(muscles?) Am I doing something wrong?

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harriethayes
harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have always been very good at loosing weight when I've really wanted to. I could eat 1400cals, workout a decent amount and loose about 2-3lbs a week.
I started restricting my calories about 3 weeks ago. In the fist week I happily lost 2lbs but I wasn't doing any exercise. Now i've started exercising im burning about 400-500cals a day with a mix of about 75% weights and 25% cardio and i'm eating 1300-1400 calories a day.
But im actually gaining weight.
The food im eating is good quality (except a few cupcakes for a birthday the other day) and its including a lot of protein and no too much carbs. My diary is open so feel free to look through.

I spent last summer lifting weights and got to a very happy body size with a good amount of muscle but this year that muscle has softened and my body fat has got much much higher. About 23-25%. Could it be that im just building back up that muscle without loosing fat?

Just please somebody tell me what the hell im doing wrong?! Im willing to try anything to strip this fat away (im a student so have plenty of time on my hands) so anything that you reckon will work I will try!!
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Replies

  • bheathfit
    bheathfit Posts: 451 Member
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    I recommend that you join group Eat, Train, Progress. Review the existing topics and if none of them seem to answer your question, feel free to ask Sarauk2sf and SideSteel. They are very knowledgeable and willing to assist people. Please be patient as there are many in the group and they both have real lives as well.

    Might be prudent to start by reading this post... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/861596-please-read

    Cheers!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    First week would have been mostly water.
    No you have not built muscle in that short time.

    Eating a suitable deficit over an extended period of time works (eat back your exercise calories).
    Being really accurate with your food logging helps (your diary isn't public BTW).
    Not stressing over temporary gains due to muscle soreness helps. It's that water again!
    Patience is essential, you are going to have good weeks and bad weeks, don't over-react to either.

    Being "really good at losing weight" is a worry!
    Maybe you need to look further ahead and think about keeping the weight off when you get to goal? That probably means not "going on a diet" but building habits (food, activity, exercise) that will be how you intend to live at maintenance - just with a smaller number of calories for a period of time while the weight comes off?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Being "really good at losing weight" is a worry!
    Maybe you need to look further ahead and think about keeping the weight off when you get to goal? That probably means not "going on a diet" but building habits (food, activity, exercise) that will be how you intend to live at maintenance - just with a smaller number of calories for a period of time while the weight comes off?

    This. If you have needed to lose weight several times and now have a considerable amount to lose, you need to reconsider your lifestyle, not aim for fast loss. Unless there is some other reason, like a medical issue, for regaining the lost weight.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Not unusual. Keep doing what you are doing. Water is used in muscle repair; should not stay around long-term
  • harriethayes
    harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
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    Sorry, diary made public now... I'd had it on the 'friends' setting.

    In terms of loosing/gaining weight its just what any student does really. They go home and eat healthily/work out etc and then when they get to uni they can't afford the same quality of food are are drinking a lot more alcohol so it all piles back on.
    Now I am looking at turning this new cleaner eating into a lifestyle as i've finished university finally! But I have 15 weeks until I go travelling and I do want to be thin + toned when I go so unfortunately i'm haven't got time to take the 'slow and steady' approach at the moment.

    I was wondering whether I should reduce/increase my calories or whether I should be eating exercise cals etc.
    Im trying to make as much of my food as 'clean' as possible so that i'm not sugar or salt loading.

    My diary is currently set at 1400cals and I haven't been eating my exercise cals... does this sound right for somebody who is burning about 400cals everyday?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Sorry, diary made public now... I'd had it on the 'friends' setting.

    In terms of loosing/gaining weight its just what any student does really. They go home and eat healthily/work out etc and then when they get to uni they can't afford the same quality of food are are drinking a lot more alcohol so it all piles back on.
    Now I am looking at turning this new cleaner eating into a lifestyle as i've finished university finally! But I have 15 weeks until I go travelling and I do want to be thin + toned when I go so unfortunately i'm haven't got time to take the 'slow and steady' approach at the moment.

    I was wondering whether I should reduce/increase my calories or whether I should be eating exercise cals etc.
    Im trying to make as much of my food as 'clean' as possible so that i'm not sugar or salt loading.

    My diary is currently set at 1400cals and I haven't been eating my exercise cals... does this sound right for somebody who is burning about 400cals everyday?
    No it sounds like a crash diet.
    Which is a great way to be a smaller but saggy version of the current you.

    If you think you will get "toned" (whatever that means) netting 1000 cals a day prepare to be disappointed.
    Crash diets are a great way to lose a load of lean mass along with fat - which doesn't seem compatible with the goals on your profile.
  • harriethayes
    harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
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    So you reckon I should be eating more calories in total then or just eating back my exercise cals?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    You're not going to build any muscle on 1400 cals
  • harriethayes
    harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
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    Guys im really appreciating you all commenting but you're just telling me im doing it wrong... nobody is actually saying what I SHOULD be doing. I have zero idea of how many calories I would need in order to build muscle and loose fat! I know that my BMR is 1440 and TDEE is 2300cals if thats of any help.

    I've posted this to get help and advice on what I need to do rather than be told im being silly/doing it wrong.
  • povic1705
    povic1705 Posts: 44 Member
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    Hi
    I'm sorry for my English, I'm from Russia.

    I haven't seen the water in your diary. But water is very important in our heavy way.

    Have a good day.
  • harriethayes
    harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
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    Hi
    I'm sorry for my English, I'm from Russia.

    I haven't seen the water in your diary. But water is very important in our heavy way.

    Have a good day.

    Sorry I don't log my water but I am trying to drink about 2 litres of water everyday.
    However this isn't normal for me, I am used to drinking much less so i'm having to adjust my body to it.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    So you reckon I should be eating more calories in total then or just eating back my exercise cals?
    MFP works by setting a calorie deficit to meet your weight loss goal without any exercise - once you add exercise into the equation your deficit is getting simply too large to come from fat reserves alone.

    If you prefer eating the same amount every day then go on a TDEE calculator which already includes your planned exercise. Two different ways to achieve the same result - a sensible calorie deficit.

    15 weeks to lose 41lbs isn't really a suitable target - your rate of loss will (and should) slow as you get closer to goal weight.

    Edit after seeing your comment - you have worked out your TDEE so if you follow that approach you would typically take off 20% initially (less closer to goal). 1840 cals a day.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Guys im really appreciating you all commenting but you're just telling me im doing it wrong... nobody is actually saying what I SHOULD be doing. I have zero idea of how many calories I would need in order to build muscle and loose fat! I know that my BMR is 1440 and TDEE is 2300cals if thats of any help.

    I've posted this to get help and advice on what I need to do rather than be told im being silly/doing it wrong.

    Either use MFP as intended, which is eating your goal PLUS your exercise calories, OR use the TDEE method which already includes your exercise calories. So if your TDEE is 2300, you take off 15% from that... so everyday, regardless of what you do, you would eat 1955 calories a day. Let's pretend you're using MFP... your goal is 1400 calories. You exercise 500 calories. 1400+500=1900. It's pretty much in the same ballpark, yeah? So either way will work. Just pick one and go with it. But always always make sure your body is getting enough fuel for your life functions + extra activity. You'll be happier and healthier for it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Guys im really appreciating you all commenting but you're just telling me im doing it wrong... nobody is actually saying what I SHOULD be doing. I have zero idea of how many calories I would need in order to build muscle and loose fat! I know that my BMR is 1440 and TDEE is 2300cals if thats of any help.

    I've posted this to get help and advice on what I need to do rather than be told im being silly/doing it wrong.

    You can't really gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.

    MFP is designed so that you eat back exercise cals, so set it to lose 1lb per week and eat back exercise cals.

    When you're closer to goal you can decide if you want to do some recomp or bulk and cut.
  • REDUX_o01
    REDUX_o01 Posts: 29
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    Greetings! Please allow me to step in this conversation to share with you a link to a website that really helped me understand nutrition, exercise and setting fitness (and lifestyle) goals.

    www.scoobysworkshop.com

    I don't pretend to understand everything there is to know about fitness and nutrition, but Scooby's been great at helping me getting there. I'm also good at "shedding pounds at will" but not at keeping them off my back for good. My goal is not only to be slim, but be healthy as well. And that's a lifelong objective.

    Hope this helps!
  • povic1705
    povic1705 Posts: 44 Member
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    and,

    I haven't seen the strength exercises (not cardio) in your diary.

    So, you have to do:

    1. to drink water, more the 2 litre at(in) a day.
    2. to do the strength exercises. Now there are many workouts.
    3. To eat more protein.

    I'm sorry for my bad English.
    I will be grateful for communicating in English

    Have a good day.
  • harriethayes
    harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
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    Thank you, I actually wasn't sure whether eating back exercise cals was the way to go about it but now I will make sure that I do that and once I get accustomed to that i'll up it and go by my TDEE :)

    Thanks!!
  • harriethayes
    harriethayes Posts: 25 Member
    Options
    Greetings! Please allow me to step in this conversation to share with you a link to a website that really helped me understand nutrition, exercise and setting fitness (and lifestyle) goals.

    www.scoobysworkshop.com

    I don't pretend to understand everything there is to know about fitness and nutrition, but Scooby's been great at helping me getting there. I'm also good at "shedding pounds at will" but not at keeping them off my back for good. My goal is not only to be slim, but be healthy as well. And that's a lifelong objective.

    Hope this helps!

    This is perfect!! Thank you :)
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    If you want to lose fat AND gain muscle it's called "body recomposition".
    While it may sound idea, it's generally considered to be slower than doing each indivdually.
    So it's more suited to people that are pretty happy with their bodies and want to maintain their current composition while tweaking it.

    If you feel you've got a way to go, separate cycles are probably more appropriate.
    If you want to lose a chunk of weight, start with that.

    To keep muscle mass while losing weight:
    Do a weights routine like starting strength or stronglifts.
    Eat at least 1g protein per lb of lbm. Or go for 0.8g/lb of current total body weight - having more doesn't really cause problems.

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