Exercising, tracking - still gaining weight?
GrowlingLucifer58
Posts: 21 Member
Hi there,
Firstly, apologies for a subject matter that is probably SO over-talked about in here; though this post might be slightly different than the usual.
I've been tracking what I eat and exercising daily (usually a 20 min run / over an hour's walk, plus 10-15 mins strength training in the morning) - usually I eat between 1,400 - 1,600 cal per day, which was what was recommended for slow weight loss. Sometimes more to 'eat back' the calories burnt, but never going over the recommended total, apart from very rare blow-outs!
However, in the last three months I've gained nearly half a stone. To be honest, I'm not sure whether to be concerned or not - it seems strange to gain so much when I've been eating sensibly (loads of veg, protein, healthy fat, not much carbohydrate) and exercising.
I tried to step away from the scales and not get obsessive, and just took a few measurements to see if there were any major changes. There doesn't seem to be, but I 'feel' bigger, and my jeans seem to be fitting me differently, tighter in places.
I'd love to hear if anyone else has experienced similar at all. I'm 36 and worried this might be a hormonal thing (in combination with the hot flushes, insomnia, headaches, low moods etc. that docs insist isn't pre-menopausal...hmm!). I'm presuming half a stone muscle gain simply isn't an option, given the level of exercise I'm doing!
Many thanks.
Firstly, apologies for a subject matter that is probably SO over-talked about in here; though this post might be slightly different than the usual.
I've been tracking what I eat and exercising daily (usually a 20 min run / over an hour's walk, plus 10-15 mins strength training in the morning) - usually I eat between 1,400 - 1,600 cal per day, which was what was recommended for slow weight loss. Sometimes more to 'eat back' the calories burnt, but never going over the recommended total, apart from very rare blow-outs!
However, in the last three months I've gained nearly half a stone. To be honest, I'm not sure whether to be concerned or not - it seems strange to gain so much when I've been eating sensibly (loads of veg, protein, healthy fat, not much carbohydrate) and exercising.
I tried to step away from the scales and not get obsessive, and just took a few measurements to see if there were any major changes. There doesn't seem to be, but I 'feel' bigger, and my jeans seem to be fitting me differently, tighter in places.
I'd love to hear if anyone else has experienced similar at all. I'm 36 and worried this might be a hormonal thing (in combination with the hot flushes, insomnia, headaches, low moods etc. that docs insist isn't pre-menopausal...hmm!). I'm presuming half a stone muscle gain simply isn't an option, given the level of exercise I'm doing!
Many thanks.
1
Replies
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Hey, we've all been there. So first of all calm down. Can you give up a bit more information? How tall and heavy are you at the moment and what's your goal weight?
Would you like to share your diary for us to look if some of your logging is off?
Are you using a food scale in grams to log your food?
And finally, how many calories do you get for your workouts?6 -
The only thing different, is your username. You're eating more than you think. Use a food scale, valid (validated by yourself) food entries, don't eat back (more than 50% of) your exercise calories, don't cheat, don't be afraid of weighing yourself, keep at it, but don't exect to see weightloss on a weekly basis. If your jeans fit differently, it means your body composition is changing, and that can be a good thing. Don't let focus on eating sensibly take away focus on not eating too much or prevent you from eating food you like.11
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I've been using the app on my phone and logged into a different account - annoyingly I've forgotten the login for the new one - this old one was the only one I could remember! I'm certainly not overweight - I'm 5ft 6 and 127lb (about 120-122 in June!); my main reason for concern was the fairly speedy weight gain for no obvious reason. If it's healthy, normal weight gain I can take it on the chin... but anything else is a bit concerning!
I use a food scale for things like rice and pasta which I suck at estimating; veg, not so much, as the calorie intake tends to be minimal. As for calories, it varies depending on what I've done in the day. I don't tend to enter my strength training in the morning as it's only 10-15 mins and I'm not breaking a sweat.1 -
without being able to see your diary and if you are logging correctly, all any of us can say is ' you are likely eating more than you think you are'2
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GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »I've been using the app on my phone and logged into a different account - annoyingly I've forgotten the login for the new one - this old one was the only one I could remember! I'm certainly not overweight - I'm 5ft 6 and 127lb (about 120-122 in June!); my main reason for concern was the fairly speedy weight gain for no obvious reason. If it's healthy, normal weight gain I can take it on the chin... but anything else is a bit concerning!
I use a food scale for things like rice and pasta which I suck at estimating; veg, not so much, as the calorie intake tends to be minimal. As for calories, it varies depending on what I've done in the day. I don't tend to enter my strength training in the morning as it's only 10-15 mins and I'm not breaking a sweat.
That poster mentioned the only different thing being the username as in "your situation is actually not slightly different than the usual" since you stated such in your initial post.. If you've gained half a stone within three months you're eating more than you think. Only weighing some things definitely isn't working in your favor. I'm also curious if you're weighing rice and pasta cooked or uncooked. Since you're aiming for slow weight loss, small errors can easily add up and wipe out your deficit. Since you're not overweight and just trying to lose vanity pounds, your logging has to be spot on. Also, depending on the time of the month, you could fluctuate up to five pounds during ovulation and/or menstruation. However, I do have to note that ~117 pounds is the lower end of a healthy BMI for your height and you started out being 120-122 pounds, so what exactly was your goal? If you're just unhappy with your current body composition, you should focus on more strength training and eating at maintenance.5 -
It was more the fairly rapid weight gain than anything else. Call it confusion and slight concern rather than unhappiness with body composition! It just seemed bizarre to be eating sensibly and exercising while putting on weight at a fairly steep incline. I suppose what I was trying to find out is if it was a hormonal / age thing - or if it was something to do with the exercise etc. If not 'normal' then wanted to find out if it was something to be concerned about. As mentioned before, I'm aware I'm not overweight and I'm not concerned about the number on the scale - more the fact it's going up so regularly
As for weighing food, I've been doing cooked - is that right? 0 -
Half a stone is not really a lot to be honest. That's 7lbs (had to look it up), and over three months that just over 2lbs per month. At 3500kcal per lbs weight gain, that's overeating by about 250kcal per day. This is easily possible with just not tracking properly.
Hormonal weight gain as such doesn't really exist. You can get more hungry if your hormones are out of whack, but that's again due to eating too much. Some health problems manifest with an increased water weight. That's not fat gain, but water. Thyroid problems might be responsible among other things. And if you don't feel well you might move less, again resulting in a slightly lower calorie expenditure. But your body doesn't store food it needs as fat if you're not healthy. In the end, storing food as fat would mean the body doesn't get the energy it needs to survive or heal itself. Doesn't make sense, does it?8 -
Thanks for the answer - I'm pretty sure I'm tracking properly, but totally appreciate it's impossible for others to check when I'm signed in from my old account. And I'm definitely more active than I was. It's a bit mysterious. Is hormonal weight gain definitely not a thing? I've read a few articles about women eating less but still putting on weight cos of metabolism or something. Not that it's necessarily accurate, I know there's a lot of rubbish on the internet! I did wonder about water weight at first - I can feel some muscle definition under my skin, but it is concealed by a layer of quivery flesh that doesn't seem like fat (I have that elsewhere, lol). Presumably by three months the water weight would have settled though! Ah well - it looks like it will remain a mystery for now...5
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I suggest using a food scale for everything. What about condiments and cooking oil? Drinks with calories, sugar or milk in coffee and tea? Prepackaged food is often a lot heavier than the weight on the package. I often find pizzas at Aldi UK to be off by nearly 20%. If one pizza has 750kcal, then it reality it has about 150kcal more.3
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If you're super concerned and want to lose the 7lbs, then just use the food scale for everything for a while to make sure you're measuring and logging your intake correctly. It's not a mystery--you're eating more than you think.3
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If you're confident that you're logging correctly, then maybe it IS something else. I had the exact same problem. However...I had undiagnosed hypothyroidism. After getting on medicine, I've been able to finally lose weight. I think it's unlikely that it's your problem but you can get tested pretty easily to be sure. Taking a daily pill for hypothyroidism was no magic cure. I still had to work my *kitten* off to lose the weight I'd gained and work hard to keep it off. My hair doesn't grow well anymore. I'm stuck taking a pill for the rest of my life. It sucks.
I really hope it's more of a simple problem. Try doubling down on your efforts to log every. little. thing.
Good luck!! You got this!!1 -
GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »
I use a food scale for things like rice and pasta which I suck at estimating; veg, not so much, as the calorie intake tends to be minimal.GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »It just seemed bizarre to be eating sensibly and exercising while putting on weight
Eating sensibly and tracking calorie intake are two different things. Weigh your veg before you cook it, and log it all.8 -
GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »Thanks for the answer - I'm pretty sure I'm tracking properly, but totally appreciate it's impossible for others to check when I'm signed in from my old account. And I'm definitely more active than I was. It's a bit mysterious. Is hormonal weight gain definitely not a thing? I've read a few articles about women eating less but still putting on weight cos of metabolism or something. Not that it's necessarily accurate, I know there's a lot of rubbish on the internet! I did wonder about water weight at first - I can feel some muscle definition under my skin, but it is concealed by a layer of quivery flesh that doesn't seem like fat (I have that elsewhere, lol). Presumably by three months the water weight would have settled though! Ah well - it looks like it will remain a mystery for now...
The only weight gain associated with hormones is water weight, which is quite normal and your bodies defense mechanism against change.
Your metabolic rate is a result of your height and weight - particularly lean body mass. Hormones have an influence on REE/BMR of ~5% in extreme situations, but that's 80 kcals/day out of a 1600 kcal/day caloric budget.
There's no mystery. If you are in caloric deficit you lose weight. If at maintenance you maintain weight. If in caloric surplus you gain weight.6 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »
I use a food scale for things like rice and pasta which I suck at estimating; veg, not so much, as the calorie intake tends to be minimal.GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »It just seemed bizarre to be eating sensibly and exercising while putting on weight
Eating sensibly and tracking calorie intake are two different things. Weigh your veg before you cook it, and log it all.
Not all veggies are that low in calories especially the starchy ones and could add up in errors especially if you are eating close or back all your calories you might be going over in a lot of days. Sweet potato, avocados definitely can create big errors. Not sure if you weigh fruit, but that can hard to eyeball too.
Lastly I would suggest double checking the entries you use for tracking your veggies to make sure they are accurate, unless you have done this already. Strawberries and radishes are the most frequent wrong entries that pop up for me.6 -
GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »Hi there,
Firstly, apologies for a subject matter that is probably SO over-talked about in here; though this post might be slightly different than the usual.
I've been tracking what I eat and exercising daily (usually a 20 min run / over an hour's walk, plus 10-15 mins strength training in the morning) - usually I eat between 1,400 - 1,600 cal per day, which was what was recommended for slow weight loss. Sometimes more to 'eat back' the calories burnt, but never going over the recommended total, apart from very rare blow-outs!
However, in the last three months I've gained nearly half a stone. To be honest, I'm not sure whether to be concerned or not - it seems strange to gain so much when I've been eating sensibly (loads of veg, protein, healthy fat, not much carbohydrate) and exercising.
I tried to step away from the scales and not get obsessive, and just took a few measurements to see if there were any major changes. There doesn't seem to be, but I 'feel' bigger, and my jeans seem to be fitting me differently, tighter in places.
I'd love to hear if anyone else has experienced similar at all. I'm 36 and worried this might be a hormonal thing (in combination with the hot flushes, insomnia, headaches, low moods etc. that docs insist isn't pre-menopausal...hmm!). I'm presuming half a stone muscle gain simply isn't an option, given the level of exercise I'm doing!
Many thanks.
While you certainly could be pre-menopausal early (what did your doctor do to rule this out?) that's not going to cause weight gain. Women gain weight around menopause because they are less active but eating the same or some combination of CI > CO.
Several times in my life doctors have told me symptoms were age related and it turned out to have absolutely nothing to do with my age. Once it was because my office building had toxic mold. I got another doctor and another job.2 -
GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »Thanks for the answer - I'm pretty sure I'm tracking properly, but totally appreciate it's impossible for others to check when I'm signed in from my old account. And I'm definitely more active than I was. It's a bit mysterious. Is hormonal weight gain definitely not a thing? I've read a few articles about women eating less but still putting on weight cos of metabolism or something. Not that it's necessarily accurate, I know there's a lot of rubbish on the internet! I did wonder about water weight at first - I can feel some muscle definition under my skin, but it is concealed by a layer of quivery flesh that doesn't seem like fat (I have that elsewhere, lol). Presumably by three months the water weight would have settled though! Ah well - it looks like it will remain a mystery for now...
There's not really any mystery...if you've gained 7 Lbs over the course of about 3 months, you are eating in a small surplus of about 250 calories per day on average. That's not much and well within the realm of inherent errors in calorie counting.
One can eat sensibly and healthfully and exercise regularly and still gain weight. You gain weight when you consume calories in excess of what you need to maintain.
The only hormonal issue I could see is menopause or a thyroid condition that would lower your CO and thus decrease your calorie requirements. Either way, it comes down to taking in more calories than you need to maintain.10 -
You are at the lower end of the healthy BMI at 127. At 120, you would be considered on the verge of underweight. BMI isn't the everything but it is a reasonable data point. Why do you want to lose weight?4
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Thank you everyone for the insightful replies. I will readdress my calorie counting, but I'm struggling to see where it could be inaccurate; most veg I consume is green and / or leafy; I don't often have things like avocado or sweet potato. However, I'll be a bit more vigilant for a while, see if it stops the rapid gain. mmapags - its not so much a case of wanting to lose weight, more trying to figure out why I've suddenly started putting it on. 127lb is fine with me, but I don't much fancy the idea of the trend continuing for years, as I'd be quite a bit heavier in not too much time at all.4
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GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »Thank you everyone for the insightful replies. I will readdress my calorie counting, but I'm struggling to see where it could be inaccurate; most veg I consume is green and / or leafy; I don't often have things like avocado or sweet potato. However, I'll be a bit more vigilant for a while, see if it stops the rapid gain. mmapags - its not so much a case of wanting to lose weight, more trying to figure out why I've suddenly started putting it on. 127lb is fine with me, but I don't much fancy the idea of the trend continuing for years, as I'd be quite a bit heavier in not too much time at all.
Gotcha. That makes sense.4 -
I can gain 5 lbs overnight (water weight) from overindulgence in salty or alcoholic beverages. After a day or two it goes down. If you don’t weigh regularly you may have not gained 7 lbs. I know some people don’t weigh daily but I do so I know while some days I may be up a pound or 5 on the scale that its just a normal fluctuation (fluid, need a good bowel movement, inflammation from heavy lifting).1
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GrowlingLucifer58 wrote: »Thank you everyone for the insightful replies. I will readdress my calorie counting, but I'm struggling to see where it could be inaccurate; most veg I consume is green and / or leafy; I don't often have things like avocado or sweet potato. However, I'll be a bit more vigilant for a while, see if it stops the rapid gain. mmapags - its not so much a case of wanting to lose weight, more trying to figure out why I've suddenly started putting it on. 127lb is fine with me, but I don't much fancy the idea of the trend continuing for years, as I'd be quite a bit heavier in not too much time at all.
One overindulgence a week can wipe out a 250 calorie deficit per day, and if you aren't weighing everything, it is entirely possible to be eating at least 100 calories more per day than you think - that adds up. For you to be as accurate as possible, you have to track everything. I go out on Friday nights to eat with friends. Last week I had broasted chicken and fries - when I tracked it, it was over 2500 calories - had some salads off the salad bar as well.
I am short - about 5' tall. To lose .5 lb a week, my calories are set to 1340. So if I eat 2500, that is 1000 over maintenance. Divided by 250 calorie deficit a day, that wipes out 4 additional days of deficit, and the day that I ate the extra food. And that is IF I actually very accurately tracked everything. So as you can see from the math, it is easy to be over.5
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