Help me I'm GAINING!

ButterflyKristen
ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
This is hard for me to write, but I figure if anyone can help me, it's this community. Yesterday I weighed myself and I had gained more than my starting weight! (start 157, now 158) WTF! I am so angry. I'll admit I don't always get under my goal (for losing 1 pound per week), but I don't eat so much that I should gain. I could accept if I was staying the same, but that is not the case.

The logical conclusion is that I just need to redouble my efforts on the food front. Exercise for me is fairly easy, so I'm not worried about missing workouts. It's the food thing. Ugh! Do I have to eat like a Hollywood freakshow to get thin? Catch me, I'm falling.

Replies

  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    My conclusion is that you are probably not eating enough - but I would need to know your weight, height and calorie goal at this time. I would also need to know how much exercise, but I would be happy to help you if you would like!
  • shumatet1982
    shumatet1982 Posts: 93
    Hey there. I haven'T taken a look at your diary, but did you consicer, that this could be a premenstrual effect?

    Is your diary open?
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    Don't worry about fluctuations of 1lb, you can vary up to 2.2lbs (according to my Wii's quote when I try and weigh in at a different time of day) throughout a single day. It could be water weight, could be your time of the month, could be you put on a little muscle this week exercising, could simply mean the last time you weighed in you'd just been to the loo! To quote Peter Kay "a lb?! ONE lb?! I s&*t a 1lb" :laugh:

    Peter Kay clip "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PrEuFA_WOc"
  • ShaeDetermined
    ShaeDetermined Posts: 1,525 Member
    Just keep working at it, you'll get there.

    One thing to keep in mind - a woman's body weight is constantly fluctuating.
    I would recommend taking your measurements and use those also to gauge your loss as well.
    It would be a shame to be losing and not taking credit for it!
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    It could be a water weight fluctuation. You didn't mention how long you had been tracking your food intake on here - if you've been doing this a week and haven't lost, versus you've been doing this 3 months and haven't lost, those are two different situations. It would help to be able to see your diary and see what exactly you're eating.
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    It's really hard to tell without looking at your diary. Can you make it public for us to see?
  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
    This is hard for me to write, but I figure if anyone can help me, it's this community. Yesterday I weighed myself and I had gained more than my starting weight! (start 157, now 158) WTF! I am so angry. I'll admit I don't always get under my goal (for losing 1 pound per week), but I don't eat so much that I should gain. I could accept if I was staying the same, but that is not the case.

    The logical conclusion is that I just need to redouble my efforts on the food front. Exercise for me is fairly easy, so I'm not worried about missing workouts. It's the food thing. Ugh! Do I have to eat like a Hollywood freakshow to get thin? Catch me, I'm falling.

    Message me with your weight and bodyfat %, and I will reply with your actual caloric needs for weight loss. The calculators on MFP suck hard, and are way off from reality at least for me. I must be doing something right, because I lose weight like it's water.
  • ButterflyKristen
    ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
    Okay (yikes) I made my diary public.
  • iheartralphie
    iheartralphie Posts: 104 Member
    Message me with your weight and bodyfat %, and I will reply with your actual caloric needs for weight loss. The calculators on MFP suck hard, and are way off from reality at least for me. I must be doing something right, because I lose weight like it's water.

    Can you do that without the body fat %?? Or show me where a better resource is? If the calculators on here are not accurate, that worries me!
  • ButterflyKristen
    ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
    Don't worry about fluctuations of 1lb, you can vary up to 2.2lbs (according to my Wii's quote when I try and weigh in at a different time of day) throughout a single day. It could be water weight, could be your time of the month, could be you put on a little muscle this week exercising, could simply mean the last time you weighed in you'd just been to the loo! To quote Peter Kay "a lb?! ONE lb?! I s&*t a 1lb" :laugh:

    Peter Kay clip "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PrEuFA_WOc"

    Funny! No, it's not that time of the month; middle of cycle.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    This is hard for me to write, but I figure if anyone can help me, it's this community. Yesterday I weighed myself and I had gained more than my starting weight! (start 157, now 158) WTF! I am so angry. I'll admit I don't always get under my goal (for losing 1 pound per week), but I don't eat so much that I should gain. I could accept if I was staying the same, but that is not the case.

    The logical conclusion is that I just need to redouble my efforts on the food front. Exercise for me is fairly easy, so I'm not worried about missing workouts. It's the food thing. Ugh! Do I have to eat like a Hollywood freakshow to get thin? Catch me, I'm falling.

    Message me with your weight and bodyfat %, and I will reply with your actual caloric needs for weight loss. The calculators on MFP suck hard, and are way off from reality at least for me. I must be doing something right, because I lose weight like it's water.

    Try this. MFP is way off. My maintenance is like 1400-1500 here and I burn that by the time my desk job is finished for the day. And I'm 5'2" and 120lbs.
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
    Try tracking your sodium - that can really impact your water retention/weight. From a quick look, it seems like you are probably going way over your sodium daily even staying in your calorie goals.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
    From your diary, I'd recommend adding sodium and sugar to your diary and track those for a while. You may find that there's more sodium in the processed foods you're eating than you think. I would also cut your fat a bit - many days you're over. Try adding more fresh veggies and fruits. Finally, make sure you're weighing and measuring all your food accurately. If you don't have a food scale, I'd recommend getting one. And make sure your exercise calories are accurate. The online calculators, including this site, and the machines at the gym, are often way too high. A heart rate monitor is a good investment for this. Try to eat consistently for a while - not too much over your cals, and not too much under. Unless you're zig-zagging cals on purpose. Good luck!
  • texaslady9376
    texaslady9376 Posts: 7
    i got on the scale this morning and experienced the exact same thing..two pounds heavier!! and i have been really tired lately!! but my tummy has gone down, so maybe inches first!! hang in there, though..:wink:
  • ButterflyKristen
    ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
    Thanks everyone so much. It DOES look like I am taking in too much sodium and need to add more fruits and veggies. I'm going jogging now with my 2.5 year old in the jogger.
  • Wish2BSkinny
    Wish2BSkinny Posts: 16
    From your diary, I'd recommend adding sodium and sugar to your diary and track those for a while. You may find that there's more sodium in the processed foods you're eating than you think. I would also cut your fat a bit - many days you're over. Try adding more fresh veggies and fruits. Finally, make sure you're weighing and measuring all your food accurately. If you don't have a food scale, I'd recommend getting one. And make sure your exercise calories are accurate. The online calculators, including this site, and the machines at the gym, are often way too high. A heart rate monitor is a good investment for this. Try to eat consistently for a while - not too much over your cals, and not too much under. Unless you're zig-zagging cals on purpose. Good luck!

    I finally bought a heart rate monitor and much to my dismay, not only was MFP about 80 calories more than actually burned, but the gym equipment was, on average, 60 calories higher than reality! Huge reality check for me!! Good luck!!
  • reallivefitness
    reallivefitness Posts: 99
    Pssh, don't worry about a pound - that's easily just water. Even up to five pounds can just be water weight fluctuations. If you really are super worried about it, make sure you are keeping an eye on your carbs (especially sugar!). But really, getting stressed about a pound won't help any - you're doing good, so just keep focused and take each day at a time.
  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
    I wouldn't worry too much about sodium. Especially with all the exercise you do. You can flush up to 2g an hour in your sweat through intense exercise. Jogging with the jogger for an hour? Might be upwards of 1G if it's a hot day. That's 1,000mg right out the door there.

    Try to avoid breaking 5,000mg a day, make sure you're drinking enough water, and everything will be fine in that regard.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I looked over a couple weeks of your diary. It does look like you've been over more than you've been under (by a similar amount).

    I suggest the following:

    * Measure and weigh everything, do not estimate or guess on portion sizes. Log absolutely everything you put in your mouth.
    * Eat consistantly at your goal plus 1/2 of your exercise calories (not most or all). Keep a cushion for errors.
    * Be patient. Weight fluctuates based on glycogen storage, waste traveling through the intestines, sodium intake and recent meals.
  • kyleeann15
    kyleeann15 Posts: 18 Member
    I started doing weight watchers in January and lost 14lbs by March. Then I decided to bag that and do this. The first day I started must have been a low water weight week because I weghed in 162...since then, I have been UP to either 164 or 165....and its definitely not what Ive been eating or how much I work out...because Ive been burning calories and staying in my range...I say its muscle baby!!!! Once you build the muscle, not only does it weigh more than fat, but muscle in turn will start to burn the fat faster! Keep your chin up...and for the record I cant WAIT till my scale says 158!!! :-)
  • onewarmmomma
    onewarmmomma Posts: 222 Member
    I feel your pain!! I was down 13 pounds, then suddenly gained 3 of those pounds back....AND I gained inches! It took me a week, but I'm finally back to my 13lb mark. Hang in there!!
  • pegdorf44
    pegdorf44 Posts: 3
    I am just like you. I exercise 5 days a week. I've got that down. It is and always will be the FOOD!! I eat more than I think I do. Mindless grazing. My goal this year is journaling. I am horrible at it but I have noticed that when I use the food journal, it keeps me accountable because I see the calories adding up. I try to keep my choices limited during the day because I bring food to work and I have more control over that. It's when I get home that gets me in trouble. If you plan out what you're going to eat before you get home, it helps a lot. I try not to eat anything after supper. By the time I get home from exercising it is usually 7:30 or 8. I eat a light supper and then the kitchen is closed. I have lost 7 pounds in 5 weeks which is in line with my goal of a pound a week. Just remember that you are worth it and that extra food that you put in your mouth is not. Do you want to reach your goal by your anniversary or do you want to eat that brownie?? Which is more important to you? Hope this helps!!
  • ButterflyKristen
    ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
    I am just like you. I exercise 5 days a week. I've got that down. It is and always will be the FOOD!! I eat more than I think I do. Mindless grazing. My goal this year is journaling. I am horrible at it but I have noticed that when I use the food journal, it keeps me accountable because I see the calories adding up. I try to keep my choices limited during the day because I bring food to work and I have more control over that. It's when I get home that gets me in trouble. If you plan out what you're going to eat before you get home, it helps a lot. I try not to eat anything after supper. By the time I get home from exercising it is usually 7:30 or 8. I eat a light supper and then the kitchen is closed. I have lost 7 pounds in 5 weeks which is in line with my goal of a pound a week. Just remember that you are worth it and that extra food that you put in your mouth is not. Do you want to reach your goal by your anniversary or do you want to eat that brownie?? Which is more important to you? Hope this helps!!

    Love it! Those last few sentences really speak to me. So true, so true. Your wise words will be in my head all day :) Thanks for that! ... Now I really am going jogging! Got my heartrate monitor on, which by the way shows that my heartrate while at the computer is 54 bpm. :)
  • ButterflyKristen
    ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
    Pssh, don't worry about a pound - that's easily just water. Even up to five pounds can just be water weight fluctuations. If you really are super worried about it, make sure you are keeping an eye on your carbs (especially sugar!). But really, getting stressed about a pound won't help any - you're doing good, so just keep focused and take each day at a time.

    Well, I should have been more clear. I started at 157, then got down to 154, then up to 155, then all of a sudden jumped in one day to 158.8. But I see it's a combination of eating too much and too much sodium. I did not exercise yesterday, so did not dump the sodium like I normally would (referencing Seansquared). Thanks so much for your encouragement!

    This community really ROCKS!
  • bossymom
    bossymom Posts: 41 Member
    I understand your frustration. But, really, my weight can fluctuate from day to day, and throughout a single day(I weigh myself at least three times a day....yeah, I know it's stupid!).

    I've found that the measuring tape is a much better indicator of progress for me. One day the scale said I had gained two pounds, but when I measured immediately afterwards, I had lost a half inch around my stomach and hips.

    If your goal is to slim down, then the number on the scale shouldn't matter as long as you're still losing inches.
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