started to "FINALLY" eat exercise calories & im gaining weig

Options
aussie_nic_getting_fit
aussie_nic_getting_fit Posts: 134 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hi

posted 2 weeks ago, asking what to expect when i start eating my exercise calories back after not eating them 9 months.

I had hit to plateuas (long) since may and my weight loss has been extremly slow, since i started hitting the gym (since May), prior to hitting the gym, i was avering 1kg (2.5pd) per week.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/370395-starting-to-eat-exersice-calories-what-to-expect

After researching the "exersice calories" theory, i decided i was doing the wrong thing and have been eating back 1/2- 3/4 of my earned calories for the past 2 weeks.

in this time, i have now GAINED 1.2kg (2.6pd).. I am not impressed.

I promised i would give this a go for a period of 4 weeks, but it is getting me down.................................. i MIGHT TRY another week, but am getting to dis hearted with the gain.

My extra calories are mostly made up of extra portions of protien...

HELP ME PLEASE :-)


5203098.png
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

104.4kg - 15 january 2011
80.1 - 16 october 2011
81.2 - 27 october 2011

IS this normal?? or does my body need less calories

Replies

  • stonebrakerm
    stonebrakerm Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    I think it is perfectly normal to gain weight for a while, but I believe the idea is that eating your exercise calories will reassure your body/metabolism that you're not starving and then you can continue past this plateau. The general consensus as I've seen it is that the less weight you have, the more important it is to stick to the calories MFP gives you - including eating your exercise calories back.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    Options
    Than stop eating them.. do what is right for your body, not what everyone on this site feels is right for your body.
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
    Options
    2 weeks is virtually no time for your body to adjust. I started eating more cals and gained for about 6 weeks (just a little) until I started losing again. But now I have lost a lot more and am able to maintain my weight on a much higher cal intake. Patience patience
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    Options
    Most people count the calories they spend exercising as "extra" calories. There is a difference between calories burned while exercising and "extra" calories burned exercising. Here is an example: you burn 300 calories on the treadmill instead of your usual activity (watching TV at home); in reality, you have to subtract the calories you would have spent watching TV from these 300 calories to calculate how many additional calories you burned. Let's say that watching TV, you would have burned 80 calories. In this specific case, you have expended 300 calories while exercising, and 220 "extra" calories.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    Options
    2 weeks is virtually no time for your body to adjust. I started eating more cals and gained for about 6 weeks (just a little) until I started losing again. But now I have lost a lot more and am able to maintain my weight on a much higher cal intake. Patience patience

    Seriously. Everyone wants to lose 5lbs a day and is impatient that they can't.

    you didn't gain 5lbs a day and it's easier to gain than lose, so why expect to lose that quick?

    Give it a min of 4 weeks, minimum and don't be so concerned w/ the scale #s
  • jlfred
    jlfred Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    Don't get too discouraged too soon. After hitting a 3 month plateau, I finally started eating my excercise calories, too. Like you, I started to gain weight, but I kept at it, and now I'm losing a LOT again. My trainer believes that I wasn't eating enough calories (esp. carbs) and my body was in starvation mode. For the first little while after I started eating more, my body was still in starvation mode, hence the weight gain. After my body adjusted and went out of starvation mode, the pounds started melting off again!!!
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
    Options
    Patience. You really need to give it at least a month. And stop looking at the scale.
  • havalinaaa
    havalinaaa Posts: 333 Member
    Options
    Some weight gain is expected when you first start increasing your calories. It is also possible you are overestimating your calories burned while exercising, unless you use a heart rate monitor.
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    Options
    hi

    posted 2 weeks ago, asking what to expect when i start eating my exercise calories back after not eating them 9 months.

    I had hit to plateuas (long) since may and my weight loss has been extremly slow, since i started hitting the gym (since May), prior to hitting the gym, i was avering 1kg (2.5pd) per week.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/370395-starting-to-eat-exersice-calories-what-to-expect

    After researching the "exersice calories" theory, i decided i was doing the wrong thing and have been eating back 1/2- 3/4 of my earned calories for the past 2 weeks.

    in this time, i have now GAINED 1.2kg (2.6pd).. I am not impressed.

    I promised i would give this a go for a period of 4 weeks, but it is getting me down.................................. i MIGHT TRY another week, but am getting to dis hearted with the gain.

    My extra calories are mostly made up of extra portions of protien...

    HELP ME PLEASE :-)


    5203098.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

    104.4kg - 15 january 2011
    80.1 - 16 october 2011
    81.2 - 27 october 2011

    IS this normal?? or does my body need less calories


    My philosophy is that the Body will do what it will do. You can make all the adjustments, and try what you will...the body does what it needs to do for itself. It loses weight at its OWN pace, regardless of the science and equations. I believe that when the Body goes into a "Stall" it is because it needs to heal and rejuvenate itself from the lower calories and often extcessive exercise routines. Many people make all of these "adjustment" which I believe cause even more trauma to the Body...and it doesn't speed up healing time. Just let the body do what it do. I actually have My times down from living this stuff over the years. For Me, Late Spring-Summer and the first 2 weeks of Fall are My high times for weight loss; Late Fall - Winter and Early Spring, I will lose VERY slowly or go dormant. Believe it or not, during those "dormant/slow times" I actually increase My calories by about 150-200 calories because the Body is doing more work...it's cold and trying to stay warm...also, during this time I don't expect to lose any weight, and if I lose a few pounds I am happy. During the warm months, I am not hungry, need less food and more active, also My Body has usually rejuvenated itself...so My wt loss increases. I have also discovered that this is the "Normal" trend for people who maintain their weight over the years.
  • aussie_nic_getting_fit
    aussie_nic_getting_fit Posts: 134 Member
    Options
    thank you all so much for you replies, guidence and opinions, i will take it all on board.

    i will continue to eat my exercise calories for another few weeks to give my body enough time to adjust to the differnce and i'll re-evaluate then.

    now that i am aware that it is normal to gain weight initially, i will soldier on. but i will attempt to listen to what my body needs
  • aussie_nic_getting_fit
    aussie_nic_getting_fit Posts: 134 Member
    Options
    thank you all so much for you replies, guidence and opinions, i will take it all on board.

    i will continue to eat my exercise calories for another few weeks to give my body enough time to adjust to the differnce and i'll re-evaluate then.

    now that i am aware that it is normal to gain weight initially, i will soldier on. but i will attempt to listen to what my body needs
  • aussie_nic_getting_fit
    aussie_nic_getting_fit Posts: 134 Member
    Options
    ok so-

    t have now eated more food/some of my exercise calories for exactly 4 weeks, in that 4 weeks, i have felt a little more "nourished" and less hungy, however i am stilll yet to lose weight and break my plateau.

    In the 4 weeks I have gained 0.5kg (which is not so bad, but its still not the loss that i was hoping for).

    my next step as of monday is to change my MFP settings and put me ata slightly HIGHER calorie allowance per day

    I will go back to not eating my exercise calories ALL (but i MAY have "some', if my body needs them). & im going to trial ZIG ZAGGING for the next 3-4 weeks.


    I view my weight loss as a long term goal, something i will need to do for the rest of my life, so i'll perservere with all my TRIALS and see what my body reponds to..... so far, from looking into my past.. My body loses weight better, NOT exersicing AT ALL.. but i enjoy it so much, i will NEVER stop hitting the gym!!!

    wish me luck

Categories