I have NO IDEA why I am GAINING !! HELP!

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  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I wonder if you really measure & weigh all your food and log appropriately. I say this, because you saying that you weighed 151-153 pounds the day you started makes me a bit suspicious.
    It is unusual for people not to know their exact starting weight and most people know it down to the exact half pound. I often find that people who use the words " I guess , more or less, maybe, around " are often people who don't take logging and with that calorie counting all that seriously. Which of course is fine, as long as they are aware that results will also be inaccurate.
    Having that said, there are many reasons for you having " gained " a pound . As a woman it might have to do with hormones, water retention, weighing yourself in the height of the bell curve of weight loss ( since many people fluctuate 5 pounds within a day alone ), medication and ....the most frequent explanation.......inaccurate weighing, measuring and logging.
  • jenmom2myboys
    jenmom2myboys Posts: 311 Member
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    No problem and congrats on stopping drinking.
  • cheesevixen_staci
    cheesevixen_staci Posts: 153 Member
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    I wonder if you really measure & weigh all your food and log appropriately. I say this, because you saying that you weighed 151-153 pounds the day you started makes me a bit suspicious.

    my fluctuation for the first week from day 1 to day 7 was around 2 pounds. That's not a huge fluctuation.This is why I mentioned I was an alcoholic. The first week I was detoxing. It's hard to gage a real weight coming down from drinking 1/2 a liter of vodka and whiskey a day. Plus I was expecting my period soon. I take it seriously and I use my scale as well. My issue with this weigh in was that I have been off my period and my weight hasn't changed in almost 2 weeks. 1 week I understand, but not the half a month.

    I agree that sodium and cheats days are my main issue. It's reasonable. Because on paper I am doing everything right. I have been feeling bloated though and not passing regularly which is a good indicator it's the sodium. Cheats days....ugh...I see now I am basically eating back all the calories I've worked off for a week. Not over eating, but not burning enough.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    From what i can see in your diary, you are logging things like house cleaning and pushing your child on a swing as exercise. Those are every day things. The only thing you should log with calorie counts is cardio, such as walking, running, gym machines, where your burn is steady state. Also, MFP calculations of numbers burned are overestimated. For these reasons, I think you are overestimating calories burned.

    Also, I found these entries in your diary:

    Smithfield - Bacon, 3 slices/17 grams 80
    Iceburg Lettuce - Lettuce, 0.5 cup 5
    Oscar Meyer - Delifresh Smoked Ham, 9 slices (51 g) 7
    Bon Apetit - Blueberry Muffin 5.5oz, 1.83 oz (1/3 muffin) 190
    Kroger - White Sandwhich Bread, 2 Slices 120
    Kroger - Tater Rounds, Frozen Potato Nuggets, 85 g (11 pieces) 160
    Tyson - Dinosaur Fun Nuggets, 4 pieces 180
    Krogers - Hot Dog Bun, 1 bun 120
    Wolf Brand - Chili With Beans, 0.25 Cup 88

    Those pieces of bacon must have been awful tiny to be 17 grams. Did you weight the bacon?

    You have several entries where food looks like it was not weighed. For example, did you weigh the potato and dinosaur nuggets and the hot do bun? What about he chili? General portion sizes generally have more calories per weight then indicated on the packages. For this reason, i suspect you might be underestimating your calories consumed.
  • JoanneLynn
    JoanneLynn Posts: 156 Member
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    Weight loss is not linear. If your weight is down over time then you're doing good. Good luck on your journey!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    First week you could have been dehydrated too, and have the opposite effect as most people who lose a bunch of water weight initially. Also, going from drinking a lot to not (good for you, btw!) will make it harder to gauge starting weight, as you noted. And it really hasn't been that long. Work on the things people mentioned about consistency and sodium and just watch your trend and fluctuations for a while and then check back if you don't see progress.

    I have monthly fluctuations in my weight, but oddly enough the week of my period tends to be low. It's the week or two before that tend to be high. Given how much natural fluctuations play a role even without the recovery part of it, it's really worth just seeing how your body works.
  • tlou5
    tlou5 Posts: 497 Member
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    Looking at your diary you appear to eat a great deal of processed high sodium foods. I would decrease those and up the fiber, fruits and veggies and see if that helps.
  • CrabCatcher
    CrabCatcher Posts: 30 Member
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    I cut out 1/2 liter of alcohol a day from my diet. ( I am a recovering alcoholic. I no longer drink)
    I drink water constantly (I maybe have 3-4 energy drinks or diet sodas on the weekends when I am most busy)
    I stopped eating like a cow after 5pm
    And I have been exercising at least 3 times a week for at LEAST 15 minutes(I do ab work outs everyday. I am up to 2 sets 12 reps. I also do 10 minutes of P90x abs every "other" day. I have an active 4 and 8 yr old so I spent at least 30-60 cooking, cleaning, and running after her. I am up from 7am til about 9-10pm.

    I have no idea how I GAINED a pound !!!! I Am so aggravated. I've been on this diet technically from 5/2/14 when I weighed in at about 151- 153. >< Is there something I am doing wrong??

    I weigh everything except solids because I generally go by serving size.

    No I am not pregnant.

    A one pound fluctuation is nothing to worry about. Now with that said I do have suggestions if you want them. If you don't then just toss them away, your choice.

    I would eliminate or severely reduce anything with the following.
    White flour
    Refined sugars

    If you want breads or buns make them whole wheat, not white. No muffins, or bagels or things of that nature.

    Let me explain my reasoning as I have done the work behind these to validate it for myself. Foods that elevate our blood sugar cause our body to release insulin, this is a well known fact that any doctor will confirm. That spike in insulin also causes those foods to be stored as fat instead of burned for energy. In monitoring my blood sugar daily I found by eliminating anything with white (refined) flour and refined sugars that my blood sugar has stabilized. Being told I was pre-diabetic is what started all of this. So in striving for a stable blood sugar I ended up with another result, weight loss.

    I eat lots of fruits like apples, pears, nectarines, oranges, bananas and still have a stable blood sugar. I still have bread for sandwiches, I use Dave's Killer Bread - 21 grain, but any whole wheat/grain bread would do. I still eat out, just not drive-thru, and I tend to focus on lean meats with no sauces and veggies when I can at a restaurant. So far it is working great for me. For me it is not a diet, but a change in my approach to food. I used to nap daily because I felt exhausted. These days I wake up before my alarm and have energy for the entire day and then some.

    That is my suggestion, take it or leave it. Trolls need not respond. ;-)
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
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    This graph always makes me laugh - but it is also indicative of weight loss. Keep going. Be patient. You'll get there. :flowerforyou:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-path-of-success-631437
  • cheesevixen_staci
    cheesevixen_staci Posts: 153 Member
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    I would eliminate or severely reduce anything with the following.
    White flour
    Refined sugars

    If you want breads or buns make them whole wheat, not white. No muffins, or bagels or things of that nature.

    I eat lots of fruits like apples, pears, nectarines, oranges, bananas and still have a stable blood sugar. I still have bread for sandwiches, I use Dave's Killer Bread - 21 grain, but any whole wheat/grain bread would do. I still eat out, just not drive-thru, and I tend to focus on lean meats with no sauces and veggies when I can at a restaurant. So far it is working great for me. For me it is not a diet, but a change in my approach to food. I used to nap daily because I felt exhausted. These days I wake up before my alarm and have energy for the entire day and then some.

    That is my suggestion, take it or leave it. Trolls need not respond. ;-)

    That makes sense. I attempted cutting out white flour before, and my body did feel well oiled. I will have to try it again. More insistant this time; everyone in the house likes white. ;) IDK about the refined sugars. I am not sure what those are.

    I also agree with Lemurcat. Alcohol has a way of dehydrating me a full -5 pounds at times. I may not have had such an accurate first weigh in.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    I agree with NOT logging housework and playing with kids. That's part of your usual activity. Try logging everything, no cheat days, for 2-3 weeks then weigh again. Cheat days can wipe out any deficit you have. Oh can have treats but fit them into your calories. Don't try to find extra calories to eat, it will just hurt you (like counting housework). If you really want to eat more go for a run or walk.
  • cheesevixen_staci
    cheesevixen_staci Posts: 153 Member
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    So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.
    you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    Btw don't count cooking either. This should all be in your activity setting (lightly active) so this may be a big reason you aren't losing if you are eating All those cals back.
  • tmaryam
    tmaryam Posts: 289 Member
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    When we say measure everything, seriously, you have to measure EVERYTHING. You can't assume that one piece of bread is the serving size listed on the label. Weigh the bread. If the serving size is averaged out at 27gm per slice, but your slice is 35gm, and then you eyeball or use a measuring spoon for peanut butter, you may actually be using 1.5 Tbsp. You really have to weigh everything that goes into your mouth for accuracy. That little snack could make a difference of 50 calories which doesn't sound like much until you're doing it with every meal 3-5 times a day every day for 7 days, so on and so forth. You'll be surprised that what the box calls "one serving" is very different than what you're actually eating. Buy a quality food scale and use it with every meal. I promise, you'll be so glad you did.

    Last but not least, congratulations on your sobriety. I wish you continued success.
  • cheesevixen_staci
    cheesevixen_staci Posts: 153 Member
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    So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.
    you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

    I gained weight because I started drinking a liter of vodka/whiskey every two days. I've always eaten normal. This is the first time I've been obese. It's been about a year, and with the drinking I went from a 134 to over 150. My diet was normal, even a little less than previously.

    My profile is set to sedentary.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.
    you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

    I gained weight because I started drinking a liter of vodka/whiskey every two days. I've always eaten normal. This is the first time I've been obese. It's been about a year, and with the drinking I went from a 134 to over 150. My diet was normal, even a little less than previously.

    My profile is set to sedentary.

    Housework and chasing after the kids keeps you active. You are right that you are burning more than 1200 per day, in part because of this activity, but these are daily activities. I would recommend changing your profile setting to lightly active/active which will increase your daily calorie allowance. Then log actual intentional exercise in the exercise category.

    Does this make sense? It won't give you the same number of calories you get when entering these things as exercise, but MFP is know for having inflated calorie burns anyway. Try it for a month and see what difference it makes. Also with the weight you have to lose, you should have your goal set at 0.5-1lb per week. That will also give you more calories per day.

    Most importantly, you have shown incredible strength and courage in giving up alcohol. That is a major triumph right there. Best of luck to you. :flowerforyou:
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,081 Member
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    I think you should change your profile to lightly or moderately active, not sedentary.

    And then stop logging every day activities like house work as it will be included in your profile, ie your base calorie allowance will increase.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    So I shouldn't log in my housework as burning extra calories??? Doing nothing but breathing I burn 1200 calories. If I am running around cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, making snacks, doing laundry, sweeping, taking out trash, picking stuff up, and running after the kids from 7am to 9pm, that means I am burning a hell of a lot more than my resting calorie deficit. So why wouldn't I count it and log it in? I would be under eating. IDK how other moms clean their house or do their work, but when I'm home I'm moving all day and I've been at the point of sweating when I really get into an good hour of cleaning (its a stress release). Bending over, pushing, pulling, walking, running, carrying, reaching, etc. I do not sit an an office all day and do a ten minute tidy when I get home so I can have a brownie.
    you have always done that stuff right? And you aren't losing. So that's my suggestion. You probably set your activity level to reflect this when you set up your profile so it's already taken into account in your given calories. I'm a mom of 2 and a nurse that's on my feet active all day. I never count housework, child care, or work as activity. If you must count it, then you need to go set up your profile as sedentary first before giving yourself all those extra calories. I'm guessing you gained weight doing those things?

    I gained weight because I started drinking a liter of vodka/whiskey every two days. I've always eaten normal. This is the first time I've been obese. It's been about a year, and with the drinking I went from a 134 to over 150. My diet was normal, even a little less than previously.

    My profile is set to sedentary.
    well if it's working for you, you can take the advice or leave it. I personally do not feel cooking, cleaning, or pushing a swing to be exercise but to each their own. Good luck on your journey!
  • cheesevixen_staci
    cheesevixen_staci Posts: 153 Member
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    I will try that. Thanks to both of you. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. They really helped me ! <3 I've decided to lift my activity level and stop counting everyday jobs as exercise, and I am going to be switching to wheat as well as lower my sodium intake......and kill the cheat day !

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