Dieting and exercising but gaining weight!!

waterlover543

Hi guys, so i started losing weight in January weighing in at 272lbs, and now im in the 180's and im kinda stuck. So, on October 31st i was 182 and since then i been gaining weight. This morning i weighed in at 185 which is really discouraging. For some reason i get hungrier a lot, my belly growls wanting food way more often than what i have been accustomed to since losing weight. I recently started strength training a long with my cardio routine like using dumbbells for my arms and drinking protien shakes and squats and sit ups with the dumbbells. I dont know if its the toning making me gain weight or the shakes or what.

cwolfman13

If you recently started exercise, you're holding onto water to aid in repair of muscle (this is a good thing and means your body is working the way it's supposed to). Shakes don't make you gain weight (fat)...over consumption of calories results in gaining weight (fat).

oreo_cookies_1992

Weight fluctuates quite easily, especially when you start exercising. If you know that you have been logging accurately and weighing your food and not eating over your calories, then you should be fine. I realize that a couple pounds feels like a lot when you're doing everything right but it's just the way your body works especially when holding onto water!

RoxieDawn

Introducing new exercise is going to having you retaining some additional water weight. Stick with exercise your weight will stabilize. Fluctuations are normal like this, and just remember that you cannot gain FAT unless you eat over your calories to 'maintain your weight'.

LiftHeavyThings27105

@waterlover543 - first off, congrats on the 90lbs gone. That is a very respectable accomplishment.

The thing that first sticks out to me is that you started doing resistance training. Your body is - as both have stated - doing what it is supposed to be doing. And, while that might create a sense of frustration at the moment, this is a very good thing. It will be okay.

The other thing is that you are drinking protein shakes. I am not going to assume anything so I am just going to ask: what is the caloric value of that Protein Shake? Depending on what is in them the caloric value can really surprise you. I will also ask this: whatever the value is, you do account for this, correct?

Also, have you adjusted your caloric needs through out your weight loss journey? I am sure that you have (otherwise, you would not be loosing), but do not like to assume anything.

Also, since you are female - your TOTM will affect things as well. But, again, sure that you are well aware of this.

Have you adjusted your macros lately? Increased carbs, maybe?

ZoneFive

There are quite a few of us in almost the same position as you. Been at this several months and longer; hunger is growing and so are cravings. I don't know all of your circumstances, but you might be in a place where a diet break would be helpful.

There's an interesting discussion of refeeds and diet breaks in this forum. It's a long and meandering read, but there's some good information that might be helpful to you.

Nony_Mouse

ZoneFive wrote: »

There are quite a few of us in almost the same position as you. Been at this several months and longer; hunger is growing and so are cravings. I don't know all of your circumstances, but you might be in a place where a diet break would be helpful.

There's an interesting discussion of refeeds and diet breaks in this forum. It's a long and meandering read, but there's some good information that might be helpful to you.

Agreeing that now might be a good time for a diet break. The thread ZoneFive linked has gotten rather long, but all the immediately pertinent info is in the first several pages, with a handy synopsis on p.6. There is also a link to an article on diet breaks, why and how to do them, but here it is for ease, because that's the important bit for you: https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/. The thread also has accounts from those of us who are incorporating diet breaks into our weight loss plan, so definitely worth a read.

Also agreeing that what you are seeing with the scale weight gain is probably fluid retention from your new exercise.

Love how a couple of people keep wooing any mention of diet breaks/refeeds. That's fine, I'll just be over here enjoying being the leanest I've ever been without having to bang my head against a wall to do it