Working out, eating right, gaining!!

I hate to say it, but, are you weighing your food? It's pretty easy to eat more than you think you are eating.

Step one: Are you really eating 1800 calories? Do you weigh and log everything that goes in your mouth?

squatsandsuch wrote: »

I don't measure, no. I used to measure everything so I kind of memorized how much of stuff I can have but I can start measuring again. I'll start that today.

I weigh 235.7, I'm 5'6" and want to weight about 200 at this point. I do log everything. I only have 3 meals a day and try to drink plenty of water. I eat a lot of protein and not much carbs.

As far as losing weight with PCOS, I need a low carb diet. Kind of like a diabetic.

If you don't want to weigh and measure, you don't have to do that to lose weight. Just keep dropping your calories until you start losing. You may think you're eating 900 calories a day and be actually eating 1350, but it doesn't matter, as long as you're losing.

Weighing and measuring is fantastic for people who want to do it, but it isn't necessary to lose weight. In the end, no matter how precise and diligent you are with the weighing, it's all estimates, anyway.

I hate to think of people giving up because they don't want to weigh and measure. So if you aren't into that, just eat less.

You need to weigh all solids & measure all liquids. Or else, you're really just estimating. Some people can get by with estimating, but it doesn't seem like you're one of them.

1800 for someone with PCOS is pretty high. I'm guessing that you need to eat fewer than that. I would start with what MFP is giving you and focus on your accuracy. If you're still gaining after a month, you may need to go lower.

It's generally recommended to only eat back some of your exercise calories - since MFP and most fitness apps/devices (unless you're wearing a HRM) will overestimate the calories you burn. Seems like most folks go with a 50-75% rule, but you can tweak that to see what works best for you.

I'd also suggest some resistance/weight training. It carries large benefits in that you'll retain more lean muscle mass which will help to maintain your metabolism as you lose weight.

In addition to less calories, you should consider cutting your carbs proportionally. I know for a lot of people 100 grams a day seems really low but with PCOS you might benefit from a little less than that, with most of those carbs coming from vegetables.

What I usually do is overestimate my caloric intake and underestimate my calorie burn from exercise and then try to meet my caloric intake goal for the day. You can also adjust your goal weight loss per week until you start losing weight again. Most likely, you are either underestimating your caloric intake or your overestimating your calorie burn from exercise. Exercises like Zumba on MFP give you a certain standard calorie burn per minute of exercise but this calculated standard is not the same for everyone. What you put into it is what you get out of it. Generally, if I exercise, I push myself and come out soaked in sweat but you can also use the conversation tactic. If you find it difficult to talk while exercising you may be pushing yourself too hard, not feeling winded at all during your cardio routine and you may not be pushing hard enough. You have to self evaluate and determine what the problem is. I always recommend a strength training program along with cardio to add more lean muscle which adds to overall caloric burn, even at rest.

I would recommend a PCOS group for this post. Sadly, it's hard to find it now, since they made the changes and you can't search for groups. I wouldn't go by what MFP says. With PCOS, your body just works differently. I wish you luck. You're on the right track with the lower carbs.

squatsandsuch wrote: »

Do you all eat your calories earned from working out?

On extremely rare occasions, yes. Usually, no. I might eat a little extra, but I really have to stick to my goal number AND exercise if I want to lose.

Most people eat half back. It's a great place to start.

I have been working out the past days and I want on the scale tonight after I worked out and eat. I have gained 5 pounds since that. I don't get it and I have been drinking more water and eating right. The only thing else is that I have eight days away from my period. Should I be losing weight and not gaining.