HELP please... I really need it!

XXXMinnieXXX
XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
edited October 1 in Motivation and Support
Hi I'm Zara. I've lost 33lbs but started to struggle, so I came on here. Been here 4 weeks. Lost 10lb in the first 3weeks. Great! Week 4... I've exercised more than I ever thought possible. I've been burning 1000 cals at a time. I've burnt 5257 this week. My calorie goal for a 2lb loss is 1400, I've been eating 1700 to 1800 on a 1000 calorie burn day. I expected a huge drop... And nothing. Feeling maybe I've build muscle I don't know, but I got a 3lb gain. Do you think an extra 300-400 calories is enough for a 1000 calorie work out? Really need help as this has zapped all my motivation. It feels so cruel. Zara

Replies

  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    unless you were lifting heavy weights, i highly doubt youve gained any muscle mass.

    now..i also highly doubt you've burned 1000 calories..seriously you can proabably run for an hour and maybe, maybe burn 300 cals.

    so from that, thats proabably why you arent losing..you arent really at calorie deficit. and by chance you actually are burning that much calories, then stop. there is no reason to exercise that much..you know what that does? causes stress in your body, and that causes your body to release cortisol, a stress hormone that makes it hard to lose weight.
  • hijijma
    hijijma Posts: 23
    how are you tracking what cal you are burning
  • gipperakh
    gipperakh Posts: 102 Member
    also, by not eating your exercise calories back, your body may think it's being starved and is holding onto every bit of fat it can!
  • TiDinzeo
    TiDinzeo Posts: 309
    If your goal is 1400, you've been eating 1700 -1800 but burning 1000 then you may be not eating enough.

    You should be trying to be close to your goal at the end of the day, but if your numbers are right, and from my experience I have no cause to doubt them, then you're only totaling around half of your goal calories.
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    If you are eating 1800 and burning 1000 then you only have a 800 calorie net. That works for a short time but then your body starts holding on to everything it can. There are a lot of threads in the forum about this that'll help.
  • sharonuk10
    sharonuk10 Posts: 277


    now..i also highly doubt you've burned 1000 calories..seriously you can proabably run for an hour and maybe, maybe burn 300 cals.

    I beg to differ with this statement... I do a run/walk routine where I run a bit then walk a bit and in an hour I can burn near 500 calories. I wear a heart rate monitor. So unless you know what it is exactly she is doing you cannot say you doubt she burnt that many calories.

    You may need to eat more IF you are truly burning 1000 cals on exercise days.
  • Thamantha
    Thamantha Posts: 102 Member
    Firstly, congratulations on weight loss to date, that is a brilliant achievement.

    The 1400 target that MFP gives you is a NET target. After subtracting your exercise from your calorie intake you should be around 1400. It sounds like you are only netting 700/800 calories a day, which many believe would leave your body trying to hold onto any fat it can because it has gone into starvation mode.

    A 3lb gain isn't a huge blip, and not worth stressing over in the long term. Just make sure that you get the right number of net calories, and that you measure everything accurately. Eating over your calorie 'allowance' by 300/400 per day would not even lead to a 1lb gain in just one week, so I doubt it is a true gain unless you have been overestimating exercise AND underestimating calorie intake.

    Weight loss is a slow process, don't worry if you don't see results every week. You have been doing very well to lose what you have so far, and over time you will succeed with the rest of it too!
  • SetecAstronomy
    SetecAstronomy Posts: 470 Member
    now..i also highly doubt you've burned 1000 calories..seriously you can proabably run for an hour and maybe, maybe burn 300 cals.
    I also have to beg to differ with this statement. It's going to vary from person to person based on a number of parameters (age, weight, speed, incline [in the case of using a treadmill], heart rate, and so on). I tend to burn over 800 calories spending 50 minutes on a treadmill based on the parameters I enter prior to it starting and what happens during the workout itself.
  • morenita71
    morenita71 Posts: 137 Member
    second the congratulations - that's great. 3ibs isn't a huge amount and things like your time of the month will make a difference. Also rather than just focusing on the scales have you been keeping tabs on your statistics i.e. waist, hips, arms - all these have probably toned up and so you my have lost inches even if the scales aren't budging.

    Finally don't lose heart - make sure you eat 1400 overall (net) and keep the faith! Our bodies are almost a law unto themselves - I went through a couple of weeks where nothing happened and then all of a sudden started losing weight again. I know we want the science of weight loss to be exact and predictable but sometimes it's not - people's bodies are different and our responses also vary.

    Good luck!
  • hstallings13
    hstallings13 Posts: 306
    I agree you are doing great, just make sure you are getting the calories your body needs and you'll continue to be fine, it's def not an overnight change, but a journey and you can do it
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Hi, its Zara again, thanks for the support. I'm measuring my calories on the wii fit and also on my fitness pal for other activities, as well as a tracker called trek trak on my phone. I'm 18st 7lb so I burn high calories and have been working out for 2 and a half hours per day, doing boxing on the wii, hoola hooping, and step aerobics, also lots of walking and also climbed a peak, that was an hour up, hour down. Very steep and exhausting. I've been off work and wanted to put in as much exercise as possible that's why I've done so much. I'm a little confused are people saying I should eat back all my exercise calories? Finding it really hard to eat an extra 300 - 400. I feel full and I'm literally forcing myself. I've opened my diary now for all to see. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated, or any ideas of upping cals without much fat that are filling. I don't like protein shakes though. Zara.
  • soulgirl01
    soulgirl01 Posts: 5 Member
    Yes, it seems weird.. but even being a larger women. I'm finding i'm loosing 3lbs a week thus far instead of what they though saying a 2 lb loss. I'm thinking its because im eating back most of my exercise callories. I do find the theory weird.. though!
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    That's very interesting. I need 3lb really as I'm waiting for my gall bladder out and need to loose over a stone more asap. Thanks x
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