Why am I gaining weight? Ready to throw in the towel

Tigg1011

I dont understand wth is going on. Since 5/8/13 I increased my calories to 1500 and then the past few weeks I have been eating at 1400. Ive been working out for 30 mins 6 days a week since 5/8 and I just keep putting weight on...i am now up 6!! lbs. I dont get it. I am ready to give up, what the hell am I doing all this for if nothing is working. Btw, I get my caloric intake from the TDEE-20% formula as well as my fitbit. My diary is open as well. Someone help me figure out wth is going on! I wanna go to low carb but that's not sustainable for good, and I know that but ugh. Help

Francl27

If your metabolism was slowed down from eating too low for a long time, it's normal. But don't give up, it will regulate itself eventually and you will lose weight again. Also it's very normal for women to gain water weight at some point in your cycle... it doesn't mean anything really.

Also, make sure you're not pregnant...

Tigg1011

I was eating 1200c for over a year and this is the highest weight I have been in a long time. I am also on the pill continuously as of may so if I cant be pregnant. Its been 2 months now-over 8 weeks, I heard it takes about 6 weeks to see results from increasing cals, but why is my weight still going up!? err.

lilbearzmom

The only thing I can think of is whether or not you are weighing/measuring your food. Are you?

Acg67

I dont understand wth is going on. Since 5/8/13 I increased my calories to 1500 and then the past few weeks I have been eating at 1400. Ive been working out for 30 mins 6 days a week since 5/8 and I just keep putting weight on...i am now up 6!! lbs. I dont get it. I am ready to give up, what the hell am I doing all this for if nothing is working. Btw, I get my caloric intake from the TDEE-20% formula as well as my fitbit. My diary is open as well. Someone help me figure out wth is going on! I wanna go to low carb but that's not sustainable for good, and I know that but ugh. Help

Under estimating intake, water retention, metabolic disorder, food intolerance etc etc

How much did your measurements change as well?

Tigg1011

Yes, I weigh and measure everything! I log everything as well. Even on cheat days which is saturday. I lost when I was doin 1200 calories...this makes me wanna go back to eating so little even though I was frigen hungry all the time but it worked! I was trying to lost the last 10 which is why I increased cals and started working out everyday but this is killing me!

Tigg1011

Initially, I lost a few inches from the 30 ds, nothing drastic though, but it seems like they are all back to where they were originally! Btw, I drink TONS of water I just dont log it on here, but I drink like 64oz water a day.

mckshowie

I am also on the pill continuously as of may so if I cant be pregnant.

this. it's probably water retention. The pill was ruining my life so I stopped talking it - just started taking it in March - and I lost 5lbs of water weight over the weekend.

TheRealJigsaw

Open your dairy

Bekahmardis

I agree - open your diary so we can take a look and be of more help to you. Without that information, or your height, current weight, body fat % if you know it, it's hard to say what the problem is? I am 5'3", 42 years old, at my goal weight of 109 or 110, and I didn't get there until I discovered my FitBit Flex told me I was actually burning over 1600 calories a day, but I was only eating 1200. My BMR is 1205, so I obviously needed to change something up.

Give us your stats and open your diary. Maybe we can help.

Tigg1011

Sorry, I thought it was open to everyone-I opened it. I am 5'2 1/2in currently 144.1 as of this morning. As of may 8th 141 and before that a steady 138.

Tigg1011

Sorry, it is open now. I am 5'2 1/2 in. current weight as of this morning is 144, starting weight in may was 141 ( due to a bad week of eating junk) but other than that I was at a steady 138. My goal weight is 130

Bekahmardis

How are you tracking your exercise calories, may I ask, please? My Fitness Pal is NOTORIOUS for overestimating a calorie burn. Do you have a heart rate monitor or a FitBit or something? If not, my guess is that your exercise calories are being overestimated and perhaps they should be toned down. I am right about your height (5'3") and I'm 42 years old. My BMR is 1205 and my TDEE is right around 1600. I'm at maintenance now and eat an average of around 1550 calories.

My best guess is that you don't need to eat as many calories as you think you do. Your BMR is 1440. Eat at least this, but don't overestimate calories burned?

I would also recommend increasing your protein intake and maybe lowering your carbs by just a bit? Your protein should be between .5 grams and 1.5 grams per pound of body weight (iirc?), so between 72 and 216. I'd try to shoot for 100 grams a day to start with. The higher number is if you are seriously weight-lifting like crazy.

kts3639

One thing I noticed looking at your diary, is that your eating your exercise calories back while doing the TDEE -20% formula. When doing TDEE -20%, you don't eat exercise calories back. The reason being, is that when you calculate your TDEE, it includes exercise (it's your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, so everything you do in a day). You are supposed to calculate your TDEE with an accurate account of your activity and exercise. You need to go back and calculate your TDEE, exercise included (so if you workout 5 days a week, you aren't sedentary). Then take the 20% off of that, and don't eat your exercise calories back. Hope that helps.

elvensnow

I am also on the pill continuously as of may so if I cant be pregnant.

this. it's probably water retention. The pill was ruining my life so I stopped talking it - just started taking it in March - and I lost 5lbs of water weight over the weekend.

Agreed. When I start the pill (I have gone on and off several times) I gain ~5lbs immediately. That same 5 lbs drops when I go off the pill.

I am NOT advocating going off the pill. It's just water weight and has NOTHING to do with your health or appearance. So I would just remind yourself that that 5 lbs is a wash and start tracking "new" from now on.

Also, have you been measuring yourself? Often times when we start new exercise you will gain weight but actually lose inches (which IMO is really what this is all about). Muscles will retain water as they repair and can also appear bloated sometimes too.

Just keep with it.

monjacq1964

i saw a chart that someone posted, showing NET losses. She recorded her weight every day, and placed the results on a chart. She showed how, if you weigh yourself once a week, or once a month, you may be weighing on an "up" day, and that might not give the true result. Weight fluctuates so much, so you need to look at net losses and gains, not an individual reading.
My suggestion would be not to get hung up on the number on the scale. Measure key measurements (waist, bust, thigh, biceps etc), judge weight loss by a certain pair of pants, etc. The scale is only one measure of your success.

Tigg1011

I track my exercise calories through my fitbit EXCEPT when I do my dvds. I am currently doing jackie warner dvds which are all w weights. I am eating at BMR really, I tried the TDEE-20% youll see if you look back in weeks and it wasnt doing anything, I get my TDEE from my fitbit and it seems to be that minus 500 calories is 1400 calories.

I HATE being on the pill but I am too paranoid to go off of it. That is the first thing I am doing once I get married in Nov is eliminating it and I cant wait. Id rather have 5 lbs of water weight from that then have a baby, but I havent really seen this happen before from the pill.

This is also why I am having a major meltdown, I have less than 4 months to my wedding, really 2 months if you think about it w pre wedding activities, to lose this weight, its serious crunch time, I feel like I am doing everything I should but not successful.

Maybe I will try to cut sweets and carbs out. The only reason I didnt wanna do that is because they say you shouldnt deprive yourself etc. But oh well I guess..

Btw-I have been measuring myself...Initially after the 30ds I lost a few inches but now everything seems to be up to where it was to begin with, ugh. If I am retaining water is there any way to get rid of it besides just drinking water? I drink water like a maniac...I also feel bloated etc.

4theking

Birth control pills will cause an increase in estrogen which will cause thyroid binding proteins to elevate. These proteins will bind up more of your T3 and your free T3 will drop. This will cause your BMR and metabolism to drop to lower levels than before starting the pill. The only way to compensate for this while taking the pill is to eat less.

Tigg1011

Birth control pills will cause an increase in estrogen which will cause thyroid binding proteins to elevate. These proteins will bind up more of your T3 and your free T3 will drop. This will cause your BMR and metabolism to drop to lower levels than before starting the pill. The only way to compensate for this while taking the pill is to eat less.

So are you saying I should go back to the original 1200 calorie diet I was on before? I lost 10 there and stalled out which is why I started this. However, now total I have lost maybe 4-5 instead of 10 previously.

deksgrl

With the TDEE -% method, you do not eat extra calories for exercise, so your calorie burns are irrelevant. (You can log your exercise as 1 calorie so it doesn't change your net calorie goal).

Also, some days your sodium seems quite high. On days after I eat a lot of sodium, the scale can go up 5-7 pounds. It is just water retention.

Tigg1011

With the TDEE -% method, you do not eat extra calories for exercise, so your calorie burns are irrelevant. (You can log your exercise as 1 calorie so it doesn't change your net calorie goal).

Also, some days your sodium seems quite high. On days after I eat a lot of sodium, the scale can go up 5-7 pounds. It is just water retention.

I think I am messing up with talking about my tdee. I really just try to eat -500 what my fitbit says. I dont eat exercise calories, I log them as 1 if it has anything to do with walking running etc. My dvds are the only thing I log-maybe Ill stop logging that altogether too.

deksgrl

With only 13 pounds left to go, aiming for 1 pound a week may be too much. The closer you are to goal weight, the slower the weight loss is. Unfortunately. And since you have been adjusting from eating too low already, your body may take 6+ weeks to adjust to the new calorie level. What some people advocate is eating at your TDEE for a week, and then dropping to the new calorie goal.

Bekahmardis

So I guess the next question is: how do you have your FitBit account set up? If it is set up at "maintenance" then eating at -500 whatever that says you're fine. If it is set up to already be at a deficit, that may be part of the hang up.... MFP syncs with the FitBit accordingly.

But they've probably hit the nail on the head with the birth control. *shrug* I'm menopausal, so I can't help there....

4theking

Birth control pills will cause an increase in estrogen which will cause thyroid binding proteins to elevate. These proteins will bind up more of your T3 and your free T3 will drop. This will cause your BMR and metabolism to drop to lower levels than before starting the pill. The only way to compensate for this while taking the pill is to eat less.

So are you saying I should go back to the original 1200 calorie diet I was on before? I lost 10 there and stalled out which is why I started this. However, now total I have lost maybe 4-5 instead of 10 previously.

That may be your only option. Just curious, do you have any hypothyroid or low adrenal type symptoms? Are you cold all the time? Low energy? Dry skin? Bouts of hypoglycemia?

MelStren

You've only been at it a month and there are several reasons why you may not be seeing the scale move..

Your body will gain and lose weight all month long so just stepping on a scale isn't enough when it comes to charting progress. Have you taken your measurements? Bust, waist, hips, arms, thighs. Have those changed? How do your clothes fit?

Things to consider: change in diet, it could result in water retention. exercise, sore muscles need to retain water to heal. Your Time Of the Month, means water retention. You will naturally be heavier later in the day than you are first thing in the morning. ...

I'm sure I'm missing something... but as you can see. One month on this new lifestyle isn't long enough to judge if it's working for you or not. Give it another month, take your measurements and see where you are then.

Tigg1011

Thanks everyone for the input.

I've been at this for 2 months now-so about 8 weeks...thats why I feel like I should have seen something by now!

No, I dont have any thyroid conditions or any medical conditions...I actually just had my coworker scan to check thryoid and make sure there is no child growing in there lol and all negative. Just trying to figure out some answers.

Also, my fitbit is not set at a maintenance, it is set at medium intensity to lose I believe 1lb a week.

Maybe it is this stupid pill even tho Ive been on it forever I switched brands in may and decided to start taking it continuously to avoid migraines.

lynn1982

It could be any one of the things mentioned above, but have you tried changing up your diet and/or exercise? Do you eat the same things every day (I only checked back over a few days - it looks like you have a lot of variety, but you're eating a lot of sugar). I'm 4'11 and I will gain weight if I eat over 1200 calories. I know most people seem to say it's all calories in vs. calories out. However, that has not been the case for me. I need to limit sugar (even if it's from fruit) or else I do not lose weight. Also, when I find I've hit a plateau, I change up my exercise - instead of running I'll do spinning or add in a different aerobics class. I don't know why it works, but it does.

run2bfree

hey girlie. you are my height... i looked at your diary for the week and it seems you are high on sugar and sodium which could account for water retention. Make sure you are drinking lots of water. I go through a gallon a day. also, to be honest, 30 mins isn't enough working out - even if you have a calorie deficit. You should consider hitting the weights too. its a long road so don't give up.

AmyRhubarb

I am also on the pill continuously as of may so if I cant be pregnant.

I've got one daughter, and she's a pill baby. Just sayin' - those things aren't foolproof.

Anyway - as others have said, if you're doing TDEE, make sure you're not eating back exercise cals as they should be figured in. Eat to goal every day and you should be good to go.

And measure measure measure - food and yourself. It took me about a year to lose my last 10lbs while eating TDEE minus 20%, and for about 6 months of that, I didn't lose anything on the scale, just up and down the same few pounds. But I lost fat and inches and dropped a full size during that time.

4theking

Thanks everyone for the input.

I've been at this for 2 months now-so about 8 weeks...thats why I feel like I should have seen something by now!

No, I dont have any thyroid conditions or any medical conditions...I actually just had my coworker scan to check thryoid and make sure there is no child growing in there lol and all negative. Just trying to figure out some answers.

Also, my fitbit is not set at a maintenance, it is set at medium intensity to lose I believe 1lb a week.

Maybe it is this stupid pill even tho Ive been on it forever I switched brands in may and decided to start taking it continuously to avoid migraines.

but thyroid testing is typically not done right and a common symptom of thyroid problems is migraines.

Tigg1011

Thanks everyone!!

-I know normally it is not done correctly but I also work in a women's ctr with lots of docs and have been tested and all is negative.
my migraines seem to be hormonal..

-I guess I will try changing my diet up and eat less carbs and maybe cut sweets out altogether...and or maybe just have them on the wknds or something? Maybe that will get it to budge...I also may go back to 1200 for a bit since I know it has worked in the past...and to at least lose what I have gained!