Gaining weight???

saralynn0416
saralynn0416 Posts: 14 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so for three weeks I’ve consistently done cardio, and strength training. And stayed within my calorie goal. SO WHY AM I GAINING WEIGHT?????

Replies

  • saralynn0416
    saralynn0416 Posts: 14 Member
    Data points? No idea what that means, 3 weeks 4lbs
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    saralynn0416 wrote: »
    I am increasing my water intake...so that could be it. I log every tiny snack I have and some days I don’t do well. I hope it’s just water weight

    How do you determine how much to log? Are you weighing all solids and measuring all liquids? Are your database entries correct?
  • saralynn0416
    saralynn0416 Posts: 14 Member
    I measure liquids and stick to serving sizes on whatever I eat
  • saralynn0416
    saralynn0416 Posts: 14 Member
    Haha 3 weeks feels like an enternity at this point. Thank you all for the responses this is helpful! I lost 100lbs last time but now that I’m older it feels like my body is rejecting me!
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    saralynn0416 wrote: »
    I measure liquids and stick to serving sizes on whatever I eat

    How do you know how much a serving actually is? Do you weigh all solids? There can be a large discrepancy between the suggested serving size (in number of pieces or cups) vs weight.
  • saralynn0416
    saralynn0416 Posts: 14 Member
    I do not have a food scale, if I did...how would I know the proper portion?
  • DomesticKat
    DomesticKat Posts: 565 Member
    The label for your food will have a weight next to the serving size in grams. That's what you use when logging food with the food scale on MFP. If you want more or less of something than what's listed on the label, you can use the MFP database entries to do the math for you (although they aren't always right so you may have to create your own), do the math yourself, or refer to the USDA website food database for nutrition information. If you're eating something without a label, go to the USDA website and search for it and you'll see calories per serving size in grams and usually calories per 100 grams and you can work the math out from that. See the stickied threads for getting started for more info.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    saralynn0416 wrote: »
    I do not have a food scale, if I did...how would I know the proper portion?

    The proper portion is however many calories you have decided to consume on a given meal. My dinners vary from 400cal to 600 cals (without the dessert). So if I eat cooked meals, I do the maths beforehand and then I fill my plate until it gets to around that many calories.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
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  • saralynn0416
    saralynn0416 Posts: 14 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    How many weight ins (measurements) did you have over the three week period?

    Did you weight yourself every day and your trend is showing 4lbs up or did you just weigh twice, the first time three weeks ago and the second time today?

    While a "portion" is a neat idea when first starting out and coming from a place of not knowing what is reasonable, portions are often chosen for marketing as opposed to real life purposes.

    Mark down everything you eat, preferably by weight.

    Verify the entries you use against the USDA standard reference database and/or the packaging if applicable.

    Aim to eat the calories MFP suggests.

    Review your logs and evaluate whether the items you ate were worth the calories you spent on them and slowly modify your habits such that more often than not they ARE worth it to you!

    Weigh yourself and enter your weight in a trending weight app or web site.

    Evaluate your progress after 4 to 6 weeks and make adjustments if you need to.

    Thank you!! I’m off to buy a food scale tomorrow. I was weighing myself weekly, but now I think I’ll go off actual measurements than jumping on the scale constantly.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    saralynn0416 wrote: »
    I am increasing my water intake...so that could be it. I log every tiny snack I have and some days I don’t do well. I hope it’s just water weight

    Drinking more water doesn't cause water weight...exercise, especially if it's new causes water retention as it's necessary to repair damaged tissue...sodium can also cause water retention or more or less carbs...beyond that, you're body is comprised of 50-65% water and, well...it just fluctuates all on it's own. You're also always going to have more or less inherent waste in your system.

    All of that shows up on a scale...your body weight naturally fluctuates up and down...body weight isn't static and weight loss isn't linear...it looks like this:

    D77-Graph.png

    1070009_469732009783956_1925507747_n.jpg

    Love this graph.......other than the fact that it shows you can go backward in time....now, that would help us solve a lot of things (supposedly) right?

    That said, the point is 100% valid. Not linear. Whether you are trying lose, trying to gain, or trying to maintain. Too many variables.
  • queenbea77
    queenbea77 Posts: 404 Member
    saralynn0416 wrote: »
    I measure liquids and stick to serving sizes on whatever I eat

    You need to weigh all of your food. If the box says 1 cup (56g) then weigh out 56g - don't measure out 1 cup.

  • queenbea77
    queenbea77 Posts: 404 Member


    [/quote]

    Thank you!! I’m off to buy a food scale tomorrow. I was weighing myself weekly, but now I think I’ll go off actual measurements than jumping on the scale constantly. [/quote]

    Along with weighing yourself take pictures and measurements.

    When logging your food look for foods with the green checkmark, include USDA in your food search of meats, fruits & vegetables. When weighing meats and vegetables if you are weighing these raw then search for database entries that are raw. If you are weighing these cooked then search for database entries that are cooked. If you weigh the food cooked but select a food from the database that is raw your calories are going to be off. While you're getting the hang of weighing your food if you aren't sure of the nutritional information for the item you packed go to the USDA website to confirm the information is right. Too many people add food to the database without knowing the correct nutritional value. I entered potatoes into my diary one time and whoever created the database entry put it down as zero carbs. Remember just because the food is in the database doesn't mean it's right.
  • ACSL3
    ACSL3 Posts: 623 Member
    saralynn0416 wrote: »
    I do not have a food scale, if I did...how would I know the proper portion?

    I saw that you're going to get a food scale, so just to help with this part:

    Last night for dinner I had cereal and soymilk. The box of cereal (Special K protein cinnamon) says that a serving is 3/4 cup or 31 grams. I had enough calories left for 2 servings of cereal and 1 cup of soy milk, so:
    1. I put a bowl on my food scale
    2. I turned it on (if you already have it on, just hit the tare button so it says 0 grams - you don't need the weight of the bowl :) )
    3. I poured cereal in the bowel until I saw 62 grams on the scale
    4. I took out my measuring cup and measured out 1 cup of soy milk (Silk unsweetened) and poured it into the bowel

    When I went to log the food, I searched for the cereal - I compared the MFP entry to the box to make sure it was correct (there's lots of incorrect food entries in the database) - then chose the grams option and put in 62 grams. Did the same for the soy milk (except cup instead of grams).

    It sounds like a lot of work but you get use to it quickly and it really doesn't take much time.

    Hope that's helpful and not too confusing! :)
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