I have NO IDEA why I am GAINING !! HELP!

wilsoje74

I agree with NOT logging housework and playing with kids. That's part of your usual activity. Try logging everything, no cheat days, for 2-3 weeks then weigh again. Cheat days can wipe out any deficit you have. Oh can have treats but fit them into your calories. Don't try to find extra calories to eat, it will just hurt you (like counting housework). If you really want to eat more go for a run or walk.

cheesevixen_staci

So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.

wilsoje74

So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.

you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

wilsoje74

Btw don't count cooking either. This should all be in your activity setting (lightly active) so this may be a big reason you aren't losing if you are eating All those cals back.

tmaryam

When we say measure everything, seriously, you have to measure EVERYTHING. You can't assume that one piece of bread is the serving size listed on the label. Weigh the bread. If the serving size is averaged out at 27gm per slice, but your slice is 35gm, and then you eyeball or use a measuring spoon for peanut butter, you may actually be using 1.5 Tbsp. You really have to weigh everything that goes into your mouth for accuracy. That little snack could make a difference of 50 calories which doesn't sound like much until you're doing it with every meal 3-5 times a day every day for 7 days, so on and so forth. You'll be surprised that what the box calls "one serving" is very different than what you're actually eating. Buy a quality food scale and use it with every meal. I promise, you'll be so glad you did.

Last but not least, congratulations on your sobriety. I wish you continued success.

cheesevixen_staci

So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.

you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

I gained weight because I started drinking a liter of vodka/whiskey every two days. I've always eaten normal. This is the first time I've been obese. It's been about a year, and with the drinking I went from a 134 to over 150. My diet was normal, even a little less than previously.

My profile is set to sedentary.

nutmegoreo

So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.

you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

I gained weight because I started drinking a liter of vodka/whiskey every two days. I've always eaten normal. This is the first time I've been obese. It's been about a year, and with the drinking I went from a 134 to over 150. My diet was normal, even a little less than previously.

My profile is set to sedentary.

Housework and chasing after the kids keeps you active. You are right that you are burning more than 1200 per day, in part because of this activity, but these are daily activities. I would recommend changing your profile setting to lightly active/active which will increase your daily calorie allowance. Then log actual intentional exercise in the exercise category.

Does this make sense? It won't give you the same number of calories you get when entering these things as exercise, but MFP is know for having inflated calorie burns anyway. Try it for a month and see what difference it makes. Also with the weight you have to lose, you should have your goal set at 0.5-1lb per week. That will also give you more calories per day.

Most importantly, you have shown incredible strength and courage in giving up alcohol. That is a major triumph right there. Best of luck to you. :flowerforyou:

paperpudding

I think you should change your profile to lightly or moderately active, not sedentary.

And then stop logging every day activities like house work as it will be included in your profile, ie your base calorie allowance will increase.

wilsoje74

So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.

you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

I gained weight because I started drinking a liter of vodka/whiskey every two days. I've always eaten normal. This is the first time I've been obese. It's been about a year, and with the drinking I went from a 134 to over 150. My diet was normal, even a little less than previously.

My profile is set to sedentary.

well if it's working for you, you can take the advice or leave it. I personally do not feel cooking, cleaning, or pushing a swing to be exercise but to each their own. Good luck on your journey!

cheesevixen_staci

I will try that. Thanks to both of you. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. They really helped me ! I've decided to lift my activity level and stop counting everyday jobs as exercise, and I am going to be switching to wheat as well as lower my sodium intake......and kill the cheat day !

SLLRunner

So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.

i understand, but you are using MFP estimations for these calories counts, correct? Well, MFP and internet resources way overestimate calories burned. It's probably more appropriate to set your activity level to lightly active or active and see what happens. The activity calories are less generous than the exercise calories, therefore chances are the activity setting won't be overestimated like the exercise calories (on MFP) are.

SLLRunner

I will try that. Thanks to both of you. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. They really helped me ! I've decided to lift my activity level and stop counting everyday jobs as exercise, and I am going to be switching to wheat as well as lower my sodium intake......and kill the cheat day !

Ah! Just saw this.

Good on the activity level.

The type of flour you eat does not matter as far as losing weight goes, but if it matters to you then go for it!

The best of luck!

Chibimii

Muscle weighs more than fat. So if you're gaining muscle your weight will go up. I suggest measuring your success with a tape measure instead of a scale.

However, if you're not losing at all I'd recommend running or walking at a quickened pace. I do my best to walk at a fast pace at least one hour a day. More if I can manage it. You'll lose more weight doing exercises that make your heart race than you will doing sit ups and strength building exercises.

If you live in an apartment I would recommend something as simple as walking upstairs. I did it for 6 min. the other day I had broke out in a sweat to the point where my shirt was drenched. Shows out unfit I am but it burns a lot of fat when you sweat and your heart races.

Strength building exercises are more for people who are skinny and want to tone up. You can do ab crunches all day long but if there is 2 inches of fat on your stomach you won't ever see your 6 pack even though you may already have it thanks to your ab exercises.

To recap:

1.) Do more exercises that make your heart race, running, jogging, walking quickly, walking upstairs, etc.

2.) Save Strength building exercises for when you have lost all the weight you want to lose because muscle will increase your weight rather than make you weigh less.

Hope this helped.

nutmegoreo

There is plenty of support for weight training while in a deficit. It is supposed to help preserve muscle mass while losing. No need to wait until hitting your goal weight.

SLLRunner

Muscle weighs more than fat. So if you're gaining muscle your weight will go up. I suggest measuring your success with a tape measure instead of a scale.

Muscle weighs the same as fat, it just takes up less space. However, you don't gain muscle unless you are eating at maintenance or a surplus plus doing some weight lifting, and even then it takes a long while. Cardio provides endurance.

Strength building exercises are more for people who are skinny and want to tone up.

Nope. Strength training is for anyone who wants to do it. There are several people who start their weight loss journey obese and weight lift/strength train.

Save Strength building exercises for when you have lost all the weight you want to lose because muscle will increase your weight rather than make you weigh less.

No. Start right away if you so desire. It helps keep skin integrity and provides strength, and while on a deficit you do lose weight whether or not you weight lift. Except for the new lifter gains, In order to gain muscle you have to eat at maintenance or a surplus.

SLLRunner

There is plenty of support for weight training while in a deficit. It is supposed to help preserve muscle mass while losing. No need to wait until hitting your goal weight.

yep.

Chibimii

Muscle weighs more than fat. So if you're gaining muscle your weight will go up. I suggest measuring your success with a tape measure instead of a scale.

Muscle weighs the same as fat, it just takes up less space. However, you don't gain muscle unless you are eating at maintenance or a surplus plus doing some weight lifting, and even then it takes a long while. Cardio provides endurance.

Strength building exercises are more for people who are skinny and want to tone up.

Nope. Strength training is for anyone who wants to do it. There are several people who start their weight loss journey obese and weight lift/strength train.

Save Strength building exercises for when you have lost all the weight you want to lose because muscle will increase your weight rather than make you weigh less.

No. Start right away if you so desire. It helps keep skin integrity and provides strength, and while on a deficit you do lose weight whether or not you weight lift. Except for the new lifter gains, In order to gain muscle you have to eat at maintenance or a surplus.

If you lose 5lbs of fat but at the same time have been strength building you could easily have gained 5lbs of muscle. So the scale won't always show it. I wasn't saying she couldn't strength train. I was merely saying if she wanted to see results faster to focus more on burning fat than building muscle.

I just wanted to point this out because I would never tell someone not to do exercises. I was merely offering a possible solution to her problem. If you strength train while losing weight your weight loss results will typically be slower because you are replacing what you're losing with something better. But every person is different.

As for size if you had a pile of fat and a pile of muscle the exact same size weighing them you would find the muscle weighs more even though it is the same size as the fat. However, if you had 5lbs of fat, and 5lbs of muscle the muscle would indeed be smaller in size. That's what I mean when I say muscle weighs more than fat, and yes your right. Fat takes up more space, but it doesn't weight more for the space it's in. So no, fat does not weigh the same as muscle.

Also, as for me saying, "Strength building exercises are more for people who are skinny and want to tone up." That was purely an opinion of mine. The exercises you do really depends on what results you want to see.

Happy exercising.