We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
Unexplained Weight Gain
adrianegenette582
Posts: 21 Member
Over the last year I have gained 15 pounds. I was diagnosed with colon disease and had to change my diet significantly and have several surgeries. However I have maintained my exercise routine and track my calories. Therefore I am unsure why I have gained this weight. My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s. I’m frustrated though, because I don’t know what to do about this. I maintain a small 250 calorie deficit each day, run 40-50 miles a week, and lift weights three times a week. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
0
Replies
-
I don't understand why your doc would say that weight gain is just a part of being in your 30's. Not helpful at all.
Do you use a food scale?17 -
Has your doctor checked all your hormones?
When you say you track your calories, how accurate are you at it? Do you use a food scale? Do you verify your data base entries?
You say you maintain a 250 calorie deficit each day, were you trying to lose weight, or was that just a buffer for logging errors?
When tracking, did you account for exercise calories and eat them back?6 -
If your calorie intake is the same as pre-surgeries it may be that you have better nutrient absorption post-surgery.
Not knowing your particular issues it is a stab in the dark but worth running past your doc.
Ignore the age thing.
Cheers, h.10 -
Thanks for these responses. I try to maintain a small deficit to account for errors and give myself a margin. I originally wasn’t trying to lose weight, but now I have this extra 15 pounds. I use a food scale and track exercise in MyFitness Pal. I set my base calories at 1250 and eat back exercise calories.
I suppose it is possible my nutrient absorption is better now that I am on medication. I guess I’m just confused because I am eating according to what my calorie burn is, and still gaining.0 -
Either don't eat back your calories from exercise or increase your deficit. There's only one reason you're gaining weight, and it's because your consuming more calories than you're burning. Maybe you're misjudging calories burned or not actually measuring and weighing everything. Unless you're defying the laws of thermodynamics, there's literally no other way to gain weight.6
-
"My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s." - Oh dear, if my doctor said this to me I'd find a new one ASAP and warn others about this one. Hopefully they are helpful in other ways but this "advice" is just nonsense.20
-
I had a couple of doctors and nurses say the same thing to me. Finally one asked if I had any family history of thyroid issues. Sure enough, my mother was on thyroid meds. I was tested and it turned out I had a sluggish thyroid. Once on meds, I was able to control my weight again.1
-
sounds like muscle gain to meadrianegenette582 wrote: »run 40-50 miles a week, and lift weights three times a week. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
15 -
adrianegenette582 wrote: »Thanks for these responses. I try to maintain a small deficit to account for errors and give myself a margin. I originally wasn’t trying to lose weight, but now I have this extra 15 pounds. I use a food scale and track exercise in MyFitness Pal. I set my base calories at 1250 and eat back exercise calories.
I suppose it is possible my nutrient absorption is better now that I am on medication. I guess I’m just confused because I am eating according to what my calorie burn is, and still gaining.
How do you calculate your exercise calories? What's your daily calorie intake like?
What are your stats? Your base calories are very low.
Though on the face of it most people would say you're eating too much, I have a niggling feeling you've been chronically undereating and there's a lot of cortisol-induced water weight involved here. It's just a hunch, mind you.7 -
Can you make your food diary public?3
-
"My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s." - Oh dear, if my doctor said this to me I'd find a new one ASAP and warn others about this one. Hopefully they are helpful in other ways but this "advice" is just nonsense.
Agreed! As a woman in her late 30s this is total BS2 -
Good points @GottaBurnEmAll.
Stats and an available diary would be good.
How do you get the 1250 base?
Asking because I'm a very average 5'1, 102lbs, 65yo woman and maintain on a little more than that, plus 200-250 per hr for exercise.
(Not that that means we are all the same, it just raises questions on why you have gained)
Cheers, h.1 -
"My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s." - Oh dear, if my doctor said this to me I'd find a new one ASAP and warn others about this one. Hopefully they are helpful in other ways but this "advice" is just nonsense.
I once saw a doctor for neck pain related to an auto accident. After telling her I lifted weights and ran, she actually got mad at me, saying weight training's bad for bones and running's bad for ovaries. How someone like that holds a medical license is beyond me.12 -
somethingsoright wrote: »"My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s." - Oh dear, if my doctor said this to me I'd find a new one ASAP and warn others about this one. Hopefully they are helpful in other ways but this "advice" is just nonsense.
I once saw a doctor for neck pain related to an auto accident. After telling her I lifted weights and ran, she actually got mad at me, saying weight training's bad for bones and running's bad for ovaries. How someone like that holds a medical license is beyond me.
😖0 -
adrianegenette582 wrote: »Thanks for these responses. I try to maintain a small deficit to account for errors and give myself a margin. I originally wasn’t trying to lose weight, but now I have this extra 15 pounds. I use a food scale and track exercise in MyFitness Pal. I set my base calories at 1250 and eat back exercise calories.
I suppose it is possible my nutrient absorption is better now that I am on medication. I guess I’m just confused because I am eating according to what my calorie burn is, and still gaining.
I would either skip the eating back exercise calories and just add in a reasonable amount to your daily calorie limit or try eating back only half your exercise calories. Some cardio machines and exercises in MPF have too high of a burn. Like, it'll say 600 calories burned per hour when you're really only burning 3/4 or even 1/2 that.2 -
Explanations of every possible reason you're not losing weight, and solutions for each of them: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/7
-
johnnylakis wrote: »
sounds like muscle gain to meadrianegenette582 wrote: »run 40-50 miles a week, and lift weights three times a week. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Sorry, but IF ONLY it were muscle gain. Especially for a woman, she won't have gained 15 pounds of muscle training 3x per week AND running and not on HGH or any other kind of steroid.
If it were that easy i'd be a beast by now.7 -
Cahgetsfit wrote: »johnnylakis wrote: »
sounds like muscle gain to meadrianegenette582 wrote: »run 40-50 miles a week, and lift weights three times a week. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Sorry, but IF ONLY it were muscle gain. Especially for a woman, she won't have gained 15 pounds of muscle training 3x per week AND running and not on HGH or any other kind of steroid.
If it were that easy i'd be a beast by now.
People who think muscle is that easy to gain have obviously never made a serious (and natty) attempt to gain muscle.
7 -
I have nothing useful to add but as a women in mid 30s I really hope you punched your doctor!adrianegenette582 wrote: »Over the last year I have gained 15 pounds. I was diagnosed with colon disease and had to change my diet significantly and have several surgeries. However I have maintained my exercise routine and track my calories. Therefore I am unsure why I have gained this weight. My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s. I’m frustrated though, because I don’t know what to do about this. I maintain a small 250 calorie deficit each day, run 40-50 miles a week, and lift weights three times a week. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
7 -
So I am 5’ 4” and 135. One year ago I was 120, eating the same calories and with the same exercise routine. The only thing that changed was my diet (I am now gluten and dairy free) and having 2 surgeries on my colon. I do carry some muscle but I can tell from the way the weight sits that it isn’t all muscle.
I use the database to log my runs and weight training and add this to my base. So for example if I run for an hour and weight train, I add that 600 or so to 1250. If I walk a substantial amount I add that as well, like if I walk an hour at lunch. I sync everything with Fitbit and try to eat under that total. I feel like Fitbit always says I have calories left when MyFitnessPal says I have hit my total.0 -
you could maybe try a diet break - but with running 40-50miles a week and lifting - i'm leaning towards @GottaBurnEmAll comment about cortisol based water weight
at 5'4". 135 you are well within the normal range of weight for your height - based on the info you gave (late 30's, 5'4", 135 and your workout schedule) - this is what tdee gives you:
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=37&lbs=135&in=64&act=1.725&f=1 - maintenance calories of 2200 a day; so to aim for .5lbs a week (since you are within that normal limit) - a deficit of 500cal would be 1700 a day (using TDEE you don't eat back exercise calories)1 -
adrianegenette582 wrote: »So I am 5’ 4” and 135. One year ago I was 120, eating the same calories and with the same exercise routine. The only thing that changed was my diet (I am now gluten and dairy free) and having 2 surgeries on my colon. I do carry some muscle but I can tell from the way the weight sits that it isn’t all muscle.
I use the database to log my runs and weight training and add this to my base. So for example if I run for an hour and weight train, I add that 600 or so to 1250. If I walk a substantial amount I add that as well, like if I walk an hour at lunch. I sync everything with Fitbit and try to eat under that total. I feel like Fitbit always says I have calories left when MyFitnessPal says I have hit my total.
So you're overriding your Fitbit and manually logging your exercise?
You're eating around 1800 calories a day, is that correct?
Can you tell me what Fitbit says your average burn is?2 -
Oops, re @deannalfisher's post. 0.5lbs a week would be a 250 deficit giving 1950 cals, wouldn't it?
Cheers, h.
Oops, never mind, I read wrong.0 -
What meds are you on? When I had issues with my colon some of the meds made me gain quickly. Steroids in particular.1
-
somethingsoright wrote: »"My doctor says it is just part of being a woman in her late 30s." - Oh dear, if my doctor said this to me I'd find a new one ASAP and warn others about this one. Hopefully they are helpful in other ways but this "advice" is just nonsense.
I once saw a doctor for neck pain related to an auto accident. After telling her I lifted weights and ran, she actually got mad at me, saying weight training's bad for bones and running's bad for ovaries. How someone like that holds a medical license is beyond me.
"Hey doc, get out of the 19th century" :-P2
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.4K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 392 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions