How am I gaining weight?

Don't let it get you down, stick at it... I don't think weight loss is a constant thing anyway. I have found that I will drop for a while and then either plateau for a bit, or even gain. I logged in at 167lbs last week, without any real change to my diet I have climbed to 170lbs (today). Looking at my weight report graph thing, my loss seems have gone like that... drop, drop, drop, small climb, drop, drop...

Remember that weight is not the be-all and end-all, you might not be dropping the lbs this week, but if you're doing a lot of running, are your leg, and core muscles maybe getting stronger? And heavier? If you're at the gym, do they have one of those machines for measuring body fat? For all the weight is still there, your body fat could still be dropping.

Where you lose is the second you say "the hell with it"... stick in

You need a lot more patients. A lot more patients.

I've been doing cardio exercise for the past 2 weeks. I'm on the treadmill for 40 minutes 5 days a week and I tell you, the sweat is just dripping off me and I feel great after and everything seemed like it was going fine, I was losing weight and I got down to 227 early this week and as of yesterday I was back up to 229 and its been staying there.

I don't try to overeat, I try to stay within my calorie goal and I've been doing pretty good watching what I eat. I do have a protein bar every morning before I work out, because I can't walk/jog on a empty stomach, I just don't have the energy too.

Also before I get on the treadmill, I do stretches and calves exercises.

I drink plenty of water as well, could it just be water weight? Maybe there is too much sodium in my diet?

It was nice seeing the numbers go down on the scale, but when they are going back up..its really discouraging to me. It seems like every time I want to lose weight and get fit, it never works out..maybe I'm destine to be fat?

I really wish I could do some strength exercises, but I just don't have any weight lifting equipment yet. I'm not trying to over do it like my cousin did and end up destroying his shoulder because he over worked himself. I just want to slowly lose weight and get down to a health weight.

Am I doing something wrong? I know its only been 2 weeks..but I need a sign that I'm losing weight.

I am only going to address the strength training aspect. YOU DO NOT NEED WEIGHT LIFTING EQUIPMENT! You should really master your body weight first. Trust me you can kill it with body weight alone.

i know a lot of women that would cardio cardio cardio all the time, hating every second of it, but the moment they touched a barbell (or went to a boxing class or did zumba etc etc) they fell in love and now love to exercise.

This was me . .. I now count down and can't wait for my next lifting day.... (19 hours... )

At the same time, I want to lose weight..but I don't want to become a fitness guru..that just isn't who I am. I've been overweight for much of my life..except when I was child. I was really sick then..nothing but skin and bones. I could never gain weight..until the doctors figured out what I was wrong and fixed it..I started gain weight like insane. When I was born..most babies have baby fat..I never got that. I mean I almost died then or so I've been told from my mother.

In school, I avoided physical education..even in high school. I hated it and to be honest..I'm not much of a fan of exercising still to day but I am trying to best I can.

Im starting to think that maybe it just isn't for me.

starting to exercise and trying to lose weight doesn't make you a fitness guru. it just means you're trying to take care of your body. it's the only one you have. a lot of us have gotten some information about fitness that we try and share and pass along, but thats all.

and many people aren't fans of exercising... until they find something they like. i know a lot of women that would cardio cardio cardio all the time, hating every second of it, but the moment they touched a barbell (or went to a boxing class or did zumba etc etc) they fell in love and now love to exercise.

find something you like dude.

I hate cardio and, because I am in my 50s, feel embarrassed in dance classes. I started lifting and, although still very much a beginner and progressing slowly, am amazed at the differences it is making. My flabby arms are gradually toning up and my legs are so much better! I still do some cardio, but only the stuff I like, mainly the stepping machine and rowing rather than running and doing HITT.. Dont be too hard on yourself. You have lost 16 pounds. Great! Restart when you feel like it and are in the right mind to do it. Forcing yourself won't help! I plateau continually and probably have not lost nearly enough weight over a year compared to other people, but it is still a loss and I am happier for it. Good luck!

I know I don't log everything..I just find it time consuming or I either forget. But I do log it in my head and I've learned how much I can have.

This is the answer to your question. Gaining weight means you are eating more than you are supposed to have. Try to pre-log. Most of us forget tons of what we eat relying on memory alone. Most of us won't out-exercise our intake through intuition alone. (Studies have shown that the majority of us are very inaccurate relying on keeping track mentally. Using a food diary or log greatly increases success. Just the other day, I logged at the end of the day, and my first run through, forgot 300 calories.)

Looking through your food diary, it seems that you don't complete your logging everyday. Are you weighing and measuring your food?

You probably just need to poop.

I have easily packed on over 5 pounds of water weight from starting a new exercise program. And it doesn't go away until you take at least a few days off from working out. So I ignore the scale, I keep working out, and I use measurements to track progress instead.

to the OP....from what I see, on days you go over on your carbs you dont go over on sodium and the other days are the opposite.....Its all about trial and error and finding what works and what doesnt. Do you or can you eat whole wheat products? Or try to eat less carbs in general? I didnt exactly look to close to your meals but if they are processed and pre packaged meals then thats where the high in take of sodium is coming from. Sodium holds onto water aka water weight.....Plus if you arent drinking enough water then thats why you arent losing any weight just yet. Plus it takes up to 4 weeks just to see a difference. So a suggestion over the next 2 weeks do a trial and error with your food meaning experiment with what you cant either cut back on or find foods that you can eat that will help with the carbs and sodium. And drink water water water lol ok

It could also be that you are gaining muscle. Don't let it get you down, just keep at it. Log all food taken in, log all exercise. It will come off if you continue to be within your calories and are exercising.

In my first 2 - 3 weeks, I was up and down. I think my body was rebelling, like, what the heck are you doing? Now, I've been consistently losing. Some days, I stay the same or gain a little, but then I drop a little for a few days. We all have our own ways of losing.

Don't get discouraged. Don't feel like you have to be a fitness guru. Find some exercises you like. I love bike riding and playing tennis. I try to do both as much as I can. I found a the gym the arc trainer (like an elliptical) and I like it. I watch t.v. and catch up on shows while on it and listen to good music. It's not half bad. I don't like lifting weights, but I do because I want to tone. I was also told by my trainer that lifting will help you to burn calories even when you aren't doing anything! I do lifting every other day and cardio after. I also recently discovered Zumba and attend four days a week now. I find it really fun; it barely feels like exercise.

I think you have to spend time finding more foods that are healthy that you actually like (trust me, it's hard for me because I'm a very picky eater, but I spent some time really thinking and in the grocery store and finding recipes and such) and any type of exercise that you don't mind and commit to it. Don't say it isn't for you! You had a reason you started, so think about that when it gets tough! You want to be healthier and look better, I would imagine. Don't let the tough times of gaining deter you! I understand what it's like to be discouraged, but it's only been a small gain - probably water weight - and it'll come off.

I really agree about logging your food. Don't keep it in your head. I faithfully log every day now for 2 months, and I've dropped almost 21 lbs. It really works! And it lets me know if certain foods are too high in something like sodium or sugar, which I didn't realize. Certain foods I'm staying away from because they're higher than I thought.

Also, make friends on MFP. I find people on here so wonderful and encouraging. Feel free to add me if you like if you'd like some support!

Jen

I've been doing cardio exercise for the past 2 weeks. I'm on the treadmill for 40 minutes 5 days a week and I tell you, the sweat is just dripping off me and I feel great after and everything seemed like it was going fine, I was losing weight and I got down to 227 early this week and as of yesterday I was back up to 229 and its been staying there.

I don't try to overeat, I try to stay within my calorie goal and I've been doing pretty good watching what I eat. I do have a protein bar every morning before I work out, because I can't walk/jog on a empty stomach, I just don't have the energy too.

Also before I get on the treadmill, I do stretches and calves exercises.

I drink plenty of water as well, could it just be water weight? Maybe there is too much sodium in my diet?

It was nice seeing the numbers go down on the scale, but when they are going back up..its really discouraging to me. It seems like every time I want to lose weight and get fit, it never works out..maybe I'm destine to be fat?

I really wish I could do some strength exercises, but I just don't have any weight lifting equipment yet. I'm not trying to over do it like my cousin did and end up destroying his shoulder because he over worked himself. I just want to slowly lose weight and get down to a health weight.

Am I doing something wrong? I know its only been 2 weeks..but I need a sign that I'm losing weight.

I am only going to address the strength training aspect. YOU DO NOT NEED WEIGHT LIFTING EQUIPMENT! You should really master your body weight first. Trust me you can kill it with body weight alone.

you can trust him!