GAINING weight while still dieting and exercising!!!

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  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
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    You may not be eating enough. Especially for extra working out now. the average male has to consume around 2400-3000 calories per day.. I know my boyfriend eats around 2600-3000 per day doin Insanity workouts with me so yea.. Maybe eat more. and you will lose more.. :) That or if ur closer to ur goal weight at first you were losing fast maybe and now ur body is taking longer to lose it..
  • bfitnbfab
    bfitnbfab Posts: 79
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    I'm stumped.
    I have been dieting for a month, exercising (cardio) every day, and losing a steady 2 pounds per week. This week, however, my weight is going UP. I have not changed my diet (same calorie targets) and I have not stopped exercising. In fact, I'm now exercising with more intensity.

    A lot of folks have some great suggestions, but one that I haven't seen yet is overtraining. Even though you aren't doing weight training, you are doing cardio 6 days a week. The body needs time to heal in between workouts. Maybe take a week off from doing any exercise than a nice walk. Then pick it back up, but only every other day instead. Keep the intensity up tho!

    Are you tracking any measurements other than weight? This might help as well when you aren't seeing the weight coming off.

    You should seriously think about taking up weight training as well. This will really help you to get the fat off with a healthy diet.
  • angieleekid
    angieleekid Posts: 13
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    I had this same issue. I was losing about 1lb per week for 2-3 months straight and then I plateaued. And then I started to gain. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1400 and started to lose again. Best of luck!


    How does upping your calories make you lose more weight? I'm new at this :)
  • pinthin87
    pinthin87 Posts: 296 Member
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    2 words...water weight.
  • brayla1
    brayla1 Posts: 142 Member
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    bump
  • promo153
    promo153 Posts: 6
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    Thank you all for the great responses.

    I can't go back and answer individually to each, but this is what I am learning:
    1- water weight
    2- normal adjustment
    3- use other measurements
    4- keep it up

    Thanks all!

    In terms of other measurements, I will start measuring waist and neck... just because the tool has them! :)
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    This....
    First. muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. a pound is a pound. period. muscle takes up LESS SPACE than fat.

    question 1. are you eating enough?
    question 2. is it water weight? (can come from high sodium foods, and also your muscles can retain water as well)
  • promo153
    promo153 Posts: 6
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    1. yes, about 1,900 to 2,000 calories per day (healthy food, not trash food)
    2. highly likely
  • aoikirin
    aoikirin Posts: 143
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    I will echo what everyone else said about water weight, but also want to point out that it could have been worse. What if you weighed yourself only monthly and found you had gained a few pounds after a whole month of hard work and effort! :(
  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
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    I'm stumped.
    I have been dieting for a month, exercising (cardio) every day, and losing a steady 2 pounds per week. This week, however, my weight is going UP. I have not changed my diet (same calorie targets) and I have not stopped exercising. In fact, I'm now exercising with more intensity.

    Have any of you encountered this kind of problem before? How did you deal with it?

    Although I am gaining weight, I am not gaining size. I was told muscle weighs more than fat, but the rate at which I'm going up suggests either my scale is broken or my body is out of whack.

    Ideas?
    Comments?


    Thanks in advance.

    I personally think 6-7 days of cardio is not right for a man. You are probably so much better from a cardiovascular perspective, but you have to lift weights to change the shape of your body and lose fat. In fact, you probably have lost fat... measure yourself. But if you want to be lean, you have to train with weights. Just my opinion though.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I'm stumped.
    I have been dieting for a month, exercising (cardio) every day, and losing a steady 2 pounds per week. This week, however, my weight is going UP. I have not changed my diet (same calorie targets) and I have not stopped exercising. In fact, I'm now exercising with more intensity.

    Have any of you encountered this kind of problem before? How did you deal with it?

    Although I am gaining weight, I am not gaining size. I was told muscle weighs more than fat, but the rate at which I'm going up suggests either my scale is broken or my body is out of whack.

    Ideas?
    Comments?


    Thanks in advance.

    I personally think 6-7 days of cardio is not right for a man. You are probably so much better from a cardiovascular perspective, but you have to lift weights to change the shape of your body and lose fat. In fact, you probably have lost fat... measure yourself. But if you want to be lean, you have to train with weights. Just my opinion though.

    6-7 days isn't right for women either. Women need weight training just as much as men do, and WT is what makes both sexes cut fat faster.
  • heres2anewme
    heres2anewme Posts: 35 Member
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    I have learned that if I plateau that I need to switch things around a bit. Our bodies get use to us doing the same thing and will not let go of weight. Change your exercise around some, eat a few more calories than normal. Do 2 days of weigh lifting vs all 5 days of cardio. Weigh Lifting burns more fat than cardio does anyway.
  • mamamc03
    mamamc03 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Sounds to me like you're leveling out. Your body is adjusting. It's probably water for one, but more importantly muscle. My suggestion would be to keep doing what you're doing.. maybe switch your macros up (increase protein or something) a bit or something but let your body catch up. Give it another couple weeks and I bet you'll see another loss.

    ^^^^Golden nugget of info!! Keep your body guessing!! NEVER get into a routine with workouts or food! Always change things up when you level off.

    <threadjack>
    And for the record, I don't believe in this "body guessing" stuff. Yes, I know, most people do, and I'm not saying that I know for a fact that it's wrong...it's just a piece of CW that I don't buy. There are valid reasons to adjust your exercise (different muscles, different stressors) and foods (different macro and micro nutrients), but "body guessing" isn't it.
    </threadjack>

    As the "GOlden nugget" poster, I disagree. When I plateau, this is exactly what I do. I do a different video, go jogging, or do something to spice it up. I change my caloric intake up or down. This ALWAYS 100% gets that number dropping again. I am not going to jump on a fad...this was through self-discovery.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
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    Afternoon !

    Of course I have an idea . and it's a good one ! : )

    This is a common problem that many of us fall into .. we are "programmed" into thinking we must eat less / move more. THAT is very true, but we define it wrong and go crazy. Must eat and moderate exercise. Too little calories, too much exercise (especially cardio) will stall our FAT loss. Yes, we want to lose FAT, not Weight. There is a diff. And .. if we are doing both at same time (too few cals, too much exercise) for too long a period we mess up our fat burning metabolism.

    I haven't looked at your diary, etc. BUT .. please, I encourage you to check out a group that I'm very active in .. Eat More To Weigh Less. Go Community tab - Groups - Search - Eat More to Weigh Less. OR .. there is a link on my open profile page.

    Get With It ! : )

    Jen
  • Gailmarie760
    Gailmarie760 Posts: 6
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    I too have been working out Aerobics, Shawn T Abs, and walk 3.5 miles a day total cal burn about 500 to 800 per day. I do have a farm and sometimes it is easy to burn an extra 1400 calories for days in a row... I have gained 3 lbs, my trackers say I need 1300 to 1500 calories if I do nothing. WHY am I gaining weight? I have a calorie differential of -500 to - 1400 everyday.... I am scared to death to eat more calories... Any ideas? I lost over 50 lbs years ago and have kept off till now and seems no matter weight Watchers or Zone nothing seems to move the scale.:(
  • Gailmarie760
    Gailmarie760 Posts: 6
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    have been tracking on spark people and have had a calorie differential everyday from -900 monday,-705,-1614,-1550,-2960 was a big farm ditch digging day,,-246, -998,-999,-824,-1478,-738,-658,-1045,-474,-539,-729,-17,--1040,-521,-1676,-656,-1389,-621,-298,-1078,-813,-776,-616,
    -626,-662, ... and I gained 3 lbs in one month. any ideas
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I too have been working out Aerobics, Shawn T Abs, and walk 3.5 miles a day total cal burn about 500 to 800 per day. I do have a farm and sometimes it is easy to burn an extra 1400 calories for days in a row... I have gained 3 lbs, my trackers say I need 1300 to 1500 calories if I do nothing. WHY am I gaining weight? I have a calorie differential of -500 to - 1400 everyday.... I am scared to death to eat more calories... Any ideas? I lost over 50 lbs years ago and have kept off till now and seems no matter weight Watchers or Zone nothing seems to move the scale.:(

    If you are very active with a farm and exercise, why are you aiming for a sedentary goal?
  • Gailmarie760
    Gailmarie760 Posts: 6
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    Thank you Jen and Mamamc03, I will not give up. I have had a stalled metabolism due to surgical menopause over 30 years now.. I have issues...So I am going to be brave and kick up the calorie intake due the added exercise. As fitness pal suggests.

    As for Psulemon. I am a bit confused by your question... I am not aiming for a sedentary goal. intentionally anyhow.....While on sparks people I entered all my food and exercise within the range they had me. Between 1400 and 1700 calories... with the exercise I get It always gave me the big differentials... I just figured I would be losing as i did in the beginning on WW or the Zone...cause like Weight watchers always said you dont' have to eat your exercise points....?? And you know doctors they just say eat less... eat less... they don't seem to take into consideration the real exercise i get.

    But it seems no matter what I do lately the pounds have gone in the opposite direction... i think my biggest fear is eating more and gaining... I am gaining and therefore have nothing to lose...LOL no pun intended so I am going to eat the recommended number of calories Myfitnesspal recommends for me, and see if indeed I do lose some of this weight. I will say yesterday i ate 1846 calories of the 2156 or so they had me down for. I will try harder today to eat the same or more as I have over 700 calories burned walking and Aerobics this morning...
  • Gailmarie760
    Gailmarie760 Posts: 6
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    Jen, thank you, i did see you posted that for another guy and was looking at some of the videos...

    I think I am stuck on eat less move more... lose weight.. and it is not the case with me. So I am going with the extra Calorie intake that Fitness Pal has me at and we will see if I can budge the scale in the right direction... :)

    Gail
  • Gailmarie760
    Gailmarie760 Posts: 6
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    sorry if i double posted this just learning the site. I am a bit confused by your question... I am not aiming for a sedentary goal. intentionally anyhow.....While on sparks people I entered all my food and exercise within the range they had me. Between 1400 and 1700 calories... with the exercise I get It always gave me the big differentials... I just figured I would be losing as i did in the beginning on WW or the Zone...cause like Weight watchers always said you dont' have to eat your exercise points....?? And you know doctors they just say eat less... eat less... they don't seem to take into consideration the real exercise i get.

    But it seems no matter what I do lately the pounds have gone in the opposite direction... i think my biggest fear is eating more and gaining... I am gaining and therefore have nothing to lose...LOL no pun intended so I am going to eat the recommended number of calories Myfitnesspal recommends for me, and see if indeed I do lose some of this weight. I will say yesterday i ate 1846 calories of the 2156 or so they had me down for. I will try harder today to eat the same or more as I have over 700 calories burned walking and Aerobics this morning...

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