So now I'm eating!

runbyme
runbyme Posts: 522 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Hello MFP... pals!

Last Wednesday, at weigh in, I gained a pound after diligently dieting and exercising for 2 weeks. I do admit, I did not eat all my calories and was sustaning life on about 1000 net calories a day! After reading several posts about the need to eat all your calories and to eat your exercise calories, I decided that what I was doing wasn't working and , what's the worst that could happen if I ate!

I started eating all my recommended calories on Jan 18th and have exercised every day. I don't actually officially weigh in now until next Wednesday but out of curiosity I decided to check today to see my progress. Bad idea! In 4 days of eating all my calories, I've gained 3#! Not exactly what I had pictured in my mind as the predicted outcome!

My question to my fellow soldiers in this battle of the bulge is....do I continue to eat all my calories and hope I don't gain any more by Wednesday or do I try something else? I'm open to all constructive suggestions or ideas. My diary is public and I welcome any and all to take a look and see if there is something I'm not seeing.

Thank you very much for your time. Good luck to each of you on your weight loss and lifestyle journeys!

Replies

  • caramkoala
    caramkoala Posts: 303 Member
    My body is kind of, well, a week behind.

    If I do everything properly (eat all my cals including exercise cals and exercise) it doesn't show on the scales until the week AFTER.

    If I do everything wrong (overeat. 'starve' laze about all week) it also doesn't show until the week AFTER.

    I recommend following MFP recommendations for at least a MONTH, and then reassessing.
  • jujuwoome
    jujuwoome Posts: 32
    I would give it to your official weigh in before changing anything.

    ETA: I would also track your sodium. You are doing great on the water but too much sodium can be bad.
  • mandycasey
    mandycasey Posts: 274 Member
    Hi, I think everyone is different and if eating all your exercise calories doesn't work for you try just eating half or just eating a few extra when hungry, I have tried both eating all and eating no exercise cals for me the only thing that works is to eat just a few ( 100- 200 ) exercise calories. Good luck i hope you find what works for you xx
  • Jessica_Sarah
    Jessica_Sarah Posts: 16
    I would imagine that your body will take a while to get used to more food and you will gain in the short term but then lose in the long term.

    I would keep doing what you're doing and don't weigh yourself for a while

    Good luck!
  • CharlieBarleyMom
    CharlieBarleyMom Posts: 727 Member
    Give your body time to adjust to what you've just started changing. Your internal systems do not react "weekly" like your weigh-ins. You will find that it takes some time to effect a change ... and you may see a weight gain for the first week or two before you see a weight loss.

    This is not a bad thing. It is hard to accept mentally but if you have the true desire you will find the dedication to stick with this through to the win.
  • horndave
    horndave Posts: 565
    Constructive Criticism.

    1. Eat your calories and exercise calories.
    2. Be patient. You started exercising and eating the recommended calories 3 days ago. You have got to give your body time to adjust. More than likely water retention and its own idea keeping ahold of the fuel that you were denying it.
    3. have some realistic expectations. 3 days to try to erase totally (LIFESTYLE CHANGE) what you have done your entire lifetime is not a realistic expecation.
    4. Take measurements right now of where you body is at. In a month retake those measurements. If you eat the recommended calorie intake and exercise those measurements will go down. YOur weight might actually stay the same, be prepared for that.

    5. Last but not least, Keep your head up. YOu can do this.
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    i get in at least 1200 calories a day.,if i go lower i get hungry but i do not eat up my workout calories unless i need something extra to eat. its been effective for me ..i workout a lot and do not feel its necessary for me to eat 2000+ calories a day at this point..
  • katiegirl3
    katiegirl3 Posts: 11
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    Check that out, that article really helped my mind set. I too was on too few calories and I am up on the scale but hoping that it will start to go down. Good luck!
  • runbyme
    runbyme Posts: 522 Member
    Thank you so much for your comments!

    I'm going to get this figured out! I guess seeing a weight on the scale that I hadn't even seen during the holidays really freaked me out! The Christmas cookie diet I was on for a month didn't give me these kind of results! LOL!
    I may cut back on eating my exercise calories but my body need at least 1200 to maintain health!

    Wish me luck and thank you all again! Good luck to each of you!
  • llamalland
    llamalland Posts: 246 Member
    very frustrating! Your diary looks pretty good- very consistent intake & types of food. Possibly a "shock" to your metabolism with a splurge meal... some say that works.... keeps your body guessing. But maybe hold off on that til your official weigh in day, as suggested, to see if eating all your calories really makes a difference. Personally, I do better with a higher protein to carb ratio, altho while your goals are higher carb, you're not necessarily eating them, so not sure if that makes a difference.

    I live in Oregon City, and am sending you a friend request.
  • runbyme
    runbyme Posts: 522 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    Check that out, that article really helped my mind set. I too was on too few calories and I am up on the scale but hoping that it will start to go down. Good luck!

    Excellent article! Thank you for sharing!
  • serenity216
    serenity216 Posts: 512 Member
    Awesome constructive criticism! You would make a good fitness coach!
    Constructive Criticism.

    1. Eat your calories and exercise calories.
    2. Be patient. You started exercising and eating the recommended calories 3 days ago. You have got to give your body time to adjust. More than likely water retention and its own idea keeping ahold of the fuel that you were denying it.
    3. have some realistic expectations. 3 days to try to erase totally (LIFESTYLE CHANGE) what you have done your entire lifetime is not a realistic expecation.
    4. Take measurements right now of where you body is at. In a month retake those measurements. If you eat the recommended calorie intake and exercise those measurements will go down. YOur weight might actually stay the same, be prepared for that.

    5. Last but not least, Keep your head up. YOu can do this.
  • Showgirlbody
    Showgirlbody Posts: 402 Member
    My weight always spikes up mid week. It takes to the very end to see my deficit and loss. I recently started watching sodium, too because I realized that I was eating too much. It's hard to not want instant gratification, but it just finds time to find a balance. I don't always eat all of my exercise calories either just because I think some burns are overestimated and I don't want to eat too much
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    Eat you exercise calories for at least a month. SInce before you were starving yourself it will take a while for your metabolism to speed up. It does work!
  • runbyme
    runbyme Posts: 522 Member
    Bump
This discussion has been closed.

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