Need Help with Weight Gain

kschwab0203

I've been using this app for over 3 years and in that time, I have manged to lose about 30 lbs. (slow and steady wins the race lol). I will admit that I do have 2 cheat days per week, but this is a balance that I have found that works for me although it may slow down my progress. I'm ok with it, I feel less restricted. I eat within my calorie limit 5 days per week and typically exercise 2-3 days per week.

For the last 2 months, I have stuck with my 5 day a week counting calories, but have increased my exercise to 4-5 days per week and added more cardio. I've gained 4lbs. It is not water weight. It didn't happen overnight and certainly is not going away. Help! Any ideas on why or what I can do different?

NovusDies

kschwab0203 wrote: »

I've been using this app for over 3 years and in that time, I have manged to lose about 30 lbs. (slow and steady wins the race lol). I will admit that I do have 2 cheat days per week, but this is a balance that I have found that works for me although it may slow down my progress. I'm ok with it, I feel less restricted. I eat within my calorie limit 5 days per week and typically exercise 2-3 days per week.

For the last 2 months, I have stuck with my 5 day a week counting calories, but have increased my exercise to 4-5 days per week and added more cardio. I've gained 4lbs. It is not water weight. It didn't happen overnight and certainly is not going away. Help! Any ideas on why or what I can do different?

To lose 30 pounds in 3 years you were creating an average weekly deficit of about 700 calories. That is a very tight window. It would not take much to put you at maintenance or in a surplus. When you added additional exercise it may have upped your hunger levels and your calories on your non-counting days.

To do something different you will have to find a way to place a limit on your off book days without making you feel restricted.

In order to get back to your previous losing rate you will need to cut about 2500 calories per week. 1750 to deal with the average half pound weight gain to get you back to maintenance and another 700 to get back to losing .2 pounds per week.

kgirlhart

Try changing your cheat days to cheat meals and counting the calories on those days even if they are higher than your non cheat days. It may be that you could cut some calories from those days without being too restrictive.

spiriteagle99

You may also be overestimating the calories you are burning while exercising. Try eating back less of those calories. It's also possible that with the quarantine, you are burning fewer calories from just moving around.

kschwab0203

To lose 30 pounds in 3 years you were creating an average weekly deficit of about 700 calories. That is a very tight window. It would not take much to put you at maintenance or in a surplus. When you added additional exercise it may have upped your hunger levels and your calories on your non-counting days.

To do something different you will have to find a way to place a limit on your off book days without making you feel restricted.

In order to get back to your previous losing rate you will need to cut about 2500 calories per week. 1750 to deal with the average half pound weight gain to get you back to maintenance and another 700 to get back to losing .2 pounds per week.

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This makes perfect sense.

kschwab0203

kgirlhart wrote: »

Try changing your cheat days to cheat meals and counting the calories on those days even if they are higher than your non cheat days. It may be that you could cut some calories from those days without being too restrictive.

I think I am going to track my calories even on my "off" days or maybe do 1 cheat day and one later in the week, one cheat meal and see if that makes a difference.

MostlyWater

it's harder as we get older.