I've been doing the Kickstart workout this week, as it's my first week on this program. I haven't been following the meal plan because honestly 1000 calories is not enough for me. Even 1200 isn't enough. I get grouchy and cranky when I feel like I'm starving all day long, plus I get too caught up in every little calorie which isn't good.

So you can see from my diary that I fluctuate between 1200-1450 calories per day. I try to make sure I'm at least netting 1200 calories per day because of the work outs. I lost 5 pounds before starting the program and now I'm back up 2 pounds so my weight ticker hasn't budged at all.

I've actually GAINED weight this week. My muscles are sore so it's possible I'm retaining water.
Any ideas on what could be going on? I'm not giving up by any means....just confused as I've seen many of you losing weight on your first week on the program and I seem to be the only one gaining weight!!!

It really sucks when the scale doesn't match our effort put in. Hopefully this will make you feel better... When I did the kickstart I stuck to the diet and did the two exercises each day but by the end of the week I had gained 0.5 lb (128 to 128.5 lbs)! The next week I weighed in around (124-125 lbs, I logged 125). I normally cheat and check the scale every day but do not log my weight until Sunday (so my next weight won't be logged for two more days yet). When I have been peaking the last three days I have been (126.5-127.5 lbs). I'm trying to not get discouraged because I think my body is changing so quickly that the scale can't settle on a number. I can feel muscle coming in and my clothes feel loose so I know this program is going to give me the results I want by the end of it. I will take measurements and pictures on day 30 and compare with before to see what happens. So far my weight has been all over the place.

Try not to get discouraged and stick with it! I know you will. Have you taken "before" measurements or pictures at all? I found those helpful as I checked them on day 7 of the kickstart and found that I lost about 5 inches (hips, waist, thighs) and gained 5 inches in muscle (on my calves). Oh, also I should mention that after the kickstart I upped my calories to 1550ish daily. I try to eat around that number whether I do a double exercise or no exercise or anything in between. I don't have a heart rate monitor to properly tell me how many calories I'm burning and I think this method will be effective for me.

I can almost guarantee that the weight gain you experienced after the kickstart is water retention. You can't gain muscle to that extent that quickly. Typically, when we start an intensive workout program (and for some people, any exercise program), the body tends to retain water in response. Especially when weight training is brought into the mix, the muscles retain water as a means to repair the muscles that were used. This is VERY typical and is VERY temporary. Generally, I've experienced (and been told by trainers over the years) that you should not really look at the scale until you've been working out for a month, because of weight fluctuations and subsequent damage to motivation. I know that this is not realistic for me, but I always try to keep in mind this water/fluid issue with intense exercise and give myself that first month to see results.

Keep doing what you're doing (you may even need to raise your calories), drink lots of water and you'll see the scale move soon.

Great job, by the way, finishing the kickstart!!

I would not get discouraged, but I do have a few questions...

How much water are you drinking?
Were you working out hard before you started this program, or did you just start working out when you began this program?

Ok, now for my two cents. First, I looked at your diary and I would try to avoid foods like broccoli because they can add to water/gas bloat that can make you retain extra water. Another thing I noticed was the strawberries. I can't remember off the top of my head why but Jillian says to stay away from strawberries, so that might be something to give up.

I personally am coming to the end of week 3 and when I weighed myself this last Tuesday I was down 8 pounds total for week 1 & 2. However, I eat only 1200 calories per day (don't eat back exercise calories) and I am drinking 1 gallon of water per day.

If you just began to workout, then your body could be holding onto water weight or your muscles could be holding water to repair after workouts. My suggestion would be to just keep going as I bet you are losing inches even though you are not losing pounds. Maybe try to drink a bit more water, avoid sodium and gassy foods and maybe try to cut your calories down even if just by 100 per day to see if a change happens over the next week.

Don't get discouraged. You can do it!

You are correct that Jillian says no strawberries (also peaches) or RAW cruciferous veggies (like broccoli, kale cabbage, etc.). She does have recipes in her meal plan where the cruciferous veggies are cooked She says that it can interfere with the iodine uptake in the thyroid. It might be a good idea to take a look at her "No Foods" list again twinmomtwice as I did not look at your diary before I responded and agree with snlperdue that this might help. I've been eating the foods on her no list for the most part.

I can almost guarantee that the weight gain you experienced after the kickstart is water retention. You can't gain muscle to that extent that quickly. Typically, when we start an intensive workout program (and for some people, any exercise program), the body tends to retain water in response. Especially when weight training is brought into the mix, the muscles retain water as a means to repair the muscles that were used. This is VERY typical and is VERY temporary. Generally, I've experienced (and been told by trainers over the years) that you should not really look at the scale until you've been working out for a month, because of weight fluctuations and subsequent damage to motivation. I know that this is not realistic for me, but I always try to keep in mind this water/fluid issue with intense exercise and give myself that first month to see results.

Keep doing what you're doing (you may even need to raise your calories), drink lots of water and you'll see the scale move soon.

Great job, by the way, finishing the kickstart!!

I guess I don't understand why my measurements would still say that I gained 2.5 inches on each calf after three weeks if it's not muscle. My calves were flabby before and now they are rock hard, with little fat. I was also doing other workout programs before I started the BR so it isn't like it came out of no where and I just started becoming healthy recently. I drink about ten glasses of water a day too. What you are saying makes sense but my measurements are still consistent after three weeks. I don't get how it is water. I'm not saying you are wrong or anything, just that I don't understand that part of it.

The only thing I don't think she should do at this point is bump up her calories. For twinmomtwice it has only been a week and the kickstart week is so different from the rest of the weeks because you're doing double workouts. I think she needs to give it a few weeks of seeing no change before changing her calories as she is eating around 1570 each day already. Just my thought though! Take it or leave it. )

I can almost guarantee that the weight gain you experienced after the kickstart is water retention. You can't gain muscle to that extent that quickly. Typically, when we start an intensive workout program (and for some people, any exercise program), the body tends to retain water in response. Especially when weight training is brought into the mix, the muscles retain water as a means to repair the muscles that were used. This is VERY typical and is VERY temporary. Generally, I've experienced (and been told by trainers over the years) that you should not really look at the scale until you've been working out for a month, because of weight fluctuations and subsequent damage to motivation. I know that this is not realistic for me, but I always try to keep in mind this water/fluid issue with intense exercise and give myself that first month to see results.

Keep doing what you're doing (you may even need to raise your calories), drink lots of water and you'll see the scale move soon.

Great job, by the way, finishing the kickstart!!

I guess I don't understand why my measurements would still say that I gained 2.5 inches on each calf after three weeks if it's not muscle. My calves were flabby before and now they are rock hard, with little fat. I was also doing other workout programs before I started the BR so it isn't like it came out of no where and I just started becoming healthy recently. I drink about ten glasses of water a day too. What you are saying makes sense but my measurements are still consistent after three weeks. I don't get how it is water. I'm not saying you are wrong or anything, just that I don't understand that part of it.

The only thing I don't think she should do at this point is bump up her calories. For twinmomtwice it has only been a week and the kickstart week is so different from the rest of the weeks because you're doing double workouts. I think she needs to give it a few weeks of seeing no change before changing her calories as she is eating around 1570 each day already. Just my thought though! Take it or leave it. )

I didn't mean to offend when I shared feedback on the other individual's post. It sounds like you've been working really hard the last few weeks and before that...congrats on that!!!. You're clearly getting great results. I am just fairly confident it's impossible to gain that much muscle mass in 3 weeks. Water retention due to exercise is not like the type of water retention we experience once a month, where you can sometimes see the water retention (e.g., marks left by a watch, imprints from jeans, etc.). This is water stored more deeply, in the cells of the muscles and it's used to help repair at the cellular level.

You could certainly be experiencing the change of body composition due to your workouts, but that level of growth sounds above average. I'm certainly no expert, so I could be wrong.

I wouldn't up your calories if I were you. I'm at 1200 and its hard somedays but I think it is hard because I'm not following the meal plan and I'm not eating the BEST foods that I could be for my small amount of cals. Also, I know Jillian says the junk about "NO" foods, but I have never had thyroid troubles and I get my thyroid hormones checked yearly because I'm curious... I haven't stopped eating broccoli, but I only eat it in moderation... if you read the bottom of the NO foods page, it talks something about how there is no real evidence (or that there MAY be a connection) linking those foods to metabolic problems for people without pre-existing problems. I'm not telling you to disregard it, but they are strawberries... I think peanuts would be much more likely to cause some metabolic problems than strawberries... I also think most everything is ok in moderation. However, since you are having qualms with the program and weight loss, maybe you should avoid those foods - I think that's a personal preference. Have you read mastering your metabolism by jillian? That will explain the no foods better.... Back to the main point, I think you need to remember that A LOT of people aren't seeing HUGE amounts of weight loss and they are getting discouraged because others are... but what we are all losing is INCHES. I haven't seen one person on here who hasn't lost a couple of inches even when the scale hasn't budged. I've only lost a few pounds, but I know I've lost a pant size at least and I FEEL better. Don't give up - no one has finished the program yet, so who knows how we'll be after 90 days!!!