WHAT NOW!!??!! NO WEIGHT LOST :(

Ive started working out this yr. Jan 15, 2012. The first month I lost 5lbs. then I started using whey protein. and light weights for my upper body and heavy weights for my lower body at the gym. then I gained back 5lbs. Im sure in muscle. as I look pretty toned from certain areas of my body. But I stopped taking the whey till I lose more weight. Today I weighed in and I am now 142!!!!
I have not gained weight as parts of me still look really toned then from when I FIRST started. I tried the eating more for a wk and now this 2lb. gain...Should I try eating less?? Cuz I workout alot now: sometimes 2x a day 5-6 days a wk. changing my workouts up all the time and I never make it easy..Im always challenging myself. Where before I could only do like 5pushups Now I can do 30 per 3 sets!!! PLEASE ANY ADVICE WOULD BE AWESOME!!!

And no its not that time of the month as some girls might say u put on pounds then...

Don't rely on the scale if progress in physique is improving.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
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Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I see you're lifting heavy weights with your lower body and your legs have gone up 1/2". When I first started lifting heavy, my pants got tighter in the thigh area (although I never bothered to measure). But it went away after my body got used to lifting and now I'm losing good inches there. When we lift, especially heavy, part of the muscle repair process includes the muscles holding onto water weight. It will go away after awhile so don't worry about it.

I'm also upping my calories in order to better maintain my muscles while I'm losing and to also get my metabolism burning faster. It's not unusual to gain a little the first few weeks of doing this but, after your body adjusts to it, the pounds should start coming back off. You need to give the raised calories more time. At least a month.

I started working out Jan 15, 2012. @ 140lbs. The first month I lost 5lbs. And started using whey protein and weights (light weights-upper body/heavy weights-lower body, lots of reps.) I gained back those 5lbs. I'm sure in muscle. as I look toned from certain areas of my body. But I stopped taking the whey till I lose more fat.
Today I weighed in and I'm now 142.5!!!! I took measurements. some inches went up/some stayed the same but none went down. I have no noticeable weight gain tho. I tried the EATING MORE for a week and now this 2lb. gain. Should I try EATING LESS?? I workout a lot now: Sometimes 2x a day, 5-6 days a wk. changing my workouts up all the time, never making it easy..
(before I could only do like 5pushups Now I can do 30 per 3 sets) I do my workouts in 3 full circuits not all at once.
PLEASE ANY ADVICE WOULD BE AWESOME!!!

And no its not that time of the month as some girls might say u put on pounds then.

You are not eating enough with that much working out.

You topped off your glucose stores finally by upping the calories. You could have seen a 3lb gain easy from just glucose and water weight.
Your weight lifting also retains water, outside of glucose storage.

You should weigh the day after a rest day. But you don't appear to have enough rest days for your level of activity.
You can ONLY have the body improve if it has time to recover with rest, and to be nourished with food.

If you want to workout that much because you love it and want a stronger body, that's great. Use it for your weight loss, not to stall your body though.

You should set MFP Settings - Diet/Fitness Profile to the activity level that represents your non-exercise day honestly.
Set your weight loss goal to Maintain.

And log your workouts and calorie estimates. Anything up to 1000 in the green as credit you do NOT eat back.
If you get credit for over 1000, eat back that overage amount.

MFP normally has you lose weight by creating a deficit in the diet - but then you feed your workouts by eating back the calories.

This way you are creating a deficit with the workouts - but you must feed your body otherwise so you can actually get stronger from the workouts.

Your metabolism has slowed right now, plain and simple. Your daily calories, minus what you workouts are taking, is leaving precious little for your body to use on BMR, so it has no option but to slow down.

Hey! It all takes time but I would say you need to eat more not less. I've been doing this awhile now and raised my calories many times and that always seemed to get things moving for me. It's really so much harder losing at a small weight. I lost my first 20 fairly quickly but these last 20 have been hard!!! Just eat healthy , lots of protein and fiber which keeps you fuller and you need that extra protein while lifting and things will eventually happen, although probably not as fast as you would like. Sounds like you are doing what it takes, best of luck to you!!!

You can't gain muscle from eating at a deficit,

125 lbs to lose, and starting to workout - oh yes she can.

Not in this case for such a short period of time, so I agree there.

Just have to correct a bold statement that is incorrect.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/447514-athletes-can-gain-muscle-while-losing-fat-on-deficit-diet

You can gain muscle in a deficit UNLESS:
You are already trim and fit and lifting, or
You net below your BMR and do lots of cardio.

Ah yes, that's what I meant, albeit very clumsily worded. It's still so early in the morning here! Thanks

Although does she really have 125lbs to lose? The OP said she was 140lbs at the start of her weight loss efforts?

At first, when I started lifting, my weight went up, and my inches weren't changing much. I stuck with my diet, making sure I ate carbs pre-workout and lean protein after workout, and tried lowering my sugar intake as much as I could. I also made sure I was drinking enough fluids. After several weeks, I started losing several pounds all at once, including some inches around my middle. I think our bodies just need to recover before we see the effects of our workout. Stick with it!