Gaining weight on a clean diet with cardio.

klwxx

Hi guys, I need help

So for the past month I've been going to the gym on average 3 times per week, and staying for around 2 hours, burning anywhere from 500 - 800 calories every time I go. I have MFP set my goal for 1lb weight loss per week so I eat about 1350 calories a day, and sometimes net less because I've worked out and can't eat any more than I already have. But essentially I am always under my calorie goal, but not by so much it's dangerous or ineffective or whatever.

In my first week I lost 1lb, but since then I've steadily gained and am now 5lbs heavier from where I started (from 131 to 136). I've made the transition from weighing myself every day (ED) to attempting it once a week, but I almost burst into tears stepping on them this morning, and it's really hard not to fall back into ED behaviour and starve myself to lose back the weight I've gained since I've started being 'healthy'.

I don't think it's muscle gain, since my scales (although I know this can be inaccurate) say my BFP has gone up by 2%, and my water weight has gone DOWN by almost 5%. Moreover I'm not seeing body changes, although I know a month isn't a long time, I've been working my butt off and if not losing weight, I didn't expect to gain it!

A typical (workout) day for me would be:

Breakfast - 5 egg whites with 1 egg yolk with a medium apple.

Afternoon snack - Cottage cheese and celery or something similar.

Lunch - Chicken or beef slices with spinach and tomatoes on wholewheat bread with a small side salad.

Dinner - Grilled chicken breast fillet with broccoli and green beans.

Late night snack: Alpro soya yoghurt or 2x rice cakes with organic peanut butter.

I've had I believe 3 cheat days since I started, and I never EVER go over 2000 calories when I have had one. Usually it's more of a cheat meal than day, and I have maybe a burger with cheese fries or half a takeaway pizza. And I have these on workout days so I don't go over my calories. At the gym I tend to burn 200 cals on the elliptical, 100 cals running, 300 cals on a stationary bike, and 100 cals rowing.

Can someone please help me or direct me to what I'm doing wrong, I feel so depressed and upset about it. I want to be healthy and slim but I feel like as soon as I put anything fatty into my mouth it's going to be a 5lb weight gain, and I've always been taught regular exercise and a good diet will make you lose weight, not put it on thank you, I appreciate any help I can get!

P.S. - I don't have a thyroid disorder or anything like that, the only slightly medical condition I have is a (recovering) eating disorder (EDNOS) (from which, btw, I don't need to gain weight, I'm 5'10" and I KNOW my current weight is a good weight for that height, but I am NOT happy at it, and we all look different shapes and sizes). I am on the contraceptive pill, but my doctor says they only reason that would make you gain weight is if you eat more, since it's an appetite stimulant, not a weight gain pill.

TavistockToad

at 5ft10 and 130odd pounds you dont need to lose weight... you need to do a bit of body recomposition to lose a little fat and maintain/gain some muscle so you look more 'toned'.

there is no need ot eat so little, especially when you're doing such a lot of exercise.

ruffnstuff

Sweetie - I think you're still dealing with your ED. According to generic BMI calculators, your starting weight of 131 is already at the very lowest end of the healthy weight range for your height. Your goal of 12 lb loss puts you well into the underweight category.

klwxx

It's not that much exercise and it's only 3 times per week...I see people on here the same height and around the same weight as me losing weight and it's really discouraging.

Also I physically CANT eat more than 1500 calories per day. I have done that before, a long time ago, my metabolism is so shot to pieces I will literally gain from the slightest bit over a set intake. If I ate at my supposed maintenance every day I'd gain a stone within a month.

WBB55

Don't freak out and get discouraged ok. I have a feeling that you're overestimating your burn when you work out. Do you have a heart rate monitor?

I think trying to lose 1#/week is too much for you, you don't have much to lose. I'd reset it to 0.5 lbs per week.

And again since you don't have much to lose, I'd decrease the cardio exercise and lift weights more. If you want to "look amazing naked" then you should probably consider lifting weights.

klwxx

I appreciate the advice, but I didn't ask this question to be lectured on my weight and how I don't need to lose any. I wanted to know why I am gaining weight when I do all the right things.

SezxyStef

at your height and appx 135lbs and at 5 ft 10 would you want to lose 12lbs?

You are already considered almost underweight where you are..and 12lbs would put you underweight...

If you are unhappy with the way you look because of "softness" then start eating at Maintenance get in enough protien and lift some heavy weights...

The issues you appear to have is that you have lost enough muscle mass with all these diets and your ED that you need to concentrate on that instead of being "skinny"

As well you might want to consult your doctor again if you think you need to lose more weight and are in tears

klwxx

Thank you WBB55! I'll look into incorporating rates. I don't think I overestimate, I don't have a heart rate monitor, but the machines at the gym have heart rate sensors on them and they count calories when you burn them off.

SezxyStef

Don't freak out and get discouraged ok. I have a feeling that you're overestimating your burn when you work out. Do you have a heart rate monitor?

I think trying to lose 1#/week is too much for you, you don't have much to lose. I'd reset it to 0.5 lbs per week.

And again since you don't have much to lose, I'd decrease the cardio exercise and lift weights more. If you want to "look amazing naked" then you should probably consider lifting weights.

really you are going to encourage a young woman who is almost underweight to lose more weight??????????

jeez louise

sassyjae21

People are lecturing you because you sound like you have an unhealthy mindset. Don't get offended. You asked for help, and they are helping. They may not be giving you the answers you want because they don't want to do more damage to someone sounds like they have BDD.

SezxyStef

I appreciate the advice, but I didn't ask this question to be lectured on my weight and how I don't need to lose any. I wanted to know why I am gaining weight when I do all the right things.

Well you are gonna get what you get here..what you are doing is dangerous and in no way shape or form are we going to poo poo you..you are gonna get it straight.

TavistockToad

It's not that much exercise and it's only 3 times per week...I see people on here the same height and around the same weight as me losing weight and it's really discouraging.

Also I physically CANT eat more than 1500 calories per day. I have done that before, a long time ago, my metabolism is so shot to pieces I will literally gain from the slightest bit over a set intake. If I ate at my supposed maintenance every day I'd gain a stone within a month.

firstly, stop comparing yourself to anyone else... you are you, it doesnt matter what anyone else can or is doing...

secondly, if you have damaged your metabolism, maybe you should work on fixing it, if you truely have recovered from your ED and want to be healthy again?

WBB55

jeez louise

Actually I think I encouraged her to eat more, do less cardio and lift weights.

_TastySnoBalls_

It's not that much exercise and it's only 3 times per week...I see people on here the same height and around the same weight as me losing weight and it's really discouraging.

Also I physically CANT eat more than 1500 calories per day. I have done that before, a long time ago, my metabolism is so shot to pieces I will literally gain from the slightest bit over a set intake. If I ate at my supposed maintenance every day I'd gain a stone within a month.

Yes, you CAN! Work your way back up slowly, include some strength training, something that engages and stimulates muscle use. Your metabolism will repair itself. You can't honestly think you must stick to 1500 cal everyday for the rest of your life. Sounds like you would benefit from some psychiatric help.

TavistockToad

People are lecturing you because you sound like you have an unhealthy mindset. Don't get offended. You asked for help, and they are helping. They may not be giving you the answers you want because they don't want to do more damage to someone sounds like they have BDD.

correct! though i dont think its lecturing, its offering advice...

castlerobber

I am on the contraceptive pill, but my doctor says they only reason that would make you gain weight is if you eat more, since it's an appetite stimulant, not a weight gain pill.

Depending on which contraceptive pill it is, yes, it can absolutely make you gain 5 or 10 pounds. It is, after all, changing the hormones in your body, and sex hormones do have an effect on where and how your body stores fat--even if you haven't changed your diet.

Ask your doctor about switching to a different contraceptive pill.

SueInAz

You aren't losing weight because you really don't have much more to lose. If you aren't happy with the way your body looks have you considered strength training as opposed to cardio? The thing you need to let go of is an obsession with the number on your scale. It's just a number and YOU are the only person who can see it. Everyone else sees how you look on the outside. Throw away the scale, use the tape measure and your clothes as your guide and build some muscle instead of just burning calories.

SezxyStef

jeez louise

Actually I think I encouraged her to eat more, do less cardio and lift weights.

Yah no...you may have said lift weights but you also encouraged weight loss.

I think trying to lose 1#/week is too much for you, you don't have much to lose. I'd reset it to 0.5 lbs per week

sullus

Heart Rate Monitor and Food Scale.

Get good data. Poor Data leads to poor results.

Banothebano

at 5ft10 and 130odd pounds you dont need to lose weight... you need to do a bit of body recomposition to lose a little fat and maintain/gain some muscle so you look more 'toned'.

there is no need ot eat so little, especially when you're doing such a lot of exercise.

Listen to the above, you are not happy with your body because you need to lift heavy weights so you can look "toned". Please remember that you will NOT look like a bodybuilder! Looking like that takes A LOT OF TIME and effort.

Also, I think water weight is the most common cause of scale fluctuation. New or intense exercise can cause your muscles to hold water in order to repair themselves. A high sodium or high carb day can also cause you to retain several pounds of water. There are lots of reasons why a body will retain or get rid of water. And as contrary as it sounds, drinking more water will act as a diuretic and flush out some of the retained water.

At least that is my understanding. I'm sure somebody else could give you a much better answer.

SezxyStef

I am on the contraceptive pill, but my doctor says they only reason that would make you gain weight is if you eat more, since it's an appetite stimulant, not a weight gain pill.

Depending on which contraceptive pill it is, yes, it can absolutely make you gain 5 or 10 pounds. It is, after all, changing the hormones in your body, and sex hormones do have an effect on where and how your body stores fat--even if you haven't changed your diet.

Ask your doctor about switching to a different contraceptive pill.

Bull..maybe back in the 70's but the BC pills now have so little hormones no...

Escape_Artist

at 5ft10 and 130odd pounds you dont need to lose weight... you need to do a bit of body recomposition to lose a little fat and maintain/gain some muscle so you look more 'toned'.

there is no need ot eat so little, especially when you're doing such a lot of exercise.

This. 100%

I really suggest you listen to SezxyStef's advice.

WBB55

Yah no...you may have said lift weights but you also encouraged weight loss.

I'm not trying to argue. If she reset MFP to 0.5/week, it would give her more calories to eat. Which is what I was trying to encourage her to do without triggering her defenses. I'm sorry you thought my advice to eat more and lift weights was bad.

waldo56

It's not that much exercise and it's only 3 times per week...I see people on here the same height and around the same weight as me losing weight and it's really discouraging.

Also I physically CANT eat more than 1500 calories per day. I have done that before, a long time ago, my metabolism is so shot to pieces I will literally gain from the slightest bit over a set intake. If I ate at my supposed maintenance every day I'd gain a stone within a month.

Metabolism is repaired (and beyond) by maintaining a consistent scale verifyable small calorie surplus (as in EVERY SINGLE DAY) for a long time, many many months.

The same processes that cause your metabolism to drop strongly, long time spent in a deficit while lean, will cause the reverse when done in reverse.

Of course, having ED tendencies means a very low chance that you will actually fix it because of the consistency required; every single day means every single day; the scale going up means the scale going up.

Strength training will help raise metabolism plus make some/much of the weight gain muscle gain.

The body will continually adapt to small surplusses, so you have to continuously (weekly/biweekly/monthly) keep raising your intake by small amounts to stay out ahead of it.

Greenrun99

I know you don't want to be lectured or hear anything against what you think is the right answer..

But at 5 ft 10 and 132 or so your almost underweight, and you spend 2 hours in the gym doing cardio and eating 1500 calories (which is probably your BMR) or less.. your just hurting yourself with all that cardio.. you would benefit so much more from hitting the gym for an hour doing strength training with maybe 15 minutes of cardio, then all that.

Depending on your BF%, your probably not going to achieve what your looking for.. and your 18 so you probably don't have much muscle to begin with.

Probably need more protein too. And before you say you don't want to get bulky.. you won't you would have to eat 2200+ calories to even start gaining muscle mass.

sassyjae21

People are lecturing you because you sound like you have an unhealthy mindset. Don't get offended. You asked for help, and they are helping. They may not be giving you the answers you want because they don't want to do more damage to someone sounds like they have BDD.

correct! though i dont think its lecturing, its offering advice...

I wouldn't have called it that either, but OP took it as that. And OP probably took it that way because it's not the first time she's been told her mindset is unhealthy.

Btw OP; I really wish you nothing but the best and I hope you get help.

Kimminydk

Coming from someone who had an eating disorder most of her life, I totally get where you're frustrations lay.

I believe that more weight lifting to tone and less cardio will give you the results you want.

Have you taken any measurements? It's amazing what a difference there is between two bodies that are the same height and weight, but one being toned and the other not being toned. A pound is still a pound, but a pound of muscle takes up far less area than a pound of fat.

Do your clothes feel better? Do you feel healthier? Don't let this get you down!

You're in amazing shape and just refining your workouts may give you the results you desire in a different way.

Annie_01

Thank you WBB55! I'll look into incorporating rates. I don't think I overestimate, I don't have a heart rate monitor, but the machines at the gym have heart rate sensors on them and they count calories when you burn them off.

You are a beautiful young woman...just as you are.

Since you have struggled with an eating disorder in the past...have you considered talking to a dietitian about helping set up a healthy eating plan? Then maybe have a trainer help you with a workout that will give you your desired fitness level.

msf74

It's probably replenished glycogen, both skeletal and liver as well as generally more food passing through your GI tract at one time.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to what your scale says especially if it relies on BI. They are notoriously unreliable.

Finally, ditch the weight goal and focus more on a body recomp which incorporates resistance training. You'll be fine.

tracy2331

First off, 5, 10 and 130? Unless your goin for heron chic, you don't need to lose weight. That said, I think soy anything is just about the worst thing you can eat, particularly as a late snack. I suspect your body is fighting you tooth and nail to maintain homeostasis. eventually, however, your weight will go down. it has to; just plain science. watch your sodium intake cuz that's gonna cause water retention, cut down on sugar by any means necessary, and eat REAL food, things that grow, bloom, and run. of course, i speak only as someone ridin this coaster for like my whole life, but that's my advice.

blgmw2

:frown: