Doing everything right but gaining weight?

KanchanYadav1

So I've started on the healthy regime for about a year now. I was excessively overweight before, and managed to lose more than 50 pounds through a routine of weight lifting and cardio, and I also followed a diet. After losing that weight I was happy with my body and just tried to maintain. However, I went away on a trip for about 20 days last month. While I was active during the trip throughout, I couldn't go to the gym obviously. Upon returning I found that I gained about 4-5 pounds (which I wrote off as water weight, my water weight fluctuates a lot) and figured they'd go down within a week or so, as usually happens. However, this time the last 2 pounds refused to go down no matter what I did. It's been a month since, and I also gained one additional pound over those two, and I've been working out and eating right just as I used to before the trip. Not that I look fatter per se, I sometimes think my belly looks a little bigger, but that might also be just because I know I'm carrying a little extra weight my mind is playing tricks on me. Anyway, this is driving me crazy. Please give me suggestions?

Laughter_Girl

If you are working out and eating right (I'm assuming that means you are weighing and measuring everything you eat/drink along with staying within your calorie range.), it can only mean you are eating more than you think. Reduce your calorie intake.

Wishing you all the best!

spzjlb

I'm in the same boat. Clearly, I've been underestimating my calorie intake, so I'm having to tighten up - and adding a bit more cardio. Frustrating, as I've been so pleased with my progress. I obviously have very little wiggle room at maintenance.

arditarose

So have you been eating at a deficit and weighing/logging all food to drop a couple pounds or what? Set MFP to lose .5 lbs per week, it'll come off before you know it.

Clarewho

If you didn't work out on holiday would that additional lb be water retained as you've returned to exercising? And I don't think a 2lb gain is that bad for a 3 week holiday, you hopefully had a great time You have followed this process for a year and have lost brilliantly in the past so you know what to do - persevere and as @arditarose says, the weight will drop off x

Francl27

It always takes me about 2 months to lose vacation weight, but I have to keep a small deficit to lose it, obviously.

griffinca2

Are you watching your sugar intake? You may be eating more than you think (this includes natural & added). Try cutting back on the sugar for a while.

Nachise

Take 100 calories a day off your intake, exercise, and don't eat your calories back.

xKoalaBearx

You can't out exercise a bad diet... there aren't enough hours in the day. So you may be eating more calories than you think. Do you honestly weigh and measure your food intake? Estimating doesn't count.

nxd10

After maintaining several years, I did exactly what you did last January: took a trip and gained 5 pounds. I've done that before, it's always been water. I let it ride. Well, I hit August, and it was still there.

1) I went on a 250 calorie/day deficit
2) I watched my carbs and made sure they were under 40% (that's important for me)
3) I double checked my logging

All came off in a week or two. Sometimes things just happen. Have no idea why last January was different than every other trip I've taken.

tryin2die2self

Have you thought about intermittent fasting? It is a great way to burn more fat as your body is already is a fasting state from the night before. You could also add in fasted workouts for a extra hit to the fat reserves. The down side on fasted workouts is you might not have as much gas in the tank.

_Waffle_

RoxieDawn

_Waffle_ wrote: »

Nice @_Waffle_ . I like the diagram a lot..

MissJay75

In this thread the following advice was given:

It was vacation, don't worry about it
Set 100 calorie deficit until the weight comes off
set a .5 pound/week deficit
set a 3 pound/2 week deficit
exercise but don't eat the calories
exercise won't fix your problem
try intermittent fasting
eat < 40% carbs
cut out sugar
tighten your logging
eat less

OP if you weren't confused before, I'm sure you are now!

The fact is you ate and worked out differently while on vacation. No big deal, that's life. It resulted in a small weight gain. No problem - you already know how to lose weight - you successfully lost over 50 pounds. Do the things you did while losing those 50 pounds. For you that might mean a large calorie deficit, it might be small. It might mean eat low carb or low sugar, it might not. You already know what works for you, just do that! Then return to your maintenance lifestyle when you reach your desired weight.

justkim20132013

I thought I've been doing everything right and have gained 5 lbs...... Instead of devouring an entire bag of York Peppermint Patties, I'm going to up the cardio, add weights back in, (I think I have really slacked off!) and just do better. I was 54 in July, still having some kind of periods. Am ready to jump off the roof haha! Just need a little virtual hug ..... Thank you all for posting!

heybales

Never have a goal weight - you'll drive yourself crazy thinking you can maintain to a single number and then trying to.

Have a goal weight range - all sorts of valid reasons you'll fluctuate with water weight up and down.
No changes in size - count that as upper number then.

Eating at maintenance and doing better workouts could have caused improvements that are usually water weight increases first.
Not the type to attempt to lose, but increased LBM and metabolism.

LivingtheLeanDream

Alot of great feedback already
You lost all that weight so you know what to do to shift a few pounds. ...and having a goal range of say +/-5 lbs will keep you sane