weight gain. help!!!!
rivkieg02
Posts: 4 Member
I am 5"4 and weigh 229lb. When I first started dieting I was 250lb. I went on an extreme and unhealthy diet eating 500-600 calories a day and exercised for over an hour each day. I went down to 228 in one month . I realized that it was really unhealthy and I began eating 1000 calories a day. I dropped to 226 and suddenly stopped losing weight. After one week I actually started gaining weight !! How can I lose weight and not deprive myself of the nutrients and vitamins my body needs?
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Replies
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Weight fluctuates due to water in the body. When you increased your calories you gained back some water weight. THIS IS NORMAL, and you do not need to freak out about it. Weight loss is not linear for anybody.
1000 calories a day is still unhealthy. Please do some reading and set some realistic weight loss goals and an appropriate calorie target.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p15 -
Weight normally fluctuates. And you have to give it time to see results. The best advice I have is to enter your stats in this site and then eat the calories it gives you for 4-6 weeks with consistent logging. Then you can adjust as needed.
I gained 10lbs in a day a few weeks ago. I woke up at 160.8 and was 170.2 when I went to bed. I didn't actually gain though. I checked my calendar and was ovulating. Over the next 3 days my weight dropped down to 163/163. This is just one example of why weight on one day doesn't really mean anything3 -
Well, MFP will set your lowest calorie allowance at 1200, so I'd recommend doing at least that. If you're sedentary, choose that level of activity. Drink lots of water to help eliminate water retention. Also, log your exercise and eat back some calories. Don't worry about gaining weight once in awhile, your weight will go up and down even when there's a downward trend. If you've got an iPhone, you can add the Happy Scale app and enter your daily weight; it will show you a gentle average trend, which will most likely go downward as you slowly lose weight. I think if you have an Android, it's called Libra. You should also adjust your expectations and be more patient. As you figured out, rapid weight loss isn't healthy or sustainable.2
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Are you weighing all solid food (in grams on a food scale), or are you estimating/using cups and spoons?1
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Yes, I measure everything I eat.0
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what were u consuming when u reduced ur calories.. was it just anything goes or was it healthy eating?2
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You can eat a carb heavy meal and gain a lot of weight in a day because your body retains more fluid to process it all. Be patient, and make sure that you're getting enough protein to sustain your muscle mass and exercise levels. If you ask me, the three most important things for anyone dieting are making sure you get enough protein, enough fiber, and enough water. A place to start is to imagine a body you'd be happy to have, and research what you need to eat to get there. It's kind of an "eat for the body you want" thing. Good luck!1
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1) Measure liquids, weigh foods...even prepackaged foods.
2) Open your diary
3) How are you tracking your exercise?
4) do you allow any cheat meal/days? If so, make sure you log those as well.
Weight loss is calorie in, and calorie out. Consistent, accurate logging is the key to successful, long term weight loss.1 -
I am fighting the same battle you are. I started at 280 lost 40 by eating 600-800 calories a day. since I started using this app and a friend kept telling me to eat more I realized I should be eating more. so for the last 3 weeks i have been eating 1200-1500 calories and am stuck at 240 still. I have been more active trying to boost my metabolism but still stuck at 240. My wife and I are going to Cancun in Dec for our 30th anniversary I really want to be at my goal of 199 by then but short of going back to 500-600 calories a day i don't know what to do. I am a very impatient person so this is very frustrating for me. It only makes sense that if you eat less you will weigh less. I know that metabolism comes into play but eventually my body should start to loose weight again. Is my thinking totally absurd or can you all understand how this makes sense to me?
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Yes, I measure everything I eat.
There is a difference between measuring everything you eat and weighing on a scale everything you eat. It doesn't actually matter that much right now, but it will in the future when you have less to lose and your progress will be even more slow than it is today.
From food waste in your system to glycogen replenishment you gained back a few "borrowed" lbs you had never lost in the first place. HOWEVER, you did not gain any FAT by increasing your calories to 1000 Cal a day, and at the end of the day I hope and trust that what you're interested in losing is FAT.
As everyone has said weight fluctuates, fat changes are slower, a trending weight app is your friend. In addition to happy scale and libra already mentioned, you can use trendweight.com integrated with a freely available without a device fitbit.com account or you could also use weightgrapher.com
Anyone starting with a lot of weight to lose has a long path ahead of them and a long period of maintenance to look forward to.
I believe that the period of weight loss is an excellent time to develop habits, learn trick, and make choices that will help both then and in the long period of maintenance that is ahead.
Losing faster = less time to learn. Instead of white knuckling a quick weight loss in a few months... actually enjoy the next two years or so. You don't *have* to be miserable to reach your goals and giving your mind the chance to keep up with the changes in your body is never a bad thing!9 -
Yes, I measure everything I eat.
There is a difference between measuring everything you eat and weighing on a scale everything you eat. It doesn't actually matter that much right now, but it will in the future when you have less to lose and your progress will be even more slow than it is today.
This. The reason I asked if you are weighing on a food scale in grams vs. using cups and spoons is that cups and spoons are not accurate for solids and you may be eating more than the 1,000 calories you think you are.
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I am fighting the same battle you are. I started at 280 lost 40 by eating 600-800 calories a day. since I started using this app and a friend kept telling me to eat more I realized I should be eating more. so for the last 3 weeks i have been eating 1200-1500 calories and am stuck at 240 still. I have been more active trying to boost my metabolism but still stuck at 240. My wife and I are going to Cancun in Dec for our 30th anniversary I really want to be at my goal of 199 by then but short of going back to 500-600 calories a day i don't know what to do. I am a very impatient person so this is very frustrating for me. It only makes sense that if you eat less you will weigh less. I know that metabolism comes into play but eventually my body should start to loose weight again. Is my thinking totally absurd or can you all understand how this makes sense to me?
Exactly!!!! People say that I'm eating to little and that's why I'm gaining weight. That sounds so off!! I though the less you eat, the more you lose, not vice-versa. I'm at a complete loss. I think I might try to reduce my calorie intake. Good Luck!!1 -
I am fighting the same battle you are. I started at 280 lost 40 by eating 600-800 calories a day. since I started using this app and a friend kept telling me to eat more I realized I should be eating more. so for the last 3 weeks i have been eating 1200-1500 calories and am stuck at 240 still. I have been more active trying to boost my metabolism but still stuck at 240. My wife and I are going to Cancun in Dec for our 30th anniversary I really want to be at my goal of 199 by then but short of going back to 500-600 calories a day i don't know what to do. I am a very impatient person so this is very frustrating for me. It only makes sense that if you eat less you will weigh less. I know that metabolism comes into play but eventually my body should start to loose weight again. Is my thinking totally absurd or can you all understand how this makes sense to me?
Exactly!!!! People say that I'm eating to little and that's why I'm gaining weight. That sounds so off!! I though the less you eat, the more you lose, not vice-versa. I'm at a complete loss. I think I might try to reduce my calorie intake. Good Luck!!
you aren't losing because you are eating too much - not too little.5 -
The situation where you end up reducing your non-exercise activity and having less effective exercise sessions and or injuries because you're under eating can lead to a cycle of reduced weight loss by eating less.
Increasing food and activity can in that situation lead to better weight loss results0 -
I am fighting the same battle you are. I started at 280 lost 40 by eating 600-800 calories a day. since I started using this app and a friend kept telling me to eat more I realized I should be eating more. so for the last 3 weeks i have been eating 1200-1500 calories and am stuck at 240 still. I have been more active trying to boost my metabolism but still stuck at 240. My wife and I are going to Cancun in Dec for our 30th anniversary I really want to be at my goal of 199 by then but short of going back to 500-600 calories a day i don't know what to do. I am a very impatient person so this is very frustrating for me. It only makes sense that if you eat less you will weigh less. I know that metabolism comes into play but eventually my body should start to loose weight again. Is my thinking totally absurd or can you all understand how this makes sense to me?
Exactly!!!! People say that I'm eating to little and that's why I'm gaining weight. That sounds so off!! I though the less you eat, the more you lose, not vice-versa. I'm at a complete loss. I think I might try to reduce my calorie intake. Good Luck!!
You literally just had several people give you great explanations and reasons for 1) why not to panic at a seeming stall and 2) why eating too few calories is bad and you immediately respond that you "might try to reduce" your calories even more.
If you're planning on disregarding advice, why ask for it?3 -
I'm not "disregarding advice" I'm simply saying that I have a hard time believing what they're saying.
I'm at a complete loss! I gained more weight after adding 200 calories yesterday......1 -
Are you weighing every solid, logging everything you consume and using correct entries? Also don't weigh every day and if you do then use a trend app like Happyscale or Libra. Many factors go into scale weight (diet, sodium, water, bathroom habits, time of month, exercise).1
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Weighing day to day is useful for noticing normal fluctuations and overall trends. What it is NOT useful for is determining fat loss. You may have gained "weight" in the form of water retention, food in your system, etc., but 200 calories on one day DID NOT MAKE YOU GAIN FAT. That will literally never happen. If you want to lose fat, you have to have patience. I say this in the most gentle way possible.
You say that you are at a loss; many people find themselves feeling the same way because the diet industry has been convincing us our entire lives that if we do X formula or eat Y superfood or adopt Z habit, we will lose and that it the only way to lose. That isn't true.
On the other hand, the people who've chimed in up-thread have been there/done that/ seen others be successful as well as themselves for a long time. I know that it is counter to what you think you need to do, but please consider that they know what they're talking about. What harm is it to give it a few weeks and try a new approach? If it helps you, make a pact NOT to weigh every day. Eat at a reasonable amount for your goals (which in your case is more that you have been) for 4-6 weeks. Weigh in the beginning and in the end. When you correctly and accurately measure (with a scale, not cups/spoons) your intake and stick to a reasonable deficit you WILL lose weight.1 -
I'm not "disregarding advice" I'm simply saying that I have a hard time believing what they're saying.
I'm at a complete loss! I gained more weight after adding 200 calories yesterday......
You need to read up on weight fluctuations and why you shouldn't worry about them. There are a couple of pinned posts in the stickies that are great. You cannot make any kind of conclusions from a weigh in on one day after making changes to your diet. Trends over time matter. Single data points do not. You only adjusted your calories a week ago. Trust the process and let your body catch up with the changes you're making.4 -
I'm not "disregarding advice" I'm simply saying that I have a hard time believing what they're saying.
I'm at a complete loss! I gained more weight after adding 200 calories yesterday......
The only way you could have gained fat (not water weight fluctuation) is if that 200 put you way over your daily calories.
The reason you are being asked whether you weigh or measure is because unless you are weighing solids you very likely are eating more than you think, which if that's the case yeah putting yourself 200 higher would put you over your daily needs. Do yourself a favour: start again. Plug in all your stats into MFP, set your loss to 1lb a week, get a food scale and see what happens after a month. Also come to understand your own fluctuations. I can fluctuate between 2-4lbs depending on water weight, and I don't worry about it (although it gets frustrating because it can hide legitimate weight loss). Some people have higher natural fluctuations. You would have to eat quite a bit over your daily calories to gain a pound of actual weight, so learning to tell the difference can put you at ease a little bit.2 -
Obsessing with short-term scale weight-gains brings only pain, and is totally illogical. Think about it. If you gained, say, 3 pounds in a week, did you actually eat close to 10,000 calories above your maintenance that week? From your post, I think not.1
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