3 days in and up a pound

You eat back your calories because MFP tells you how many calories to eat to lose weight. You would lose that weight sitting on your *kitten* all day (if you chose sedentary, and it sounds like you did since you're eating 1200 calories). So, sit on *kitten* + deficit = weight loss.

If you add in exercise, you get a bigger deficit, but bigger is not better. It can cause your body stress, which can lead to detrimental side effects, the least of which is water retention and weight gain (see the problem with that?). You need to give your body enough calories so that it can function properly. Extreme deficits *can* lead to binging, lethargy, and "falling off the wagon". And the losses may not be sustainable.

It can work for some people, but the vast majority fail at "extreme dieting". And from what you've said, you've failed at it several times before. So try something different this time around. Eat at a moderate deficit, exercise a reasonable amount (you don't need to be in the gym two hours every day), and eat those calories back. Maybe this time around doing it "right" you'll have better success.

^^^This^^^ Auddii, I could not get that articulated right, LOL...

I can't take this anymore. Everytime I try to get healthy, not works. I know I only started three days ago but I have been staying at or below my 1200 cal and working out everyday and guess what - I go up a pound in three days. I might as well eat whatever I want while sitting on the couch because nothing works for me. I don't want to give up because I want to be healthy but it gets so frustrating. I come on here everyday and read all the success stories, all the advice and try to tell myself that even if the number doesn't move, I am eating healthier and moving my body but it gets so discouraging when the number never moves down

Take a deep breath and step away from the computer!

Gaining 1lb of weight does not equal gaining 1lb of fat.
Your bodyweight doesn't just consist of fat - it also has muscles, bones, organs, water, skin etc.

If you have been working out every day it is probably water retention as your muscles are repairing themselves, but unless you have eaten 3500 calories OVER maintenance, then no, it isn't fat.

Don't weigh yourself so often. you have just stated a new routine, so you need to give it longer than 3 days.

Also, I would re-assess eating just 1200 calories if you are working out so much - is that a straight 1200, or 1200 PLUS exercise calories?

This^^^

Also OP, you have to realize that you're going to have natural weight fluctuations that are completely out of your control. Weight loss isn't linear progression and scale weight is not static either. You will have natural fluctuations due to water retention/release, food in/out, fluid in/out, waste in the intestines, etc. I can easily fluctuate 2-5 Lbs day to day and I assure you, it's not fat.

It's only been three days...take a breath and give it more time. You need to get your mindset long term because this is a long, wild ride.

Are you kidding me!!!!?? Your complaining after 3 days! I go up and down 6-8 lbs in a day, so why are you complaining about 1lb - ESPECIALLY after 3 days. You clearly are not taking this seriously and just looking for a reason to quit.

One pound is a normal weight fluctuation, dependent on how much water is in your body, not a weight gain. If you have 100 pounds to lose, you need to start out eating more than 1200 calories. What does MFP actually tell you that you should be eating to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds a week? Go with that number. When you lose weight, update your profile, and your calorie goal will also decrease, because you will need less energy as a smaller person. You might be eating 1200 calories a day when you get down to your last ten pounds. The idea is for you to be an energetic person while you're losing weight, not a shaky, tired, emotional wreck.

Honestly, I don't eat back all my calories, but I eat them back at least to 1200.

Suck it up buttercup. 3 days in and you want to quit that just sucks.

Seriously person on the other end of that screen name, weightloss is a lot like time.. it is not linear it is a wibbly wobbly and it is not fun. So what you are in 3 whole days and you are up... come talk to me when its been 3 years and you are maintaining the same weight as when you started and you still have over 100 to lose and you have tried everything short of starving yourself.

Sneaking in a Dr Who reference...nice

I sure can relate to your frustration ! Frustration seems to fuel weight gain. I have tried every program out there and have spent tons of money w/ no results.
My chiropractor told me about this wonderful FREE logging program. When I wake up the first thing I do is go to my computer and log on to MFP and work out a tentative meal program for the day. I found, through trial and error mostly, that there were many things I have to give up to meet my goals. Caffeine was first. Caffeine promotes insulin production. Insulin production promotes low blood sugar. Low blow sugar for me creates cravings and sugar crashes. White flour products had to go. SODIUM is a big issue for me. I add none. I add no sugar. Delmonte makes quality " low sodium, no sugar added " canned fruits and veggies that taste great. As an example my BF is usually one egg ( any style ), 1/2 slice dry toast ( egg on top ), 1/2 slice thick cut bacon. If I eat when I first get up I am hungry before lunch. When I feel like I absolutely must eat I choose either fresh fruit or the canned fruit.. the numbers are right.
I am still recovering from a very serious neqar fatal accident that has left me almost immobile and exercise has not been an option, so altering my feeding program was a must. Sometimes I get so frustrated I want to cry.... ( I'm a big rugged retired lumberjack ). I am a prisoner in my own body not as much because on my injuries but more because of my weight. Today I am down 27 lbs to 399 ! I have met my first goal. incidently, I am almost always told not to weight myself each day....that doesn't work so well for me. I weight every morning... if it's up a little I know I need to re evaluate what I ate the day before.... i take great satisfaction in the little dailey successes.
I could not do this at all w/out logging every bite that I eat !! This is critical My food plans change as the day proceeds but always w/ keeping the numbers low, the quality high, and my goal in mind.
The first three or four days of changing any addictive behavior are the worst, this from personal experience. The most important things I learned in 44 yrs in AA ( sober 34 this year ) is, keep it simple, one day at a time. My new goal is 375 lbs, ONE POUND AT A TIME, One day at a time..... sometimes one hour at a time and sometimes one BITE at a time. Before long this all becomes habit, becomes our new normal way of eating and we don't even miss what we though was so wonderful. IF I eat 1 slice of pizza it takes me 3 -4 days to lose the pound or two I gain the next day. From another program I learned years ago... Eat to Live, Not Live To eat.
I am no recommending anything, only telling you what I have found that works for me. Just a side note: I am told I should eat 2500 calories.... no less than 1200. At 1200 calories, no matter what I do because of my inactivity, I do not lose weight. Whats frustrating w/ my 27 # weight loss is that no one seems to notice ( but then I weigh well over 400 lbs and 27 # is hardly a notch on my 6' long belt). So I have to take my personal pleasure from my private daily successes. It's no longer about what "they" think or feel, it's about what I think and feel. Please note: Last night I got dressed and went to church. No big thing for most people. I put socks on for the first time in 2 years. No big thing for most people. I wore a new pair of dress shoes for the first time in two years. no big thing for most people. I was able to button the collar on my dress shirt that hasn't fit in 2 yrs. Again, no big thing for most people. I had a WONDERFUL time ! It's these little things I take my joy in for now.... it's works this way for me. I pray for strength when I am hungry. I give thanks when I go to bed. ( And if you don't mind I'll include you in those prayers ). And when I wake up each morning and put my feet o the ground I give thanks once again and ask for strength for another day. And head for my computer to plan another day of HEALTHY eating.

Hope this helps. Ray



To date I have lost 27 lbs.

I can understand your frustration, but as everyone has said, three days just isn't enough time. You have to decide if your goal is really to be skinny, or to be healthy. Obviously for many of us to be healthy weight needs to come off, but I've found that I need to focus on the smaller changes in my life rather than getting hung up on the number on the scale. I feel good about myself when I notice I'm getting stronger, or have more energy, when I enjoy a new healthy recipe, or let myself have a little treat that fits in my calories for the day. If your goal is to be healthy, congratulate yourself every single time you make a healthy choice.

thanks for the great advice everyone but I have one more question. If lsoing weight is calories in and calories out, why in gods name would I eat back calories that I work my butt off to get off of me?

this part has me very flustered. I work out to burn calories, why eat them back. can't you just eat them to begin with and not work out at all.

I can't wrap my head around this concept

I think eating back some exercise calories is especially important for people who are sticking to a low calorie plan...

the way MFP works, you are eating at a deficit even if you perform zero minutes of exercise. Exercise increases that deficit, which yes, in a way we want that. However, your body also needs fuel for those workouts, and it needs enough nutrition, not just calories. We may be able to rely on our stored fat to make up for the calories we are not eating... but there's no other nutrition stored there, we need food for that. I hope that explains it... I know it seems counter-intuitive, but by eating back some of those exercise calories you aren't undoing your hard work... for ME, proper nutrition actually aids in my weight loss, because I feel less hungry, and it is easier to stay on track.

I can't take this anymore. Everytime I try to get healthy, not works. I know I only started three days ago

I stopped reading right here.

If you only started three days ago and you're complaining that the scale isn't moving, then - TOUGH LOVE ALERT - you have a lot more learning to do. I used to be you, so trust me on this...

Number one lesson and RULE is STOP USING THE SCALE. Do not get on it AT ALL for the next 6 weeks.

Figure out your BMR and TDEE. Do not just use one calculator. Use any and every link to a BMR / TDEE calculator you can find... search these forums, there are links ALL over. Do several calculators and go with the most common result. They will all vary, but as long as the results are close, like within 100 calories of each other or so, split the difference or go with the lower average to be safe, and create your calorie deficit based on your average TDEE.

I tried to stay at a 1200 calorie Net (calories eaten minus exercise = NET) all because the MFP app "said so" and it did NOT work because that is too few calories. I did the above math, which resulted in upping my calories to around 1350-1400 on a light activity and around 1500 (or a little over) on more active days. ONLY THEN did I start seeing results.

DITCH the scale. Go by how your clothes fit. The scale varies too much. Water weight, weighing yourself after eating, or before using the restroom, or after using it, or after you've had a couple of high sodium days, or if you're wearing red vs. wearing blue - seriously there are 100 things that affect the scale, and the scale is better for gauging long term progress, NOT short term 1-2 pound fluctuations. A 12 pound difference over a 10-11 week time period is a valid progress measurement. a 1 - 3 pound difference over the period of 1-7 days is NOT.

I can't take this anymore. Everytime I try to get healthy, not works. I know I only started three days ago but I have been staying at or below my 1200 cal and working out everyday and guess what - I go up a pound in three days. I might as well eat whatever I want while sitting on the couch because nothing works for me. I don't want to give up because I want to be healthy but it gets so frustrating. I come on here everyday and read all the success stories, all the advice and try to tell myself that even if the number doesn't move, I am eating healthier and moving my body but it gets so discouraging when the number never moves down

Well if its been three whole days you should probably just quit. I remember when I first started I lost my first 10 pounds within the first 12hours. I have see some people on the site lose 17 pounds in 14 minutes.

Listen the secret to losing weight is magic plain and simply and some of us actually have magic and some of us don't. If you haven't lost any weight after the first three days it is because you are never going to lose weight. To be honest I am amazed that you stuck with it as long as you did. I suggest you hang up your running shoes for life and just go eat some McDonald's safe in the knowledge that no matter how hard you ever try you will never lose weight because you don't have enough middieclorians in you're blood.