Working out BUT gaining weight

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AngelbabyJC
AngelbabyJC Posts: 27 Member
Here's a little background.....before I could care less about loosing weight, I ate what I wanted and when I felt like, 3 meals a day, didn't care about portion size and I was dropping weight like there was no tomorrow AND NOW......I'm on this health journey, I decided to live a more healthier lifestyle, working out, eating and snacking healthy but then what happens, I'm gaining weight!!!.....how backwards is that???.......I'm on a 1200 calorie intake and it hasn't been easy because I have to watch my portion size and I'm logging daily in my dairy and I'm trying not to go over 1200 but if I do when I log my workout then all is well.......recently my motivation for working out went down hill, I've been working out at home and I've been committed but now it's like when I think about it, my brain shuts down so to speak from the idea of exercise and plus gaining weight is making me think "why bother workout at all"
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Replies

  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    Here's a little background.....before I could care less about loosing weight, I ate what I wanted and when I felt like, 3 meals a day, didn't care about portion size and I was dropping weight like there was no tomorrow AND NOW......I'm on this health journey, I decided to live a more healthier lifestyle, working out, eating and snacking healthy but then what happens, I'm gaining weight!!!.....how backwards is that???.......I'm on a 1200 calorie intake and it hasn't been easy because I have to watch my portion size and I'm logging daily in my dairy and I'm trying not to go over 1200 but if I do when I log my workout then all is well.......recently my motivation for working out went down hill, I've been working out at home and I've been committed but now it's like when I think about it, my brain shuts down so to speak from the idea of exercise and plus gaining weight is making me think "why bother workout at all"

    First of all, "working out" is for overall health that's why bother :) In terms of weight gain, how much over what period of time?
  • joeysgirl10
    joeysgirl10 Posts: 106 Member
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    Believe it or not... you may not be eating enough calories to lose weight.... if you are not eating enough your body will go into starvation and prevent you from losing weight. Especially if you are very active. Your body needs fuel and if you are not giving it enough it will hold onto the fat!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    OP, are you weighing your food on a food scale? Are you logging your exercise, and are you eating back the calories? How much weight do you have to lose? Your diary is closed and we don't know any of your stats, so it's hard to say what might be happening.

    And just as a generalization - diet is for weight loss/gain, exercise for fitness. Exercise strengthens your muscles, joints, heart and lungs, it acts as stress relief, it will help you look better once you lose the weight, and it buys you a few extra calories. But for the most bang for your buck, making sure the calories you are eating are in line is the key.
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
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    Do you eat back exercise calories? Because you should - at least start with 50% of them. Exercising and eating too little will cause your cortisol to raise making it difficult to lose weight.
  • Gun4a
    Gun4a Posts: 68 Member
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    Depending on your workouts - you might be gaining muscle (which is heavier than fat). I've been on the same weight for a REALLY long time (over a year) but the way I look has changed a lot. But then again - my goal is to lose fat and not weight (although I wouldn't mind that too :smile: )
  • Josh_lol
    Josh_lol Posts: 317 Member
    edited June 2016
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    How long have you been "working out" and how much weight did you gain? Weight =/= fat and when you start a new exercise program, your body will likely retain water to help repair muscle. It's a good idea to measure yourself and not just let a scale dictate your body fat % since weight can fluctuate with a lot of different factors.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Josh_lol wrote: »
    How long have you been "working out" and how much weight did you gain. Weight =/= fat and when you start a new exercise program, your body will likely retain water to help repair muscle. It's a good idea to measure yourself and not just let a scale dictate your body fat % since weight can fluctuate with a lot of different factors.

    This^

    Water weight is a good possibility. OP - a tape measure is also a great weight loss measuring tool.
  • AngelbabyJC
    AngelbabyJC Posts: 27 Member
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    maxit wrote: »
    Here's a little background.....before I could care less about loosing weight, I ate what I wanted and when I felt like, 3 meals a day, didn't care about portion size and I was dropping weight like there was no tomorrow AND NOW......I'm on this health journey, I decided to live a more healthier lifestyle, working out, eating and snacking healthy but then what happens, I'm gaining weight!!!.....how backwards is that???.......I'm on a 1200 calorie intake and it hasn't been easy because I have to watch my portion size and I'm logging daily in my dairy and I'm trying not to go over 1200 but if I do when I log my workout then all is well.......recently my motivation for working out went down hill, I've been working out at home and I've been committed but now it's like when I think about it, my brain shuts down so to speak from the idea of exercise and plus gaining weight is making me think "why bother workout at all"

    First of all, "working out" is for overall health that's why bother :) In terms of weight gain, how much over what period of time?

    About 20lbs since the year started
  • AngelbabyJC
    AngelbabyJC Posts: 27 Member
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    Believe it or not... you may not be eating enough calories to lose weight.... if you are not eating enough your body will go into starvation and prevent you from losing weight. Especially if you are very active. Your body needs fuel and if you are not giving it enough it will hold onto the fat!

    YOu do not lose weight from eating two few calories. That's not how science works.

    You're probably eating too much. Are you weighing all your food?

    Not exactly weighing my food but I log daily what I'm eating etc.
  • AngelbabyJC
    AngelbabyJC Posts: 27 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    OP, are you weighing your food on a food scale? Are you logging your exercise, and are you eating back the calories? How much weight do you have to lose? Your diary is closed and we don't know any of your stats, so it's hard to say what might be happening.

    And just as a generalization - diet is for weight loss/gain, exercise for fitness. Exercise strengthens your muscles, joints, heart and lungs, it acts as stress relief, it will help you look better once you lose the weight, and it buys you a few extra calories. But for the most bang for your buck, making sure the calories you are eating are in line is the key.

    Yes I log daily and as for exercise, maybe I need to do more, I work a lot and some times when I'm finally home I'm tired so I might save exercise for another time but my calorie intake is 1200
  • AngelbabyJC
    AngelbabyJC Posts: 27 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Josh_lol wrote: »
    How long have you been "working out" and how much weight did you gain? Weight =/= fat and when you start a new exercise program, your body will likely retain water to help repair muscle. It's a good idea to measure yourself and not just let a scale dictate your body fat % since weight can fluctuate with a lot of different factors.

    About 20lbs since year started...... I workout when I can, not everyday, maybe twice out the week I'll miss working out but when I do exercise I put in the work
  • AngelbabyJC
    AngelbabyJC Posts: 27 Member
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    Believe it or not... you may not be eating enough calories to lose weight.... if you are not eating enough your body will go into starvation and prevent you from losing weight. Especially if you are very active. Your body needs fuel and if you are not giving it enough it will hold onto the fat!

    YOu do not lose weight from eating two few calories. That's not how science works.

    You're probably eating too much. Are you weighing all your food?

    Not exactly weighing my food but I log daily what I'm eating etc.

    And there it is. Fix this.

    OK cool, thx
  • Lysbethskotzke
    Lysbethskotzke Posts: 5 Member
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    I have been on a calorie reduction program to lise weight. I have always been moderatly active as I lice to walk and walk between 3 and 5 miles a day at a brisk pace (4m.p.h). I have reduced red meat consumption, increased fruit and vegetable, medditerranian diet. I have been logging meals, consuming about 1500 cal a day, burn about 300 during excercize. I started in mid april and I have not lost any weight. Zilch. I am 58. 5'7" 176 lb female and I am frustrated.