Gaining Weight...help!

AKosky585
AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I am up 4 pounds in a week. I have been eating maintainance over the past week and got on the scale and am up 4 pounds. 1800 calorie maintainance seems reasonable, but not when I've gained this much...

I am at where I started over a year ago again. It took me a freakin year to lose get down 4 pounds and maintain them. I have been at the same weight for a year....

At 1200 calories a day, I wasn't losing (NET)

At 1300 NET, nothing

At 1400 NET nothing...

I was burning 400-600 per day though exercise. NOTHING....I am wearing the same clothes as I was a year ago, and they fit the same.

I eat healthy most of the time, but I am human....I have the occasional cheat meal. This week has been worse than most, but again, I ate at mantenence with fat, calories, etc.

I do not know what to do anymore. I lost weight in 8 years ago in high school eating 600 calories a day. I lost 1 pound a week for over a year and kept it off for several years, but slowly gained back 20 of it. I want that 20 off again, doing it healthy this time, but it is so tempting to go back to old ways when that was the only thing that has ever worked for me.

I am FRUSTRATED....I need help because I am at a loss of what to do.

Replies

  • happy_heather121
    happy_heather121 Posts: 135 Member
    I feel your frustration. It's hard!

    I have similar issues on and off. I would suggest lowering your cals by a few hundred. I'm 5'7 and I have been told by my doctor and physical trainer to eat about 1400 a day. And when I exercise I do not count those calories as "food I can not eat." that is the only way that has worked for me. It's not popular on this site, but this works for me.

    That's all I've got! Good luck!
  • DKBelle
    DKBelle Posts: 585
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm


    Check out this site! If you workout and not eating back at least half of your calories your body will keep the food in and get in starvation mode.
  • SweetTooth68
    SweetTooth68 Posts: 169 Member
    Are you exercising regularly and also are you drinking enough water?
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
    Look at your carbs intake as well. Your body converts those to sugars and then the sugars are stored as fat if the sugar isn't burned up during exercise.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    First, the 4 pounds is mostly likely not fat - it's probably water weight and therefore, do not stress about it.

    Second, what are you doing for workouts? I'm no expert, but I would suggest interval training for cardio vs. a steady pace of whatever you're doing. High intensity intervals (even with shorter workouts) are said to be very beneficial (I hope so as that's what I'm doing now). Also, are you doing any strength training? I would highly suggest it if not. More muscle will increase your metabolism and will do wonders for you! I'm sure others will have better advice, but this is mine.

    PS - don't be tempted to cut calories to 600! I've been doing pretty good at 1500 calories a day (just started to add 300 more on the strength training days).
  • Lindashope
    Lindashope Posts: 6
    I hear ya, don't sweat it! I have been up and down too. However, when I've done the best (in the zone) as I call it---I didn't eat anything after 6 pm if possible. Have you been eating more carbs than usual? Sometimes that will do it. Some of those extra pounds could be water weight. If your clothes still fit you well, I wouldn't worry so much. However, you might want to add more fiber to your diet...and water. It has always worked for me...wishing you 4 pounds less, good luck!!

    Linda
  • AKosky585
    AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
    I've been NETTING 1400....so I do eat back exercise calories...I never go below 1200.

    For exercise, I do P90X (or was until after 2 months I still had no results....no inches lost, nothing....) and I do cardo Interval training (4 mph - 6 mph) switching off every 2-5 minutes.
  • PamDW
    PamDW Posts: 246
    1. look at your sodium intake. you could be holding fluid... also look at your calorie count, make sure it meets the recommendations of mfp or other websites that give you guidelines.
    2. Have you talked to a doctor to make sure there are no medical issues... ie. thyroid?
    3. change up your routine and rotate calories.
    4. I agree, do not go back to 600 calories!
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    Just peeked at your diary. It looks like Sunday you had pizza and DQ. That would totally account for the 4 pounds!! I'm not saying don't have those things, but if you do, you need to expect the scale to jump. Not from fat (unless it's a regular thing), but from the sodium and undigested food (depending on when you weighed in).

    Are you being consistent with what you're doing (eating and workouts)? Because if not, that will make it really hard to lose weight and make the changes you want. At least that's what happens for me.
  • Supermel
    Supermel Posts: 612 Member
    I wonder if the years of eating 600 calories have messed up your metabolism? I have just read master your metabolism by jillian micheals and she has some great advice about going organic, eating no aspartame that sort of thing to help heal your body and get things back on track. Just a different sort of view.

    I would avoid sodium, keep your carbs clean like whole grain rice, quinoa and protein to beans and lentils, and lean stuff like fish and chicken. I would limit your carbs after noon and try not to eat after 7pm unless its after a workout. I would look at how often you eat, If you are eating too far apart in your meals, i would add snack to keep your metabolism fueled. Just a few rambles!
  • TaushasJourney
    TaushasJourney Posts: 143
    Looks like you've gotten some good advice so far. I agree with eating back those exercise calories--from what I understand, your net calories shouldn't be below 1200, or else you will go into "starvation mode" and your body will hold onto the fat.

    But also, if you are working this hard for this long and still having trouble, I'd recommend talking to your doctor--it's possible you may have thyroid problems, or some other medical condition keeping you from dropping that weight.
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
    I'm so sorry to hear this. Don't panic just yet. That weight may come off after awhile. Give it some time. Don't think I'm just talking jibberish when I say I feel your pain. I do. I've been battling weight loss for years.

    A pound equals 3500 calories. So unless you somehow managed to eat 14,000 above maintenance and your energy expenditure, you will not have gained 4 actual pounds of fat.

    Pizza and DQ can't make you gain 4 lbs, not unless you ate 3 pizzas and about 10 large Blizzards.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    Pizza and DQ can't make you gain 4 lbs, not unless you ate 3 pizzas and about 10 large Blizzards.

    I'm not saying 4 pounds of fat - but 4 pounds of water is VERY possible (edited my post above to be more clear). Trust me - it happens every time I eat something like that. Give it a couple days (of eating right), and it will come back off - assuming you aren't doing that on a regular basis.

    I have a hard time losing weight - especially now that I'm so close to a healthy weight. If I am not VERY consistent, I do not lose. So I suggest making sure you're staying consistent for long spans of time. Don't give up - nothing will happen then!
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
    I swear there is a sticky here that talks about how, if you're only trying to lose a small amount of weight (20lbs or under), you should never eat less than 500 calories below your maintenance.

    I'm not sure what your weekly goal is, but maybe you should dial it back a few notches and set it at "1/2 lb a week" or even "maintain." You may be metabolizing faster than the average woman your age and size, so you're inadvertently cutting too much and have stalled your body.

    It's a possibility.
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