What am I doing wrong??

emmabakercooke
emmabakercooke Posts: 37
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sat here in tears right now.
I have worked so hard to lose weight.
I've done as much as I physically can. Weighed every morsel thats entered my mouth.
At first there were results. good ones! I lost weight and cm!
Then...
I weighed and mesured myself this week and I've gained 7lbs and 9cm!
I'm devistated - what am I doing wrong?
Please, some one out there, tell me its all a big mistake, or a blip, or anything!
What do I do?

Replies

  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    OK - more info is needed...Did you gain 7lbs in one week? - It's almost impossible to gain 7lbs of fat in a week.... Open your diary so we can see what you are eating....And for how long have you been doing this?
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Maybe this will help:)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • rach41413
    rach41413 Posts: 82 Member
    Open up that diary! It's difficult to give anything but very general tips without more info.
  • george7527
    george7527 Posts: 267 Member
    Hi need to see exactly what you have eaten and how much because to gain 1bls of fat you need to have eaten an extra 500 cals a day so over the week that works out at 3,500 which is quite a lot if you follow a healthy eating plan
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    I've made my diary public, sorry I didn't realise it wasn't!
    xxxx
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    And yes, acording to my scales, I've gained 7lbs in a week!
  • PDarrall
    PDarrall Posts: 114 Member
    My best guess.

    Your sodium intake looks very high as a result of Pizza and Bread. This may be leading to temporary water retention which may have easily put your weight up by 7lbs in one week.

    It does not look the most balanced of diets, mainly made up of cereal, pizza, and bread. It is hard to tell if this imbalance would also lead to temporary weight gain.

    I think you should aim to eat your calorie balance every day, and try to avoid it all coming in one meal. Domino's mainly.

    I would not worry, give it more time. Keep this up, bit more balance to be healthy and you will lose weight. 7lbs is really not that much, focus on what you control (the input - food and exercise), don't worry too much about the output (weight). If you get the input right, the output always follows. Always!
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    And yes, acording to my scales, I've gained 7lbs in a week!

    Weight fluctuation is normal for everybody. Too much salt? Time of the month? Extra exercise? Those are just a few things that can show a temporary gain on the scale. Relax and keep at it.
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    Thank you for your replies,
    I've been on the recipe forum to ask for more ideas as I am addicted to carbs.
    But I have been at my calorie goal, and probably over 1000 cals less than I was eating before I joined MFP.
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    One thing I noticed is your water intake. Are you drinking more water than what you log? Eight glasses should be the minimum. Half an ounce for every pound is what a trainer recommended for me. You are doing great and it's probably a fluke. Next week you'll probably forget all about it when you post a 10 pound loss!
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    Yes, most days I am loging all my water. I am aware I don't drink enough, but I have mobility issues and my loo is upstairs, so if I drink more, it'll hurt more :(
    My doctor has offered me tablets that stop your body absorbing fat, but I hate the idea of that and I'd rather learn to do it myself!
    Would drinking more actually help me lose weight?
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Yes, most days I am loging all my water. I am aware I don't drink enough, but I have mobility issues and my loo is upstairs, so if I drink more, it'll hurt more :(
    My doctor has offered me tablets that stop your body absorbing fat, but I hate the idea of that and I'd rather learn to do it myself!
    Would drinking more actually help me lose weight?

    Staying hydrated is important, but when the goal is losing weight, it is all about the calorie deficit. It is fantastic that you want to learn to do this yourself versus taking pills that will not teach you any new behaviors.

    Read that link up thread and all of the links in it. (It is a lot of reading, but it is worth it) :smile:
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    I disagree with the above poster. I never drank water until I had a long plateau. I was told by a dietician that it was one of the reasons I wasn't losing. I don't know if drinking more water will help you lose, but I find I lose more weight when I drink more water. Not only that, but water is essential to keeping your body functioning properly.
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    So, even though I've eaten pizza and bread, but been well within my net calories I'm still gaining?
    Is the only problem really the lack of water?
    surely if I'm in deficit, I should be losing?
  • PDarrall
    PDarrall Posts: 114 Member
    You don't always lose in deficit short term. Medium/Long term, if you are deficit, then you will lose.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    So, even though I've eaten pizza and bread, but been well within my net calories I'm still gaining?
    Is the only problem really the lack of water?
    surely if I'm in deficit, I should be losing?

    Your problem appears to be lack of water to balance the sodium intake.
  • shira324
    shira324 Posts: 156 Member
    I'd agree with most of this, high sodium leads to water retention which can cause a weight gain. I definitely struggle to balance my carbs/fat/protein too, and I have to force myself to drink water. But when I do drink plenty, I find I lose more consistently, so I guess it does work.

    That being said, it can't hurt to either reset your scale or try a different one altogether. Scales do break sometimes, it's not out of the question!
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    ok, so Ill do my best to up my water intake.
    Unfortunatly, the scales are ok, as my skinny husband tried them out and they were correct :(
  • starsandowls
    starsandowls Posts: 55 Member
    Are you having a lot of fake sweets, like aspartame and splenda and saccharine? I'm not certain what they're marketed as over there. I find that I lose more consistently when I avoid fake sugars, and it makes it easier to drink the water if I haven't filled up on diet Coke.

    Are you getting enough sleep?

    How confident are you that you don't have any health issues that might interfere with weight loss?

    I know you mentioned mobility issues, but personally, I find that I lose much more consistently when I exercise, get enough sleep, and eat plenty of protein. A high carb diet makes me feel tired and silly. Yes, the 7 pounds could be hormones and salt, but it might not hurt to check in with your doctor to make sure that's all it is.

    Good luck!
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    I don't eat sweets, fake or not, or drink fizzy drinks as I dont want the chemicals and hate the taste of "full fat" ones!
    I am diabetic, so thats another health issue to take on :( Its also another reason I really need to cut down on my carbs.
    I usually get a good amount of sleep, but it's broken due to having three small children!
    On the plus side, I used to be 25 stone, so I have lost around 8 stone - Just got to do the same again!
    Having just checked, it might also be hormonal.
    Heres hoping next week is better.
    Many thanks to you all, it really helps to know you guys are out there xxxx
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    I just posted a topic about hitting a plateau. I do weigh my food and before I got sick with bronchitis I was running 5 miles a day. I have been fluctuating at the same weight for a month and a half. I read a lot of people on here talking about sodium. That is something I am over every day. I am always over by a lot too. I am going to start drinking a lot of water. I challenge you to do the same and in a few weeks maybe we can check back in?
  • sue_stef
    sue_stef Posts: 194 Member
    I'm diabetic also and I have to watch my salt and sugar
    I have found that if I eat more protein and veggies and some fruit all is well
    it is really a balance and I am happy to share my recipes with you (or anyone)
    and like the others said drink more water the only things I drink now are water green tea and occasionally coffee
    for my exercise I walk at first my hip hurt and my knee hurt but as I got moving more things hurt less
    cutting the salt and sugar intake the weight started coming off that to me was a side effect
  • kempt_ken
    kempt_ken Posts: 96 Member
    Are you always weighing yourself at the same time of the day. That makes a difference.

    As others mentioned for women your menstrual cycle can case weight fluctuation as well.

    Beyond that I like to look at your weight over 2-3 weeks just to average out some of normal short term fluctuations.

    I do think us guys have it easier because our weight fluctuates less in the short term.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I weighed and mesured myself this week and I've gained 7lbs and 9cm!
    I'm devistated - what am I doing wrong?

    If your diary was accurate, it would impossible to gain that weight, and the weight would be coming off.

    If that weight gain is real, there is something significantly amiss with your logging.
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    I just posted a topic about hitting a plateau. I do weigh my food and before I got sick with bronchitis I was running 5 miles a day. I have been fluctuating at the same weight for a month and a half. I read a lot of people on here talking about sodium. That is something I am over every day. I am always over by a lot too. I am going to start drinking a lot of water. I challenge you to do the same and in a few weeks maybe we can check back in?

    Challenge accepted!
    I shall do my best to increase my water as of tomorrow (it's silly o'clock in the morning here, and I'm in bed as I type this!)
    Please keep in contact with me as I'm really good at doing things for others, but not for myself, so if I know it's helping you too, then I'll definitely keep it up! :D
    I really do log as accurately as I can. If I'm out somewhere, like when our car broke down and I have to buy a crappy sandwich, I'll log it literally as soon as I get home. There's no point lying on here, the only person I would be cheating is my self.
    Funnily enough, my husband has been worried I've not been eating enough. So he has spent all evening saying "it doesn't make sense" and " how can that be correct?" So I know it's not just me that can't understand it!
    Thank you for spurring me on when I was feeling incredibly low,
    Emma xxx
  • my_username123
    my_username123 Posts: 2
    My guess is that you're a little low under your caloric goal and your body might not be used to such little food, and it thinks something's wrong so its instinct is to lower your metabolism and what ever food you take in, it tries to store it as fat to survive. Not really sure, it's just a guess...
  • emmabakercooke
    emmabakercooke Posts: 37
    *update*

    I've weighed myself this morning and it's down 6lbs :)
    It's still up from it's lowest, but It's heading in the right direction xxxx

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