Been on the 1500 Calorie diet and gained 2 pounds!

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samanthajayne8
samanthajayne8 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

Two week's ago I decided to dedicate myself to weight loss, for the long term. I used to eat alot of candy, fast food and soda. I cut down drastically and thought that going down to 1500 cals versus 2500 cals a day, would help me. However I have actually gained weight. Ill be honest, my calorie intake is not from fruit and veggies. However I still stay under goal, and have changed my eating habit's. I would never drink any water, and now I am drinking 8 glasses every day.

Any ideas as to why this is happening to me?

TIA!

Replies

  • msliu7911
    msliu7911 Posts: 639 Member
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    I saw in one of your other posts that you're 5'4" and at 150. Maybe try scaling back 10% on total calories and see if that works? I've seen many people have success by cutting their calories back just a little bit when they're not losing. Or, if you're taking in 1500 calories a day... maybe try getting at least 30 minutes of exercise too?

    Many others may argue with me that scaling back is not the right thing to do... but maybe try it for a week and see how it works? It can't hurt.

    Whatever you do, don't starve yourself. If you feel 1350 calories is making you want to chew your arm off... eat more calories.. don't chew your arm off.

    It boils down to calories out > calories in. You will lose, you just need to make sure you're tracking accurately.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
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    Check your sodium intake. It could be water retention from sodium, or from working out.
  • daxnine
    daxnine Posts: 30 Member
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    i am having the same problem and im convinced it's salt related like someone else said. im trying to control my salt intake, and increase my water intake and see what happens. so far it seems to be getting better but i only weigh once a week so i havent checked the scale.
  • samanthajayne8
    samanthajayne8 Posts: 3
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    Thank you so much! Im down from 162 to 144, I started last summer! : ) I just seem to be at a stand still! I am definetly going to look into sodium intake, and reduce my calorie intake a little. I really feel like the water I am drinking is making me bloated? Also I am so lazy when it come's to exercise. I will have to try and walk for at least 30 min a day and trying to master the wii fit!!
  • daxnine
    daxnine Posts: 30 Member
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    dont decrease water..if you drink less your body will not let go of what you do drink. here is the formula i read on another topic about how much you need to drink: your body weight divided by 2, then convert that into ounces.so if you are 144, that's nine glasses a day (which is just a little more than youre already doing).
  • BenW1980
    BenW1980 Posts: 9
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    One tip without wanting to sound too gross is to always weigh your self after you have been to the number twos (as that stuff can weigh lots too) and always weigh yourself once a week first thing in the morning after you wake up.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    It's only been 2 weeks. Give any change 4-6 weeks before checking progress
  • Brad805
    Brad805 Posts: 289 Member
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    How do you measure your food quantities? Scale and measuring cups, eyeballing, or guesstimate?
  • iarelarry
    iarelarry Posts: 201 Member
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    The mirror never lies!! If you look better in the mirror, then you're good to go!
  • ReverseEngineered
    ReverseEngineered Posts: 15
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    2 pounds and 2 weeks are both small numbers. Expect that your weight will fluctuate +/- 2 pounds on a regular basis. Try measuring yourself daily and calculating the average every week and just compare the averages week to week. That should help eliminate the fluctuations and give you a better idea of your actual weight loss. It'll take a long time, so stick with it and you'll eventually see results.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Honestly...you really shouldn't be weighting yourself until at least 4 weeks into a calorie change. Also, have you increased your exercise at all? Is it your time of the month? There are a number of reasons you could have gained that 2 pounds. Don't chage anything for at least 2-3 more weeks. You body needs time to adjust to the difference you are putting it through. Also, as others have said, pay attention to your sodium. Espcially since I am guessing that the "healthy" food you eat is processed items which is loaded in sodium, which can cause your body to hold onto a lot of the water you are drinking so that it can process all the salt.
  • fatdcolville
    fatdcolville Posts: 6
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    Timing can have an effect. If you eat all your calories at once, you can still lose, but the body burns it more effectively if you spread the 1500 calories over say 5 courses a day. Think of it this way....your body is full of little energy storage bins. These storage bins fuel your muscles and functions of the body. These are not the fat storage bins. When a fuel storage bin gets empty, the body looks to fill that bin. It comes from food your currently digesting or fat cells. if you don't empty those bins, everything you eat goes to fat stores. if you eat little bits of food all day, the bins look for that food to replunish the fuel bins. but, if you eat a whole bunch at once, only some of it is used to refill the fuel bins, the rest packs on as fat. if your body thinks it is in starvation mode, it is harder to get the fat to release to replenish the fuel bins.....you will feel tired.

    So, eat small, eat often....Walk and pump some iron to rev your metabolism. Don't need a lot of weight to lift, don't have to do a lot of it. Earlier is better. Muscle burns more calories than fat and looks better. Lifting keeps the metabolism rev'd up longer than cardio. But, it's all good. Little at a time.

    Most important, don't give up....you might wake up tomorrow and be down a whole pound.

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