I am somehow gaining weight on a calorie deficit..

awesometin
awesometin Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My stats:

Male,5'4(Yeah I am short lol). I started my diet weighing 188. I am now 175-180. But there is the problem.

I have a calorie limit of 1540 a day. I hardly ever hit it. I drink a shake in the morning (Protein) and one for lunch. Eat chicken, rice, black beans for dinner.

I was losing weight rapidly (Who knows maybe just water weight) but now? I don't even like weighing my self. One day I was at 169..next day 175 then 181. I am losing motivation here..I am not exercising much (I only play knockout league on the PlayStation virtual reality).

What is going on? It's depressing to somehow while hardly eating much gain 10 pounds and I am drinking plenty of water. My digital scale seems to say I weigh much more than my analog one does. Analog says 175 most days while the digital just *kitten* on my day lol. usually 6-7 pounds heavily there.

My gf (of course) says I looks thinner but not seeing it. Scales don't lie.
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Replies

  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks for the additional information. Am I eating the right amount then? Some articles I read suggest that eating less simply doesn't work but it did for a while for me. I doubt my body is going into starvation mode as some people suggest in articles.
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member

    1. Are you weighing everything you eat?
    2. How long have you been at this?
    3.Just pick one scale and use/trust it.


    1. Yes. I usually like shakes for this reason because I use the scanner. But even for rice and chicken, I measure it. There is no way I am somehow mismeasuring what I eat by about 800 calories if by the time it is lunch time I have only consumed about 300 for the day. Half a cup of rice usually, 8oz chicken, one serving size of black beans.

    2. Started April 24, 2018 till now.

    3. I should try that I guess. I started with analog. GF suggested a digital but that one just depressed me lol
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    Thanks for the additional information. Am I eating the right amount then? Some articles I read suggest that eating less simply doesn't work but it did for a while for me. I doubt my body is going into starvation mode as some people suggest in articles.

    Which articles are you reading? Are they properly sourced and based upon sound scientific rationale?

    Good that you doubt this as starvation mode does not exist.

    You need to use one scale. This doesn't need to be accurate, but it does need to be precise to identify trends.

    My water weight fluctuates ~5 lbs throughout the day based on hydration. Everyone's does for the most part, but they aren't aware of it.

    Honestly, I just Google the topic and find articles of it. Some have been on the body lifting forum which most of the time seems like nothing but trolls. Still, I read an article from a professor supposedly saying if it was that easy to lose weight he would not have a job (Eating less then you burn).

  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »

    1. Are you weighing everything you eat?
    2. How long have you been at this?
    3.Just pick one scale and use/trust it.


    1. Yes. I usually like shakes for this reason because I use the scanner. But even for rice and chicken, I measure it. There is no way I am somehow mismeasuring what I eat by about 800 calories if by the time it is lunch time I have only consumed about 300 for the day. Half a cup of rice usually, 8oz chicken, one serving size of black beans.

    So NO, you're not weighing anything.

    3. Started April 24, 2018 till now.

    And it's been less than 1 month.

    Trust the process, give the process time to work.
    3. I should try that I guess. I started with analog. GF suggested a digital but that one just depressed me lol

    The number doesn't matter, the trend matters. As long as the scale is consistently showing the same reading from measurement to measurement then just pick one and go.

    OTOH, if you step on 3 times and get 3 different numbers that are more than about 1% different, then you've got a scale problem.

    Okay please elaborate then on weighing food. I am measuring it so I make sure I am not overeating. What else should I be doing? I know it's well over my calorie salary for the day. I hardly even eat up to it unless weekends.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    AliceDark wrote: »
    Also, does your scale "live" in one stationary place on a hard/flat surface, or do you need to bring it out to use it? Moving it every time or using a scale that is not on a hard/flat surface introduces inaccuracy.

    Fluctuations are normal, but seeing 11-pound fluctuations is less normal -- it suggests you have introduced some kind of user error into the process.

    I've gone up by 10 or so pounds over a weekend with Friday pizza (moderate amount) and Saturday Sushi. Ate at roughly maintenance that weekend, but an overall 5000 calorie deficit total for that week. "Gained" 10 pounds. "Lost" 12 pounds later that next week.

    Wasn't necessarily a normal weekend, but certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Add in a new exercise program and retain a little more...
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks everyone for the input! Now to answer some of the questions but without quoting.

    My scale is just in the bathroom with hardwood floors.

    Thanks for the link to food scales. But it sounds like your suggesting I am taking in much more calories than I am. Let's say I am. I have two shakes throughout the week daily. Breakfast and lunch. 150 each. That is 300 calories. I know this because it's on the label and barcode scanner. My daily allowed intake is 1540 now.

    So..my last meal of the day is somehow over 1240 calories? Did I miscalculate that much by not weighing?

    Cooked rice only half a cup. Chicken about 8 ounces and really the only thing that sorta gets eyed but it's barely any chicken. It's depressing how little really. and measure in a cup black beans.

    I just don't see how I am going over because I didn't weigh the same meal every day.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    awesometin wrote: »
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    Thanks for the additional information. Am I eating the right amount then? Some articles I read suggest that eating less simply doesn't work but it did for a while for me. I doubt my body is going into starvation mode as some people suggest in articles.

    Which articles are you reading? Are they properly sourced and based upon sound scientific rationale?

    Good that you doubt this as starvation mode does not exist.

    You need to use one scale. This doesn't need to be accurate, but it does need to be precise to identify trends.

    My water weight fluctuates ~5 lbs throughout the day based on hydration. Everyone's does for the most part, but they aren't aware of it.

    Honestly, I just Google the topic and find articles of it. Some have been on the body lifting forum which most of the time seems like nothing but trolls. Still, I read an article from a professor supposedly saying if it was that easy to lose weight he would not have a job (Eating less then you burn).

    ...an article from a professor attempting to protect their occupation?

    The process is simple - eat less and move more. It's the implementation that is difficult. Quite possibly the most difficult challenge a human will ever face - changing their behavior.
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
    edited June 2018
    1. if you have one scale that reads heavier than the other...then that scale likely weighs everything heavier than the other. The scales we have at home are not the more precise instruments that have at a doctor's office, you know? They're just home use, and they're going to be slightly off sometimes. I'd stick with the happier scale. :-)

    2. People eat and drink, on average, about 10 pounds worth of food/drinks every day. People, on average, don't gain or lose 5-10 pounds of their OWN mass every day. So a lot of the fluctuations you'll see if you are weighing every day can be attributed to your food and beverages rather than your own mass, if that makes sense? It's one of the reasons people recommend weighing at the same time - if your body is 'regular' and your habits are regular, you'll weight 'about' the same amount, because your eating and elimination are at about the same state (of digestion and elimination) every day. IF you are regular, that is. If not, that it doesn't help and your weight is still going to have a lot of variation.

    3. One thing that can help with this, if you feel like you need to weigh yourself every day, is to record your weight, and then on day 7, average them for the week. Then use this weekly average to see how you are doing. You'll be more likely to see a downward trend accurately that way.


  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
    ...an article from a professor attempting to protect their occupation?

    The process is simple - eat less and move more. It's the implementation that is difficult. Quite possibly the most difficult challenge a human will ever face - changing their behavior.

    HA! Right?

  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    AliceDark wrote: »
    Also, does your scale "live" in one stationary place on a hard/flat surface, or do you need to bring it out to use it? Moving it every time or using a scale that is not on a hard/flat surface introduces inaccuracy.

    Fluctuations are normal, but seeing 11-pound fluctuations is less normal -- it suggests you have introduced some kind of user error into the process.

    This is important. Hard flat surface that's level and consistent.

    Moving it around is a bit of an issue, but you can deal with that by weighing 2-3 times and using the average of the two closest... not highest, not lowest, closest so if you get 173, 174 and 169. Call it 173.5 If you get 173, 176 and 178, call it 177. As long as you follow a consistent and repeatable process you will get consistent repeatable results(over time) In weight loss, time is measured in 6 week-1 quarter chunks. days and weeks are just data points that can be aggregated over that period to show trends.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    AliceDark wrote: »
    Also, does your scale "live" in one stationary place on a hard/flat surface, or do you need to bring it out to use it? Moving it every time or using a scale that is not on a hard/flat surface introduces inaccuracy.

    Fluctuations are normal, but seeing 11-pound fluctuations is less normal -- it suggests you have introduced some kind of user error into the process.

    This is important. Hard flat surface that's level and consistent.

    Moving it around is a bit of an issue, but you can deal with that by weighing 2-3 times and using the average of the two closest... not highest, not lowest, closest so if you get 173, 174 and 169. Call it 173.5 If you get 173, 176 and 178, call it 177. As long as you follow a consistent and repeatable process you will get consistent repeatable results(over time) In weight loss, time is measured in 6 week-1 quarter chunks. days and weeks are just data points that can be aggregated over that period to show trends.

    Some digital scales have a calibration process when they're moved, too. A lot of people throw away the manual (I do!) and just assume the scale works the way they think it works. The OP doesn't seem to have this issue, but it's worth noting for any lurkers around with the same issue.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I also want to drop these excellent links here in case you want to learn more about scale weight fluctuations:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10196160/scale-stress-syndrome/p1
  • junodog1
    junodog1 Posts: 4,792 Member
    No one has asked what are you drinking?
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    Silentpadna wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    My stats:

    Male,5'4(Yeah I am short lol). I started my diet weighing 188. I am now 175-180. But there is the problem.

    I have a calorie limit of 1540 a day. I hardly ever hit it. I drink a shake in the morning (Protein) and one for lunch. Eat chicken, rice, black beans for dinner.

    I was losing weight rapidly (Who knows maybe just water weight) but now? I don't even like weighing my self. One day I was at 169..next day 175 then 181. I am losing motivation here..I am not exercising much (I only play knockout league on the PlayStation virtual reality).

    What is going on? It's depressing to somehow while hardly eating much gain 10 pounds and I am drinking plenty of water. My digital scale seems to say I weigh much more than my analog one does. Analog says 175 most days while the digital just *kitten* on my day lol. usually 6-7 pounds heavily there.

    My gf (of course) says I looks thinner but not seeing it. Scales don't lie.

    1. Are you weighing everything you eat?
    2. How long have you been at this?
    3.Just pick one scale and use/trust it.

    This...... also weigh at the same time everyday in the same cloths, after using restroom.

    I know I am alone in this room on this issue, but........none of that matters. Weight loss occurs over weeks/months -- not days. Time of day, whether your bladder is full or not, how slow/fast your digestive track moves (and it changes) is not significant over the trend. There are too many variables and no such thing as the "same conditions". It's not worth worrying about.

    The trend doesn't lie. The scale does. The real answer here is fluctuations. You've always had them. You always will. You can't control them or predict them. Your fat loss may be close to linear. Your fluctuations will never be. That's why you need time. Plenty of it to see the data under the noise.

    Bottom line to the OP: you cannot gain fat on a deficit. It's not possible. You can, however, gain weight through fluid fluctuations, food in your digestive tract, etc. Those fluctuations can be more than twice your weekly deficit in a single day.

    Don't freak out. If you're in a deficit, you will lose fat. It is impossible not to.

    First off, you are not alone. If I did not trend i would be crazy. Second, moving more and eating less goes against human nature. It is hard. We have to make ourselves do things.

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