Eating healthy, exercising but gaining weight! PLEASE HELP!!

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leah9985
leah9985 Posts: 66 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone

I recently upped my calories to 1400 from 1200 a day as I hit my goal weight so wanted to figure out what my maintenance was but it seems that I am now gaining weight but I'm confused as to how I can be in a surplus when I am so active?!

Basically I did weight around 110lbs and I've gained around 4-5lbs over the last couple of weeks! I exercise 5 mornings a week and carry out at least 30 mins cardio per day and 20-30 mins strength training per day so I cannot see how 1400 cals would be a surplus? I do eat back around 50% of my exercise calories so I think I'm usually eating around 1700 calories on the days that I exercise....but WHY am I putting on weight???

I'm a strict healthy eater so I practically live off protein, veg, salads and fruit! The only thing I can think that's changed is that I have gone from having a salad for lunch to having fruit and natural yoghurt, which I usually have again after dinner but this is all taken into my calories but heard fruit can be high in sugar?

My diary is open so please take a look and any advice would be appreciated! I'm so confused! I also drink lots of water throughout the day and drink green tea! I'm not sure what's going wrong!

Hope you lovely people can help :) thanks!!!

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Diary is not open. :smile:

    And how recently did you raise the cals? It can take a few weeks, even a month, for the body to adjust to a new intake, especially if you were eating 1200 for a long time. I easily fluctuate up and down 4-5 lbs in a month, it's pretty normal...hormones, water retention for various reasons, etc.

    Are you also taking measurements? Are your clothes fitting tighter with these few pounds? Track your measurements as well as weighing yourself - the scale will mess with ya.
  • leah9985
    leah9985 Posts: 66 Member
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    Sorry! It is now :) xx
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    Congratulations on reaching your target! Question: did you weigh in at the target weight on a few days, or did you average your weight over a week or two? 4 pounds sounds like a lot for a 110 pound person, but some of that could be water.... the healthy kind that you want to be fully hydrated. Many will say the most common reason for unexplained gains has to do with recording accuracy, so that's worth examining as well.
  • jtotheno
    jtotheno Posts: 123 Member
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    I would guess with that much working out, it's muscle! Be happy about that!
  • leah9985
    leah9985 Posts: 66 Member
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    I weighed my goal weight for quite some time, a good 6 weeks or so it was a fluke that I hit target! I didn't realised that increasing by 200 cals a day could cause me to gain so much weight though? X
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    I would guess with that much working out, it's muscle! Be happy about that!
    No.
  • leah9985
    leah9985 Posts: 66 Member
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    Diary is not open. :smile:

    And how recently did you raise the cals? It can take a few weeks, even a month, for the body to adjust to a new intake, especially if you were eating 1200 for a long time. I easily fluctuate up and down 4-5 lbs in a month, it's pretty normal...hormones, water retention for various reasons, etc.

    Are you also taking measurements? Are your clothes fitting tighter with these few pounds? Track your measurements as well as weighing yourself - the scale will mess with ya.

    I raised my calories about 3-4 weeks ago now so it's been quite some time?! My clothes aren't fitting any tighter, I could track measurements that's a good idea! The scales are really becoming obsessive! But I miss the days when I used to wake up and weigh 110lbs so I'm so scared that I've out on this weight! I feel like it's all going to my stomach as that's my trouble area and I'm really struggling to flatten it!
  • AmyWininger
    AmyWininger Posts: 150 Member
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    I've heard once you reach maintenance you gain back about 5 pounds of some type of sugar. That's why normally in the first week or 2 you lose a good 5 pounds super quick. I wish I could remember the post I saw lol. Hopefully someone else will reply that knows what they're talking about, because I have no idea. I mean, I do, but I can't remember. :) And 1400 is your maintenance?
  • leah9985
    leah9985 Posts: 66 Member
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    I've heard once you reach maintenance you gain back about 5 pounds of some type of sugar. That's why normally in the first week or 2 you lose a good 5 pounds super quick. I wish I could remember the post I saw lol. Hopefully someone else will reply that knows what they're talking about, because I have no idea. I mean, I do, but I can't remember. :) And 1400 is your maintenance?

    Aww ok but that's rubbish as I'll never stick at my target right?? 1400 plus exercise calories so am I right in saying my maintenance is around 1700 ( that includes exercise cals!) x
  • AmyWininger
    AmyWininger Posts: 150 Member
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    Okay, 1700. And I've just heard you need to lose an extra 5 pounds than your goal weight, because then you'll gain those back and be at your goal weight. For such a low weight that may be difficult though. If you haven't seen any changes in your measurements and you don't gain anymore weight, I wouldn't worry though. :)
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,361 Member
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    When you were losing, did you eat back your exercise calories. I see you are now. If you didn't, then you actually raised your calories 200 a day plus whatever you are adding on with exercise calories now.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Here's a good post on hitting goal weight and then showing a slight gain - check it out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1071202-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut

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