1200-1400 calories and gaining weight

Lisa_a95
Lisa_a95 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I quit smoking 5 weeks ago and for the last 4 weeks I have been eating 1200-1400 calories a day. I work an office job and have been walking 2.5km on my lunch break 3-4 times a week and I have gained 3 kg!!! What am I doing wrong?

Replies

  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    changing eating/smoking/drinking/excercise habbits can cause water weight which can take 6-8 weeks to wear off

    however, tobacco is an appetite suppressant
    so it is possible that you are eating more than you think

    are you logging accurately with a food scale and calibrated measuring jug? everything that you consume? including the "healthy stuff" and the little stuff? as your diary is closed it hard for me to guess - but this is really common -
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide is a good place to start

    also as your ticker says you only have 9lb to loose you should be setting a *reasonable* healthy target maybe 0.5lb/week
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    with a small deficit (250 cal per day for 0.5lb/week) it is really easy for your calorie consumption inaccuracy to outweigh your predicted deficit
  • dianaeatworld
    dianaeatworld Posts: 25 Member
    I quit smoking over a year ago and gain weight almost instantly. Your entire body is going through a huge change. It takes time to level out, chemically and adapt to life without cigarettes. Hang in there, this is just an adjustment period.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1085641-quit-smoking-and-lost-7lbs


    You don't have to gain weight when you quit smoking.

    Smoking does not raise your metablism enough for it to have a big impact when you quit...but chances are you are filling that "oral void" with food.

    This is the time to use a food scale, log accurately...

    As for the 6kg...some of it could be water retention from raised cortisol levels from stress...stress from quitting, stress from weight gain...so just calm down and log accurately and you will see your weight go down again.
  • Lisa_a95
    Lisa_a95 Posts: 2
    I have opened my food diary, please help.

    I lost 30kg since having my 2 year old son, and have had massive body image issues due to my weight pretty much my whole life. The thought of gaining any weight gives me anxiety. I have gained this weight and I am already starting to hide myself again and lose confidants
  • aqualeo1
    aqualeo1 Posts: 331 Member
    First congratulations on quitting!

    Ok well for one you aren't eating between 1200 and 1400. You have several days much higher and other days not logged at all. Also it doesn't look like you are weighing your food and you have a lot of generic recipes from the database in there.

    Just get a food scale and log as accurately as humanly possible. If you cook something, create an accurate recipe in the recipe builder. You are just eating a lot more than you think that's all.
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    I've looked at your diary:
    1 - your calorie goal is extrememly low for the weight loss you intend, this may be unhealthy
    >> I recommend that you work out your goal carefully after reading this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    2 - you are logging,but not everyday,and not as accurately as you might be as you are often logging things (meatballs, cups, containers, rolls crackers) it is better to use a food scale in grams and be careful and accurate especially with your selection from the database as they can be incomplete/incorrect, you may also not be logging cooking fats
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
    so you are probably eating more than you think you are, this is good, becasue eating 1200Cal or less is unhealthy, but will be slowing your weight loss

    I posted a blog about things you diary may be saying about your habits: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/asciiqwerty/view/logging-accurately-your-diary-might-be-telling-tales-on-you-652838

    if you're not convinced about the cups/tbs inacuracy vs the scale you may want to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    especially as you are targetting a small weight loss (9lb) you should be aiming for a small deficit, these can easily be wiped out by inacurate logging of both food and excercise

    try weighing and logging accurately for 6 weeks, then review
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Bump
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    It also seems like you are eating and drinking crap. Try incorporating more 'clean' foods into your calorie plan

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