Gym but gaining serious pounds! HELP!

hollzzp
hollzzp Posts: 3
edited February 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I am 20 years old and currently 119 pounds..I have always had an issue with my weight and always wanting to slim down. When I was 18 I went down the 'starve yourself' route which ended up in losing a lot of weight resulting in being 7 stone 8. Up until a year ago I used to monitor everything I ate and log everything in a food diary. I gave that up as I started to realise that I was becoming obsessive with my weight and was just not...happy. I finally realised that I was happy being 8 stone and content with my body image.

During these times being 8 stone I would indulge on some sugary foods and would eat much more junk food occasionally then I do now. I would drink a lot with my friends during the summer too. This year in January my close friend and I started the gym! We worked out regularly for at least five months up until now, attending regular classes and going to the gym at least 2 times a week. We varied from cardio workouts to running etc.

However, the trainer at the gym told me to NOT step on the scale as it did not reflect your true progress. I accepted this request and refused to step on the scale...thinking that my weight would stay the same at 8 stone. Since being at the gym I have been eating more healthily than ever before and not indulging on any junk food or chocolate. I have been making gluten free snacks and sticking to a not really eating much wheat. If I did it would be whole-wheat pasta in the evening or sticking to potatoes.

This is where I am confused and slightly depressed...I need some explanations!! I stepped on the scale about a month ago and I was 8 stone 7!!!! In my eyes I am heartbroken and deeply upset! This weight scale is still the same up until now and I am currently 8 stone 7.. Some of my jeans and shorts feel a lot tighter than what they did before I started the gym.

Please help me out....what can explain my scale increase in five months? I don't feel as though I look any different in the mirror - my boyfriend has not seen a difference in me or my family but they could just be saying that!?!? Do I give up with the gym? It is bringing back depressing memories and I was more happy before!?

HELP! Thanks xx

Replies

  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    are you tracking calories and keeping to a daily deficit?
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    Although it can cause problems if you are obsessive about it, only logging what you eat and drink will truly show you how many calories you are eating.

    If you had just started exercise last week I would say the gain is temporary and could be retained fluid as your worked muscles repair themselves.

    But after this long I don't think that would be the case. Healthy food is GREAT.... but people can overeat on anything and eating more calories than your body burns all day would still cause a weight gain, no matter how healthy the food is.

    Keep up the gym and log all your food and drink for a couple of weeks and see how you do :flowerforyou:
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    The trainer did you a disservice. Weighing yourself is another tool to figure out how to progress. It shouldn't be the only measurement, but it has it's usefulness.

    Find out your TDEE and eat slightly under it. Track your calories accurately. Weigh yourself at least weekly. Take progress pics and body measurements.

    Don't give up on the gym. Just get your calorie tracking down. You'll progress quickly.
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    As above, you can still overeat the calories with healthy eating, people get caught out all the time nuts/seeds are good for you, but they are really high in fat so the portions have to be controlled, fruit is good for you but is high in sugar so the calories can add up quite easily, especially with fresh orange juice, I was the same, thought I was doing really well eating healthy whole foods, but I was still way over my calories and gained weight.
    i agree with the trainer in the gym in that weight is only 1 measurement, you're body fat could still have came down and your lean body muscle could still have gone up, but without a body fat analysis done on a regualr basis you don't know if that's moving or just weight. You might not be eating enough so the body is holding onto the weight because the metabolism is slowing down because of lack of fuel.
    Ask the trainer what sort of calories you should be taking on and maybe what sort of macros between your protein, fats and carbs, give it a few weeks and check again.
    Nutrition can be tricky and take a bit of playing about with, I always go for a couple of weeks before deciding if it needs adjusted again as weight can move up and down on a daily basis!!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,316 MFP Moderator
    OP, a better measure of your 'fitness' if you've been working out is how your clothes are fitting. When you are working out, you build muscle. A pound of muscle takes up much less space than a pound of fat, so you may gain weight. If your clothes are still fitting well (or are even loose), you're doing fine. BUT, if you're more concerned with your weight than with fitting comfortably in your clothes, logging your food and weighing yourself can help. Just remember - muscle takes up less space than fat, so you may weigh more but be at a better fitness level than you were when you weighed only 8 stone.
  • hollzzp
    hollzzp Posts: 3
    Also around the time of joining the gym I started a new contraceptive pill - Do you think this could have any impact?

    Thanks for the fast replies... I appreciate it :)

    In response, I have been eating better and less junk food in my diet. I might start writing down everything I will eat now and will do regular scale checks. I am still baffled though as to why there is weight gain. I don't think I look any different in the mirror - more so I look more toned and I have a better body than before.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    Also around the time of joining the gym I started a new contraceptive pill - Do you think this could have any impact?

    Thanks for the fast replies... I appreciate it :)

    In response, I have been eating better and less junk food in my diet. I might start writing down everything I will eat now and will do regular scale checks. I am still baffled though as to why there is weight gain. I don't think I look any different in the mirror - more so I look more toned and I have a better body than before.
    the pill has been known to cause some weight gain in certain people depending on the person and the brand. but i think the bigger problem is not tracking your intake, you can still easily gain weight eating healthier
  • hollzzp
    hollzzp Posts: 3
    My measurements when joining the gym were body fat - 13.6% and BMI - 17.4.

    In response to Davis_em - My clothes still do fit me and I am still a size 8. However my old jeans and shorts I wore last year are extremely uncomfortable now and do not fit me at all. This is where I started to worry that led me to weigh myself to then realise I was a lot heavier than before.
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