Anyone Else Gaining?

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hselby87
hselby87 Posts: 49 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been losing weight fairly quick the past few weeks. I started my diet and exercise on Jan 1st. The past 2 days I have put on about 2 pounds! I am sick right now, so I am not sure if that factors in, but I am still eating at my caloric level or below, I am still exercising for 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes every other day. I am still drinking tons of water. Someone told me to expect a little gain here and there from gaining muscle mass and losing fat. I don't mind gaining muscle, but I would prefer to lose more fat weight than muscle gain. I know it is important to gain muscle to keep my heart healthy, but I don't like my scale right now! Any advice? Tips? Ideas as to what is going on?

Replies

  • cindyrayburn
    cindyrayburn Posts: 6
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    That is the answer I have been getting is muscle gain. That is not what I want to hear. I can tell a difference in the way I look but not on the scale and it is SOOOO FRUSTRATING. I have been dieting since Jan 2 and only lost 10 lbs. I go to the gym Tues, Wed and Thurs for an hour and burn between 850-900 calories and still stay under or right at my calorie intake. I am drinking over 8 glasses of water and still not losing. Hope we get some others answer this question. In my next life I WILL BE SKINNY:) good luck
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    You're both way too impatient!! Think about how much weight you've lost so far! That's amazing!

    @cindyrayburn - ONLY 10 pounds? Seriously? There's no ONLY in weight loss honey...

    Also, it's not muscle gain, it's probably water retention and yes, it's probably because you're sick.

    Track your sodium, keep eating right and staying active and it'll start coming off again.
    Oh and make sure you're eating back at least half your exercise calories...you do need to fuel your body afterall.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    It's water weight. Muscle gains take a LONG time, you won't gain 2lbs of lean in 2 days and if you're eating at a deficit you probably wouldn't gain 2 lbs of muscle in 2 months.

    Nothing to worry about, it's just water weight.

    Ok then so to recap this thread:
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    fook9i.jpg
  • hselby87
    hselby87 Posts: 49 Member
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    I have a hard time eating my calories in a day, let alone eating back my exercise calories. I was over 900 calories deficient a couple days ago. My sodium levels have been a bit high, but I can't figure out how to lower them further. GRRR eating healthy is so much harder than being fat hahaha
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    That is the answer I have been getting is muscle gain. That is not what I want to hear. I can tell a difference in the way I look but not on the scale and it is SOOOO FRUSTRATING. I have been dieting since Jan 2 and only lost 10 lbs. I go to the gym Tues, Wed and Thurs for an hour and burn between 850-900 calories and still stay under or right at my calorie intake. I am drinking over 8 glasses of water and still not losing. Hope we get some others answer this question. In my next life I WILL BE SKINNY:) good luck

    Only 10lbs?! That's fantastic!!
    MFP doesn't recommend more than 2lbs a week anyway and that's nearly 3!

    To the OP: It's not 2lbs of muscle in 2 days, but neither is it going to be fat. More like water weight, just be patient and the scale will come down in time :) It didn't go on overnight, it's not going to come off overnight either. Sometimes the scale will go up, sometimes down. Best to just watch the overall trend.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Sidesteal is AWESOME! LOL!
    I have a hard time eating my calories in a day, let alone eating back my exercise calories. I was over 900 calories deficient a couple days ago. My sodium levels have been a bit high, but I can't figure out how to lower them further. GRRR eating healthy is so much harder than being fat hahaha

    You definitely need to work on that... If you're not eating enough, you're putting your body into starvation mode and that's going slow your loss WAY down. Again, you need the fuel, and if your body doesn't get it, it stores everything and your metablism will likely slow way down as well.

    If you're eating a lot of diet (low fat, low cal) foods, stop doing that and eat the regular ones. Eat calorie dense foods like nuts and seeds and nut butters and avacado. Eat more fruits.

    Also, maybe cut your workout down a bit so you're not burning so many calories.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,077 Member
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    I am eating at maintenance or trying too anyways and not logging in my exercise so not eating the exercise calories,
    but i feel like i am gaining weight in my midsection :(
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    I have a hard time eating my calories in a day, let alone eating back my exercise calories. I was over 900 calories deficient a couple days ago. My sodium levels have been a bit high, but I can't figure out how to lower them further. GRRR eating healthy is so much harder than being fat hahaha

    Sodium levels can be reduced by eating less processed foods. The more natural the food is, the less sodium it will have.

    Be careful of jars of sauce, condiments, ready meals, frozen pizzas, "low fat / 0% fat" alternatives (what do you think they replace the fat with? - salt and sugar!) bacon, sausages, etc etc

    Not to say you can't ever have those things, but keep them in moderation if you want to monitor your sodium. Also, if you start having things such as full fat milk, full fat mayonnaise, yogurts, real butter, you can easily add calories while lowering sodium.
    Also, lean meats and starches such as pasta and rice are good for extra calories but practically no (or hardly any) sodium, same with nuts!
  • hselby87
    hselby87 Posts: 49 Member
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    Thanks gals and guys. I am so terrified of going over my caloric levels that I have only been paying attention to that. I went and bought tons of fat free and low fat things to replace my normal things and I hadn't realized they would be so full of sodium. I am so scared of eating full fat foods. I just have to keep weighing my foods and try to keep them in moderation. Where is that easy button?
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    Thanks gals and guys. I am so terrified of going over my caloric levels that I have only been paying attention to that. I went and bought tons of fat free and low fat things to replace my normal things and I hadn't realized they would be so full of sodium. I am so scared of eating full fat foods. I just have to keep weighing my foods and try to keep them in moderation. Where is that easy button?

    Without knowing your actual diet, if you are going very low fat, then you are also probably going very high carb. Sodium and water are both retained in the body when in the presence of carbs. If you lower carb intake, you will flush out some of that water and sodium.
  • hselby87
    hselby87 Posts: 49 Member
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    I have been trying to keep with my goal carbs/proteins/fats that MFP gives me. I keep pretty close to it but admitedly go over my carbs sometimes.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    I have been trying to keep with my goal carbs/proteins/fats that MFP gives me. I keep pretty close to it but admitedly go over my carbs sometimes.

    Just sayin, could be the cause of your water and sodium retention.
  • musicgirl6
    musicgirl6 Posts: 22
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    I have been having the same problem. I worked out yesterday for almost 2 hours, but I weighed myself this morning and gained 2 lbs from yesterday morning, i know i shouldnt weigh myself each morning... but it is kind of concerning that i gained that much!
  • nicole52r
    nicole52r Posts: 13 Member
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    Heather, not to be getting all TMI, but it could be from your cycle? I was on mine 2 weeks ago and gained 4 lbs in the few days before it started, then lost them all back as soon as it was over. I've noticed that sometimes I gain a lb or two around the time I would ovulate too. But I agree with everyone else, sounds like water weight. I really need to lower my sodium too because I usually nearly double my goal that MFP set.
  • Cosmic_Unicorn
    Cosmic_Unicorn Posts: 150 Member
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    Also, if you're sick you should give yourself a break. You don't need to work out for hours and starve yourself when your body needs rest. If you're hungry, then eat. Your body needs it.
  • tresye
    tresye Posts: 36 Member
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    If you are not seeing results, I find it very helpful to also measure your success. I have gained before but yet lost inches at the same time. Good luck and keep kickin butt!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    Thanks gals and guys. I am so terrified of going over my caloric levels that I have only been paying attention to that. I went and bought tons of fat free and low fat things to replace my normal things and I hadn't realized they would be so full of sodium. I am so scared of eating full fat foods. I just have to keep weighing my foods and try to keep them in moderation. Where is that easy button?

    Fat doesn't make you fat; calories do. And all fat free stuff is highly processed. Buy stuff that is natural. Also, I am sure you are already under eating as most people on this site do. Keep in mind that food is your bodies fuel source so if it isn't feed properly, it will conserve every single calorie it can. Hell, I eat 3000 calories a day and I lose. Below are some good links that all has the same message, " eat more lose more". It's the truth.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395881-people-who-lost-weight-eating-more

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395948-caloric-intake-results?hl=caloric+intake+results&page=1#posts-5425208
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    I have been having the same problem. I worked out yesterday for almost 2 hours, but I weighed myself this morning and gained 2 lbs from yesterday morning, i know i shouldnt weigh myself each morning... but it is kind of concerning that i gained that much!

    it's your bodies process of repairing muscle, which requires water.
  • yuckidah
    yuckidah Posts: 290 Member
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    I'm having the same problem - eating <1200 cal, exercising, doing everything right (although, admittedly, not enough water) but not losing weight.
    As of yesterday my scale has been taken off me, lol.
    I've decided that's the ONLY way to stop the obsession (then ensuing depression) on a daily basis.
    I will weigh in once a week, but if I'm still not seeing results I may have to stop weighing myself at all for a while and just focus on how loose my clothes are getting instead.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    I'm having the same problem - eating <1200 cal, exercising, doing everything right (although, admittedly, not enough water) but not losing weight.
    As of yesterday my scale has been taken off me, lol.
    I've decided that's the ONLY way to stop the obsession (then ensuing depression) on a daily basis.
    I will weigh in once a week, but if I'm still not seeing results I may have to stop weighing myself at all for a while and just focus on how loose my clothes are getting instead.

    I suspect one of your problems with the scale is under eating. You should be eating back some exercise calories so you net at least 1200 calories.

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