PLEASE HELP- gaining weight while counting!

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melodywright
melodywright Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been tediously counting calories, weighing all my portions, and logging for months now at 1200 calories a day and somehow Im gaining weight. I followed this same diet regime of 1200 calories last year while I was deployed and it worked beautifully. I started at 160 and left at 139. I started counting calories again when I hit 153, and so far I have fluctuated all the way to 144 (only while taking an herbal cleanser) and then up to 155 and I have pretty much oscillated in the 148-150 range. I think Im about to cry because I'm getting so discouraged!! I do give myself one cheat evening a week, as I did when I lost weight over seas. As far as cheat days are concerned, it is probably a rather large one, but I never had a problem with cheat days causing any negative side effects in the past. I am 23 now and 5'7". I only get cardio in about once a week, and I weight train about 4 days a week. I think I use way too much splenda so I am cutting that out starting today because I researched some of the side effects (to include weight gain) and I think I can manage without it. I am more than willing to share my food diary if anyone can shed some insight. I am also getting nearly 130 grams of protein per day (God bless Greek Yogurt and protein shakes) to fuel my muscles for weight training. Thanks so much for any advise you can give.

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  • lazywriter
    lazywriter Posts: 90
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    You need to be eating more. Lifting weights but eating 1200/day doesn't really mix; your body can't create muscle on that, so it's just going to hold on to weight so your muscles don't waste away. Your body doesn't JUST use protein for muscle.. it needs other foods too.

    Try eating like 1450/day instead, just for two weeks, and change nothing else. See if it helps. If it doesn't, it's only 2 weeks and since you're GAINING now anyway, what's to lose?
  • lersie
    lersie Posts: 46 Member
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    Welcome to my world. I've gained 3 back just in the last two weeks or less. Arghhhhh! I haven't worked out but one time in the last week because I haven't been sleeping well at all which makes me feel lousy so I don't have the energy. I'm going to try something to help me sleep though just so I can get back on it. Good luck. I'm also going to try the clean eating diet. I've heard lots of people have lost on this one.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    Sounds like you probably have your loss per week goal too high, which means your deficit is too high. Recommend reading these threads that can help you determine a healthy, realistic cal goal.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    Try something different if you've been logging for months at 1200 calories and are gaining, try having more calories, maybe 1500 and see. Eat your exercise calories if you're not already, give it a couple weeks and see if that makes a difference for you.
  • marathonmommy0205
    marathonmommy0205 Posts: 40
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    If you want to loose weight than do more cardio than weights.. when you do weights you tone and sometimes muscle make you weigh more! Try cardio 3-4 times a week and than weights twice a week! i am doing the 1200 calories a day too and cardio 5 times a week and it's been 13 days and i have lost 6 pounds. Good luck hope this helps!

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