Needing advice/Food Diary

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Jmorgan0909
Jmorgan0909 Posts: 35
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been under on calories every day & working out every single day. I have been losing at a pretty steady rate (1-4 lbs. per week) I hopped on the scale this morning & I have gained 4 pounds.. what the heck? I'm slightly confused, not too concerned yet but I don't want to problem to escalate or continue. I would love for some feedback on my food diary... negative, positive, as long as it is constructive & will point me in the right direction. Am I not eating enough (I stay very full throughout the day)?? Am I not eating the right foods? Will eating too much sodium the day before cause such a huge fluctuation?

I am sorry that there are not many days to go off of, I am pretty new to MFP. I would also like to point out that I know my calories have been too low. I have been working on increasing them as well as how much water I am drinking (still a work in progress- i hate water). I did not realize when I first started that I was supposed to eat back most of the calories that I burned from exercise that day. & to be honest, I am still slightly confused about that subject. It just seems kind of counterproductive??

Also, I just started The 30 Day Shred and I run a mile and a half (TOPS) 2-3 times per week. I am only on Day 4 of the shred, so I highly doubt that it is muscle gain, even though I do feel just a tad more toned after only 4 days :):):)

Replies

  • HMM163
    HMM163 Posts: 24
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    Sodium will increase your weight. You need to eat 3500 more calories just to gain one pound. So I don't think you gained just the scale is up. Drinking water will flushed the sodium from your system.
  • Jaymefirst
    Jaymefirst Posts: 268 Member
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    Yes, sodium will do it everytime. Especially with that much of an increase in such a short amount of time. Looks like you've made a lot of postive changes. Just keep working at it and it will pay off!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like more support ;)
  • grumpy2day
    grumpy2day Posts: 212
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    Sodium can play a role, especially if you don't drink much water. My question is TOM antwhere near cause that sure can do it too!
  • techmom29
    techmom29 Posts: 103
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    While I agree that the sudden gain is likely sodium. Overall, I think you need to eat more consistently. Some days you were really short on cals...your bod is gonna want to hang on to all it can to survive.

    I would recommend going to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and plugging in your stats and look at the -15% numbers and use that as your daily goal and try really hard to meet it every day.

    HTH
  • yallcallmedeb
    yallcallmedeb Posts: 294
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    Where are you in your monthly cycle?

    When you start a new routine, such as 30DS, you are likely to see an increase in your weight for a few days. Are your muscles sore? If so, you are retaining water which is used to repair the muscles. This is a good thing. In a few days, your weight will be back down.

    If you had high sodium yesterday (or could be something else that just didn't quite agree with your body), you could be up. Did you drink enough water?

    I would just chalk it up to a fluke and put it out of my mind. If you are still up in a week, then you can give it some concern!

    Hang in there and keep up the good work!
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
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    Water weight. It's why I always dread starting a new workout routine. Your muscles retain extra water when you start a new routine. It will go down.
    It could also be sodium. I used to gain every weekend until I started paying more attention to my sodium.
    Either way, the best way to get it down is to drink. Lots. Flush your system. Water is good but I've found tea is better. I grew up with unsweet tea so I like it better that way. I love iced green tea. Coffee is good too but you have to watch what you add. I can't drink black coffee.
    Some people will tell you that you can't count coffee and tea as water because they are diuretics. The are slightly less hydrating than water but they will still hydrate you. If they really did dry you out, you would die faster of dehydration by drinking tea than you would if you didn't drink anything. There are millions of people who get the majority of their fluid intake as tea and they are not dropping dead of dehydration.
  • Jmorgan0909
    Jmorgan0909 Posts: 35
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    Sodium can play a role, especially if you don't drink much water. My question is TOM antwhere near cause that sure can do it too!

    I must say that I was seriously confused when I first read your comment!! But to answer your question, no that is still a couple weeks away.
  • Jmorgan0909
    Jmorgan0909 Posts: 35
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    Water weight. It's why I always dread starting a new workout routine. Your muscles retain extra water when you start a new routine. It will go down.
    It could also be sodium. I used to gain every weekend until I started paying more attention to my sodium.
    Either way, the best way to get it down is to drink. Lots. Flush your system. Water is good but I've found tea is better. I grew up with unsweet tea so I like it better that way. I love iced green tea. Coffee is good too but you have to watch what you add. I can't drink black coffee.
    Some people will tell you that you can't count coffee and tea as water because they are diuretics. The are slightly less hydrating than water but they will still hydrate you. If they really did dry you out, you would die faster of dehydration by drinking tea than you would if you didn't drink anything. There are millions of people who get the majority of their fluid intake as tea and they are not dropping dead of dehydration.

    Thank you for the helpful information. I guess I need to get to drinking!! :/
  • Jmorgan0909
    Jmorgan0909 Posts: 35
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    Where are you in your monthly cycle?

    When you start a new routine, such as 30DS, you are likely to see an increase in your weight for a few days. Are your muscles sore? If so, you are retaining water which is used to repair the muscles. This is a good thing. In a few days, your weight will be back down.

    If you had high sodium yesterday (or could be something else that just didn't quite agree with your body), you could be up. Did you drink enough water?

    I would just chalk it up to a fluke and put it out of my mind. If you are still up in a week, then you can give it some concern!

    Hang in there and keep up the good work!

    Yes, my muscles are fairly sore. & I have not been drinking enough water. I am definitely sticking with the 30DS... Funny thing is that today isn't my "weigh day", but I woke up this morning & felt so much thinner sooooo.. well, I was just curious. Not the direction I expected the numbers to move though. lol

    I am getting very similar responses from everyone, so I am not going to fret! I am eating better & exercising more lately than I have in a long while so it is inevitable that things only get better from here, right?
  • Jmorgan0909
    Jmorgan0909 Posts: 35
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    Water weight. It's why I always dread starting a new workout routine. Your muscles retain extra water when you start a new routine. It will go down.
    It could also be sodium. I used to gain every weekend until I started paying more attention to my sodium.
    Either way, the best way to get it down is to drink. Lots. Flush your system. Water is good but I've found tea is better. I grew up with unsweet tea so I like it better that way. I love iced green tea. Coffee is good too but you have to watch what you add. I can't drink black coffee.
    Some people will tell you that you can't count coffee and tea as water because they are diuretics. The are slightly less hydrating than water but they will still hydrate you. If they really did dry you out, you would die faster of dehydration by drinking tea than you would if you didn't drink anything. There are millions of people who get the majority of their fluid intake as tea and they are not dropping dead of dehydration.

    I was actually wondering if drinking things that are prepared with water actually counted? I have been sticking with Mio flavoring lately, but even though it has 0 everything including sugar... it almost taste a little too sweet. I have to be careful of how much I add or it taste like syrup :/ Thank you for the info!
  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    How is the adipex and xyngular going?
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    Guys, she's not way over sodium. Her highest day was just barely over.

    Some days she doesn't GROSS 1000 calories.

    One day, where she exercised, she did eat about what she was supposed to (~1600). Another day she only ate ~750.

    This is the problem.

    If MFP set you at 1200 calories, I think you must have set it for 2 lbs per week. Reset it for 1/2 or 1 lb for week. you have less than 25 lbs to lose.

    As you get closer to your goal, the weight loss slows and you can't just keep cutting calories. Your body needs a certain amount to function, and unless you're under a doctor's care, you need to eat that amount (very obese people can get by with lower calorie counts, but you're not very obese).

    The BMR calculator says her BMR is 1452, assuming her weight is about 140 now. by her ticker. If she's sedentary, to reach goal F2F give ~1612.

    OP, I think you should try to eat between 1400-1600 NET calories. Try resetting MFP's goal section to either 1/2 or 1 lb per week, and then eat what it says. If you're +/- 100 cals or so, that's ok, but don't try to net 500 below.
  • Establishedn1986
    Establishedn1986 Posts: 306 Member
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    Guys, she's not way over sodium. Her highest day was just barely over.

    Some days she doesn't GROSS 1000 calories.

    One day, where she exercised, she did eat about what she was supposed to (~1600). Another day she only ate ~750.

    This is the problem.

    If MFP set you at 1200 calories, I think you must have set it for 2 lbs per week. Reset it for 1/2 or 1 lb for week. you have less than 25 lbs to lose.

    As you get closer to your goal, the weight loss slows and you can't just keep cutting calories. Your body needs a certain amount to function, and unless you're under a doctor's care, you need to eat that amount (very obese people can get by with lower calorie counts, but you're not very obese).

    The BMR calculator says her BMR is 1452, assuming her weight is about 140 now. by her ticker. If she's sedentary, to reach goal F2F give ~1612.

    OP, I think you should try to eat between 1400-1600 NET calories. Try resetting MFP's goal section to either 1/2 or 1 lb per week, and then eat what it says. If you're +/- 100 cals or so, that's ok, but don't try to net 500 below.
    I agree! You need to eat more.
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
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    I agree with a lot of the posts on here, but just to add a little something to clear up whether or not to eat back your exercise calories. The answer is yes. When you signed up you set MFP to lose 1/2, 1 or 2 lbs per week (should only be 1/2 or 1 unless you have a LOT to lose) then it tells you how many calories to eat each day. If you just did this and didn't exercise you would lose weight. So if you exercise you increase that deficit even more, this can decrease it below what you should eat per day so when you eat them back you are still going to lose because of the way MFP calculated your calorie goal.

    Example:

    If you have MFP set to lose 1 lb per week it gives you a deficit of 500cal per day. If your body needs 1800 cal per day to maintain:

    1800-500=1300cal so MFP will tell you to eat 1300 cal per day. If you do this and don't exercise you lose 1lb per week.

    If you earn 400 cal per day from exercise....1800-500-400=900 cal so now you are WAY under what you should be so if you eat 400 extra cal that day you end up back at 1300 where you should be to lose 1lb.

    Also keep in mind your body can fluctuate up to 5lb per day depending on water, sodium etc. Just make sure you eat enough :)

    I hope this makes sense and helps you.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    THIS.... I honestly think one of the hardest things for people to truly understand is... they have to eat enough to lose weight, your body needs the food to fuel it.
    Guys, she's not way over sodium. Her highest day was just barely over.

    Some days she doesn't GROSS 1000 calories.

    One day, where she exercised, she did eat about what she was supposed to (~1600). Another day she only ate ~750.

    This is the problem.

    If MFP set you at 1200 calories, I think you must have set it for 2 lbs per week. Reset it for 1/2 or 1 lb for week. you have less than 25 lbs to lose.

    As you get closer to your goal, the weight loss slows and you can't just keep cutting calories. Your body needs a certain amount to function, and unless you're under a doctor's care, you need to eat that amount (very obese people can get by with lower calorie counts, but you're not very obese).

    The BMR calculator says her BMR is 1452, assuming her weight is about 140 now. by her ticker. If she's sedentary, to reach goal F2F give ~1612.

    OP, I think you should try to eat between 1400-1600 NET calories. Try resetting MFP's goal section to either 1/2 or 1 lb per week, and then eat what it says. If you're +/- 100 cals or so, that's ok, but don't try to net 500 below.

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