increased my exercise...and my weight increased

jmath911
jmath911 Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure this has been covered on the message board before but I couldn't find it "just like my case".
I've been at this a little over a month. I've been eating less than my 1200 calories a day and using my eliptical type machine for 30-40 minutes a day. I don't eat back my calories. The weight was sliding off. I lost 14 pounds (over the month). I just added 30 day shred and oh I'm so sore but I look at the scales and I've gained back 4 pounds.
Is this normal? If I continue the diet/exercise is the weight gonna fall off in a chunk? I am frustrated. I know to be patient and persistent but do I need to change something else? I'm trying to lose 115 pounds. Is this not going to work for me?

Replies

  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Yes, it's definitely been covered... Your metabolism is slowing down because you are not giving your body enough energy. At a minimum, you need to eat back your exercise calories. Good luck!
  • jasminel23
    jasminel23 Posts: 1
    you may have increased muscle mass which is a lot heavier than fat, also your bod maybe be hi:smile: tting plateau so try giving your body a shock with other high intense workouts but you shouldnt eat less then 1200 calories eat atleast another 200-300,
  • jmath911
    jmath911 Posts: 57 Member
    Not trying to be stupid or snarky-just trying to understand theoretically- what will happen if I don't start eating back the calories, will I be at a stand still for a while and then begin losing again, or with a slow metabolism am I very very slowly losing weight?
    I do understand a slower metabolism but goodness "if the less you eat the less you lose" is a hard and fast rule then no one would ever starve to death.
    Thanks for the reply and the conversation
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    you may have increased muscle mass which is a lot heavier than fat, also your bod maybe be hi:smile: tting plateau so try giving your body a shock with other high intense workouts but you shouldnt eat less then 1200 calories eat atleast another 200-300,

    It's really unlikely that they're building muscle on 1200 cals. More likely their muscles are holding some extra water to help with the repair process.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    you may have increased muscle mass which is a lot heavier than fat, also your bod maybe be hi:smile: tting plateau so try giving your body a shock with other high intense workouts but you shouldnt eat less then 1200 calories eat atleast another 200-300,

    It's really unlikely that they're building muscle on 1200 cals. More likely their muscles are holding some extra water to help with the repair process.

    This...and get some food into yourself if you are eating under 1200...
  • Nachise
    Nachise Posts: 395 Member
    you may have increased muscle mass which is a lot heavier than fat, also your bod maybe be hi:smile: tting plateau so try giving your body a shock with other high intense workouts but you shouldnt eat less then 1200 calories eat atleast another 200-300,

    A pound of fat and a pound of muscle still weigh the same. Muscle tissue is more dense than fat, and takes up less space. I am increasing muscle mass, dropping two jean sizes, but not losing a lot of weight at this period in my journey. Unless you are four foot nothing, 1200 calories is not conducive to weight loss and muscle growth.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    its normal to gain wheight when you start a new routine, you said your sore which is a huge indicator that is just water retention, you muscles just got a new shock and they hold on to the water as part of their recovery, just keep it up the soreness should go away and in like 2 weeks you will see a big drop when your muscles get used to life again
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    Eat more god damn food, less than 1200 cals is not enough to fuel your body
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
    Eat back some of your exercise calories may help, but I am thinking its more likely a temporary thing.

    Four pounds isn't a drastic change and may just be fluid retention being used for muscle tissue repair.

    I'm not sure who wrote this but it provides and explanation that is better than what I have time to try and explain...

    http://weightloss.answers.com/side-effects/sore-muscles-and-weight-gain

    I certainly won't argue it because in the day or two after an intense speedwork or hills session, I gain some weight as well.

    Largely it's water weight and will go away.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
    Oops - Double post :laugh:
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    EAT MORE! this has been covered PLENTY of times.
  • jmath911
    jmath911 Posts: 57 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the replies. Time to re-evaluate...and eat.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Not trying to be stupid or snarky-just trying to understand theoretically- what will happen if I don't start eating back the calories, will I be at a stand still for a while and then begin losing again, or with a slow metabolism am I very very slowly losing weight?
    I do understand a slower metabolism but goodness "if the less you eat the less you lose" is a hard and fast rule then no one would ever starve to death.
    Thanks for the reply and the conversation

    One thing that'll happen is that your body will use muscle for fuel much more than if you eat enough fuel. I'm not saying a person has to eat back all their exercise calories, but 1200 is so low to start with that I'd be terribly afraid of muscle loss instead of much fat loss (compared to losing fat while conserving muscle).

    If possible, don't eat less than your BMR, and certainly don't if you strength-exercise a lot. I don't know what's recommended with 100 lbs to lose about how to handle BMR, though. 1200 has to be less than yours, though, I'd think.

    If you can keep the muscle or even grow some more (not at 1200, lol!), your metabolism is higher and burns off more fat for you. It's cool like that! :D

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