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iampam654
iampam654 Posts: 28
in Health and Weight Loss
I started going to the gym about two weeks ago. I've been really good about going 5 days a week for at least an hour. I also started this website a week ago and for the past week I was eating 1350 calories a day to lose a pound a week, but then I weighed in this morning and I actually gained 0.4lb. I know it was only my first week so I shouldn't get discouraged but I just don't understand how I didn't lose anything when I stayed within my calories and exercised almost everyday. I could really use some advice.

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  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
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    0.4 is nothing. your body will naturally fluctuate and if your not going over on calories its likely to just be fluid retention either because of high sodium or from your muscles needing it to repair themselves after a workout.
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    Check how much sodium you're taking in. Also, if you've been doing weights or other strength training every time you're in the gym you may be building up your muscle mass. Measurements are amazing for when the scale doesn't go down, because you could be burning fat and building muscle which means you are physically smaller even @ the same weight.
  • naughtydoguk
    naughtydoguk Posts: 120
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    In my opinion you need to up your calories. When you cut your calories and burn calories as well your body can stop fat release and go into starvation mode, normally it takes a week to get into starvation mode.

    Look up starvation mode on this website.
  • johnnya2
    johnnya2 Posts: 40
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    Do not get hung up on the number, Is your waist smaller? It takes 21 days for something to become a habit.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Your body can fluctuate up to 5 pounds from day to day, according to a doctor I worked for. The norm is up to 1-2 pounds. So .4 pounds is nothing to worry about. Make sure that you weigh yourself at the same time of day each time you do it. And chances are your gain is just from muscle or water retention. Make sure you're drinking your 8 glasses a day and that your sodium intake isn't too high.
  • sgeorgia
    sgeorgia Posts: 66 Member
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    1. be sure to weigh yourself at the same time whenever you do your weigh in
    2. I also think you probably need to up your calories to so that you're not actually creating a much larger deficit which will definitely stall your weight loss. You don't actually up your calories - just input your calories burned (HRM is great to track this) and eat the amount that MFP tells you or a little less.
    3. I read somewhere that when you're working muscles they will sometimes hang on to water as they repair.

    good luck...and don't forget the importance of not cutting too many calories.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
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    I would suggest continuing what you're doing and just have faith. The scale will not cooperate every week, but you need to stick with it and try your best not to get frustrated by it. You are doing a very similar thing to what I do (I eat between 1200 - 1400 calories a day - it varies every day, some more, some less, but usually right in that range), and I workout at a good intensity for an hour 5-6 days a week (I did have to work my way up to this). Two days a week, I even add an extra 45 minute aerobic class cuz I love it. When I'm doing this, I average about 2 lbs lost a week. Some weeks I gain, some weeks I lose a little, some weeks I lose a lot. Do not let the scale dictate your progress!!! Your body will tell you when it needs to eat and when it needs rest - just listen to it, trust it, and you should be fine.
  • ObviousIndigo
    ObviousIndigo Posts: 382 Member
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    Give your body a chance to catch up with what you are doing and it will happen. I stayed away from the scale for 11 days and lost 5lbs. Patience does a body good:)
  • iampam654
    iampam654 Posts: 28
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    thanks everyone. i didn't realize the body retained water while repairing muscle after a workout. my sodium intake is usually around 100/1500 if that. thats why i was confused, i didn't think i was eating enough sodium to retain that much water.

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