Not losing, now i'm GAINING
oceanreign
Posts: 6
Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
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Replies
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Hi!
How tall are you//current weight? This info will help re: calories.0 -
Am I understanding right - the net change is replacing 5-7x walking with 4x "bootcamp"?0
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A) You may need more than 12-1400 calories a day. Especially if you're exercising.
Weight loss isn't linear. Weight fluctuates.
C) You added a new/more intense workout regimen. The body will retain water for repair until it adapts to the new workout/intensity.
D) If you think it's diet, it would be beneficial to open your diary.0 -
1200 sounds like a crash diet - those never work.
You played all your cards at once... calorie reduction and exercise... all at once!
Exercise is a poor way to lose weight - calorie reduction is probably the best way... but you slammed your calories to 1200 from the get-go... lost a bunch of weight (initially mostly from water)... and then weight loss stopped.... classic crash diet.
You have to reverse diet out of the crash (which sadly involves gaining weight) and then cut calories gradually... don't attempt to "burn calories" from exercise. That is the fundamental mistake people make.
As a trainer I can tell you that I never recommend more than 1 hr of exercise 3x / week... with up to 15 mins cardio for any of my clients.0 -
C) You added a new/more intense workout regimen. The body will retain water for repair until it adapts to the new workout/intensity.
^^^0 -
Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
Never estimate your calories burned. Eat your exercise calories back. At least half of them.0 -
A) You may need more than 12-1400 calories a day. Especially if you're exercising. Weight loss isn't linear. Weight fluctuates.
C) You added a new/more intense workout regimen. The body will retain water for repair until it adapts to the new workout/intensity.
D) If you think it's diet, it would be beneficial to open your diary.
^^this!
Pretty sure you should eat more! At least net 1200-15000 -
Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
Short-term weight gain as a result of intensified/changed workout program is expected, as muscles retain water while they repair themselves.
To open diary, go to Food -> Settings, then scroll to the bottom and select public.0 -
Some good advice above. Opening your diary would really help here. Are you logging everything you eat accurately? Are you weighing/measuring your food or estimating your portions? Are you double/checking the accuracy of MFP's entries (some foods get added to the database with very inaccurate information, unfortunately).0
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Never estimate your calories burned.
I'm sure you mean something intelligent by this, but I can't figure out what. The statement as quoted is meaningless since estimate is all you can do.0 -
If you are gaining you are not in a deficit, unless it is water weight to due a change or increase in intensity of exercise.
If you have been doing this for a while then you are either under estimating cals eaten (weigh solids and measure liquids to be sure you know what you are actually eating), or over estimating cals burned, or both.0 -
I opened my diary if that helps.0
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I opened my diary if that helps.
Only if you have weighed and measured everything, otherwise just guesstimates anyway
Could also be water retention due to the high level of sodium consumption you seem to have. One day said 2600 which isn't too high, but one item said 0, but was probably well over 1000 mg.0 -
I think you're vastly overestimating calorie burns, for one thing. You're not burning 800-1000 calories an hour in "bootcamp."
But you're not eating those calories back anyway. I think you should eat more to fuel these workouts.
I'd say your weight gain is expected based on your workout changes. How long ago did you start bootcamp, and over what time have you noticed the weight gain?0 -
You're exercising harder than you were when you began, yet your calories are the same. You need to up your calories when you up the exercise.. also, muscle weighs more than fat by volume. Your fat could be turning into muscles since you are working out.0
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You're exercising harder than you were when you began, yet your calories are the same. You need to up your calories when you up the exercise.. also, muscle weighs more than fat by volume. Your fat could be turning into muscles since you are working out.
Nope, not in a caloric deficit. and if the deficit is too large you will actually lose quite a bit of lean muscle along with the fat.0 -
It's probably water weight. It's normal to gain water weight when you add a new exercise regimen. That being said, are you weighing your food properly? If not, you might be eating more than you think.
But frankly 1400 calories with all that exercise at your weight way too little. I'm 115 lbs lighter than you and I've been losing with 1600 calories with about the same amount of exercise (I'm 5'5" and 35).0 -
How do I figure out the best amount of calories to eat? And as far as measuring bootcamp calories burned, I'm going with online estimators, but that's why I'm afraid to eat it back---I know it's only a range.0
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I am measuring food, as well. A lot of what I eat is prepackaged (cheese sticks, soup, microwave lunches, etc). But if it's not, I measure.0
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How do I figure out the best amount of calories to eat? And as far as measuring bootcamp calories burned, I'm going with online estimators, but that's why I'm afraid to eat it back---I know it's only a range.
You need to mess around and see what works. I only go with 50% because MFP is so far off.0 -
water weight from an increase in exercise intensity. Your muscles require water for repair...the harder you work them, the more they need to repair.0
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Never estimate your calories burned.
I'm sure you mean something intelligent by this, but I can't figure out what. The statement as quoted is meaningless since estimate is all you can do.
True, fair enough. She said she adds an estimated amount of exercise calories burned from her boot camp class. I only meant that she should use a HRM or something other than MFP estimates to measure calories burned.0 -
at 264lbs and working out 4-5 days a week and you only eat 1200-1400 kcals? Are you serious? Please do yourself a favor and eat more. You are bordeline starving yourself and close to malnutrition. Your body needs energy to burn fat so eat closer to 1800kcals at your size heck you could probably eat as much as 20000
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Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
I took your stats and came up with this: BMR 1916 (this is the amount of energy your body needs to function normally). Ideally, you want to eat slightly above your BMR for effecient fat burning/weightloss. Your TDEE based on 3 workouts a week is 2635 kcals. So if you want to lose 2lbs a week then you should be eating at the very least 2000kcals.
I'm 5'8 and weigh 194 and I'm losing weight at 2000-2100calories per day training 5 days a week heavy weights and 2 days of cardio no more than 22min0 -
I say, eat back about 1/2 your exercise calories, and get back walking.
If you're going to eat too little and exercise more, your metabolism will slow down. Also, don't rely too much on the scale. Make sure you're taking measurements too. 0 -
Glad that you asked the question, Oceanreign! I've been wondering the the same thing myself, I just amped up to a to a higher excersize intensity and gained 2lbs. So, thanks everyone for your comments. Like you, I've not been eating back my calories and personally for me not getting enough water. Let's make some of those changes suggested and good luck to us!0
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Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
I took your stats and came up with this: BMR 1916 (this is the amount of energy your body needs to function normally). Ideally, you want to eat slightly above your BMR for effecient fat burning/weightloss. Your TDEE based on 3 workouts a week is 2635 kcals. So if you want to lose 2lbs a week then you should be eating at the very least 2000kcals.
I'm 5'8 and weigh 194 and I'm losing weight at 2000-2100calories per day training 5 days a week heavy weights and 2 days of cardio no more than 22min
This is exactly what I would say. There's a reason you see tons of people who exercise a lot and eat 1200-1300 calories constantly complaining on the boards about not being able to lose weight. I am 5' 3",155 pounds, eat 1600, and exercise about three times a week or less. I've been doing that since May and 31 pounds gone. You also need to recalculate your calorie intake about every 5 pounds lost or so.0 -
Your diary looks a whole lot like you might not be using a scale. If so, big mistake. You can't go measuring shredded cheese with a measuring cup and expect to get it right.
Get yourself a digital food scale. I got mine cheap on Amazon and it folds up for travel0 -
Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
I took your stats and came up with this: BMR 1916 (this is the amount of energy your body needs to function normally). Ideally, you want to eat slightly above your BMR for effecient fat burning/weightloss. Your TDEE based on 3 workouts a week is 2635 kcals. So if you want to lose 2lbs a week then you should be eating at the very least 2000kcals.
I'm 5'8 and weigh 194 and I'm losing weight at 2000-2100calories per day training 5 days a week heavy weights and 2 days of cardio no more than 22min
If you figure her BMR using the Katch Mccardle method, since her body fat % is so high, her BMR is only around 1400. Body composition makes a big difference for some people with very high or low BF%. A 500 calorie difference in her case.0 -
Here's my story, in a nutshell. . .back in August I joined a gym. I started walking (slowly) almost every day. I got a trainer. I got a meal plan. I started tracking food. I gave up all caloric beverages, save the random unsweetened iced tea. I used to sit on my butt day in and day out and drink copious amounts of regular soda. Anyway, after a month or so, I was able to walk a little faster, on an incline, etc. In 2 months, I lost 15 pounds. I was eating between 1200-1400 calories. walking min 5/7 days ,with 2 half hour personal training sessions a week.
Fast Forward to October. I added bootcamps to my regime. Now I'm doing 4 bootcamps a week. I'm not walking anymore (other than normal day to day stuff). Still doing the personal training. Same calories. And now I've GAINED 5 pounds. I don't get it. Calories the same. Water the same (gallon a day, basically). I'm not eating back any of my burned calories, even though I do add an estimate of bootcamp burned calories to my fitbit/ MFP. I do that mainly to track days I exercised then anything. I have a feeling my problem is diet but I don't know what else to do. . .help?
If my diary isn't open, I am not sure how to do that. . .Thanks. Oh, and I'm 35, 264(ish, what with the gain), and 5'6"
I took your stats and came up with this: BMR 1916 (this is the amount of energy your body needs to function normally). Ideally, you want to eat slightly above your BMR for effecient fat burning/weightloss. Your TDEE based on 3 workouts a week is 2635 kcals. So if you want to lose 2lbs a week then you should be eating at the very least 2000kcals.
I'm 5'8 and weigh 194 and I'm losing weight at 2000-2100calories per day training 5 days a week heavy weights and 2 days of cardio no more than 22min
If you figure her BMR using the Katch Mccardle method, since her body fat % is so high, her BMR is only around 1400. Body composition makes a big difference for some people with very high or low BF%. A 500 calorie difference in her case.
That's totally moot until she uses a food scale and figures out her real intake. Then she can estimate based on losses or gains.0
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