The Metabolic Effect Diet-I need help!

ElsieMcClintock
ElsieMcClintock Posts: 11
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, So recently I posted on here about how I was frustrated that I wasn't losing weight. I'm 5'2", weigh 115 pounds. I was doing an hour of cardio 5 days a week and nothing was coming off. Then someone on MFP told me I needed to start eating more, working out less and read The Metabolic Effect Diet. So I did, and I'm IN LOVE with the idea of eating every 2 hours or so, but I've gained weight! I started doing the weight lifting workouts in the book but it's only been a week..should I be panicking that I've gained? Or is an initial gain to be expected and then it will even out? Ahhh! I need someone to look at my food diary and see if I'm doing something wrong! Please help!

Replies

  • wijody
    wijody Posts: 26 Member
    Haven't read the book but the 'diet' that works for me is NEVER snacking (I eat 2-3x per day, usually 3). I believe that it's a myth that eating more often gives any kind of metabolic benefit. Google 'no snacking weight loss'. I think people CAN lose weight by eating mini-meals - if that's how they like to eat and it works for them and they keep their calories at a deficit. But for ME, I prefer to eat more substantial meals and feel snacking just 'steals' calories from my meals. After getting used to it, I rarely get hungry between meals. Anyway, just another perspective :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    How many times a day you eat is irrelevent to weight loss so long as you maintain a deficit. It matters depending on how you feel. Some people prefer few large meals and it controls their hunger, others find their hunger is better controlled on several smaller meals.
    Personally, I do better on several smaller meals. If I get too hungry, I end up eating everything. The smaller meals keeps my hunger in check *for me*.

    I am not familiar with the diet. Are you still counting calories? As I said above, for weight loss, a deficit is required. If you are eating more calories overall because of the extra meals, then you will gain weight. The same if you have more calories overall eating 2 large meals.

    You should also note that if you are changing food patterns, even upping your calorie while still maintaining a deficit, it is not uncommon to see some weight gain on the scale initially. This is one of the reasons people suggest maintaining new calorie goals over several weeks to see the pattern instead of just 2 or 3 weeks.

    Also, when you first start to workout it is not uncommon to see a small weight gain. It is usually due to glycogen stores in your muscles that increase with the increased acitivity. Glycogen requires water to be stored so it is essentially "water weight" although it is not the same as bloating due to excess sodium.

    Really, without knowing what the diet entails it is hard to answer for sure but these are some likely scenerios (even maybe a combo of them).

    Like I mentioned earlier, 1 week is too soon to tell if you are actually gaining weight or if it is normal fluctuations.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I just looked at your diet.

    One more thought - out of 7 days, you have 3 blank days.
    Accurate logging (assuming you are still going by calorie counting) is key. Especially since you have very little weight to lose. Weight everything you can, log as accurately and consistently as you can.

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