what's going on here?

On May 14 I started eating between 1200-1300 calories a day, and working out 30-40 minutes 6 days a week. This is my second week, and I have not lost one pound. I thought maybe I was gaining muscle, and losing inches. About 3 days ago I weighed myself first thing in the morining and I had lost 2 lbs, but know now I'm back to about 150 where I started. Do you think it is too soon to be seeing results? I feel like I should at least see SOMETHING! I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I put in all my numbers and it said to eat 1200 calories a day and it says I burn 1700 calories a day. Plus I work out 6 days a week, and I also add in ther 480 minutes a day for work ( I sit and type at a computer all day ) I am female, 26 years old. 5'1. I'm eating around 1300 calories a day and burn just over 2000 calories a day. What's the problem?

Any advice?

OMG I feel your fustration angel.  I just started Monday though and I already wanna see results. Im already feeling down in the dumps about the scale. Esp because what Ive been doin this last few days is a major major change from my  excercise/eating habits before. What to do??:((

Not eating enough.  Your eating 12-1300 calories, exercising for 30-40 which can burn up to 400 calories or more depending how hard you are working.  Now for example sake, you eat 1200 and workout 400 you only have 800 cals for the day.  Eat back cals until you at least hit 1200, OK.  I just sabotaged myself by only eating 1200 cals when I should be eating 1900 with my activity level.  I'm doing much better now.

I dont know. My husband says its different for everyone. I have about 30lbs to lose. For some people it could go fast, and for some it could take longer. I just would like to see something.

Ok, so I just work out right now. Today I have eaten around 1300 calories. So let's say I just burned 400 calories working out. Now I have to go eat something that is 400 calories? That won't undo my workout I just did?

By eating back those workout calories, you are maintaining the exact same deficit as before exercise.  The benefit is being able to eat more and building muscle.

1300 - 400 = 900 

900 + 400 = 1300

Same deficit as before.



Undoing would be:

I can eat 1800 and stay the same weight.  Today I burned 300 calories running, if I eat back those calories, I'll maintain.

__________________

If I eat 1200 calories, and burn 300 running, my *net* intake is 900.  Women need at least 1200.  Some women, need more, but we can't test for that, only a doctor can.

Im so confused, why would I eat back the calories I just tried so hard to work off, Couldnt I just eat 1400 and not work out and stay 1400 rather than eat 1400 kill myself working off 400  then eating back the 400, why kill yourself ??? so confusing

Absolutely.  You don't need to exercise to lose weight.

However, if you want to look toned and tight, you do need to work out.  Since muscle builds under the fat, it can make you look more bulky, I'd rather wait until I lose the weight before busting my butt to tone.

Recently, I've been eating 1800-2000 calories and burning off close to 600.  I really miss eating and I couldn't do 1300 anymore!

so what if I still eat 1200- 1300 calories a day and not exercise? I should still lose weight, right? Once the weight is off then I can get toned by working out. It seems like everyone else has this concept down but me.

elliptical training and jogging isnt toning though...and thats what I do. I actually wasnt going to tone anything until I lost enough fat.

Yep, as long as you have a safe deficit you will lose weight.

My BMR is 1800, if I eat 1200-1300 a day with no exercise, I will lose a little more than a pound a week.

I don't know what your BMR is though.

It's honestly confusing, I've accidently "starved" myself 3 times until I understood.  This is very common, it's awesome you caught it so soon.

casiebea -- Anything that uses your muscles, builds muscle.

Runners have toned, defined legs and bottoms, this isn't because they weight lift =)

I have taken my measurments and nothing has changed. Maybe I should stop exercising and see if I start to lose weight then.

should I just eat 1400 and not work out then when I lose the amount of fat I am comfortable with start working out to tone????

It's up to you. Completely.

But you either have to do one or the other, eat enough when you work out, or don't work out and eat the same low amount.

If you feel that burning 400 calories is killing you, you may find it a whole lot easier to wait to work out. 

I know that when I lost just 8lbs I was able to do a whole lot more.  So I can imagine that different people at lower or higher weights are effected by exercise in different ways.

If you like being active, consider taking a 20 min walk everyday and eating an extra 100 calories. 

Thank you nocturne. I think I'm starting to understand. I really dont like being active, but I feel like I have to if I want to lose weight. But if I am dropping my calories so low, I guess I really don't need to. It's starting to make sense. I have not been losing weight because I am going below 1200 calories a day with working out. I just have to get over the feeling of feeling like a lazy bum with no work outs. Thanks

You're welcome, please let me know how it ends up going in a few weeks, I love updates.  =)

i dont think you would see results that fast. When i first started working out i believe i gained a few pounds before i started to see it come off. I dont think i really saw any results until a good month or two later...which was discouraging but i kept at it and it all paid off.

so azhangie, if I only eat about 1200 calories and not work out you don't think I will lose a pound a week? That's what this site says I know its not exact but it does kind of make sense to me.

What was your calorie intake? and how many calories were you burning in your work out? Just curious, cuz now I'm confused again

Thanks

I think what she was meaning was to not get discouraged because not everyone sees results instantaneously and sometimes it takes longer for others to see results but to keep up the good work and you will see results eventually and it will be well worth it.

Good luck!

oh okay I get it. Not confused anymore thank you

I would like to lose 30 lbs. I'm not too concerned with getting toned. I just want this fat off my body. I'm sick of looking at it.