I feel like I should be loosing more

mell0wg0ld
mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Two weeks ago I started a new regimen of diet and exercise to loose about 90 pounds. At first I was doing 1200 calories per day and at least an hour of exercise 6 days a week. I recently discovered I should be eating more due to my height and was experiencing very bad headaches. But the weird part is I only lost 3 pounds the whole 2 weeks. I was expecting to lose more because I was exercising more and eating less - is there something wrong with my body? Should I expect to lose MORE weight now that I am eating a non-starvation amount of calories?
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Replies

  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    How much are you eating now and what do you weigh?

    3 lbs in 2 weeks is awesome!

    You started exercising 2 weeks ago for an hour a day, 6 days a week, you're body is likely holding onto water while it repairs your muscles. Don't try to lose weight too quickly. Just keep doing what you are doing and you will achieve your goals.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    New exercise regimen usually means water weight gain. Stick to eating more, your body needs the fuel. Just be patient. Once it gets used to the new routine you should begin to lose.
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    250lbs :blushing: and I would like to be 160. I was eating 1200 calories a day and exercising about an average of 450 of those away a day. I looked up what amount of calories I should be eating on another site and discovered it was a lot more than 1200. I also was confused with the food/net differences. As of today I have upped my calories to 1,400.
  • Buksh12
    Buksh12 Posts: 203 Member
    its very helpful! or you could loose a spelling competition!
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    ah crap, usually I am the one doing that with people! *LOSE *LOSE ***********
  • Buksh12
    Buksh12 Posts: 203 Member
    ah crap, usually I am the one doing that with people! *LOSE *LOSE ***********

    hehe! :) sorry i just never noticed it as much til i came on this site! good luck with your weight loss :flowerforyou:
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    How much are you eating now and what do you weigh?

    3 lbs in 2 weeks is awesome!

    You started exercising 2 weeks ago for an hour a day, 6 days a week, you're body is likely holding onto water while it repairs your muscles. Don't try to lose weight too quickly. Just keep doing what you are doing and you will achieve your goals.

    Very much this. New exercise will make you retain water which will mask some (sometimes all) weight loss. Give your body time to adjust. Just remember weight loss isn't linear. TBH, any loss is a win. :)
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Sounds like you're on track to me. Give it some time, it's going to take a few minutes for your metabolism to adjust back from your prior undereating. I know you probably want to see results now, but give it a few more weeks. Metabolic slowing (adaptive thermogenesis) takes some time to course-correct.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    It's not a race. You HAVE to have patience. There will be weeks where you lose, then there will be weeks where you don't. Do not get frustrated. Be patient and keep working at it.
  • TulsaFun
    TulsaFun Posts: 7
    The first few weeks are the hardest part, stick with it! Just be sure to drink plenty of water after you work out, and double check that your diet is balanced. I had a trainer friend recommend more lean protein and fewer carbs, and after weeks of no results I finally lost a few pounds.
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you for the help - I will *TRY* to be patient through this process and remember about water retention as muscles repair. :smile: I will also try to learn the difference between Lose and Loose. :laugh:
  • jaiblevins
    jaiblevins Posts: 15
    It's not just the calories you're consuming, but the type of calories. You likely need to increase your protein and reduce carbohydrates. you should be consuming in the range of 100-140 grams of protein per day, and less than 100 grams of carbohydrates. Also, if you haven't already, cut out the diet sodas. They may be zero calorie, but they are still awful for you, and will cause you to retain water, due to the sodium. Those are just a few of the things I have learned the hard way, myself. Also, if you have trouble getting the proper nutrition levels, look into a nutrition plan like herbalife, advocare, or something along those lines. they tend to be designed with the proper amounts of nutrition in mind. Finally, DON'T GIVE UP! Getting fit is a slow process, don't make it slower by quitting.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    i started at 278 my calories have always been 1400. the first three months only exercise i did was walk. i lost just fine. i dont know if that helps or not. lol.
  • Buksh12
    Buksh12 Posts: 203 Member
    Thank you for the help - I will *TRY* to be patient through this process and remember about water retention as muscles repair. :smile: I will also try to learn the difference between Lose and Loose. :laugh:

    :) keep at it! :) it does take time! if you log properly and dont mind people seeing what you eat you could open your diary up :) you may be having something high in sodium which is causing the water renention e.t.c :)
  • mistress8956
    mistress8956 Posts: 265 Member
    I eat at or around 1200 calories ( never going over 1400) and do 1 hr at the gym 5-6 days a week. At first I got horrible headaches when I would go to the gym, for me it wasn't a food, issue I realized I wasn't drinking enough water. Now I make sure that I drink a bottle of water on the way to the gym and another bottle on the way home
  • Kiayaxo
    Kiayaxo Posts: 57 Member
    I'd suggest you not making any drastic changes to your approach just yet, give your body alittle time to catch up with you. In another week if you don't see any results, try looking into your macros. It's a very meticulous method to take, but could be a way forward. Good luck
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    I am drinking strictly water - no sugary drinks and trying very hard to not have carbs. I'm eating mostly protein and vegetables. Also watching the sodium as I know it does not help aid weight loss at all. Trying to avoid gluten and wheat gluten products also. I want to finally do it right this time! :happy:
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    I did not realize I had it set this way - I will change my settings - I will take all the help I can get :)
    Thank you for the help - I will *TRY* to be patient through this process and remember about water retention as muscles repair. :smile: I will also try to learn the difference between Lose and Loose. :laugh:

    :) keep at it! :) it does take time! if you log properly and dont mind people seeing what you eat you could open your diary up :) you may be having something high in sodium which is causing the water renention e.t.c :)
  • hyarber32
    hyarber32 Posts: 6 Member
    You are jerk! Congratulations!
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Thank you for the help - I will *TRY* to be patient through this process and remember about water retention as muscles repair. :smile: I will also try to learn the difference between Lose and Loose. :laugh:

    Here's what I had to learn about the word Try...I had to learn that try sets me up to fail. I like the words do or do not. As Yoda said, "Do, or do not. There is no try." I'm not saying any of this to discourage, over my weight loss journey I've come to realize that the words you say end up being the words you believe. By using more positive words or more "I CAN DO THIS!" attitudes it can help. It really helped me. It's not always easy, it's a process you have to work at every day. You have to say that it's okay if you didn't lose any weight this week, next week will be even better!" Talk to others on MFP and see about getting suggestions - like you did today!

    You just have to remember it will take time. We didn't gain it over night, it won't be lost that quick either unfortunately. Anything worth having is worth working for.

    Just remember this...and say it to yourself often...YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

    Here are some good reads...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=short+sweet+<span class=

    And most definitely read this!!!
    http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/fitness-motivation/#comment-10883
  • Buksh12
    Buksh12 Posts: 203 Member
    One thing i noticed and this might be different for you as i believe "clear" alcohol (your vodka ;) )is better than beer! but i had a weekend where i relaxed i had 3 beers LOL i didnt think that was much.. but it certainly hampered my progress for a few days and i wont deny that i got a bit worried.

    But like most people say its a lifestyle change... not a diet...

    i dont intend to never drink a beer again.... and i dont intend to never have a burger or chocolate lol! but... everything in moderation.

    im good on the weekdays and im a lil naughty on the weekends, just be patient. as hard as it may seem and this isnt something i do...focus on the diet and not the weight perhaps.. you know your stats for now. focus on achieving the diet and excercise bit then come back to your weight in 1-2 weeks :)
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    lol oh yeah that - well I really love beer and was really bad all of last year (mostly what I think caused my weight gain in the first place) Vodka and mineral water has been my relaxation drink recently as it is 69 calories - I know alcohol is bad for weight loss also and the thing I am struggling with the most :drinker:
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    I eat and drink whatever I want, beer, french fries, etc. It's about moderation not deprivation. There's no such thing as bad food. Just make it fit into your calorie goal and if you go over one day it's not the end of the world, you'll be fine.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    A 3lb loss in two weeks is good. Just keep at it.
  • Smashley1947
    Smashley1947 Posts: 129
    You just started, weight loss will not happen over night. Have patience.

    Take body measurements, sometimes they change where the scale does not.

    Also body weight can fluctuate +/- 10 pounds in a month, something to keep in mind as well.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    It's not just the calories you're consuming, but the type of calories. You likely need to increase your protein and reduce carbohydrates. you should be consuming in the range of 100-140 grams of protein per day, and less than 100 grams of carbohydrates. Also, if you haven't already, cut out the diet sodas. They may be zero calorie, but they are still awful for you, and will cause you to retain water, due to the sodium. Those are just a few of the things I have learned the hard way, myself. Also, if you have trouble getting the proper nutrition levels, look into a nutrition plan like herbalife, advocare, or something along those lines. they tend to be designed with the proper amounts of nutrition in mind. Finally, DON'T GIVE UP! Getting fit is a slow process, don't make it slower by quitting.
    Nope. Bad advice, especially about the types of food you eat and promoting herbalife and advocare. Losing weight is all about a calorie deficit, in other words burn more calories than you consume.

    I agree with the not giving up, though.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    250lbs :blushing: and I would like to be 160. I was eating 1200 calories a day and exercising about an average of 450 of those away a day. I looked up what amount of calories I should be eating on another site and discovered it was a lot more than 1200. I also was confused with the food/net differences. As of today I have upped my calories to 1,400.

    Okay, here is the difference..... MFP does NOT include exercise in its calculations for how many calories you need. It calculates what you need just for your daily life not including deliberate exercise. Then when you choose how many pounds per week you would like to lose, it takes a flat number of calories off of it (but will not go below 1,200 calories). If you chose 2 pounds per week, it subtracts 1,000 calories a day.

    Now, when you exercise, you need to eat more food for fuel. It adds calories to your daily total when you log your exercise. This is the meaning of the "net calories".

    Example:

    1,200 (the amount MFP told you to eat)
    -300 (the calories burned in exercise)
    +300 (the amount more you eat for fuel for exercise)
    =1,200 NET

    You really ate 1,500 calories on this example, but it was a net of 1,200.

    Other calculators you might look at online don't do it this way, they would include exercise in its estimate of how many calories you need, so their number would be higher.
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
    Patience, patience, patience....as you lose the weight your clothes will get loose...Hehe, couldn't resist. :)
  • mell0wg0ld
    mell0wg0ld Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you deksgrl that helps a lot - it is confusing :P I just don't want to over/under eat! And I can't wait to have LOOSE clothes!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Mel,

    First, try to have patience. A 3 pound loss is good work!

    I looked at your diary. Are you logging everything you eat? Are you weighing all solid food and measuring all liquids?

    Where do you get your exercise calorie estimations from? If you get them from the gym machine, an online source, or MFP, I would suggest eating only a portion of them back because those estimations can be kind of high. In my experience, I have found my heart rate monitor with the chest strap works best for me when it comes to estimating my calorie burns.

    From perusing your dairy, I get a feeling that you might be underestimating calories consumed and/or overestimating calories burned, which is a common problem.

    Most times, weight comes off pretty fast at first and then slows down. Patience is a virtue when it comes to lifestyle changes such as this. Weight loss is never linear, it kind of takes it's own little journey and surprises us sometimes with slow weight loss, faster weight loss, and plateaus.

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