Gaining weight

Hello, I'm so confused how to lose weight. My daily calorie allotment is 1200 per MFP. 3 days this past week I ate less than 800 calories and 4 days I ate a little over 1000 calories. I've been exercising 5-6 days a week for the last 4 weeks getting over 10,000 steps most days. I do have quite a bit of calories left to use but use earned from exercising but don't use them in fear of gaining weight.

I understand that I may not eat enough calories some days with is basically because I've been limiting the high starchy carbs out my diet. I was expecting to lose at least 2 lbs but instead gained 1 lb which is still showing on the scale 2 days later. Why would I gain weight considering my caloric intake and exercise this past week? This is so frustrating. I've been loosing and gaining the same pounds for 8 months while doing weight watchers so I decided to give MFP a try. It seemed to work the first 2 weeks but now I'm back to gaining again. Any ideas is greatly appreciated. I've given up so many foods I like and I fit in exercise inspite of the pains I encounter, just so I can lose weight and get healthy but it seems I'm wasting my time.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    MSolberg926, what do you mean by balance at every meal? It seems if I include carbs in my meals I gain weight so I try to keep my meals consisting of protein, veggies and fruit and keep my fruit to 3 servings a day due to sugar content. I wish I can just figure out what works for like so many others seem to do.
    I think it's a more overall balance - but she can answer for herself.

    What I would like to comment on, is that you're not measuring output correctly either, not just input. Carbs bind water, so you may retain some water if you go from low carb to high carb. But that is water, not fat. And veggies and fruit are mainly carbs anyway, so you're not cutting carbs. Unless you have a real (medical) reason to limit/monitor sugar, just don't track it.

    People have found out what works for them through learning, which is part taking in correct information, part experimenting and experiencing, part reflection and analysis, part acceptance and internalizing.
  • karen_hunter11
    karen_hunter11 Posts: 20 Member
    KellyW444, thank you. It helps knowing others understand the frustration. I would be floored if I was doing everything you mentioned you do and weight loss was so slow. I hate all the work it takes just to lose 1 darn lb a week. But I like the results when it all adds up and how it makes me feel which is why I keep trying year after year. I hope you find out what's going on with you sooner than later. But congrats for all the effort you're putting in!
  • ACanadian22
    ACanadian22 Posts: 377 Member
    It does get easier. If I were to start over again(which I had to), I would just log for a week and look at what I eat and then slowly ease your way into it. You say 1200 cals, but why not try 1500? It might just work wonderful for you. 1200 is hard!! This is for life. Don't rush in.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    Definately give it some time. If you continue to gain then you need to take a hard look at what you are eating and ensure that you are counting your calories correctly. You mentioned that you were on Weight Watchers which made me wonder if you are eating the free foods and not counting the calories. I'm assuming not since you say you are also counting calories but if that is the case you need to count everything. Even a bite here and there while you are cooking can affect you if you have a small amount of weight to lose. The smaller your body is the less calories it takes to fuel it which means the deficit is tight. I lost 1.4 pounds a week on average the first year at 1200 calories. The second year it took me the whole year to drop 20 pounds. Painful but I am maintaining now so it was worth it.

    Remember water retention can affect your weight if you are eating a lot of salt or not drinking much or maybe you have given up coffee? Any of those things can affect your water level. Also if you are now eating higher fibre you may have more bulk in your system. Are you premenstrual? All these things can affect weight loss. I would suggest eating at least 1200 calories a day because you sound very frustrated and you can't keep going at 800 calories. You'll burn out.

    Take advice from those of us who have managed to reach goal weight and maintain. We've been where you are and it can be done. Don't give up but try to diet in a manner that you can live with for a long time. Ultimately you will get some calories back but it will never be the way it was if you want to maintain the loss.
  • karen_hunter11
    karen_hunter11 Posts: 20 Member
    Cheryldumais, thank you. I'm menopausal which I know has to be playing a part in my weight gain because I have to work way harder then I had to when I lost the first 60 lbs and with the the 18 pounds I gained back most of that is in my stomach (menopausal belly). I am aware about keeping portion control with the zero point foods on weight watchers. I keep an eye on my sodium and I drink 80-90 oz of water a day which I swear sometimes I wonder if my body is holding on to some of that water..stomach always seems over full/bloated.

    I don't plan to eat under 800 calories it's just some days the my food choices are very low in calories. Lean protein's, veggies & fruit and I feel full so I don't keep eating. I don't eat a lot of fiber because it seems to cause stomach issues bloating/gas but I do eat some fiber by the way of veggies, apples and a fiber bran muffin to assist in BM's. If I don't eat these things I have serious problems.

    I will keep trying. Got a lot of info from you all and the community forums here which I much appreciate and will put into action!
  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
    Cheryldumais, thank you. I'm menopausal which I know has to be playing a part in my weight gain because I have to work way harder then I had to when I lost the first 60 lbs and with the the 18 pounds I gained back most of that is in my stomach (menopausal belly). I am aware about keeping portion control with the zero point foods on weight watchers. I keep an eye on my sodium and I drink 80-90 oz of water a day which I swear sometimes I wonder if my body is holding on to some of that water..stomach always seems over full/bloated.

    I don't plan to eat under 800 calories it's just some days the my food choices are very low in calories. Lean protein's, veggies & fruit and I feel full so I don't keep eating. I don't eat a lot of fiber because it seems to cause stomach issues bloating/gas but I do eat some fiber by the way of veggies, apples and a fiber bran muffin to assist in BM's. If I don't eat these things I have serious problems.

    I will keep trying. Got a lot of info from you all and the community forums here which I much appreciate and will put into action!

    When you say this, do you mean "I make sure to not eat too much of these but I also don't log them," or do you mean "I realize that on Weight Watchers these are zero point foods, but I log them and realize they have calories that may affect my weight loss so I try not to eat too much of them."?

    If it's the first one then you may still be over eating. Example: while fruit is good for you, and although you may be eating a portion controlled amount of them, the calories add up. If you have 1 cup of 6 different fruit, it's easy to think your didn't over do it because you ate a portioned amount of each fruit, but altogether it could easily be 600-700 calories. As that to the 800 calories you've already eaten and your at 1400-1500 calories and that doesn't include any other zero point food you ate.
  • karen_hunter11
    karen_hunter11 Posts: 20 Member
    Oh no, I do log everything weather it has zero WW points or not because I want to keep track of calorie intake as well. I didn't get in that trap of over eating too much fruit or anything else that's considered zero points on WW's because I know calories matter. 😊
  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
    Oh no, I do log everything weather it has zero WW points or not because I want to keep track of calorie intake as well. I didn't get in that trap of over eating too much fruit or anything else that's considered zero points on WW's because I know calories matter. 😊

    Ok good. I just wanted to be sure. I've done weight watchers before, several times, different programs.
  • jspanx
    jspanx Posts: 1 Member
    Have you checked in with your doctor about this? There could also be a medical issue. I have known 3 people now that were eating well, working out and just not losing weight. It was sleep apnea for 2 of them and thyroid issues for 1. Sometimes it's medical and not what you are or are not doing. It's worth getting a physical and some bloodwork done. :)
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    This is what I do! Balanced meals. Every meal or snack. I don’t count calories! It works there’s NO secret. It’s just balanced eating. It works honestly!!

    That only works if you are very heavy and there is s lot of leeway for error.