Eating 1300 Calories, Exercising, Gaining Weight, HELP!

MulderandScully
MulderandScully Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I eat about 1300 calories a day and exercise. According to my BodyBugg, I'm burning about 2400 calories per day but I am GAINING weight. I've tried changing the type of food I'm eating but nothing seems to help.

Anyone have any ideas?

Replies

  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I doubt your eating 1300, are you weighing everything you eat? Counting every little bite and drink you put in your mouth?

    ETA: Reread and changed what I put, misunderstood.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Obviously one or both of those numbers are seriously out of whack.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Probably water weight. It's not possible to gain fat with such a deficit.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Without seeing your dairy it will be hard to get many helpful suggestions.

    Do you weigh your food? Measure your liquids?
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    Open your diary and we'll better be able to advise you.

    ETA: how long have you been doing this?
  • MulderandScully
    MulderandScully Posts: 5
    I walk three hours a day and I eat premeasured food. I've even tried doing just meal replacement shakes.
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    I still ask how long have you been doing this and suggest opening your diary. At least one of your numbers is way off, and I'm betting they both are honestly. Walking (even for 3 hours) doesn't seem likely to burn 2400 calories. Are you doing other workouts as well? Where is the 2400 number coming from (how are you tracking it).
  • Brianf2fusa
    Brianf2fusa Posts: 14
    If you are not going to open your food diary, can you copy and paste one full day in this thread? Until we see some sort of logging we can't help ya.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I walk three hours a day and I eat premeasured food. I've even tried doing just meal replacement shakes.

    That might be your problem. Try to eat real food.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Walking (even for 3 hours) doesn't seem likely to burn 2400 calories. Are you doing other workouts as well? Where is the 2400 number coming from (how are you tracking it).

    No way in hell that a 3 hour walk burns 2400 calories. A 500 pound person doing 3 hours at 3.5 mph wouldn't even burn that much. I'm assuming the 2400 is reported as her TDEE, not just as exercise. At least, I hope!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Your TDEE I assume is 2400.

    You are eating 1300 (presumably, if measuring correctly.)

    This is a deficit of 1100 calories per day. This is way too aggressive for someone only wanting to lose 24 pounds. One possible explanation, assuming the numbers above are correct, is that your body is producing excess cortisol in response to the stress and is responding accordingly.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    "Excess cortisol" can't prevent weight loss with such a large deficit.

    Most likely explanation is intake is significantly higher than estimated.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    "Excess cortisol" can't prevent weight loss with such a large deficit.

    Most likely explanation is intake is significantly higher than estimated.

    If she has other kinds of hormonal problems, I believe it could. But yes, underestimating intake is the more likely explanation. And easier to fix.
  • JustMeee333
    JustMeee333 Posts: 233
    This could be a case for Mulder and Scully. :noway:
  • shans3babies
    shans3babies Posts: 1
    I am having the same problem. I eat between 1200 and 1300 a day and have gained over the last few months. All my test come back fine and I workout at least 3 to 4 days a week burning anywhere from 600 to 800 calories. My resting is 1583, so, my nutritionist said I am holding weight and need to eat at least 1500 if I am not working out and 2000 if I am. I still find myself w/ 300 to 600 calories I still need to eat but can't. Anyone else have this problem? Also I am 5 ft 10.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Yep. You're in denial about how much you eat and/or how much exercise you do....
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    I may get some flak for saying this, but I do think it's much more complicated for women. I also had a BodyMedia armband at one point, and I was logging EVERYTHING. At the end of the week, the report of what I ate vs what I burned, mathetmatically speaking, should have shown a loss of 1.5 pounds. I'd get on the scale and not lose anything. Or lose a half a pound. The math never matched reality. And I was not overestimating intake, I assure you. I was painstaking in tracking, down to a teaspoon of ketchup.

    So, as for the OP, I'm not sure about gaining but not losing is entirely plausible on 1300 cals. I do agree that the exercise cals burned might be overstated.

    I'm just saying that I constantly go to a fallback position of calories in/calories out. But then I get on the scale, and it's WTF? Math does not match reality. Truly, the only way I have ever lost weight is by sticking to 1200 calories a day and exercising a good amount. However, I also found that is just too little for me to stay on without being massively hungry. It's not sustainable. At 1500 calories, I should thereotecially lose. I don't. I maintain at 1500.
  • toya1815
    toya1815 Posts: 20 Member
    Im 5'10 and having the same issue... Im being told that I am not eating enough, but I find it hard to eat all the calories in a day :/
  • Mahihkan
    Mahihkan Posts: 162
    Makes me laugh... i'm on the 1200 cal and lost 30lb on my first sign up here. Was slow, but steady. No exercise, only walking.
    I guess her numbers is all wrong on the cal intake...

    I tried getting my calories up to 1500 to 2000 for a couple of month after... didnt lose or gain a pound...

    I know it will offend a couple of people on here, but how in hell cant you lose any weight at 1000 calories when anorexics loses with less !?!?!? lol
  • rosiejocotton
    rosiejocotton Posts: 12
    If you are exercising it's possible that you're gaining weight in muscle, after all, muscle weighs much more than fat.
  • Rosannajo88
    Rosannajo88 Posts: 212 Member
    Makes me laugh... i'm on the 1200 cal and lost 30lb on my first sign up here. Was slow, but steady. No exercise, only walking.
    I guess her numbers is all wrong on the cal intake...

    I tried getting my calories up to 1500 to 2000 for a couple of month after... didnt lose or gain a pound...

    I know it will offend a couple of people on here, but how in hell cant you lose any weight at 1000 calories when anorexics loses with less !?!?!? lol

    Because Anorexics arent losing weight (fat) they are losing organ and muscle mass due to starvation.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    1) Other than newbie gains its very very difficult to gain muscle when eating at a deficit, the best you can do is maintain your existing muscle mass
    2) Muscle doesn't weight more than fat 1g = 1g. However muscle is more dense than fat so in effect the same weight takes up less volume (1lb of feathers vs 1lb metal block - both weight the smae, one tkes up alot less space than the other).
  • Rosannajo88
    Rosannajo88 Posts: 212 Member
    Are you measuring your inches? I find this alot more helpful than the scales, there are so many causes for fluctuations and a gain can significantly dent your fitness mojo.

    I would reiterate what others have said in that we need to see your diary and know how long you have been eating at this deficit to provide any helpful answers.
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    Something is definitely off, I suggest going through the link below and reading... The information is very helpful, and I'd be willing to bet as you are reading through there will be at least one item that will make bells go off for you.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

    Best of luck to you :drinker:
  • Rosannajo88
    Rosannajo88 Posts: 212 Member
    Awwww zombie post!! Just noticed we last heard from OP in October. I dont think we are going to get to the bottom of this one any time soon!

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