I am somehow gaining weight on a calorie deficit..

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  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Eating too much can make you fat. It doesn't matter the time of day.

    That being said, my weekly weigh-in is Sunday morning. I tend to have lighter snacks after supper on Saturday night. But that's because if I drank 2 quarts of water right before weigh-in I'd be up 4lbs; the food in my stomach hasn't been 'processed'/digested yet and its weight will impact the scale. Ditto for weighing before or after using the toilet, weighing while dehydrated, etc. Which would be why other posters have been advising you to look at the trend over time rather than one number on the scale; the number is one data point and doesn't necessarily tell you anything on its own.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    aren't you snacking at all? Fruit? Nuts? Anything else you could be overlooking or forgetting about? What about sodas?? Other drinks?
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    OP, did you ever specify over what time period your scale reading has gone up? If it's just been over the course of a few days, and particularly if you are not being consistent about the time of day/conditions you weigh yourself, this whole discussion is likely unnecessary.
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »
    Oh ok I was thinking how could someone eat the same thing day in day out without sickening themselves of it.

    It is hard to believe your meal could be 1200. What about the shakes - are you mixing them with milk? Adding anything else to them? Do they come in pre measured sachets?

    I get sick of the meals some days but just deal with it. Also, it's a premier protein shake. Nothing added. As it is bottled I drink it. Some days slimfast.
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    When I eat a snack it's usually just a banana which I log. It says it's about 100 calories. I always estimate and put 125 just-in-case. I usually round up. I may log a food and not even finish it but I log the full calories.

    As far as when I started to gain weight..hmm the last couple of days? Sunday-Tuesday. I was 169 Saturday then I gain like 10 pounds according to my digital scale.
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    diannethegeek wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    It's probably been said already (didn't bother reading the entire thread) but, if you are gaining weight, you are NOT in a calorie deficit.

    You just need to accept CICO to understand that and the solution is simply to eat less and/or exercise more.

    So below 1500 (some days just drink 3 shakes and it's about 500 calories) but still not in a calorie deficit? Hmm ok.

    Are you worried about the cortisol from putting so much stress on your body contributing to higher water weight fluctuations? 500 calories some days combined with guilt over reaching 1500 calories is a big red flag.

    cortisol? The steroid? Sorry not understanding this post much. I somedays just don't feel like eating is all. Or by the time I am really hungry the day has gone by and it's already like 11pm and don't want to eat and sleep for fear of gaining.

    So by now we've talked a lot about weight fluctuations. They're annoying. They stress a lot of people out. But they're something your body is going to do for life, so we have to get used to them.

    A lot of different things cause weight fluctuations like this, but most of them are because your body holds different amounts of water under different conditions. Weighing at different times of the day, increasing your exercise or activity, dehydration, different amounts of sodium, how well you sleep, all of these things cause that number on the scale to jump up and down from day to day.

    When you stress your body out -- say by eating very low calories -- your body produces cortisol. Cortisol can increase the amount of water your body is holding onto at any given time, which in turn makes the scale weight go up a bit. If you're worried about the fluctuations, and it sounds like you are, then stressing your body out by eating too little is going to make them worse. 1500 is the minimum for guys for a reason, so try to eat enough every day for your own health and your peace of mind.

    Man do I hate the body sometimes lol..didn't know now that would cause water retention. The more I know the more stressful it seems. I just wanted to eat less and lose weight. Maybe at 165 I will just start strength exercising and let the stress go.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    If you haven't yet, definitely also check out the stickied "Most Helpful Posts (must reads)" at the top of the Getting Started and General Health Fitness and Weight Loss boards. They cover a lot of this stuff and are full of other really good info.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

    and

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-health-fitness-and-diet-must-reads#latest
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    try2again wrote: »
    OP, did you ever specify over what time period your scale reading has gone up? If it's just been over the course of a few days, and particularly if you are not being consistent about the time of day/conditions you weigh yourself, this whole discussion is likely unnecessary.

    Always weigh in the morning. Usually, use the bathroom before weighing (It's my way of cheating) lol.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    awesometin wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    OP, did you ever specify over what time period your scale reading has gone up? If it's just been over the course of a few days, and particularly if you are not being consistent about the time of day/conditions you weigh yourself, this whole discussion is likely unnecessary.

    Always weigh in the morning. Usually, use the bathroom before weighing (It's my way of cheating) lol.

    And exactly how many days has it been since you started "gaining"?
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    try2again wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    OP, did you ever specify over what time period your scale reading has gone up? If it's just been over the course of a few days, and particularly if you are not being consistent about the time of day/conditions you weigh yourself, this whole discussion is likely unnecessary.

    Always weigh in the morning. Usually, use the bathroom before weighing (It's my way of cheating) lol.

    And exactly how many days has it been since you started "gaining"?

    3 days. Saturday weighed in at 169. Sunday-Tuesday I went up to 175-181
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    try2again wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    OP, did you ever specify over what time period your scale reading has gone up? If it's just been over the course of a few days, and particularly if you are not being consistent about the time of day/conditions you weigh yourself, this whole discussion is likely unnecessary.

    Always weigh in the morning. Usually, use the bathroom before weighing (It's my way of cheating) lol.

    And exactly how many days has it been since you started "gaining"?

    3 days. Saturday weighed in at 169. Sunday-Tuesday I went up to 175-181

    Ah, yes. And you know that it is almost completely impossible to have gained 12 lbs of fat in 3 days, right? So can we just say, let's see what the rest of the week holds? ;)

    Do get that food scale, though. As has been said, more data is a good thing and as you get smaller, so does your margin for error.

    Will do for sure! Thanks again everyone! I would have assumed that many pounds would be some severe binge eating but maybe the weight at 169 wasn't accurate? Ahh I just stressed myself. I am stopping now lol. Going to continue the track I am in and see in a couple weeks where I am at. Thanks again all for taking the time to explain all this.
  • Dee_D33
    Dee_D33 Posts: 106 Member
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    awesometin wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    It's probably been said already (didn't bother reading the entire thread) but, if you are gaining weight, you are NOT in a calorie deficit.

    You just need to accept CICO to understand that and the solution is simply to eat less and/or exercise more.

    So below 1500 (some days just drink 3 shakes and it's about 500 calories) but still not in a calorie deficit? Hmm ok.

    “Some days” and if you go over on other days because you’re not weighing your food and therefore not properly measuring your intake then you could very well be in a calorie surplus at the end of the week. The fact of the matter is that is is physiologically impossible to gain weight in a deficit.

  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    awesometin wrote: »
    Wow so much information here and at work so excuse the delays.

    As far as the chicken question..it's just boiled. I went boring lol. Boiled and nothing else added. From the water, it is shredded and served. I sometimes put pico on it (1 teaspoon) just for flavor but that is it.

    I am a nazi when it comes to logging..(can I say that???). I have logged eating just two chips from a bag of chips. It's not the logging. I understand how important logging is.
    8 oz grilled chicken ~374 calories
    1/2 cup boiled long grain white rice ~100 calories
    1 cup canned black beans ~227 calories
    That's a total dinner of just about 700 calories, which is not bad.

    I never said grilled, it's boiled.
    I don't do a cup of black beans. I do half a cup.

    I measure after it is cooked.


    I do not eat back my calories from exercise. Usually scared to. At the end of every night, I put on a weight vest and play this boxing VR game and usually sweat a good bit, drink water and watch some tv before going to bed.

    Maybe I just need to wait it out. I know I can't be overeating. I am living off shakes lol.

    Take a step back and think about where you were before in terms of habits. Take a look at where you are now and where you want to be, but in terms of the habits and behaviors that will lead you to your goals. This is a life long process, which you will go overly strict and loosen up over the course of time. What is critical that you remain consistent and only attempt to change habits that are sustainable. Take baby steps and dissect large goals into smaller more achievable benchmark goals.

    If you miss a desired weight goal, take a moment and review your logging. Take a long look at recent behavior and be brutally honest with yourself. If still stumped have a trusted friend review, but ensure they know what does and does not impact weight management and not simply spout diet industry woo.

    Most of all be patient. Sounds like you're doing everything right. What's the hurry?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,926 Member
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    awesometin wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    It's probably been said already (didn't bother reading the entire thread) but, if you are gaining weight, you are NOT in a calorie deficit.

    You just need to accept CICO to understand that and the solution is simply to eat less and/or exercise more.

    So below 1500 (some days just drink 3 shakes and it's about 500 calories) but still not in a calorie deficit? Hmm ok.

    Often when people are measuring rather than weighing their food they think they are in a calorie deficit when they are not, and then they get a food scale and realize they've been eating more than they thought.

    When you get your food scale, do weigh those shakes for a while to see if what the label says you are getting is what you are actually getting.
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    Dee_D33 wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    It's probably been said already (didn't bother reading the entire thread) but, if you are gaining weight, you are NOT in a calorie deficit.

    You just need to accept CICO to understand that and the solution is simply to eat less and/or exercise more.

    So below 1500 (some days just drink 3 shakes and it's about 500 calories) but still not in a calorie deficit? Hmm ok.

    “Some days” and if you go over on other days because you’re not weighing your food and therefore not properly measuring your intake then you could very well be in a calorie surplus at the end of the week. The fact of the matter is that is is physiologically impossible to gain weight in a deficit.

    By 'some days' I was referring to somedays I only do about 500 calories. Not that I go over. I make sure I don't. But okay I guess since I am not weighing my food and the nutrition value on it I guess is also incorrect so my shakes aren't 100 and 160 (I switch between two premade ones) ? I appreciate the added input but I think you're just suggesting here that I am going well over my calorie limit set by the app just because I didn't weigh my one constant meal for dinner. I doubt the last meal like others saw in this thread, chicken (boiled) rice and black beans (sometimes I don't add black beans) is over 1240 calories when I at-least measure it by cup sizes with a measuring cup. I can be a little over or under but not over 1000 off.

    Sorry if I found annoyed there. Maybe I just jumped the gun too earlier on the weight gain because I somehow added 12 pounds in 3 days which sounds difficult to do with what I am eating..
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,926 Member
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    awesometin wrote: »
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    It's probably been said already (didn't bother reading the entire thread) but, if you are gaining weight, you are NOT in a calorie deficit.

    You just need to accept CICO to understand that and the solution is simply to eat less and/or exercise more.

    So below 1500 (some days just drink 3 shakes and it's about 500 calories) but still not in a calorie deficit? Hmm ok.

    Are you worried about the cortisol from putting so much stress on your body contributing to higher water weight fluctuations? 500 calories some days combined with guilt over reaching 1500 calories is a big red flag.

    cortisol? The steroid? Sorry not understanding this post much. I somedays just don't feel like eating is all. Or by the time I am really hungry the day has gone by and it's already like 11pm and don't want to eat and sleep for fear of gaining.

    Our bodies release cortisol when we are stressed. Cortisol can cause us to retain water, and the scale go up.
  • awesometin
    awesometin Posts: 34 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    awesometin wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    It's probably been said already (didn't bother reading the entire thread) but, if you are gaining weight, you are NOT in a calorie deficit.

    You just need to accept CICO to understand that and the solution is simply to eat less and/or exercise more.

    So below 1500 (some days just drink 3 shakes and it's about 500 calories) but still not in a calorie deficit? Hmm ok.

    Often when people are measuring rather than weighing their food they think they are in a calorie deficit when they are not, and then they get a food scale and realize they've been eating more than they thought.

    When you get your food scale, do weigh those shakes for a while to see if what the label says you are getting is what you are actually getting.

    I think we can close the thread for the time being. I understand that multiple people brought up getting a food scale. I will for the one constant meal I usually have. I doubt I am going over 1540 but everyone seems to insist I am based off two small shakes and one chicken meal.

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