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    I was eating too little?

    Posts: 64 Member
    edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
    Recently I started implementing workouts into my day to get in more activity..
    I raised my calories and expected myself to start gaining weight but instead of that I am losing (before I was flat lining at a lesser calorie intake)
    So either the exercise is helping or I was eating too little?

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    Replies

    • Posts: 3,506 Member
      whatever you are burning from your workouts is more than the amount you raised your calories, you are still in a deficit if you are losing weight
    • Posts: 1,710 Member
      ladywishingstar wrote: »
      Recently I started implementing workouts into my day to get in more activity..
      I raised my calories and expected myself to start gaining weight but instead of that I am losing (before I was flat lining at a lesser calorie intake)
      So either the exercise is helping or I was eating too little?

      It's the exercise. Can we not assume that you are burning more calories by exercising than you were by not exercising?
    • Posts: 64 Member
      Well, I raised my calories and started exercise, so I thought it was weird because I was eating less with no exercise and I wasnt losing at all just maintaining
    • Posts: 279 Member
      edited February 2016
      ladywishingstar wrote: »
      Well, I raised my calories and started exercise, so I thought it was weird because I was eating less with no exercise and I wasnt losing at all just maintaining

      You probably did what happens a lot. Got settled and got some calorie creep and we're eating over goals without noticing. Started exercise and upped calories si to stave off accidentally gaining you got more exact in your counting even if you don't think you did. Boom tighter logging + exercise at higher cal = better weight loss for you.
    • Posts: 1,847 Member
      When people increase their calories, it scares them. So subconsciously you're driven to log better. It happens all the time. Chances are it's partly that very common reaction and partly that you created a bigger deficit by adding exercise.
    • Posts: 2,018 Member
      Definitely could have been eating too little. Especially now that you're working out, it's important to eat a little bit more. I made that mistake. Worked out without increasing protein and cal intake, and was barely seeing any physical changes. Now with a higher calorie intake and more protein in my daily diet I see tons of muscle growth and definition!
    • Posts: 279 Member
      peaceout_aly wrote: »
      Definitely could have been eating too little. Especially now that you're working out, it's important to eat a little bit more. I made that mistake. Worked out without increasing protein and cal intake, and was barely seeing any physical changes. Now with a higher calorie intake and more protein in my daily diet I see tons of muscle growth and definition!

      This is junk. First off women at best in surplus of calories on protein goals LIFTING heavy are only going to put on .5 to 1lb muscle per month. At deficit probl doing cardio isn't going to build muscle.
    • Posts: 64 Member
      Okay, while I understand most people make the mistake of under calculating, I have been measuring my food and putting exact servings into MFP because i am damned determined to lose... Doing that for a month only made me maintain when I was eating 1240 or less a day. Now I eat 1500 and exercise every other day except weekends and not even strict measuring of my foods and im losing.
      this is why I am confused...
    • Posts: 14,464 Member
      Well you could treat yourself as your personal experiment. Try weighing yourself day and night for forty days. See if you see any other patterns emerging. I found my personal pattern was closely tied to my monthly cycle (duh). Other effects include salt intake, and increase in exercise (both temporarily raising my weight).
    • Posts: 64 Member
      jgnatca wrote: »
      Well you could treat yourself as your personal experiment. Try weighing yourself day and night for forty days. See if you see any other patterns emerging. I found my personal pattern was closely tied to my monthly cycle (duh). Other effects include salt intake, and increase in exercise (both temporarily raising my weight).

      as I need to try and at least get 3000 mg or more of salt in my day due to my heart condition.. maybe that was he issue? I have upped my water recently as well.. so maybe the water weight was the problem?
    • Posts: 14,464 Member
      Even more surprising is to weigh yourself in the morning and again in the evening. You can have a five pound difference. That can't be fat.
    • Posts: 4,926 Member
      ladywishingstar wrote: »
      Okay, while I understand most people make the mistake of under calculating, I have been measuring my food and putting exact servings into MFP because i am damned determined to lose... Doing that for a month only made me maintain when I was eating 1240 or less a day. Now I eat 1500 and exercise every other day except weekends and not even strict measuring of my foods and im losing.
      this is why I am confused...

      How long was the "not losing" period and how long has the "now I'm losing" period been?

      To make things even tougher to figure out, sometimes we plateau for no reason we really can tell and it would've broken that week regardless. Maybe if you were still eating at the prior level you'd be losing even faster now. It's just hard to say. Maybe the exercise and higher calorie goal have lowered your stress level, and your cortisol level, helping you lose. So many variables.

      But I wish I had your problem. :)
    • Posts: 8,626 Member
      CoffeeNCardio wrote: »
      When people increase their calories, it scares them. So subconsciously you're driven to log better. It happens all the time. Chances are it's partly that very common reaction and partly that you created a bigger deficit by adding exercise.

      that. all day long.
    This discussion has been closed.

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