Still Gaining

djwife03
djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently upped my Cals after lots of advice on here, but I'm still not losing! I lose a little, then gain, then lose. I have been very careful about tracking my food and calories. Recently started the 30 day shred and doing Ripped in 30 also just to change things up. I need help.....don't know what I'm doing wrong!

Replies

  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    Am I not working out hard enough? I thought I was doing well with my food diary too. Could just cry right now!
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    I have been trying to eat more and also eat back some of my calories but I am still gaining. I know I should be patient but its very frustrating!
  • unilluminated
    unilluminated Posts: 1
    Have you been checking your measurements? Maybe you're losing fat but gaining muscle so the change doesn't reflect on the scale.
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    No I need to do that though! I always get confused on where to measure! Like where the exact location to measure my hips and my waist? I do feel firmer! I workout pretty hard And wonder if I am doing an enough, but then if I did more, that's all the more calories I'd have to try to eat back!
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
    I looked at your diary. It looks like you just increased your calories from about 1100 to 1500 on Thursday? Give it a little more time before you declare failure!

    Are you really measuring/weighing everything? Are you counting all the cooking oil/dressing that you use? Are you using the exercise calorie numbers that MFP provides or numbers from a heart rate monitor?

    If all of your numbers are right, just give it some real time. Even something as simple as being at the wrong point in your monthly cycle can make the numbers on the scale go up a little. Mine vary by 2 lbs either way from day to day but average out to a downward trend.
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    I do measure my food and am very careful about that. If I say I used 1 tbsp, then I used 1 tbsp. I look at it as, if I lie in my diary that isn't helping me! Lol! Does my diary look ok? Anything I should change?
  • sexymuffintop
    sexymuffintop Posts: 636
    Have you been checking your measurements? Maybe you're losing fat but gaining muscle so the change doesn't reflect on the scale.

    You don't gain muscle eating at a deficit. Excess cals + weight training + high protein diet = muscle gain.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    A problem that I had before I bought my Bodymedia Fit was overestimating exercise calories. This site often gives you too high of a calorie burn estimate, especially for certain activities like stationary cycling. The numbers were fully double what I REALLY burn. How are you calculating your exercise burn?
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    I don't have a hrm so I have to use MFP
  • kittyhasclaws
    kittyhasclaws Posts: 446 Member
    Give it 4-6 weeks before you reassess your situation. It takes time for your body to adjust. And if you just started working out hard, then your muscles are going to retain water to help them heal.
  • Willowana
    Willowana Posts: 493 Member
    Give yourself a minimum of a month at 1600 cals before you freak out. It takes your body time to adjust whenever you change your calories. What is your current height and weight, and how much exercise are you doing?
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    Thank you!!!
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    And what don't need to measure? Waist, hips, ??
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    I don't have a hrm so I have to use MFP
    That might be part of it then. Google around and get a second opinion on your exercise burn and definitely don't trust anything that seems suspiciously high. If it's too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Willowana
    Willowana Posts: 493 Member
    And what don't need to measure? Waist, hips, ??

    Waist, hips, bust, and neck. And while you're at it, it might be good to measure your thighs and upper arms at their thickest place.
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
    Yes wait a few weeks, like others said. Also cross check you calorie burn and take the lowest #s.
    Here is one of many sites:

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calories_burned.htm
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
    Since you don't really eat back all of your exercise calories it shouldn't matter too much that MFP's burn numbers are off. It's just good to be aware that it's an issue.

    Your sodium is pretty high some days (and at least for me, I know that mine are usually higher than what it says in my diary because I don't add sodium every time I salt a hard boiled egg, etc.) Try to keep it below 2000 mg for a while and see if that doesn't help the number on the scale.

    I also noticed you have a lot of simple carbs in your diary (100 calorie snack packs, white Italian bread, etc.) If it fits in your macros, it shouldn't interfere with weight loss, but I know that at least for me when I eat these things I get an insulin spike that makes me hungrier and makes me eat more over the course of a day. (Which is a problem) If you find that carbohydrate snacks do this to you, try to replace them with fruits/veggies/proteins or at least transition to whole grains.

    6 oz of non-fat fruit flavored yogurt and 1 oz of real, full fat extra sharp cheddar have about the same calories, but after the yogurt I am STARVING and after the cheese I am satisfied. This doesn't just help with weight loss, it also helps with how I feel about staying on a weight loss plan. Since I'm not unhappy/starving/grumpy/anxious it's ok with me if it's slow and steady. Your mileage may vary.
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    Should I lower my Cals to like 1400?
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    You just started a new program, so your body is retaining water to help your muscles recover.
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the input! I just did my measurements(hopefully I did it right!) and will track those. And will try to cut back my sodium!
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    Can someone take a peek at my dairy and tell me how I'm doing today(so far!)? am I on a good track here?
  • lisamarie1780
    lisamarie1780 Posts: 432 Member
    The scale isn't always a true reflection of what is going on. Don't weigh yourself so much. People are always on the scales obsessing over every number. Weight fluctuates daily with water etc.... there is no point jumping on and off the scales all of the time

    Eat well and exercise consistently for maybe a month and then weigh yourself and I am sure you will see a difference.
  • PattyRain
    PattyRain Posts: 104 Member
    " I always get confused on where to measure! Like where the exact location to measure my hips and my waist? "

    My trainer measures me every 3 weeks. These are things he has told me - have someone else measure you if you can - the same person each time. On your arms and legs do it at the half point. Meaning divide the length of your arm to your elbow in half and measure there. On your waist put it at the belly button and then put the rest of the tape where it will read smallest. Now on me the smallest is actually a little above my belly button, but by starting there then it is easier to be consistent each time I measure. I really don't know how he does my hips - sorry about that one. The easy answer is that it is at my widest, but I don't know how to get that more accurate.

Categories