Is it possible to have gained 20 pounds of fat in 7 months or is most water weight?

klever1985

Hello, i started my weightloss Journey back last year on April 6 2015. From April 6 to August 14 of 2015 i did so good, I would eat healthy Monday thru Friday on working days and on the weekends i would have a cheat meal or 2. I would go jog up to 4 miles a day and I lost over 40 lbs in 4 months. in August of 2015 on the weekend of August 14th my family went thru something really hard a personal problem where i stopped working out and watching what i would eat, i'm not going to lie, i feel that i went to depression mode and still feel like i did because of the problem. I have tried to eat as clean as possible and maybe that's why i have only gained 28 pounds in the past 7 to 8 from where i was back in August at 235lbs and my staring weight was at 276lbs on April 6. I Eat like a pig now but like i said, even tho i eat really bad i try not to go over 6,000 calories to not gained 1 pound in a day, but i will admit that in these past 7 to 8 months i fell that I have maybe gone over 6,000 calories in 1 day couple of times. My questions is that if all those pounds are fat or water weight how long will it take me to loose those 28lbs again to feel better of my self and be able to reach my goal at 180 Lbs, i'm a 5'5 31 years old male and currently weighting 263 lbs. HELP ME PLEASE!!! I'M DESPERATE AND CURRENTLY I'M WAKING UP COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK, (IT HAPPEN LAST NIGHT) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT GASPING FOR AIR WITH A RACING HEART BEAT I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING CRAZY. IS ALL THIS DUE TO MY OVERWEIGHT? I have High Blood Pressure and i'm on medication.

quiksylver296

It's probably not water weight. 3500 extra calories equals one pound of fat. Twenty pounds of fat in seven months equals approximately 333 extra calories eaten per day. Not that hard to do.

You really sound like to need to get some help outside of the internet. Maybe see a counselor for your depression and the stressful issues you are dealing with.

The best advice I can give from here is to buy a food scale, weigh all your food, and log it into MFP religiously. Exercise will really help with your stress.

Good luck!

cwolfman13

20 Lbs of weight gain isn't water. Set your goals to lose anywhere from 1 Lb to 2 Lbs per week and just get started. At your size you could easily lose 28 Lbs in a couple of months of being consistent with your diet plan and exercise...this of course would assume that you will drop quite a bit of water and waste in the first 2-3 weeks.

ovidnine

Yup, totally possible.

For me, it really wouldn't even be hard to do sadly.

But the folks above me covered it well so I'd suggest taking their advice and wish you good luck!

ninerbuff

I've seen guys gain 20lbs back in a few days, BUT they were dehydrated 4% competitive body builders who just binged out after completing a contest. Most if it water, but this is EXTREME case of gain due to what they do to their bodies just before stepping on stage.
If you're of general population, it's fat.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

JustMissTracy

I'm sorry, it's not water weight. Time to get back on the horse, make a decision to ride that big boy until you reach your goal this time. It won't be easy, you will have bad days that make you feel depressed, but you have to overcome them if weight loss is what you truly desire, and it sounds like it is. My friend, I also would like to suggest you visit a doctor, and mention not only the desire to lose weight again, but also the problem with your nighttime breathing. That could be a sign of something much more serious, or it could be exactly what you think it is. Either way, better to confirm this type of thing..Good luck, if you set your mind to it, and DONT give up, you CAN do it, just like so many others here have!! xoxo

farmerpam1

Yes, you can gain 20 pounds in 7 months, easy. Once you make up your mind to get off the high blood pressure meds, it will happen. Don't give up, take it one day at a time. Keep moving forward. I've found that being active is helpful for depression and getting off the high blood pressure meds. win/win. Good luck, you can do it!

ScoobaChick

Don't be discouraged. Just roll up your sleeves and get started on a new fitness journey. Above posters all had very good points. Build yourself and new support network and start thinking of CICO today. You will feel much better in a couple fo weeks.

silvilunazul

6000 kcal is a lot. You're eating for 3 people. As they said above, try to get professional help, log your food, start exercising and get back on track. No food in the world tastes as good as good health and fitness feel.

DanSTL82

Your high blood pressure is very likely because of your weight. Also, your high blood pressure medication likely doesn't affect your weight in any way (like, it won't stop you from losing weight and it won't cause you to gain weight). You just need to start on the MFP app and start eating at a 500 cal/day deficit, at least. If you do that, you'll lose all that weight in the same amount of time. "Eating healthy" doesn't matter if you're still eating too much. 6,000 a day is way too much for anybody to eat, unless you're an olympic weightlifter or something. Try to find something else other than food to relax your mind. Go on long walks, listen to music, anything but grabbing another bag of chips. Once you stop using food as a crutch or for entertainment, you'll realize you're never really all that hungry, other than a couple times a day (and that's when you eat your regular meals).

Witchdoctor58

The night time episodes sound like panic attacks. I agree with everyone who suggested counseling. You also might want to consider overeaters anonymous to help deal with stress eating.

amyk0202

I agree with everyone, it's not water weight. I binged for a whole year & gained back well over 20 lbs & I've had WLS so my stomach is half-sized. If I could have eaten as much as I wanted at a time, I would have gained even more. A series of traumatic events in my life also prompted my emotional overeating.

I would definitely talk to your doctor about how you're waking up at night. Gasping for breath could maybe be sleep apnea?

LazSommer

Please see a doctor.

jofjltncb6

Gaining 20 pounds in a few months isn't all that exceptional. It's what happens when you overeat (whether intentionally or unintentionally). That's the way it works. It's a combination of mostly muscle and fat.

I had some of those night issues at the height of my winter bulk (and in earlier years at my heaviest too). Those alone aren't necessarily troubling (big picture...even though they're personally terrifying at the time). And the weight gain isn't a problem by itself either since that's the way the prices works.

But you owe it to yourself to do what you need to do to get your head straight. Eating as a coping mechanism is an expensive and ineffective response. If you have he means, seeing a professional to help you work through this will do wonders for your mental and physical wellbeing.

rawley69

The gasping for air at night thing might be due to your air ways being choked out by your own body weight because you got into a weird position. I have had this problem, can't sleep on my back. Helps to sleep on your side, more advanced cases require the use of a CPAP machine. I've lost over 20 lbs and haven't had one of these episodes in a while.

But really, like the above said, go to the doctor.

EvgeniZyntx

It's going to take you 3-6 months to lose the weight.

But work on your habits, losing the weight isn't the hardest, it's keeping it off. You will totally need to revamp your thinking if currently you "eat like a pig" and think "I try to not gain a lb a day".
Maintenance is a whole other game.

Sounds like a wake up call. See a doc and get your plan going.

jemhh

rawley69 wrote: »

The gasping for air at night thing might be due to your air ways being choked out by your own body weight because you got into a weird position. I have had this problem, can't sleep on my back. Helps to sleep on your side, more advanced cases require the use of a CPAP machine. I've lost over 20 lbs and haven't had one of these episodes in a while.

But really, like the above said, go to the doctor.

I was going to mention this too. I had very bad sleep apnea and used to wake up gasping for breath and feeling like I was going to pass out. I ended up with a CPAP. My weight loss has helped with this tremendously.

You definitely need to go to the doctor.

klever1985

Thank you everyone for your advices and help, thankfully since the day of my post i havent had one of those nights and i hope not to have then no more. I'm starting today with my diet again and starting with a 30 min walk and jog this week. Any recomendations will be we welcomed. Thanks Everyone God Bless You All.

klever1985

I will clear out that those 30 minutes jogs and walk "WILL BE" everyday from Monday to Thursday. Friday to Sunday is really hard for me because i'm Christian and i go to church. And Saturday's all day we practice with the Worship group.

sanfromny

klever1985 wrote: »

Thank you everyone for your advices and help, thankfully since the day of my post i havent had one of those nights and i hope not to have then no more. I'm starting today with my diet again and starting with a 30 min walk and jog this week. Any recomendations will be we welcomed. Thanks Everyone God Bless You All.

My best suggestion to you is not to call it "a diet" This is a new lifestyle. A new way of eating, a new way of thinking to get to the healthy you that lives inside of your current body. Start slow. Not that's impossible at your weight to lose 10lbs a month but just take your time so that way it sticks. I wish you well

jofjltncb6

klever1985 wrote: »

I will clear out that those 30 minutes jogs and walk "WILL BE" everyday from Monday to Thursday. Friday to Sunday is really hard for me because i'm Christian and i go to church. And Saturday's all day we practice with the Worship group.

You go to church for 16 hours?

I mean, you set the schedule that works for you, and you don't have to justify anything to any of us...but I go to church on Sunday too and yet it's one of my most consistent days to go to the gym and it's usually a full session+.

stephaniecjohn

PLEASE see your doctor. You may be in congestive heart failure which adds water weight and breathlessness. See medlineplus.go for good M.D. approved info but Call Your Doctor!