Unexplained Weight Gain

Spiderkeys

This is my third year on maintance, I've battled my way at my happy average weight with the usual slights up and downs/from flucations.

But this month, i've been a kg or two over-average, and last week, it became apparent, this is weight gain, so I cut back this week, and also kept myself very active, like working overtime, fact-pace walking everywhere instead of driving, drinking plenty of water, and eating a lot less than average, i'm literally felt back on a crash diet.

After that exhausting week, my reward is even more weight gain, so I bad I lost my goal weight, and weight more than I have in 3 years, and i just have to blame food, I'm getting to a point, I starting to hate food altogether.

don't say i'm turning into someone with a food disorder, I know you got to eat to survive, and i get energy and sometimes you just got to eat more to lose.

I know I got some repairing to do, but I would of thought with 3 years experience I would know where to start.

Maybe I've creepied up serveral bad habits over the years, but I had to think all my 3 years effort could come to nothing, wondering if anyone else on maintance ever got to a stage where nothing makes sense...

ninerbuff

Food and lower metabolic rate are usually the answers. People forget that aging reduces your metabolism. Poof, 5 years goes just like that.

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

Spiderkeys

Thats another thing I was thinking, i'm getting older than I think, right for now on, no more icecream after dinner.

myfitnesspale3

increasing sugar, salt and/or carbs, even if calories are the same, will tend to cause water gain.

BurnWithBarn2015

I could be wrong, but your diary looks far from accurate.
steak beef dinner 143 calories??
And some other entrees there that i have my questions about.

Now dont get me wrong dont say you are not doing it right. But when i see a diary like that i think your logging is off and you eat more than you think.
Plus indeed getting older, maybe just a tiny bit less active...some fluctuations etc tc and bamm you gained some weight.

tighten up the logging and see what happens is what i would do.

Spiderkeys

that 143 steak its the same entrie I've using for years, but yeah, but yeah angry I nearly starved myself for a few days, today I had a nearly 1000+ cheat day, as I felt hungry, week, and moody, which this eat more to lose trick in my mind.

All I do know, Ive been retaining a lot of water weight, this week, as I start a full-time job I'm not use to and only getting 5-6 hours a sleep a night if I'm lucky, but it's keeping me more active than I've been in years which why something doesn't make much sense.

snickerscharlie

Have you had your thyroid function checked?

benevempress

Spiderkeys wrote: »

But this month, i've been a kg or two over-average, and last week, it became apparent, this is weight gain, so I cut back this week, and also kept myself very active, like working overtime, fact-pace walking everywhere instead of driving, drinking plenty of water, and eating a lot less than average, i'm literally felt back on a crash diet.

I know I got some repairing to do, but I would of thought with 3 years experience I would know where to start.

but yeah angry I nearly starved myself for a few days, today I had a nearly 1000+ cheat day, as I felt hungry, week, and moody

It sounds like you have more stress in your life than normal and you are experiencing a lot of stress around your weight gain too. My suggestion is to take a moment and step outside of your emotional reactions to access what you already know about how to handle this, and then implement a plan based on what works for you rather than based on emotions. You CAN do this because you HAVE done this.

You know how to lose weight. You did it three years ago. Are you doing the same things now to get rid of the pounds you've gained? In other words, did you "crash diet" back then? Did you "nearly starve" yourself and then get angry and cheat/binge back then to lose the weight? If not, perhaps you should reconsider your plan and go back to what you know works for you because it sounds like what you are doing now isn't working for you (emotionally or physically). If that IS how you lost weight before, it sounds like you need to try something different because it isn't working for you now. In reading the Maintaining Weight boards, I haven't seen any recommendations to do what you report you're doing in reaction to a weight creep. Many people who have maintained for several years (I'm not there yet) say that when the scale creeps up, you should tighten up your logging and eat at a small deficit (I've seen recommendations of 100-250 calories per day) until you are back at goal, but nobody says "Crash diet and eat so little you are hungry and weak, and then when you can't take it anymore take a high calorie cheat day which can wipe out the weekly deficit so you suffered for 6 days for nothing."

You also know how to maintain your weight. You eat the amount of calories you believe will maintain your weight, weigh periodically, and then evaluate the trend, adjusting up or down as needed. So once you are back to your goal weight, do this again... but don't expect the calorie number to be the same as it was for the last three years, because your situation is not exactly the same today as it was in 2014 or 2015. You are a bit older, you may have a different activity level, etc.

I know you can do this. You know you can do this. Make a plan based on what you know will work, and do that.

Francl27

OP you're not alone. It seems my metabolism took a dip in just a year. I'm eating the same and exercising more but the weight has still been creeping up... It's rough. All you can do is adjust.

mmmpork

Check your body composition and measurements in addition to your weight. Weight is a strange creature.

NewMEEE2016

You could actually be eating TOO LITTLE. I advise making an appointment w/a certified nutritionist. You insurance may cover it (mine does- no copay). Good luck.

middlehaitch

Just as an FYI, I lose 6 calories each birthday. I am a petite 62yo who has maintained between 100-105 lbs for 6+ years.
Re calculate your maintenance and then drop to lose .5 lbs a week (250 cals per day less) for a month or 6 weeks. That should get you back in tour comfort zone.
If my weight starts creeping up to the top of my range I just cut my portions slightly. 3/4 serving of yougurt instead of a full one, 75 g of rice pasta or potatoes instead of 100. A 1 slice of bread sandwich instead of 2.
I look to cut my carbs and keep my protien and fats as close to my normal as possible.

Review how you lost and just emulate that.

Cheers, h.

Spiderkeys

Thanks for all suggestions, it's turns out, I started a new job, got very active, sleeping patterns changed (much less sleep), including last amounts of daily stress due to the unreliable public transport system, and of course the scale hitting high numbers, like I was out of control even that my eating habits didn't increase.

My weight returned back to my happy numbers within 2 weeks, now I get the best of both worlds, I get to enjoy my new job, as well as my weight I kept off for so long!

LivingtheLeanDream

glad to hear all is well and your weight is doing nicely now

EvgeniZyntx

Spiderkeys wrote: »

Thanks for all suggestions, it's turns out, I started a new job, got very active, sleeping patterns changed (much less sleep), including last amounts of daily stress due to the unreliable public transport system, and of course the scale hitting high numbers, like I was out of control even that my eating habits didn't increase.

My weight returned back to my happy numbers within 2 weeks, now I get the best of both worlds, I get to enjoy my new job, as well as my weight I kept off for so long!

For your info, stress and changes in sleep influence an inflammatory response that may result in water bloating.
Drinking more water, low level exercise like walking and yoga can help.

benevempress

I'm glad you checked back in and your life is feeling back on track. It's interesting and helpful to know how much stress can affect all areas of our life (even our weight).

JeromeBarry1

And congratulations on getting the new job!

snickerscharlie

NewMEEE2016 wrote: »

You could actually be eating TOO LITTLE. I advise making an appointment w/a certified nutritionist. You insurance may cover it (mine does- no copay). Good luck.

Sorry, but eating more to lose weight or to kickstart metabolism is just a myth I'm afraid. And a hoax used to sell millions of dollars worth of useless supplements to the gullible, desperate or lazy.

People lose weight when they eat less than they burn each day. It's really that simple. And if they think their metabolism is 'broken', they need a hospital .

To the OP: Congrats on the new job and I'm glad that things are settling down for you.

FitPhillygirl

People don't realize how much of a part lack of sleep and stress play in trying to gain, lose, or even just maintain weight. I'm glad you got it figured out in a short period of time.

nxd10

I had this problem after 3 years of easy maintenance. I had to drop down my calories. I also realized I was underestimating food a tiny tiny amount every day. And I also was using an apple watch instead of my fitbit on my waist. I play the banjo. It adds a lot of steps that I wasn't earning. Between those two things, I gained 5 pounds I'm now shedding.