Give it to me straight..gained 2.6Ibs..what needs to change?

keelz2010

Well...I'm really fed up right now as I've just weighed myself and put 2.6Ibs on since my last weigh in 2 weeks ago, even though my food intake hasn't really changed. It's not TOM and it's not muscle as I'm not excercising right now, except a few walks- but I'm planning to start working out from this weekend coming . I'm into weighing my food and try to keep my diary accurate and I log everything that goes in my mouth, the good the bad and the ugly.

I'm 5'8, 30 yrs old and my start weight was 12 stone 11Ibs ..I lost 5Ib in the weeks prior to joining MFP by following an unhealthy 800-1000 cals a day and got to 12st6 in a week...next weigh in I gained 1Ib to 12st7 so I upped my cals to 1200 incase I was in 'starvation mode' and joined MFP...I then lost 3 bringing me to 12st4Ib two weeks ago. Now up to 12st6.6 agghhh

I wouldn't mind so much if I'd not lost anything but to gain is just rubbish! Now I'm not sure what to do...It wouldn't be healthy to eat less than 1200 again so I know I maybe have to reconsider the foods I'm eating but I don't want to make too many changes right off, I just want to take it slow so it's sustainable for me long term.

I've been feeling good about working towards a healthier life but now I'm wondering why I bother and I seriously feel like pigging out..

If you look at my food diary from 2oth Oct it shows my 'before' daily intake and it's around 3,000 cals, so how can I be gaining on 1200-1400? Any advice much appreciated please, my diary is open, and I'm not easily offended so give it to me straight and honest

mgobluetx12

Could just be a fluke, like retaining water. Why don't you track sodium as well and see if that's been high. If not, it'll come back off. Fluctuation is normal. I had a 3lb gain on the scale and eat about the same as you. It was gone 3 days later.

keelz2010

Why don't you track sodium as well and see if that's been high.

Thanks for the tip, I'll try this out and see what shows up

ManEnMotion

I suggest you post your diet.... It would be hard to know where to start. Also go see your doctor. There could be another reason like thyroid

ManEnMotion

Just noticed your diet is available..... I'll read and see if there is something that stands out.

joshkilborn

I notice you're not drinking enough water. That can actually cause water retention especially paired with a high sodium intake.

djames92

id say just exercise more and see if that works for you get your metabolism going with workouts!
you could even eat a little more then

RedHeadDevotchka

Can you up your calories? Why not try smaller meals more frequently? Like 300-400 cals at a time.

Umeboshi

I bet you it's water retention or constipation. you retain up to like 5lbs I believe.

ManEnMotion

First thing that stands out in your diet is the carbs. For me I lost 50 lbs in 3 months by working out 4-5 times a week and by cutting carbs. Little or no bread and pasta and no junk food.

There are a lot of crappy food in your diet!

Frosted flakes, Bounty - Coconut Bar, Tesco - Coco Pops, Cadbury - Crunchie - Chocolate Bar, Tesco - White French Bread Baguett, Eli's Cheesecake - Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cheesecake, 1 slice

That's just two or three days

nixirain

Well...I'm really fed up right now as I've just weighed myself and put 2.6Ibs on since my last weigh in 2 weeks ago, even though my food intake hasn't really changed. It's not TOM and it's not muscle as I'm not excercising right now, except a few walks- but I'm planning to start working out from this weekend coming . I'm into weighing my food and try to keep my diary accurate and I log everything that goes in my mouth, the good the bad and the ugly.

I'm 5'8, 30 yrs old and my start weight was 12 stone 11Ibs ..I lost 5Ib in the weeks prior to joining MFP by following an unhealthy 800-1000 cals a day and got to 12st6 in a week...next weigh in I gained 1Ib to 12st7 so I upped my cals to 1200 incase I was in 'starvation mode' and joined MFP...I then lost 3 bringing me to 12st4Ib two weeks ago. Now up to 12st6.6 agghhh

I wouldn't mind so much if I'd not lost anything but to gain is just rubbish! Now I'm not sure what to do...It wouldn't be healthy to eat less than 1200 again so I know I maybe have to reconsider the foods I'm eating but I don't want to make too many changes right off, I just want to take it slow so it's sustainable for me long term.

I've been feeling good about working towards a healthier life but now I'm wondering why I bother and I seriously feel like pigging out..

If you look at my food diary from 2oth Oct it shows my 'before' daily intake and it's around 3,000 cals, so how can I be gaining on 1200-1400? Any advice much appreciated please, my diary is open, and I'm not easily offended so give it to me straight and honest

1200 calories isn't the magic number to get you out of starvation mode FYI. You are eating way to little. I am 8 inches shorter than you and I eat 1500 calories a day. I would suggest to find out your TDEE and eat less than that. Try to not cut more than 20% off TDEE.

The reason you are gaining is probably because your body is being underfed and it doesn't want to release any fat because it doesn't know the next time it will be fed properly.

If you were eating 3000 cals before, don't you think it is kind of extreme to cut 1800 cals off your daily intake?

weloveourboys

I would try to add exercise, and then see what happens. I would up your calories, however, if you start exercising. I don't see an issue with what you're eating, but would add more fruits and veggies. But if bread and sugary cereals and a daily chocolate bar is yor thing, I say why not as long as you are within your caloric limits. Once you start exercising, you will need those carbs for energy. I recommend cardio workouts by the way.

keelz2010

Can you up your calories? Why not try smaller meals more frequently? Like 300-400 cals at a time.

Thanks for your reply, I am planning on getting my measurements taken tomorrow so I can work out this TDEE/ BMR thing I keep hearing about on here, in case I do need to eat more... I already eat little and often, up to six times a day so I don't think it's that.

keelz2010

I notice you're not drinking enough water. That can actually cause water retention especially paired with a high sodium intake.

My sodium intake is pretty low, as I've just changed my settings after advice from another poster, but I'm definatly guilty of not drinking much water...must try harder on that one this week I think! Thanks for replying:)

nixirain

Can you up your calories? Why not try smaller meals more frequently? Like 300-400 cals at a time.

Thanks for your reply, I am planning on getting my measurements taken tomorrow so I can work out this TDEE/ BMR thing I keep hearing about on here, in case I do need to eat more... I already eat little and often, up to six times a day so I don't think it's that.

Based on your height and weight you BMR is 1550. Your TDEE is just over 1850 calories to maintain and a 20% cut is about 1500. This is with NO EXERCISE.

check it out: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

keelz2010

There are a lot of crappy food in your diet!

Frosted flakes, Bounty - Coconut Bar, Tesco - Coco Pops, Cadbury - Crunchie - Chocolate Bar, Tesco - White French Bread Baguett, Eli's Cheesecake - Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cheesecake, 1 slice

That's just two or three days

Mmm I have to agree, maybe sugar is my downfall as I originally cut all that junk out when I first started but added it all back in thinking that as long as I kept them within my calories, it wouldn't make a difference..but now you've pointed it out I think this might be the problem, thanks for taking the time to look into my diary

ManEnMotion

Good luck! My points are what have worked for me. Hopefully the advise here will get you started..

hayeskw

Try removing any wheat based or bread items for 1 week keeping calories at 1200 per day. Exercise more ofter and eat more but stay at 1200 net calories. Try to minimize cheese also. Drink 8 glasses of water per day. Try to eliminate caffeine as it tends to inhibit metabolism. Best of luck - it's a lot easier to gain weight than it is to loose it.

keelz2010

[/quote]

Based on your height and weight you BMR is 1550. Your TDEE is just over 1850 calories to maintain and a 20% cut is about 1500. This is with NO EXERCISE.

check it out: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
[/quote]
Thanks for that, very kind of you to take the time working it out.. I've just had a look, think I'm going to have go at eating a little more using that as a guide and see if it helps! Ta very much!

wants2travel

I don't think you can lose weight by eating chocolate bars and sweets, and no vegetables and fruit.

Dave198lbs

Try removing any wheat based or bread items for 1 week keeping calories at 1200 per day. Exercise more ofter and eat more but stay at 1200 net calories. Try to minimize cheese also. Drink 8 glasses of water per day. Try to eliminate caffeine as it tends to inhibit metabolism. Best of luck - it's a lot easier to gain weight than it is to loose it.

caffeine inhibits metabolism? WRONG most people believe the opposite is true

minimize cheese? WHY...ONLY do this if cheese is creating a caloric surplus

your body weight will fluctuate throughout the day and week. You can actually weigh 5 pounds more or 5 pounds less from morning to afternoon so being concerned about scale weight on a daily basis or weekly basis is really meaningless.

I would get your body fat tested by a good procedure (not a scale that also measures body fat) and start from there.

kmh0617

Eat way more protein, more fiber (preferably from whole food sources). Try to get less refined carbohydrates and processed food.

Dave198lbs

I don't think you can lose weight by eating chocolate bars and sweets, and no vegetables and fruit.

actually you can if you are in a caloric deficit. it isn't a great idea, but food choices (or candy choices) don't matter for just weight loss

Brittbabysmiles

Take a water pill and drink lots of water to flush out your system. Be careful though because you can get dehydrated. But Rey work wonders!:)

cedarghost

I don't think you can lose weight by eating chocolate bars and sweets, and no vegetables and fruit.

Oh, really???
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

keelz2010

Thanks to everyone that took the time to reply, I think I was in a panic for nothing really as the scales changed back to normal today haha, and I even lost a pound as well as the 2.6 I'd put on- I feel a bit silly now! I guess I just have to ride out those fluctuations and not get in a tizz next time!

I've got some great tips though from you all though, I've upped my water intake today and will keep that up, increase my veggies and fruit and try to limit amount of sugar and carbs I've been having...no more coco pops ( except maybe a cheeky bowl at the weekend..) I thought that it wouldn't matter eating junk if it was within my daily cals but I was losing much quicker when I first started on MFP and was eating cleaner foods. It's all trial and error, I'll get there in the end!

I don't want to give up carbs completely though, anyone have a rough idea of how much I should consume? MFP gave me a 165 limit, should I try for a lot less? I do love my bananas though and don't want to give them up just because they are high in carbs.

nixirain

I personally changed my macros to 40% carbs 30% protein 30% fat. That gives me about 1g of protein per lb of LBM.