Started exercising *quit losing

traleen
traleen Posts: 58 Member
edited November 17 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all. Im feeling a bit disheartened! I started a fitness class 4 weeks ago, it is an hour of weights and cardio 3 times a week 2 times a week ill go to the gym and do 30 min of cardio. Before this i did no exercise. I eat 1500-1700 calories a day. Instead of losing more my weight loss has slowed way down. Last week i lost 1/4 lb this week so far im up a pound. I have 60 lbs to lose yet
Any advice ?

Replies

  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    edited April 2017
    A lot of it is probably water weight. Increased physical activity can sometimes cause your body to retain more water short-term. TOM can also do this.

    Now for the standard questions:

    1) Are you measuring everything accurately using a scale for solids? Measuring cups and spoons should be for liquids only.
    2) Did you up your calories when you added the exercise based on how much MFP told you you burned? It can over-estimate earned-back calories. Try eating back half of the extra ones.
    3) If the database is giving you multiple entries for an item, are you selecting the lowest automatically? The database is a little like Wikipedia. Anyone can update. (It's a little unlike Wikipedia in that it's very difficult, if not impossible, to delete.) That means that there are some entries in there that are not correct. Or, and I'm serious, this one is listed: "Superbowl: 1 Bellyfull 2000 calories". A good bet is to go for the USDA entries. I.E. type "4 oz raw chicken USDA".
  • Loug1983
    Loug1983 Posts: 89 Member
    Be patient, when starting new exercise your body will retain water to aid muscle repair, this can take a few weeks to clear. You should be due a whoosh of water weight loss soon.
  • JLgettinghealthy
    JLgettinghealthy Posts: 39 Member
    I agree with @Loug1983 -- often times (not just when exercising, but when you get further along in your weight loss journey), there is a stall/plateau in loss, and then all of a sudden you'll lose a significant amount (2-7 pounds) all at once. don't give up!

    i would also suggest that you buy a measuring tape and start taking your measurements as well. the scale is not the only indicator of success and change - your body could be changing sizes while the number on the scale tells you nothing is happening, and that's a lie!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    When you start a new workout routine, or significantly increase the intensity of a workout routine you are doing your muscles will retain water to aid in recovery from the workout resulting in temporary weight gain. However, since your goal is fat loss, not simply weight loss, water weight is not something to be feared. Instead, continue to stick to your calorie goal, logging your food carefully and as accurately as you can. In a few weeks you will start to lose again as your muscles get used to the type of workouts you are doing. BTW, this is but one example of why using only a scale to measure progress can be very misleading.
  • steved1661
    steved1661 Posts: 12 Member
    Hello,

    I don't have advice (not a professional), so I offer my support from longevity and personal experience. I agree with Loug1983, you are trying to accomplish A LOT of change, and hold a hope that the resultant expectations will be in direct proportion to the effort you are putting forth. Unfortunately, our body and mind don't always sync up.

    Give the process some time. If you never exercised before, your body needs to establish new boundaries for maintenance and exercise levels. It WILL happen... JUST DON'T SURRENDER TO THE FRUSTRATION!! Continue logging your food/fuel entries here, monitor your intakes, eat according to the extra calories earned based on your logged exercises, and come here for moral support.

    If you are exercising more, keep in mind, muscle weighs more than fat. So If you are not losing weight at the rate you hope, but ARE losing inches... you are still way ahead of the game. STAY ahead of the game, and don't let frustration erase your efforts to this point. The entire process WILL even out and long as you have the fortitude to stick with it all.

    I'm going to part with the thought, not of "Good Luck"... but with the sincere wish for CONTINUED SUCCESS!!
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    If yes, try eating back a smaller portion of them.

    If no, it's probably water retention from the increased activity and it will resolve itself.

    However, since it's been a month, you should start to see any water retention resolve itself very soon. If you don't see a whoosh in the next week or two, it's something else. Now is a good time to double-check your logging to make sure you're logging correctly. Exercise makes lots of people hungrier, so if you're eyeballing or using measuring cups, you may be unintentionally eating more than you intend to. If you don't have a food scale, get one, or at least tighten up whatever logging method you are using.
  • kayeroze
    kayeroze Posts: 146 Member
    I agree with the others before me. I weight daily (trendweight) but measure inches for my neck, waist, hips, right thigh and upper arm as well as my BMI and Body Fat percentage weekly. Even if in the mirror it doesn't seem like much difference or on the scale, it's pleasantly surprising to see decreases in other measurements.
  • traleen
    traleen Posts: 58 Member
    okay thanks for replies.. another week of being frustrated.4 weeks into exercising and last week 1/4 lb this week 1/2 lb. no I don't eat back all the calories but some I do. Im 5' 4" and eat from 1400 to once in a while 1700. I exercise for 3 hours of class and an additional hour. the class is mainly strength with some aerobics put in.
    Sigh, I hope I get that loss soon !
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    traleen wrote: »
    okay thanks for replies.. another week of being frustrated.4 weeks into exercising and last week 1/4 lb this week 1/2 lb. no I don't eat back all the calories but some I do. Im 5' 4" and eat from 1400 to once in a while 1700. I exercise for 3 hours of class and an additional hour. the class is mainly strength with some aerobics put in.
    Sigh, I hope I get that loss soon !

    so if you lost 1/4lb last week and 1/2 this week what is the problem? you are losing weight.or are you gaining those weights? if so its a normal fluctuation/water weight and that sudden loss of 2-7lbs? doesnt happen for everyone. as long as you are losing I dont see the issue
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
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  • Jabbarwocky
    Jabbarwocky Posts: 100 Member
    I had something similar happen to me several years ago. My wife and I had been following Weight Watchers and were losing weight but decided to get a gym membership. We took a class that had us rotating between cardio and strength training. I got frustrated when my weight loss stalled for several weeks until it hit me that my cloths were getting loser. I was still losing inches, ie fat, but was putting on muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat and also requires more calories to maintain so its a good thing. Stick with it. This too shall pass.
  • aeshippers
    aeshippers Posts: 416 Member
    My personal experience after upping my exercise significantly early in January was that it took me about 7-8 weeks before the weight started to come off at a more rapid pace. It is continuing to come off much faster than mfp would expect so hang in there :)
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