Gaining weight even though eating right/working out
Anens630
Posts: 54 Member
I don't understand why I'm gaining weight again---I was 162 on Friday, and today, I'm 164. This is not water weight b/c I drink over a gallon a day and just started Dandelion tea to help with bloating per the gurus on Biggest Loser. I eat below my calorie limit and I work out every day, 40 mins, 400 calories (30 mins of jogging and 10 mins of squats, situps, etc). I have 3 kiddos so its all I can do right now. I have been doing this since Jan 1st. I was 170, then 162 on Friday, but now 164. I am so frustrated b/c I don't understand why the weight gain (and my belly looks bigger, like I'm bloated). But unless I was a camel in my past life, I don't see how i can be retaining water if I drink OVER A GALLON A DAY, every day. No alcohol, no salt-- I don't even eat prepackaged weight waters anymore b/c of all the junk in them.I'm just feeling really defeated. I am working hard to lose this weight and then I see my body, and it doesn't look different. I mean, I actually LOOKED good at 162 vs 170--I could see the changes, but now, I look flabby and bloated again...I am venting but I am also frustrated. If anyone has insight, much appreciated. This is the longest I have ever worked out/changed my eating habits/taken time for myself. I am so proud of myself for carving even 40 mins of "me time". But darn it, I want to see some changes!!! Not asking for much, but just a smidge would help. KWIM?
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Replies
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You haven't put on 2lbs of fat since Friday unless you were just shovelling food into your mush all weekend. It's just fluctuations and it'll drop back down.0
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You do realize that there are natural weight fluctuations on a regular basis, right? Maybe you have some projected self image issues.
It's poop or water retention. For a myriad of reasons.0 -
Your muscles could be retaining water you know, seeing as you've been working out. They store shizz for repair, or something. Stop freaking out. Everyone fluctuates, the body is a mysterious thing
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But how can it be water retention? I thought, when you first start this "gallon a day" water intake, that, yes, you will look 6 months pregnant, but I have been doing it for weeks. Why won't my body stop holding the water in by this point? Maybe I should take a water pill? My grandmother says thats what they did in the 60's.
Water is a b8tch if it makes you look like this!! This weight loss thing, doing it healthy, that is--is tough. I can see why there are all these fads aimed at ppl b/c doing it the right way takes a lot of dedication and time.
I def have self esteem issues too. I blame my 3 toddlers who are currently banging their heads into walls for that.0 -
Neither of those are particular reasons why it's not water weight. I don't understand why I'm gaining weight again---I was 162 on Friday, and today, I'm 164. This is not water weight b/c I drink over a gallon a day and just started Dandelion tea to help with bloating per the gurus on Biggest Loser.
I wouldn't trust an entertainment program focused on extremely obese people to provide useful facts. Especially when it involves a floral tea.
The fact you describe yourself as looking bloated rather suggests it is water retention.
With women's more variable hormones, it's expected they'll fluctuate in weight more than men.0 -
You haven't put on 2lbs of fat since Friday unless you were just shovelling food into your mush all weekend. It's just fluctuations and it'll drop back down.
yep, the weight goes up and down. just stick with what you are doing. it will go down again0 -
Everyone's body retains water based on hormone levels, diet (sodium intake and carbs can both cause water retention), muscle damage during workouts. It's just a fact of life. No one weighs the same every day; in fact, no one weighs the same in the afternoon as they do in the morning. It takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound of fat, so unless you ate that much more food, it's not likely you gained that much in fat weight, so just accept that you are retaining a little water weight. It happens to us all. If it bothers you , don't weigh yourself every day. And don't take water pills, there's no reason for it. If your body is retaining water to repair muscle damage from a workout, it needs to so taking water pills would be counter productive. Be patient.0
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Same thing happened to me about 2 weeks ago. My weight was 167 on Saturday the 8th of Feb by Monday it was 169 and it stayed that way for 9 days straight i was so upset because i working out 6 days a week and staying under my calorie but still no lose until the 17th of Feb when it dropped to 165. Just keep doing what you u r doing and do not weigh yourself to often the scale is evil.0
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Personally, I think that drinking a gallon of water a day is excessive. Unless you are running a marathon, or something.0
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Hormones alone can cause a 2 lb weight difference. Is it the week before your period? If you're working out, muscles retain water during the repair phase...no amount of water drinking will change that.
For a more accurate weight count, weigh yourself once a week, same time in the morning. Even drinking a lot of water, and it not having reached your bladder yet could cause a 2 lb difference.
Keep doing what you're doing, and I bet next week, you'll be below your 162.
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Thanks for the responses---I really appreciate it b/c I have no idea what I'm doing :- /0
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step one: stop watching that hour long commercial about the biggest loser.Thanks for the responses---I really appreciate it b/c I have no idea what I'm doing :- /0 -
LOL, I don't know how to quote on here, but that was funny.
I do wonder how they lose weight so quickly on that show? I don't watch it religiously, just whenever I come across it on the tv, I watch a couple minutes of it--but whenever I DO see their "weigh-ins", how do they lose sometimes 7 lbs in a week?0 -
None of us knew what we were doing at first. I watched and listened to the people that had been successful and then did what they did.
*eat at a healthy calorie deficit from your TDEE
*weigh/measure/log everything that goes in your mouth
*eat the foods you like - but do it in moderation (the hardest but most important thing to learn)
*find something you love to do and then do it consistently
*have patience and don't quit (even when you have a bad day or week, keep going)
All these things build habits that will help you get healthy and to a healthy weight. There's nothing in that list that mentions tons of water, restricting foods, hours of cardio or fast weight loss. It's just a recipe for being healthy in the long run.0 -
You don't just retain water because of salt, water retention also happens due to your monthly hormone cycle, high carb intake and new or more intense exercise (muscles retain water and glycogen as part of healing process).
Here's a little perspective for you... Sure it stinks that you're up on the scale a bit but you have to realize fluctuations are part of the process. Also, hello - you've lost 6 pounds in a month in a half - that's AWESOME!!! Be proud of what you've accomplished and don't get down on yourself for a perfectly normal slight uptake. Hell, I weigh every day and the scale says something different because of water weight, poop, PMS, etc. The scale is only a measure of gravity's pull on your body - it's not a measure of how you should feel about yourself!! Maybe start using other tools like body measurements and progress pictures as they can be just as good, if not sometimes better, at showing progress.
Are you sure your sodium isn't high - do you actually track it in your diary? Are you weighing/measuring your food? How are you coming up with your calorie burn numbers?
P.S. The BL contestants lose quickly because they're exercising crazy amounts and on very restrictive diets and they're being constantily monitored. Also, they're extremely obese so it's somewhat ok for them to be losing a lot of weight per week. You on the other hand have only 30 or so pounds to lose so 1 pound per week is best. Even on BL, once they get closer to goal, they have a harder time losing - especially the women.0 -
They lose weight that fast because they are working out for 8+ hours a day and are eating at extremely restricted calories. It's not terribly safe or healthy and it's definitely not sustainable. If they kept training like that after leaving the ranch they would most likely begin to notice overtraining effects as well as developing overuse injuries for some of the nicer things that could happen. The Biggest Loser is a gameshow, and should NEVER be thought of as real life OR something that an average person should do to lose weight. They have doctors on site for the show that are monitoring things. Plus, when you lose weight that fast your skin can't bounce back as quickly as you're losing so you'll most likely end up with extra skin.
I'd have to say that this seems to be mostly a mental image issue as you stated that you look disgusting and flabby with just a 2lb difference. That to me says that most of it is in your head. Take some measurements if you haven't already done so and keep track of those each month too. Sometimes the scale doesn't change but your inches do and that's much more of an indication that you're losing weight.0 -
Ummm that's called a normal weight fluctuation. 2 lb is hardly something to get so upset about0
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Unless you consumed 7,000 calories, than it's water. But I would bet $ on it, that it's hormone/water based weight.
Losing weight doesn't happen in a week. Even with bodybuilders who know nutrition in and out take weeks to drop a few lbs so they don't lose strength or muscle mass.
You didn't gain the weight you want to lose within a week, it won't come BACK within a week, and it will take LONGER than a week to lose it.
Don't get so upset with fluctuations. I put on 15lbs of water weight after Thanksgiving and Christmas.0 -
I feel bad when I gain, but realize alot of the time it is salt... or totm. I've been up and down the same pound all week. I want it to go away!!!0
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bump0
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what does bump mean?0
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what does bump mean?
It keeps a topic in the "recent topics" list so that people can keep an eye on it.0 -
It's most likely water retention.
And FWIW, I'd throw away the sit ups, but that's me.0 -
YES! I think the sit ups are bad! My stomach muscles tore apart with my 3rd child, my son. He was 11 lbs when he was born and chomping on a turkey leg as he was crowning. He tore my stomach apart. I have heard so many opinions on stomach...I've heard that you can "do sit ups but MUST do cardio" and I've heard "don't do it b/c your stomach muscles are seperated which will create two buldges coming out of her stomach like Alien".
I don't know what to do but i do know that I have the "mom pouch" and no matter what I look like, i look preggo and I blame that on my small chest too. I think bigger chested women can get away with a tummy b/c they look curvy...where, if my belly sticks out more than my boobs, I look like I have a beer belly and I promise, I haven't done keg stands since I was 25.
Blah.
I also just got done with my period but I guess I could still be hormonal....also, I *think* my sodium is okay...I stopped eating frozen weight watchers b/c of all the sodium, junk, etc....I eat lettuce and grilled chicken, or a whole wheat PBJ with 1 tablespoon of organic peanut butter and jelly and an apple for lunch. We eat pretty clean in our house---lots of fresh produce and not a lot of packaged items. Except I do eat grains like bread or sometimes old-fashioned oatmeal with flaxseed and brown sugar (1 tablespoon) and craisens.
I have been using cauliflower instead of potatoes for mashed potatoes---cauliflower potatoes.
I just don't want to hide anymore behind clothes. I want to be the mom at the playground wearing shorts and a tank top and not jeans anymore. When it's 90 deg out, I don't want to wear jeans and think to myself "man I wish these kids would tire themselves out b/c I want to go back inside b/c I am having hot flashes".0 -
weight loss is not linear. It is up and down but the overall trend should be down.
You've lost 8 lbs and so are doing something right.
Have patience and be gentle with yourself.0 -
In these forums people seem to use it so they get it shown up in their 'my topics'.It keeps a topic in the "recent topics" list so that people can keep an eye on it.0 -
Thanks again for the supportive comments and responses. I have no one to talk to b/c my husband runs 5 miles a day and looks fab and never gave birth and doesn't understand all this crazy mental hoopla. He doesn't understand what it feels like to be one minute, dancing to Pit Bull in Zumba class, and the next, realize you are on the floor and everyone is staring down at you b/c you accidentally tripped over your own vag due to the small village you keep producing. HA! 0
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Thanks again for the supportive comments and responses. I have no one to talk to b/c my husband runs 5 miles a day and looks fab and never gave birth and doesn't understand all this crazy mental hoopla. He doesn't understand what it feels like to be one minute, dancing to Pit Bull in Zumba class, and the next, realize you are on the floor and everyone is staring down at you b/c you accidentally tripped over your own vag due to the small village you keep producing. HA!
Huh???
Don't make yourself a victim. Don't feel bad for yourself. You can get in shape too0 -
If you weigh yourself at seven and the morning and at seven in the evening, there would be a 2 pound difference. It doesn't mean you got bigger it just means you're human. It's from the cycle of hormones and eating/pooing, drinking/peeing.
If you want an accurate display of your hard work step on the scale at the same time of day and only once a week. Then don't look at it for another seven days. It's hard and sometimes you feel like you're getting nowhere but even when you don't lose as much as you wanted you are still making changes to your life that are making you a overall healthier and stronger woman.0 -
It's normal.
I am a competitive cyclist trying to lose about 20 lb from Dec. to May. Not a huge undertaking, but hard because I can't seriously undereat ( like a 1200 cal day) and put a quality training session.
Water weight makes a huge difference. Where do the fluctuations come from?
Hormones: better explanations from other members
Salt intake: seriously, I am about 1-2 lb heavier after eating oriental foods with lots of sodium. Bad for morale, but not a big deal overall).
Food intake: not the obvious, but to keep in mind. I eat more carbs on long training days (3+ hours, about 2200 calories burnt on the bike). Each gram of carbohydrates going in needs 4 grams of water to be assimilated and then burnt during workout - that is a lot of water.
Reasonable weight loss is not fast. If you're a bit prone to anxiety I'd average the weigh over a week to shave the peaks and valleys and get a better overall picture. And please don't consider the "biggest loser" gospel. There is one good thing they do - get professional help (doctors, coaches, nutritionists, etc). If you have the means, do some research and find some good professional advice. It probably won't be free - you already have MFP and the internets for free.0
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