Why am I gaining weight?

Invadermeg
Invadermeg Posts: 2
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I've recently started going back to the gym and eating around 1400 calories a day for the past few weeks and I've managed to gain 4 pounds and I'm really concerned that I'm doing something wrong! If anybody could give me some advice it'd be greatly appreciated! :)

Replies

  • bluemorpho1247
    bluemorpho1247 Posts: 300 Member
    Go to boots and get your body fat measured, it may be your losing fat but not overall weight as muscle is building :)
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Without knowing more about your diet and your exercise routine, I can't really say anything.
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
    Have you taken measurements? When you go back to exercising, your body uses water to help you recover, so that is most likely the story. What about sodium?
  • sxyfitmomandwife
    sxyfitmomandwife Posts: 328 Member
    Hi give us some details about what you've been doing? nurtition, workouts, durations, etc
  • 2kidsandadonut
    2kidsandadonut Posts: 137 Member
    Don't go by the scale go by inches. When you are working hard you are gaining muscle and loosing inches. However, because muscle weighs more than fat you may be going up on the scale especially if you don't have that much to lose. So rather than be disappointed look at the way your jeans fit. If you are still having problems you might want to look at what you are eating for those 1400 calories. If you eat twinkies but only eat 1400 calories of them you are still eating twinkies. Also, depending on how hard you have been hitting the gym your body may be in shock. Much like if you go from 0 - 60 your body needs time to adjust. keep at it! You will see results!
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    It could be that you are gaining muscle or it could be that you are not eating enough and your body is storing what you do eat. Not eating enough is a common mistake that can quickly sabotage.
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
    I know it is hard - heck it is hard for me...because for many of us a scale is some sort of indicator...

    if you are exercising and eating good wholesome foods in a calorie deficit...the weight will come off - albeit slowly...there may be times where the scale goes up or when the scale sticks...

    It could be that this week you show an upswing in your weight because you are retaining water from working out - maybe your hormones are fluctuating (I always gain about 2-3 lbs the week before my monthly "friend")

    You may find while the scale doesn't go down that much over time your body frame will change...I have lost 15 lbs over the past year - slowly....but my body shape has changed quite a bit through my exercise (some gym, kickboxing and crossfit) - so people who haven't seen me in awhile have remarked how good I look and think i have lost upward of 25-30 lbs...

    If you are working at maintaining your muscle mass and burning fat - remember a lb of fat and a lb of muscle weigh the same but a lb of fat takes up a much greater volume...so even if you scale over time says 1/2 lb down or a lb down -if that is all fat then your body frame will shrink...so if you are working out and loose 5 lbs of fat vs doing something like just restricting calories and losing both fat and muscle - your body may have quite a visible difference...

    Body fat explains why 2 women (and men) can be the same height, weigh the same but be in totally different sizes...I know people that are my height and about my weight but lower body fat that fit into clothes 2 sizes smaller then I - likewise I have a friend who is my height and weight but has a much higher % of body fat and she wears 3 sizes bigger to accomodate the VOLUME of fat

    As a pp stated it is better to get a body fat analysis done and worry about those numbers rather than a scale number...or take key measurments - Arm, chest, waist, hips and thighs...the difference for me in a years time - chest, waist and hips went down maybe a inch...but I took 3 inches off each of my thighs - my arms stayed the same, but now when I flex you can see muscle defination...you can see my collarbone and shoulder muscles...
  • Invadermeg
    Invadermeg Posts: 2
    You're all being so helpful thank you!
    Bluemorpho: I just might do that, do I just have to go in and they'll do it for free or do they charge?? Sorry Im useless when it comes to this stuff! haha
    Emmaruns: I do eat quite a lot of salt, I presume I should probably stop that, yes?
    2kidsandadonut:Thanks! Yeah I suppose I could be eating slightly healthier, I'm terrible for salty foods! Yeah I was pretty unmotivated after I saw the scales this morning but I still went to the gym, glad I did now!
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    Are you staying within your calorie limit set by MFP? Are your settings correct, especially the lifestyle/activity setting? (Do not include dedicated exercise in this setting.) Are you using a digital food scale to weigh and log everything that goes into your mouth? Most people drastically underestimate food portions; measuring cups and nutrition panels are deceiving. Are you wearing a quality HRM to measure & log calories burned from exercise (if any)? Are you logging all beverages and things used to cook with (oils, butters, marinades, etc)?

    Have you done all of these things for at least 3 weeks?
  • bluemorpho1247
    bluemorpho1247 Posts: 300 Member
    You're all being so helpful thank you!
    Bluemorpho: I just might do that, do I just have to go in and they'll do it for free or do they charge?? Sorry Im useless when it comes to this stuff! haha

    [/quote

    50p for a weight one and 70p if you want weight bmi body fat and recommendations :D well worth it! I do it weekly :)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Water weight from increasing exercise. Normal and temporary.
  • emmaruns
    emmaruns Posts: 189 Member
    You're all being so helpful thank you!
    Bluemorpho: I just might do that, do I just have to go in and they'll do it for free or do they charge?? Sorry Im useless when it comes to this stuff! haha
    Emmaruns: I do eat quite a lot of salt, I presume I should probably stop that, yes?
    2kidsandadonut:Thanks! Yeah I suppose I could be eating slightly healthier, I'm terrible for salty foods! Yeah I was pretty unmotivated after I saw the scales this morning but I still went to the gym, glad I did now!

    I hadn't tracked my salt before my first stall but once I started, I was amazed. Salt seems to go hand in hand with processed foods as well, so I found cutting salt meant cutting out a lot of those. It's worked for me! Never give up. Tweak, don't quit!
  • MrsKosal
    MrsKosal Posts: 415 Member
    How temporary is the water weight gain? I am in the same boat. Over the last 5 weeks, I've lost 3 lbs, and then gained back a couple. I'm eating so good, and working out like crazy.
  • bluemorpho1247
    bluemorpho1247 Posts: 300 Member
    It always depends. I constantly carry water weight. There is natural remedies to reduce it if it worries you :) I use one from boots
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