Why am I gaining weight?
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Sammy85x
Posts: 26 Member
A few months back I nearly lost almost a stone with weight watchers and gym 2-3 times a week but I had to stop weight watchers as its too expensive to upkeep. But I've tried to continue to eat well and now doing gym 3-5 times a week. But that stone has almost gone back on!!! I'm deverstated
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Replies
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You started eating calories above your maintenance level. Use this app, it's free. Stick to your calorie deficit, and coming from WW don't forget to log your fruit and vegetables as they have calories and are not "free".0
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You have to understand that once you stop WW, you're probably going to gain back your weight because you're not using the points system (a simplified version of counting calories). That's why.
Eat in a deficit. Use a food scale. Don't buy WW.
Eating healthy = no weight gain. Calories are calories. You can gain fat eating fruit and salads... you can gain weight eating cakes and chocolate. You gain weight if you eat too many calories.
Simple, right?0 -
How are you tracking your calorie intake? Are you using a food scale? Also any switch in exercise regimen or intensity can lead to water retention to repair muscles. Hormonal imbalance, totm, sodium bloat can also lead to weight gain0
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Aww ok. Thanks for the help guys. It's all very confusing when people are saying and telling me different things. I'm trying to log as best I can, my downfall is the weekends though. I've also recently been put on amitriptiline for migraines/depression so I don't Know if that is also making me gain weight too. Any other tips you have would be grateful. Any recommendations for what gym machines to use for example? Meal plans?0
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Aww ok. Thanks for the help guys. It's all very confusing when people are saying and telling me different things. I'm trying to log as best I can, my downfall is the weekends though. I've also recently been put on amitriptiline for migraines/depression so I don't Know if that is also making me gain weight too. Any other tips you have would be grateful. Any recommendations for what gym machines to use for example? Meal plans?
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
What do people say? The bottom line is to lose weight you need to eat less than you burn.
Stay in a deficit, weigh your food on a scale, move more. As far as the gym goes, do what you like!
Try staying strict for a couple of weekends. Eventually, once you get the hang of calorie counting, you can work with a weekly deficit and give yourself some room on the weekends. I do recommend learning how to count properly on a daily basis first.0 -
Few things might be affecting your weight...not sure how much a stone is in LBS, so I'll keep it generic.
How's your calorie intake? Your macro-nutrient breakdown (where these calories come from...fats, carbs, protein)? Like others have said, you might be eating above your maintenance level. Try to stick to complex carbs, low fats, and enough protein for your bodyweight. Calorie is calorie thing is somewhat true (in my opinion)...I can easily eat 600 calories worth of Nutella and still be hungry...but 600 calories worth of steamed veggies...that'd be a challenge.
Going to the gym...what do you do there? Cardio or lift weights? If you lift weights, your weight gain can be attributed to muscle gain. Remember, muscle weights more than fat. Some weight gain is normal.
How do your clothes fit? Forget the scale, toss it into a dark corner and ignore it for a month or three. When you put on your favorite pants, do you have a hard time squeezing into them (even through a month ago they fit perfectly)? Are they getting loose on you? Weight scale will lie, but visual scale tends to tell a better story. Like I said, you might be loosing fat, gaining muscle, and trimming that waistline...all while gaining weight on that scale.0 -
Aww ok. Thanks for the help guys. It's all very confusing when people are saying and telling me different things. I'm trying to log as best I can, my downfall is the weekends though. I've also recently been put on amitriptiline for migraines/depression so I don't Know if that is also making me gain weight too. Any other tips you have would be grateful. Any recommendations for what gym machines to use for example? Meal plans?
I have taken amitryptaline every evening at bedtime for tinnitus for several years and I can definitely say that it doesn't cause weight gain or increase my appetite.
You've gone off WW and are eating more calories than your body needs which is why you've gained weight. The good news is, you're here and MFP works. It's also free!
I get the logging on the weekends can be a pain but it's your body; it's up to you to do what you need to do if you want to lose weight. Get into the habit of logging everything for now. Be sure you're using a kitchen scale to weigh your food as much as possible. Over time you should find that you do better on your own without logging because you've learned what a proper portion of food looks like and how much you can eat and not gain weight. Until you get to that point, keep logging.
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Aww ok. Thanks for the help guys. It's all very confusing when people are saying and telling me different things. I'm trying to log as best I can, my downfall is the weekends though. I've also recently been put on amitriptiline for migraines/depression so I don't Know if that is also making me gain weight too. Any other tips you have would be grateful. Any recommendations for what gym machines to use for example? Meal plans?
Had to look up a stone...roughly 14lbs in case people are wondering. You've gained it back in about 1-2 months...I'm willing to bet that most of this weight gain is water weight. With balanced diet this weight will come off just as quickly as you gained it. There's no way you can gain that much from overeating gaining fat back...unless you are consuming about 4,000 extra calories a week (assuming 1lb of fat is roughly 2,500 calories). If you don't want to track calories on the weekends, consider doing intermittent fasting. Skip your dinner if you had huge lunch, or lunch if you know you'll be having huge dinner. Personally I look at total calories I consume each week...I'm eating below my maintenance. On weekends I skip snacks to save on calories, try to stay as active as I can to burn some more (if you have kids, they are great at keeping you running around), eat at least one healthy meal a day. Goal to make your diet feel less like a diet...that will be key to sticking to it. Make a decision to change your lifestyle, no go on a diet.
At the gym, try to get a personal trainer...even if it's just for 3-4 sessions. Have them develop a routine for you. Then push yourself in that routine. 6 months later get the trainer again and ask them to switch it up for you. In general you want to do some cardio, definitely legs (squats are great, so are deadlifts), work your upper body too. Pullups (use cables if you can't do any), chest too. You can lookup exercises on YouTube, even routines. But I still suggest hiring a trainer to get you started.0 -
I've been on Amitryptaline for a year and boy have I put weight on! Apparently it can play around with your metabolism and the instruction leaflet that came with it say that Amitryptaline can make you gain or lose weight. I'm *only* on 30mg nightly for migraine and neuralgia but if I eat well I can maintain my weight. If I eat "normally" I.e. Around or above my recommended daily calorie intake for a woman I quickly put on. The MyFitnessPal progress chart really spikes last October when I started taking them! I am going to the gym and trying to cut out sugar as best I can and hopefully I'll start to lose weight bit by bit although it will be slower than it used to be before the tablets. I did WW a few years ago and although it did work to a degree I did put the weight back on. I think slimming clubs encourage us to eat the same types of foods that put the weight on in the first place, only in 'low calorie' versions. I'd rather eat full fat versions but in smaller amounts! I hope you manage to start losing again and don't give up!0
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arditarose wrote: »
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
Sorry to contradict you but meds can most certainly cause weight change. They can effect your metabolism, your appetite, your absorption of food and how your body metabolises and stores nutrients. They can also cause water retention or effect your energy levels or mood so that exercising is more difficult. I don't know about this specific med but meds can make dieting really tough!
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I've been on Amitryptaline for a year and boy have I put weight on! Apparently it can play around with your metabolism and the instruction leaflet that came with it say that Amitryptaline can make you gain or lose weight. I'm *only* on 30mg nightly for migraine and neuralgia but if I eat well I can maintain my weight. If I eat "normally" I.e. Around or above my recommended daily calorie intake for a woman I quickly put on. The MyFitnessPal progress chart really spikes last October when I started taking them! I am going to the gym and trying to cut out sugar as best I can and hopefully I'll start to lose weight bit by bit although it will be slower than it used to be before the tablets. I did WW a few years ago and although it did work to a degree I did put the weight back on. I think slimming clubs encourage us to eat the same types of foods that put the weight on in the first place, only in 'low calorie' versions. I'd rather eat full fat versions but in smaller amounts! I hope you manage to start losing again and don't give up!
Thank you for your message. I do think the meds mad me worse with my eating habits. I have since weened myself off them but unfortunately may need to go back on them for my headaches as their still no better. I think with WW etc i think they do make you eat the same over and over again and personally i think the portions are too small for me. Thank you for the good luck, hope it goes well with you too x0 -
My friend prescribes Topamax for migraines. Weight loss has been found to be a side effect. You would have to switch your depression meds to something else like Zoloft...
Also he said Amitryptaline can make some gain weight.0 -
arditarose wrote: »
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
Sorry to contradict you but meds can most certainly cause weight change. They can effect your metabolism, your appetite, your absorption of food and how your body metabolises and stores nutrients. They can also cause water retention or effect your energy levels or mood so that exercising is more difficult. I don't know about this specific med but meds can make dieting really tough!
The meds may change CO part of CICO but they can never make you GAIN weight. To gain weight you need CI > CO.
Unless your meds are wrapped in bacon and dipped in cheese they are not going to suddenly make your CI number increase. If you eat 1500 calories and take meds that 1500 in doesn't change to 1600 or 1700. They may effect your body so that you only burn 1400 a day instead of 1600 a day, but that just means you need to adjust the CI.0 -
arditarose wrote: »
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
Sorry to contradict you but meds can most certainly cause weight change. They can effect your metabolism, your appetite, your absorption of food and how your body metabolises and stores nutrients. They can also cause water retention or effect your energy levels or mood so that exercising is more difficult. I don't know about this specific med but meds can make dieting really tough!
meds can certainly mess with your hormones metabolism and appetiate- but it doesn't MAKE you gain weight- if it makes you feel not full- you're probably going to eat more than you need.
But unless the meds cause you to suddenly be a 21 year old male- when you're a 55 year old woman- you're calorie NEEDS aren't going to change.
so you may FEEL hungry- or FEEL more full what have you- you don't actually need to eat more.
The difference is small but important. When on meds like that calorie tracking is more vital than ever.0 -
arditarose wrote: »
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
Sorry to contradict you but meds can most certainly cause weight change. They can effect your metabolism, your appetite, your absorption of food and how your body metabolises and stores nutrients. They can also cause water retention or effect your energy levels or mood so that exercising is more difficult. I don't know about this specific med but meds can make dieting really tough!
meds can certainly mess with your hormones metabolism and appetiate- but it doesn't MAKE you gain weight- if it makes you feel not full- you're probably going to eat more than you need.
But unless the meds cause you to suddenly be a 21 year old male- when you're a 55 year old woman- you're calorie NEEDS aren't going to change.
so you may FEEL hungry- or FEEL more full what have you- you don't actually need to eat more.
The difference is small but important. When on meds like that calorie tracking is more vital than ever.
This is correct. The blame can be laid on anything, but the root cause is always more calories in than out. Some medications do wreck havoc on the metabolism, but that actually lowers the number of calories you need to take in a day. By tracking you can see trends and adjust to prevent weight gain while on medication. It is not convenient, but it is effective.0 -
arditarose wrote: »Aww ok. Thanks for the help guys. It's all very confusing when people are saying and telling me different things. I'm trying to log as best I can, my downfall is the weekends though. I've also recently been put on amitriptiline for migraines/depression so I don't Know if that is also making me gain weight too. Any other tips you have would be grateful. Any recommendations for what gym machines to use for example? Meal plans?
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
What do people say? The bottom line is to lose weight you need to eat less than you burn.
Stay in a deficit, weigh your food on a scale, move more. As far as the gym goes, do what you like!
Try staying strict for a couple of weekends. Eventually, once you get the hang of calorie counting, you can work with a weekly deficit and give yourself some room on the weekends. I do recommend learning how to count properly on a daily basis first.
Medications can make you hold fluid so yes that will pass onto the scales! So yes it can make the scales go up. Don't stress about your veggie intake (with exception of starchy veg, banana and avacado)! Eat them to fill up....fibre=satisfied tummy!!!! Weekends can be hard we eat lots of dips, cheese and snacks on weekends....makes sure along with the crisps and dry biscuits and dip you put veggies cucumber, capsicum, carrot sticks even apple for dipping into dips and low fat cream cheese you will find you fill more satisfied and filled up on the veggies!! Yay for veggies track everything else religiously if you feel hungry yep again reach for those veggies and fruits!! Frozen berries are great for sweet cravings as well!....also with WW your portion size is controlled for you. So log food! Watch portion sizes! And EAT YOUR VEGGIES Talk to your doctor about your meds as if they are causing water retention then you will at least know...apple cider vinegar is a great natural diuretic as well as many other health benefits.0 -
As for exercises and gym machines use the machines that use big muscles and compound exercises! Leg press/squat machine Lat pull downs/assisted chin up machines chest press/row machines.....push and pull, big strong muscles, compound (more than one muscle) machines! Ask staff questions, use great form don't just try and lift as much as you can 0
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arditarose wrote: »
Medication doesn't make you gain weight. It can effect your appetite, but the choice to stay in a deficit is yours.
Sorry to contradict you but meds can most certainly cause weight change. They can effect your metabolism, your appetite, your absorption of food and how your body metabolises and stores nutrients. They can also cause water retention or effect your energy levels or mood so that exercising is more difficult. I don't know about this specific med but meds can make dieting really tough!
Perhaps certain medications cause your metabolism to slow down, certain medical conditions cause a slow down in metabolism. And while it is unfortunate because, well, we all love food it is still up to you to ensure you maintain the deficit and eat how you need to eat. If you were previously at a TDEE of, let's say, 3000. You experienced a change in lifestyle and now your TDEE is only 2200. You cannot continue to eat those additional 800 calories and maintain weight. You will gain weight.
It's the same thing with medication. If your medication causes a slow down in metabolism from a TDEE of 1800 to something like 1500, while it does suck that it happens because those extra 300 calories can be really beneficial, you need to make sure you're only eating 1500 calories. Continuing to eat the 1800 calories will lead to weight gain and the trigger may have been new medication, it's not BECAUSE of the medication that you gained weight. It's because you didn't adjust your eating habits to account for this change. Sorry, but even if it's a trigger it's still up to the individual to ensure they're eating appropriately. Blaming medications and medical conditions is a serious crutch, and it won't help anyone.0 -
Most physicians monitor their patient's progress and encourage patients to monitor their own progress. Doctors will offer alternatives to their patient's meds if they experience adverse effects like weight gain. So, you don't always have to suck it up buttercup. Sometimes you can spit out the old and start over with something new. Adjust until you get it right. And ask about Topamax.0
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I've been on Amitryptaline for a year and boy have I put weight on! Apparently it can play around with your metabolism and the instruction leaflet that came with it say that Amitryptaline can make you gain or lose weight. I'm *only* on 30mg nightly for migraine and neuralgia but if I eat well I can maintain my weight. If I eat "normally" I.e. Around or above my recommended daily calorie intake for a woman I quickly put on. The MyFitnessPal progress chart really spikes last October when I started taking them! I am going to the gym and trying to cut out sugar as best I can and hopefully I'll start to lose weight bit by bit although it will be slower than it used to be before the tablets. I did WW a few years ago and although it did work to a degree I did put the weight back on. I think slimming clubs encourage us to eat the same types of foods that put the weight on in the first place, only in 'low calorie' versions. I'd rather eat full fat versions but in smaller amounts! I hope you manage to start losing again and don't give up!
Interesting. I've been on amitryptaline for years (tinnitus and gastrointestinal issues) and it doesn't have that effect on me at all. In fact, I lost nearly 20 pounds while taking it.0
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