Two Week Diet and Exercise - Bloated and Heavier

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MaraJadeSharpie
MaraJadeSharpie Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I know you all get these topics constantly, but...here I am. I've started a program with a personal trainer to try and lose about 15 pounds. I exercise with my trainer 3x a week for an hour, a full body workout. I go to the gym the other two days to do 30-45 minutes of cardio. And on Saturday I ride my bike 15 miles (at 8-10 MPH). Sunday I rest.

My trainer is also a nutritionist, and I am on a strict 1,500 calorie diet of chicken (white meat), fish and vegetables. I am meticulous about following this diet to the letter. I weigh all my food and package it up the night before to take to work the next day. The only cheat I have each week is one sushi roll on Sunday. I've also been drinking about 6 bottles of water per day, because I find it incredibly difficult to drink more. I'm already in the bathroom every 30 minutes.

All that to say...even my trainer said I should be seeing results by now. It has been two full weeks, and I have gained three pounds and feel bloated and heavier. I know people say not to focus on the scale, but my clothes are not fitting any better. If anything, they are a little tighter.

The most common explanation I see is "water retention", but...seriously, how long does that last? It is very discouraging to change your entire lifestyle (food, exercise, prep, etc.), and see no results at all. I know it's only been two weeks, I know. But gaining weight and feeling more bloated are not the results I had in mind.

Anyway, any encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
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Replies

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    It sounds like you just need to listen to yourself and be more patient. You know two weeks isn't very long. You know about water retention. If you're solid in your measuring and logging (and 1500 is an appropriate deficit), then you just need to give it more time.
  • MaraJadeSharpie
    MaraJadeSharpie Posts: 7 Member
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    Update: Three weeks, and still no loss. I am trying to be patient, really, but it's becoming rather discouraging.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    How tall are you and what do you weigh?
  • dizzieblondeuk
    dizzieblondeuk Posts: 286 Member
    edited July 2015
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    It would help if we could see your starting weight, height, age etc. Your profile says 20lb to lose, but where is your body sitting in terms of it's starting point? A healthy body weight to start with is much harder to start losing large amounts of weight - start thinking about your goals, could you cope with losing 0.5lb per week, and adjust your calorie intake upwards?

    Technically, there's nothing wrong with your diet, as long as you're logging everything you eat, and you've calculated the correct TDEE. Is 1500 cals enough for a person your height, weight and activity level to maintain the amount of exercise and activity you do on a day to day basis? I see so many people saying that they restarted their weight loss when they increased their calorie intake to allow for the calories being burned during their exercise. That may not happen for you, but 3 weeks is long enough to see if something works for you. Clearly this regime does not - and a good nutritionist/trainer won't demand a 'one size fits all' approach. They'll consider tweaks and changes that will help you. BTW, does MFP agree with the 1500 number your trainer has given you? I know people pay for their trainers, and logging on MFP is free, but it doesn't mean that trainers/nutritionists are always right!
  • MaraJadeSharpie
    MaraJadeSharpie Posts: 7 Member
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    I suppose a height and weight would help, wouldn't it? I am a 26 year old female, 5'6", and weigh 150 pounds. I weighed 147 before I started all this, and am still at 150 today.

    I can post my full menu, we are varying it from week to week. But for example, I eat oatmeal (just plain oats), blueberries and egg whites for breakfast. I have chicken, green beans and sweet potatoes for my next meal, tilapia, broccoli and Jasmine rice for my second. For dinner I have sirloin, green beans and sweet potatoes. And for my final snack of the evening I have a protein shake. I have it all listed out on a spreadsheet with the calories and such. We started at 1,500 calories per day, but last week removed one meal (which I was finding very hard to eat anyway) and dropped to 1,300 after no change.

    MFP says I should be at 1,200 per day to lose 1.2 pounds per week.
  • MaryQueenofWalking
    MaryQueenofWalking Posts: 15 Member
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    You are at the top of the healthy range for your BMI. At your weight, 20 pounds is a lot to lose. It could take a year - a pound a month, unless you starve yourself or do serious weight training/appropriate exercise. 3 pounds is a normal weekly fluctuation for a young woman.
  • dizzieblondeuk
    dizzieblondeuk Posts: 286 Member
    edited July 2015
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    It's the classic MFP question but.... do you weight everything? I know you say you have it listed on a spreadsheet, but do you know exactly how much oatmeal you have, or egg whites, or chicken? Don't use cup measurements - even if that spreadsheet does - and definitely don't eyeball quantities! Try only logging every item on MFP for a week, use a digital scale in grams and see how you do. And finally, I'll say it to you, because it's been said to me - weight loss isn't linear, we all have unique bodies that react differently to food, fluid and exercise. What you are doing is a great healthy body program - give yourself kudos for that! But, if you want detailed help, open your diary and people can see how it's going.
  • Abby2205
    Abby2205 Posts: 253 Member
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    You say you feel bloated all the time. Maybe you are intolerant to something in your diet. Is there anything you started eating for the first time? Have you drastically increased fibre intake versus what you were eating before?
  • aliciamariaq
    aliciamariaq Posts: 272 Member
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    Abby2205 wrote: »
    You say you feel bloated all the time. Maybe you are intolerant to something in your diet. Is there anything you started eating for the first time? Have you drastically increased fibre intake versus what you were eating before?

    ^I was going to ask the same thing.
  • scg17
    scg17 Posts: 88 Member
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    How does your stomach feel? I have IBS, so sometimes healthy foods can actually make things worse. I can bloat up like no one's business, lol. You could be eating a very healthy diet that is irritating your gut.
  • FitMoam
    FitMoam Posts: 8 Member
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    Chicken can be kind of inflammatory. Are you buying organic? Maybe you should switch to grass-fed beef or fish for your protein. Or maybe with all that water, you have thrown off your electrolyte balance. How about a little salt on those veggies?
    Also, I'm about 5'6'' (slightly taller), and I feel curvy at 150, healthy at 140, and hottie at 135. 130 doesn't seem unreasonable for someone your age and height.
  • KristiPadgett
    KristiPadgett Posts: 17 Member
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    I had the same problem, I am just now seeing results. I weighted 169 at 5'6 and I think I am on my 22 day and I am now 164.8; just keep at it! It's a hard start but it will be worth it in the long run, I believe that you can do this! :)
  • Boomin155
    Boomin155 Posts: 1 Member
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    Rome wasnt built in a day!! Be patient, stay consistent, and work hard. You will get there!!
  • besee_2000
    besee_2000 Posts: 365 Member
    edited July 2015
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    aliciamariaq wrote: »
    Abby2205 wrote: »
    Have you drastically increased fibre intake versus what you were eating before?

    ^I was going to ask the same thing.
    I would also question the fiber difference. I would suggest a good probiotic to account for the change in diet and a big ol' cup of black coffee. Does it for me every time. That and a lot more water. Infuse fruit in your water to make it easier to gulp down. If I drink 1.5 L it will flush me out like magic.
    Edit: Maybe more info than you wish to share but how are your bowel movements?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Do you log your calories on MFP? If so, can you open your food diary?
  • hlrlj
    hlrlj Posts: 2 Member
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    You are doing a lot of exercise, which means your lean muscle mass will be increasing, and body fat decreasing. Muscle weighs more than fat, so that could account for the weight. Do check on allergies, especially to gluten for bloating.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    If yr bloated, something isn't agreeing with you. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts can be a culprit for some people. Maybe green beans, leafy greens, carrots, sweet potato would be easier on the tummy.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    hlrlj wrote: »
    You are doing a lot of exercise, which means your lean muscle mass will be increasing, and body fat decreasing. Muscle weighs more than fat, so that could account for the weight. Do check on allergies, especially to gluten for bloating.

    It's actually pretty hard to put on muscle weight if one is eating at a deficit. It's unlikely that this is the case or that one would get heavier from a suddenly developed allergy to gluten (surely OP didn't just begin eating gluten, right?).
  • shawnamay590
    shawnamay590 Posts: 12 Member
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    I am also 5'6" and about 152lbs. I think 20 pounds is a lot, but that also depends on your frame. For me, I think my happy weight will be 140-145 lbs. I started working with a doctor that specializes in non-surgical weight loss (I've lost 50 pounds so far) and really cut back on my starches and sugars.

    I agree with a lot of the comments above, but the grass fed, organic piece isn't really going to help. There is no scientific proof that those things are more nutritious. You may want to watch how much sodium and carbs make up your diet. Have you started to journal how you feel after the meals? How big is the sushi roll on your cheat day? Are you weighing your portions or just measuring by cup, etc.? What about the bites/ tastes/ samples of cooking and things like that?

    Last question, did you take your measurements before you started all of this? Sometimes you will see a change there before the scale.

    Good luck!
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    When I started working out I stalled for 5-6 weeks. I changed my diet dramatically so was getting a lot more fiber and I'm on of those people who retain water easily. Then there was bloat from my time of the month to contend with. After that I lost consistently on the scale. However, my measurements changed massively during the scale stall so it's important to also track those!

    If you're doing everything you should it will come.

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