Help please: putting on weight!

Honeycat89

Hi there,

I used to be obsessed with my weight, and didn't eat carbs for years. I became addicted to 'natural' laxatives because i'd feel bad after eating crap and I generally wasn't very healthy. I think i weighed anywhere between 55-59kg at this time, my weight fluctuated quite a lot so I've always weighed myself, pretty much every day.

Right now this is the healthiest I've been for years. I eat all the food groups, healthy portions, enough calories, I drink tonnes of water and exercise 4/5 times a week. I've gone from around 54kg to 56 in a few months. Is this due to doing weights? I have never done weights before starting in September 2013, but I've been doing them for over 6 months now. Will this be the reason for my weight gain?

I know people say weight isn't a good way to check progress but I'm not sure how else to check progress, i know my clothes still fit but because of my past when I see I've put on weight I start to believe I've put on fat, and then I start to think I look fat.

Just so I don't offend anyone I KNOW 56kg isn't heavy and I'm not aiming to lose weight, I just want to know what you guys think about measuring progress. I really should bin the scales, they just make me obsessed. Thanks

Kevvboy

Hi sophc. I think you already know the correct answer because it is in your last paragraph. Just get rid of those scales. I used to be addicted to my scale. Now I weigh myself at my doctor's office every 3 months. This confirms for me that the trend is right but means I cannot count on the scale to tell me I am doing OK or not. It allows you to stop playing the stupid games with the scale, where a "good" number gives you "permission," and a "bad" number makes you feel bad, etc etc. Just stick to your program and eat as you are eating, track the outgo and inflow here at MFP and you'll get great results. Get rid of the scale! You might want to take monthly measurements if you want to track your progress that way....good luck!

Honeycat89

Thanks, I know I should stop weighing myself every day! It just makes me feel crap when i've put on weight!

jacques57

I have been told (but you should verify this) that muscle is seven times denser than fat. So if you replace fat with muscle and your measurements remain the same, you will gain weight. Denser muscle mass means more weight than if you were "fat." HOpe that helps.