Started the gym and gaining

MACnificence
MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi

I started the gym just over 1 month ago and ever since my weight loss has been at stand still actually fluctuating 2Ibs between 130-132 , I know they say when you start a new exercise routine your body retains water but how long before ill start to see a loss , it's been over a month now of going to the gym just to see my weight rising , I took my measurements aswell and nope not down anything there either .
I work out 6 days a week , 3 days is 60 mins cardio and 3 days doing 30 mins cardio combined with 1hour strength training
Also I walk over 5 miles a day 6 days a week aswell , I have always walked since I started my weight loss journey and was constantly down each week
I'm losing patience now all this hard work doesn't seem to be paying off ,
Any advice / tips ?

Also before people start saying I'm gaining muscle isn't it virtually impossible to gain muscle at a calorie deficit so no I don't think it's muscle gain my boyfriend lifts heavy 4 days a week and he hasn't gained 2Ibs of muscle so odds are I definitely haven't

Replies

  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    Have you been taking measurements? That's going to be a more accurate way of determining actual losses. Additionally, in spite of popular wisdom on this site, it is not impossible to gain muscle while eating at a deficit. I did it while I was losing most of my weight, and I was able to track it by checking my measurements with a tape and tracking body fat percentage. My weight wasn't changing, but the body fat was dropping steadily. It could absolutely be possible. However, if it continues, I would recommend playing with your caloric intake. If you're not losing, drop calories by 100 for a week or two and see what happens. Everyone is unique, and the numbers provided to you that you should be consuming are based on an average. Adjust as needed until you see results. Just make sure not to drop to dangerous levels. Good luck.
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    Have you been taking measurements? That's going to be a more accurate way of determining actual losses. Additionally, in spite of popular wisdom on this site, it is not impossible to gain muscle while eating at a deficit. I did it while I was losing most of my weight, and I was able to track it by checking my measurements with a tape and tracking body fat percentage. My weight wasn't changing, but the body fat was dropping steadily. It could absolutely be possible. However, if it continues, I would recommend playing with your caloric intake. If you're not losing, drop calories by 100 for a week or two and see what happens. Everyone is unique, and the numbers provided to you that you should be consuming are based on an average. Adjust as needed until you see results. Just make sure not to drop to dangerous levels. Good luck.






    I have taken measurements and no change there either , in eating 1500 calories burning 1000 a day through exercise according to my HRM so lowering my calories I think will be counterproductive ,
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    Bump
  • danielleburwell97060
    danielleburwell97060 Posts: 257 Member
    So you're netting 500? That's far too low.
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    So you're netting 500? That's far too low.



    I'm working on upping my calories I started off at 1200 to 1400 when I joined the gym and I upped them to 1500 last week , but because of weight gain I must admit I am afraid of going higher again
  • eatrunstretch
    eatrunstretch Posts: 233 Member
    Alarm bells are going off in my head! You're only netting 500 calories a day!!!

    My two cents is tough love; up your calorie intake to at least TDEE -20%.
  • 122ish
    122ish Posts: 339 Member
    R u eating the same amount of cals since before hitting the gym, if so could posibly not be enough
  • danielleburwell97060
    danielleburwell97060 Posts: 257 Member
    I'd definitely suggest working out your bmr and tdee and then do a 250 cal deficit off your tdee and build up to that number. That is a half a pound a week loss as I see from the ticker on your profile you are close to goal. The closer you are to goal the slower it happens and the closer you should be to maintenance.
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    R u eating the same amount of cals since before hitting the gym, if so could posibly not be enough




    I was eating 1200 calories walking 5 miles a day losing every week , decided to join the gym upped them to 1400 , then bought a HRM realised I was burning 1000 calories through my exercise a day then upped them to 1500 last week ! Weighed myself Monday was 130.8 weighed myself today 131.7 :/
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    ditch the cardio on strength days and eat more.
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    Alarm bells are going off in my head! You're only netting 500 calories a day!!!

    My two cents is tough love; up your calorie intake to at least TDEE -20%.




    Worked out my TDEE on scoobys workshop , TDEE - 20% is 1700 calories , so do you think I should eat that ? Also would it best upping by like 50 calories at a time I don't want to put any more weight on

    Thanks
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    ditch the cardio on strength days and eat more.





    I'm gunna lower my cardio to 5 day a week taking Saturday and Sunday as rest days ! Will that be enough ?
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    I'd definitely suggest working out your bmr and tdee and then do a 250 cal deficit off your tdee and build up to that number. That is a half a pound a week loss as I see from the ticker on your profile you are close to goal. The closer you are to goal the slower it happens and the closer you should be to maintenance.






    Thanks , I worked out my TDEE -20% gives me 1700 calories will that be a safe amount ? I'm gunna take back my exercise to 5 days a week aswell
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member

    I'm gunna lower my cardio to 5 day a week taking Saturday and Sunday as rest days ! Will that be enough ?

    are you still only going to net 500 cals per day?
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member

    I'm gunna lower my cardio to 5 day a week taking Saturday and Sunday as rest days ! Will that be enough ?

    are you still only going to net 500 cals per day?




    Well going by my TDEE -20% ill up my calories to 1700 ! But I'm thinking maybe I should do that slowly to avoid weight gain ?
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    But how on earth is not eating enough calories causing me to gain weight???
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    But how on earth is not eating enough calories causing me to gain weight???

    Because science, now just take the advice, and eat more. If someone told you they were only eating a sandwich a day you would think they had issues....yet essentially this is what you're doing by exercising to burn 1000 cals off 1500 a day. You should be NETTING at least 1200. Even 1700 sounds low for your level of activity.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member

    Well going by my TDEE -20% ill up my calories to 1700 ! But I'm thinking maybe I should do that slowly to avoid weight gain ?

    1700 still seems low to me, if you are burning 1000 cals at the gym 6 days per week. your activity setting should probably be active or even very active.

    you arent putting on FAT by not eating enough, but you are harming your body.
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member

    Well going by my TDEE -20% ill up my calories to 1700 ! But I'm thinking maybe I should do that slowly to avoid weight gain ?

    1700 still seems low to me, if you are burning 1000 cals at the gym 6 days per week. your activity setting should probably be active or even very active.

    you arent putting on FAT by not eating enough, but you are harming your body.




    I will take your advice and up my calories! Fingers crossed it will work for me
    Thank you for taking time to answer my question I appreciate all feedback :)
  • MACnificence
    MACnificence Posts: 419 Member
    But how on earth is not eating enough calories causing me to gain weight???

    Because science, now just take the advice, and eat more. If someone told you they were only eating a sandwich a day you would think they had issues....yet essentially this is what you're doing by exercising to burn 1000 cals off 1500 a day. You should be NETTING at least 1200. Even 1700 sounds low for your level of activity.





    I understand what your saying sorry just the human body is so confusing always had the idea eat less move more to lose weight , just getting my head around the idea of eating more to lose weight , thanks so much for your feedback I will for sure start eating more and hope things start moving in the right direction again

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