Confused over weight gain

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alib752
alib752 Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Morning all, I'm having a teeny melt down over getting on the scales this morning to discover in my first week I have put on weight! I don't quite understand how I've managed to put on weight while counting calories!
I have religiously weighed and counted everything (including the whole bottle of wine), not cheated in any way as I really want to lose the weight and haven't gone over my calorie allowance.
Can anyone shed any light on why this has happened?
Thanks
Ali :(

Replies

  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Either you are not counting correctly or you are overestimating how much you burn? What is your calorie goal?
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
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    1 week?

    um, what is your current weight and what is your goal weight?
  • alib752
    alib752 Posts: 29 Member
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    My calorie goal is 1610 and due to putting my back out this week I haven't been recording any calories burnt so it's not the burn.

    for two of the days I had less than 500 calories due to feeling pretty rubbish but still went to work and did my normal day. I'm using the barcode scanner on my phone to automatically put in calories and weighing everything so I'm not sure how I could be counting incorrectly. Is there a specific format to counting other than putting things on the scales and getting the calorie count from the app?
  • alib752
    alib752 Posts: 29 Member
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    My current weight is 215lbs and my goal weight is 165lbs so it's not as if I don't have plenty to lose hence my confusion. Every 'fad' diet I've done I've lost loads in the first week.
  • LindseyAlyssa
    LindseyAlyssa Posts: 156
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    Weight fluctuates regularly, and for many different reasons. Focus on the larger overall picture to get a clear idea of what your results are. Meaning, give yourself at least a whole month, if not two. for your body to process what you're doing. Weight loss isn't linear, and being that you've only been doing this for a week, you could even still be gaining weight from past weeks and months of poor habits.

    Keep with it! Actual results will come with time :)
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Are you only eating things that come in containers with barcodes? Nothing else? No e.g. bread, meat, vegetables? It is easy to ignore 50 calories here and there, but it all adds up.
  • EpsilonGamma
    EpsilonGamma Posts: 96
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    Weighing in the same time (i.e. when you wake up) is very important as you do things like eat food, not going to toilet can affect you.

    The types of food you are eating can affect things like water retention and glucose retention in the muscles.

    Say, if you didn't eat carbs before weighing, then just a day before weighing you ate carbs...then perhaps it is water retention that is your problem.

    Remember to drink lots of water as well as other liquids
  • Julesdublin
    Julesdublin Posts: 39 Member
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    If you are in some sort of medication it can be impossible to lose weight – it has happened to me. I also tend to put few pounds before my period – nothing but water retention.
    Give another two weeks and weight yourself then. It can be disheartening to diet and don’t lose any weight but if you are doing it properly eventually the weight will come off.
  • alib752
    alib752 Posts: 29 Member
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    I've been eating veg (I tend not to eat meat) and soya products but I have been scanning the packets to get the data of calories from the MFP app then weighing what I've cooked........I was absolutely horrified at what 60g of cooked rice actually looked like which probably explained my expanding figure in the first place! I have also started having my meals off of a side plate so that I don't inadvertently eat more because it doesn't look like much.
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
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    Maybe your weigh in last week showed a false number? I don't actually know much about this subject so don't go on my word though lol. The only thing I can think of was maybe last week factors such as hydration and how much you had eaten the day before could make the number lower than it would normally be perhaps?
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    You've not actually said how much you've gained. In all likelihood its a normal daily fluctuation (which can vary up to 5 pounds). With your random calorie intake for the week due to illness it's not surprising. Be consistent over a few weeks then re assess. One abnormal week is not enough information to tell you if anything is working. Good luck
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    Weight can fluctuate by a couple of lbs from day to day anyway. It's best to weigh once every 4 weeks for example, at the same time of day, and it's also helpful to take measurements too from waist, hips, thighs etc.
  • EpsilonGamma
    EpsilonGamma Posts: 96
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    I've been eating veg (I tend not to eat meat) and soya products but I have been scanning the packets to get the data of calories from the MFP app then weighing what I've cooked........I was absolutely horrified at what 60g of cooked rice actually looked like which probably explained my expanding figure in the first place! I have also started having my meals off of a side plate so that I don't inadvertently eat more because it doesn't look like much.

    That might be your problem. ALL calories on packets is uncooked. You need to weigh your meals before you cook them. As when you cook them you are only losing water.

    Are you making sure you add the oil you cook with?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    I've been eating veg (I tend not to eat meat) and soya products but I have been scanning the packets to get the data of calories from the MFP app then weighing what I've cooked........I was absolutely horrified at what 60g of cooked rice actually looked like which probably explained my expanding figure in the first place! I have also started having my meals off of a side plate so that I don't inadvertently eat more because it doesn't look like much.

    That might be your problem. ALL calories on packets is uncooked. You need to weigh your meals before you cook them. As when you cook them you are only losing water.

    Are you making sure you add the oil you cook with?

    Agree. If e.g. you have 500kcal in 200 grams of something raw, and you cook half of the box, then you will get 250 kcals from this, but also need to add whatever you added while cooking. The one tablespoon of butter might end up having more calories than the whole pot of veggies for example.
  • alib752
    alib752 Posts: 29 Member
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    Thank you for all your hints and tips. I will keep going as I don't like carrying the extra weight and I will try and stay off the scales for a week or so! I'm also thinking I may lay off bread completely to see if that has any effect.
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
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    try cutting your carbs by 100-300 calories/day and eat more protein. im not saying go lo carb, you can maintain the same calories you are eating now but with less carbs.

    what is your
    -height
    -age
    -workout Xs/week?

    maybe I can help you set your BMR/TDEE and macros
    - current weight - 215
    - goal weight - 165
  • alib752
    alib752 Posts: 29 Member
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    Hi Kagevf, I'm 5' 8, 40 and at the moment I do a 4 mile walk 2 times a week and swim a minimum of once a week normally managing 60 lengths in an hour.
    I'm becoming more aware that I also need to figure out where to get protein from other than meat as I'm really not a huge fan of meat at all.
    I have joined the gym so that I can do some resistance training however because of my size I'm currently too self conscious to work out with all the fit lovelies (very stupid I know) so I don't go..........lots of monthly money wasted!!
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
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    with a goal weight of 165 and workout 3x/week

    Your BMR is: 1469 CALORIES/DAY - do not eat less than this
    Your TDEE is: 2019 CALORIES/DAY - you can eat as much as this

    it is safe to say that you can eat at apprx 1500-1700ish 5-6x/week
    then on weekends you can eat up to 2000ish when going out with family or friends to eat out.

    any type of workout will help. swimming fast with all effort the first few laps are great. then alternate with steady pace swim.

    you can customize your macros with MFP
    aim for:
    Carbs 65-115
    Protein 125-155
    Fats 58-68
    Fiber 33 - 41

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