Two Week Diet and Exercise - Bloated and Heavier

MaraJadeSharpie · July 2015

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.

DeguelloTex · July 2015

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 · July 2015

Update: Three weeks, and still no loss. I am trying to be patient, really, but it's becoming rather discouraging.

kshama2001 · July 2015

How tall are you and what do you weigh?

dizzieblondeuk · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

Rome wasnt built in a day!! Be patient, stay consistent, and work hard. You will get there!!

besee_2000 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

Do you log your calories on MFP? If so, can you open your food diary?

hlrlj · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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 · July 2015

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.

jgnatca · July 2015

I was wondering if you have experienced marked increases in strength and flexibility from all your exercise?

MaraJadeSharpie · July 2015

Thank you for all the responses. I've unlocked my diary. I only began logging on the 13th, and those first few days are not showing the extra meal that I've now removed (salmon, broccoli and Jasmine rice). And yes, I am meticulous about the ounces. I have a food scale and have been weighing absolutely everything for every meal.

@scg17, I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 12 years old. It was something I had learned to live with, and did not really think about as being abnormal. But now that I've been on this new diet, I have not had a "problem" since then. Granted, I do feel like I have bowel movements a lot more often now, but it is no longer uncontrollable. It may be due to the supplements.

To list the supplements I am taking: CLA, Glutamine, Probiotics, Women's multivitamin, BCAA and Vitamin C.

As for fiber intake, I'm not sure how much more it is. I didn't keep track of what I ate before. Just that I did not eat a lot. I ate lunch and dinner, and sometimes not lunch. Mostly because I was not hungry. I never ate breakfast, partially because I was not hungry, and partially because it tended to make me sick to eat early in the morning. What I did eat for lunch and dinner was always a small portion. For example, I had trouble finishing a sushi roll. Eating that little did not stop me from gaining weight, though. I have gained about 20 pounds in the last two years.

I do have a small frame. I was 125 pounds a couple years ago, and I was most comfortable then. I have hit all the plateaus on my way to 150 (130, 135, 140, etc.), and I was happiest at 125. I have been much smaller (100 pounds until I was 21), and I know that was too thin. But I would love to be at least 130ish again.

I would not say I have noticed feeling any better in this time. I don't feel more energetic or anything. I feel the same. I did take measurements when we started on July 6th, and as of last Monday they had not changed. I haven't measured yet this week.

I am going to stick it out. My trainer is going to keep adjusting my nutrition plan to try and account for the lack of progress. It would just be a lot easier to see some improvement! Ha.

Thanks again for all the input.

SunnyPacheco · July 2015

MaraJadeSharpie wrote: »

Thank you for all the responses. I've unlocked my diary. I only began logging on the 13th, and those first few days are not showing the extra meal that I've now removed (salmon, broccoli and Jasmine rice). And yes, I am meticulous about the ounces. I have a food scale and have been weighing absolutely everything for every meal.

@scg17, I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 12 years old. It was something I had learned to live with, and did not really think about as being abnormal. But now that I've been on this new diet, I have not had a "problem" since then. Granted, I do feel like I have bowel movements a lot more often now, but it is no longer uncontrollable. It may be due to the supplements.

To list the supplements I am taking: CLA, Glutamine, Probiotics, Women's multivitamin, BCAA and Vitamin C.

As for fiber intake, I'm not sure how much more it is. I didn't keep track of what I ate before. Just that I did not eat a lot. I ate lunch and dinner, and sometimes not lunch. Mostly because I was not hungry. I never ate breakfast, partially because I was not hungry, and partially because it tended to make me sick to eat early in the morning. What I did eat for lunch and dinner was always a small portion. For example, I had trouble finishing a sushi roll. Eating that little did not stop me from gaining weight, though. I have gained about 20 pounds in the last two years.

I do have a small frame. I was 125 pounds a couple years ago, and I was most comfortable then. I have hit all the plateaus on my way to 150 (130, 135, 140, etc.), and I was happiest at 125. I have been much smaller (100 pounds until I was 21), and I know that was too thin. But I would love to be at least 130ish again.

I would not say I have noticed feeling any better in this time. I don't feel more energetic or anything. I feel the same. I did take measurements when we started on July 6th, and as of last Monday they had not changed. I haven't measured yet this week.

I am going to stick it out. My trainer is going to keep adjusting my nutrition plan to try and account for the lack of progress. It would just be a lot easier to see some improvement! Ha.

Thanks again for all the input.

Whoa that's a lot of supplements that I've really only seen fitness models, body builders, and people that do competitions take. Does your trainer have you on all of those or is it for the IBS? Aside from the probiotics, multivitamin and vitamin C the rest seem highly unnecessary and could be very likely causing your bloating. I think people also experience bloating with probiotics for the first couple of weeks while the body evens out? I can't speak to that part.

psuLemon · July 2015

SunnyPacheco wrote: »

MaraJadeSharpie wrote: »

Thank you for all the responses. I've unlocked my diary. I only began logging on the 13th, and those first few days are not showing the extra meal that I've now removed (salmon, broccoli and Jasmine rice). And yes, I am meticulous about the ounces. I have a food scale and have been weighing absolutely everything for every meal.

@scg17, I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 12 years old. It was something I had learned to live with, and did not really think about as being abnormal. But now that I've been on this new diet, I have not had a "problem" since then. Granted, I do feel like I have bowel movements a lot more often now, but it is no longer uncontrollable. It may be due to the supplements.

To list the supplements I am taking: CLA, Glutamine, Probiotics, Women's multivitamin, BCAA and Vitamin C.

As for fiber intake, I'm not sure how much more it is. I didn't keep track of what I ate before. Just that I did not eat a lot. I ate lunch and dinner, and sometimes not lunch. Mostly because I was not hungry. I never ate breakfast, partially because I was not hungry, and partially because it tended to make me sick to eat early in the morning. What I did eat for lunch and dinner was always a small portion. For example, I had trouble finishing a sushi roll. Eating that little did not stop me from gaining weight, though. I have gained about 20 pounds in the last two years.

I do have a small frame. I was 125 pounds a couple years ago, and I was most comfortable then. I have hit all the plateaus on my way to 150 (130, 135, 140, etc.), and I was happiest at 125. I have been much smaller (100 pounds until I was 21), and I know that was too thin. But I would love to be at least 130ish again.

I would not say I have noticed feeling any better in this time. I don't feel more energetic or anything. I feel the same. I did take measurements when we started on July 6th, and as of last Monday they had not changed. I haven't measured yet this week.

I am going to stick it out. My trainer is going to keep adjusting my nutrition plan to try and account for the lack of progress. It would just be a lot easier to see some improvement! Ha.

Thanks again for all the input.

Whoa that's a lot of supplements that I've really only seen fitness models, body builders, and people that do competitions take. Does your trainer have you on all of those or is it for the IBS? Aside from the probiotics, multivitamin and vitamin C the rest seem highly unnecessary and could be very likely causing your bloating. I think people also experience bloating with probiotics for the first couple of weeks while the body evens out? I can't speak to that part.

Vitamin C would be completely unnecessary as well. Most multivitamins have your daily required amount. Personally, I would drop the CLA, glutamine and BCAA and just stick with the ON whey protein shake.. it should have all the other stuff in there. Please the benefits of CLA and Glutamine are blown up.. even BCAA (found in whey shakes) has been exaggerated.

Also, considering you haven't had good logging yet, I would give that a few weeks.

You can update your food diary to show fiber instead of sugar.. that is what I would recommend.

Diary, it looks ok. I am amazed that you eat 2.5 oz of potato every day. I did notice you have a generic entry for egg white which you might want to clean up and you don't log any of your vitamins. Personally, I would increase your fat intake a bit. That will help with satiety but it will also improve the absorption of nutrients.

SunnyPacheco · July 2015

psulemon wrote: »

SunnyPacheco wrote: »

MaraJadeSharpie wrote: »

Thank you for all the responses. I've unlocked my diary. I only began logging on the 13th, and those first few days are not showing the extra meal that I've now removed (salmon, broccoli and Jasmine rice). And yes, I am meticulous about the ounces. I have a food scale and have been weighing absolutely everything for every meal.

@scg17, I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 12 years old. It was something I had learned to live with, and did not really think about as being abnormal. But now that I've been on this new diet, I have not had a "problem" since then. Granted, I do feel like I have bowel movements a lot more often now, but it is no longer uncontrollable. It may be due to the supplements.

To list the supplements I am taking: CLA, Glutamine, Probiotics, Women's multivitamin, BCAA and Vitamin C.

As for fiber intake, I'm not sure how much more it is. I didn't keep track of what I ate before. Just that I did not eat a lot. I ate lunch and dinner, and sometimes not lunch. Mostly because I was not hungry. I never ate breakfast, partially because I was not hungry, and partially because it tended to make me sick to eat early in the morning. What I did eat for lunch and dinner was always a small portion. For example, I had trouble finishing a sushi roll. Eating that little did not stop me from gaining weight, though. I have gained about 20 pounds in the last two years.

I do have a small frame. I was 125 pounds a couple years ago, and I was most comfortable then. I have hit all the plateaus on my way to 150 (130, 135, 140, etc.), and I was happiest at 125. I have been much smaller (100 pounds until I was 21), and I know that was too thin. But I would love to be at least 130ish again.

I would not say I have noticed feeling any better in this time. I don't feel more energetic or anything. I feel the same. I did take measurements when we started on July 6th, and as of last Monday they had not changed. I haven't measured yet this week.

I am going to stick it out. My trainer is going to keep adjusting my nutrition plan to try and account for the lack of progress. It would just be a lot easier to see some improvement! Ha.

Thanks again for all the input.

Whoa that's a lot of supplements that I've really only seen fitness models, body builders, and people that do competitions take. Does your trainer have you on all of those or is it for the IBS? Aside from the probiotics, multivitamin and vitamin C the rest seem highly unnecessary and could be very likely causing your bloating. I think people also experience bloating with probiotics for the first couple of weeks while the body evens out? I can't speak to that part.

Vitamin C would be completely unnecessary as well. Most multivitamins have your daily required amount. Personally, I would drop the CLA, glutamine and BCAA and just stick with the ON whey protein shake.. it should have all the other stuff in there. Please the benefits of CLA and Glutamine are blown up.. even BCAA (found in whey shakes) has been exaggerated.

Also, considering you haven't had good logging yet, I would give that a few weeks.

You can update your food diary to show fiber instead of sugar.. that is what I would recommend.

Diary, it looks ok. I am amazed that you eat 2.5 oz of potato every day. I did notice you have a generic entry for egg white which you might want to clean up and you don't log any of your vitamins. Personally, I would increase your fat intake a bit. That will help with satiety but it will also improve the absorption of nutrients.

Also, I'm not super familiar with all the supplements but do any of them have calorie counts that you may be neglecting to log? Don't know if it was answered yet, but do you have a digital food scale and are you weighing all of your food? I see a 4oz Tilapia filet everyday but my tilapia filets are usually all different sizes so it's never the same everytime.

kshama2001 · July 2015

The amount of Vitamin C in the RDA is just over the amount needed to prevent scurvy. In general, RDA amounts are to prevent deficiency diseases, not for optimal health.

MaraJadeSharpie · August 2015

The supplements were all recommended by my trainer. I'm starting to get a little frustrated and cynical about the approach, though, I will admit. I am disappointed I have paid for professional advice that doesn't seem to be making a difference.

It has now been a month, and my weigh-in on Monday showed one pound of loss. But really, it fluctuates every day, so I wouldn't be surprised if it were right back up again today. I honestly think I am eating too many calories.

I come from a lifestyle of eating very, very little. I often only ate once a day. Now I have switched to a lifestyle of eating 5 times a day, which comes to approx. 1,500 calories, and I am not showing anything for it. As stated, I have actually gained. I must say I do not believe the whole "fast metabolism" religion. Maybe that is ignorant, but on this diet I am not hungry when I eat, I eat because I am supposed to. If my body is not smart enough to tell me when to eat, then I think it must be broken. I shouldn't be force feeding it. Personally I think it all hinges on the calories. It shouldn't matter when you eat, just how much.

That said, I know I am at least eating a lot healthier. Yesterday marks one month since I have had one of my beloved frappuccinos. And the exercise is also a great thing. I am definitely getting stronger (albeit, slowly). I just think I need to eat less. I believe I will be going rogue and begin decreasing the calories on my own. The site here recommends that I only eat 1,200 a day. I will start sticking to that, and hopefully see some results.

By the way, to the many that have asked, yes, I do use a food scale. I do not eat a single thing that hasn't been weighed beforehand.

psuLemon · August 2015

MaraJadeSharpie wrote: »

The supplements were all recommended by my trainer. I'm starting to get a little frustrated and cynical about the approach, though, I will admit. I am disappointed I have paid for professional advice that doesn't seem to be making a difference.

It has now been a month, and my weigh-in on Monday showed one pound of loss. But really, it fluctuates every day, so I wouldn't be surprised if it were right back up again today. I honestly think I am eating too many calories.

I come from a lifestyle of eating very, very little. I often only ate once a day. Now I have switched to a lifestyle of eating 5 times a day, which comes to approx. 1,500 calories, and I am not showing anything for it. As stated, I have actually gained. I must say I do not believe the whole "fast metabolism" religion. Maybe that is ignorant, but on this diet I am not hungry when I eat, I eat because I am supposed to. If my body is not smart enough to tell me when to eat, then I think it must be broken. I shouldn't be force feeding it. Personally I think it all hinges on the calories. It shouldn't matter when you eat, just how much.

That said, I know I am at least eating a lot healthier. Yesterday marks one month since I have had one of my beloved frappuccinos. And the exercise is also a great thing. I am definitely getting stronger (albeit, slowly). I just think I need to eat less. I believe I will be going rogue and begin decreasing the calories on my own. The site here recommends that I only eat 1,200 a day. I will start sticking to that, and hopefully see some results.

By the way, to the many that have asked, yes, I do use a food scale. I do not eat a single thing that hasn't been weighed beforehand.

Meal frequency literally will do nothing for your weight loss. Total calories will control the loss, not the number of meals.

I know you said you have IBS, have you talk to a specialist about an eating plan for that? Overall, your diary is pretty solid, although, I would replace the generic egg whites entry with the correct brand.

healthygreek · August 2015

You are either eating more than you think or you have an issue like hypothyroid or somthing like that. Maybe it's time to get tested?

belinda_73 · August 2015

it took me a year to go from 153 to 133 at 5'5, I had to change things up, cardio, weights, walking. protein shakes tend to make me retain water, so I did better on real food. I also changed calories day to day, some days I needed 1500, then the next day 1200, based on my activity. I kept my protein around 120 grams, more than that I seemed to look puffy, I know people will dispute that. I can't eat sweet potatoes, bloats me up painfully, even tho I know they are good for you. it's a learning process, I learned each month what my body needs. takes months. once I got the right ratios I'd lose a little less than a lb a week, some weeks I'd gain it back, some weeks, 2 would come off.

Two Week Diet and Exercise - Bloated and Heavier

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