confused and curious need help

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munchordm
munchordm Posts: 10 Member
in Getting Started
I have been dieting and exercising for about 5 weeks now. I am dieting with a calorie deficit of approximately 1500 calories a day. I exercise 5 days a week. I lift weights each day concentrated on different parts of the body and I also do 20 minutes of cardio after the weights. I want to lose my belly fat but I am gaining weight and don't see a decrease in inches in the belly. Now I'm just confused and not sure what approach to take

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  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    Hello,
    Have you been using a food scale to weigh all your foods ?
    Are you logging them here accurately?
  • munchordm
    munchordm Posts: 10 Member
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    Yes and I track and scan as much as possible
  • munchordm
    munchordm Posts: 10 Member
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    I am including more protein, approximately 100 to 120g each day so I can lift and don't run into muscle breakdown due to calorie deficit
  • mandipandi75
    mandipandi75 Posts: 6,035 Member
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    In 5 weeks, you should be seeing some changes. Like Thorsmom, I would look at making sure the food is being calculated correctly and weighing it is important for accuracy. You said you are gaining weight. Has there been no loss? Weight lifting does cause the scale to go up alittle because your body will retain fluid to help repair muscle. Are you drinking plenty of water? The closer to ideal body weight you are, the longer it takes to drop weight. Do you know your BMI? What is the intensity of your cardio routine?
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    Just to clarify, are you also weighing your food item even after scanning it ?
    ( I'm just trying to figure out what's going wrong here so that's why I'm asking the questions. I'm not being rude) when I first started, I would scan the package and eat it, without actually weighing out the portion. I quickly realized I was eating more then I thought because I was not weighing out the exact grams. Instead I just scanned and thought I didn't have to weigh everything. Turns out I was actually eating more then one serving. So that's why I asked.

    Its rough at first. Its not easy and often takes time to get into the swing of things.
    My best advice would be to, continue weighing everything out. Log it here(make sure the entry is correct . unfortunately theres a lot of wrong entries in the data base )
    Make sure you are patient. Sometimes these things take time. For example, when I first started working out hard I thought I was gaining weight. The scale went up. Turns out this was common. It was water weight and went away .
    Remember that weight loss comes down to calories in- calories out. Eat less then you burn and you'll lose weight. Although these things don't always happen right away, it will eventually happen as long as you continue to eat at a calorie deficit.
  • munchordm
    munchordm Posts: 10 Member
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    When I started I weighed 217.7 and now weigh 218.6. I drink 11/12 cups of water each day. I am 5'7 and bmi is over 3 so technically obese and most of it in the belly
  • BurnWithBarn2015
    BurnWithBarn2015 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    How do you know if you really created a 1500 calorie deficit?
    As much as possible is maybe not good enough
    Really weigh all your food in grams, so you know your deficit :)

    Do you eat your burned/exercise calories back? Because this can be over estimated.

    When you gain weight ( most of the time) you still get to much calories. Sometimes it are fluctuations too. But normally you should lose weight with a deficit that high

    Opening your diary will help and giving your stats here. So other members can help you out :)




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  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    munchordm wrote: »
    I am including more protein, approximately 100 to 120g each day so I can lift and don't run into muscle breakdown due to calorie deficit

    This is good.
    Can you open your diary , so we can try to see what's happening?
  • mandipandi75
    mandipandi75 Posts: 6,035 Member
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    I was just going to request you to open your diary. I am guessing the same too.
  • munchordm
    munchordm Posts: 10 Member
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    I understand and thank you for your assistance. I definitely know I'm burning more than I am eating, guess I will just need to be more patient
  • BurnWithBarn2015
    BurnWithBarn2015 Posts: 1,026 Member
    edited November 2015
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    munchordm wrote: »
    I understand and thank you for your assistance. I definitely know I'm burning more than I am eating, guess I will just need to be more patient

    (bolded) I am sorry but you are not, you are gaining so you eat SURPLUS.

    But up to you OP
    Wish you luck :)
    Sure you can do it.

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  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    For weight loss, it's important to focus on the calorie intake more than the exercise. Exercise is great but you won't lose weight unless you are eating less than your body uses.

    Read through this flowchart by lemonlionheart:
    a3km6n6npz9t.jpg
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    If you're gaining weight, you need to eat less, exercise more or both. Personally, I'd up that cardio to at least thirty minutes a day.
  • BurnWithBarn2015
    BurnWithBarn2015 Posts: 1,026 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    If you're gaining weight, you need to eat less, exercise more or both. Personally, I'd up that cardio to at least thirty minutes a day.

    So she gained a pound which is 3500 calories, for a lot of people upping the cardio with 30 minutes wont cut that.

    I do cardio and with my 148 lbs i am glad when i get between 300 and 400 exercise calories a day. Do this 6 days a week that is still only 2400 calories!

    She needs to look at her calorie intake, and tighten it up.
    You can not out run a "bad" diet ( not saying you have a bad diet OP, but it is to much when you gain)

    ok now i am outta here lol
    good luck OP :)

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  • jshay295
    jshay295 Posts: 110 Member
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    After ensuring your logging everything properly,I would say get your thyroid and blood checked.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,009 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Gaining weight on a supposed 1500 calorie would require a LOT of logging error, if that's the only problem.
    Where did you get the number from that you believe gives you a 1500 daily calorie deficit? (It might help if you would share what your daily calorie goal is.) Do you eat back your exercise calories? How do you calculate your exercise burns?

    (If you got your calorie goal from a TDEE calculator and are using the MFP NEET method and eating back your exercise calories--which are already included in TDEE--and using exercise calorie calculations that are inflated, as many machines and other sources do, that could be your problem, or part of your problem.)
    I understand and thank you for your assistance. I definitely know I'm burning more than I am eating, guess I will just need to be more patient

    I'm really trying to be helpful here, as pretty much everybody on this thread seems to me. Lots of people are too impatient, but when the result of five weeks on what you believe is a 1500 calorie daily deficit is to gain a pound, I don't think being "more patient" is the answer.

    But best of luck.

    Edited to fix formating for quote.
  • munchordm
    munchordm Posts: 10 Member
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    Some of you requested i open my diary. I made it public for you

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