Confused,,, Why did I gain instead of lose????

misskee2017
misskee2017 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I've been on MFP about a month. My recent weight was around 10 pounds more than my beginning. I've been logging my meals but I don't have a food scale yet. I just go off what the packages say. But I have drastically changed my food choices. I'm not all the way without bad foods but I have improved with a lot less sugar and processed foods. I also have CHF and I take a medicine for the fluid buildup and for my condition but I was so appalled by the scale. I can admit that I had some water retention but I stay under the calorie range and I still haven't loss anything. I am so confused. I have not exercised much except a few days where I walked. I am very heavy right now and it is difficult to exercise because I get really winded due to my congestive heart failure. What am I doing wrong? I know this is a lifestyle and it feels like I have lost some but I really don't know. I have so much more that I can say but it will take forever to keep going on and on. I hope this community can give me some advice on what I need to do. Please help!!!!!

Replies

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    Are you at least measuring your portions? I use a set of measuring cups to help me stay in my goals. You can still overdo it even with healthier options.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    The water retention and not yet weighing your foods will be the two main reasons
  • Debmc1064
    Debmc1064 Posts: 2 Member
    misskee2017 wrote: »
    I've been on MFP about a month. My recent weight was around 10 pounds more than my beginning. I've been logging my meals but I don't have a food scale yet. I just go off what the packages say. But I have drastically changed my food choices. I'm not all the way without bad foods but I have improved with a lot less sugar and processed foods. I also have CHF and I take a medicine for the fluid buildup and for my condition but I was so appalled by the scale. I can admit that I had some water retention but I stay under the calorie range and I still haven't loss anything. I am so confused. I have not exercised much except a few days where I walked. I am very heavy right now and it is difficult to exercise because I get really winded due to my congestive heart failure. What am I doing wrong? I know this is a lifestyle and it feels like I have lost some but I really don't know. I have so much more that I can say but it will take forever to keep going on and on. I hope this community can give me some advice on what I need to do. Please help!!!!!
    misskee2017 wrote: »
    I've been on MFP about a month. My recent weight was around 10 pounds more than my beginning. I've been logging my meals but I don't have a food scale yet. I just go off what the packages say. But I have drastically changed my food choices. I'm not all the way without bad foods but I have improved with a lot less sugar and processed foods. I also have CHF and I take a medicine for the fluid buildup and for my condition but I was so appalled by the scale. I can admit that I had some water retention but I stay under the calorie range and I still haven't loss anything. I am so confused. I have not exercised much except a few days where I walked. I am very heavy right now and it is difficult to exercise because I get really winded due to my congestive heart failure. What am I doing wrong? I know this is a lifestyle and it feels like I have lost some but I really don't know. I have so much more that I can say but it will take forever to keep going on and on. I hope this community can give me some advice on what I need to do. Please help!!!!!
    misskee2017 wrote: »
    I've been on MFP about a month. My recent weight was around 10 pounds more than my beginning. I've been logging my meals but I don't have a food scale yet. I just go off what the packages say. But I have drastically changed my food choices. I'm not all the way without bad foods but I have improved with a lot less sugar and processed foods. I also have CHF and I take a medicine for the fluid buildup and for my condition but I was so appalled by the scale. I can admit that I had some water retention but I stay under the calorie range and I still haven't loss anything. I am so confused. I have not exercised much except a few days where I walked. I am very heavy right now and it is difficult to exercise because I get really winded due to my congestive heart failure. What am I doing wrong? I know this is a lifestyle and it feels like I have lost some but I really don't know. I have so much more that I can say but it will take forever to keep going on and on. I hope this community can give me some advice on what I need to do. Please help!!!!!

  • Debmc1064
    Debmc1064 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi you really should be measuring with a scale and measuring cups and tablespoons teaspoons you will be shocked
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited June 2017
    Try weighing yourself more often, but only record once a month (or your usual). By doing this I learned that eating pizza made me gain a lot of weight in fluid retention. Pizza has choc-full of sodium. Alcohol also made me gain serious fluids.
    Open your diary and maybe someone can spot what high sodium food you ate
  • misskee2017
    misskee2017 Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you. I will begin weighing myself more and check.
  • crushingitdaily12345
    crushingitdaily12345 Posts: 577 Member
    Muscle gain, too... if you are are exercising.
  • texteach66
    texteach66 Posts: 92 Member
    If you've been logging your food for a month and making some healthy changes, then you are definitely on the right track! I agree with the others about measuring what you eat - with a scale when possible. Please don't get discouraged by the scale - you are doing the hard work and it will begin to pay off.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    meberle53959 wrote: »
    Muscle gain, too... if you are are exercising.

    Unlikely. Maybe water retention from exercise but eating in a deficit while being female and not doing a serious lifting progream isn't going to result in huge muscle gains.
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
    Go out and get a food scale today.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    everher wrote: »
    Go out and get a food scale today.

    This. A digital one. They are $20 or less at WalMart or Target. Weigh and log everything.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    The water retention and not yet weighing your foods will be the two main reasons
    This.

    Measuring cups/spoons are wildly innacurate for solids.
  • vmbourg
    vmbourg Posts: 125 Member
    Food scale changed my life. Best $20 spent.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    If you gained weight it likely means you either underestimated your calories in, overestimated your calories out, or probably some of both. As others have said it is a process and you need to adjust your numbers until you find what makes the scale start to move. But before you do this, the most important thing you can do is make sure your numbers are as accurate as possible... For this you definitely need a food scale.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    meberle53959 wrote: »
    Muscle gain, too... if you are are exercising.

    You won't gain pounds of muscle in a caloric deficit. You're either losing or gaining.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    meberle53959 wrote: »
    Muscle gain, too... if you are are exercising.

    If you read her post she said she is barely exercising. And walking will not cause muscle gain.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    You may want to check with your doctor if the CHF is acting up and causing a lot more fluid retention than usual.
This discussion has been closed.

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