What's the reason for my weight gain?

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  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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    If you just started a lifting program or significantly changed your workout plan, it's water retention. Totally normal and should be expected.

    Ding, ding, ding! Alice knows all.

    But OP - you still need to weight ALL your food. Guestimating can get you into major trouble.
  • rustyguy
    rustyguy Posts: 51 Member
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    A pound of muscle doesn't *weigh* more than a pound of fat, but it takes up much less room than a pound of fat. You could have the same size bum and it would weigh more if it's all muscle instead of all fat. That's why the scale can be deceiving. You look the same, but can weigh more or less depending on what you're body is made of. Google an image of pound of fat vs pound of muscle.

    Best answer
  • kjo9692
    kjo9692 Posts: 430 Member
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    Geeze please don't pay attention to the people suggesting you are building muscle. Unless you are eating at a surplus then you can't be putting on muscle.

    As the other user said, if you are not weighing your solids you might be eating more than you think, but if the case is that you are actually eating at a deficit, and still weigh more then it's water retention from the new workouts like someone posted earlier in the thread.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    Sorry I weigh some not all! But if I don't know th exact weight I tend to choose the larger portion option on the app :)

    but the app is quite inaccurate, if it's not something you entered yourself. You need to weigh everything you eat and enter those things yourself, or verify that the app entry is accurate by weight before you choose it for your log entry. Remember the majority of the entries you're choosing from are put in there by other MFP users and many of them are old or are by meausurement, not weight.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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    *Muscle takes up less volume than fat.* Don't ever go by the scale I am 5f and weight almost 130 pounds I do not look like I weigh that much. I lift, run, and do beach body workouts. Don't ever worry about the number on the scale. Hope that helps<3

    FIFY. But unless the OP is really underestimating her intake and is, in fact, eating at a surplus, I highly doubt she's building any muscle.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Sorry I weigh some not all! But if I don't know th exact weight I tend to choose the larger portion option on the app :)

    that is your problem..you are underestimating your calories and are actually in a surplus. You said that you gained 4-5 pounds in a month, which means that you are gaining a pound per week; therefore, you are eating 500 calories over maintenance a day.

    Get a food scale, weigh/log/measure everything for a month and see how it goes.
  • Nickih4619093
    Nickih4619093 Posts: 91 Member
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    I was having the same issue. Found this article online:

    "It's true that many people either gain a little weight or don't see any change on the scale for as long as 4-6 weeks after making a significant change in their level of exercise. This is often explained as "gaining muscle while losing fat" but that isn't quite accurate. This extra weight is usually water.

    When you start doing more exercise, your body begins storing more fuel in your muscle cells, where it can be used easily and quickly to fuel your workouts. The process of converting glucose (carbohydrates) into fuel that your muscles actually store and use (glycogen) requires three molecules of water for every molecule of glucose. As your muscles are building up glycogen stores, your body has to retain extra water for this purpose. That's what causes most of the initial weight gain or lack of weight loss. This is a good thing—not something to worry about.

    However, despite what the scale says, you are actually losing fat during this time. The extra water retention will stop once your body has adjusted to its new activity level. At that point, the scale should start moving down. You'll end up with less fat, and muscles that can handle a larger amount of work."
  • Nickih4619093
    Nickih4619093 Posts: 91 Member
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    Did not know this, thanks for sharing!
  • Honeycat89
    Honeycat89 Posts: 149
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    I don't think I'm eating a surplus tbh...if I'm counting 1400 on the app but I missjudge I'd have to eat over 400 extra a day to be eating a surplus (since I recently found out I should be eating 1800.) I have just started a weigh programme so will see of my weight levels out! My clothes still fit fine :) thanks for all your advice!
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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    I don't think I'm eating a surplus tbh...if I'm counting 1400 on the app but I missjudge I'd have to eat over 400 extra a day to be eating a surplus (since I recently found out I should be eating 1800.) I have just started a weigh programme so will see of my weight levels out! My clothes still fit fine :) thanks for all your advice!

    Actually didn't you say your TDEE was 1800? Curious - what lifting program are you following?
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
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    I really doubt the very slim OP who's gained weight but her size has stayed the same is eating at a surplus. Even if she's under-guessing her calories, I doubt it's enough to land her in the obesity charts anytime soon.

    She has likely been thin most of her life, so her body will adjust according to the calories she's eating, upping and lowering metabolism according to what she's eating. She *could* gain weight, yes, but that'll come with aging more than gorging herself on a massive 1400 calories a day! (Please note the sarcasm.)

    Even if you're meticulously measuring and weighing your food, you may not be getting your calories right. Calories counts can be--and often are--different than what's on the nutrition label. Counting calories is effective, but it's not an exact science.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    I don't think I'm eating a surplus tbh...if I'm counting 1400 on the app but I missjudge I'd have to eat over 400 extra a day to be eating a surplus (since I recently found out I should be eating 1800.) I have just started a weigh programme so will see of my weight levels out! My clothes still fit fine :) thanks for all your advice!

    If you are gaining weight then you are in a surplus...its basic math ...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    I really doubt the very slim OP who's gained weight but her size has stayed the same is eating at a surplus. Even if she's under-guessing her calories, I doubt it's enough to land her in the obesity charts anytime soon.

    She has likely been thin most of her life, so her body will adjust according to the calories she's eating, upping and lowering metabolism according to what she's eating. She *could* gain weight, yes, but that'll come with aging more than gorging herself on a massive 1400 calories a day! (Please note the sarcasm.)

    Even if you're meticulously measuring and weighing your food, you may not be getting your calories right. Calories counts can be--and often are--different than what's on the nutrition label. Counting calories is effective, but it's not an exact science.

    OP said she gained five pounds in a month and is not weighing her food and just "guestimating" to the higher food portion on the app... ...

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