Confused about calories in/out and fluxating weigh

SparkPoints: (2,274)
Fitness Minutes: (1,746)
Posts: 29
8/21/12 2:01 P

Thanks ladies! I think I've "overdone it" trying to analyze on too little data, as all of you suggested, and I think I'm working out too much with too few calories in hopes it will show the results I want. I've increased my calories back to the suggested amount, 1200-1400 a day, and will try, very faithfully, no to overdo the workouts on top of that. It'll be hard, but I think all of you had the best advice... let the scale go. Thanks again! I really appreciate the feedback!

Posts: 1,364
8/21/12 10:24 A

I agree with the previous poster about putting the scale away for a while....you're allowing it WAY TOO MUCH control over you. Weight can fluctuate by several pounds in any given day due to a huge number of factors, so trying to attribute such tiny changes in weight to what you're eating/doing for exercise is going to drive you nuts.

Over time, undereating will do serious damage to your body and your metabolism--not to mention you'll feel pretty poorly and have less energy. Have you input your info into spark and let it compute your calorie range for you? If so, what is it? If not, put your info in and see what range it gives you.

Track what you're eating (honestly and faithfully) every day for at least a month, and develop and stick to a reasonable exercise program that includes 2 or 3 full body strength training workouts a week. Take your measurements now and then again after 4-6 weeks. Relax and trust the process---results will come from making small permanent changes over time.

Posts: 33,304
8/21/12 2:13 A

Unless you're 4'5" and slightly framed, there is no possible way eating more than 1,000 calories daily can lead to (permanent) weight gain. So what we have here is temporary weight gain.

If a person is under-eating (and you ARE), then when they first start to eat more appropriately their body does exactly what it's trained to - it stores that as extra fat. Your body has most likely shut down metabolism and is cannibalising its own muscle to survive on so low an intake, and in that mode, it stores fat incredibly easily. So when you gain initially when eating "right", you freak out and go back to the nice safe low eating that doesn't make the scale budge the wrong way - right?

What you need to do is toss your scales. Work out a generally accepted healthy intake level for yourself (you'll need to do that as you haven't provided us any information to do it for you). Then eat at that level for AT LEAST eight weeks and toss your scales away. Absolutely no weighing in those 8 weeks at all. Then you can start weighing again.

Just don't freak out if it's still higher. It should be on the downward path week by by week by that time.

Posts: 10,789
8/20/12 10:31 P

the biggest problem is that you have no data here. your weight will vary by up to 5lbs, everyday without you gaining or losing an ounce. you need to stick to something for at least a few weeks and have several different data points [ie weekly weigh ins] so that you have enough data to note the general trend of your loss. a single weigh in doesn't tell you anything. weight "gain" in this instance could be more food or water still in your digestive tract, it could be extra water that you use to help repair your muscles after exercise or any number of other things.
and when you're looking for a trend, every time you switch your tac, you restart the clock that you are using to figure out your results. so you do need to stick with something consistently for a while before you can judge the results.
keep in mind that when you chronically undereat over a long period of time, you slow your metabolism and that will make you temporarily gain weight as your body accustoms itself to a proper amount of calories. and if you have been doing that, you're better off to put the scale away for a few months and just get it over with while your body recalibrates.

SparkPoints: (2,274)
Fitness Minutes: (1,746)
Posts: 29
8/20/12 9:55 P

I've been tracking my weight for the past three weeks to see what will work best for me for a weight loss program. This is what I've discovered: if I eat 1,000 calories a day and do not work out, I will maintain or lose just a little amount (.2 of a pound, for example). If I eat 1,000 calories a day and work out, I will lose anywhere from a pound to several. And if I eat any more than 1,000 calories, regardless of what it is or if I work out or not, I will not lose or maintain, i will almost always gain. Help?! I cannot consume that little of a caloric intake and work out and be healthy, but it seems like the scale and sizes don't budge unless I do. Does my body really need that little or is my body going into starvation mode? I'm right where I should be in terms of fat, protein, and carb intakes. :S