yourself before you ever shed a pound. The enormity of your goal paralyzes your ability to even begin.

    I believe you can end this cycle of self destruction by simply focusing on the mole hills that make up the mountain – rather than focusing in on the mountain itself.

    Don't get me wrong, I know that weight loss can seem like an enormous task - especially when you have 20, 50 or even 100 pounds to lose.

    However, rather than being discouraged by the mountain of fat you need to lose, conquer the mole hill of losing one single pound each week.

    In fact, make it your weekly mole hill to drop one pound a week.

    Doesn't that sound easy? If you did this consistently for one year you would lose 50 pounds.

    So how do you shed a pound a week? Simple. Just burn 3500 extra calories.

    Create a 3500 calorie deficit each week by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) and a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).

    Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier choices.

    It helps to record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see your weekly progress written down on paper.

    Remember, if you lose 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week.

    Here are some practical ways to lose calories:
    If you normally... Do this instead...
    Drink a mocha ...Drink plain coffee or tea (250 calories lost)
    Eat a snack from a vending machine... Enjoy an apple (180 calories lost)
    Hit the snooze button in the AM...Jog for 30 minutes before work (150 calories lost)
    Skip your workout Think of me yelling in your ear, or watch an episode of your fav excerise show and get to it!

    Weight loss doesn't have to be a mountain. Each molehill you conquer will take you one step closer to a healthier, fitter you.

    Small changes to your lifestyle over time will make the difference.

    Now get back in the game, you can't do anything about yesterday, but you can change what happens tomorrow and the next and so on.

    Hope this helps you out today!
  • maddox22
    maddox22 Posts: 91
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    Don't give up, and don't hang everything on the scale number. Are you taking measurements? If you're starting a new exercise program or eating new foods, you might lose inches before you lose weight. Also, make sure your weight goal is reasonable. From your profile pic, you seem to be at a healthy weight already. How tall are you? It's possible that 140 (or even 150) is too thin for your specific body.

    Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and eating real food, not meal replacement bars or shakes or a lot of processed foods. They tend to have a lot of salt (which can lead to water retention) and artificial flavors, colors, sugars, etc., which don't really do much for you.

    On days you exercise, make sure to eat a little more (or spread those "extra" calories out over the week and eat a bit more each day). If you don't consume enough calories, you will stop losing weight and can actually gain because your metabolism slows down.

    Remember that exercise is beneficial even if it leads to no weight loss at all. One exercise session can (temporarily) reduce your cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, improve your insulin response, and help you relax. If you keep exercising, those benefits stay around longer!

    If you've been exercising the same way (or eating the same foods) for a while, try switching things up. Add some more exercise, or try something different.

    But don't give up. Remember that eating healthfully and getting exercise are good for your body and your mind, even if the scale doesn't budge.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
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    yup. Starvation mode. Atombud is right. It might also help to drink more water and to vary your calories from day to day, while still eating some/most of your exercise calories. There have been endless threads on this topic. So there is lots of good info in the archives.
  • snowangel1975
    snowangel1975 Posts: 58
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    you have to eat the calories it tells you to eat...if it tells you to eat 1405 eat it. I started out at 1480, and now am down to 1280. Trust the site and the info it gives you. Don't start eating 1200 cals a day until it tells you too.. Your body is going into starvation mode and it's not getting the proper nutrition.... Trust the site.
  • BeautifulScarsWECHANGED
    BeautifulScarsWECHANGED Posts: 749 Member
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    Muscle does not weight more than fat....pound for pound they weigh the same. Muscle does take up less space.....however, unless you're doing some massive weight training, it shouldn't matter....you should still be losing. Have you taken your measurements?

    I agree, I think the problem is your body has gone into starvation mode. I think you should calculate your maintainece weight and eat those calories for a few days and see if that busts your plateau.

    One of my friends on here actually has what she calls a "refeed day" (well, two) where she eats the amount of calories she would if she were maintaining her weight. She said it got the scale moving in the right direction again and she hasn't hit a plateau since. It tricks her body into thinking she's not on a calorie restricted diet, so it doesn't freak out and go into starvation mode.
  • megedell
    megedell Posts: 5 Member
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    What does "Eating your exercise calories" mean? Are you supposed to?
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    If it said you need to eat 1405, you need to eat 1405, not 1200. You're not eating enough if it told you 1405.
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
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    You're undernourished. Your metab thinks you've moved to Cambodia, and it's holding onto everything it gets hold of trying to survive this 'famine'.

    Log your exercise and eat some (I eat most) of those extra calories. This'll put you in a healthy calorie deficit and you should start making some progress. It works,,, it really does.
  • panther87
    panther87 Posts: 78 Member
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    I agree, if your BMR is 1405, that is the LEAST amount of calories you should be eating. and to eat your exercise calories- means that what ever you earn by walking or running or aerobics. or whatever that you also eat those calories. So you may burn 300 calories on a walk/gym and then you would need to eat 1705 calories for the day. try to spread these out through the day too. eat a larger breakfast and a mid day snack and lunch and an after noon snack and a small evening meal. and if you still have calories, a very small protein snack at bedtime. i know it sounds like a lot of calories but think of it a stoking a fire to keep it going. a little bit at a time keeps it burning good and hot. good luck to you.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    You should never eat less than your BMR, to loose weight you eat under your maintenance calories, not your BMR calories. maintenance calories is you BMR plus the calories you burn through your daily activity excluding exercise. If your BMR is 1405 than your maintenance calories is probably close to the 2000 mark. Try eating 1600 cals/day and see how that works for you.
  • sissytx
    sissytx Posts: 50
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    That is some good advise
  • heathercrist1
    heathercrist1 Posts: 810 Member
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    Muscle does not weight more than fat....pound for pound they weigh the same. Muscle does take up less space.....however, unless you're doing some massive weight training, it shouldn't matter....you should still be losing. Have you taken your measurements?

    I agree, I think the problem is your body has gone into starvation mode. I think you should calculate your maintainece weight and eat those calories for a few days and see if that busts your plateau.

    One of my friends on here actually has what she calls a "refeed day" (well, two) where she eats the amount of calories she would if she were maintaining her weight. She said it got the scale moving in the right direction again and she hasn't hit a plateau since. It tricks her body into thinking she's not on a calorie restricted diet, so it doesn't freak out and go into starvation mode.

    I'm so glad you posted this! I always get irked when someone says that muscle weighs more than fat...a pound is a pound! I also do 2 meals where I eat what I want. I have steadily lost weight. The more you stress about it and the more you try and lose weight quickly, the more you are setting yourself up for failure! This is a lifestyle change and not a sprint to the the skinny life! By having the "perfect" body all of your problems will not disappear! Be the healthy YOU. Eat right and exercise. There is no magic pill or special diet that will make all your problems go away and make you skinny! I've had to come to terms that the healthy me is 140lbs not 130! I am very athletic and fit and curvy. I am very healthy and eat clean 90% of the time. Don't get discouraged because if you are eating less and moving more, the scale will move! Don't stave yourself, do trust the site and how many calories it tells you to eat every day!
  • Yurippe
    Yurippe Posts: 850 Member
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    All of your questions and more are answered in here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

    I agree that reading muscle weighs more than fat gets under my skin.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
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    Thank you all for your informative advice. I guess I though I could speed things up by eating fewer cals but I've learned it just doesn't work like that. I will read all of the threads you've advised me to and I'll increase my calories and also try to eat some of my exercise calories too. I get it in theory, but in practice I think it will be quite challenging as I still have to get my head around the fact that I need to eat more to lose weight!

    All the same I will do as you've suggested and I will reeport back in a week to let you know how I've got on. Thanks again, the support and responses from you have motivated me to give it another go. Tomorrow is a new day. :smile:

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