gaining weight on 1200 calories and gym 2-3 hours a day

Options
124

Replies

  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    Options
    Start with a doctor.

    If you're eating 1200 calories in a day, and gaining, it could be that you're eating too little... consider what your net calories are here. If you eat 1200-1300, and burn maybe 200-300 doing exercise, your net is 900-1000. That's very low for someone who is exercising. The truth is you're likely burning more after the fact.

    Your body might be holding on to whatever it can. Oh, and you're not building muscle, that's bs. I overate for 4 months, lifted very heavy, and only put on 6.5 lbs of muscle as a man. This is a metabolism issue.
  • TheGirlsATimeBomb
    TheGirlsATimeBomb Posts: 434 Member
    Options
    do yourself a favor and read this.
    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
    i'm not trying to be mean, but it's the cold hard truth.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Options
    You need to eat more calories if you're working out that much everyday.

    This is true, but only for body fuel. Weight is gained when we eat more than we burn, and thyroid dysfunction can cause all kinds of issues.

    OP, you said you are on meds for your thyroid. I suggest you talk to your doctor.

    Also, make sure you measure and log every bite, as well as log your exercise. I have a feeling you might have some miscalculations.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    You are more than likely not getting enough clarories and your bodies is storing what it can. Try uping your calories. Also I am not sure what you are eating but also try avoiding complex sugars, eat clean. Also why are you going to the gym so much? You should give your body time to rest.

    Try not to focus to much on the number. Try a geting your percentage of body fat. I have lost 13 percent body fat but have only lost 8 pounds. I do weight lifting and running.

    Complex sugars? What? A diabetic should closely monitor simple sugars. Complex sugars isn't even a thing but complex carbohydrates are and tend to be the carbs that diabetics should stick to as far as their blood sugar levels are concerned.
  • NikiChicken
    NikiChicken Posts: 576 Member
    Options
    With your diabetes and thyroid issues, I'd urge you to print off your calorie count/measured meals for a substantial number of days (2-3 weeks?) and ask your doctor for a consultation. He may refer you to a specialist, in fact I'd hope he does, in which case bring even more updated records with you to the specialist. They should be able to help you more than we can, especially throwing those health problems into the mix.

    This right here is the best advice that I've seen so far!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Options
    Start with a doctor.

    If you're eating 1200 calories in a day, and gaining, it could be that you're eating too little... consider what your net calories are here. If you eat 1200-1300, and burn maybe 200-300 doing exercise, your net is 900-1000. That's very low for someone who is exercising. The truth is you're likely burning more after the fact.

    Your body might be holding on to whatever it can. Oh, and you're not building muscle, that's bs. I overate for 4 months, lifted very heavy, and only put on 6.5 lbs of muscle as a man. This is a metabolism issue.

    You don't gain weight from eating too little.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    Options
    Either you are not correctly counting your calories (most likely), or you have a severe metabolic disorder that requires medical attention (rarer but possible), or you have a large tumor growing somewhere inside you (much rarer, also possible).

    Pretty much. Or your metabolism is shot from eating nothing for years and now you're gaining even eating 1200 calories...

    my thoughts exactly, actually didn't think of the tumor thing but i guess thats possible lol
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    No everybody shouldn't.

    Yes, they should, we're talking about only *2* hours a day.
    Your body does need time to rest and repair.

    That's what the other 22 hours of the day are for. Anyone who can't do two hours a day of solid activity, day in and day out, is simply not fit or healthy.

    I can't believe how soft we've become...

    Exactly. I doubt the OP is doing 2-3 hours of heavy lifting each day for which a case could then be made for 'rest' days. But even during those rest days, she could still be doing 2-3 hours of activity.

    Why? You don't need 2-3 hours of activity per day to "be healthy".

    I'm curious to know how you think humans survived for the past 50,000 years if they couldn't do more than 2-3 hours of moderate activity a day without rest days thrown in. Just because we now live in an easy, technological society, does not mean that our animal bodies have adjusted to the sedentary life associated with it. We were built to move and move a lot.

    Way to try to put words in my mouth. Where did I say anything about not being able to?

    There's a difference in being able to do 2-3 hrs and doing it. I can spend 2-3 hours performing moderate activity right now...., but don't. Maybe 2-3 times a week, but surely not daily.

    I'm saying you don't need 2-3 hrs daily to "be healthy"

    And I never said she needed to do 2-3 hours to be healthy. I said that she could still be doing 2-3 hours of activity. Guess we both put words in each other's mouths.
  • jewelly155
    jewelly155 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    I have discovered that it is so much harder to lose weight after menopause. I have a FitBit, which counts steps, the minimum to aim for is 10k a day and nothing much was happening, so I upped my steps to 15k plus and the weight started to shift. I was walking 2.6 miles in the morning, then riding my bike for 8 miles. Twice a week I was doing 1 hour of PIlates and swimming laps once or twice a week for about an hour. Then I would walk in the evenings about 1.7 miles. Ten years ago I was doing a whole lot less exercise and it just fell off, so I have to move much, much more.

    Also, with My Fitness Pal, I try to stick with 1200 calories without any adjustments for exercise. If I ate the extra calories that My Fitness Pal says I can have, I would be putting on so much weight.
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
    Options
    No everybody shouldn't.

    Yes, they should, we're talking about only *2* hours a day.
    Your body does need time to rest and repair.

    That's what the other 22 hours of the day are for. Anyone who can't do two hours a day of solid activity, day in and day out, is simply not fit or healthy.

    I can't believe how soft we've become...

    Exactly. I doubt the OP is doing 2-3 hours of heavy lifting each day for which a case could then be made for 'rest' days. But even during those rest days, she could still be doing 2-3 hours of activity.

    Why? You don't need 2-3 hours of activity per day to "be healthy".

    I'm curious to know how you think humans survived for the past 50,000 years if they couldn't do more than 2-3 hours of moderate activity a day without rest days thrown in. Just because we now live in an easy, technological society, does not mean that our animal bodies have adjusted to the sedentary life associated with it. We were built to move and move a lot.
    Okay, but how high was the average life expectancy thousands of years ago?
    Also, there's a huge difference between 3 hours of zumba and 3 hours of moderate activity spread throughout a day.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    No everybody shouldn't.

    Yes, they should, we're talking about only *2* hours a day.
    Your body does need time to rest and repair.

    That's what the other 22 hours of the day are for. Anyone who can't do two hours a day of solid activity, day in and day out, is simply not fit or healthy.

    I can't believe how soft we've become...

    Exactly. I doubt the OP is doing 2-3 hours of heavy lifting each day for which a case could then be made for 'rest' days. But even during those rest days, she could still be doing 2-3 hours of activity.

    Why? You don't need 2-3 hours of activity per day to "be healthy".

    I'm curious to know how you think humans survived for the past 50,000 years if they couldn't do more than 2-3 hours of moderate activity a day without rest days thrown in. Just because we now live in an easy, technological society, does not mean that our animal bodies have adjusted to the sedentary life associated with it. We were built to move and move a lot.
    Okay, but how high was the average life expectancy years ago?
    Also, there's a huge difference between 3 hours of zumba and 3 hours of moderate activity spread throughout a day.

    Disease, malnutrition, and predators would account for the shorter life spans, not in excess of 2-3 hours of activity a day.
  • ExtremePhobia
    ExtremePhobia Posts: 40
    Options
    You're doing 2-3 hours of very vigorous exercise every day and eating 1200 calories. You may be netting 600 or less after you remove the exercise. It sounds like you are either starving for calories and your body is trying to hang on to whatever it can OR you are really packing on a lot of muscle.

    Either way, odds are that you are over doing it, not under doing it.
  • kcvance
    kcvance Posts: 103 Member
    Options
    Thank you for your reply. I started my current gym regimen a year ago. I weighed 130 pounds at that time. Now I weigh 150. I am diabetic and I admit I do not do a good job drinking water. I think I only drink about six 8-oz. glasses a day (that includes the two bottles of water I drink while I am at the gym). I am on thyroid medication because I am hypothyroid. My diabetes is in good control. In fact, the doctor says now I am consistently low in blood sugar. I use a calorie counter to log in food. I drink 1-2 glasses of wine on the weekends.

    I also gained weight AFTER being diagnosed as hypothyroid (15 pounds eating <500 calories a day and exercising) - my medication was not optimized, and I had no reduction / relief in symptoms. I would check into that first. There are a couple of hypothyroid boards on MFP that have been a great help to me and others:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
    Options
    I'd say you are not eating enough if you are only eating between 1200-1300 calories a day and work out for 2-3 hours a day. I know, its hard to wrap our minds around ... but I am finally believing in this truth and seeing results from changing my mindset.

    That being said, I'd suggest a through check up with blood work/labs and have your thyroid checked. Could be a combination of many things.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Options
    Why do you work out so much??

    What? Everybody should have a couple of hours a day of solid physical activity! The OP should be commended for retaining such a good activity level!

    No, especially not women in menopause because they generate excess cortisol, which is unhealthy.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Options
    So today I learned that starvation diet + zumba at 60 years old produces 15 lbs of muscle gain, and the solution is clean eating.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Options
    So today I learned that starvation diet + zumba at 60 years old produces 15 lbs of muscle gain, and the solution is clean eating.

    the-more-you-know-o.gif:laugh: :laugh:
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    Options
    So today I learned that starvation diet + zumba at 60 years old produces 15 lbs of muscle gain, and the solution is clean eating.

    Cool. I want some muscle, so I'm going to try that! Screw eating at a surplus and lifting heavy things. All I need is a sex change, some soap, and about 15 years...
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Options
    Why do you work out so much??

    What? Everybody should have a couple of hours a day of solid physical activity! The OP should be commended for retaining such a good activity level!
    I'm not saying it's necessarily bad if you have time etc but 2-3 hrs of planned exercise is a lot. I am training for a 10 mile run and never work out 3 hrs in a day.
  • bpt54
    bpt54 Posts: 17
    Options
    I do enjoy working out and I must admit I get so excited about the ability to do something that I could not do 100 pounds ago. I wish I had been so committed to healthy habits before I reached 60. When I was losing the initial 120 pounds, I would walk 8 miles a day and 15 miles on Saturday. That would be about 2+ hours during the week and 4 on Saturdays. I guess I have gotten used to it. My husband and I are empty nesters and I work from home, so I consider it a very enjoyable hobby.

Categories