I'm following every rule but gained this week...

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tagresa
tagresa Posts: 18 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been using FitnessPal App religiously and have not cheated or slacked off in any way. I did a cleanse when I started and have been keeping my cals at 1200 a day plus a little more when I exercise 6 days a week. I switched between treadmill and elliptical but mostly elliptical. So far I have lost weight but for last two weeks I've upped the resistance and have been sore for a couple of days. Thursdays are usually my weigh in day but my scale says I only lost a pound last week and gained 1 this week! I don't understand. Also, I read online where it says to eat a minimum of 1200 calls a day and more if you exercise. I have Noom App too. Well Noom and Fitness pal don't agree evidentially. One says I'm eating to few cals (on days I exercise) and one says that after I eat 1200 a day, plus exercise, that the extra cals burned are a good thing. Questions I have..... Is it normal to gain after having success if I added resistance? Is it good to stop eating after 1200 cal mark if I exercise? Should I add more fat into my diet considering I've been eating clean since day one? My hubby says my body is being deprived by only healthy stuff and that I need the splurge day once in a while. I dink a lot of water regardless, should I up my intake to balance my new diet and exercise? I have been feeling bloated like I'm pms-ing this week too. But My last period was a week ago. Should I try to max out daily intake goals for fat, carbs, etc or just eat within cal range recommended? Typically, when can I expect to see results from all of my effort, in other words how long does it take for my body to realize this is a lifestyle change and transform better? I went from approx 1600-3000 cal a day with a couple of those days being fast food to straight clean and no temptation to go back. Thank you!!!
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Replies

  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Let's go to the basics here ....

    How did you come up with 1200 calories as your intake goal?
    What is your current height, weight, and planned loss per week?
    What is your activity level before exercise?
    What do you do for exercise? Exactly how much?
    Do you weigh your foods?
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    My app says 1200 daily. I am 4"11, 176 pds, hope to lose 2 pds a week. I am a stay at home soccer Mom but exercise now 6 days a week min 35-60 min a day. I weigh food and cal count.
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    I want to go back to weighing 120
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    You're eating too little before factoring in exercise and your weekly loss goal is in the range normally reserved for those needing to lose triple digit amounts.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
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    Yes, it is very normal to retain water when starting resistance training. Heck, it very normal to retain water for a variety of reasons. My limited understanding is the water cushions the cells, so this is a protective function of the body. Do not stress over a pound or two of fluctuation. It will happen many, many times as you lose. Just put your head down and charge ahead anyway!
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    I've lost 22 pds since January but upped my workouts and resistance. Is the gain on the scale a result of muscle or not enough calories or what someone wrote on another website "retaining water for sore muscles",
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    Even after I reach my goal the BMI indicators still say I will be obese for my height at 4"11! I'm 37, mother of three. I wouldn't look right if I go back to my pre-pregnancy size of 98-106 pds.
  • tanyelacombe
    tanyelacombe Posts: 5 Member
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    You are eating WAY too little of calories for that kind of activity....You can't go by what MFP reflects for your daily calories. 1200 is not realistic for anyone. Your body is experiencing metabolic adaptation (aka metabolic damage). You are gaining weight because your body is going into preservation mode and your metabolism is slowing down.
  • daybehavior
    daybehavior Posts: 1,319 Member
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    No one EVER gains weight from eating too little. Please ignore all the talk about metabolic slowdown. it's most likely water retention from muscle repair or underestimating calories.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Rough numbers based on age, height, current weight, and a sedentary lifestyle put your maintenance calories at about 1822 without exercise. Using a one pound per week goal, more logical based on your current weight remaining, means 1322 per day. The fact you're exercising means you need to NET MORE CALORIES.
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    But every weight website says I should have 1200 cals a day to get to my old size of 120pds. I understand having more cals on days I exercise but I tend to keep it under 1700 if I get in a great workout still. When I look at my weekly nutrition log on app, it always says lower than what my daily calories were. ?
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
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    Hi there,
    It is very frustrating. The same thing happens to me. Remember that muscle is like 4 times denser than fat. What is likely happening is that your muscle is taking over the fat. Since muscle is denser, it will actually weigh more. Sounds strange but it's true. You are losing the fat, don't worry. You will see it in how your clothes fit. Try and forget about the scale. Just eat right, lots of protein and guage your success by how you feel and how your favorite jeans fit. Not by what the scale says. I have to remind myself of this all of the time. My jeans will fit better, my face looks thinner, I have more energy and feel leaner over all, but the scale either goes up or does not budge! Forget numbers!!!! Eat right and exercise.
  • ciaokk
    ciaokk Posts: 19 Member
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    muscle weighs more than fat.....are your measurements changing for the good? Then it's an okay thing.....
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    I just checked my net for week so far. It says I'm averaging 744 cals a day. But my calorie intake is at least 1200. ???
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    But every weight website says I should have 1200 cals a day to get to my old size of 120pds. I understand having more cals on days I exercise but I tend to keep it under 1700 if I get in a great workout still. When I look at my weekly nutrition log on app, it always says lower than what my daily calories were. ?

    It's easy to get a web site to give you the number you want when you max out the weekly loss goals beyond what is normal for the amount you have to lose. Gotta lose two per week ... gotta eat the minimum the app will give as a goal ... forget the math behind the process ... gotta be fast.

    Good luck in your endeavors.
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
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    No one EVER gains weight from eating too little. Please ignore all the talk about metabolic slowdown. it's most likely water retention from muscle repair or underestimating calories.

    This.

    Plus, OP, you're 4'11, you may want to ask your doctor their opinion on minimum calorie intake for someone so petite to lose weight. I've heard of some people who are very small needing a lower intake due to a childlike stature and MFP won't go lower than 1200 unless you set it lower manually.

    I'd ask your doctor, though, since this is just hearsay on my part.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    When I was shooting for 2 pounds a week, nothing happened. When I shot for 1 pound a week, nothing happened. When I shot for 1.5 pounds a week and ate all my exercise calories, magically weight came off. So the system works, you just don't have the right settings yet for your body. Make sure you are weighing and measuring your foods, accurately measure your exercise calories, eat back your exercise calories, and shoot for 40% carbs/ 40% protein/ 20% fat (you won't always hit that, but at least try to). It takes 6 weeks for change to happen.
  • pammiejean40
    pammiejean40 Posts: 56 Member
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    Some people say eat more eat more eat more… that 1200 calories is to little… then others push the eating at a deficit. It makes a lot more sense if you want to lose weight to eat a deficit than eat all these calories.
  • tagresa
    tagresa Posts: 18 Member
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    I have noticed a difference for sure and feel better but get caught up in the feeling of failure or not doing enough. I feel like if I'm not completely wiped out or not starving, then I'm not doing enough. I sweat for sure when exercising but not puddles. I don't eat any junk. I do eat Protein bars though. Is there a such thing as too much protein?
  • pammiejean40
    pammiejean40 Posts: 56 Member
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    Hi there,
    It is very frustrating. The same thing happens to me. Remember that muscle is like 4 times denser than fat. What is likely happening is that your muscle is taking over the fat. Since muscle is denser, it will actually weigh more. Sounds strange but it's true. You are losing the fat, don't worry. You will see it in how your clothes fit. Try and forget about the scale. Just eat right, lots of protein and guage your success by how you feel and how your favorite jeans fit. Not by what the scale says. I have to remind myself of this all of the time. My jeans will fit better, my face looks thinner, I have more energy and feel leaner over all, but the scale either goes up or does not budge! Forget numbers!!!! Eat right and exercise.
    Totally agree!!!

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