Gained an inch on my thighs in a week??

worldofalice
worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi everyone,

I have been maintaining/slowly gaining on 16-1700 cals for the past 5 months, while lifting heavy 4x a week and running 2-3 x a week. This is under what I should be maintaining on so is a problem in itself!

Last Sunday I'd been feeling huge for the past few days so measured myself for peace of mind - I'd gained an entire inch on my leg since the previous week, and half an inch on my waist!! It is incredibly visible too on my small frame. I was hoping it was water weight (I don't get periods but was hoping it was something to do with hormones anyway) however... 2 weeks on and that fat is there to stay. How is it possible that I suddenly gained this much - particularly with my intake and exercise levels? I can't stand the idea of maintaining or even gaining at this weight, however with my exercise levels I can't really sustain eating any less. And before you ask - yes, I weigh all my food.

Does anybody have any idea why this could be happening?

Replies

  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited April 2016
    Is your scale correct? Only way you are gaining weight is that you are taking in more calories than you are burning. Check your scale to make sure it is working right.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You're not measuring yourself correctly then...even if you were roided out and eating a surplus you're not putting an inch on your thighs in a week.
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    Eileen_S wrote: »
    Is your scale correct? Only way you are gaining weight is that you are taking in more calories than you are burning. Check your scale to make sure it is working right.

    I weigh myself on a digital scale at the gym, the number has been steadily increasing since September. As I lift weights, I can deal with a rising scale number -it's the increasing measurements that bug me as I know it's fat gain!
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    You're not measuring yourself correctly then...even if you were roided out and eating a surplus you're not putting an inch on your thighs in a week.

    I use a measuring tape at the top of my thigh, in the same place. And to be absolutely certain I'm measuring the same place, I slide it up and down a bit too - so for example, a few weeks ago 21 inches was too big no matter where on my thigh I placed the tape. Now, the tape fits snugly at 22 inches even when I slide it further down!
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited April 2016
    worldofalice wrote: »
    Eileen_S wrote: »
    Is your scale correct? Only way you are gaining weight is that you are taking in more calories than you are burning. Check your scale to make sure it is working right.

    I weigh myself on a digital scale at the gym, the number has been steadily increasing since September. As I lift weights, I can deal with a rising scale number -it's the increasing measurements that bug me as I know it's fat gain!
    I was talking about a "food scale". If you are not weighing your food, you're most likely eating more than you think. That is why your body scale is slowly going up along with your body measurements. t's very easy to eat more than you think you are.
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    Eileen_S wrote: »
    worldofalice wrote: »
    Eileen_S wrote: »
    Is your scale correct? Only way you are gaining weight is that you are taking in more calories than you are burning. Check your scale to make sure it is working right.

    I weigh myself on a digital scale at the gym, the number has been steadily increasing since September. As I lift weights, I can deal with a rising scale number -it's the increasing measurements that bug me as I know it's fat gain!
    I was talking about a "food scale". If you are not weighing your food, you're most likely eating more than you think. That is why your body scale is slowly going up along with your body measurements. t's very easy to eat more than you think you are.

    Ahh I see! I doubt that is the case as I am very meticulous and it was never a problem in the past. According to MFP and all other calculators I should maintain on about 2000 plus with my activity levels, so even if my scales were out by a couple of grams it would still in theory leave me with plenty of room for maneuver! As a bit of background, I come from a background of extremely restrictive eating - however after 7 months of eating at this amount, I would have thought the weight gain would have slowed by now!
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    but how do you know how much you're actually eating without weighing your food?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Waist measurement can definitely go up just from water weight/food in your stomach. Thigh measurement can go up quite a bit after a serious leg workout. I guess you said it stayed the same for two weeks though...How much weight have you gained on these calories?
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    itsbasschick wrote: »
    but how do you know how much you're actually eating without weighing your food?

    I do weigh my food - right down to my satsumas and broccoli :'D
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Also, what are your stats...heigh and weight? Age?
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Waist measurement can definitely go up just from water weight/food in your stomach. Thigh measurement can go up quite a bit after a serious leg workout. I guess you said it stayed the same for two weeks though...How much weight have you gained on these calories?

    I started off at 45 kg in September, and am now just under 49 kg (although I haven't weighed myself since the dreaded thigh gain so probably more now)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    And your height, please?
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    And your height, please?

    5"3.5 (the point 5 matters of course)
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    And your height, please?

    Also, awesome transformation in your profile picture by the way!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Okay...so you were/possibly are still underweight. Do you have a history with very low calorie diets/yo-yo dieting/rapid weight loss and gain? Metabolic adaptation could be a reason why you are not maintaining on as many calories as you believe you should be. But you are also small, your maintenance might not be very much just because of that. I am 5'4" and when I'm 130lbs I maintain on only 1800.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    worldofalice wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    And your height, please?

    Also, awesome transformation in your profile picture by the way!

    Thanks!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Also keep in mind, you're gaining weight, even slowly you're still eventually going to increase measurements.
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    I do have a disordered history with restrictive eating, I've been in recovery for two years now and assumed that after 7 months at this amount, the weight gain would have stopped - it's not like I'm eating crazy amounts and most people recover at 2500 plus!! I'm only netting about 1200 a day. I can live with maintaining at 1700, but not gaining! Gradual increase in measurements is something I can learn to deal with - but sudden fat gain on my thighs with no explanation is freaking me out. Like, I've been working so hard... really don't want to have to restrict again!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    worldofalice wrote: »
    I do have a disordered history with restrictive eating, I've been in recovery for two years now and assumed that after 7 months at this amount, the weight gain would have stopped - it's not like I'm eating crazy amounts and most people recover at 2500 plus!! I'm only netting about 1200 a day. I can live with maintaining at 1700, but not gaining! Gradual increase in measurements is something I can learn to deal with - but sudden fat gain on my thighs with no explanation is freaking me out. Like, I've been working so hard... really don't want to have to restrict again!

    Do not restrict again. As I said, if you are gaining weight, you are going to see increases in measurements, right? It's not "without explanation" or "sudden fat gain".

    You might like this podcast on reverse dieting. You can get it on your phone too. Sohee Lee, Layne Norton's co-host, has had a history with eating disorders as well and sheds an interesting light on the topic from that angle.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iktjjQl80c
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    worldofalice wrote: »
    I do have a disordered history with restrictive eating, I've been in recovery for two years now and assumed that after 7 months at this amount, the weight gain would have stopped - it's not like I'm eating crazy amounts and most people recover at 2500 plus!! I'm only netting about 1200 a day. I can live with maintaining at 1700, but not gaining! Gradual increase in measurements is something I can learn to deal with - but sudden fat gain on my thighs with no explanation is freaking me out. Like, I've been working so hard... really don't want to have to restrict again!

    Do not restrict again. As I said, if you are gaining weight, you are going to see increases in measurements, right? It's not "without explanation" or "sudden fat gain".

    You might like this podcast on reverse dieting. You can get it on your phone too. Sohee Lee, Layne Norton's co-host, has had a history with eating disorders as well and sheds an interesting light on the topic from that angle.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iktjjQl80c

    You're right - it's tricky as I don't want to gain any more weight, but couldn't sustainably eat any less considering my exercise levels. Kind of stuck huh. Thanks so much - I'll give this a listen now :smile:

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