Ready to give up already!!!!!!

Is that 1200 net calories or total? If you are exercising, you should probably add more calories to your daily total to get to your net to 1200? Don't let your body hold onto those calories thinking it won't be getting any more. I bet some of that weight is just normal flucuations and you will find yourself back down again in just as short a time frame. Don't give up.. I know how hard it is and how frustrating it can be. But think of all the good you are doing for yourself.

Just curious...why are you only eating 1200 calories/day?

The reason I ask...it's quite possible that your calorie deficit is simply too large, and your body is holding onto every nutrient it can because it feels as though you're not fueling it enough for the work you're asking it to do.

In addition...you say you gained 4 pounds in 3 days. Do you really think that you consumed an extra 14,000 calories in 3 days? Because that's what it would take to actually gain 4 pounds in 3 days.

Your body weight is going to fluctuate throughout the day and throughout the month. I gain 6 pounds the week I'm on my period. It's just my body holding onto water weight...you can't panic about it, and you can't allow the scale to be the end all, be all to your weight loss journey. Otherwise, you'll become so frustrated about the whole thing that you might decide it's not worth any of it.

Take a step back...congratulate yourself on what you have accomplished so far. You can't compare yourself to others, because their body isn't yours.

Take a look at the foods you're eating. Are you eating as cleanly as you can (meaning 'whole' foods rather than processed foods with additives and tons of salt? Are you sure you're eating enough calories to support your current body weight PLUS the activity you are doing every day.

Then...get rid of the scale. Seriously, the best thing I ever did was have my husband hide my scale for 90 days. It forced me to rely on the way I felt, my measurements and my 30, 60 and 90 day pictures to determine if I was making progress. I lost a TON of inches, my day 1 and day 90 pictures were worlds apart, I had incredible energy, and you know what? Only lost 7 pounds.

I don't know if this is necessarily what is happening with you, but typically, when you start a new exercise program (like it sounds like you have just done) you reactivate muscles that have lain dormant. When you don't use muscles, they quit storing glycogen (basically sugar water that gives muscles their energy). When you start using them again they say, "Oh no! We need some energy QUICK!" and start storing glycogen like a mad man. As you continue in your exercising (and keep yourself well hydrated!), those muscles eventually realize that they don't have to store as much because it is readily available whenever they need it.

Short version: your newly reawakened muscles may be holding water. Water weighs a LOT. Keep doing what you're doing and in a couple weeks, maybe a month on the outside, you will see a several pound drop. It will make all of it worth it when you see it!

In case that ISN'T the issue, could it be TOM paying a visit? I know women who gain up to 5lbs of water each month! If it's TOM, the weight will drop off a few days after he leaves.

Keep up the good work!:flowerforyou: I started where you did (205) 11 months ago. It can be done, but it won't be quick. Keep working and it will happen!

Do not give up!
First of all, did you weigh yourself at the same time of day? Water retention, clothing, your cycle, muscle mass, food intake and other factor can make your weigh fluctuate. Weighing yourself too often can be bad too. My doctor told me to weigh myself once a week at the same time of day. I choose the morning because I have not eaten yet.
If it makes you feel any better: I battled with weight my whole life, then I lost 70 pounds in two years through incredible work... And then I started working in prison and the job got to me and even with 100s of attempts that I lost and only made me feel worst about myself, I saw my pants size increase and I gained 40 pounds back! Now I am back at square one, I feel like a total idiot not to mention loser! But I have been back to counting calories and working out (even though I injured my foot a few weeks ago) and I am hopeful that it will all work out.
If for some reason you did gain the weight, I would suggest looking at your fat intake, water consumption and seeing a doctor to make sure everything is alright.
I have a diet buddy, we email every day discussing what we ate, calories, exercise and bad days/nights when we cheap and pig out... it really helps because we love each other and are also close friends. She weighs herself very often and does fasting and such and her weight fluctuates like crazy sometimes. She once lost 5 pounds in one day but months later she gained 7 and on and on.
Do not be discouraged, you are doing wonderful and at the very least you health is saying thank you for eating right and exercising, the weight will come off

God luck! (sorry for the long answer)

i agree with irisheyes.....dont give up!! men do loose weight faster than women. just their genetic make up. weigh yourself once a week. if you hadn't been excercising before...you are more than likely building muscle to support your weight durin gyour routines. also...any sodium intake will make your body hold water weight.

you will get there!!! you didnt gain the weight overnight.....you wont loose it overnight either!

I just posted the same question! I lost more weight when I didn't exercise. I don't think there will ever be a good answer to why our bodies do what they do. I just know I am happier when I'm eating well and exercising....so I need to think about that more than I think about the numbers on the scale I guess.

Don't give up!

As some others have suggested you may not be eating enough calories. First of all, go "Tools" and then "BMR Calculator." This will give you then minimum calories you should be consuming per day (NET). The reason I say net is because when you exercise you burn calories, when you enter that exercise in MFP, it adds it to your daily total for calories that you should consume. Your should eat between 50-100% of these.

Also, I started tracking my sodium. There are A TON of foods that contain a lot of sodium (unbeknownst to many of us). Sodium makes us retain water. This could be causing the weight fluctuations. Did you eat a lot of sodium the day before you weighed in? If so, I'd like to think of these pounds as deceptive pounds because we can easily rid our bodies of them by drinking a lot of water the next day (but somehow these pounds still manage to discourage us).

And as others have said, a change in an exercise routine/an introduction of exercise can also cause the scale to weird things!

Good luck!

Give up what???? There's nothing to give up. This should be a new way of life for you. There is no "end date". You clearly are looking at this as a diet and if that's the case......then I can understand why you might want to "give up". Diets stink. This should be your new way of life, eating healthy and working out. It's not like you gained 30 pounds. Two good bowel movements could melt 4-5 pounds right off again.

Hate to tell you this, but this will happen again and again and again. It's part of life. You should always have 5 pounds that float on and off. It's only normal. It could be water weight, bowel, muscle gain or loss, etc.....

Keep your chin up, we're all going through the same thing. Just hang in there!:flowerforyou:

Do you weigh yourself at the same time everyday? Our bodies fluxuate 2-3 lbs during the day with the water and meals we intake.

I am here for encouragement. Remember weight fluctuates in women a lot. Water retention from the menstrual cycle. Too much salt intake, etc... Mine even fluctuates but I usually weigh myself again after it shows a gain in a few days and usually things fall back within normal. But I will take time out to re-access your calorie intake. Sometimes we under or over estimate our calories which can lead to the deception that we are eating right. Also, what is the balance of food you are eating. Have you talked to a dietitian?