Doing everything right and gaining weight

OK, I've had a quick look at your diary.

First, drinks -- are you absolutely sure you're never drinking any fruit juice, or alcohol, or coffee or tea with milk, or soda? Because those all have loads of calories.

Second, recipes. If you eat a beef stew, at least at first, you can't rely on database entries for 'homemade beef stew'. That beef stew could be way higher or lower in cals than the one you're eating. You either need to put all the ingredients in yourself to make a recipe, or just enter the ingredients in your portion. Because what matters is your beef stew, not anyone else's. Ditto enchiladas -- I think Mexican food is particularly suspect here in fact.

Third, weights not volume. Cup measures are really unreliable except for liquids.

Fourth, fats. Now, there may be a way to cook up turkey sausage, eggs and peppers for your breakfast without using any fat at all (even the sprays have a bit), and that might be what you're doing. But most cooking has some oil or butter or lard in it, and all those things have lots of cals.

Otherwise -- obviously what's going on your diary is pretty healthy, but my guess is that there are things missing and that's what's caused the grief. And it can be *tiny* amounts of stuff, too, or small errors in things you have regularly.

Good luck! You can definitely get back on track.

TOTALLY agree with the folks who posted that you're not eating enough. For those who said you're not being honest or something, that's absolutely ridiculous (and mean). I gained weight for a while in almost exactly the same situation you're describing. AND I was in the gym - no kidding - 3 hours a day. I was so frustrated!

So, I met a trainer at the DC gym where I work out (Marceleus M. Venable) and he explained that I was at too much of a deficit. He had to badger me into cutting back on my workouts to no more than 90 minutes a day and made me eat more (~1400-1500 calories for a 170 frame - you may need to adjust for your weight) and sure as $*&% I lost weight within 2 weeks. I should also mention that I added weight training. I was really resistant to it, but the muscle really did help me burn more as part of my resting metabolic rate. (he also said not to weigh in around your period because women naturally gain then and it will just crush your spirits).

I know it's counterintuitive, but you need to eat enough so that your body doesn't starve. And weight training won't bulk you up. And that 1200-1250 crap is nonsense unless you're already smaller (like under 150).

Now I'm no expert with a degree, but I have managed to lost and keep off 75 lbs for a few years at a time. I'm still down 40 lbs from my top weight, even though I gained over the holidays and will be getting it back off in the New Year. Trust me - eat more and don't work out more than 90 minutes a day, 6 times a week.

IF you want my diet plan from my nutritionist and trainer, I'm happy to share. If you want to talk to Marcus, I think I have his email around somewhere.

Hang in there!!

~Elizabeth

IMHO, you are eating a high sodium diet from processed foods. Foods like Hamburger Helper are extremely high in sodium, which can lead to water retention. Start tracking your sodium and potassium intake. Try to raise your potassium and lower your sodium. Very difficult, but anything is better than nothing. Potassium helps to regulate sodium and vice versa. The typical American diet is high in sodium and low in potassium due to processed foods. Don't go overboard, though. Too much potassium and too low sodium is bad also. More balance is what you want to achieve. I have found that high potassium foods are typically whole foods, high sodium are typically processed foods. My favorite potassium boosters are dried apricots, bananas and oranges. Good luck and hang in there. This is a learning experience that will benefit you the rest of your life.

Sodium has no hold on fat loss.
Learnt o eat at the proper deficit and youll lose the weight.
Drink the proper amount of water and get the other minerals you need and sodium means nothing.

The above post, that went ignored, has helped 100s lose weight.
Take it or leave it.
;D

If you decide to try it send a FR so I can seed you out to the other Road Mappers.