Eating good but Gaining weight?!?!?!
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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.
OP does have a medical condition. She has Crohn's. And eating too few calories still wouldn't cause weight gain.
Water retention from an inflamed intestine might stall weight loss, though. To me, a weight problem with Crohn's seems odd. The only person I know with Crohn's has a hard time keeping weight on because almost everything he eats causes him tremendous pain, so he doesn't eat much. Only one meal a day at home so he's near a bathroom for the nearly inevitable digestive reaction, and his wife is there in case he needs yet another trip to the emergency room. And what he does manage to eat doesn't get properly digested.
Obviously, OP's condition isn't nearly as advanced as his.0 -
If you're working out for less than 1 hr, make sure that your post workout snack is very small. Some people like to fast prior to exercise, but really this depends on a lot of different factors. I would not recommend it for beginners. Put more focus on your pre/post meal if you decided to cut carbs. Cutting carbs may make you feel more fatigued during a workout. So, if you do cut carbs, try having a small snack before your workout. The specifics of which will be determined by how well you tolerate it. I find that if I eat before lifting, I have no issues. However, if I eat before running.... I will get sick. So on days that I know I will do a run workout, I will have something easy to digest and have it further away from my run. If lifting, make sure to get protein before and after your workout (aim for a 2:1 ratio of carbs:protein). In this window of time, you are priming your muscles to take in nutrients rather than fat cells. For just cardio days, only eat before if you need a bump in energy to get through your workout. Should you feel fatigued the rest of the day, eat a small snack as well. Eat something immediately if you feel shaky or lightheaded at all!!! If you really really like high carbohydrate foods and want to eat them still, have them around your workout window b/c they will be better utilized (goes to muscle instead of fat as mentioned previously). Keep in mind though, ANY excess will go to fat cell.0
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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.
Well, water and the river DeNial do go hand in hand. ;-)
One of the reasons I posted the link to a very well written blog post about "why one is not losing weight" - http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/ - is that one of the most common problems is people overestimating the amount of calories they burn in exercise, and underestimating the amount of calories that they eat. Put the two together - and well... it is covered under the 6th and 7th reason at that site.
More accurate logging, counting (CICO) of what goes in and what goes out is the key to figuring out the equation. Pretty sure the oodles of us that have posted such advice in this thread have learned through experience that getting that equation correct is the number one key to successfully shedding the weight.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.
OP does have a medical condition. She has Crohn's. And eating too few calories still wouldn't cause weight gain.
Water retention from an inflamed intestine might stall weight loss, though. To me, a weight problem with Crohn's seems odd. The only person I know with Crohn's has a hard time keeping weight on because almost everything he eats causes him tremendous pain, so he doesn't eat much. Only one meal a day at home so he's near a bathroom for the nearly inevitable digestive reaction, and his wife is there in case he needs yet another trip to the emergency room. And what he does manage to eat doesn't get properly digested.
Obviously, OP's condition isn't nearly as advanced as his.
I also have pretty extreme IBD. I have trouble keeping weight on also. I have numerous friends with Crohn's though, and several of them have trouble losing weight. Not everyone with Crohn's Disease has trouble with keeping weight on.
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If you're working out for less than 1 hr, make sure that your post workout snack is very small. Some people like to fast prior to exercise, but really this depends on a lot of different factors. I would not recommend it for beginners. Put more focus on your pre/post meal if you decided to cut carbs. Cutting carbs may make you feel more fatigued during a workout. So, if you do cut carbs, try having a small snack before your workout. The specifics of which will be determined by how well you tolerate it. I find that if I eat before lifting, I have no issues. However, if I eat before running.... I will get sick. So on days that I know I will do a run workout, I will have something easy to digest and have it further away from my run. If lifting, make sure to get protein before and after your workout (aim for a 2:1 ratio of carbs:protein). In this window of time, you are priming your muscles to take in nutrients rather than fat cells. For just cardio days, only eat before if you need a bump in energy to get through your workout. Should you feel fatigued the rest of the day, eat a small snack as well. Eat something immediately if you feel shaky or lightheaded at all!!! If you really really like high carbohydrate foods and want to eat them still, have them around your workout window b/c they will be better utilized (goes to muscle instead of fat as mentioned previously). Keep in mind though, ANY excess will go to fat cell.
High carb foods post workout is a very bad idea. You should be eating high protein foods post workout, as workouts do muscle damage, and protein is the body's muscle builder.0 -
Calories in < Calories Out
Food Scale
My experience/what works for me: Try to have one healthy meal (i.e- salad or green smoothie) minimum a day. This helps with feeling fuller and not wanting to binge on junk. Fiber supplements help as well.
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High carb foods post workout is a very bad idea. You should be eating high protein foods post workout, as workouts do muscle damage, and protein is the body's muscle builder.
Research has shown that in general, unless you're an elite, it doesn't matter when you intake protein, just as long as you do. So the "workout" window is bromyth. Its a, "Sure, it might apply, but it will probably NEVER apply to you," type of thing.
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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.
OP does have a medical condition. She has Crohn's. And eating too few calories still wouldn't cause weight gain.
Water retention from an inflamed intestine might stall weight loss, though. To me, a weight problem with Crohn's seems odd. The only person I know with Crohn's has a hard time keeping weight on because almost everything he eats causes him tremendous pain, so he doesn't eat much. Only one meal a day at home so he's near a bathroom for the nearly inevitable digestive reaction, and his wife is there in case he needs yet another trip to the emergency room. And what he does manage to eat doesn't get properly digested.
Obviously, OP's condition isn't nearly as advanced as his.
I also have pretty extreme IBD. I have trouble keeping weight on also. I have numerous friends with Crohn's though, and several of them have trouble losing weight. Not everyone with Crohn's Disease has trouble with keeping weight on.
I am a newly diagnosed sufferer and am in the remission stage? so my Flare ups are occasional but in the last 3 months they were very bad that my upper Tummy would just inflate and i would fall asleep at work too. (i work full time and im a uni student) so all this sucks. They want to speak with me so i am hoping something can be done.
Like you said IBD is different for all people.0 -
jessiemjporter wrote: »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.
OP does have a medical condition. She has Crohn's. And eating too few calories still wouldn't cause weight gain.
Water retention from an inflamed intestine might stall weight loss, though. To me, a weight problem with Crohn's seems odd. The only person I know with Crohn's has a hard time keeping weight on because almost everything he eats causes him tremendous pain, so he doesn't eat much. Only one meal a day at home so he's near a bathroom for the nearly inevitable digestive reaction, and his wife is there in case he needs yet another trip to the emergency room. And what he does manage to eat doesn't get properly digested.
Obviously, OP's condition isn't nearly as advanced as his.
I also have pretty extreme IBD. I have trouble keeping weight on also. I have numerous friends with Crohn's though, and several of them have trouble losing weight. Not everyone with Crohn's Disease has trouble with keeping weight on.
I am a newly diagnosed sufferer and am in the remission stage? so my Flare ups are occasional but in the last 3 months they were very bad that my upper Tummy would just inflate and i would fall asleep at work too. (i work full time and im a uni student) so all this sucks. They want to speak with me so i am hoping something can be done.
Like you said IBD is different for all people.
If you have IBD, you really should consult a dietitian for a specific meal plan. Often times, your doctor can write you a recommendation for this as well.0 -
jessiemjporter wrote: »Dave198lbs wrote: »DawnieB1977 wrote: »Yes, but some people take it too far. I found myself weighing lettuce the other day ffs. Really not necessary.
ya, I get that....I have weighed some odd things and wondered to myself...really? But overall, telling a beginner to use a scale to count seems the best course to me
i managed to lose 29lbs without scales, and ever since i started weighing my food, this is where i have stalled.
Yet you've continued weighing foods for 5 months even though you weren't losing? That seems so odd to me. Most people (IMO) would go back to what worked for them after a month of failure, at the longest.
What else changed 5 months ago? Did you start eating exercise calories back when you started weighing your foods? Maybe you are eating way more now than you were when you didn't use a food scale, because you think you are burning a lot of calories. Just guessing here of course.
If I were you, I'd stop exercising for 2 full weeks, just be very exact at weighing your foods, and eat the same 1350 calories without adding any in for exercise. That way you will know if your body can lose on that amount. Then start exercising again, but only eating a small portion of the "earned" calories back, until you get to a point where you stop losing again. It may take a while to find the sweet spot, but since you've "wasted" 5 months doing what you are doing, what is another couple months figuring out what works for you?
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jessiemjporter wrote: »Dave198lbs wrote: »DawnieB1977 wrote: »Yes, but some people take it too far. I found myself weighing lettuce the other day ffs. Really not necessary.
ya, I get that....I have weighed some odd things and wondered to myself...really? But overall, telling a beginner to use a scale to count seems the best course to me
i managed to lose 29lbs without scales, and ever since i started weighing my food, this is where i have stalled.
Yet you've continued weighing foods for 5 months even though you weren't losing? That seems so odd to me. Most people (IMO) would go back to what worked for them after a month of failure, at the longest.
What else changed 5 months ago? Did you start eating exercise calories back when you started weighing your foods? Maybe you are eating way more now than you were when you didn't use a food scale, because you think you are burning a lot of calories. Just guessing here of course.
If I were you, I'd stop exercising for 2 full weeks, just be very exact at weighing your foods, and eat the same 1350 calories without adding any in for exercise. That way you will know if your body can lose on that amount. Then start exercising again, but only eating a small portion of the "earned" calories back, until you get to a point where you stop losing again. It may take a while to find the sweet spot, but since you've "wasted" 5 months doing what you are doing, what is another couple months figuring out what works for you?
I was thinking this since i wrote it and i think i will do as you say, 5 months ago is when i started exercising in the gym.
Before 5 months ago, i was just walking 3/4 times a week for an hour (i live in the country so very hilly haha) and just said no to avoid certain foods and then ate what i felt i wanted (in moderation) so basically, watching what i ate....
I kept weighing because often people say be patient and keep going,.,, it will come.
So i am thinking of just going back to what i use to do?
thank you for your encouragement to find the right balance.0 -
CICO.0
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Just throwing an odd comment in the mix here. If you're working full time as well as going to school full time, it sounds like you've got a lot on your plate, girl!
Stress can really throw off your hormones and your body so try to take that into account as well. You could be retaining water, which I'm sure has been mentioned a hundred times now. I did notice that you've said you use two sites to track - my suggestion is to stick with one. There was a time that I was logging with Weight Watchers and logging here as well and I noticeably failed and declined in my weight loss.
As long as you log honestly and every single lick, bite and taste, you should see the results you're looking for.
That means weighing every single thing, measuring every single liquid thing... When I first started there were so many things I never thought to log, for example, the several tablespoons of olive oil I'd use to saute vegetables in. Never even thought to log it, but it adds up.
Good luck to you, dear! I'm sure you'll break through the plateau and find your success. Just keep working out, log as accurately as possible and you will be alright.
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Agreed, but even IBS/Crohns isn't going to supplant CICO. In fact, she should probably be able to eat more and lose, because of inefficiency of nutritional uptake.0 -
Hey, you said sometimes your sodium goes over. Just a thought over here; sodium when entering the body absorbs water with it. Aids with water retention - hence the bloating sometimes and lack of weight loss. Or it could be with the exact opposite - and you're not drinking enough water so the body acts to preserve what you do have by keeping it in.
Additionally, sometimes when you hit a plateau you need to spice up your exercise routine with something new. Try HIIT or a quick run maybe?
If all else fails, you can try to have all your carb dishes in the morning (I mean for breakfast), and limit it throughout the day.
Remember loads of fruits/veg also contain carbs - those can be eaten throughout. Best of luck!0 -
OP, are you on steroids such as prednisone for your Crohn's? I have lupus, which is also an autoimmune disorder treated with steroids. I was underweight before I started the steroids despite eating A LOT (I'm talking sometimes 3000 calories a day). On steroids, I gained 150lbs even though I cut wayyyy back on my food in anticipation of gaining weight on said steroids. In fact, I was eating less than 1200 calories per day, because doctors kept telling me to eat less and I didn't know eating less than 1200 was bad for you. Basically, when you're on steroids for autoimmune disorders, it's extremely hard to control weight gain. I once gained 30lbs a week eating only salad. Even most doctors will say that's impossible, but docs like rheumatologists who regularly prescribe steroids have seen it happen. =/ It's tough and scary.
So, I don't really know if you're on steroids or have recently been. But if you are, talk to your doctor about losing weight on them. S/he may have some ideas!! (This could really explain why you're not losing weight.) Also, please don't feel obligated to share your medical history with me or the thread. I just wanted to share my story in case you're going through the same, because my experience was maddening and there is so much I'd do differently if I had to do it over. And it'd explain a lot if you're weighing your food and still having these issues.0 -
If you're working out for less than 1 hr, make sure that your post workout snack is very small. Some people like to fast prior to exercise, but really this depends on a lot of different factors. I would not recommend it for beginners. Put more focus on your pre/post meal if you decided to cut carbs. Cutting carbs may make you feel more fatigued during a workout. So, if you do cut carbs, try having a small snack before your workout. The specifics of which will be determined by how well you tolerate it. I find that if I eat before lifting, I have no issues. However, if I eat before running.... I will get sick. So on days that I know I will do a run workout, I will have something easy to digest and have it further away from my run. If lifting, make sure to get protein before and after your workout (aim for a 2:1 ratio of carbs:protein). In this window of time, you are priming your muscles to take in nutrients rather than fat cells. For just cardio days, only eat before if you need a bump in energy to get through your workout. Should you feel fatigued the rest of the day, eat a small snack as well. Eat something immediately if you feel shaky or lightheaded at all!!! If you really really like high carbohydrate foods and want to eat them still, have them around your workout window b/c they will be better utilized (goes to muscle instead of fat as mentioned previously). Keep in mind though, ANY excess will go to fat cell.
High carb foods post workout is a very bad idea. You should be eating high protein foods post workout, as workouts do muscle damage, and protein is the body's muscle builder.
A carbohydrate ratio of about 2:1 (or for very intense workouts 4:1) is necessary to help the muscles better assimilate protein. Studies have shown that both carbohydrates and protein are necessary after a workout for improved muscle recovery. In fact, these macronutrients work in synergy together. Higher glycemic foods and very bioavailable proteins (ie animal proteins such as egg white, meat, and whey protein) are necessary during this period of time around the workout due to enhanced utilization. This is the one time you do what the nutrients to get to your blood quickly. Protein loads over 30 grams in the post workout meal do not have any additional benefit that 20-30 grams of protein has. Sugar, helps us to absorb these 20-30 grams better so that the amino acids can aide in muscle repair and growth. I can send you some peer review academic literature if you'd like to be informed?0
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