On Jan 2, I weighed 167. I started a 1200 calorie per day diet and lost about 4 pounds in two weeks. I kept up with the same plan, but stopped losing, and even gained a bit. (Probably cycle related.) When I started to gain, I flipped out and quit being so rigid with the calorie counting, because "it wasn't working anyway". Didn't exercise at all.
I still try to track my calorie intake in a loose way, but I'm definitely not as disciplined as I was in the beginning. I know I'm not taking in any more than 2000 cals a day, probably more like 1600. I've been on the scale a few times and always hover around 163.5.
On Monday, my husband and I got up early and did some exercises (he was a Marine and I've enlisted him to help me)
and I ran half way up the block before I thought I was going to DIE. Later that afternoon, I walked for 25 minutes. Then did about 200 crunches with my daughter. My muscles HURT. Backs of my thighs are killing me.
No exercise yesterday, and I noticed my big jeans were tight. This morning I got on the scale, just to see where I was, and it said 169.5.
How in the HECK did I gain 6 pounds in a week? I know a little bit of it is water weight due to my cycle, but how on earth did I gain all that?!?
My husband thinks that it may be that my muscles, which are very sore, are retaining some kind of fluid to heal. Does it work that way?
I'm so discouraged. I feel like I've been trying and trying and trying and all I'm getting for my efforts is weight gain. (Am I fooling myself? Am I really not trying all that hard? Maybe so...)
I don't know HOW to exercise. I really don't. I bought a mini trampoline and have used it once. I like it, but I don't know what to do on it.
I don't know the best things to eat or what works. Brown rice and veggies? Simple calorie counting? No sugar? (Won't do Atkins.) Can anyone help me?