Eating good but Gaining weight?!?!?!
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Odd question (apologies if you've answered it) but it might be something overlooked.
Are you using websites to calculate your TDEE (saying light/moderate exercise, whichever is applicable) *and* eating some of your exercise calories back?
If so, the two are meant to be either/or, not both. Either use TDEE and -20% (with exercise) or use couch potato/sedentary TDEE -20% and eat back exercise calories.
If not, sorry, that's my only real guess.0 -
DawnieB1977 wrote: »No, I know that, and I rarely ask my PT for nutrition advice. I do count calories because I like to know, but I have a friend who has stopped logging and she is still losing.
Like I said, it's rare I eat out, and if I do it's a sandwich in Costa (UK version of Starbucks) which has a log in the database anyway. If I do happen to go out (once in a blue moon lol) then I don't mind guessing as it's so rare. As I said, I lost 66lbs after my 2nd child without using a scale for most things.
having a lovely meal once in a blue moon is what we all need otherwise i think we would become miserable. guestimting for that 1 meal wont ruin you so your weight loss really is a great motivator for me.0 -
Bottom line why you are not losing: "You're eating too many calories."
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/0 -
haha im sick and tired of trying to even explain anything. so ill take you advise and do water fasting the rest of my weight loss.
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How did you work out your calorie allowance in the first place? And have you re-evaluated it as your weight has gone down?0
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i went to the doctors, because i was morbidly obese, they told me and told me to check the NHS (health service) calculator during my progress, i keep checking as obviously your BMR goes down with weight loss. so i try and make sure im still underneath that by about 300 calories (at least)FaithfulJewel wrote: »How did you work out your calorie allowance in the first place? And have you re-evaluated it as your weight has gone down?
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jessiemjporter wrote: »haha im sick and tired of trying to even explain anything. so ill take you advise and do water fasting the rest of my weight loss.
Instead of getting angry, why not do as requested, log consistently on this site for a week and open up your diary.
While you may be measuring your food, another huge part of logging incorrectly is selecting the correct entry in the database. Because there are user entries, there's inherently a lot of error (because people do some stupid things when they log). Ignore any entry that says net carb, generic, or homemade. Use the recipe builder for meals you make and use the USDA listings for ingredients (weighed raw). Double check packaged food that the info is correct or use the bar code scanner if you're using the phone app.0 -
FaithfulJewel wrote: »Odd question (apologies if you've answered it) but it might be something overlooked.
Are you using websites to calculate your TDEE (saying light/moderate exercise, whichever is applicable) *and* eating some of your exercise calories back?
If so, the two are meant to be either/or, not both. Either use TDEE and -20% (with exercise) or use couch potato/sedentary TDEE -20% and eat back exercise calories.
If not, sorry, that's my only real guess.
oops! sorry i didnt see this message, i have used the TDEE (didnt know what this was) and i always put couch potato/desk job, and just stay at that calorie goal whether i exercise or not, if i exercise and burn i.e 300 calories, i will still eat this back
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EDIT: just seen your response
Don't eat all the exercise calories back if you can. Try and aim for 50% or so - they're not hugely accurate and better to underestimate in that case.0 -
jessiemjporter wrote: »haha im sick and tired of trying to even explain anything. so ill take you advise and do water fasting the rest of my weight loss.
Instead of getting angry, why not do as requested, log consistently on this site for a week and open up your diary.
While you may be measuring your food, another huge part of logging incorrectly is selecting the correct entry in the database. Because there are user entries, there's inherently a lot of error (because people do some stupid things when they log). Ignore any entry that says net carb, generic, or homemade. Use the recipe builder for meals you make and use the USDA listings for ingredients (weighed raw). Double check packaged food that the info is correct or use the bar code scanner if you're using the phone app.
Im getting angry because i cant explain more than enough that i know full well im not eating over. and nobody seems to be understanding that this is the whole point of this thread.
I will admit your advise about not using homemade and generic catagories does sound better (as i said in a comment before i didnt even look at the 'my recipe' section. so i will give that a go, but yes i do always double check my packets to the info on the MFP list 0 -
FaithfulJewel wrote: »EDIT: just seen your response
Don't eat all the exercise calories back if you can. Try and aim for 50% or so - they're not hugely accurate and better to underestimate in that case.
Thank you!~ i will definitely start to do this, there is only the odd case that i don't but, this is another incident where i am confused, as i was always told to eat them back to avoid messing up my metabolism
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Oh, another thing. Don't trust one website for TDEE/BMR and whatnot. I use IIFYM (http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/) along with the Fast Diet website and a few others. Then I take an average... I work on "couch potato" but I worked out I'm actually between that and light exercise (I like numbers so I calculated it myself).
I understand it's frustrating and you're having to repeat yourself etc. You've gotten this far, everyone has hiccups - the forums are a hive of good information, but it's often "tough love". Just keep your chin up0 -
jessiemjporter wrote: »jessiemjporter wrote: »haha im sick and tired of trying to even explain anything. so ill take you advise and do water fasting the rest of my weight loss.
Instead of getting angry, why not do as requested, log consistently on this site for a week and open up your diary.
While you may be measuring your food, another huge part of logging incorrectly is selecting the correct entry in the database. Because there are user entries, there's inherently a lot of error (because people do some stupid things when they log). Ignore any entry that says net carb, generic, or homemade. Use the recipe builder for meals you make and use the USDA listings for ingredients (weighed raw). Double check packaged food that the info is correct or use the bar code scanner if you're using the phone app.
Im getting angry because i cant explain more than enough that i know full well im not eating over. and nobody seems to be understanding that this is the whole point of this thread.
I will admit your advise about not using homemade and generic catagories does sound better (as i said in a comment before i didnt even look at the 'my recipe' section. so i will give that a go, but yes i do always double check my packets to the info on the MFP list
Are you though?
Do you weigh and measure everything you eat/drink?
Do you pick the correct entries? add USDA to your search.
Opt for the ones that give you a bunch of parameters.
Without a medical condition, if you are maintaining or gaining instead of losing you are eating/drinking more than you think.
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As FaithfulJewel said its tough love.
So i will apologise for my 'temper through writing' i understand that it is probably the case for most that they are eating too much, and i appreciate the advise you have given me, i shall reduce is by about 100 calories, but if i go lower im certain ill mess up my body a bit
Thank you and sorry again.0 -
Even if she is eating over 1300, she should still be able to lose weight at her current weight and with 4 gym sessions a week! She should still be able to lose eating 1600 even, although I doubt slightly inaccurate logging would mean 300 calories over every single day. It's also possible to get it wrong the other way and be eating less.0
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Not even a person in a chronic vegetative state gains weight on 1300 calories. And since you have no food diary to prove otherwise, people will continue to doubt your claims. Sorry, dear.0
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Have you considered doing a "manual reset" as I call it - ie, eating at your TDEE for maintenance (stick it at 3 exercises per week, or equivalent) for a while?
You will probably gain weight, but it *should* (in theory) stop after around 2 weeks. Then when you drop back down to TDEE -20%, it should start moving again.
Starvation mode isn't a thing, but giving your body a break from burning its reserves might help a tad.0 -
OP, if you are being accurate with your eating and calorie counting (only you know that), then chances are it is just water weight. Could be you are ovulating or about to start your period, both of which cause a 1-2 lb increase in the scale for at least 3 days for me. It could be your muscles are retaining water or you are due for a "whoosh" in weight loss.
If you truly feel you are doing right by your body, then keep going and your body will catch up and start losing. This happens to me all the time and I frequently see a 1ish pound increase just before a drop in weight and inches. I am getting used to the cycle and just keep going. Eventually, my body catches up and I lose the extra and then some. Keep an eye on the overall trend and it will be easier not to freak out when the scale goes up for a few days.0 -
Muscle weighs 3x as much as fat, so if you're working out 4x a week, it's possible you're building muscle. How are your clothes fitting?0
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Muscle weighs 3x as much as fat, so if you're working out 4x a week, it's possible you're building muscle. How are your clothes fitting?
It is incredibly difficult to build muscle, and very, very difficult on a deficit. And I doubt it would be building fast enough to outpace fat loss if she were truely eating at a deficit.
OP, I missed that you were eating back exercise calories. I completely agree about only eating back half, both MFP and machines overestimate the burns.0 -
Unless you are weighing ALL of your solid food, you cannot be sure you are accurate on your calorie deficit. I see that you have been asked multiple times about this, do you ahve a digital food scale? If you don't have one, then buy one. Here's why:
Example: a serving of oatmeal, according to the label, is 1/2 cup (45 grams). if you measure 1/2 cup and assume that it is the 150 calories from the label, and then weigh it on a food scale, you will find that a level 1/2 cup is over the 45 grams, closer to 55 or 60 grams. Now you're closer to 200 calories, just for that serving of oatmeal. If you measure all your food, all day long, and are 50 calories off on every serving, you could be hundreds of calories over by the end of the day. Fruit is a big one too. Often people will log a piece of fruit as small, medium or large - well which is it? Kind of hard to judge. Weigh it, this is how you know how many calories are in that piece of fruit.
If you are gaining weight, you are eating too many calories. Flat out, that's it.0 -
Muscle weighs 3x as much as fat, so if you're working out 4x a week, it's possible you're building muscle. How are your clothes fitting?
I'm going to nitpick here, but what you mean is "muscle is more dense than fat" - 1lb of muscle weighs the same as 1lb of fat, it just takes up more less space. (Edited cause I am a muppet)
Sorry, just be careful saying that round here. It's an error that can get some people jumping on you0 -
OP, it's not only about "not going over", it's about establishing the number of calories you need to support your activity and keep losing weight, and that can be a bit of a balancing act. I suggest you read up about BMR/TDEE and start adjusting your calories, even by just 100 per day, until you find your right level. Strange as it may sound, it might be that you're actually eating too few calories and need to adjust upwards.0
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Example: a serving of oatmeal, according to the label, is 1/2 cup (45 grams)...
We're lucky in the UK that our serving sizes are dictated by weight, so by following the pack(s) and using a food scale, unless it's a hybrid weight/ml thing like ketchup, we tend to be alright.
Point is valid but OP has addressed this question already (and when it comes to fruit, unless it's a hugely high calorie item, they're not 300kcals out a day, unless she manages to wolf down masses of them ((she may be, true, but unlikely)) it would maybe cause maintaining rather than gain)0 -
FaithfulJewel wrote: »Example: a serving of oatmeal, according to the label, is 1/2 cup (45 grams)...
We're lucky in the UK that our serving sizes are dictated by weight, so by following the pack(s) and using a food scale, unless it's a hybrid weight/ml thing like ketchup, we tend to be alright.
Point is valid but OP has addressed this question already (and when it comes to fruit, unless it's a hugely high calorie item, they're not 300kcals out a day, unless she manages to wolf down masses of them ((she may be, true, but unlikely)) it would maybe cause maintaining rather than gain)
I call BS on this. Every single item of food, if measured rather than weighed, can be off by many calories. if each one is 25-50 calories off, by the end of the day, a person can be off by 200-300 calories. Since the deficit most people are working on is approximately 500 calories to lose a pound a week, this would result in little to no weight loss.
Fruit, being high in sugar, can be quite off in calorie count if judged by size rather than weight. Especially apples and bananas, which are big favorites in the US.0 -
BernadetteChurch wrote: »OP, it's not only about "not going over", it's about establishing the number of calories you need to support your activity and keep losing weight, and that can be a bit of a balancing act. I suggest you read up about BMR/TDEE and start adjusting your calories, even by just 100 per day, until you find your right level. Strange as it may sound, it might be that you're actually eating too few calories and need to adjust upwards.
No. Eating too few calories does NOT cause weight gain. CI/CO. Physics. Science. Unless OP has a medical condition, this makes no sense.0 -
FaithfulJewel wrote: »Example: a serving of oatmeal, according to the label, is 1/2 cup (45 grams)...
We're lucky in the UK that our serving sizes are dictated by weight, so by following the pack(s) and using a food scale, unless it's a hybrid weight/ml thing like ketchup, we tend to be alright.
Point is valid but OP has addressed this question already (and when it comes to fruit, unless it's a hugely high calorie item, they're not 300kcals out a day, unless she manages to wolf down masses of them ((she may be, true, but unlikely)) it would maybe cause maintaining rather than gain)
I call BS on this. Every single item of food, if measured rather than weighed, can be off by many calories. if each one is 25-50 calories off, by the end of the day, a person can be off by 200-300 calories. Since the deficit most people are working on is approximately 500 calories to lose a pound a week, this would result in little to no weight loss.
Fruit, being high in sugar, can be quite off in calorie count if judged by size rather than weight. Especially apples and bananas, which are big favorites in the US.
If we're assuming it's only the fruit that's incorrect (as, like I said, all other dictated serving sizes in the UK are in grams) unless she's getting through 10 apples a day it wouldn't cause such a huge discrepancy.
I'm sad, I measure my fruit with a ruler, then weigh them, then compare the calories for both according to the MFP database - most I've ever been out was about 18kcals...
You mention US - the OP is from the UK?0 -
The OP has never answered the question of weighing food with a scale vs. measuring, if so, I missed it - I apologize if this is the case. I'm not assuming it's just fruit.
- Bottom line is, if OP is gaining weight, OP is eating too many calories. Either exercise calories are being overestimated, or eaten calories or being underestimated.0 -
This discussion has been closed.
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