10lb weight gain in 2 months. And no one takes this seriously.

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NYCNika
NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I'm back. After losing 40lb 2 years ago, I haven't been counting calories, and just ate in a normal healthy way and regularly exercising and has been quite happy with my body.

When I went on a 40 day vacation to Asia this summer, and ate out every single meal, my concern was weight gain (soo much yummy food, especially in Sichuan, Shanghai and Singapore!). I ate and drank alcohol and had deserts at awesome levels. I also stayed at very good hotels with very good gyms and did a combination of strength training and cardio for 1-2 hours almost every day. As a result, I came back somehow not only not gaining weight, but achieving my ideal body composition in terms of shape and lean muscle mass, and just the right amount of abs.... (in terms of calories net it does not make sense, because I ate ridiculous amounts)

BUT... I could not keep it this body. After returning to real life, it was so busy and hardly exercised once a week. However, I was so used to eating and drinking and enjoying myself and after doing it for so long I could not cut back from what my body got used to, and I also got emotionally used to. So in the last 2 months, I gained 10LB!

So now my awesome abs barely show and a lot of my clothing that was lose is too tight. And going back to what I know I need to do will be hard.

In addition, at work, people are working on losing weight and eagerly talk with each other, and try to support each other, however, I get a sense I'm not welcome in that particular crowd (of plus size very overweight people) and get the "are you kidding me look" when I mentioned how I need to lose 10lb I gained.

They do not see it, as I am now size 2, well, between 2 and 4 now, but I was between 0 and 2 just 2 month before, and it is disturbing. I need to loose 10LB BECAUSE I GAINED 10LB, not because I have some kind of body image problem or seek attention, or try to make size 18 person feel worse. Not sure how to bring that across. And cutting back on eating by a lot, finding time to exercise often when you have a family, a child and a full time job with long commute is just as hard for me as for everyone else, and not having a lot of your clothing fit right anymore is just as depressing. I know I need to stop this now.

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  • TahoeSki
    TahoeSki Posts: 69 Member
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    Sounds like a great trip! Good for you for putting on the breaks at a 10 pound gain instead of 30 or 40. Your peeps at work aren't going to understand-- get support elsewhere (like here)!
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
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    You really did great only gaining 10 pounds in two months of vacationing like that.

    I've gained around five pounds on similar but much shorter 7-10 day vacations traveling overseas. It's definitely worth it sampling foods, street fare, and beverages that you may never get a chance to try again, but when you get home it's time to pay the piper and lose the weight again.
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
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    Mike_ny, you misunderstood, I did not gain any weight on my vacation, all the weight gain came after, when I still ate like on vacation but did not exercise 4-5 times a week anymore, like I did, because I had the time on vacation.

    Billieljamie, I totally understand not being part of the club anymore. People tend to think that things are easier for you and same laws of conservation of energy do not apply equally to you and to them. That something is different in you biologically, and it is just harder for them.

    Gaining 5 lb a month is hardly trivial - where would I be in 6 months or a year down that road? And there is a difference between wanting to lose 10 more, and gaining 10lb above your stable normal weight. The first one could potentially be subjective and "just in somebody's head" or just a result of being not happy with their body composition, but the latter one is a pretty objective reality.
  • BramageOMG
    BramageOMG Posts: 319 Member
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    I agree with a comment made: Americans are FATIES! I was 237 and thought I needed to drop 20, maybe 30 lbs. Im down 62, and have 6 to go. LOL In terms of the 10 you gained, you know how to trim it.. :)
  • daynerz
    daynerz Posts: 227 Member
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    Wow interesting story, 10lbs is a lot on a slim person and fairly noticeable, on an already larger person it is not as noticeable... what are your stats?
    I am from Canada and live in China for teaching now.... I havent had bread or dairy here because its not common in the culture, however I was starting to gain a lot when I arrived here in March and now I am at my slimmest in two years...(calorie counting) but still eating what I want and drinking beer. Beer here is weak, 2% so its less ,which is nice......

    You can always get back in the game! I was a bodybuilder, never actually had strong weight issues, but as I said 10lbs is a lot gained on a little frame
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
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    Daynerz, where are you in China? I lived in Chengdu for over 6 months, and occasionally go to Nanjing for a month or so. Sure there is no good bread (though now there is in Shanghai, there are also good desserts there now, including western and Japanese). But there is plenty of oil, noodles and rice in Chinese food.

    I'm now fluctuating between 132 and 138(guessing extreme water weight). I have a good amount of lean muscle mass, to I'm still fitting in size 2-4, where before I started exercising I would have been size 6-8 at that same weight. So muscle really does make a difference in how slim you look, so I know my calorie deficit should be very very modest - my concern is I do not want to lose the muscle that is so hard to gain, and that tends to happen if there is a significant calorie restriction.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    I know what you mean; certain crowds only welcome people similar to themselves. fortunately there's MFP. :D Now, I've never been below a size 7 lol, but I can relate all the same when people who weigh like 250 call me skinny and I'm like "um, no." Lift those weights and eat right and the ten pounds will come back off. :)
  • refuseresist
    refuseresist Posts: 934 Member
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    It is not up to those others to justify your goals. This is all about you being happy with yourself and doing what needs to be done to get to that point.
    People call me 'skeletal' and imply I have some sort of eating disorder when, by BMI, I am on the cusp of being OVER weight.
    You can't rely on others having the same perspective on what is healthy and right for YOU.
  • GoneGirl50
    GoneGirl50 Posts: 65 Member
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    I started gaining weight in my mid-20's, so I joined Weight Watchers. I was probably a size 8 then. The much-larger women at the group treated me with disdain, with eye-rolling, and negative comments on my need to be there. If I had developed good eating and exercise habits back then, I wouldn't be 50lbs over-weight today.

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