How could I possibly be gaining weight

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13

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  • ovinas1
    ovinas1 Posts: 413 Member
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    Damn that's hard work for sure.
  • ek0513
    ek0513 Posts: 147 Member
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    ek0513 wrote: »
    You're ignoring a lot of the advice you've been given. Weighing your food and putting a stop to the processed food is huge, but you can't seriously be logging your work/job as a caloric burn. That's a part of your lifestyle. You could work in a warehouse every day, lifting 30-50lb boxes for eight hours nonstop and you still shouldn't be logging it. That isn't exercise; it's life. It's like logging housework or cooking. That's life. Unless you have an elevated heart rate, you shouldn't be logging it or thinking of it as a workout. You locked your diary so it's hard to tell, but if you're eating any of those calories "back", I think you're sabotaging yourself. I could be wrong but in my experience, that's been the case.

    I realize that a job is a Part of a persons lifestyle, and is not technically excercise. However the days that I am not working, I am a lot less active, therefor burning less calories throughout the day. When I am working, and am active nearly all day, often trimming trees, painting buildings, carrying buckets of dirt, I burn a lot more calories during the day while working, so I need to add the calories, and eat more on the days that I work compared the weekend where I'm not working, and the calorie burn I get is just from my actual workouts.

    If your work is something you were already doing when you were gaining weight, then you shouldn't be counting it as exercise. You include that in your lifestyle settings and that will add calories for every day, and that extra you get every single day regardless of if you're working or not, will cover the extra calories you need to do that work.

    It's a temporary job and I just work during summer/Christmas break. Last summer was the first time I had anything but an office job, so I was not doing this job prior to when I first started losing weight. I am now back in school, and I can't work anymore, so I am now just getting my exercise at the gym for the time being, but when summer comes again I will have the same physical ob.
  • LetsGetRealWeird
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    I'm probably a little late but here's some tips. There's a few possibilities to why you're stalling:

    1. Underestimating your caloric intake. As many people have said, you very well could be taking in a lot more calories than you think. I'm guilty of this myself, I wouldn't add small things I ate here and there but it all adds up. Anything you don't track takes away from progress unless you know what you're doing. Also, if I didn't use the scale I have now to track the weight of my foods I know without a doubt I'd be way off. I had no idea what 4oz of chicken looked like before I weighed my food.

    2. No break/change in your diet.
    If you lost 35 lbs since you started, (Good job by the way!) you need to recalculate your macros because your body isn't going to need the same things as when you started. I also recommend a cheat meal/day every now and then.

    3. Overestimating your caloric expenditure. Thinking you're burning more calories than you really are. If you don't workout or do any real cardio (Biking, treadmill, running, etc.) chances are you're not burning close to what you think you are.
  • ovinas1
    ovinas1 Posts: 413 Member
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    Ive done the physical job all my life. Its really not good exercise. :(..
    Just get your degree and get that office job or make your on office jobs. :)
  • krysmuree
    krysmuree Posts: 326 Member
    edited January 2015
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    ek0513 wrote: »
    You're ignoring a lot of the advice you've been given. Weighing your food and putting a stop to the processed food is huge, but you can't seriously be logging your work/job as a caloric burn. That's a part of your lifestyle. You could work in a warehouse every day, lifting 30-50lb boxes for eight hours nonstop and you still shouldn't be logging it. That isn't exercise; it's life. It's like logging housework or cooking. That's life. Unless you have an elevated heart rate, you shouldn't be logging it or thinking of it as a workout. You locked your diary so it's hard to tell, but if you're eating any of those calories "back", I think you're sabotaging yourself. I could be wrong but in my experience, that's been the case.

    I realize that a job is a Part of a persons lifestyle, and is not technically excercise. However the days that I am not working, I am a lot less active, therefor burning less calories throughout the day. When I am working, and am active nearly all day, often trimming trees, painting buildings, carrying buckets of dirt, I burn a lot more calories during the day while working, so I need to add the calories, and eat more on the days that I work compared the weekend where I'm not working, and the calorie burn I get is just from my actual workouts.

    You can't log your lifestyle calories to make up for the days you do nothing. That makes no sense. You should be setting your profile under "very active" and only log the additional exercise that you are doing, such as cardio (running, biking) or strength training. You shouldn't list yourself as sedentary and log your work/job caloric burn if you are often working. It does not count as exercise. If you want to begin losing weight again, you need to reset your goals and activity level, weigh your food and eat more nutritional food, bottom line. :\ I know it sounds awesome to be burning that much per day but that's simply not the same as burning 500 calories working a stationary bike/running/any cardio at the gym.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    Actually, until you restart your physical job, you should leave your lifestyle as sedentary.
  • krysmuree
    krysmuree Posts: 326 Member
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    ek0513 wrote: »
    ek0513 wrote: »
    You're ignoring a lot of the advice you've been given. Weighing your food and putting a stop to the processed food is huge, but you can't seriously be logging your work/job as a caloric burn. That's a part of your lifestyle. You could work in a warehouse every day, lifting 30-50lb boxes for eight hours nonstop and you still shouldn't be logging it. That isn't exercise; it's life. It's like logging housework or cooking. That's life. Unless you have an elevated heart rate, you shouldn't be logging it or thinking of it as a workout. You locked your diary so it's hard to tell, but if you're eating any of those calories "back", I think you're sabotaging yourself. I could be wrong but in my experience, that's been the case.

    I realize that a job is a Part of a persons lifestyle, and is not technically excercise. However the days that I am not working, I am a lot less active, therefor burning less calories throughout the day. When I am working, and am active nearly all day, often trimming trees, painting buildings, carrying buckets of dirt, I burn a lot more calories during the day while working, so I need to add the calories, and eat more on the days that I work compared the weekend where I'm not working, and the calorie burn I get is just from my actual workouts.

    If your work is something you were already doing when you were gaining weight, then you shouldn't be counting it as exercise. You include that in your lifestyle settings and that will add calories for every day, and that extra you get every single day regardless of if you're working or not, will cover the extra calories you need to do that work.

    It's a temporary job and I just work during summer/Christmas break. Last summer was the first time I had anything but an office job, so I was not doing this job prior to when I first started losing weight. I am now back in school, and I can't work anymore, so I am now just getting my exercise at the gym for the time being, but when summer comes again I will have the same physical ob.

    I missed this one. You definitely should be at sedentary during the time you're off season; that's totally understandable. Once you begin the job again, that's when you should change your goals/activity level. :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    mlheideman wrote: »
    You're not eating enough.

    Not eating enough does not cause weight gain, it causes weight loss.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    ek0513 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Have you taken a diet break in the past year?
    No I've been steadily focuses on losing weight and I am usually very precise in tracking everything I put into my body

    Have you lowered your calories sine losing weight? As you get smaller you require less calories.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    ek0513 wrote: »
    Oh gosh now I wish I never had my diary on public. I am going to up my calories to 1400 and see how that goes. Also start eating less processed foods, which was a new year goal for me. Thanks everyone for their input!

    If you're gaining weight, the last thing you need to do us up calories. You need to strive for accuracy in counting.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    She is eating more than she logs...
    She eat a lot of her days at subways and logs only around the 1100 calories.

    she closed her diary now so people cant see what she was eating.
  • ek0513
    ek0513 Posts: 147 Member
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    She is eating more than she logs...
    She eat a lot of her days at subways and logs only around the 1100 calories.

    she closed her diary now so people cant see what she was eating.

    I'm sorry but I only had subway once in the last two month if that even. Each week I go to my favorite restaurant on Fridays, because that is something that I do with my family, but on the days I do that, I manage the rest of the calories that day, to make sure I'm not overeating. Besides Fridays I usually will try to stay in and cook something for myself. Prior to starting my weight loss I was addicted to fast food, and I would have it multiple times a week. In my opinion it is ok to give in once in a while and have a "crappy meal", which is what I do Fridays. I don't think that it is appropriate that you judge me just because you saw subway on my diary the one time that I actually had it. I try my best to eat fast food as little as possible, especially because that is what I struggled with before, so I really don't appreciate the judgement on that. (Also for other people, you don't need to feel bad if you don't eat healthy all the time. I lost 35 lbs and I never ate a salad, and I had a cheat meal once a week. It's all about moderation, and knowing how much you are eating per day.)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    ek0513 wrote: »
    She is eating more than she logs...
    She eat a lot of her days at subways and logs only around the 1100 calories.

    she closed her diary now so people cant see what she was eating.

    I'm sorry but I only had subway once in the last two month if that even. Each week I go to my favorite restaurant on Fridays, because that is something that I do with my family, but on the days I do that, I manage the rest of the calories that day, to make sure I'm not overeating. Besides Fridays I usually will try to stay in and cook something for myself. Prior to starting my weight loss I was addicted to fast food, and I would have it multiple times a week. In my opinion it is ok to give in once in a while and have a "crappy meal", which is what I do Fridays. I don't think that it is appropriate that you judge me just because you saw subway on my diary the one time that I actually had it. I try my best to eat fast food as little as possible, especially because that is what I struggled with before, so I really don't appreciate the judgement on that. (Also for other people, you don't need to feel bad if you don't eat healthy all the time. I lost 35 lbs and I never ate a salad, and I had a cheat meal once a week. It's all about moderation, and knowing how much you are eating per day.)

    I didn't see your diary, so I'm gonna respond. Type of food doesn't matter as to weight loss, but type of food matters as to personal preference. The point is you need to work on tracking better and taking responsibility for you calorie deficit. This means taking steps to ensure you are logging correct food entries and not trusting overestimated calorie burns from the MFP database.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    there are some other people who saw your diary ...smiles

    but you had a lot of advice I hope something will help you further on your weight loss journey.

    Good luck
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    SLLRunner wrote: »
    ek0513 wrote: »
    She is eating more than she logs...
    She eat a lot of her days at subways and logs only around the 1100 calories.

    she closed her diary now so people cant see what she was eating.

    I'm sorry but I only had subway once in the last two month if that even. Each week I go to my favorite restaurant on Fridays, because that is something that I do with my family, but on the days I do that, I manage the rest of the calories that day, to make sure I'm not overeating. Besides Fridays I usually will try to stay in and cook something for myself. Prior to starting my weight loss I was addicted to fast food, and I would have it multiple times a week. In my opinion it is ok to give in once in a while and have a "crappy meal", which is what I do Fridays. I don't think that it is appropriate that you judge me just because you saw subway on my diary the one time that I actually had it. I try my best to eat fast food as little as possible, especially because that is what I struggled with before, so I really don't appreciate the judgement on that. (Also for other people, you don't need to feel bad if you don't eat healthy all the time. I lost 35 lbs and I never ate a salad, and I had a cheat meal once a week. It's all about moderation, and knowing how much you are eating per day.)

    I didn't see your diary, so I'm gonna respond. Type of food doesn't matter as to weight loss, but type of food matters as to personal preference. The point is you need to work on tracking better and taking responsibility for you calorie deficit. This means taking steps to ensure you are logging correct food entries and not trusting overestimated calorie burns from the MFP database.

    point is not the good or bad food but the OP isnt realizing how much calories she really is eating and logging.
  • The reason why lifestyle, shouldn't count toward the Calories that one burns; is because our bodies become accustomed to this. It's sort of like doing, just one type of exercise; for longer than a couple of weeks.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    SLLRunner wrote: »
    ek0513 wrote: »
    She is eating more than she logs...
    She eat a lot of her days at subways and logs only around the 1100 calories.

    she closed her diary now so people cant see what she was eating.

    I'm sorry but I only had subway once in the last two month if that even. Each week I go to my favorite restaurant on Fridays, because that is something that I do with my family, but on the days I do that, I manage the rest of the calories that day, to make sure I'm not overeating. Besides Fridays I usually will try to stay in and cook something for myself. Prior to starting my weight loss I was addicted to fast food, and I would have it multiple times a week. In my opinion it is ok to give in once in a while and have a "crappy meal", which is what I do Fridays. I don't think that it is appropriate that you judge me just because you saw subway on my diary the one time that I actually had it. I try my best to eat fast food as little as possible, especially because that is what I struggled with before, so I really don't appreciate the judgement on that. (Also for other people, you don't need to feel bad if you don't eat healthy all the time. I lost 35 lbs and I never ate a salad, and I had a cheat meal once a week. It's all about moderation, and knowing how much you are eating per day.)

    I didn't see your diary, so I'm gonna respond. Type of food doesn't matter as to weight loss, but type of food matters as to personal preference. The point is you need to work on tracking better and taking responsibility for you calorie deficit. This means taking steps to ensure you are logging correct food entries and not trusting overestimated calorie burns from the MFP database.

    point is not the good or bad food but the OP isnt realizing how much calories she really is eating and logging.

    I think we agree on that. :)
  • FaylinaMeir
    FaylinaMeir Posts: 661 Member
    edited January 2015
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    you've put a lock on your diary so I can't genuinely help you but let me sum this up:

    you're either not eating as little as you think you are like everyone suggests OR your body is pissed off at you and you actually do need to eat MORE food. Try going up to 1500 for 4 weeks THEN go back down to 1200.

    If you're really eating as crappy as everyone else says, I'm sure that has something to do with it. Eat unprocessed water rich foods and a good amount of protein.

    I dunno if this figures into it for you but if it's "that time of the month" you can gain weight, salt makes you gain weight, hell breathing will make you gain weight over a certain period of time. I wouldn't be concerned until you gain maybe 10 pounds back. I can gain 5 pounds after two days of not going to the bathroom as good and a salty Thai meal.

    I also think you need to accept the answers you're given and try some of our advice or honestly stay off of the forums. Sorry if that sounds uber critical but we should all be adults here, and handle criticism.
  • glitterandmagic
    glitterandmagic Posts: 8 Member
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    i can totally see why u want to keep your diary on private. these ppl sound like haters. also, if your body is not use to such physical labor then yes a job can be considered a work out. i know this guy who literally never works out, he only has an active job, and stopped eating so much fast food and started going to subway and lost like 70 lbs in 5 months. so yes u can go to subway and lose weight. if you gained the weight while doing your summer job (carrying heavy stuff and such) it could very well be muscle gain. if not then it could be fat. your probably stuck on a plateau from your body being so use to the same thing all the time. how often do you work out? i dont suggest going less than 1200 calories a day (make sure you are logging sauces/coffee creamers/etc like people said because those extra calories can sneak up on you). i suggest upping your workouts or switching up your workouts if you do the same thing all the time. make sure you are getting in both cardio workouts and strength training. i hear it works for some people to take a break from workouts and dieting for a little bit just to trick your body (be careful though because this will cause weight gain). if you are eating unhealthy food try to be healthier (at least during week days and then give yourself a little break once a week like u said to go out with your family). i personally know how frustrating it can be to work my *kitten* off and see no results. it sucks. keep it up though! u can do it!