Super Fustrated

Starvation mode is a myth. ^^^^ Likely water retention in your muscles due to the working out. Also, make sure you are weighing everything you put in your mouth. Don't guesstimate calories, make sure you are being accurate. If you are still plateauing, sometimes I find increasing my calories for a week by 200-300 per day and slowing down the exercise and then hit it hard the next week, I'll break my plateau. Stick with it. If you are within 15 lbs of your goal, that's also the hardest to lose, so be patient. It might take several months. Lifting weights and increasing your muscle mass will help your body become more efficient at burning at rest. Sounds like you are probably doing the 'right' things. Just keep with it.

TavistockToad wrote: »

lawrenla wrote: »

i have worked out 5 out of 7 days .. Cardio of 3O minutes and 20 minutes of strength . I am sore .. I eat under my calories . I have gained 4 pounds over a week . I only wanted to lose 15 more pounds . Can someone please help ! I'm super frustrated ...

It's water weight from your sore muscles

This. Make sure you are keeping hydrated and give your body a chance to shed some excess fluid build-up, then weigh again.

Make sure you are drinking enough water. I recommend a daily vitamin supplement and eat plenty of fiber. Try to eliminate added sugars and processed foods. Also, if you are just starting - don't get caught up in the scale. Honestly, don't even look at it. Just take measurements. I worked out for a month before I saw my scale change. (I was becoming very frustrated too because I workout with a hula hoop every day and spin class once a week). But when it did, I dropped a little shy of 5 lbs. Then I took measurements and realized I had lost an inch off my waist, hips and neck (1 inch each, total 3").... Do I care I only lost 5 lbs last month? NO way! Because I am losing in size. Obviously there is a trade off for muscle. Nobody knows what you weigh. But they will see results. Give it more time, be patient. Keep tracking your food and keep exercising. You don't have to do crazy amount of exercise to lose. Its all about creating a calorie deficit. You can do this (:

First of all be patient. Like I said in an earlier post, you didn't gain over night, you aren't going to lose it that way either. Weigh, measure and log your food. ALL of it. Always. You lose weight in the kitchen and get fit in the gym. If you eat at a deficit, you WILL lose weight (just not over night). Exercise to get fit and feel good. Exercise is great for your entire body, including your brain. Eat food that you enjoy, just weigh, measure and track it. Don't eat too few calories - but not because you'll go into starvation mode (like I said, that doesn't exist). If you eat too few calories, you'll feel like crap. Food is your fuel. If you don't eat enough, it's like not putting enough fuel in your car. You'll run out. Whatever you do, make sure it is something that you can sustain for the rest of your life. Whatever you do to lose weight, you have to keep doing to maintain your lower weight or you'll eventually be right back where you started. Losing weight and maintaining it is a pattern of good behavior. Not a week here or a week there. Conversely, a bad day (or week) here or there isn't going to ruin your weight loss efforts either.
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As for your 4-pound "gain" now... I put quotes around gain because you really didn't gain 4 pounds of fat. You gained 4 pounds of water in your muscles. Continue to exercise, drink lots of water and be patient. To gain one pound, you have to eat 3,500 calories over maintenance. Do you really think you ate 14,000 extra calories o gain 4 pounds over the past 7 days?

Remember that weight loss is not linear. The scale will jump around daily, weekly and monthly. As long as the overall trend is down, you are good. If the fluctuations in the scale bother you, weigh only once a week on the same day at the same time of day. Also remember that any food or drink in your stomach will show up on the scale.

Finally, getting frustrated after 7 days isn't worth the effort. Weight loss is a long haul and the less you have to lose, the slower it will go. Find things other than the number on the scale, to fuel your determination. Feel proud that you worked out 5 days over the past 7. Feel more in control when you do something healthy for yourself. Take your measurements and track those instead of your weight for a while if the number on the scale bothers you. No matter what you do, don't give up because that is the only sure way not to lose.