Working out 2+ months, gaining weight & inches!
kkoenig0617
Posts: 2
:sad:
I'm so frustrated! I am a 22 year old, female, 5'8", and currently 164 lbs. I have been working out 3-4 days a week and eating well for the past 2 1/2 months and have currently gained 5 lbs and an inch around my gut (the area I'm desperately trying to lose). It's very discouraging. I used to drink a bottle of Mt. Dew every day and I've also stopped doing that. I drink plenty of water every day and get at least 8 hours of sleep every night (I've read that sometimes that can affect things). I was on birth control and an anti depressant and I got off both of those over a month ago hoping some of it was water weight from those, but have still gained weight since then. I also took a pregnancy test just to be sure I wasn't pregnant because this is ridiculous! This is the most I've ever weighed in my life! Somebody please help me!!
I'm so frustrated! I am a 22 year old, female, 5'8", and currently 164 lbs. I have been working out 3-4 days a week and eating well for the past 2 1/2 months and have currently gained 5 lbs and an inch around my gut (the area I'm desperately trying to lose). It's very discouraging. I used to drink a bottle of Mt. Dew every day and I've also stopped doing that. I drink plenty of water every day and get at least 8 hours of sleep every night (I've read that sometimes that can affect things). I was on birth control and an anti depressant and I got off both of those over a month ago hoping some of it was water weight from those, but have still gained weight since then. I also took a pregnancy test just to be sure I wasn't pregnant because this is ridiculous! This is the most I've ever weighed in my life! Somebody please help me!!
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Replies
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I don't have any answers, but I hope you'll accept some commiseration and support. I've been working out 60 minutes a day (weight lifting, cardo, yoga) 4 days a week since February and haven't lost a thing. I'm usually around 2000 calories and get 7 hours a sleep. Pills like Orlistat and caffeine didn't do a thing. I'm thinking seeing my doctor and I'm sure he'll say to cut back to 1500 calories, whether I work out or not.
So, maybe it's time for you to see your doctor or a specialist? The other thing I've heard is not to give up on exercise, but I understand it's hard when there's no payoff.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.0 -
How many calories do you eat per day? How do you determine how many calories you eat per day? Do you log everything, or just sometimes? Do you weigh your food on a digital food scale? Cutting out the Mountain Dew is good, but its only helpful if the changes you've made put you in a calorie deficit.0
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IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
this.0 -
it would help if your diary was open. Im guessing that you are eating the wrong types of food. packaged stuff? to much sodium? not from scratch/ most food from boxes? either that or I am banking on that you are eating to few calories and your body is desperately trying to hold onto what little energy it can. perhaps you are only eating 1200 (too low) and working off 600 calories a day- you are in starvation mode with a net of 600. Your body needs more calories then that to even walk around, pump blood, think etc. in a day. you have to eat back your exercise calories, do some research on TDEE and BMR. If those are not the issues I am guessing it is because you stopped taking two prescriptions (its possible).0
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You should open up your diary. This is the best way for anyone to help you.0
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I went through this a few years ago. I was working with a trainer and for the first 4 months I gained weight. He told me it was because I was building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. It was depressing and was hard to stay motivated. He didn't have me doing much cardio so after 4 months of doing it his way I stuck with the weight lifting but I upped my cardio by a lot! I only lose if I am doing enough cardio. All of a sudden the weight just started to drop off. I know its frustrating but try to stick with it.0
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Several years and a couple of children ago I started playing roller derby and had a similar problem. I was skating and working out for four hours, four to five nights a week and I gained 20 pounds. In retrospect, I think it was because I paid a lot of attention to my fitness but not my calorie intake. I was burning a lot of calories and when I got home my body was screaming for fuel. A lot of times I think I made bad choices and overindulged in the wrong things.
Your experience could be completely different, but know that you're not the first person to go through this kind of madness. Are you tracking your food and calories? If you're working out a lot and not supplying yourself with enough nutrition, it can mess with your metabolism.
Hang in there. Either way, you're healthier if you're working out. Kudos for that!0 -
Are you weighing your food before you eat it? A lot of times the issue is that what you think you're eating and what you're actually eating are very different.
You could also try changing up your workout routine. Sometimes your body gets used to what you're doing, so you need to switch things up or maybe challenge yourself a bit more during your workouts.
Just some thoughts!0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
working out reduces net calories... you loose when you have a calorie defect. you really shouldn't make this assumption without seeing what she is eating. now this lady is gonna cut her food even more when it is probably the quality of the food she is eating that needs to change or the type of exercise.
do a quick search on the forums 'eat more to weigh less' I bet you will get tons of people who have been in the same boat0 -
I went through this a few years ago. I was working with a trainer and for the first 4 months I gained weight. He told me it was because I was building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. It was depressing and was hard to stay motivated. He didn't have me doing much cardio so after 4 months of doing it his way I stuck with the weight lifting but I upped my cardio by a lot! I only lose if I am doing enough cardio. All of a sudden the weight just started to drop off. I know its frustrating but try to stick with it.
muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle. fat takes up more space than muscle though. a pound is a pound is a pound... remember that old trick where they ask you what weighs more the feathers or the lead weight? g's I feel sorry for the inaccurate information that is being spread by a person who is supposed to be informed in fitness... or at least basic science. the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn throughout the day too without even trying. the more strength training I do the thinner I get...0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
This.
You need to religiously, and I mean RELIGIOUSLY, log your food for a week to get a real understanding of what might be going on. I'm talking measure portions, weigh your food, and getting really nit picky. It is highly probable that you are eating more than you think you are whether it is because of over-estimating portion size or over estimating how many calorie you are burning through exercise.
Weight loss is 100% about reduction of food intake. You can lose weight eating cheese every day if you want (I do!!), but you have to have a solid understanding of your total caloric intake and make sure you are not over-consuming.
FYI - it is SUPER easy to over-eat when you are starting a new work out routine. I actually gained 5 lbs training for a half marathon because I was ravenous all the time and was not trying to watch what I ate.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
working out reduces net calories... you loose when you have a calorie defect. you really shouldn't make this assumption without seeing what she is eating. now this lady is gonna cut her food even more when it is probably the quality of the food she is eating that needs to change or the type of exercise.
do a quick search on the forums 'eat more to weigh less' I bet you will get tons of people who have been in the same boat
No.
If she is not losing, it's because she doesn't have a deficit. Type of exercise and quality of food aren't the cause of her gaining, it quantity.0 -
You must be eating slightly above maintenance. Are you logging all of your food?0
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As many others have said, if you arent losing then you are probably eating more than you think..
Have a read through this GREAT thread on logging accurately
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide0 -
I can sympathize with this. I used to work out A LOT but not lose weight. The thing is that most people over-estimate how many calories they are burning at the gym. I would run on the treadmill for an hour and then think I could eat whatever I wanted for dinner. However, this is not so. I only lose if I carefully log everything I eat and stick to my daily limits. You can eat back your exercise calories, but make sure you are not over-estimating how much you are burning. The machines at the gym lie to you about how many calories you are burning, as does MFP. So whatever estimate MFP gives you, shave off 100 calories or so. For example, if I do 45 min on the elliptical, MFP says that's 400 calories. I enter 300 instead. This seems to work for me. Also definitely get a food scale if you don't already have one. Most people underestimate portion sizes, too.0
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muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle. fat takes up more space than muscle though. a pound is a pound is a pound... remember that old trick where they ask you what weighs more the feathers or the lead weight? g's I feel sorry for the inaccurate information that is being spread by a person who is supposed to be informed in fitness... or at least basic science. the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn throughout the day too without even trying. the more strength training I do the thinner I get...
By volume, silly. A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. Or, in other words, to use your example, a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
working out reduces net calories... you loose when you have a calorie defect. you really shouldn't make this assumption without seeing what she is eating. now this lady is gonna cut her food even more when it is probably the quality of the food she is eating that needs to change or the type of exercise.
do a quick search on the forums 'eat more to weigh less' I bet you will get tons of people who have been in the same boat
No.
If she is not losing, it's because she doesn't have a deficit. Type of exercise and quality of food aren't the cause of her gaining, it quantity.
or it could be her stopping medications. (specifically hormones in BC)
or it could be her over estimating how much she is exercising or how many calories she is burning. Does she have a HRM? is she eating back workout cals?
or it could be her scale. or measuring with a tape in a slightly different area then before.
or it could be inaccurate measurement of portions.
or it could be her time of the month soon (irregular after stopping bc)
or it could be the fact that she only has a small amount of weight to loose compared to you. a lot more plateauing happens when you are closer to your goal weight.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
This. Try reducing your calorie intake by 100 calories for two weeks, then take new weight and measurements. Keep your workout intervals the same. If no progress, reduce by another 100, for two more weeks.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
this.
You are true about this but weight lost gets a little more complicated. If it wasn't then people would be more success at weight lost. Metabolism seems to be a lot of people problem. Eating less and exercise a lot in not the way to see results. Metabolism has to be corrected..
http://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/truth-about-metabolic-damage
IT WORKS0 -
it would help if your diary was open. Im guessing that you are eating the wrong types of food. packaged stuff? to much sodium? not from scratch/ most food from boxes? either that or I am banking on that you are eating to few calories and your body is desperately trying to hold onto what little energy it can. perhaps you are only eating 1200 (too low) and working off 600 calories a day- you are in starvation mode with a net of 600. Your body needs more calories then that to even walk around, pump blood, think etc. in a day. you have to eat back your exercise calories, do some research on TDEE and BMR. If those are not the issues I am guessing it is because you stopped taking two prescriptions (its possible).
One quick note - I read a lot about "starvation mode" here on the forums. Starvation mode is a myth, and while I understand that it is really popular here in the community, there is no scientific evidence that your body will put on weight or refuse to drop weight when it is taking in fewer calories than it is burning. It is just not logical or scientifically proven.
Here's an article that may help explain:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501
EDIT: I do not advocate starving oneself for weight loss. Just the sharing of accurate information. With weightloss slow and steady wins the race, as the article points out! 0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
this.
You are true about this but weight lost gets a little more complicated. If it wasn't then people would be more success at weight lost. Metabolism seems to be a lot of people problem. Eating less and exercise a lot in not the way to see results. Metabolism has to be corrected..
http://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/truth-about-metabolic-damage
IT WORKS
I was told by a mod to try and be nicer.
Could you ever make a post that doesn't include the same T-nation article?
Its borderline advertising and AT has nothing to do with what the OP is talking about.0 -
muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle. fat takes up more space than muscle though. a pound is a pound is a pound... remember that old trick where they ask you what weighs more the feathers or the lead weight? g's I feel sorry for the inaccurate information that is being spread by a person who is supposed to be informed in fitness... or at least basic science. the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn throughout the day too without even trying. the more strength training I do the thinner I get...
By volume, silly. A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. Or, in other words, to use your example, a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat.
One pound of muscle is going to occupy less space (volume) within the body than one pound of fat.
so why is she gaining five inches?0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
working out reduces net calories... you loose when you have a calorie defect. you really shouldn't make this assumption without seeing what she is eating. now this lady is gonna cut her food even more when it is probably the quality of the food she is eating that needs to change or the type of exercise.
do a quick search on the forums 'eat more to weigh less' I bet you will get tons of people who have been in the same boat
No.
If she is not losing, it's because she doesn't have a deficit. Type of exercise and quality of food aren't the cause of her gaining, it quantity.
or it could be her stopping medications. (specifically hormones in BC)
or it could be her over estimating how much she is exercising or how many calories she is burning. Does she have a HRM? is she eating back workout cals?
or it could be her scale.
or it could be inaccurate measurement of portions.
or it could be her time of the month soon (irregular after stopping bc)
or it could be the fact that she only has a small amount of weight to loose compared to you. a lot more plateauing happens when you are closer to your goal weight.
FFS, Every single reason you listed has to do with her not having a deficit! If she is not measuring, or over estimating then she IS eating at a surplus.
But please take your own advice and research the forums and 'stop spreading misinformation'. Doing the wrong exercise and eating boxed food doesn't make you gain weight. Only if you are taking in more than you are putting out.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
working out reduces net calories... you loose when you have a calorie defect. you really shouldn't make this assumption without seeing what she is eating. now this lady is gonna cut her food even more when it is probably the quality of the food she is eating that needs to change or the type of exercise.
do a quick search on the forums 'eat more to weigh less' I bet you will get tons of people who have been in the same boat
The quality of food has NOTHING to do with losing weight. You can lose weight on McDonalds as long as you hit your caloric goal.0 -
FFS, Every single reason you listed has to do with her not having a deficit! If she is not measuring, or over estimating then she IS eating at a surplus.
so birth control pills are having a deficit now?? woahh. I was trying to give her advice based off of my experience like everyone else. calm down.... If she actually wanted an accurate answer she would open her diary. all the rest is just a guess.
personally I think you will fail if it is all just a numbers game. to ME it is about eating healthy and working toward a certain lifestyle that I can live with without counting numbers and freaking out over a scale. it is just a number that only you obsess over. I need to put the right fuel into my body to function correctly. sorry that you could not understand what I was saying about my personal opinion for myself.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
working out reduces net calories... you loose when you have a calorie defect. you really shouldn't make this assumption without seeing what she is eating. now this lady is gonna cut her food even more when it is probably the quality of the food she is eating that needs to change or the type of exercise.
do a quick search on the forums 'eat more to weigh less' I bet you will get tons of people who have been in the same boat
No.
If she is not losing, it's because she doesn't have a deficit. Type of exercise and quality of food aren't the cause of her gaining, it quantity.
or it could be her stopping medications. (specifically hormones in BC)
or it could be her over estimating how much she is exercising or how many calories she is burning. Does she have a HRM? is she eating back workout cals?
or it could be her scale.
or it could be inaccurate measurement of portions.
or it could be her time of the month soon (irregular after stopping bc)
or it could be the fact that she only has a small amount of weight to loose compared to you. a lot more plateauing happens when you are closer to your goal weight.
Highly unlikely it's the meds or TOM. She gained before stopping the meds. She's still gaining after.
If her scale isn't calibrated properly, it would still be off by a consistent amount - if it's steadily increasing, she's gaining. If it's on an unstable surface, the measurements would be all over the place, and OP would be asking why her weight's zigzagging all over.
Everything else you mention comes down to inaccurate tracking of calories - basically, OP is not in a deficit. So, again, advice is to weigh and measure everything and be conservative when it comes to machine- or MFP-estimated calorie burns.0 -
IF you aren't losing weight, you are eating too much.
Working out is more about fitness, weight loss is a result of a reduced food intake.
this.
You are true about this but weight lost gets a little more complicated. If it wasn't then people would be more success at weight lost. Metabolism seems to be a lot of people problem. Eating less and exercise a lot in not the way to see results. Metabolism has to be corrected..
http://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/truth-about-metabolic-damage
IT WORKS
I was told by a mod to try and be nicer.
Could you ever make a post that doesn't include the same T-nation article?
Its borderline advertising and AT has nothing to do with what the OP is talking about.
A lot of people are having the same issue. That link is the answer to the problem. Yeah I get attacked but there are people who privately message me and say thanks this article got me to realize what I was doing wrong. Mod don't worry about people attacking me. I don't take offense to this forum as people attacking. A lot of people are getting stuck at scale weight and are trying to exercise more and eat less to compensate.0 -
FFS, Every single reason you listed has to do with her not having a deficit! If she is not measuring, or over estimating then she IS eating at a surplus.
so birth control pills are having a deficit now?? woahh. I was trying to give her advice based off of my experience like everyone else. calm down.... If she actually wanted an accurate answer she would open her diary. all the rest is just a guess.
Yeah - I think we can all agree that most of her answers will come from her simply logging her food and getting more information.
As far as weight gain on birth control... I was trying to blame about 8 new lbs on my new pill a while back. I started researching it to help me make my case of excuses to myself, and most of what I came up with was this: BC does not make you gain weight, rather it makes you emotionally want to eat more and THAT causes you to gain weight. Unfortunately, I couldn't blame anyone but myself. I found it super interesting because I'd already heard (like you) that the simple act of taking the pill causes weight gain.
Here was the nail in my excuse-laden coffin from WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-pills-weight-gain0 -
muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle. fat takes up more space than muscle though. a pound is a pound is a pound... remember that old trick where they ask you what weighs more the feathers or the lead weight? g's I feel sorry for the inaccurate information that is being spread by a person who is supposed to be informed in fitness... or at least basic science. the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn throughout the day too without even trying. the more strength training I do the thinner I get...
By volume, silly. A cubic inch of muscle weighs more than a cubic inch of fat. Or, in other words, to use your example, a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat.
One pound of muscle is going to occupy less space (volume) within the body than one pound of fat.
so why is she gaining five inches?
So, yeah...if you're comparing the weights of two things, don't you think you would the items by volume, or some other metric, to compare? Or, you know, any measurement other than weight? I mean, logically? How much sense does it make to select a pound of each to compare their weights?0
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