FRUSTRATED eating back calories and now gaining weight :(

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  • FranksRumHam
    FranksRumHam Posts: 198 Member
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    Three possibilities:

    You're underestimating calories consumed (using a food scale will help if this is so).

    You're overestimating calories burned (this can happen even with a good HRM, to solve this either cut what it says you burned down when you do your calculations or just leave a calorie cushion that you don't eat back).

    Or you need your thyroid checked.

    this. the underestimating intake/overestimating burn is probably likely.
    if youre not weighing and measuring everything, then you are estimating. where are you getting your burns? the machine? mfp? an HRM? what kind of exercise are you doing? straight cardio? lifting heavy? muscles need water to repair...

    if its only been 3 weeks of gains, be patient. your body wont simply "adjust" overnight. stay consistent for a few weeks (if you havent yet). dont go changing things all willy-nilly...these things take time.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Keep in mind that natural body weight fluctuations can mask weight loss on the scale. When you're talking about losing a pound or two per week and you can fluctuate 2-5 Lbs from day to day...well, it can be pretty damned hard to see it on the scale over a short period of time.

    My advice..stop focusing solely on the scale. Focus on the process...focus on getting better nutrition and more exercise and the rest will fall into place. You also need to get your brain into more of a long range view mode...you're talking mere weeks here...that's nothing. Go to the success stories and read some...then ask yourself if those folks just quit after 10 weeks or whatever. 10 weeks is a drop in the proverbial bucket.
  • FranksRumHam
    FranksRumHam Posts: 198 Member
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    Three possibilities:

    You're underestimating calories consumed (using a food scale will help if this is so).

    You're overestimating calories burned (this can happen even with a good HRM, to solve this either cut what it says you burned down when you do your calculations or just leave a calorie cushion that you don't eat back).

    Or you need your thyroid checked.


    Ohhhh it drives me nuts when people say I am under estimating my calories. To me its like saying "Your telling me I am under estimating my 1500 calories a day enough to make me gain a pound, which would mean me accidentally eating 3,500-5000 calories more than what I expect?" I highly doubt my homemade sandwich with wheat bread, ham, and spinach with a serving of chips is anything close to 1k calories. Didn't mean to directly fire this at you, but when people say that booooy It gets me pissed lol I'm not even the poster, but I doubt she is under estimating that many calories to make her gain. >.<

    OMG, I totally agree with the frustrations, I'm tired of reading that also.
    What are both of you saying??? you're both special and the law of physics don't apply to you? Calories in vs calories out.

    but it's HARD WORK to measure EVERYTHING and be accountable. *sigh* ;)
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
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    Do you use a food scale to measure EVERYTHING?

    If you don't, then I don't see how it's unreasonable for anyone to ask the question.

    Underestimating by 200-300 calories a day would add up over time.

    I discovered that my underestimations by not always using my scale were amounting to around 300 calories a day. It was quite a surprise when I started weighing everything.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    body-fat-percentage-women.jpg

    Thank you for this visual! I wasn't sure which percentage to aim for in regard to my body shape and preferred level of muscle definition. This helps a lot. :)
  • ainsleybtown
    ainsleybtown Posts: 484
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    Wow. Thank you all for the replies!!! Gives me a lot to think about . I have gained 5 pounds back from going off of my 1200 calorie a day diet and working out an hour to 2 hours a day. I wasn't eating back my calories. My bmr is 1500 a day. Tdee is hard to figure out because one day I will do an hour of bootcamp class and 40 min cardio. I am doings 4-5 bootcamps a week. Hard to gauge how many calories I am actually burning. I guess around 550 calories for the hour. Not drinking enough water for sure. Going to start weighting food. Trainer at the gym said to eat 1500 calories, 4 bootcamps and two hours of cardio. I hate the scale. I am not going on it for a couple of weeks until I feel better or skinnier. I think these protein shakes are not helping. Feel so bloated and gross, but its a good quick fix after a workout. I am cutting them out. Swear I look 6 months pregnant after drinking one.some of you have lost so much weight,,, congrats you use be doing something right!!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Three possibilities:

    You're underestimating calories consumed (using a food scale will help if this is so).

    You're overestimating calories burned (this can happen even with a good HRM, to solve this either cut what it says you burned down when you do your calculations or just leave a calorie cushion that you don't eat back).

    Or you need your thyroid checked.


    Ohhhh it drives me nuts when people say I am under estimating my calories. To me its like saying "Your telling me I am under estimating my 1500 calories a day enough to make me gain a pound, which would mean me accidentally eating 3,500-5000 calories more than what I expect?" I highly doubt my homemade sandwich with wheat bread, ham, and spinach with a serving of chips is anything close to 1k calories. Didn't mean to directly fire this at you, but when people say that booooy It gets me pissed lol I'm not even the poster, but I doubt she is under estimating that many calories to make her gain. >.<


    I actually think it's a very reasonable question that is true quite often, to varying degrees.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    Ohhhh it drives me nuts when people say I am under estimating my calories. To me its like saying "Your telling me I am under estimating my 1500 calories a day enough to make me gain a pound, which would mean me accidentally eating 3,500-5000 calories more than what I expect?" I highly doubt my homemade sandwich with wheat bread, ham, and spinach with a serving of chips is anything close to 1k calories. Didn't mean to directly fire this at you, but when people say that booooy It gets me pissed lol I'm not even the poster, but I doubt she is under estimating that many calories to make her gain. >.<
    Many things can cause a person to gain "weight" if they eat a very low calorie amount. For instance, they could have lowered their RMR low enough so that 1200 calories is practically just below their maintenance level of calories. Then they increase it to 1500 and they are assuming a slight surplus until their RMR recovers and causes their weight to stabilize again.
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
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    [
    body-fat-percentage-women.jpg

    My bodyfat percentage, according to Fat2Fit and my measurements, is 29.2% but I look nowhere like the 30% lady here and yet not as big as the 35% lady (sigh)
  • angelamcmillan2008
    angelamcmillan2008 Posts: 11
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    all the bad foods are acidic.all the protein is acidic.your body hasnt had a chance to go alkaline.it tries its best to get to normal.i drink 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water with dinner.3 out of 5 days.i am down 10lbs. havent changed my diet or had surgery yet.and i think it is the baking soda that did it.i did add a salad late at night instead of junk.but i been eating junk in day time.they also make alkaline water.hope this helps you
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
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    call it 32.5% then.

    :laugh:
  • thickchick42
    thickchick42 Posts: 10 Member
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    bump
  • verdancyhime
    verdancyhime Posts: 237 Member
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    I think these protein shakes are not helping. Feel so bloated and gross, but its a good quick fix after a workout. I am cutting them out. Swear I look 6 months pregnant after drinking one.

    There are some ingredients in foods that bloat my belly up like a balloon. Particularly anything flavored with mustard, but that also gives me gas so I notice that I'm bloated because it's painful.

    It's possible that this bloating is part of why you haven't seen any loss. Water weight is terrifying- I'm capable of sweating out half a dress size in the summer if I don't eat many carbs. Agree with the people who said look for long term goals, and tweak it based on things that don't seem to be working or "feel" wrong, as long as the "feeling" isn't that you don't want to work hard!
  • JennKoz529
    JennKoz529 Posts: 144 Member
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    [
    body-fat-percentage-women.jpg

    My bodyfat percentage, according to Fat2Fit and my measurements, is 29.2% but I look nowhere like the 30% lady here and yet not as big as the 35% lady (sigh)

    I am right there with you! I think I have a 29.1% bf% and I look nothing like the 30 or 35 % gals!!!! I'm in the middle of that....
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
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    Three possibilities:

    You're underestimating calories consumed (using a food scale will help if this is so).

    You're overestimating calories burned (this can happen even with a good HRM, to solve this either cut what it says you burned down when you do your calculations or just leave a calorie cushion that you don't eat back).

    Or you need your thyroid checked.


    Ohhhh it drives me nuts when people say I am under estimating my calories. To me its like saying "Your telling me I am under estimating my 1500 calories a day enough to make me gain a pound, which would mean me accidentally eating 3,500-5000 calories more than what I expect?" I highly doubt my homemade sandwich with wheat bread, ham, and spinach with a serving of chips is anything close to 1k calories. Didn't mean to directly fire this at you, but when people say that booooy It gets me pissed lol I'm not even the poster, but I doubt she is under estimating that many calories to make her gain. >.<

    Don't get pissed off lady. I have steadily lost weight since I started weighing. Eyeballing food did me no good. Apparently I really was underestimating. For one, my favorite snack are peanuts : I had no clue that one serving was 1/4 cup. I'd have thought 1 cup was a serving and eating 4 times the recommended amount.
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
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    Are you being accurate?
    Are you weighing your food to ensure the calorie count is correct?
    Are you wearing a heart rate monitor to ensure you aren't over-estimating your calorie burns?

    If not, try that.
  • cbuggy75
    cbuggy75 Posts: 23
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    Do you use a food scale to measure EVERYTHING?

    If you don't, then I don't see how it's unreasonable for anyone to ask the question.

    Underestimating by 200-300 calories a day would add up over time.

    I discovered that my underestimations by not always using my scale were amounting to around 300 calories a day. It was quite a surprise when I started weighing everything.

    Yup, i made an excel spreadsheet that keeps track of your calories, day to day. Like if you go over one day, it will take calories away tomorrow, if you go under one day it will add some to the next day. I was surprised

    here it is ScreenHunter_4-1.jpg

    Wow no wonder you have been so successful! Great commitment!
  • Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door
    Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door Posts: 735 Member
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    thanks for this visual of body fat percentage. I put me at 20% the highest on scoobysworkshop is 25%.
    I like the one with the 30% but am not sure with my picture what to aim for. the picture on my profile was taken a few days ago. what would you advise for me. I started out at 250 pounds and am now 175 pounds
    body-fat-percentage-women.jpg

    Thank you for this visual! I wasn't sure which percentage to aim for in regard to my body shape and preferred level of muscle definition. This helps a lot. :)
  • nicoleknapp754
    nicoleknapp754 Posts: 53
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    So many things effect weight loss...stress, how you are sleeping, amount of exercise you are getting, amount of water you are drinking, Etc...sometimes you are losing inches but not weight. Sometimes you are on a plateau . This is not rocket science...of you are eating less calories that you are burning....eventually you are going to lose the weight that you are wanting to lose.
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
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    Wow. Thank you all for the replies!!! Gives me a lot to think about . I have gained 5 pounds back from going off of my 1200 calorie a day diet and working out an hour to 2 hours a day. I wasn't eating back my calories. My bmr is 1500 a day. Tdee is hard to figure out because one day I will do an hour of bootcamp class and 40 min cardio. I am doings 4-5 bootcamps a week. Hard to gauge how many calories I am actually burning. I guess around 550 calories for the hour. Not drinking enough water for sure. Going to start weighting food. Trainer at the gym said to eat 1500 calories, 4 bootcamps and two hours of cardio. I hate the scale. I am not going on it for a couple of weeks until I feel better or skinnier. I think these protein shakes are not helping. Feel so bloated and gross, but its a good quick fix after a workout. I am cutting them out. Swear I look 6 months pregnant after drinking one.some of you have lost so much weight,,, congrats you use be doing something right!!

    You are bloated from over training and not drinking enough water back off some of the workouts they are not doing you that much good. Up your water to at least 12 glasses a day to lose the excess water weight. You still need the 1,500 calories minimum or even more than that withe the workouts.

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