Gaining weight when trying to lose weight?

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goldninja
goldninja Posts: 28 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Currently, I am not weight training so converting to muscle doesn't seem reasonable. I am eating around 1500 calories (I'm 5'2" female at 121 pounds) a day, working out on the elliptical vigorously for 30 minutes a day, and I weigh my food on a food scale so I am assured of the portion size. My weight was happily at 117 and I don't want to go into the holiday season primer to have to buy new clothes are the end. Suggestions?

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  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
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    I had a peak at your diary. How are you calculating your calorie burns?
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
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    How long have you been doing this? At your height and weight with minimal weight to lose (I speak from experience) it's going to come off very slowly. For me, a few pounds gained on and off throughout the week of water weight is normal. The scale isnt the best measure, honestly.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    You're eating too many calories.

    I assume you are either over-estimating the number of calories you are burning with exercise and eating too many calories back.


    As a 5'4 woman I maintain roughly 1700 calories-ish. So it's not suprising that you're gaining.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
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    The problem is definitely how much you eat, but only because you need to weigh your food. The calorie burns seem accurate because of the fitbit, but do you use a charge hr? If so, then weighing your food should take care of things. I am 5'3 1/2", 117 pounds, and I lose half a pound per week on 1700 to 2100 calories. I weigh every single thing I eat, even prepackaged foods.
  • jdleanna
    jdleanna Posts: 141 Member
    edited October 2015
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    You're eating too many calories.

    I assume you are either over-estimating the number of calories you are burning with exercise and eating too many calories back.


    As a 5'4 woman I maintain roughly 1700 calories-ish. So it's not suprising that you're gaining.

    I'm losing on an amount similar to the OP and am short, so she could very well be fine losing at 1500. She exercises daily so her activity level may be higher than yours.

    OP, how long have you been gaining weight? And how much? Because it could be normal body fluctuations.
  • goldninja
    goldninja Posts: 28 Member
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    jdleanna wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    You're eating too many calories.

    I assume you are either over-estimating the number of calories you are burning with exercise and eating too many calories back.


    As a 5'4 woman I maintain roughly 1700 calories-ish. So it's not suprising that you're gaining.

    I'm losing on an amount similar to the OP and am short, so she could very well be fine losing at 1500. She exercises daily so her activity level may be higher than yours.

    OP, how long have you been gaining weight? And how much? Because it could be normal body fluctuations.

    I've gained for about two months. My initial weight was 195 five years ago and I've been attempting maintenance for three years. I no longer account the exercise because it's the same minutes daily with different levels in each day. I am also aa full time waitress with no grazing. I chose 1500 because that was what maintaining on a sedentary diet was with no exercise. And I weigh everythingi out in my body
  • goldninja
    goldninja Posts: 28 Member
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    I've gained for about two months. My initial weight was 195 five years ago and I've been attempting maintenance for three years. I no longer account the exercise because it's the same minutes daily with different levels in each day. I am also aa full time waitress with no grazing. I chose 1500 because that was what maintaining on a sedentary diet was with no exercise. And I weigh everythingi out in my body
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited October 2015
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    goldninja wrote: »
    Currently, I am not weight training so converting to muscle doesn't seem reasonable. I am eating around 1500 calories (I'm 5'2" female at 121 pounds) a day, working out on the elliptical vigorously for 30 minutes a day, and I weigh my food on a food scale so I am assured of the portion size. My weight was happily at 117 and I don't want to go into the holiday season primer to have to buy new clothes are the end. Suggestions?

    You are already at a normal weight with very little to lose, therefore it will come off very slowly. 4 pounds to lose is not that much.

    If you are gaining weight you are eating too much food, which can occur if you overestimate calories out and underestimate calories in. You've already said you are weighing your food. Do you weigh every single thing you eat, including mayo, mustard, salad dressings, etc.? Do you measure your liquids? Do you eat your exercise calories back and, if so, where do you get those burn numbers from?

    ETA: I looked at your diary, and you do not choose entries with grams. I suggest you do that because I suspect some of your food entries are not correct.

    Do you weight the ramen noodles prior to cooking? What about the cheese slices and bread? That canned chicken? Cereal? Creamer? Cottage cheese? Microwavable chicken and dumplings?

    It has been my experience that what's in the package weight wise does not match what the package says--the weight is usually more, therefore the calorie content more.

    I think you need to (1) tighten up your logging, (2) choose entries with grams and cross-reference entries to ensure you are getting the correct one, (3) weigh everything you eat.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited October 2015
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    catscats222 wrote: »
    1 slice of sara lee whole wheat bread does not have 7,000 of potassium
    that's an error in data entry by people here
    it was on your wednesday dinner
    (just letting you know) find the correct entry for it
    * cut your sugars to less than 50g's a day

    Incorrect. Potassium and sugars have nothing to do with weight loss. It's important to choose correct entries because if one macro/micro is wrong, the calorie content probably is too.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    jdleanna wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    You're eating too many calories.

    I assume you are either over-estimating the number of calories you are burning with exercise and eating too many calories back.


    As a 5'4 woman I maintain roughly 1700 calories-ish. So it's not suprising that you're gaining.

    I'm losing on an amount similar to the OP and am short, so she could very well be fine losing at 1500. She exercises daily so her activity level may be higher than yours.

    OP, how long have you been gaining weight? And how much? Because it could be normal body fluctuations.

    This is a good point too.

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