Help help I gained!

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las5529
las5529 Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay im 5'5 140 my bmr is about 14,30 i workout 6 times a week about a hour maybe more somedays. I have been eating very clean on 1700 calories about sometimes more due to workout days and eating back my exercise cals, I stepped on the scale this morning and actually GAINED 4 pounds, what the heck am i doing wrong ??? my mom is on the same diet and exercises less then i do and cheats, and she lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks, what the heck...HELP!!!

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  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    You're probably not doing anything wrong at all. Weight goes up and down all the time, and it's easy to gain 4 lbs in a day (or even less) just because of eating, drinking, hormonal fluctuation etc. Exercise, especially intense exercise can make you retain water in your muscles which will show up on the scale temporarily. If you are eating under your calorie goal, then it's not a gain in fat. Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll see the scale go in the right direction.

    Also, if that's an up-to-date profile pic, then it doesn't look like you have a huge amount to lose. When you have less to lose, it does come off more slowly. Maybe your mom has more to lose? If so, she will likely lose faster than you. Very frustrating for you, but completely normal!
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    Personally i think 1700 calories is way too high for someone with only 15lbs to lose. I would reduce your calorie allowance by at least 200.
  • las5529
    las5529 Posts: 15
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    I guess ill just continue with the 1700 no matter if i exercise or not, and my mom is 5'6 and 150-now 148. I really need the scale to move the other way!
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    If it's just one day don't sweat it. My weight can be 2 lbs in either direction from one day to the next. Just keep an eye on the general trend. I don't log a new low weight unless I've hit it at least 2 days in a row.

    Try adjusting your protien/carb ratio. You're definitely a bit carb heavy on quite a few days. Carbohydrates can make your body retain extra water. So the good news is (If you're really sticking with calorie goals) that you're probably just holding water from either the carbs, salt, or just muscle recovery from exercise. So more calories from protein and less from carbohydrates. Try that out for a week and see what happens.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Personally i think 1700 calories is way too high for someone with only 15lbs to lose. I would reduce your calorie allowance by at least 200.

    Huh? What? It goes UP closer to goal, silly person.

    Anyway, I suspect your 1700 is your TDEE - some percentage, right? As you said your BMR was lower than that, I drew that conclusion. If that's the case, you don't eat exercise calories accounted for in your activity level on top of your daily intake.
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 887
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    Here's the thing, even though the scale says four lbs heavier in just one day, its no way its fat as you would of had to of eaten way way over your allowence, so no worries there. The fact you are working out more than you mom may be the reason she is losing and you are not, but the thing is your probably gaining more muscle, as well as holding on to more water weight because of your extra workouts. Really I wouldn't sweat it, if your doing everything right, and feeling good then focus on that. Take pics, and measurements and forget the number on the scale. No one sees the number on the scale but you, so if you just start focusing on inches lost, you will probably notice more successes.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    Hey, so, I weigh 141, and wear a bodybugg. When sedentary, I burn 1600-1700 calories. When I work out I get up to 2200. So I'd say that you are eating at maintenance. Unless you are really over estimating exercise cals, that gain is probably just water weight. You probably should do 1700 and not eat back calories. I eat around 1700-1800 on average.

    Hope that helps :)
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    Here's the thing, even though the scale says four lbs heavier in just one day, its no way its fat as you would of had to of eaten way way over your allowence, so no worries there.

    I have to remind myself that at times. I had one bad weekend where it did go up 4 lbs in a single day. Then I thought to myself. "If it takes 3500 calories to = 1 pound, did I really eat 14,000 calories over my goal this weekend?" Of course not. That's just silly.
    Take pics, and measurements and forget the number on the scale
    This exactly. One week I didn't loose a single pound but I measured and did find that I lost an entire inch off my waist. So that week was a huge success. The scale is just one way to measure success but not the only measure.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Okay im 5'5 140 my bmr is about 14,30 i workout 6 times a week about a hour maybe more somedays. I have been eating very clean on 1700 calories about sometimes more due to workout days and eating back my exercise cals, I stepped on the scale this morning and actually GAINED 4 pounds, what the heck am i doing wrong ??? my mom is on the same diet and exercises less then i do and cheats, and she lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks, what the heck...HELP!!!
    According to the calculations I made you're just slightly over total calories. 1600 total should be your target even with exercise. According to Mifflin St. Jeor calculation for your BMR it's about 1400 and with exercise and regular activity your TDEE is 2116. So eating 1600 is a - 500 calorie deficit.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Hey, so, I weigh 141, and wear a bodybugg. When sedentary, I burn 1600-1700 calories. When I work out I get up to 2200. So I'd say that you are eating at maintenance. Unless you are really over estimating exercise cals, that gain is probably just water weight. You probably should do 1700 and not eat back calories. I eat around 1700-1800 on average.

    Hope that helps :)
    This is very close.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    I would bump it up to 1800. If 2100 is your TDEE and you don't have much to lose just cut 15% or even 10% if you're super close to your goal!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    According to her goal on ticker she's about 20lbs off.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • las5529
    las5529 Posts: 15
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    I can not thank everyone enough!!! i was freaking out this morning, but still went to the gym and pushed myself until i now cannot feel my arms! Im going to try to eat between 1500 -1700(on exercise days) NOT EAT MY CALORIES BACK, i just wont log exercise in MFP and see if this works.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    i just wont log exercise in MFP and see if this works.

    I log cardio and eat back those calories. I disregard what the machine says and just add in 7 calories a minute. Strength exercise like weightlifting I don't log or keep calorie counts for. I just pretend it didn't burn any calories. That's working pretty well for me. I've been taking down about a pound a week on average.
  • fiveohmike
    fiveohmike Posts: 1,297 Member
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    If you set a custom goal in MFP, and then log your cardio at 1 calorie burned (you know how many calories you have burned) its much easier to hit your calorie goal and not be confused.

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