What am I doing wrong???

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evans9279
evans9279 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
So I am working pretty hard, but actually have GAINED weight sinece I've started logging my calories! I am taking in about 1200 calories/day, which is about my RMR, and have been making good food choices (egg white wraps, tuna fish sandwiches, low fat yogurt, fruits, etc). I have also started training for a marathon about 5 weeks ago, which is when I started logging my calories. I currently weigh 125 lbs and I am 5'4''. My usual weight is 112 lbs and I would like to maintain that, as that is a good 'running weight' for me. I sometimes eat my exercise calories, but not always ALL of them. I burn about 250-500 exercise calories/day, sometimes more, sometimes less. Do you think I am not taking in enough calories and am putting myself into starvation mode, which is why I have gained some weight? This is really bumming me out!

Replies

  • bleachcse
    bleachcse Posts: 148 Member
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    Yes, you are not eating enough!!!! Everyone on MFP will tell you the same thing, eat more!
  • jessicajoy87
    jessicajoy87 Posts: 905
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    It sounds like you have been working out more than usual. You are probably gaining muscle. How do your clothes feel? Do they feel loser? Sometimes you need to go but measurments instead of weight. Try measuring your waste and keep doing what you are doing. In a week or so measure again and go ahead and weigh yourself. If you have gained but lost inches you know that you are gaining muscle. Good Luck!
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    Switch up your exercises, make them more challenging, and eat all your exercise calories for a month.

    If that doesn't work, then i guess that's not the problem!
  • jessicajoy87
    jessicajoy87 Posts: 905
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    Yes, you are not eating enough!!!! Everyone on MFP will tell you the same thing, eat more!

    I agree with this to. make sure you are getting enough to eat. You might be putting your body in starvation mode which will store fat more quickly.
  • TNTPete
    TNTPete Posts: 701 Member
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    The whole starvation mode is probably your issue.. I do it too, not intentionally but I'll under eat and I find I gain weight that way... so, I would keep going with what you are doing and eating your exercise calories and just see how it balances in a month or so. Now, I will tell you this much... when I run long miles I tend to under eat and therefore, my body REALLY thinks I am trying to starve it and for like four days or so I weight heavy. Then it comes later... I gained about 5 last half-marathon for about a week.
  • leehatch
    leehatch Posts: 5
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    Up your cals to 1500 for three days and see what happens....
  • MadWorld
    MadWorld Posts: 200
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    Hey... I used to only eat 1200-1500 cals a day with my running (back then I was even doing more running than I am now-- I'm surprised I didn't fall over). I was concerned about my health-- my heart, really. So, I saw an RD. She had me increase my cals to around 1800-1900/day (somedays I even go over that). I noticed not only do I feel better, but I didn't gain weight (as I had feared). I actually weigh less bc of it. It's true-- eat back your exercise
    cals.
  • frogtoestoo
    frogtoestoo Posts: 66
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    1200 calories should be your absolute minumum daily intake, and if you are getting 250-500 "earned" calories through exercise daily, I would suggest eating back at least the 250 each day. Before joining MFP I was sticking to 1500 calories regardless of my daily exercise and was losing slowly but steadily, athough I was much heavier than you when I started out. Even if you have a very sedentary lifestyle 1200 calories per day is too low when you take into account your exercise. Bump it up to 1450-1500 daily and keep eating healthy and drinking water, and I bet you will see results pretty quickly.

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