Exercise & Diet but GAINING weight....

Well, I'm not exactly sure about your situation, but the ads take your IP address from your computer (which can tell them what city you live in... or at least close). Then they make ads tailored for you.

I have one constantly advertising donuts and candy for Fresno, California (a big town close to where I live).

Muscle weighs more than fat, my dear. If you notice you're toning up and seeing muscle in places you didn't used to have so much muscle, that is why the scale is climbing. When just starting off with exercising, I've found it easier to pay attention to how things fit me, as opposed to what the scale says. Find that pair of skinny jeans that you want to fit into. I have a pair of jeans that I just love and when I finally fit back into them (sadly they aren't my skinny jeans, they're my in between jeans), I would notice how the way they fit would change and improve as I gained muscle but lost fat.

Does this help? You can also take your measurements and track your inches.

My guess is that you're gaining muscle and losing fat. A pound of muscle takes up much less space than a pound of fat. So if you gain 5 pounds of muscle and lose 3 pounds of fat, you're going to look thinner even though you gained a net of 2 pounds. All that new muscle is going to help you burn more calories, even at rest. You seem to be doing very well...keep it up!!!

Drinking enough water is very important for your body to function normally. When I used to complain to my doctor that I felt tired a lot, the first thing she would ask is if I was drinking enough water. It helps everything in your body work the way it should. I bought a 32-ounce water bottle and try to drink two full bottles a day (the recommended 8 cups). Drinking water also will help you feel full, so you may be less tempted to snack throughout the day as well!

Not to be mean, just trying to help you find a solution but if you havent lost any or much weight its probably not muscle. I think thats something a lot of people tell themselves and others when the scale doesnt move. It takes a lot and a good amount of time for muscle to build. I saw the satistics once but cant seem to remember them off the top of my head.

There has to be a reason your not losing weight, maybe open up your food diary and we can take a look and see if we can offer any suggestions.

My guess is that you're not eating enough.

just remember...even on the biggest loser when people try to say, "oh i didnt gain that much because i gained muscle etc" even Bob and Jilian said it was denial because its just a myth that muscle weighs more than fat.....you can even research it and find the truth...

i do feel maybe you arent eating right, maybe its the wrong times you are eating....maybe its that you are eating more than you think and not proportioning correctly...it can be a number of things....id say, be honest and find an accountability partner.

Hey there Jenna... :-)

To those harping on the muscle vs. fat thing - it's a short way for lay-people to understand that muscle is denser and more compact and takes up less space than an equivalent amount of fat. 5 lbs of fat is still 5 lbs of something.. muscle is the same.. 5 lbs is 5 lbs is 5 lbs. It's how it sits on the body that people are referring to.

As for your lack of loss, can you give some more information like what your caloric intake is set at, do you eat your calories back, what's your BMI (not that's its very accurate but the more you have to lose per your mass the faster it goes - that's why the last 10 lbs is sooo hard!!!)? There could be any number of reason. I am personally finding that the minimum of 1200 calories is too much for me to get going (I know I'm going to get an earful for this), so I've dropped it to 1050, which is the same as skipping a snack. Big whoop. I know this because I've gone over and gained rather than seeing a sudden loss. So, your numbers may need to get played with a little as you progress. I like the one person's idea of going in increments of 50 until they found the right number. From the basic description of your diet, I'd suggest that maybe you're not getting enough cals too. In your shoes, I'd go up before trying going down. Give it at least a week for each change, maybe even 2.

Good luck!!!

Feeling your pain as same thing keeps happening to me then suddenly weight comes off, only to seemingly return due to water retention ( mine is more difficult due to my meds). Does sound to me as if you are not eating often enough or drinking enough so even though you have a busy life you MUST eat regularly & drink your min 64 ounces. Try eating at least half of the exercise calories & DO NOT GIVE UP. Also as a new mum you may have a particular problem with water retention which should sort itself out naturally.GOOD LUCK.