Gained weight, next steps?
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umbramirror
Posts: 256 Member
Hi all,
I'm not sure if I should post this here, but I have been going through something lately and I would appreciate it if the experts here on the forums could advise me on my potential next steps.
To begin, I'm 5'6", female, 30 years old.
I lost over 100 lbs in the past 2 years, and had been attempting maintenance since June of this year, so for the past 6 months. In the beginning, it seemed to be going rather well but at some point, I started to find myself binging every once in awhile. Eventually, the binging picked up in frequency and I found myself in a binge/restrict cycle. Maintenance became a "game" of restricting and binging - going up and down in weight, 124-129 lbs it seems.
At one point, I started to lose control of the habit and about 2 weeks ago I binged for almost an entire weekend and then continued to overeat for the rest of the week. I also did not exercise at all during this time. I may have gained a solid 10 lbs of fat, but I'm not sure. I did not weigh myself. Since then, I have been trying to keep my calories closer to maintenance but with a slight deficit and decreased the intensity of my training. However, I have obviously gone up in weight. My waist went up an entire inch and I feel as though I have a layer of fat everywhere. My pants are more snug, but my tops seem to fit the same. Before that week, I was at about 19% body fat.
Family members are telling me that I look better now and that I was too thin before but I didn't view myself that way. I know that I should seek help with my body image, but what do you all think my next steps should be? Should I recomp at this weight or attempt a cut perhaps?
Any thoughts are appreciated.
I'm not sure if I should post this here, but I have been going through something lately and I would appreciate it if the experts here on the forums could advise me on my potential next steps.
To begin, I'm 5'6", female, 30 years old.
I lost over 100 lbs in the past 2 years, and had been attempting maintenance since June of this year, so for the past 6 months. In the beginning, it seemed to be going rather well but at some point, I started to find myself binging every once in awhile. Eventually, the binging picked up in frequency and I found myself in a binge/restrict cycle. Maintenance became a "game" of restricting and binging - going up and down in weight, 124-129 lbs it seems.
At one point, I started to lose control of the habit and about 2 weeks ago I binged for almost an entire weekend and then continued to overeat for the rest of the week. I also did not exercise at all during this time. I may have gained a solid 10 lbs of fat, but I'm not sure. I did not weigh myself. Since then, I have been trying to keep my calories closer to maintenance but with a slight deficit and decreased the intensity of my training. However, I have obviously gone up in weight. My waist went up an entire inch and I feel as though I have a layer of fat everywhere. My pants are more snug, but my tops seem to fit the same. Before that week, I was at about 19% body fat.
Family members are telling me that I look better now and that I was too thin before but I didn't view myself that way. I know that I should seek help with my body image, but what do you all think my next steps should be? Should I recomp at this weight or attempt a cut perhaps?
Any thoughts are appreciated.
7
Replies
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I'm no expert, but honestly, it sounds like you need to find a solution to the mental struggle before you worry about the physical one. Why do you find yourself in these binge-restrict cycles? For a lot of folks I know it's a way to deal with stress and so they have to learn to use methods other than eating to deal with stress, or find ways to eliminate the stress from their lives, or some combination of the two since most people can't eliminate all stress from their lives.
And I think most people would say that for a woman 20% is a very healthy body fat percentage. Too far below that and hormone levels start to do crazy things and many women start experiencing amenorrhea. Again, you need to figure out the body image issues before you continue, IMO.9 -
I'm no expert, but honestly, it sounds like you need to find a solution to the mental struggle before you worry about the physical one. Why do you find yourself in these binge-restrict cycles? For a lot of folks I know it's a way to deal with stress and so they have to learn to use methods other than eating to deal with stress, or find ways to eliminate the stress from their lives, or some combination of the two since most people can't eliminate all stress from their lives.
And I think most people would say that for a woman 20% is a very healthy body fat percentage. Too far below that and hormone levels start to do crazy things and many women start experiencing amenorrhea. Again, you need to figure out the body image issues before you continue, IMO.
Thank you for the reply. I actually did experience amenorrhea for a few months and just started getting my period regularly for the past 2 months (which is when the binging started to occur).
You're right about working on the mental/emotional aspect of this and I know this is unhealthy but I find that if I don't get the physical part down, I can't cope with the mental/emotional aspect well. I need to have a steady plan for keeping myself on track, a goal in mind you would say, so that I can progress while also working on what is making the binging happen.
I honestly think that it was a result of undereating and overtraining, which triggered some kind of stress response in my body in combination with hormonal imbalances. I won't deny using food to cope though because I have been significantly stressed, and was feeling this severe emptiness in the the pit of my stomach for a while which eventually started to make me anxious and I almost felt chronically hungry (made worse now by blood sugar issues following binging episodes). I suppose my body simply couldn't take it anymore... either that or I had depleted my willpower from 1 1/2 years of restriction. I'm not sure.7 -
I just would like to know how I should approach this period in my life. Should I simply be attempting maintenance or is there a better approach while I work on figuring out what is going on with me? I don't want to allow this period to cause me to lose all of the progress I have made.6
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I'm not sure if this will help you OP, but I'll share my story. I lost 70lbs in under a year last year (215lbs to 145lbs), using this app to count calories and track my exercises. From September '18 to May '19, I stopped using the app and did not pay attention to my calories. I gained 23lbs in that timeframe, to 168. Since May, I started paying attention again to my food consumption and occasionally going back to the gym, but that had no real difference in my weight (what I considered 'maintenance'.) Since October, I've started re-using this app, tracking my calories, and made the gym a daily habit again. I'm back down to 155 now. I hope to get to the 130s and remain there in maintenance for good.
What helped me when I felt so angry and upset at myself for almost hitting 170lbs again, is knowing that I didn't let myself get back to 200. Knowing even at 170, I am still better off than I was at 215. I'm still upset I'm stuck in the 150s, but it is so much better than being obese - physically and mentally.
My point is - you've made incredible progress. 100lbs is an amazing loss! Don't let a small regain think you've lost all your progress. 5-20lb gain still means you're at an 80+lb loss, which is still incredible! It does get harder when you don't see as big of a loss each week on the scale, but as long as you continue the healthy habits you've built, you will see a continued loss in the long term. If you find yourself unable to rebuild those habits, maybe try something else? Try a new workout to help make your jeans fit better, like a focus on strength training rather than simply weight loss.
Keep going. This isn't a race, there is no finish line or end date. If you fall off like I did, you can still find your way back to it.8 -
umbramirror wrote: »I just would like to know how I should approach this period in my life. Should I simply be attempting maintenance or is there a better approach while I work on figuring out what is going on with me? I don't want to allow this period to cause me to lose all of the progress I have made.
I think maintenance would be a sensible approach while you figure things out in your head. Is therapy an option? Bingeing and restricting left untreated may get worse. You gotta find a way of dealing with the mental stuff.6 -
I'm not sure if this will help you OP, but I'll share my story. I lost 70lbs in under a year last year (215lbs to 145lbs), using this app to count calories and track my exercises. From September '18 to May '19, I stopped using the app and did not pay attention to my calories. I gained 23lbs in that timeframe, to 168. Since May, I started paying attention again to my food consumption and occasionally going back to the gym, but that had no real difference in my weight (what I considered 'maintenance'.) Since October, I've started re-using this app, tracking my calories, and made the gym a daily habit again. I'm back down to 155 now. I hope to get to the 130s and remain there in maintenance for good.
What helped me when I felt so angry and upset at myself for almost hitting 170lbs again, is knowing that I didn't let myself get back to 200. Knowing even at 170, I am still better off than I was at 215. I'm still upset I'm stuck in the 150s, but it is so much better than being obese - physically and mentally.
My point is - you've made incredible progress. 100lbs is an amazing loss! Don't let a small regain think you've lost all your progress. 5-20lb gain still means you're at an 80+lb loss, which is still incredible! It does get harder when you don't see as big of a loss each week on the scale, but as long as you continue the healthy habits you've built, you will see a continued loss in the long term. If you find yourself unable to rebuild those habits, maybe try something else? Try a new workout to help make your jeans fit better, like a focus on strength training rather than simply weight loss.
Keep going. This isn't a race, there is no finish line or end date. If you fall off like I did, you can still find your way back to it.
Your post was definitely very insightful, thank you. That's awesome that you were able to refocus and get back on track. That in itself is incredibly inspiring.
When I got back on track last Monday, it was so difficult. I had to keep fighting thoughts about giving up, and push myself forward keeping my goals and future with my partner in mind. I had felt so heavy, bloated, and demotivated that getting through each day in the beginning was a struggle. Maybe reading this will help someone else too, that it is challenging at first but it does get better. I keep reminding myself that every day I continue, the better I am becoming.
The increase in body fat is difficult for me, but at the same time, I was looking at pictures of myself before the most recent binge and no wonder I binged... I looked emaciated. I didn't realize at the time. I thought I looked good. I'm not saying that I look my best now, but I think some kind of balance between now and then is what I'm attempting to achieve.
Someone else told me this recently, "It isn't a race"... and I ask myself, then why does it feel like a race? Why does it feel like every day is the epitome of boredom and I have to challenge myself by attempting to speed things up? Or alternatively, slow things down with poor choices. Maybe it is a race of some kind though, but one you don't win by going faster. Maybe it's one you win by enjoying the journey and becoming stronger along the way.6 -
cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »umbramirror wrote: »I just would like to know how I should approach this period in my life. Should I simply be attempting maintenance or is there a better approach while I work on figuring out what is going on with me? I don't want to allow this period to cause me to lose all of the progress I have made.
I think maintenance would be a sensible approach while you figure things out in your head. Is therapy an option? Bingeing and restricting left untreated may get worse. You gotta find a way of dealing with the mental stuff.
I completely agree. I guess maintenance has been the most difficult part of this journey for me. Losing weight seemed relatively easy, even though it obviously took some time. Figuring out a path of moderation and nourishment to fuel rather than to meet certain goals is challenging for me.
Also, the change in my body is difficult for me to adapt to. It blows my mind that in one week I was able to gain 1" around my waist, and .5 - .75" on my thighs. I wasn't even that thick when I started maintaining in June. Is it really possible that I lost all of my progress and some in one week? I look in the mirror and still look rather lean and muscular, but obviously with some more fat.1 -
umbramirror wrote: »cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »umbramirror wrote: »I just would like to know how I should approach this period in my life. Should I simply be attempting maintenance or is there a better approach while I work on figuring out what is going on with me? I don't want to allow this period to cause me to lose all of the progress I have made.
I think maintenance would be a sensible approach while you figure things out in your head. Is therapy an option? Bingeing and restricting left untreated may get worse. You gotta find a way of dealing with the mental stuff.
I completely agree. I guess maintenance has been the most difficult part of this journey for me. Losing weight seemed relatively easy, even though it obviously took some time. Figuring out a path of moderation and nourishment to fuel rather than to meet certain goals is challenging for me.
Also, the change in my body is difficult for me to adapt to. It blows my mind that in one week I was able to gain 1" around my waist, and .5 - .75" on my thighs. I wasn't even that thick when I started maintaining in June. Is it really possible that I lost all of my progress and some in one week? I look in the mirror and still look rather lean and muscular, but obviously with some more fat.
Highly unlikely. Barring some medical condition that I wouldn't know anything about, it's almost certainly water retention. There's no doubt that bingeing cost you something in terms of progress, that's what it does, but I doubt it was to that degree. Lay off the salt and high carbs for a few days and you'll likely see it go back down.2 -
IF you are experiencing amenorrhea, you are restricting your calories far too much - up your calories to a sensible amount - that should help stop the binging - you mustn't starve yourself or you will end up in all sorts of trouble.5
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umbramirror wrote: »cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »umbramirror wrote: »I just would like to know how I should approach this period in my life. Should I simply be attempting maintenance or is there a better approach while I work on figuring out what is going on with me? I don't want to allow this period to cause me to lose all of the progress I have made.
I think maintenance would be a sensible approach while you figure things out in your head. Is therapy an option? Bingeing and restricting left untreated may get worse. You gotta find a way of dealing with the mental stuff.
I completely agree. I guess maintenance has been the most difficult part of this journey for me. Losing weight seemed relatively easy, even though it obviously took some time. Figuring out a path of moderation and nourishment to fuel rather than to meet certain goals is challenging for me.
Also, the change in my body is difficult for me to adapt to. It blows my mind that in one week I was able to gain 1" around my waist, and .5 - .75" on my thighs. I wasn't even that thick when I started maintaining in June. Is it really possible that I lost all of my progress and some in one week? I look in the mirror and still look rather lean and muscular, but obviously with some more fat.
Highly unlikely. Barring some medical condition that I wouldn't know anything about, it's almost certainly water retention. There's no doubt that bingeing cost you something in terms of progress, that's what it does, but I doubt it was to that degree. Lay off the salt and high carbs for a few days and you'll likely see it go back down.
I thought that as well but it has been a week and a half since the last day of that awful week. The water should have eased up by now, no? I have seen a great reduction of water, but it seems that I have actually gained a large amount of fat. I have no other explanation for the increase in measurement. I don't consume a high carb diet and actively try to limit them. I have been doing this since the very beginning of my weight loss journey. I suppose I could cut down even more, but that would mean cutting fruit and vegetables which I don't want to do. I stopped tracking, so perhaps I'll have to at least check my carb intake to see if it's elevated. Thanks for the advice and insight.0 -
Pipsqueak1965 wrote: »IF you are experiencing amenorrhea, you are restricting your calories far too much - up your calories to a sensible amount - that should help stop the binging - you mustn't starve yourself or you will end up in all sorts of trouble.
I'm no longer experiencing amenorrhea thankfully. My period returned 2 months ago, as it seems the binging as gotten it going again. I suppose my body freaked out a bit and was trying to restore itself to a normal level... I guess I have to deal now with that, and try to let it stabilize for awhile.0 -
Measuring circumferences of areas of your body like waist and thighs is problematic for determining fat. Water, and for your waist measurement, bloating, amount of food in your digestive system, and probably other things will affect that. If you want to judge if fat has increased then track measurements using a pinch test with a set of $8 calipers at the locations on your body that you care about.
High carbs are only problematic in that they can cause you to retain water. Avoiding them is fine if that's a strategy that works for you when you're dieting, but there's no other reason to avoid them. And don't forget about salt. It, by far, is the most common culprit for rapidly varying weight and if you're in the USA just about anything you buy that you don't cook yourself is going to be loaded with it.1 -
Measuring circumferences of areas of your body like waist and thighs is problematic for determining fat. Water, and for your waist measurement, bloating, amount of food in your digestive system, and probably other things will affect that. If you want to judge if fat has increased then track measurements using a pinch test with a set of $8 calipers at the locations on your body that you care about.
High carbs are only problematic in that they can cause you to retain water. Avoiding them is fine if that's a strategy that works for you when you're dieting, but there's no other reason to avoid them. And don't forget about salt. It, by far, is the most common culprit for rapidly varying weight and if you're in the USA just about anything you buy that you don't cook yourself is going to be loaded with it.
Thank you for continuing to respond to my questions. I really appreciate it. I agree that measuring circumference on those areas isn't too accurate, but also, I believe skin fold measurements wouldn't be very accurate for me as well, which is why I haven't used that method. Since I lost a lot of weight rather quickly, I have a lovely loose skin/surface fat situation going on in those particular areas (as well as some others, such as my upper inner arms, and glutes). I might have to just wait until I get a DXA scan one day, otherwise, it's the body fat reading on my scale that I have been going by (haven't weighed myself in about a month though).
Yes, I wouldn't typically be avoiding a higher carb diet, I just seem to find myself feeling better on a lower carb diet. I wouldn't say my diet is necessarily lower in carbs but more my net carbs are low and I stay away from simple carbs most of the time. I also do try to limit my sodium intake. I cook almost all of my meals at home and try not to overdo it with the salt.
I guess I just have to wait and see what happens in the next few weeks?1 -
umbramirror wrote: »Hi all,
I'm not sure if I should post this here, but I have been going through something lately and I would appreciate it if the experts here on the forums could advise me on my potential next steps.
To begin, I'm 5'6", female, 30 years old.
I lost over 100 lbs in the past 2 years, and had been attempting maintenance since June of this year, so for the past 6 months. In the beginning, it seemed to be going rather well but at some point, I started to find myself binging every once in awhile. Eventually, the binging picked up in frequency and I found myself in a binge/restrict cycle. Maintenance became a "game" of restricting and binging - going up and down in weight, 124-129 lbs it seems.
At one point, I started to lose control of the habit and about 2 weeks ago I binged for almost an entire weekend and then continued to overeat for the rest of the week. I also did not exercise at all during this time. I may have gained a solid 10 lbs of fat, but I'm not sure. I did not weigh myself. Since then, I have been trying to keep my calories closer to maintenance but with a slight deficit and decreased the intensity of my training. However, I have obviously gone up in weight. My waist went up an entire inch and I feel as though I have a layer of fat everywhere. My pants are more snug, but my tops seem to fit the same. Before that week, I was at about 19% body fat.
Family members are telling me that I look better now and that I was too thin before but I didn't view myself that way. I know that I should seek help with my body image, but what do you all think my next steps should be? Should I recomp at this weight or attempt a cut perhaps?
Any thoughts are appreciated.
No one on here is an expert (outside of self proclaimed ones... and even if they are.. why they have so much time and helping ppl for free if it's what they get paid to do?), hire someone or go see a nutritionist.
As for the binging ... you control that so you can stop yourself, not saying it's easy but it is within your control. Body image thing, maybe speak to a professional as well.
Comments from friends and family are always *kitten* up IMO and drives me nuts think there is a huge thread on this somewhere.1 -
I bet you didn’t gain 10 lb in a week. Pick a realistic maintenance calorie goal and meet it for two weeks. I bet your weight evens back out. You have extra food in your intestines right now plus boating, etc.0
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umbramirror wrote: »I just would like to know how I should approach this period in my life. Should I simply be attempting maintenance or is there a better approach while I work on figuring out what is going on with me? I don't want to allow this period to cause me to lose all of the progress I have made.
I think maintenance while you seek professional help is probably the wise choice. There could be driving forces to the recent binges, or some other type of thing pushing you into self image issues. But in any case, as stated above, the people here on the forum aren't the experts you should be speaking with.
That said, being the complex humans we are, it could happen to just about anyone. Keep yourself healthy and take care of yourself as you figure it out.2
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