Gaining weight :-(

Hi everyone

Hope someone can help me find a fix to my current problem. I'm sticking to a 1200 calorie a day diet an doing exercise 3-5 days a week, including around 5 miles running. If I do exercise then I allow myself more calories - but I've only been over that calorie allowance a few times.

I've been losing 1lb a week. But this week I've slipped and had three days on the trot eating just over my calorie limit. I've still been exercising, but I've probably eaten nearer 1700 Cals a day

I've gained 3lbs!!!

How can I shift that weight again? I don't want it to take 3weeks!!

Please help :-(

Replies

  • dg09
    dg09 Posts: 754
    You can't gain 3 lbs of fat in that time span on 1700 calories.
  • clareiow
    clareiow Posts: 53 Member
    But my scale said 147lbs on thursday and now they say 150 :-( I've definitely eaten more
    Than normal but only about 500 Cals more.

    I just don't get it :-(
  • haylz24
    haylz24 Posts: 225
    water weight? try drinking more water to flush it all away.
    You can't gain 3lbs in a few days! Don't let it get you down. Don't weigh yourself as often. When you do, do you do it in the morning after emptying your bladder? Are the scales on a flat surface too?
  • dfarmer6
    dfarmer6 Posts: 5
    Been there.
    Most likely you have water weigh gain. It is temporary. Exercise may cause some weight gain, eating foods high in sodium or some preservatives, drinking alcohol, and women can also be more sensitive to hormone changes which may contribute to water retention.
    When I do high intensity workouts or lift weights, I gain a few pounds but it’s primarily water. It is my theory, that when we exercise we are basically breakdown muscle. This is an injury of sorts and our body's natural response is to protect by retaining fluid to protect and aid in recovery. Our physical gains in strength and endurance is in the recovery (rest) period.

    I would suggest priming the pump so to speak. Drink more water.
    At times I hit a plateau. When that happens I change things up. It works for me.
    Change my diet because I can get into a rut eating the same things over and over. This doesn't mean necessarily an increase or decrease in calories just change what I eat.
    I change my exercise program as well sometimes doing shorter but higher intensity and recovery (lower heart rate workout) workouts. These are longer in duration. I never increase intensity or duration more than 10% a week to prevent injury.

    Hang in there. I know it can be discouraging with all the work you do but it will come off. This is only temporary. Keep at it! Wishing you all the best.
  • MrsLong1980
    MrsLong1980 Posts: 181 Member
    Are you due your monthly friend any time soon? Water weight and just normal weight fluctuations. Don't be fixated with the numbers on the scales.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I know you're new here, but it's not necessary to double post to get more feedback. Next time simply, "bump" your thread or post a reply to move it to the top of the queue again.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538403-gaining-weight
  • haylz24
    haylz24 Posts: 225
    I know you're new here, but it's not necessary to double post to get more feedback. Next time simply, "bump" your thread or post a reply to move it to the top of the queue again.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538403-gaining-weight

    This came across as rude to me. Could have said it better
  • clareiow
    clareiow Posts: 53 Member
    I'm sorry for double posting, doing it from my phone and somehow managed to do it twice!!!


    Thanks for all the advice, feeling more positive now! :-)
  • I know you're new here, but it's not necessary to double post to get more feedback. Next time simply, "bump" your thread or post a reply to move it to the top of the queue again.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538403-gaining-weight

    This came across as rude to me. Could have said it better

    agree!!!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I know you're new here, but it's not necessary to double post to get more feedback. Next time simply, "bump" your thread or post a reply to move it to the top of the queue again.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538403-gaining-weight

    This came across as rude to me. Could have said it better

    Oh lordy. I was not being rude, just trying to be helpful. Stop reading rudeness into other people's posts when it wasn't there. Sheesh...
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I'm sorry for double posting, doing it from my phone and somehow managed to do it twice!!!


    Thanks for all the advice, feeling more positive now! :-)

    No problem. Just trying to help you out :)

    I'm glad you got some feedback and got the help you needed also.
  • kkwillis1
    kkwillis1 Posts: 16
    It could also be what you chose to eat for your cheat meals. When your body is used to eating a certain way and you go out of that element, your body will go into storage mode.....just like if you take vitamins. Your body will gain weight when you first start cause it is storing those vitamins instead of burning them with excersise because its not sure when it will get those vitqmins again. Same with food. If you eat clean for months and then a few days in a row you eat dirty, your body will store those strange nutrients........ just a thought :-)
  • mikedhatz
    mikedhatz Posts: 15
    Bear in mind that weight fluctuations are normal. Water weight, bowel movements, all of that can add or subtract 2-5 pounds over the course of a couple of days or even during the same day. Drink water. Drink water. Drink water. That's all I can say about that, the fastest way to stop your body from holding on to excess water is to drink more of it. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but when there is an abundance of water your body doesn't feel a physiological need to retain it. At first you might bloat a bit, but just watch, over a couple of days all of the bloating will go away and you'll feel great again.

    Also, if you're worried about metabolism and all of that you might want to consider adding some strength and resistance training into your routine. It'll mix things up for your body, prevent workouts from becoming monotonous (and therefore more fun and sustainable over the long term) and you might gain some lean muscle, which is a very effective tool for increasing not only your basal metabolic rate but also your exercising metabolic rate (since muscle tissue takes more calories to sustain than fat, bone, or any other tissue in your body except for brain tissue).
  • wurgin
    wurgin Posts: 241 Member
    I am glad I saw this post because I was struggling with a gain that didn't make sense - yes I was over in my cals 1 day but not enough to reflect the scales. But I was down in my water several days this week. Feeling less discouraged. Am going to wait a whole week before weighing in again. I hope after being mindful for a week I will have a reading that makes sense for me. Makes me think that the whole spike day concept isn't going to work for me AT ALL.
  • Andrewcpimpin
    Andrewcpimpin Posts: 124 Member
    If I booze it up (once a week) I normally eat bad that day too ill notice a 3 lb fluctuations in weight. I put that day behind me re hydrate well and run my *kitten* off. My weight gets back to normal within 48 hrs. Another thing I do is after a binge day I go opposite and go under my cal the next day by a lot. About 800 and I feel great after. Find out what works for you
  • DataBased
    DataBased Posts: 513 Member
    ... this week I've slipped and had three days on the trot eating just over my calorie limit...
    Eating on the run - does that mean fast food? If so, you could have a sensitivity to sodium that causes you to retain water weight. I am very sensitive to sodium.

    But even if that's' true one thing to remember is that your body weight can fluctuate by 7 lbs in a single day. Weighing yourself first thing in the morning, after going to the bathroom, before eating or drinking anything, is best. That's called your dry weight.

    And I echo what the others have said. Quit weighing yourself daily! The week I stopped doing that was the week I began enjoying this journey.

    1. Measure yourself with a tape measure once a week - neck, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves, biceps, and forearms.
    2. Take your dry weight once a week.
    3. The remainder of your week - enjoy the journey.

    :-)