HELP!

celiagen
celiagen Posts: 8
edited November 10 in Health and Weight Loss
I exercise at least 30 minutes everyday. Typically longer and typically I burn over 400 calories a day. I never eat back all of those calories. I eat fairly healthy, usually one bad dinner a week. I lost 6 pounds in about 2 weeks but now for the last two weeks I continue to lose 2, gain 2 over and over. I don't understand how I'm gaining weight at all! And why I can't lose?! What am I doing wrong? Please HELP!

Replies

  • roadworthy
    roadworthy Posts: 130
    Maybe you need to eat back your exercise calories? I don't know how many calories you are consuming but if you are not getting enough in the end this could be your problem.
  • celiagen
    celiagen Posts: 8
    This site tells me to eat 1200 calories each day. So I make sure to always eat 1200 but rarely go more than 200 over that even though I've exercised
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Did you set MFP to want to lose 2 pounds a week?
  • amuhlou
    amuhlou Posts: 693 Member
    Could easily be sodium, especially if your 'bad' dinner each week is dining out.

    My weigh-ins after a meal out are always high - 2-3 pounds even. I KNOW I didn't overeat by 7000 kcal (equals 2lb) so I just chalk it up to sodium and try to drink lots of water to flush it out.
  • celiagen
    celiagen Posts: 8
    Yep. I set it to want to lose 2 pounds per week and a lightly active life style.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Then you definitely need to eat all of your net 1200 calories. You might even need to set MFP to 1 pound a week and eat more to see more weight loss.
  • celiagen
    celiagen Posts: 8
    hm. I guess that seems odd to me because I've always been told to exercise more than you eat. But I'll try it, thank you!

    And about the sodium thing, that makes sense. I guess I should take that into consideration.

    It's very hard to stay motivated when after 2 weeks of success I am no longer losing weight. But thank you everyone! :)
  • roadworthy
    roadworthy Posts: 130
    Mother nature calls come into play too. I thought I was losing my mind because I would either gain a few pounds or lose nothing at all every now and then even when I was eating well and getting workouts in. It hit me one day that my rings were rather tight on my fingers. A few days later my cycle began and another few days later my rings were loose again. I hit the scale and had lost 4 lbs!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    MFP sets it up so you will lose the weight without exercise. So then when you factor in the exercise you need to eat more fuel. When you click the thing that says I want to lose 2 pounds per week, it can set you below what your Basal Metabolic Rate is (BMR). This is the amount of calories they would feed you if you were in a coma just to keep you alive. Unless you are a very tiny person to begin with, your BMR is probably more than 1200.
  • celiagen
    celiagen Posts: 8
    ahh very true!! stupid mother nature :p

    I just looked back through my food/exercise logging and in the first few weeks when I was losing weight I was eating most of my calories back and now I'm no longer doing that. So it seem y'all are right about me needing to eat more. It just seems counter-intuitive but I will try it! I'm exercising less now too, but school is in full swing so it's hard to find time. But oh well..patience is key I guess? Thank you
  • celiagen
    celiagen Posts: 8
    deksgrl: that makes sense! thank you for explaining it :)
  • xosmsox
    xosmsox Posts: 119
    This site tells me to eat 1200 calories each day. So I make sure to always eat 1200 but rarely go more than 200 over that even though I've exercised
    Eat your BMR and exercise calories then PROFIT! I lost 20 lbs in two months on1500 calories a day, spike days and eating half of my exercise calories. But that's just my humble experience, I'm still a noob.
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