Started MFP, gained 4lbs!

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Jgrimes0307
Jgrimes0307 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am currently 5'2, 149lbs! I started out 145...before that I was really watching what I was eating, low carbs etc. Now that I'm doing MFP, all my friends are doing it too, and loosing! and I'm the only sucker gaining! I'm also on level 2 of 30 Day Shred, and I do eat those calories back as well. What gives?!

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  • M1ssBehave
    M1ssBehave Posts: 33 Member
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    sore muscles retain water (ie scale weight) you should be measuring inches, a little bitty muscle weights the same as a big bunch of fat... don't watch the scale,
  • CalJur
    CalJur Posts: 627 Member
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    Give it time. You just started MFP and there will be some fluctuations based on any number of factors. Just stay the course and do what you are supposed to do.
  • kellrod
    kellrod Posts: 2
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    I agree. Take your measurements and maybe a month later take them again. I've had that problem with not seeing results on the scale like I would like cause I do lift a lot of weight. Then I took my measurements and saw the inches go down.
  • jarrettz
    jarrettz Posts: 1 Member
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    I would give it some time, at least a week to feel a difference in the way clothes feel. The number on the scale doesn't even tell half the story of your progress.
  • Jolenebib
    Jolenebib Posts: 142 Member
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    Are you using a heart rate monitor to track the calories you burn during 30DS? If not...you may be over estimating what you burn and eating back too many calories. Otherwise, its could be water retention weight and/or some muscle build up. Do you feel like you are adding inches or subtracting them?
  • cannonsky
    cannonsky Posts: 850 Member
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    People are probably going to ask you to make your diary public if you are asking for advice.
  • KatyE213
    KatyE213 Posts: 446 Member
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    Yes, definitely be wary of the number of calories MFP will give you for exercise, in my experience they are way too high.
  • cPT_Helice
    cPT_Helice Posts: 403
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    People are probably going to ask you to make your diary public if you are asking for advice.

    Yes
  • girlincognit0
    girlincognit0 Posts: 3
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    I don't go by the scale, I go by how well my clothes are fitting. Also, if you're exercising remember that you're building muscle.
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
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    Are you using a heart rate monitor to track the calories you burn during 30DS? If not...you may be over estimating what you burn and eating back too many calories.

    This! I only burn about 100 calories with 30DS, and I used to log it as much higher than that before I got my HRM.
  • missjojo31
    missjojo31 Posts: 150
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    Yes, definitely be wary of the number of calories MFP will give you for exercise, in my experience they are way too high.


    so whats the point of them if they are too high? i know they are only a guide but still :(
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
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    Just stay the course...nothing to be concerned about this early on.

    I've found MFP numbers to be in line, I wouldn't say "way too high" for any exercise (10 min. burns about 100 cals if your heart rate is up). Any online estimate is to be just that....you need a HRM if you really want the exact numbers...
  • alyciamarlene
    alyciamarlene Posts: 15 Member
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    As others have mentioned, muscle weighs more than fat so although your weight is going up it is possible that this is a reflection of you gaining muscle tone from the 30DS. I highly recommend pictures and measurements for comparison, not just a scale number. :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    What is your weight loss goal per week? You should be aiming for 1/2 - 1 lb per week max and eating 50-75% of your exercise calories. You don't have much weight to lose so it's going to be harder.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    As others have mentioned, muscle weighs more than fat so although your weight is going up it is possible that this is a reflection of you gaining muscle tone from the 30DS. I highly recommend pictures and measurements for comparison, not just a scale number. :)

    She isn't gaining muscle. Not unless she is eating a surplus of calories. The 4 lbs of weight is from water. Besides, 30DS is cardio based and it won't let you build muscle as it's not really strength training.
  • mkgk03
    mkgk03 Posts: 10 Member
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    How often are you weighing yourself? You should only be counting your weight on the scale once a week, as our bodies do fluctuate on a daily basis due to water weight. If you're only on day 2 of 30DS, then I'd be willing to bet that your muscles are retaining water. Give it a week and check again. Over time, the scale will trend downward.

    Also, in reference to eating your exercise calories-- try only eating 200 of them or less and see if that makes a difference.
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
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    Yes, definitely be wary of the number of calories MFP will give you for exercise, in my experience they are way too high.


    so whats the point of them if they are too high? i know they are only a guide but still :(

    Just want to dispel the rumors that MFP is not accurate. It most certainly is! Now, I'll be the first to tell you I've never owned a HRM in my life. I have, however, been a runner since h.s. and can "pretty much" tell you what I burn when I run.

    Here is an example of a 5 mile run, 8 min pace for me:

    MFP: 600 cals
    iMapMyRun (my iPhone app)": 624 cals
    a random online calculator: 658 cals

    So MFP is LESS THAN all of the other estimates, not higher. I've also done "circuit training" and found that MFP is in line....

    Again, an estimate is just that....only a HRM will tell you exactly. I've just never had the need for one...
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
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    Don't listen to the people saying it's muscle. It may be water retention in the muscle, but it's not muscle.

    If you're eating fewer calories than you're burning, it is physically impossible to gain weight (other than the aforementioned water weight) from either fat or muscle. It would be best to ignore the advice of anyone who doesn't understand this.
  • NetteH13
    NetteH13 Posts: 28 Member
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    Yes, I don't use the numbers MFP gives for exercise either, but in some cases thats all you have. The only excercise I can truly adjust is my treadmill time. At my gym, their treadmills allow you to put in your weight, and therefore I get a more accurate amount of calories burned when I finish. Me personally, i don't eat back what I burn. If my goal is 1200 calories a day, that is what I eat, I exercise and thats it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Yes, I don't use the numbers MFP gives for exercise either, but in some cases thats all you have. The only excercise I can truly adjust is my treadmill time. At my gym, their treadmills allow you to put in your weight, and therefore I get a more accurate amount of calories burned when I finish. Me personally, i don't eat back what I burn. If my goal is 1200 calories a day, that is what I eat, I exercise and thats it.

    Machines at gyms are proven to read 25-40% higher than actual calories burned. Its so people feel better about themselves and use the machine more.

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