Disappointing Weigh In Today

Good Morning,

I am a bit discouraged today. I only lost .6 at my weigh in today. I do my "Official" WI on Wednesday mornings, although I weigh myself most mornings.

I do the elliptical 3 days a week and walk 3 times a week. Monday I did a Zumba class for the first time. But all week I just felt heavier. Do you know what I mean?

I rarely eat any of the exercise calories I burn. I am thinking maybe I am not eating enough. I get the whole "if you don't eat enough, you will go into starvation mode thing." But how quickly can a person put themselves in starvation mode? My husband doesn't believe in eating back our exercise calories so that is the main reason I haven't been doing it. He is of the mindset that if you eat less you will lose more and I know that isn't always the case.

I have my goals set to lose 2 pounds a week (I know that is a lot but I have about 110 pounds I want to lose. So MFP has me eating 1,200 calories a week.

Thoughts...

Thanks,

Erin

Replies

  • kkleesmama
    kkleesmama Posts: 13
    I'm in the same boat. After getting some advice from my friends, I think it's due to not eating enough. Also, I have been reading that after a vigorous work out (zumba) you may retain water in your muscles, adding to your weight. But I really don't know the answer, I've just decided to increase my calorie intake and get closer to my goal, drink even more than the recommended 8 cups, take my measurements and use those as an indicator of lost inches rather than just pounds. I felt very discouraged too, just yesterday, but don't worry about it, you are doing great with the exercise. Just try to tweak things here and there and see what works.
  • kitkatwag
    kitkatwag Posts: 82 Member
    bump
  • shaydon80
    shaydon80 Posts: 138 Member
    Have you charted your weight based on your menstrual cycle? This may be TMI but I know I weigh more during my period and during ovulation and weigh the least right after my period ends. That could have something to do with it.
  • kellaney
    kellaney Posts: 5
    It is because you are definitely not eating enough. Your body is hanging on to everything it can because it doesn't feel like it's fuel is being replenished fast enough. You don't have to spend all of your bonus calories, but you should be spending at least 80% of them. If you still feel guilty about it, spend them on healthy foods...milk, fruits, veggies, etc. But honestly, I like spending my bonus calories on treats at the end of the day--I workout harder if I know there is some frozen chocolate yogurt in my future! Bottom line....EAT MORE!
  • BrendaPow
    BrendaPow Posts: 4 Member
    I wouls suggest just weighing yourself once a week, like every Wednesday as you have been doing. I found that the more I weighed myself the more frustrated I got. Measure by how your clothes fit.
  • kayl3igh88
    kayl3igh88 Posts: 428 Member
    What I go by is that you're supposed to consume a NET of your BMR after exercise, which means eating some exercise cals I'm afraid.
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
    My weigh in is Wednesday also. Scale only moved a bit this wee, but I generally eat exercise cals back and I feel better and usually lose about a pound each week. Eating those extra calories just seems to help my body function better.
  • taxacctdfw
    taxacctdfw Posts: 67 Member
    I am the same way today. My scale hasn't moved an ounce since April 18th. I eat 1440 calories a day and work out 5-6 days a week. 2 of those days is with a personal trainer. So I was stoked thinking that my scale would move today, because my clothes are a lot looser (I have lost 5 sizes since Jan 2012) but NOPE. So i have been really depressed all day. But I feel like if I go under 1440 calories, I will be starving myself. I am 5 feet 10 1/2 inches tall, so I am certain 1200 calories will be starvation mode for me. I try not to eat back my workout calories, if I do, it is only 1/2. II have decided to put the scale away for at least 3 weeks and just take my measurements and talk with my trainer about this. I watch and log everything I eat. I try not to have cheat days, and have only gone over 2 times in the past two weeks. Good luck, if you need encouragement, I love to support my friends, you can add me.
  • duhblond
    duhblond Posts: 138 Member
    Good Morning!
    Have you taken your measurements?
    Sometimes you wont notice your body changing and yet there is a gradual firming and changing of the weight distribution.
    I would strongly recommend taking the inches of your neck, breasts, waist, hips, and butt. you can also do your biceps and thighs as well.
    Also, the dynamics of every relationship is different but I would eat (withing reason) what you feel your body needs, maybe try eating half of your exercise calories back to start with and go from there.
    Best of luck to you on your journey :)
  • Kat51313
    Kat51313 Posts: 18
    I'm right there with you guys... I've dropped my daily caloric intake TWICE, usually (after exercise and whatnot) have 400-900 calories left at the end of the day and in the 40 days that I've been tracking through MFP I've actually GAINED two pounds. Maybe there's something to the not eating enough thing.

    It's pretty frustrating, but I have to believe that there's water weight there, amongst other things... I'm also nursing so I obviously have fluid retention, just didn't think that much.

    I think Shadydon80 is onto something, too - I know I weigh more when I get my period.
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
    I have been at the same weight for 2 weeks now
  • McDougal416
    McDougal416 Posts: 74 Member
    You need to eat back most/all the exercise cal's. You will feel better, and won't be in starvation mode. You might gain weight at first when you change...but then you'll start losing again. .6 is still a loss!! :) The zumba coul've thrown your body for a loop since you did something new. Also, w/me..I have to watch my fat intake...I won't lose as much if I have more fat in my diet...Good luck and good job on your weight loss!! Just remember...the slower you lose weight..the harder it is to gain it back...I am also on a 1200 cal diet, anything less will throw ur body into starvation mode...
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    It appears to me that you aren't eating enough. All my research lately points to - don't eat less than your BMR. I moved my calories UP from MFP recommended to my BMR and lost 4.8 lbs in one week... I have about 100 lbs more to lose (I've lost just over 100 to date) and am eating almost 2000 calories a day - and losing just fine.

    It really seems to be the case that you must eat more to weigh less.

    Good luck!
  • If you did Zumba yesterday (I love Zumba!!) you may be retaining some fluids in your muscle. I feel the same way you do sometimes-but remember that it isn't always the # on the scale. How do you feel physically? Do you feel better? Stronger? How are your clothes fitting? Remember that it is possible to lose inches sometimes without losing weight. When you add muscle, sometimes the evil scale will not move. I know I do controversial things with my diet by incorporating a "cheat" day, but nothing else was working! This has a little bit for me. Also, you may have a medical condition that is preventing you from losing properly. Just keep exercising and eating healthy!
  • roddi7997
    roddi7997 Posts: 14 Member
    I would eat back those exercise calories. If you don't want to eat all of them back you don't have to, but I'd at least eat most of them back. Not sure how much water you are drinking, but if you aren't drinking at least the 8 glasses I'd start with that as a minimum.
  • Lula16
    Lula16 Posts: 628 Member
    Have you charted your weight based on your menstrual cycle? This may be TMI but I know I weigh more during my period and during ovulation and weigh the least right after my period ends. That could have something to do with it.

    ^^^^ this

    also stay consistant and you will lose. After 3 wks of consistency, eating clean, bodypump and cardio runs, my scale just started moving. By the way, I also do my "official" weigh in on the Wii :smile:
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Weight loss isn't linear and stop weighing weekly if you mentally can't take it
  • vguynes
    vguynes Posts: 753 Member
    First, I want to CONGRATULATE you on losing .6. A loss is a loss (at least you did not gain). I was on a 1200 calorie plan and not eating back my exercise calories until my weight loss stopped. After increasing my caloric intake to around 1400, I started back losing a pound a week. I still have my goal set at 1200, that just means I HAVE to do some type of exercise to burn at least 200 calories (that I have an option of eating back). I'm not saying that you should "eat back your burned calories", I'm just sharing what worked for me.

    Good luck on your weight loss journey!

    Edited to add: I'm 5'3" and I weigh 133 (My BMR is low.)
  • Diary_Queen
    Diary_Queen Posts: 1,314 Member
    OMG .6 is better than going up 3 lbs. You should be grateful for what you have accomplished. There was a time, for about 4 months straight, that I didn't lose an ounce... a smidge... not even a feather's weight of anything. I would have felt successful losing .6. You can make a change today that will help.... go over your diary and check for high sodium or excess sugar that you might not need. Run around the block... eat some carbs and enjoy your life instead of stressing! It will all be ok :bigsmile:
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    Losting .6 is pretty good, it's not bad at all. Some people can eat their workout calories back and it works for them, some it doesn't work for. I suggest if you are not seeing what you want to see play with eating them back, you might be one of the people who it works for. Also, if you work out every day of the week, your muscles might need a break. If you workout 6 day's a week, you might not be giving it enough of a break. Just a suggestion. It's one of those things you just have to play with, find out what works for you.
  • ryvenna
    ryvenna Posts: 83 Member
    figure out what your bmr is and try to net that many cals per day. i'm pretty sure your bmr isn't 1200 cals, and you're not even eating back your exercise cals! however, the "not eating enough" makes more of a difference when you have less weight to lose: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainerRobin/view/myth-or-fact-calories-in-versus-calories-out-3500-calories-one-pound-and-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories-62012

    good luck :]
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    You are 52. I will assume you're 5'5". I will assume you weigh 250 pounds and so losing 110 would get you to 140.

    At 52, 5'5", and 250 pounds, your basal metabolic rate is 1800 calories, i.e., lying in bed watching TV all day, you burn 1800 calories.

    1200 calories IS starving yourself and hurting your body, and will only make things much WORSE. Whatever information you put in that got you 1200 calories back out, is incorrect.

    Start eating healthy foods and target at least 1800 calories to start. Exercise frequently - - nothing crazy, just walk around the block, further daily, a little faster, lift heavy things for no reason around the house a few times a day. Start gradually and you'll be a fearsome goddess before you know it.
  • Longtobeslim
    Longtobeslim Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks everyone. I talked to a couple people at work also, one is a personal trainer and one is a former sports therapist and they both told me I am not eating enough and probably have my body in starvation mode. The sports therapist said it only takes about 24-48 hours to put your body in starvation mode. I told her I had been doing this for 9 weeks.

    She suggested I move my calories up to 1400 to start, see how I lose next week and adjust up more from there if I need to. The personal trainer said she never advises her clients to eat less then 1,500 calories when they are working out.

    It is going to be hard, mentally, for me to increase my eating but I know it makes sense that at times we have to eat more to lose more.

    Thanks for all the comments. Good luck to everyone.

    Erin
  • jackielora
    jackielora Posts: 13
    well what I would do is chane the number to 1400 and do not add exercise becuase it changes the amount of carbs fats sugar protein you can eat in a day
  • aswearingen22
    aswearingen22 Posts: 271 Member
    I definitely think you should be eating more. 1200 cal/day with 110 lbs to lose sounds incredibly low to start with. I'm 5'2" with 18lbs to lose and they have me at 1200/day? And, I used to agree with your husband until I understood weight loss. Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as "eating less means losing more". It's not a completely inverse relationship like that. There is a threshold at which your body will say "oh no, she's starving me, I better hang on to every single calorie she puts in my body in case she always eats so little". Of course this level is probably different for everyone based on fitness, age, weight, etc. So on the days that you are doing quite a bit of activity, say your BMR is 1500 (calories you need to just exist in a coma), you're only eating 1200, and then you burn 400. You're giving your body a net of 800 calories to do what requires it 1500 to do. So it's hoarding the calories/weight. If you gave it the extra 400 back, and let it keep 1200, you're still set to lose. Say your TDEE is 2000 (what it would take on a normal day of activities to sustain yourself), and you're eating 1200/day, that's 800 calories a day x 7 days a week = 5600 calories per week which equates to a loss of 1.6/week (3500 cals/pound). The 1200/day already takes into account your loss. You need to eat exercise calories back in order to not set off the alarms in your body to retain what you're giving it. Does that make sense? You should be netting to 1200 every day in order to lose. I know it sounds weird to eat more to lose more. Also, I had to start looking at exercise not as a means to lose more weight, but as a means to be more healthy, fit, happy, and energetic (and a way to eat more!). Once I made that mind shift, it's been easy for me to lose the weight! I ate back all 3,000 of my exercise calories last week and lost 3.7 pounds. trust me, it works!
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I get excited when I lose .6 lbs :)
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    well what I would do is chane the number to 1400 and do not add exercise becuase it changes the amount of carbs fats sugar protein you can eat in a day

    What? It's supposed to do that! If you are burning a ton of calories doing cardio, chances are your body needs more carbs to fuel the workout...and so on. (there are other examples, of course). There is nothing that has calories that doesn't have the other stuff, too....it may be low in fat but still have carbs (fruit / veggies), etc....
  • MrsORourke
    MrsORourke Posts: 315 Member
    I would say you should re-evaluate your intake. Bump up those calories, eat back what you burn.

    Oh - and GO PACK!!! :heart: the green and gold!

    :smile:

    Best of luck!
  • Longtobeslim
    Longtobeslim Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks everyone. To answer a few of the questions asked. I drink plenty of water, so I know that isn't a problem. I do know that I am losing inches because I have gone down two sizes in shirts and pants. I do feel MUCH BETTER and have TONS more energy.

    The reason I weigh once a week is because a bunch of us are doing a "Biggest Loser" type contest so I have to do an "Official" weigh in. The reason I wasn't thrilled with a .6 loss is because for our contest we had to set a fitness goal and a weight loss goal for each week. If we don't make both of those goals we have to pay for the week.

    I am thankful for the wonderful results I have seen so far, but was just a bit disappointed as this is the first week I didn't make my goal. I was more concerned about whether I was eating enough or not.

    As to how I came up with the 1,200 calories a day I put in that I was lightly active and wanted to lose 2 pounds a week (since I have so much to lose) and 1,200 calories is what MFP told me I should eat in order to achieve that goal every week.

    Everyone had great advice and encouragement. I will do some experimenting with eating more and hopefully I will see bigger losses again.

    My smallest loss so far has been 2.4 pounds. Thanks again, everyone you have been a big help.

    Erin
  • 10bri10
    10bri10 Posts: 16 Member
    Something else you could potentially try, is mixing up your workouts a bit more? Instead of doing the same thing 3 days a week, try walking or calisthenics or videos. Adding Zumba is a great shake up. I know if I get into a workout rut, so does my weight.