What am I doing wrong?

Bikini Bound

Bikini Bound

New member
Hi everyone. I have started changing my lifestyle drastically since last week (I know, it's early). BUt I weighed myself for the first time yesterday since I started and it was very discouraging as it appears I have gained. When I weighed myself last week I was a little under 180 and now I was slightly about 180, about 182-183 which is where I staretd. This is very discouraging as I have drastically cut my calories to about 1500 a day, and have done cardio and some weight lifting 4 days last week. I know this can't possibly be from muscle as I have not done any vigorous weight training yet. It's one thing to have not lost anything but I can't believe I gained weight. I'm not giving up. I would just like explanations or suggestions. Thanks.
 
Hiya, im very new and I have no advice but I know I can gain 5 pounds and lose 5 pounds all in one weeks time, so frustrating!:smash:
 
I wasn't expecting to lose a lot but since I have cut my calories a lot and have become way more active I was expecting to see results. It could be the weekend eating.
 
I can't think off the bat what I have been eating. But for the most part I have been eating cereal in the morning (Honey Nut Cheerios), just one serving. I eat very light during lunch- tuna, water, a lean cuisine here and there. I snack on granola a lot. And for dinner I eat pretty light as well.
 
The same thing happened to me, BikiniBound. The first week I gained five pounds and kept at that level for a couple of weeks. Ever since then it's been a pound or so a week, for the most part.

Keep it up!!
 
Bikini Bound said:
I can't think off the bat what I have been eating. But for the most part I have been eating cereal in the morning (Honey Nut Cheerios), just one serving. I eat very light during lunch- tuna, water, a lean cuisine here and there. I snack on granola a lot. And for dinner I eat pretty light as well.
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I would cut down on the granola snack that can be a reason. Insted of snacking on that try grapes they are a great snack.
 
pat536 said:
I would cut down on the granola snack that can be a reason. Insted of snacking on that try grapes they are a great snack.
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I hardly eat more than one a day. And even then I don't finish it. The granola is 180 calories (Nature Valley). I'd eat half of it either before or after the gym to keep my energy up. Unless it's fattening I don't see how this could be the problem since I have more than enough calories to spare.
 
Today I had half a bagel and vegetable cream cheese (this is more than I would normally consume during breakfast but we had a staff meeting)

For lunch I have had water and some tuna, no bread, cheese, or anything. Just prepared from low cal mayonnaise, relish, egg whites, onion.

For dinner I will have something light and will eat some granola in between to keep my metabolism up and satsify my hunger. This is typically how much I eat during the day.
 
Bikini Bound said:
Today I had half a bagel and vegetable cream cheese (this is more than I would normally consume during breakfast but we had a staff meeting)

For lunch I have had water and some tuna, no bread, cheese, or anything. Just prepared from low cal mayonnaise, relish, egg whites, onion.

For dinner I will have something light and will eat some granola in between to keep my metabolism up and satsify my hunger. This is typically how much I eat during the day.
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Thats weird i would think you could lose weight eating so little. Its probably muscle weight you have gained then.
 
pat536 said:
Thats weird i would think you could lose weight eating so little. Its probably muscle weight you have gained then.
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Thanks Pat. I really do eat very sensibly. I slacked off on Sunday but I still exercised. I'm not exercise savvy so I don't understand how could I have gained muscle. I did lift 3 times last week. And my regimen is usually 3 sets of 12 reps on four machines. As far as cardio I do the eliptical for 30 minutes and sometimes speed walk on the treadmill on a high incline. I've only been with this routine for a week though. I will see what happens next Monday. I don't want to be obsessed with the scale because I know I am doing the right thing, but I also want to know my progress and what I should change.
 
Bikini Bound said:
Thanks Pat. I really do eat very sensibly. I slacked off on Sunday but I still exercised. I'm not exercise savvy so I don't understand how could I have gained muscle. I did lift 3 times last week. And my regimen is usually 3 sets of 12 reps on four machines. As far as cardio I do the eliptical for 30 minutes and sometimes speed walk on the treadmill on a high incline. I've only been with this routine for a week though. I will see what happens next Monday. I don't want to be obsessed with the scale because I know I am doing the right thing, but I also want to know my progress and what I should change.
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Cardio is the best exersize to lose weight maybe doing more cadio and less weights could do it. Im planning on doing an hour a day 7 days a week because i really want to my body fat percentage low. It will take a while cause i have a long way to go but i could do it.
 
Don't be so concerned with the scale - focus on measurements, how your clothes are fitting, what you're seeing in the mirror...

And keep track of your calories including nutrients like fiber and sodium in a program like - you'll find that days you're low on fiber and high on sodium you wiill absolutely see a difference in the scale...
 
pat536 said:
Cardio is the best exersize to lose weight maybe doing more cadio and less weights could do it. Im planning on doing an hour a day 7 days a week because i really want to my body fat percentage low. It will take a while cause i have a long way to go but i could do it.
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Not doing weights is not a great idea... read the stickied threads in the exercise forum -a nd you will learn why..
 
maleficent said:
Don't be so concerned with the scale - focus on measurements, how your clothes are fitting, what you're seeing in the mirror...

And keep track of your calories including nutrients like fiber and sodium in a program like - you'll find that days you're low on fiber and high on sodium you wiill absolutely see a difference in the scale...
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I am an avid Fit Day user :)

I just hate how difficult their food tracker is to use. The searching is awful and they don't have everything. I will input what I ate yesterday and see what it says. Yesterday I had cereal, chicken salad in a spinach wrap, and granola. That was all before I weighed myself.
 
maleficent said:
Don't be so concerned with the scale - focus on measurements, how your clothes are fitting, what you're seeing in the mirror...

And keep track of your calories including nutrients like fiber and sodium in a program like - you'll find that days you're low on fiber and high on sodium you wiill absolutely see a difference in the scale...
Click to expand...

I don't think that is a good idea. I know that if you are trying to lose a lot of weight it's important to incorporate weight lifting. My initial plan was to just do cardio and when I get closer to my goal to start toning. I hate weight lifting. I'm so lazy with it. I don't even do my arms.
 
I really wish I knew what to tell you. I know all too well how that frustration feels! I've been there before. I know they say that muscle weighs more than fat, so since you are lifting weights that could certainly be part of it. From what you've said, it doesn't sound like you've gained a lot. You said you're drinking water quite a bit? Maybe you've retained some fluid. I don't know what else to say. Maybe add a small snack (like fruit or something) in between breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, like Maleficent said, don't focus so much on the scale. I go to a support group called TOPS once a week and I weigh in there. That is the only time I get on the scale! I also try to keep a food journal.

The main thing is - DON'T GIVE UP!!! And we are here for you, so hang in there!!!
 
Weight fluctuates for us all for a multitude of reasons. When you stand on the scales you do not just weigh the fat element of yourself it is all of you.

It is actually quite normal for someone's weight to fluctuate by up to 5 pounds in a single day as they eat and drink.

Things that you need to consider if looking at weight include the weight of food and drink that you have consumed and maybe not finished processing (what have you eaten and when and recent toilet habits?).

On top of that there are things like water retention which can be caused by issues like whether you are about to have or are having a period, how much salt you have been eating. Salt / sodium is contained in a lot of foods so it may be worth reading the packaging for things that you eat.

Make sure that you weigh yourself at the same time of day (e.g. first thing in the morning after visiting the toilet) and wearing the same clothes (if any). Also make sure that your scales are located in the same position and are ok for the floor surface (most scales do not work well on carpet).

It is not to be recommended - but some people (myself included) weigh every day (against expert advice) and post our weights in the weigh every day club. You may be interested to scan a few of the recent pages - as you would see how weight fluctuates for a number of people who are losing weight successfully. Losing weight is not a day on day downward path as you might imagine.

Many people take measurements too and believe that it is a better indicator of the results of their lifestyle change.
 
Thanks everyone. You all have been most helpful. I can say that on my way to the gym I drank a lot of water and munched on the granola. I weighed myself sometime in the middle of last week and I was under 180. Before that, when I first started on Monday, I was over 180. I always weigh myself after working out.
 
There are basically three possibilities I can see, arranged in order of likelihood:

1) You're letting your mind play tricks on you - solution: ignore it and keep going
2) You're not eating enough - solution: eat more
3) You've gone too long without taking a necessary rest period - solution: take a week off to give your body some time to catch up to all the adjustments (this is especially important for your joints and connective tissue)

I'm pretty sure it's #1; that the only thing you're doing wrong is doubting yourself based on a semi-random number.
 
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