why have i gained weight?

maillekelly · May 2011

I started on 7th April at 148lb, in the first 2 weeks I lost 6lb, then I didn't lose anything for a week, then i lost an lb, then the next week I lost 2, then I lost 1lb, on Monday just gone (16th) I was 138lb, I decided to start zigzagging and for one week only i wanted to weigh in every day to see really how much weight changes. On tuesday I was 139lb, I was a little upset but thought it was just a blip as i obviously couldn't of put on weight as I was eating little and exercising still. On wed i was still 139, then this morning I weighed and i am 139.8lb. I keep saying to myself that it must just be water weight or something, but I woke up today and felt bigger. my belly is becoming uncomfy again, it's not flat anymore, my hips and legs look bigger.

How has this happened? I know I know, 2lb is really not much, but it is to me when i only have 20lb more to lose and only 3 months to do it in.

In the first 3 weeks of my weightloss I was doing a diet made by a magzine over here in the UK, I paid for it, got all my meal plans set out and told what to eat, I was eating 1200 calories per day, and exercising 5 times a week (spin class)

I then started to come on this site and saw everyone saying that 1200 was wayyyyy too low and got me worried about plataues and starvation mode and blahblah, so I started zigzagging, some days I'd have 1200, some I'd have 1800, some 1400, just depends. It still hasn't changed anything. I feel likeim back where I started.

I drink TONS of water, my sodium intake is always very low, my period is not due.

I'm a vegetarian, my diary is open.

I just do not know what I am doing long, I'm starting to get very upset. I'm going to university at the end of August, and really want t be at my goal weight by then. So thats 3 and a half months, around 15 weeks to lose 20ish lb

What can I do? I know people will say I need to eat more as I work out more, and I understand that, but what would be the quickest way to lose weight, still healthy? 2lb a week is healthy, hell even if I lost 1lb a week, I'd be 15lb lighter and only around 7lb away from my goal weight, I've worked out I need to lose about 1.5lb a week to get to my goal in time.

I'm considering Slim fast, i know some people have bad thigns to say about it, but I don't have that much to lose, I have very good eating habits, I don't eat processed foods often at all, I eat a lot of fruit, never white bread, pasta or rice, always wholegrains, I did slim fast when I was 18 two years ago and it worked well, but back then I was drinking alcohol, eating badly, my main meal would be pizza and chips, I was very unhealthy, if I did slim fast now I would have the shakes, but my main meal would be full of veg and my snacks would be fruit, not their sugar filled chocolate bars they make and obviously when I get to my goal weight i will ease back into eating normally, cut it down to one shake a day etc etc.

I do a lot of exercise, I have spinning class 5 days a week, I do 30 day shred every day and I walk everywhere.

Has anyone got any advise? Any will help! I feel like I'm doing everything right, but my body is just not allowing it! And btw I'm 5ft7 and 139lb now, a year ago I was 118lb, I have a small frame, it wasn't unhealthy, I looked fine, i just want the old me back in time for university.

Help

(((

amymrls · May 2011

Try to only step on the scale once week. A persons weight can fluctuate anywhere between 5lbs a day. Don't be to hard on yourself or beat yourself up with scale readings.

Try taking measurements once a week also. Most of us want to lose weight to be smaller. Most want to fit in smaller clothes and such. Really inches are more important than pounds anyway. Inches are what people notice when they look at you. It's not like people walk up to each other and pick each other up and say "My youhave lost a few pounds." No it is actually quite the opposit. People notice when they see you and you look smaller.

Good luck on your future weightloss. Please try to be kind to yourself in the process.

suzksell · May 2011

One of the things I see is that you say you're zig-zagging, but you aren't really. When you zig zag, you have a set weekly goal, and you have different calorie goals for each day with the idea that at the end of the week you meet your target weekly goal. So, if your daily base is 1400, multiply it by 7, and then do a little math so that some days you dip as low as 1200, go a little higher than 1400 some days, and have some average days so that at the end of the week you have the right amount.

Avalonis · May 2011

First off, even with a petite frame, 120 is pretty low. I would say 127-130 is more of a healthy weight. Have you had you body fat % measured? You don't want to get below like 16%.

Basically, at your height and weight I would focus on TONING. You are at a very healthy weight, and although you could maybe lose some fat, I don't think it's weightloss you want as much as fat loss.

One thing that needs to be clear: You are almost at your healthy body weight, there is NO WAY YOU WILL LOSE 2LBS A WEEK WITHOUT STARVING YOURSELF. Don't set yourself up to fail. Get some muscle definition, lift some heavier weights, and step up the intensity of your workouts, but I would strongly recommend not trying to diet yourself into more weightloss.

At your weight, you need to be just working your body into the shape it needs to be - it sounds like you have great control over what you eat already.

**Edit** I am sure you are already beautiful, although you don't have any pics

. Remember your worst critic is yourself. Strive for healthy, not a number on a scale.

maillekelly · May 2011

First off, even with a petite frame, 120 is pretty low. I would say 127-130 is more of a healthy weight. Have you had you body fat % measured? You don't want to get below like 16%.

Basically, at your height and weight I would focus on TONING. You are at a very healthy weight, and although you could maybe lose some fat, I don't think it's weightloss you want as much as fat loss.

One thing that needs to be clear: You are almost at your healthy body weight, there is NO WAY YOU WILL LOSE 2LBS A WEEK WITHOUT STARVING YOURSELF. Don't set yourself up to fail. Get some muscle definition, lift some heavier weights, and step up the intensity of your workouts, but I would strongly recommend not trying to diet yourself into more weightloss.

At your weight, you need to be just working your body into the shape it needs to be - it sounds like you have great control over what you eat already.

**Edit** I am sure you are already beautiful, although you don't have any pics . Remember your worst critic is yourself. Strive for healthy, not a number on a scale.

I was 120lb's a year ago! I looked fine, I have photos of my body then in my photos, maybe they arn't viewable to the public, I'll add you.

But anyway, I really do just want to get back down to the old me, I'm 20, I just want to get down to my 19 year old age! I'm not 40 and asking for my 19 year old figure back

Mustardcat · May 2011

I wouldn't be so worried if it seems you're not losing weight as fast. Most likely you're building more muscle mass from your spin classes. Muscle mass weighs more than fat does, but your body mass is probably still shrinking. That's why you should be taking measurements periodically so you can gauge you progress more effectively, rather than relying on the scale to tell you how you're doing. Don't get discouraged though, sounds to me like you're doing everything right, and the more muscle you build, the more calories you burn when you work out.

maillekelly · May 2011

I just don't know what to do, it's nor working. At this point I'm not fussed about losing weight at a super duper healthy rate, I know its better to lose 0.5lb a week, but I can't do that, I have 3 months to lose as much as possible, will it be better to just eat 1200 cals a day? I'm never hungry on 1200 cals, never tired, my body works fine on 1200?

maillekelly · May 2011

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why have i gained weight?

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