HELP!!! Desperately seeking a little encouragement...

Hello Fellow Dieters-

Im feeling pretty discouraged today and could use some support that I'm definitely not getting from my husband.

I have been dieting and counting my calories for about 3 weeks now and not seen the results I had hoped I would by now. I eat about 1200 calories a day and track them obsessively. I even weigh my food to make sure I'm accurate on portions. I have been working out doing 1 hr of cardio + nautilus weights 4 times a week. My routine normally burns about 1000 calories. I have been weighing once a week and weighed in today to find that I had regained the 2 lbs that Ihave lost since starting this regimen.

I am super upset. I just feel like I have been working harder than I ever have on a fitness plan before in my life and to have gained 2 lbs this week feels devastating. My husband is quick to tell me that I MUST be doing something wrong. Says I must not be tracking calories correctly or not working out enough. I'm not sure that either are true.

I just need a little encouragement if anyone has some to offer. I will gladly return the favor should any of you find yourself in a similar situation.

Thanks so much!

It sounds like you're undereating, actually. If you're burning 1000 calories on workout days and still eating 1200 calories, you're not giving your body enough fuel to function. You shouldn't have a deficit of over 1000 calories, because doing so can slow your metabolism and cause your body to retain water and fat. 

So, my first suggestion would be to increase your calories using the tools on this site. You should at the very least list your activity level as light, which will likely put your daily calorie goal several hundred calories higher. 

You should also keep up the exercise, but remember that starting an exercise routine, especially with weights, will often cause your body to retain water in your muscles. When your muscles are sore that means they're retaining water in order to heal and grow. It's not uncommon to gain several pounds in water weight, or even a bit of extra muscle, when starting an exercise routine. 

Finally, remember that a few pounds could be tons of things: extra salt in your diet, water weight, dehydration, or even TTOM. A two pound fluctuation is not much at all (last week with TTOM I gained 5+ pounds!) so definitely cut yourself some slack. And tell your husband to be more supportive!

1. Hang in there. It's frustrating to work so hard and not see immediate results.

2. Without knowing height weight etc ... I'm going to assume that you need to eat more. 1200 calories a day seesm really low for the amount of exercise you're doing. I would try upping your calorie intake a couple hundred calories.

3. Stick with it! I try to remind myself that weight loss is not an overnight transformation.

I am wondering if you are eating enough...  seriously.  It seems counterintuitive to eat more, but if you are burning 1000 calories each workout, you need to up you calorie intake.   According to the site you should have a deficit of about 500 calories a day to lose a healthy amount of weight. 

Hang in there and don't get down on yourself!  The weight will come off!  If your husband is not supporting you in this, then you are doing the right thing by coming here for support!  We're all in this with you!

Keep up your work - you are doing awesome!

One thing I would suggest is to check your calories.  1200 really isn't enough for most women, and too much of a deficit will reduce your progress.  You want to have a deficit of less than 1000 calories, more like 500, between what you eat and what you burn.  That includes exercise.

Another suggestion is that you find other ways to measure your progress.  I personally like to keep track of my measurements and what I can do in my workouts as well as my weight, and I have entries in my journal to show how better I feel.  That way there is always something that is moving!

And try changing your workout routine.  Do something different for the cardio, or try HIIT (there are lots of threads about it here on Calorie Count), change the nautilus for free weights.  Our muscles adapt to repetitive exercise, so unless you are really challenging yourself and switching things around, the same exercise that used to burn 1000 calories may only be burning 800 now.

Also, 2 pounds really isn't significant.  Weight fluctuates so much - don't beat yourself up over this.  It might just be water retention, it might be muscle gained.  Look at your trendline, not your weekly weigh ins.  I like to weigh daily, so that one day of high sodium right before my weigh in doesn't throw off the whole week.  I don't pay much attention to the daily weights (or try not to), but rather the trendline, which gives a more accurate view of progress.

Don't let hubby worry you - men are fixers, not great at sympathizing.  They also don't know how they can affect us - such strange creatures they are.  You just stick with this for you.

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-v-s-pr oper-caloric-deficits-ft4815

This will tell you about calorie deficits and the need to up your food intake!

This can be, and seem like, a grim and lonely battle back to fitness and health. Remember that it is a LONG process and it's a decision that you've made. It's a decision that you want to fulfill. And you always finish what you start out to do, right?

Hang in there. You are certainly not alone in your worthwhile quest.

with the negative response from your husband..  i would stop giving him such details about your diet and weight.

if you know your honest with the amount of calories  you take in - and burn off you can be assured the weight will come off accordingly.
btw in the beginning i didn't lose either til about the 3rd week, i don't know why maybe getting used to the exercise again.

the weight should start coming off.  you just need to find the right balance.  (you are working out a lot for the amount you are eating though).

Thank you all soooo much for all of the great responses. I am going to up my calories to closer to 1500 on my big work out days. I really appreciate the encouragement. I have always refrained from posting on a forum like this- not sure why- suppose I wasnt sure if anyone would respond. haha.

THANK YOU a million times!!! All great advice. And I am going to mix up my work out routine to keep my musles guessing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thank you susiesher for the link and helpful post!! Who knew I could be undereating.. I assure you that has never before been an issue for me. haha. Ps. to those wondering. I am 5'8, 178 lbs and 28 yrs old. Didnt intentionally omit that info.

Thakns all!

first of all you look great and what you are doing is for you and your new life. I just started and i am 6 1 and 353  down 14 lbs in a week i am scared that ame off too fast so just keep working hard and stick with it and i am sure things will work for you... i do think you need to eat more and remember it is about a ife change not just a quick change.... as for your hubby he well come around we men are just a little hard headed sometimes ......