Not losing - gainin

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rajekred
rajekred Posts: 31
in Health and Weight Loss
Help! I really don't know what to do. I am keeping below my calories, counting everything, even if its just a small amount, and I excercise anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour a day, but I've gained weight! I tried mixing up my diet and my work out now as well. I've thrown in a lot more fruits and cut back on the carbs like breads and pastas, and totally gave up my potato chip cravings where as before I worked it into my calories. I've also added strength training to my work out, where before it was sporadic, it is now every other day. So what gives? Shouldn't I lose weight? Its so frustrating. I worked so hard and had lost 17 lbs, and now I've gained 5 back. What gives?

Replies

  • lisamcraig
    lisamcraig Posts: 4
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    You may be gaining muscle weight, not fat.
  • rob1976
    rob1976 Posts: 1,328 Member
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    You said you've added strength training to your workout. This will add lean muscle mass and (as we've all heard 100,000 times) muscle weighs more than fat. Your weight WILL go up while your BFP and your actual measurements will go down. This is to be expected and you need to keep this in mind to keep from becoming discouraged.
  • photoman67
    photoman67 Posts: 116 Member
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    You're most likely gaining muscle. Have your body fat % measured, that's what really counts. Keep with your same style of workouts and check it every couple of weeks or so to see if you're losing body fat.
  • tayner
    tayner Posts: 372
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    muscle does not weigh more than fat, a pound is a pound... but a pound of muscle takes up much less room than a pound of fat.. so if you are putting on muscle you still could be losing fat but not weight overall because of this. Have you tried measuring yourself? the scale is not the only way to have success.

    Plus, if you are doing the right things, keep at it.. the scale WILL follow... give your body time to adjust as well.. keep it mixed up, but give it time to realize you aren't starving it, and that it will get the fuel it needs, and things will be fine.
  • JStarnes
    JStarnes Posts: 5,576 Member
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    muscle does not weigh more than fat, a pound is a pound... but a pound of muscle takes up much less room than a pound of fat.. so if you are putting on muscle you still could be losing fat but not weight overall because of this. Have you tried measuring yourself? the scale is not the only way to have success.

    Plus, if you are doing the right things, keep at it.. the scale WILL follow... give your body time to adjust as well.. keep it mixed up, but give it time to realize you aren't starving it, and that it will get the fuel it needs, and things will be fine.
    Yep - what she said :flowerforyou:
  • KatWood
    KatWood Posts: 1,135 Member
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    Help! I really don't know what to do. I am keeping below my calories, counting everything, even if its just a small amount, and I excercise anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour a day, but I've gained weight! I tried mixing up my diet and my work out now as well. I've thrown in a lot more fruits and cut back on the carbs like breads and pastas, and totally gave up my potato chip cravings where as before I worked it into my calories. I've also added strength training to my work out, where before it was sporadic, it is now every other day. So what gives? Shouldn't I lose weight? Its so frustrating. I worked so hard and had lost 17 lbs, and now I've gained 5 back. What gives?
    We need more details?
    How many calories are you eating?
    How many are you burning?
    Over what time period did you lose the 17lbs and what time period did you gain the 5 back?
  • lculian
    lculian Posts: 313 Member
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    I agree with what they said, eventually the scales will reflect your effort. But make sure you are eatting your calories so you aren't sending your body the message that it is starving.
    I remember Dr. Oz saying that when you start a new work out regimine expect to see a three pound weught gain that will come off. Something about water and your muscles breaking down, I don't remember the details, just the 3 lbs.
    Maybe you experienced the 3lbs weight gain Dr. Oz was referring to and a little more sodium than usual, or maybe your water intake wasn't high enough for your new work out routine.

    Overall it sounds like you're doing a great job and are on the right track. Be proud of the commitment that you've made, Keep it up!!!
  • rajekred
    rajekred Posts: 31
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    If I don't work out, I eat 1560 calories per day. On days that I work out and do only cardio, I burn about 400 calories and eat those as well. On days I do 20 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training, I burn about 350 caories and eat those. I began my diet on January 4th and was at 17 lbs lost about March 12th, and in 2 weeks I gained 5 back. I know that the body fluctuates a couple of lbs, so but I don't think I've ever really seen it fluctuate 5 lbs.
  • kelli_panzera
    kelli_panzera Posts: 171
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    Lucky you...mine fluctuates between 3-5 pounds per day!!
  • sean23
    sean23 Posts: 34 Member
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    My wife had the same problem you are having. She recently lost 14 pounds in the past 3 months. She is still doing the same exact things and plan she just lost all the weight on and over the past 2 months has gained back 10 ot the pounds. She doesn't go over 1200 calories a day but still gained 2.5 pounds last week. We got her metabolism tested locally to figure her resting metabolic rate. Come to find out she actually has a higher than average metabolism and was told she needs to eat between 1400 and 1700 calories to lose weight. The reason she isn't losing is because she isn't giving her body enough fuel so its storing all she eats and holding on to it. You may not be eating enough. It may be worth a try.

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