Weight is slowly creeping up?

jbucci1186
jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay- I've been trying to stop/reverse this for over a month now with no success:
I exercise every day, I take 2-3 days off per month, but I still end up walking on those days.
For exercise, I run 2-3 times per week, walk basically everyday, and follow the P90X Plus Classic schedule (which includes resistance training)
I drink well over 8 cups of water a day (probably closer to 16).
I tend to eat the same things on a daily basis, with slight variation, but I honestly don't believe this would affect weight loss. I don't eat bad foods, and I especially eat a lot of protein and fiber.
I use a BodyMedia to monitor my calories burned per day and base my deficit off of that, which I try to keep around 500, sometimes it's higher, sometimes lower. I have been experimenting. I have my goals set to maintain and I just create my own deficit. According to MFP, I should have lost a good 15-20lbs this summer so something's not right. And no, I'm not trying to lose that much, 5lbs would be nice, but just keeping my weight the same for more then a month would relieve much stress.

I just feel like my weight has been slowly/secretly/sneakily creeping up. It was around 175 for a while (it was actually at 169 in the middle of May), but now it's been at 179/180 every day this month. Yeah, if I go run right now I can probably make it go back down to 175 but that's not the point, because when it was at 175, I could get it to go down to 170 if I ran. Yes, I'm sure (and hopeful) that some of this gain is from muscle, and I'm sure some of it is since it's not like my clothes aren't fitting me. I can't keep blaming this on water retention though... it's been too long for that.

Go ahead and tell me what you think I could or couldn't be doing for this to happen, preferably if you have had experience with this.
I plan on starting weight lifting at the gym once I get moved back in at school. I'm also considering taking a week off after I finish p90x (in two weeks) because a few people have suggested that to me. When I wasn't eating back my exercise calories, I felt ****ty and started to noticeably gain, and now that I do eat back most of my exercise calories, I feel better but I'm still gaining (I think), just not as quickly. This is starting to piss me off and I feel like I'm going to be back in the 200s by christmas... and i don't think it will be from muscle.

I have gotten some good advice from some of the people I'm friends with on here (thank god for them), but I want as much input as I can get at this point...

Replies

  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
    Have you been measuring yourself?

    This sounds like a REALLY good case for building muscle. Slowly, over time, with plenty of exercise and intake.

    Sounds like a perfect muscle building scenario. Can you life more? Run longer/farther?

    10 lbs of muscle in 4 months is easily doable, especially if you had lots of room to grow.
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    Are you eating to enough?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


    This is just a part of it! please read the link above


    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


    Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



    Good luck on your journey
  • danewton
    danewton Posts: 15 Member
    Definitely take your measurements on a regular basis as well as weighing yourself. That is the only way to be sure about the weight gain. Also, if you keep gaining, go see a doctor!! Something could be wrong. I had a 15 pound gain last in one week's time and my diet and exercise hadn't changed! Went to the doctor this past spring after not being able to lose and found out I have some pretty serious issues going on with me that I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life. Not pleasant but at least I feel better knowing the weight didn't come because I did something wrong.
  • butterflimom
    butterflimom Posts: 121
    First off Congrats on the major weight loss- you are an inspiration!
    It could be muscle, which is a good thing.
    I recommend trying to vary your diet, by changing up your calorie intake. Ex. Mon, wed, increase your intake by 100-200 cal. The other days go under your limit. This has been known to trick your metabolism.
    Also, keep check on your sugars and sodium intake- both can cause weight gain.
    Changing up your exercise routines can also help. I never do the same thing each day.
    I wish you the best. I was actually in a similar situation until recently. This is what seems to be working for me know.
    Good Luck!!
  • aliciagetshealthy
    aliciagetshealthy Posts: 946 Member
    You should seriously think about having your thyroid checked if you're not finding any reasonable explainations within your diet/exercise.
  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
    What Avalonis said....
    You should seriously think about having your thyroid checked if you're not finding any reasonable explainations within your diet/exercise.

    ^^ and that too
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    Have you been measuring yourself?

    This sounds like a REALLY good case for building muscle. Slowly, over time, with plenty of exercise and intake.

    Sounds like a perfect muscle building scenario. Can you life more? Run longer/farther?

    10 lbs of muscle in 4 months is easily doable, especially if you had lots of room to grow.

    this.
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
    I just realized I had spelling fail in my post... I meant "LIFT more", not life more ;)
This discussion has been closed.

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