Diet - work out- weight gain:( - what am I dong wrong?

darbynichols
darbynichols Posts: 3
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
What am I doing wrong ? I am living well within the 1200 calories per day, working out 1 hour 5 times per week and I have gained 6 pounds! No No NO!

Help! I have 30 pounds to loose - now 36 :( and I am going in the wrong direction. What gives ?

Replies

  • caite19
    caite19 Posts: 100
    You might not be eating enough calories and your body is going into starvation mode? Or you might not be doing the right exercises.
  • Did you take your measurements? Because you could be losing inches?? I'm the same way, I'm not losing but am really watching what I eat and exercising. If I don't lose this week, I am going to up my calories, I'm thinking I may not be eating enough. My body feels better though, so maybe we are just building up muscle? Hang in there.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    If you seriously want help, and are ready for the scrutiny, you're going to need to make your diary public so we can see what you're eating.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories? Eating 1200 calories, or less, and working out for an hour but not eating those calories back, will leave you WELL below 1200 net calories for the day. I'm betting without having seen your diary yet, that you aren't eating enough.
  • Need a little more info. How many calories are you taking in?

    How intense are your workouts?

    Are you doing cardio, strength, or both?
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    What am I doing wrong ? I am living well within the 1200 calories per day, working out 1 hour 5 times per week and I have gained 6 pounds! No No NO!

    Help! I have 30 pounds to loose - now 36 :( and I am going in the wrong direction. What gives ?

    Yeah, 1200 calories a day and an hour of exercise 5 times a week?

    Feed your body.
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
    It's easier to help if your diary is open.
  • surabhit
    surabhit Posts: 94 Member
    If you're just starting out, don't fret. You get bigger before you get smaller. Your fat converts to muscle which is heavier. As long as you're feeling more toned you're fine. If not, then maybe you're eating wrong or eating too little.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    not enough food i would say always eat back you workout cals..(even tho i don't)!
  • cocolo89
    cocolo89 Posts: 1,169 Member
    you need to eat more. atleast 1/3 of your exercise calories considering how much you workout. i lost 33 lbs doing so :))
  • I was having the same problem, yesterday my doctor told me I wasn't eating enough and to make sure the calories I was eating were "clean" foods.
  • swall0810
    swall0810 Posts: 148 Member
    I was doing like you and doing the 1200 calories and working out 45-60 mins a day and was gaining. I bumped up my claories to 1500 calories a day on the days I work out and I lose 1-2lbs a week now. (I have not been good this week (sweet tooth) but have maintained my weight. If you are REALLY working out hard you need to feed your body. I have 30lbs to lose, but I also noticed that I was losing inches before pounds. Good luck!
  • RichNice
    RichNice Posts: 66 Member
    What am I doing wrong ? I am living well within the 1200 calories per day, working out 1 hour 5 times per week and I have gained 6 pounds! No No NO!

    Help! I have 30 pounds to loose - now 36 :( and I am going in the wrong direction. What gives ?


    I'm right there with you....having issues losing as of late...
  • poor thing... definitely eat back most of your exercise calories! you should start losing again in about a week, maybe less!
  • DeBlue
    DeBlue Posts: 254 Member
    Might be what you are eating? If your diet is heavy in processed foods or high-gylcemic carbs, even if your calories are low your body may be holding onto the weight. I've had much better results by eating real food and putting my calories into veggies and fruits vs. using "energy bars" or breads, etc. Good luck!
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    You are most likely not eating enough. Read this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing
  • there are many different factors that could change this.. you may be retaining water. also, if you're building muscle, you have to remember that it weighs more than fat but takes up less space than fat. so you might be losing inches and gaining weight. weight doesn't really matter, it's how you feel and how you look. how about taking measurements instead of weighing yourself. keep up the good work though!
  • Calories- 1200 or less drinking 8 big glasses of water. Hungry all the time.
    Work out- step aerobics, body pump, weight training, circuit training all with ab work included - whatever the YMCA offers at 8:30 am, after I drop the kids at school. I am not a sedentary person - but these work outs get my heart rate up and I work up a good sweat, so I am putting in the effort.

    I feel ok, but now that I have seen the scale I feel awful!

    Thanks for the advise.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Calories- 1200 or less drinking 8 big glasses of water. Hungry all the time.
    The reason you're always hungry is that you aren't eating enough. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight, especially if you don't have a lot to lose.

    Eat back at least half, preferably all, of your exercise calories for a week or two and see where that takes you. I know you're probably a little freaked out by the thought of eating more when you're gaining weight eating so little, but if what you're doing isn't working, it's time to try something that has worked for so many others, me included. You might actually put on another pound or two at first, but then you should start dropping pounds.
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