GAINED 10 POUNDS???

...Months of produce and turning down delicious junk food... months of eating raw this and boring that...

I don't know how to explain your 10 lb. gain, except to suggest that in addition to weighing yourself, you should take measurements, to know for sure if the changes you FEEL are in your head or real. My instinct tells me they're real. I'd also go back to weighing weekly for a few weeks to see what trend the scale shows.

But, your statement above makes it sound like you don't really LIKE the changes you're making to what you eat on a daily basis. I'd suggest that you incorporate a little more moderation, so that you can feel satisfied in your body and in your head with what you're eating.

Thank you! I do like all of the foods I'm eating (thank goodness!), and am now even at the point where I feel really off if I don't consume lots of fresh vegetables throughout the day. However, you're right, as I am still having a terrible time turning down the bad stuff. I am most definitely a food addict and cave in too often - especially because it takes sooo long and sooo much work to get even the tiniest results. So, I am going to try this "moderation" creature you all speak of and see if maybe that will help me turn it down more often in the long run. Thanks so much!

Just an added note for myself (and anyone interested): Now that I have been documenting and paying very close attention to all I'm doing, I see several mistakes I've been making. I feel like someone else doing what I am would succeed, but something about my body chemistry (or even something psychological) rejects the goodness and fights to keep the comfy, cozy fat it's grown to love. So, I have to accept that it's going to be much harder (and as unfair as it is, there are people out there like me or worse) and keep at it until I get the health I deserve.

You said you feel lighter? Did you take starting measurements? If so, what are your measurements now?

I did end up taking my measurements, but it wasn't until after all the (my) confusion. So, I have no idea what they were before. I'm going to take them again about a month after the first ones, which I think will be around May 20th, and see if there's a difference.

So, yeah. Sorry, gang, but guess what. Here we are, months after what I thought was an issue with DHEA supplement. Turns out, that may not be the case. I've made all the suggested adjustments here: more good stuff, HRM, no supplements, not habitually eating back exercise calories, lowering my calorie limit from around 1800 to 1510 (and today down to 1450, because I updated my height by half an inch - who knew it mattered?)...

I was curious about how far I've come. *disgusted scoff*

I just went back to 5 weeks ago, June 29th, and checked my food diary. I selected the complete this entry option to see what it predicted. This would be a very boring story if the prediction was correct.

It was not correct. It was not even close.

June 29th predicted, if every day were like that day, that I would weigh 183.2 pounds today. Guess what. I'm back up to 190. I'm not going to update my profile with that nonsense at the moment, but that's the case.

So, I went on to see the next day. June 30th believes I'll weigh 182.5 pounds by tomorrow. Uh-huh.

So, you know what I did? I went through every day for the last 5 weeks, and completed the entries. Then I went through the 5 weeks previous to June 29th, and you guessed it, completed the entries.

And do you know what?

All but two days on each side (four total) predicted a five to ten pound weight loss in the following 5 weeks. That means I should be between 172 and 182.

I am 190. I have lost four pounds, and gained back two... doing exactly what MFP thinks should have produced a bowling ball or two of weight loss.

The only daily medication I take is Zyrtec. Almost daily, I take a multi-vitamin and a fiber tablet That's it. So, there are no pills hindering my weight loss. Logging errors? Nope. I put down everything, even when I'm ashamed of it - (if you look at my diary, there are plenty of embarrassing items, like the way too many ice creams I had the other day because it was too hot out). But those are seldom, and included in my logged calories. Even if I missed a handful of days or items, it wouldn't account for the huge difference I'm seeing. I should be 5 - 20 pounds lighter than I am right now

I have no money for a doctor right now, but am seriously baffled. So, before I do anything crazy like make an appointment I can't afford, I'm asking here.

Now, I'm willing to start off and say maybe my body doesn't burn through junk food or processed food calories at the same rate as other foods. But even so, overall, I eat a lot of good stuff, and raw stuff. Could those few items really be enough to sabotage my whole lifestyle? I don't have it very often, and when I do I either stay under in calories or exercise it away.

What could I possibly still be doing so incorrectly that it's causing me this much trouble? Is my body not burning as many calories as MFP thinks? Could she be hanging onto exercise calories somehow (I've been using an HRM, so that should be accurate), afraid to let the weight go? I don't make a habit of eating back the exercise calories, but it has happened on occasion.

I must again ask, W.T.H and what gives???

I couldn't help but notice your original post (gained 10lbs). I saw two things that stood out to me, one was you sit for hours and the other was your change in eating healthier foods. I presume your doing all things right but are you really getting enough exercise for the new foods you have introduced to your body. I can only share my experience: I followed MFP for 7 weeks and got nothing but 1lb more. From having tried many diets over the last 2 years, I know i can loose the weight but if I have to eat exactly what a diet tells me to for life -- success plumets and weight slowly comes back. I want to eat my heatlhier choices, now in my lifestyle for the last 10 years, and not feel boxed in to "planning" every meal. I don't recommend anyone eat 1200 calories but never say never. My BMR calories, based off of Bally's 6,7, 8 Plan, are 1876 and I took 500 caloreis away to loose 1lb a week. From my new total of 1376, I calculated exercise that would burn another 500 calories 6 days a week (one day off). Now, I do believe if you are pumping iron to bulid muscle mass you will need to eat the addtional calories MFP encourages you to, but if you are not and you are just exercising yet not killing yourself ---then you may not need to eat them. I don't feel weak, I have energy and I can now breath in my clothes again. I sweat when I workout and my heart rate is elevated but I am never fully out of breath. My workouts are either walking 4 miles daily when possible (about 1.5hrs) or I get on an elliptical for 60min (again moving but not killing myself). I noticed this type of reptitive low lean muscle producing movement - burns calories for me. I don't diary my exercise and I just try to keep to 1376 calories. As I loose weight, I plan on adjusting the process as if I were starting over. So far I've lost 6lbs in 3 weeks: first 3lbs, then 1lb, then 2lbs. I eat high protein low carb naturally all my life but if I am ever hungry or out of calories I will let myself eat a salad w/1TB dressing or apples - which isn't often. Before, I was only getting 30min of ellipitical daily with one long walk on one of the weekend days and eating the calorie intake MFP recommended. This did not work for me. Since I am now eating foods I would normally eat anyway, staying successful for life should be easy. If I know a party or a McDonald's craving is coming up then I try to incorporate additional exercise to allow for it but not gain weight from it. Maybe more or longer low impact workouts could be a key for you. Keep updating us.

Thank you for sharing - this is very helpful! I think you're definitely right about the exercise calories. I'm not really weight training, or burning 200 calories in 20 minutes. Far from hardcore (and I still spend a lot of time sitting at my desk, which I forgot about). It didn't occur to me that there may be a difference in that, so thank you!!

Sorry, me again. I failed to mention that I also believe certain combinations of meals can slow your weight loss to a screaching halt, so you may want to read up on blood diets where certain foods work better with your body type and blood type. I know it sounds crazy but I really belive ...all things in moderation when it comes to weight loss and exercise because we are all so different.

That's very interesting! I'm certainly dealing with a clearly finicky system, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if she reacts poorly to certain items or combinations. I'll look into that; thanks!!

What I'm also beginning to think is that I can't pepper my week with a cheat item here and there, like I have been. I'll bet one serving of chips in a day will throw off several hours after. So even if the rest of that meal is goody two shoes, it won't be enough to balance out the bad. And, if it's late enough in the day, or the quantity is larger, there is no salvaging. Yup, I can easily see that being an issue, because I tend to go for cheat items in the afternoon and evening. Hmm...

Why not try a low-carb / more protein approach? If you aren't burning all those carbs, they are getting stored.

Excess carbs also make your body retain water.

Have a look at the Protein Power plan. Please verify, but I believe it will suggest you each around 36g protein / 10-20g carbs per meal, and that is it. That will be WAY BELOW your current carb goal of 200+, and just above your current protein goal.

I have been following it to letter for the last 3 months. Over the last three weeks I am down about 8 lbs. Of course, exercise helps too, but it looks like you are doing that as well.


Good luck!

Ooo, thank you! I will look into that for sure. I drink a TON of water. Most days, I'm at three or more times the minimum requirement. It would make sense then, if my body holds onto it, that that's a big problem. And, it would possibly explain why I weight 190 pounds, at 5' 5.5", but still fit into a size 10-12. My body is rock solid underneath the layers of flab. I'm very strong, but very heavy.

As I've started to ramble throughout these posts, I'm finding a few patterns that may not affect someone else, but could easily be my problem. Cutting way back on carbs, and upping the healthy protein may be just what I need. Thank you!!

Yea, it's the processed stuff.
I too am allergic to dust and eating any bit of processed foods consistently. I found this out after 6 months of the blood type diet. Turns out orange juice, bananas and corn are bit tricky for my body (I get sniffles galore as if I have a cold). I even try to stay away from nitrates and perservatives in packaged meats by purchasing Hormel naturals. I found after those 6 months that my taste buds had changed and what use to taste plain (apple) or like cardboard (heathly - sprouted wheat bread) was now divine. Now I never have allergy probems during hayfever season. I've also heard of coffee slowing down the weight loss process if you don't have enough probiotics in your tummy. i dont' expect anyone to give that up but ...try to find something else - tea maybe and again watch for reactions. I think in some way, there is a new you and you have plateaud (sorry spelling) because of it.
I did review what you are eating and if i were you i would go back to basics, fresh sandwiches --- maybe opened faced to avoid too much bread. Snacks like apples, plums and nectarines as snacks; and throw in steamed veggies with lemon juice, a bit of salt and peppper every now and then too. I thought you are getting too little bang (filling food) for your buck (calories) and that's another reason why your body is haning on to the weight. I guess that woudl be equivalent to salt and faty foods. Eat the sweet stuff only once in the day if you can. Easy for me to say but watch for your reactions in trying this.
I know the frustration of trying so hard and getting no where! Stick the course and figure out the new you because I think it is good thing.

Thank you! I really appreciate all your input!