Why am I gaining weight? Ready to throw in the towel

Options
2»

Replies

  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Options
    With only 13 pounds left to go, aiming for 1 pound a week may be too much. The closer you are to goal weight, the slower the weight loss is. Unfortunately. And since you have been adjusting from eating too low already, your body may take 6+ weeks to adjust to the new calorie level. What some people advocate is eating at your TDEE for a week, and then dropping to the new calorie goal.
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    Options
    So I guess the next question is: how do you have your FitBit account set up? If it is set up at "maintenance" then eating at -500 whatever that says you're fine. If it is set up to already be at a deficit, that may be part of the hang up.... MFP syncs with the FitBit accordingly.

    But they've probably hit the nail on the head with the birth control. *shrug* I'm menopausal, so I can't help there....
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Options
    Birth control pills will cause an increase in estrogen which will cause thyroid binding proteins to elevate. These proteins will bind up more of your T3 and your free T3 will drop. This will cause your BMR and metabolism to drop to lower levels than before starting the pill. The only way to compensate for this while taking the pill is to eat less.

    So are you saying I should go back to the original 1200 calorie diet I was on before? I lost 10 there and stalled out which is why I started this. However, now total I have lost maybe 4-5 instead of 10 previously.

    That may be your only option. Just curious, do you have any hypothyroid or low adrenal type symptoms? Are you cold all the time? Low energy? Dry skin? Bouts of hypoglycemia?
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    Options
    You've only been at it a month and there are several reasons why you may not be seeing the scale move..

    Your body will gain and lose weight all month long so just stepping on a scale isn't enough when it comes to charting progress. Have you taken your measurements? Bust, waist, hips, arms, thighs. Have those changed? How do your clothes fit?

    Things to consider: change in diet, it could result in water retention. exercise, sore muscles need to retain water to heal. Your Time Of the Month, means water retention. You will naturally be heavier later in the day than you are first thing in the morning. ...

    I'm sure I'm missing something... but as you can see. One month on this new lifestyle isn't long enough to judge if it's working for you or not. Give it another month, take your measurements and see where you are then.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Options
    Thanks everyone for the input.

    I've been at this for 2 months now-so about 8 weeks...thats why I feel like I should have seen something by now!

    No, I dont have any thyroid conditions or any medical conditions...I actually just had my coworker scan to check thryoid and make sure there is no child growing in there lol and all negative. Just trying to figure out some answers.

    Also, my fitbit is not set at a maintenance, it is set at medium intensity to lose I believe 1lb a week.

    Maybe it is this stupid pill even tho Ive been on it forever I switched brands in may and decided to start taking it continuously to avoid migraines.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    Options
    It could be any one of the things mentioned above, but have you tried changing up your diet and/or exercise? Do you eat the same things every day (I only checked back over a few days - it looks like you have a lot of variety, but you're eating a lot of sugar). I'm 4'11 and I will gain weight if I eat over 1200 calories. I know most people seem to say it's all calories in vs. calories out. However, that has not been the case for me. I need to limit sugar (even if it's from fruit) or else I do not lose weight. Also, when I find I've hit a plateau, I change up my exercise - instead of running I'll do spinning or add in a different aerobics class. I don't know why it works, but it does.
  • run2bfree
    run2bfree Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    hey girlie. you are my height... i looked at your diary for the week and it seems you are high on sugar and sodium which could account for water retention. Make sure you are drinking lots of water. I go through a gallon a day. also, to be honest, 30 mins isn't enough working out - even if you have a calorie deficit. You should consider hitting the weights too. its a long road so don't give up.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    I am also on the pill continuously as of may so if I cant be pregnant.
    I've got one daughter, and she's a pill baby. Just sayin' - those things aren't foolproof. :wink:

    Anyway - as others have said, if you're doing TDEE, make sure you're not eating back exercise cals as they should be figured in. Eat to goal every day and you should be good to go.

    And measure measure measure - food and yourself. It took me about a year to lose my last 10lbs while eating TDEE minus 20%, and for about 6 months of that, I didn't lose anything on the scale, just up and down the same few pounds. But I lost fat and inches and dropped a full size during that time.
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone for the input.

    I've been at this for 2 months now-so about 8 weeks...thats why I feel like I should have seen something by now!

    No, I dont have any thyroid conditions or any medical conditions...I actually just had my coworker scan to check thryoid and make sure there is no child growing in there lol and all negative. Just trying to figure out some answers.

    Also, my fitbit is not set at a maintenance, it is set at medium intensity to lose I believe 1lb a week.

    Maybe it is this stupid pill even tho Ive been on it forever I switched brands in may and decided to start taking it continuously to avoid migraines.
    but thyroid testing is typically not done right and a common symptom of thyroid problems is migraines.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Options
    Thanks everyone!!

    -I know normally it is not done correctly but I also work in a women's ctr with lots of docs and have been tested and all is negative.
    my migraines seem to be hormonal..

    -I guess I will try changing my diet up and eat less carbs and maybe cut sweets out altogether...and or maybe just have them on the wknds or something? Maybe that will get it to budge...I also may go back to 1200 for a bit since I know it has worked in the past...and to at least lose what I have gained!
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
    Options
    I didn't read all the comments, my apologies if
    this was already mentioned but have you tried
    changing your workout intensity and/or amounts?
    Sometimes even less can trip the switch in a person.
  • lilcassers
    lilcassers Posts: 163
    Options
    Just looking at your diary for the past 3 days, the pizza, biscuits, ice cream, and cheese and crackers don't help. You will have to cut all this stuff out. All of these are high carbs. If you want one of these once a week, that's cool. But to have them daily is not helping.
  • arains89
    arains89 Posts: 442 Member
    Options
    Maybe you are preggo? : )
  • Naener
    Naener Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    i saw a chart that someone posted, showing NET losses. She recorded her weight every day, and placed the results on a chart. She showed how, if you weigh yourself once a week, or once a month, you may be weighing on an "up" day, and that might not give the true result. Weight fluctuates so much, so you need to look at net losses and gains, not an individual reading.
    My suggestion would be not to get hung up on the number on the scale. Measure key measurements (waist, bust, thigh, biceps etc), judge weight loss by a certain pair of pants, etc. The scale is only one measure of your success.

    I make sure to weigh once a month, the day BEFORE i start a new pack of Birth Control pills, but after my cycle.
    It seems like within a day of starting the hormones, you immediatly start retaining water... i wait until my cycle is over but before the new batch of hormones to minimize the water retention being calculated. being a woman sucks >.>
  • arains89
    arains89 Posts: 442 Member
    Options
    Just looking at your diary for the past 3 days, the pizza, biscuits, ice cream, and cheese and crackers don't help. You will have to cut all this stuff out. All of these are high carbs. If you want one of these once a week, that's cool. But to have them daily is not helping.

    This is terrible advice. You do not HAVE to give up anything. Your diary looks good. And you don't need to eat low carb to lose weight. Eat what you want. But are you sure you are estimating things correctly?
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Options
    I am NOT pregnant! Seriously, am NOT and this wouldnt be a good thing right now considering Im getting married in 4 months, not funny.

    lilcassers-I am going to try cutting down on that stuff, its hard because I enjoy it and am used to having it but I know I have to give some things up...people say a calorie is a calorie but I dont know how true that is.

    naener-yes being a woman DOES suck! I hate it, so frustating.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Options
    I didn't read all the comments, my apologies if
    this was already mentioned but have you tried
    changing your workout intensity and/or amounts?
    Sometimes even less can trip the switch in a person.

    Np. I just changed from the 30ds a couple weeks ago to doin jackie warners workouts which are strictly with weights and I am working myself up to be able to use heavier ones..and I am also doing the c25k on opposite days now, at the end of week 6. So I def changed up my workout..
  • BlackBeltInTraining
    BlackBeltInTraining Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    Perhaps starting to measure your neck, thighs, and waist would be a better idea than just continuing to look at the scale. Depending on the intensity of your workouts you could very well be gaining muscle and that weighs a lot more than you would think! Hang in there and don't give up! Try changing up workouts as well as diets in order to try and find something that works.
  • ALittleBitLess1
    ALittleBitLess1 Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    Hi there, if it were me I would go back to 1200, but maybe drop to 1300 for a week or 2 and see if there is a difference.

    I am 5ft 2in too and find it really does not take that much 'too much' for me to put on weight.

    I try to plan my exercise so it is about an hour after a snack like an apple or some tomatoes with a good drink of water, but before a meal, that way I just eat my meal without feeling the need to eat all my exercise cals back. I do eat some back though if working hard or really feel like I need too. Don't want to feel too shabby the next day and don't sleep well if I am genuinely hungry. Not always easy to know what is hunger or boredom.

    My diet saviors are ice lollies, there are quite a few out there that are low in calories (35-90) I will often have one of these most evenings as they meet my sweet tooth needs and take longer to eat than chocolate or biscuits.

    Well done on the shred and c25k, I did c25k a couple of years ago, the weight fell off in the last couple of weeks, hoping its the same for you!

Categories