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Help, how is this possible!?

krisshearts
krisshearts Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
So I'm not sure how to put this but my attempts to eat healthier and my going to the gym (usually about 2 times a week) has only resulted in weight gain. Since I started going to the gym in November and my trying to eat healthier last month I've only gained weight. What sent my to the gym was seeing my scale at 315 and I weighed myself at the gym yesterday feeling pretty good but my weight INCREASED to 321. I've talked to a few people about this and they said I'm probably building more muscle than losing fat or they blame it on my working at McDonald's (but I've been better about my eating habits since I started working there and I drink a ton more water) so I don't really know what to do. Am I not doing the right things in the gym? Could it be something hormonal or health related? Could it be that I'm just obsessive and impatient? I would really appreciate any help or input, I'm not sure what else to do about this.

Replies

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Are you logging your food accurately? Eating at a deficit? Exercise alone won't make you lose weight. Only eating at a deficit will.
  • tasha12004
    tasha12004 Posts: 232 Member
    Honestly 2 times a week isn't enough at the gym. recommended to loose weight is 3-5 times per week plus your diet. It's 80% diet and 20% exercise. I have been working out 5 days a week and only lost 1 pound . this week i started working out twice a day , one 3 mile walk at lunch and then i go to the gym for cardio and strength training. I have lost 3 pounds this week already . You have to be consistant. Another thing i found really helpful is meal prep. I eat the same thing every day and i pack it the night before. If you need any motivation or support or just a buddy to talk to you can always message me. I have 30 more pounds to go till my goal. You just can't give up :)
  • rosiewoodman
    rosiewoodman Posts: 13 Member
    Always weigh in the same scale as some are totally off for example the gym I went to has 20 pounds off(to make you seem heavier) I would say your probably gaining muscle too how to your clothes fit? Have you tried taking your measurments? Are you recording everything and accurately I struggles with being accurate for a bit now I record everything (for example I ate 2 spoonfuls of frosting yesterday I really didn't wanna add that to the diary but I did) don't give working on it you'll get there
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You're eating more than you think
  • jsmuts
    jsmuts Posts: 2 Member
    Only use the same scale for weighing yourself....the one at the gym is probably the most accurate.

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited February 2017
    Definitely agree with only using one scale! Same time of day, same state of dress. I use mine first thing in the morning, naked, after peeing. Any weigh-in in the afternoon will be higher, as will wearing clothes, obviously.


    For the rest of it, check out this chart.
    u36l599pz3dw.jpg
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    1) How many calories are you eating? Workouts rarely are enough to outpace overeating, and "healthy" food can certainly be eaten in excess.

    2) Weigh yourself on the same scale at the same time of the day (most weight in limited clothing, if any, first thing in the morning, after the am bathroom stop, and before eating). Scales may are may not be calibrated regularly, plus, I am guessing that you were wearing more at the gym than at home, and likely had some food in you that wouldn't necessarily have been the case at home.

    3) New or increased effort exercise will often cause the muscles to retain some water which looks like weight gain, but is really just water retention. This drops off after a while.

    4) Other sources of water retention: TOM and increased sodium intake.

    These are the thoughts that pop into my head while reading your post. These are the factors I would start to consider first.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Has it been a month since you weighed yourself?
    Did you weigh yourself on the same scale under the same conditions (same time of day, same clothing)?
    If you are female you may retain water due to your period or ovulation and the scale can read several pounds higher. Is it near those times for you?
    Have you taken body measurements with a tape measure? Do your clothes fit differently?
    Are you tracking your actual calorie intake or just "eating healthier"?

    Different scales give different weights. Stick with the same scale. Weigh more often and compare progress over time. Weigh yourself next week and see what it is before making any changes.
    Weight fluctuations are normal due to time of day/week, food/waste in body, different clothes. To minimize these weigh under the same conditions at the same time of day.
    You can retain water from increased exercise, high sodium, period/ovulation, etc.
    Weight loss is about calories... a calorie deficit not type of food. Logging everything you consume as accurately as you can is useful. Using a food scale is useful.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Better eating habits =/= an energy deficit, which is what is required to lose weight. I have very good eating habits and eat very healthfully and have zero problem putting on weight eating healthy. I put on 10 Lbs from Oct - Dec eating very healthy, namely to a decrease in overall activity without compensating for that reduction in energy expenditure with my diet.

    In summary, you have been eating in a slight caloric surplus.

This discussion has been closed.

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