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Weight Gain

Hi! I moved into this new house last year (October 2022), and I was 128lbs. Now, almost exactly a year later, I am 148lbs. I have gained 20lb in a year! I’m trying to get back to my previous weight and I’m hoping this app will help. Does anyone have any similar experiences? How did you get back down to your regular weight? Why do you think I suddenly put on so much weight?!?!?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

Replies

  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 933 Member
    You have eaten in a calorie surplus. Meaning you are taking in more calories than you burn. You need to eat 250-500 calories less everyday to lose .5-1lb of fat a week.

    Get a food scale, weigh everything you eat/drink, log religiously, and check your data to see how close you are to what you expect to lose. After 4 weeks make adjustments accordingly. You have to be brutally honest with logging. Your weight will tell the truth no matter what so you might as well. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature and you won’t even notice logging anymore.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 35,413 Member
    She's correct.

    I'd add this: Possibly surprisingly, gaining 20 pounds in a year requires only eating on average 200 calories above weight-maintenance calories, which is the equivalent about one 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter, or a generous serving of ranch dressing. It could be that many calories above maintenance in one weekend meal (i.e., 1400 calories, not hard to reach with a restaurant meal, especially if fried foods are in the picture).

    Another way to get there is to move on average 200 calories fewer per day, which can happen if the size of one's home or the amount of walking in one's commute decreases, or something like that. Or, it could be a combination of a little more eating, and a little less movement. Surprisingly small changes add up!

    If you figure out a way to cut 500 calories per day (on average) or move that much more, or a combination, as compared with your average habits over the past year, you'll lose about half a pound a week and be back at 128 by maybe August/September 2025 without too much suffering.