Why am I gaining weight??

embym

So I started out really good and lost 3 lbs, I've been exercising a lot and staying under my calorie limit, but I just weighed myself and I'm back to my starting weight. Am I just gaining muscle or something? It's making it really hard to stay motivated, and at the same time making it hard to keep from cutting calories drastically to try and keep my numbers low. What's going on and what should I do?

embym

PS I'm pretty small at 5'1" and 110 lbs so maybe that's the problem top?

skinnyack

I lost the same 3 lbs over and over again for my first three months. It's enough to make anyone want to quit! Step away form the scale. Buy a measuring tape and measure a couple places and document how your pants etc feel after 1 month, 2 months etc. Track your food the best you can. It will come off and you will see results... but that scale may not show it. Best of Luck!

cheergirl10766

I have noticed that with myself I will lose 3 or 4 pounds and within a week it is back up 2 - 3 of those pounds. I also have realized that some could be muscle gain but also water weight. I'm sure with your exercising you have been drinking more water then what your body is used to and there for it does not know what to do with all theextra water and it is just water weight. That is another possiblity of what could be giving you a couple pounds back.

katbass

Could be a number of different factors. Always try to weigh yourself at the same time of day, preferably first thing in the morning. I know I can weigh myself in the morning, then eat breakfast and drink water, and I will be up 3 or 4 lbs. Its discouraging, so I only weigh once, first thing in the morning, and then not again til the next morning

Also, try to focus more on how you are feeling and how your clothes fit. I know its tough to see that number stay the same or barely move, but its not the only factor in your new lifetsyle

haleighallen

May I ask why you are trying to lose weight? Because at 5'1" and 110lbs, your bmi is 20.8, and the healthy range for you is 18.5–24.9. If you actually lost the ten pound that you are trying to lose, that would put you at 18.9, which is pretty close to the bottom of your range. maybe just toss the scale aside and try toning up, instead of losing pounds. After all, 1 pound of muscle takes up less than half the space of a pound of fat.

Duganhorse

PS I'm pretty small at 5'1" and 110 lbs so maybe that's the problem top?

I think its going to be hard for you to lose too much weight since you are already at a healthy weight for your hight. I would focus more on toning exercises if you want to change your body rather than worry about calories and weight loss.

embym

I gained 10 lbs since I got to college and I would like to tone up and get back to where I was my senior year of high school. I recognize that I'm not overweight but I know what weight I feel and look best at. My parents are both overweight so I feel that I need to keep a close eye on myself so it's not harder in the future. And thanks for the help so far everyone!

JillyCornwall

Sounds like your initial weight loss was a combination of water loss & stored Glucose, your body will naturally regain both as it has adjusted to your new restricted diet. As others have said you should concentrate on fitness & toning and eating a healthy diet, it seems unlikely that you need to lose 10 lbs!