Advice for A Newbie?

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(Un)fortunately for me, in the time that I've finally been able to make it a habit of going to the gym, I've gained ten pounds. And it's not muscle. In addition to the 20 pounds I somehow gained towards the end of my freshman year of college, I have now not only undone all the progress I did before I started going to the gym, I am now heavier than I have been in my life, so my self esteem is at an all time low, since it feels like the harder I try the worse my progress actually becomes. I can lose 20 pounds without trying during college, but when I actually begin trying I gain 30. Wonderful.

Any advice?

Replies

  • SpiderByte
    SpiderByte Posts: 24
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    Yes, I do. And ever since I've actually started trying to lose weight, all I've done is gain it.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Okay. Set your diary to public @ the link below? Do you weigh and log all your food? Everyday? Any major huge calorie days or high sodium days recently? I've had one such day make me gain a lot of scale weight but it was temporary and gone in a week

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • SpiderByte
    SpiderByte Posts: 24
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    I can't think of anything particularly noteworthy as of recently. I've been drinking cranberry juice, but other than that I've been trying to eat healthier stuff like celery, vegetables, etc, even if I don't always log it. I know for sure that whenever I try to eat towards the calorie goal the app sets for me I start gaining weight, though.

    And I can't afford a personal trainer, and I practically emptied my measly bank account just to buy orange juice and the like. I have barely over 20 dollars in my bank account, if even that.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Sorry dude. Don't know what to tell you. Your diary is still not public. You also said you eat X or Y even if you don't always log it. Do you log all your food or not? If not, you should

    How many pounds do you want to lose and what is your calorie daily target?
  • lgrix
    lgrix Posts: 160 Member
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    Why have you added juice? They are really high in calories and sugar. Why not eat food instead?
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
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    Don't stress too much. You're doing something wrong and it's probably an easy fix. Open your diary if you want some advice or log your food properly for a while and then come back if you still need advice.

    It's a pretty helpful crowd here but most folks don't believe in magical weight gain.

    You either have a rare metabolic disorder that will end up getting named after you or you're just not counting calories right (and we have all failed there before) and we can give you some tips.
  • rayneface
    rayneface Posts: 219 Member
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    Don't stress too much. You're doing something wrong and it's probably an easy fix. Open your diary if you want some advice or log your food properly for a while and then come back if you still need advice.

    It's a pretty helpful crowd here but most folks don't believe in magical weight gain.

    You either have a rare metabolic disorder that will end up getting named after you or you're just not counting calories right (and we have all failed there before) and we can give you some tips.

    This.
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Log everything you eat.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    I agree with the above advice.

    If you eat it, log it. Everything. Even the "healthy" stuff. Your body maintains its weight at a certain number of calories (based on a variety of factors, including weight, height, gender, and activity level). If you eat above that maintenance number, even if you're eating carrots and celery, you're in a calorie surplus and will gain weight.

    Read the links posted above and figure out how many calories you should be eating every day to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Once you've determined your daily calorie goal, buy a food scale and log everything you eat every day, accurately and consistently. Do that for a few weeks and see if you're having results in the direction you want.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    You're eating too much. Set your goal weight, and be faithful about how many calories you're consuming in a day.
  • herbaliz
    herbaliz Posts: 6
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    Good Afternoon!

    I would love to help you lose the weight. I am a weight loss coach and I use the product Herbalife. It is really easy to use. 2 meal replacement protein shakes a day, 1 meal, and healthy snacks in between. I help you every step of the way. You don't need to exercise but of coarse it will speed up your weight loss process. If your interested email me at: lizthuer (the sign at) hotmail.com

    Thanks for your time,

    Liz