Killing myself with workouts and consistently gaining

Bvail30
Bvail30 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been eating under my calories everyday and working out 6 days a week. I'm burning 3500 calories a week. But, I've gained about 5 pounds in 2 weeks! I am super frustrated! I'm doing the 30 day shred plus 2 miles or more on the treadmill. Where is my mistake?

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    you don't have to workout and burn 3500 calories per week...you calorie goal already has that deficit built in. personally, I'd dial it back and get my actual calories and diet straightened out...you are likely eating more than you think you are. i'd suggest getting a food scale and putting that to good use.

    if you are gaining weight then you are not in a calorie deficit.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Your diary isn't open.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Great advice from wolfman!
  • norcalskater
    norcalskater Posts: 194 Member
    Yeah it sounds like your diet is off. If you have never consistently worked out before you could be putting on muscle too but you wouldn't gain 5 lbs of it in two weeks. Go over your diary and make sure you log everything so you can get a good idea.
  • ashlando
    ashlando Posts: 125 Member
    Can you give us an idea of what you are eating daily? It sounds like your food intake is off.

    Also, what type of workouts are you doing?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    either water retention, or you are eating more and burning less than you think you are.
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    plus, if you recently started this new routine, your body could still be adjusting to the less food/more movement and retaining water/everything it can.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you are more than likely not accuratly logging you food. are you weighing and measuring everything?
  • twalker17
    twalker17 Posts: 1
    Hey,

    How did you lose 83 lbs?
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Its hard to know without your stats.

    But you aren't gaining muscle, that's for sure. It'd be hard for a woman to gain 5lbs of muscle in a six months, let alone two weeks.

    If you just started working out, you are retaining water for muscle repair.

    3500 a week seems high for 12 miles and some 30-day shred, unless you are very overweight.

    Chances are you are overestimating your burns and underestimating your intake.
  • walterm852
    walterm852 Posts: 409 Member
    Echoing the advice from above, it is 99% of the time food consumption and tracking issues.

    You can totally do this, hang in there.
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    you are more than likely not accuratly logging you food. are you weighing and measuring everything?

    The most likely culprit.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    either water retention, or you are eating more and burning less than you think you are.


    This. Quite likely all of it.
  • johhunt47
    johhunt47 Posts: 30 Member
    Don't get discouraged. Could be a number of reasons from water and sodium retention to not measuring food. Like others have said, get a food scale. Seriously one of the best purchases I have made in a while.

    Also, if your body isn't used to that type of caloric food input/output ratio, it could be going into a deprivation/starvation mode. Try adjusting your exercise volume...take a day off once in a while. It does your body as much good as a solid workout.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    If you are just starting to workout, or even just making new bigger demands on your body, you will retain water for the first 2 weeks or so.
    And at around 2lbs per liter, it does not take a lot to move the scale.
    I used to gain weight for the first 2 weeks of grass cutting season.... I was going from working at a sit all day job to walking 3.5-4mph 6-8 hrs per day, burning cals like there was no tomorrow, barely able to make it home and eat before I'd fall asleep....and gaining water weight.
  • karenswin
    karenswin Posts: 2
    Ditto for getting yourself a food scale. You won't need to use it for ever but it's a great educational tool to help you recognize what a portion actually looks like for different foods.

    Also look at the types of food you're eating - sure your diary might say you had only 20g carbs but what made up the 20g? vegetables or wine? (Not passing a judgement here - more likely reflecting my own habits!)

    Stick with it!
  • RhysJ13
    RhysJ13 Posts: 72
    Part of your mistake could be your impatience. If you're honest with yourself, think how long it took you to get out of shape. It isn't necessarily quicker to get back into shape.

    Although smashing it with work outs will help, try to make sure you're logging and tracking everything correctly. If you are, you will start to lose weight. As someone noted, water retention could be a culprit.
  • RhysJ13
    RhysJ13 Posts: 72
    Also; don't neglect REST. If you're exhasuting yourself and not resting properly you will find it harder to lose.
  • SunnyDelight275
    SunnyDelight275 Posts: 9 Member
    you don't have to workout and burn 3500 calories per week...you calorie goal already has that deficit built in. personally, I'd dial it back and get my actual calories and diet straightened out...you are likely eating more than you think you are. i'd suggest getting a food scale and putting that to good use.

    if you are gaining weight then you are not in a calorie deficit.

    ^^ This is solid advice. Just to add a bit, calculate your your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Here is the link: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calorie-know-how-get-equation-right-to-get-results.htm

    In order to get the most accurate calculation, use the Sterling-Pasmore Equation. Don't forget to set your activity level to "low". You will need to get your body fat measured for this. If this is too cumbersome, you can use the other methods, but you will probably need to shave off some calories.

    When you've calculated your BMR, that's the minimum you should eat. I personally try to eat more than this. The goal is to eat as much as you can, and exercise just enough to lose weight. Everyone's threshold for this is different. Don't adjust your calories for more activity. What you burn is extra.

    If after readjusting your calorie needs for two weeks you are still gaining, you may want to get your blood-work done to make sure you don't have thyroid issues or are not insulin resistant. You can tweak your food to adjust for these conditions and you may see results.
  • Bvail30
    Bvail30 Posts: 5 Member
    Just by doing Tae Bo! I altered my diet after shedding about 50 pounds. Billy Blanks Tae Bo! It's hard, but just stick it out
  • Bvail30
    Bvail30 Posts: 5 Member
    I do have a food scale and I've been weighing everything. The only mistake I can think of is that I eat some of the calories I burn because I'm starving! So, I get 1400 calories a day to start. I usually earn 500 or something like that. I eat about 200 of the 500, for example.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I do have a food scale and I've been weighing everything. The only mistake I can think of is that I eat some of the calories I burn because I'm starving! So, I get 1400 calories a day to start. I usually earn 500 or something like that. I eat about 200 of the 500, for example.

    That's not a mistake, that is what you should be doing
  • Bvail30
    Bvail30 Posts: 5 Member
    My workout is usually 2 miles on the treadmill at a speed of 4.0 and incline of 11. Some days I do more, some days less. Then I'm doing Level 3 of Jilian's 30 day shred also.

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